The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1962-11-09
SPORTS of TIMES
Catholic college
grid glory days gone
by Lou Fabro
Times Sports Editor
SPORTS of TIMES
by Lou FabrO
Times Sports Editor
First of a Series)

1t was a big sports story last week when Notre Danes
athletic director, Edward Moose" Krause, conceded that
the 1862 Irish football schedule is a bit too tough this year.
His comments were somewhat surprising for Notre
Dame has a tradition of playing the toughest schedule in
college football and has been proud of this fact. But never
was it said that Notre Danes schedule was too tough.
The Irish, as any football fan knows, have been suffer
ing through a grid depression. Their record from 1853 to
the present shows % defeats and only ID victories.
AFTER WINNING THEIR 1862 OPENER with Okla
homa, the Irish lost four straight games to Big Ten teams
Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Northwestern. In
losing the four games, the Irish scored only a total OF -
points while allowing LOT. In passing, it might be noted
that Big Ten teams have been beating Notre Dame with
regularity in recent years.
Notre Danes plight points up the fact that Catholic
college football is in the dodrums and has been for some
time. Today, only 20 Catholic colleges field football teams.
Six of these are in the Midwest. They are: Notre Dame.
Xavier of Cincinnati, Dayton, John Carroll in Cleveland, st.
Joseph in Indiana and Detroit.
Recalling the past, Notre Dame wasn't the only Catho-
lie team that won over all. The Irish had plenty of Catholic
company. From the mid-1920s until World War II, Catholic
college eevens played and beat many of the nations leading
grid powers.
IT'S A RARITY TODAY THAI A CATHOLIC college
team gets invited to a bowl game. But from 1893, when Man
haitian played Miami in the Orange Bowl, until 1850 when
Santa Clara defeated Kentucky in the Sugar Bowl, Catholic
college grid teams appeared in 18 post-season games.
Manhattan is missing from the grid ranks today; Santa
Clara, after dropping football, is back on the gridiron with
a low-pressure, low-budget, play-forfun type game. Also
gone from the grid ranks are such former Catholic powers
as FOr01dms marquette, Georgetown, dlHol University
st. Marys's (Calif), st. Bonaventure, San Francisco,
Providence and Duquesne.
Many more smaller Catholic teams, like st. Michaels
(Vt.), Cannon, Cenisius, Niagara and Scranton, also have
abandoned football after competing in the sport for years.
IN RECALLING THE GLORY YEARS Of Catholic COL
lege football, the period of the 1905 is regarded as the zen
it'll for overall strength. Among the most powerful teams OF
this era was Fordham.
The 1867 Fordham teams were especially outstand-
ing. These were the years of the legendary Seven Blocks of
Granite" featuring a defensive line so ferOClOuS that 0ppOS-
ing teams were driven to Illustration. A member of that line
was Vince lombard, who is enjoying outstanding success
as the Green Bay Packers coach.
Fordham's 1887 team was ranked second in the nation
behind Pittsburgh. Despite its strength, Fordham fought
a mighty battle before it could subdue st. Marys by a
single touchdown.
ST. MARYs WAs A POWERHOUsE in its own right.
From 1924 to 1927, the Gaels lost only five out of 40 games.
In 1929, only Oregon could score against st. Mary in a 3l6
loss to the Gaels.
Moving on to 1881, Southern California, the nations
No. 1 team after stopping such powers as Georgia, Oregon,
Washington, Notre Dame and Others, lost to fourth-rated
st. Mary's.
Checking other Catholic college teams, we find that
Santa Clara chalked up 80 wins while losing only four from
1886 to 1899.
Holy Cross, under DIR. Eddie Anderson, piled UP At
victories while dropping only seven and tying four games
In the 1933-1939 period. Only a 76 loss marred the Cru
saders' bid for an unbeaten season in 1888.
FRANK LEAHY, NOTRE DANES FORMER great
coach, forged a brilliant reputation with two powerhouses
at Boston College in 1889 and 1910. In 40 Boston College
defeated Tennessee in the Sugar Bowl.
Duquesne prospered in 1886, climaxing the latter
season with ali Orange Bowl victory over Mississippi.
Georgetown racked up a 23-game winning streak that
was broken in 1910 by Boston College in a thrilling 1918
decision.
Catholic University, many may be surprised to know,
played in the 1886 Orange Bowl, In 1887, Villanova was UNI
beaten and ranked sixth nationally. That was the year the
Cats rolled UP 15 points while allowing a measly z.
But these glory days appear to be gone forever.
Continued next weekly