TW T ... .-. T H- E MICHIGAXN DA .L Y stJND §oungest Michigan Grid Squad Rated Sixth Best in N C A__ ___-_o_ DAY, AUGUST 18, 1948 ation Last Season's Team defeated Only By Best: Indiana, Cadets, Middies- Indiana, Army, Navy Hand 'M' Only Losses By DICK BURTON1 Placing second in the Western Con- ference standings and sixth among the gridiron teams of the nation, Michigan's 1945 football team dis- played a team spirit and' fighting heart that stands alone in the foot- ball annals of the school. Fritz Crisler has never coached a younger nor more inexperienced team than the one which took the field against Great Lakes last September in the season opener. With a start- ing 'lineup which included six 17- year-old freshmen and a squad which averaged 181/2 years of age, the Wol- verines crushed the sailors 27-2, de- feating a team which later proved to be one of the best in the country. Lose to Indiana; On the following Saturday, how- ever, the Wolverines faced th7e finest grid squad the University. of Indiana had. ever produ ed. In a game that eventually decided the Conference championship, Michigan fell before the powerful Hoosier team by a score of 13 to 7, although the Wolverines came within five yards of a winning touchdown in the last minutes of play. A highly-touted Michigan State team was virtually helpless against the spirited Maize and Blue at Mich- igan Stadium and the Wolverines chalked up their second victory of the season by the overwhelming score of 40 to 0. Come from Behind A Northwestern touchdown in the first few plays of the game. placed Michigan on the defensive in their second Conference battle but the Wolverines came from behind to de- feat the Wildcats, 20-7. The Crisler- men showed their ability to capitalize on the breaks of the game, a quality in which they persisted throughout the season. New York fans will be a long time forgetting the coufageous, hard- fighting Michigan team which pitted itself against Army, one of the most powerful gridiron machines ever as- sembled in football history. But the great Doc Blanchard, speed special- ist Glenn Davis, and the Army pow- er proved too ihuch for the Wolver- ines. The Cadets triumphed, 28-7. Score Three in Final Period Returning to Conference competi- tion, Michigan faced the University of Illinois at Champaign in a game played in 70 degrees of heat. After Wolverines. The result was a terrific upset in which Michigan completely dominated the game, sanding the Gophers a 26-0 defeat. Navy played host to Michigan at Baltimore and the Wolverines suc- cumbed to the Middies, 33-7. The Maize and Blue lost two excellent scoring opportunities in the first half of the game and was unable to threaten the Navy's lead thereafter. Purdue Passing Checked Purdue's dangerous passing weap- on boomeranged when they clashed with Michigan November 27 in Mich- igan Stadium, and the Boilermakers suffered a stinging 27-13 defeat. The visitors' defense crumbled under the hard-hitting, fast-rushing Wolverine attack and Boilermaker Bob DeMoss, freshman passing artist, had little chance to exercise his skill during the entire game. . The Wolverines assured themselves Df second place in the Conference when they turned back a powerful Ohio State team, 7-3, in a thrilling battle. The Buckeyes netted three points on a field goal by Max Schnitt- ker to break ascoreless tie, but with the help'of some timely breaks and a determined defense, the Wolverines came back to score a last-quarter touchdown. Use Plenty of Subs Crisler used a two-team system throughout the season, sending in an offensive line when Michigan had the ball and substituting a defensive combination when the Wolverine op- ponents were in possession. Hal Watts, 175-pound center, was one of the few linemen to see 60-minute action. He was named on the all- Conference eleven. Art Renner, who played end, was elected captain of the 1946 team by his teammates. Both Renner and Lennie Ford, another end, were given' honorable mention on the Associated Press all-American team along with Watts. Renner and Ford will be back to perform for Crisler again this fall.- BIG NINE'S BIGGETS gridiron arena, the University of Michigan Stadium, which boasts a seating capacity of 86,135. The stadium was built in 1927 and is one of the largest in the entire nation. Seven of Michigan's nine games this season will be played here including the alread;y sold out Army battle. BIG, ISN'T IT9. Buildin fStadCYt Plans forFinestA th letic Facitie First ichigan All-American Selected in'01 Heston Precedes 26 Wolverine Standouts Just forty-three years ago this fall, a member of the University of Michi- gan's football squad was selected for the annual All-Amerien team. Since that time twenty-seven more names have been added to the list. William Heston, a halfback for the old point-a-minute teams, was the man selected. He received the award the following year and became the only Michigan back to do so until Tom Harmon also gained recognition two years running in 1939-40. Other great backfield men to gain the coveted award were: quarter- backs Bernie Friedman (1926), and Harry Newman (1932); halfbacks James Craig (1913), John Maulbetsch (1914), and Harry Kipke (1922); and fullbacks Cedric Smith (1917), Frank Steketee (1918), Robert Westfall (1941) and more recently William Daley of the 1943 team. 17 Linemen Linemen who have been awarded All-Amercan honors for Michigan teams outnumber backs, there being 17. Of these Adolph Schulz, was the earliest. He made All-American at center on the 1907 team. Other centers who have made the grade are: Ernie Vick (1921), Jack Blott (1923), Maynard Morrison (1931) and Char- les Bernard (1933). Five guards have also placed with Albert Benbrook setting a precedence by winning two consecutive years, 1909-10. Cthers include Ernest All- mendinger (1917), E. R. Slaughter (1924), Ralph Heikkinen (1938) and Julius Franks (1942). Two Wisterts Two brothers pace the list for tackle positions. In 1933 Francis Wis- tert was named and his younger bro- ther Albert took honors in 1942. Otto Pommerening was elected in 1928 and derv Pregulman in 1943. the all-time leader for Michigan All-Americans is Ben Oosterbaan assistant football coach at the uni- (Continued on Page 6) y r o==>oco9ircs WELCOME, FRESHMEN For Courteous and Professioal Service in a Most Modern Shop 9 LIRETTE'S i Barber Shop 1308 South University Ave. Available Parking Space ataall times. IJ< :ic