# 1938 VPI Gobblers football team

The 1938 VPI Gobblers football team represented Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute in the 1938 college football season. The team was led by their head coach Henry Redd and finished with a record of three wins, five losses and two ties (3–5–2).

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 17 | | Emory and Henry* | Miles StadiumBlacksburg, VA | W 33–0 | |
| September 24 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. Duke | World War Memorial StadiumGreensboro, NC | L 0–18 | 13,000 |
| October 1 | | at Army* | Michie StadiumWest Point, NY | L 0–39 | |
| October 8 | | vs. William & Mary | City StadiumRichmond, VA | W 27–0 | 4,500 |
| October 15 | | Virginia* | Miles StadiumBlacksburg, VA (rivalry) | L 6–14 | 7,000 |
| October 22 | 2:30 p.m. | at Washington and Lee | Wilson FieldLexington, VA | L 0–6 | 9,000 |
| October 29 | | NC State | Miles StadiumBlacksburg, VA | W 7–0 | 3,500 |
| November 5 | 2:00 p.m. | at North Carolina | Kenan Memorial StadiumChapel Hill, NC | L 0–7 | 18,000 |
| November 11 | | at Richmond | City StadiumRichmond, VA | T 0–0 | 9,000 |
| November 24 | | vs. VMI | Maher FieldRoanoke, VA (rivalry) | T 2–2 | 15,000-17,000 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecoming |||||||

## Before the season

The 1937 VPI Gobblers football team compiled a 5–5 record and were led by Henry Redd in his sixth season as head coach.

## Game summaries
### Emory and Henry

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| E&H | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • VPI | 20 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 33 |
VPI's first game of the season was a victory over Emory and Henry at Miles Stadium.
The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Dunn (center), Devlin (right guard), Gaugler (right tackle), Cameron (right end), Fixx (quarterback), Miller (left halfback), Belcher (right halfback), Warriner (fullback). The substitutes were: Boswell, Buchanan, Coleman, DeMuro, Gosney, Graves, King, Markle, McMillan, Oliver, Powers, Rose, Shawhan, Smith, Taylor, Thomas, Traynham, Wood and Woolwine.

### Duke

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Duke | 6 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 18 |
| VPI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
After their victory over Emory and Henry, VPI played Duke University at World War Memorial Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina.

### Army

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| VPI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Army | 26 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 39 |
The starting lineup for VPI was: Cameron (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Gaugler (right tackle), Pierce (right end), DeMuro (quarterback), Belcher (left halfback), Miller (right halfback), Warriner (fullback). The substitutes were: Boswell, Buchanan, Coleman, Dunn, Ellison, Fixx, Gosney, Henderson, Hudson, King, Markle, Oliver, Powers, Shawhan, Traynham, Waugh and Woolwine.
The starting lineup for Army was: F. J. Yeager (left end), Harry Stella (left tackle), Melvin Verner Engstrom (left guard), J. Maxwell (center), Robert Roy Little (right guard), J. Lotozo (right tackle), Henry Riggs Sullivan (right end), Ken O. Due (quarterback), Woodrow William Wilson (left halfback), W. H. H. Mullin (right halfback), W. P. Kelleher (fullback). The substitutes were: Benjamin Mart Bailey, Coontz, John William "Jack" Dobson, J. G. Dubuisson, William G. Gillis, Harris, C. S. Jobes, G. T. Larkin, W. M. Lauterbach, E. DeW. Light, Mansfield, Sidney Taylor Martin, James Elmer Mather, John Arthur McDavid, Maurice Myron Miller, J. W. Milner, Muzyk, John Spoor Samuel, John Robert Schrader and Thompson.

### William & Mary

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| W&M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • VPI | 7 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 27 |
The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Cameron (right end), DeMuro (quarterback), Belcher (left halfback), Powers (right halfback), Ellison (fullback). The substitutes were: Boswell, Fixx and Miller.
The starting lineup for William & Mary was: Charles Gondak (left end), Dillard (left tackle), Michael Hook (left guard), Herbert Krueger (center), John Davidson (right guard), John Dillard (right tackle), Stan Kamen (right end), William Seamans (quarterback), Lloyd Phillips (left halfback), Tommy Della Torre (right halfback), William Byrne (fullback). The substitutes were: Gordon Hanna.

### Virginia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • UVA | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| VPI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
VPI's 1938 homecoming game was a loss to rival Virginia.
The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Henderson (right end), DeMuro (quarterback), Belcher (left halfback), Powers (right halfback), Ellison (fullback). The substitutes were: Boswell, Fixx, Gaugler, Gosney, Gray, King, Miller, Oliver and Shawhan.
The starting lineup for Virginia was: James Sargeant (left end), Lee McLaughlin (left tackle), Herbert Winokur (left guard), W. Oscar Willett (center), John Acree (right guard), Arthur Bryant (right tackle), Woodruff George (right end), James Beveridge (quarterback), Jim Gillette (left halfback), Mosby Cardozo (right halfback), Harry McClaugherty (fullback). The substitutes were: Dickey, Harry Dinwiddie, C. Tabb George, Nick Gianakos, Luther Gosney, Gravatt, L. Peyton Harris, Lewis, H. Cabell Maddux, Maines, Morse, Peter Nistad, Sylvester O'Grince, Rinehart, Phillip Rothar, Walter Smith and John Swank.

### Washington and Lee

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| VPI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • W&L | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Henderson (right end), DeMuro (quarterback), Miller (left halfback), Belcher (right halfback), Ellison (fullback). The substitutes were: Gaugler, Gosney, King, Oliver, Powers and Thomas.
The starting lineup for Washington and Lee was: Taylor Simmons Truehart (left end), Richard Winfield "Dick" Boisseau (left tackle), William W. Brown (left guard), John Joseph "Jack" Mangan (center), James Edward Lindsey (right guard), Joseph H. Ochsie (right tackle), S. Bernard Harper (right end), Dan Ray Justice (quarterback), Ray Craft (left halfback), Courtney Young Wadlington (right halfback), Alfred Thomas "Junie" Bishop (fullback). The substitutes were: Robert Blanding, Howard Wesley Dobbins, Stephen Edward Hanasik, C. Harrison Hogan, W. Roy Hogan, William Keland, Kelley Litteral, Charles P. Lykes, R. Shack Parrish, Richard Pinck, Francis Joseph Sugrue, Ronnie Thompson, Walker and J. Dorsey Wilson.

### NC State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| NC State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • VPI | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Henderson (right end), Fixx (quarterback), Thomas (left halfback), Belcher (right halfback), Hudson (fullback). The substitutes were: Miller.
The starting lineup for NC State was: William Retter (left end), Ty Coon (left tackle), Acai (left guard), Howell Stroup (center), Wooden (right guard), George Fry (right tackle), Mickey Sullivan (right end), Arthur Rooney (quarterback), Andrew Pavlovsky (left halfback), Robert Sabolyk (right halfback), Sands (fullback).

### North Carolina

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| VPI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • UNC | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Gosney (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Oliver (right end), Fixx (quarterback), Thomas (left halfback), Ellison (right halfback), Hudson (fullback). The substitutes were: Belcher, Gaugler, Graves, Henderson, Markle, Miller, Pitts, Powers, Rose, Warriner and Woolwine.
The starting lineup for North Carolina was: Horace Palmer (left end), Steve Maronic (left tackle), James Woodson (left guard), Robert Adam (center), Dan Desich (right guard), Claud Kimball (right tackle), James Mallory (right end), Snuffy Stirnweiss (quarterback), George Radman (left halfback), George Watson (right halfback), Jack Kraynick (fullback). The substitutes were: Don Baker, Mike Bobbitt, Julian Brantley, Tony Cernugle, Ellis Fields, Charles Kline, Jim Lalanne, Ed Megson, Walt Palanske, Pieffer, Sydney Sadoff, Paul Severin, Christian Siewers, Leo Slotnick, Smith and Winborne.

### Richmond

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| VPI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Richmond | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The starting lineup for VPI was: Henderson (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Declin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Oliver (right end), Fixx (quarterback), Ellison (left halfback), Thomas (right halfback), Hudson (fullback). The substitutes were: Belcher, DeMuro, Gaugler, Graves, King, Pierce, Rose, Shawman, Traynham and Warriner.
The starting lineup for Richmond was: Bill Burge (left end), Andy Fronczek (left tackle), William Fitzhugh (left guard), Ed Merrick (center), Forrest Norvell (right guard), Harold McVay (right tackle), Avalon Marchant (right end), Bruce Van Buskirk (quarterback), Art Jones (left halfback), Stuart Hoskins (right halfback), George Spears (fullback). The substitutes were: William Cash, Edners Dickinson, Wilson Faris, Dick Humbert, John Kennedy, Wilfred Lawless, William Morrison and Edward Sinar.

### VMI

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| VMI | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| VPI | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Oliver (right end), Fixx (quarterback), Ellison (left halfback), Rose (right halfback), Hudson (fullback). The substitutes were: Belcher, DeMuro, Gaugler, Gosney, Henderson, King and Thomas.
The starting lineup for VMI was: Ray Brittingham (left end), Rip Walker (left tackle), Ray Reutt (left guard), Richard Irby (center), Thomas Thrasher (right guard), Richard Strickler (right tackle), E. Ray Taylor (right end), James "Son" Shelby (quarterback), Vendel "Bud" Kovar (left halfback), Paul Shu (right halfback), Andy Trzeciak (fullback). The substitutes were: G. V. Atkinson, Brown, Carney, Phil Chapman, William "Red" Echols, Thomas Gray, Luther Huyett, Marshall, Langhorne Meem, Nelson, Luther Sexton and Tipton.

## After the season

In December 1938, the VPI players chose lineman Dave Pitts as captain of the 1939 VPI Gobblers football team.

## Players
### Varsity letter winners

Twenty-one players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1938 VPI team.
| Player | Hometown | Notes |
| James Raymond Belcher | Petersburg, Virginia | |
| Archibald Branks Cameron | Cranford, New Jersey | World War II veteran (Army). Awarded the Silver Star Medal and Purple Heart. |
| James Emory Coleman | Fayetteville, West Virginia | |
| Philip Galliano DeMuro | Passaic, New Jersey | |
| William Harper Devlin | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | |
| Mathew Leslie "Sonny" Ellison | Beckley, West Virginia | |
| James Stuart Fixx | Arlington, Virginia | |
| James Anthony Gaugler | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | |
| H. Woodrow Gosney | Clarksburg, West Virginia | |
| John L. Henderson | Sevierville, Tennessee | |
| Rankin McGuire Hudson | Sweetwater, Tennessee | |
| Ernest Stuart King | Disputanta, Virginia | |
| Albert Sanford Miller | Hampton, Virginia | |
| Frank Lovitt Oliver | Lynnhaven, Virginia | World War II veteran (Lieutenant Colonel, Army). |
| Frank Marion Pierce (Capt.) | Suffolk, Virginia | World War II veteran (Lieutenant Colonel, Army). |
| David Marion Pitts | Manassas, Virginia | |
| Stanley Covington "Sonny" Powers | Kingston, West Virginia | World War II veteran |
| Herbert Joseph Thomas | South Charleston, West Virginia | World War II veteran (Sergeant, Marines). Awarded the Medal of Honor. |
| George Daniel Warriner | Montgomery County, Virginia | World War II veteran (Captain, Army). Awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart. |
| Neil Saunders Wood | Hampton, Virginia | |
| George Yellott Worthington | Washington, DC | |

## Coaching and training staff

* Head coach: Henry Redd
* Assistant coaches
** Backfield coach: Herbert McEver
** Line coach: Sumner D. Tilson
* Manager: Marvin E. Inge, Jr.
* Freshman coaches
** Freshman head coach: C. E. Tilson
** Assistant freshman coach and trainer: Thomas A. Slusser