1942 VPI Gobblers football
ConferenceSouthern Conference
Record7–2–1 (5–1 SoCon)
Head coach
CaptainBill James
Home stadiumMiles Stadium
Seasons
← 1941
1945 →
1942 Southern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 14 William & Mary $ 4 – 0 – 0 9 – 1 – 1
VPI 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 1
Wake Forest 6 – 1 – 1 6 – 2 – 1
North Carolina 3 – 1 – 1 5 – 2 – 2
Duke 3 – 1 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
NC State 3 – 1 – 2 4 – 4 – 2
Furman 3 – 3 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
The Citadel 2 – 2 – 0 5 – 2 – 0
Clemson 2 – 3 – 1 3 – 6 – 1
Davidson 2 – 4 – 1 2 – 6 – 1
VMI 2 – 4 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
George Washington 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Maryland 1 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
South Carolina 1 – 4 – 0 1 – 7 – 1
Richmond 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 1
Washington and Lee 0 – 4 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1942 VPI Gobblers football team represented Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute in the 1942 college football season. The team was led by their head coaches Sumner D. Tilson and Herbert McEver and finished with a record of seven wins, two losses and one tie (7–2–1).

VPI was ranked at No. 76 (out of 590 college and military teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score System for 1942.[1]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 19vs. Catawba*
W 28–143,000[2][3][4]
September 26at Furman
W 7–6[5][6]
October 33:00 p.m.William & Marydagger
L 7–219,000[7][8]
October 10Davidson
  • Miles Stadium
  • Blacksburg, VA
W 16–04,000[9][10]
October 17vs. Kentucky*
  • Roanoke Municipal Stadium
  • Roanoke, VA
T 21–2110,000[11][12][13]
October 24vs. Washington and Lee
W 19–63,000[14][15][16][17]
October 312:30 p.m.vs. Virginia*
W 20–146,000[18][19][20][21]
November 73:00 p.m.at Richmond
W 16–77,000[22][23][24][25]
November 14at Army*
L 7–1910,000[26][27]
November 262:30 p.m.vs. VMI
W 20–622,500[28][29][30]

Before the season

The 1941 VPI Gobblers football team compiled a 6–4 record and were led by Jimmy Kitts in his first season as head coach. In August 1942, Kitts was commissioned as a lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve to become a physical training instructor at a Navy Air Force preflight training school.[31] Assistant Coach Jules Medwin also went into the service shortly after Kitts.[32] The athletic council chose assistant coaches Herbert McEver and Sumner D. Tilson to be co-coaches until Kitts returned.[33]

Game summaries

Davidson

Davidson at VPI
1 234Total
Davidson 0 000 0
• VPI 3 238 16

See also: 1942 Davidson Wildcats football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Lawson (left end), Maskas (left tackle), Fuller (left guard), Davis (center), Pearce (right guard), Judy (right tackle), Chasen (right end), McClure (quarterback), Foltz (left halfback), Ashworth (right halfback), Blandford (fullback). The substitutes were: McCaugherty and Norment.

The starting lineup for Davidson was: Scotty Paterson (left end), William Mitchell Shaw (left tackle), Alf Taylor (left guard), Red Burke (center), B. F. Moore (right guard), Herbert William Rainey (right tackle), Pat Williams (right end), Earl "Red" Bethea (quarterback), George Peters (left halfback), Art Roach (right halfback), Benjamin Rice Lacy (fullback). The substitutes were: Benjamin M. Washburn.

Washington and Lee

Washington and Lee vs. VPI
1 234Total
W&L 0 060 6
• VPI 0 766 19
  • Date: October 24, 1942
  • Location: Lynchburg Memorial Stadium
    Lynchburg, VA
  • Game attendance: 3,000

See also: 1942 Washington and Lee Generals football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Wilson (left end), Maskas (left tackle), Pearce (left guard), Hoffmann (center), Rucker (right guard), Judy (right tackle), Chasen (right end), McClure (quarterback), Gallagher (left halfback), Ashworth (right halfback), Blandford (fullback). The substitutes were: Foltz, Fuller, Sagnette, Taylor and Vincent.

The starting lineup for Washington and Lee was: Roehl (left end), Lillard McEwan Ailor (left tackle), Diloreto (left guard), D. Norman (center), Fitzpatrick (right guard), John Rulevich (right tackle), R. Norman (right end), Paul Cavaliere (quarterback), Harry Baugher (left halfback), Harry Harner (right halfback), Dick Working (fullback).

Virginia

Virginia vs. VPI
1 234Total
UVA 0 0014 14
• VPI 6 0140 20

See also: 1942 Virginia Cavaliers football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Wilson (left end), Maskas (left tackle), Fuller (left guard), Hoffmann (center), Rucker (right guard), Judy (right tackle), Chasen (right end), McClure (quarterback), Gallagher (left halfback), Ashworth (right halfback), Blandford (fullback). The substitutes were: Foltz.

The starting lineup for Virginia was: Tom Dudley (left end), Parlow (left tackle), Lakin (left guard), Charlie Cooper (center), Bear (right guard), Sieler (right tackle), Hill (right end), Eddie Bryant (quarterback), Don D. Niklason (left halfback), Steutzer (right halfback), Grimes (fullback). The substitutes were: Tabb Gillette, Ed Kreick, George Neff, William Rea, Eric Schlesinger and Henry Uihlein.

Richmond

VPI at Richmond
1 234Total
• VPI 6 703 16
Richmond 0 007 7

See also: 1942 Richmond Spiders football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Wilson (left end), Mengulas (left tackle), Fuller (left guard), Hoffmann (center), Belcher (right guard), Judy (right tackle), Chasen (right end), McClure (quarterback), Foltz (left halfback), Ashworth (right halfback), Blandford (fullback). The substitutes were: Gallagher.

The starting lineup for Richmond was: Savage (left end), Daniel Joseph Sasmor (left tackle), Bob Gill (left guard), Steve Silianoff (center), Dick "Square" Fisher (right guard), Maxwell David Katz (right tackle), Sizer (right end), Fenlon (quarterback), Gleason (left halfback), Warren Maxwell Pace (right halfback), Jack Wilbourne (fullback). The substitutes were: Bud Graham, Bay Jacobs, Francis Ignatius "Fitz" Laurinaitis and Tom Nichols.

Army

VPI at Army
1 234Total
VPI 0 007 7
• Army 6 670 19

See also: 1942 Army Cadets football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Wilson (left end), Maskas (left tackle), Fuller (left guard), Davis (center), Belcher (right guard), Judy (right tackle), Chasen (right end), McClure (quarterback), Foltz (left halfback), Ashworth (right halfback), Vincent (fullback).

The starting lineup for Army was: James Kelleher (left end), Francis E. Merritt (left tackle), Wilson (left guard), Cas Myslinski (center), Mesereau (right guard), Robin Olds (right tackle), Hennesy (right end), Roberts (quarterback), Henry Mazur (left halfback), Ashworth (right halfback), Vincent (fullback). The substitutes were: Tom Lombardo, Murphy and Bob Woods.

VMI

VPI vs. VMI
1 234Total
• VPI 0 767 20
VMI 6 000 6

See also: 1942 VMI Keydets football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Wilson (left end), Maskas (left tackle), Fuller (left guard), Davis (center), Rucker (right guard), Judy (right tackle), Chasen (right end), McClaugherty (quarterback), Gallagher (left halfback), James (right halfback), McClure (fullback). The substitutes were: Foltz and Johnson.

The starting lineup for VMI was: Billy Clark (left end), Ellington (left tackle), Markin (left guard), Dimmler (center), Julius Minton (right guard), Charlie Marks (right tackle), McIntyre (right end), Dick DeShazo (quarterback), Johnny Stevens (left halfback), Jimmy Matthews (right halfback), Joe Muha (fullback). The substitutes were: Joe Black, McCullough, Seay, Jim Sloan, Sotnyk and Turriziani

After the season

In December 1942, Elmer Wilson was chosen by his teammates as captain for the 1943 football season.[34]

1943 Season Cancellation

In December 1942, VPI released their 10-game schedule for 1943.[35] The planned schedule was:

However, by January 1943, VPI athletic director William L. Younger was speculating that unless eligibility rules were changed for the duration of World War II regarding underclassman and servicemen on campus for training, VPI would not have a fall intercollegiate athletic program.[36] By June 1943, only six of the original 10 games were still on the schedule. The game against Catawba was originally cancelled because VPI scheduled their summer quarter convocation on the same date, but it was later rescheduled for November 13. The games against Washington and Lee, Furman, and The Citadel were cancelled because the schools stopped their football programs for the duration of the war.[37] On June 26, 1943, VPI released a revised eight-game schedule.[38] The schedule was:

After many schools cancelled their football season dur to a lack of eligible players, the NCAA eventually repealed the freshman prohibition for the duration of the war.[39] Nevertheless, the War Department kept its prohibition of servicemen trainees participating in intercollegiate sports.[40] Younger stated that, excluding of the Army trainees, VPI only had two men that had ever played football.[41] After the War Department's decision, VPI surveyed the Corps of Cadets in August 1943 to determine how many can and will play football. The survey asked the participants several questions, including: if they definitely expected to return for the fall quarter; if they would remain on campus between quarters for daily football practice, and if they would practice until Thanksgiving.[42] VPI also needed to fix their coaching issue because Tilson and McEver, the co-coaches from 1942, were helping train the servicemen assigned to VPI.[42] After the survey was held, the athletic council met to determine the fate of the 1943 season. On August 21, schools that were scheduled to play VPI were notified that VPI would not be fielding a football team in 1943.[43][44]

NFL Draft selections

= Pro Football Hall of Fame = Canadian Football Hall of Fame = College Football Hall of Fame
NFL Draft Selections 
Year Round Pick Overall Name Team Position
1944 14 11 142 John Maskas Boston Yanks Guard/Tackle

Players

Roster

VPI 1942 roster
  • Fred Ashworth
  • Billy Barbour
  • Barco
  • Baros
  • Alton Belcher
  • Mason Blandford
  • Carter
  • Irvin Chasen
  • Daniel Clark
  • William Davis
  • John Peter Duda
  • Ellas
  • Joe Foltz
  • Nelson Fuller
  • Jack Gallagher
  • William Anderson Garth
  • Hines
  • G. D. Hodges
  • Joe Hoffmann
  • Bill James (Capt.)
  • Samuel Johnson
  • Ted Johnson
  • William "Stud" Johnson
  • Ben Judy
  • Frank Lawson
  • John Maskas
  • Massie
  • Allen McClaugherty
  • Roger McClure
  • K. McWherter
  • Gus Mengulas
  • James Norment
  • Horace Pearce
  • Read Nichols Pierce
  • John Rucker
  • Robert Warren Sagnette
  • Sharp
  • Shelton
  • Talbot
  • Alfred Taylor
  • Art F. Vincent
  • Paul Warner
  • Elmer Wilson
  • Wright

Varsity letter winners

Twenty-eight players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1942 VPI team.[45]

Player Hometown Notes
Fred Gill Ashworth Huntington, West Virginia World War II veteran (Lieutenant Colonel, Army).
Billy Shelby Barbour Huntington, West Virginia
Alton Harwood Belcher Petersburg, Virginia World War II veteran (2nd Lieutenant, Army). Participated in D-Day, the liberation of Paris, and the Battle of the Bulge.
Mason Harper Blandford Suffolk, Virginia
Irvin Jean Chasen Richmond, Virginia World War II veteran (1st Lieutenant, Army). Awarded four separate battlefield ribbons and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Daniel Clark
William Earnest Davis
Joseph F. Foltz
Nelson Thomas Fuller Phoebus, Virginia
John Edward "Jack" Gallagher Roselle Park, New Jersey World War II veteran (Sergeant, Army). Awarded Purple Heart.
George Dewey Hodges, Jr. Baltimore, Maryland
Joseph William Hoffmann, Jr. Richmond, Virginia
William Wilson "Bill" James (Capt.) Hampton, Virginia
William B. Johnson
Ted James Johnson Narrows, Virginia
Samuel Benjamin Judy Belleville, West Virginia
Frank Lawson
Ioannis Demetrios “John James” Maskas Monessen, Pennsylvania World War II veteran (Marines). Emigrated with family from Kampos, Chios, Greece.
Charles Allen McClaugherty Narrows, Virginia World War II veteran (Marines).
Roger Nelson McClure Glasgow, West Virginia World War II veteran (Captain, Army).
Augustus Paul Mengulas Norfolk, Virginia World War II veteran (Army).
James Broaddus Norment Sparta, Virginia
Horace Lee Pearce, Jr. Hampton, Virginia World War II veteran (Navy).
John William Rucker
Alfred Taylor
Art F. Vincent
Paul A. Warner
William Elmer Wilson Hampton, Virginia

References

  1. ^ Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 16, 1942). "Litkenhous Rates Georgia No. 1, Ohio State No. 2". Twin City Sentinel. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Sayakini 1943". Catawba College Sayakini. 1943. p. 75. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  3. ^ "Virginia Tech Opens With Win Over Catawba". The Sunday Star-News. Library of Congress. September 20, 1942. p. 7. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  4. ^ "Tech Scores 28 To 14 Victory Over Catawba's Indians". The Southwest Times. Library of Virginia. September 20, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  5. ^ "Furman Drops Opener, 7-6". The Furman Hornet. Furman University. October 2, 1942. p. 5. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  6. ^ "Latimer's Story Of Furman Game". The Greenville News. September 27, 1942. Retrieved November 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Tribesmen Take Va. Tech, 21–7, For Third Consecutive Win". The Flat Hat. College of William & Mary. October 6, 1942. p. 3. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  8. ^ "Tech Is Defeated, 21-7". The Southwest Times. Library of Virginia. October 4, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  9. ^ "VPI Whips 'Cats In Weird Game". The Sunday Star-News. Library of Congress. October 11, 1942. p. 9. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  10. ^ "Listless 'Cats Lose To V.P.I. By 16-0 Score". The Davidsonian. Davidson College. October 15, 1942. p. 3. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  11. ^ "Virginia Tech Ties Kentucky With Rally". The Tuscaloosa News. October 18, 1942. p. 7. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  12. ^ "Men From Virginia Tie Wildcats 21-21". The Kentucky Kernel. University of Kentucky. October 20, 1942. p. 4. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  13. ^ "Virginia Tech Ties Kentucky". The Sunday Star-News. Library of Congress. October 18, 1942. p. 9. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  14. ^ "Air Offense Clicks As Ground Attack Fails In 19-6 Loss" (PDF). The Ring-tum Phi. Washington and Lee University. October 27, 1942. p. 3. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  15. ^ "Gallagher Sets Pace As V. P. I. Trounces W. and L., 9-6". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 25, 1942. p. 35. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  16. ^ "Virginia Tech Defeats Washington And Lee, 19–6". Bristol Herald Courier. October 25, 1942. Retrieved November 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "VPI's Power Proves Too Much For Washington & Lee". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. October 29, 1942. p. 7. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  18. ^ "Cavaliers' Late Rally Fails; Strong Tech Wins, 20–14". The Cavalier Daily. November 2, 1942. p. 3. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  19. ^ "Virginia's Aerial Attack Praised". The Daily Progress. University of Virginia. November 2, 1942. p. 8. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  20. ^ "Virginia Goes Down Fighting in 20-to-14 Game With V. P. I." The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 1, 1942. p. 42. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  21. ^ "Virginia Tech Runs Over Cavaliers 20-14". The Sunday Star-News. Library of Congress. November 1, 1942. p. 9. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  22. ^ "Scrapping Spiders Hold Potent Tech To 16-7 Win". The Richmond Collegian. University of Richmond. November 13, 1942. p. 3. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  23. ^ "VPI's Win Over Richmond Is Fourth in Conference". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 8, 1942. p. 40. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  24. ^ "Virginia Tech Stops Spiders". The Sunday Star-News. Library of Congress. November 8, 1942. p. 9. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  25. ^ "Gobblers Spill Spiders, 16–7, For Fourth Loop Win". Kingsport Times. November 8, 1942. Retrieved November 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Army Much Too Good For Virginia Poly In 19-7 Game". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 15, 1942. p. 37. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  27. ^ "Army Gobbles Gobblers 19-7". The Sunday Star-News. Library of Congress. November 15, 1942. p. 2. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  28. ^ "600 Cadets Attended VPI Game". The V.M.I. Cadet. Virginia Military Institute. November 30, 1942. p. 1. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  29. ^ "Keydets Bow To Gobblers". The Daily News Leader. November 27, 1942. Retrieved November 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "VMI Loses Turkey Day Classic, 20-6". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. December 3, 1942. p. 8. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  31. ^ "V. P. I. Loses Head Coach Kitts to Army". Suffolk News-Herald. Library of Virginia. August 25, 1942. p. 1. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  32. ^ "Medwin of Gobblers' Sports Staff Trails Kitts Into Service". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. September 5, 1942. p. 20. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  33. ^ "Tilson, McEver To Run Gobler Grid Activities". The Wilmington Morning Star. Library of Congress. August 26, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  34. ^ "Wilson to Lead V. P. I." The Evening Star. Library of Congress. December 9, 1942. p. 59. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  35. ^ "Terp Eleven Scheduled By V. P. I. Next Year". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. December 9, 1942. p. 43. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  36. ^ "V. P. I. Director Sees College Sports Out If Code Stands". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. January 7, 1943. p. 22. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  37. ^ "Gobblers Retain Grid Hope Despite 1943 Card Is Fading". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. June 3, 1943. p. 19. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  38. ^ "V. P. I. Lists Maryland Among 8 Football Foes This Year". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. June 27, 1943. p. 20. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  39. ^ Franklin Berkey (April 24, 1992). "Freshman eligibility". Daily Collegian. Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  40. ^ "Army Asked to Save College Football". The Sunday Star-News. Library of Congress. July 7, 1943. p. 6. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  41. ^ "Grid Suspension Seen For Gobblers, R-M". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. August 6, 1943. p. 18. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  42. ^ a b "Virginia Tech Making Survey". Suffolk News-Herald. Library of Virginia. August 14, 1943. p. 5. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  43. ^ "V. P. I. Abandons Football". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. August 22, 1943. p. 24. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  44. ^ "Gobblers Call Off Football For This Year". Daily Press. Newspapers.com. August 22, 1943. p. 21. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  45. ^ "1942 VPI Letterwinners". Virginia Tech. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
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