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1940 VPI Gobblers football team

1940 VPI Gobblers football
ConferenceSouthern Conference
Record5–5 (2–3 SoCon)
Head coach
CaptainJim Coleman
John Henderson
Home stadiumMiles Stadium
Seasons
← 1939
1941 →
1940 Southern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Clemson $ 4 – 0 – 0 6 – 2 – 1
No. 18 Duke 4 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Wake Forest 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
William & Mary 2 – 1 – 1 6 – 2 – 1
North Carolina 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Richmond 3 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
VMI 3 – 2 – 1 7 – 2 – 1
Furman 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Washington and Lee 1 – 1 – 1 2 – 7 – 1
VPI 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
NC State 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Maryland 0 – 1 – 1 2 – 6 – 1
South Carolina 1 – 3 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Davidson 1 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
The Citadel 0 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1940 VPI Gobblers football team represented Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute in the 1940 college football season. The team was led by their head coach Henry Redd and finished with a record of five wins and five losses (5–5).

VPI was ranked at No. 98 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.[1]

Schedule

[edit]
DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 21Catawba*
W 34–123,000[2][3][4]
September 28at Marshall*
L 7–138,000[5]
October 53:00 p.m.Richmonddagger
  • Miles Stadium
  • Blacksburg, VA
L 7–136,000[6][7][8]
October 12vs. William & Mary
L 13–209,000[9][10][11]
October 188:30 p.m.at Georgetown*
L 4–4615,000[12][13][14]
October 262:30 p.m.vs. Washington and Lee
W 21–06,000-6,500[15][16][17][18][19]
November 2vs. Virginia*
W 6–09,000[20][21]
November 92:30 p.m.Furman
  • Miles Stadium
  • Blacksburg, VA
W 38–214,000[22][23]
November 16at Centre*
W 10–64,000[24]
November 212:15 p.m.vs. VMI
L 0–1420,000-21,000[25][26][27]

Before the season

[edit]

The 1939 VPI Gobblers football team compiled a 4–5–1 record and were led by Henry Redd in his eighth season as head coach.

In December 1939, the VPI letterwinners chose linemen Jim Coleman and John Henderson as co-captains for the 1940 football season.[28]

Game summaries

[edit]

Catawba

[edit]
Catawba at VPI
1 234Total
Catawba 0 660 12
• VPI 0 2077 34

VPI's first game of the season was a victory over Catawba at Miles Stadium.

The starting lineup for VPI was: Lawson (left end), Coleman (left tackle), W. Tate (left guard), Zydiak (center), McClure (right guard), Judy (right tackle), J. Henderson (right end), Kern (quarterback), Thomas (left halfback), James (right halfback), Hudson (fullback). The substitutes were: Anderson, Belcher, Blandford, Chasen, Clark, Graves, Johnson, Morehead, Rucker, Sedwick, Smith, Strieff, Sullivan, B. Tate, Todd, Traynham, Unterzuber, Warriner and Wheeler.

The starting lineup for Catawba was: Leo Morgan (left end), George Haley (left tackle), Hubert Menapace (left guard), Ed Ellis (center), Chub Richards (right guard), Bill Self (right tackle), Handley (right end), Ike Green (quarterback), Dwight Holshouser (left halfback), Culton (right halfback), Crayton Benson, Jr. (fullback). The substitutes were: Duke Burkholder, Capaccio, Clayton Gaddy, Steve Johnson, Levich, Morehead, Ranaschire, William Rodeffer, Dave Staley, Todderd, Army Tomaini, Werner and Wright.

Marshall

[edit]
VPI at Marshall
1 234Total
VPI 0 007 7
• Marshall 0 607 13
See also: 1940 Marshall Thundering Herd football team

After their victory over Catawba, VPI played Marshall College at Fairfield Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia.

The starting lineup for VPI was: Lawson (left end), Coleman (left tackle), McClure (left guard), Zydiak (center), W. Tate (right guard), Judy (right tackle), Henderson (right end), Kern (quarterback), Thomas (left halfback), Wheeler (right halfback), Hudson (fullback). The substitutes were: Warriner.

The starting lineup for Marshall was: Jack Mattiford (left end), Stan Huffman (left tackle), Frank Mellie (left guard), Roberts (center), Clagg (right guard), Harold Cox (right tackle), Ed Ulinski (right end), Lorin Daniels (quarterback), Jackie Hunt (left halfback), Harley Kuhl (right halfback), Lucas (fullback). The substitutes were: Andy D'Antoni and Jack Peters.

Richmond

[edit]
Richmond at VPI
1 234Total
• Richmond 6 700 13
VPI 7 000 7
  • Date: October 5, 1940
  • Location: Miles Stadium
    Blacksburg, VA
  • Game start: 3:00 p.m.
  • Game attendance: 6,000
  • Game weather: "Pleasant"
  • Referee: Richard Carrington (UVA)
See also: 1940 Richmond Spiders football team

VPI's 1940 homecoming game was a loss to Richmond.

The starting lineup for VPI was: Clark (left end), Coleman (left tackle), W. Tate (left guard), Zydiak (center), Graves (right guard), Judy (right tackle), Henderson (right end), Thomas (quarterback), Wheeler (left halfback), Kern (right halfback), Hudson (fullback). The substitutes were: Anderson, Belcher, Chasen, James, Lawson, McClure, Morehead, Smith, Sullivan, Todd, Unterzuber, Warriner and Woolwine.

The starting lineup for Richmond was: Dick Humbert (left end), Harold McVay (left tackle), Bert Milling (left guard), William Fitzhugh (center), Andy Fronczek (right guard), David Robertson (right tackle), Erickson (right end), Art Jones (quarterback), Butcher (left halfback), Baker (right halfback), Warren Pace (fullback). The substitutes were: Joseph Amrhein, Coxey Bowen, Vincent Collins, Lemuel Fitzgerald, Griffin, Katz, Joseph Mack, Moore and Gordon ReMine.

William & Mary

[edit]
William & Mary vs. VPI
1 234Total
• W&M 7 760 20
VPI 7 006 13
See also: 1940 William & Mary Indians football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Lawson (left end), Todd (left tackle), W. Tate (left guard), Zydiak (center), McClure (right guard), Belcher (right tackle), Henderson (right end), Kern (quarterback), Thomas (left halfback), Wheeler (right halfback), Warriner (fullback). The substitutes were: Anderson, Blandford, Chasen, Clark, Graves, Hudson, James, Johnson, Lawson, John Smith, Streiff, Sullivan, B. Tate, Unterzuber and Woolwine.

The starting lineup for William & Mary was: Charles Gondak (left end), Cary Berry (left tackle), Buster Ramsey (left guard), William Goodlow (center), Ed Goodlow (right guard), Marvin Bass (right tackle), Alphonse Chestnut (right end), Waldo Matthews (quarterback), Harlie Masters (left halfback), Harold Fields (right halfback), Harvey Johnson (fullback). The substitutes were: Dick Adams, John Brodka, Abe Ferris, Glamini, Al Helsander, H. Hollingsworth, Jimmie Howard, Newell Irwin, Kickery, Glen Knox, John Korczowski, Al Vandeweghe and Hank Whitehouse.

Georgetown

[edit]
VPI at Georgetown
1 234Total
VPI 0 202 4
• Georgetown 7 12621 46
See also: 1940 Georgetown Hoyas football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Lawson (left end), Coleman (left tackle), W. Tate (left guard), Zydiak (center), Anderson (right guard), Belcher (right tackle), Henderson (right end), James (quarterback), Thomas (left halfback), Kern (right halfback), Warriner (fullback). The substitutes were: Blandford, Chasen, Clark, Hudson, Johnson, McClure, Smith, Sullivan, Taylor, Unterzuber and Wheeler.

The starting lineup for Georgetown was: Chris Pavich (left end), Earl Fullilove (left tackle), Marc Ostinato (left guard), Bill Erickson (center), Angelo Paternoster (right guard), Joe Daniels (right tackle), John Lascari (right end), Joe McFadden (quarterback), Julius Koshlap (left halfback), Lou Ghecas (right halfback), John Barrett (fullback). The substitutes were: Al Blozis, Ben Bulvin, Jack Doolan, Frank Dornfield, Louis P. Falcone, Al Kull, Art Lemke, Augie Lio, Al Lujack, Al Matuza, Bill McLaughlin, Edward Joseph McMahon, Dominick Montanero, Bill Nealon, George Perpich, James Reichey, Russ Sorce, Jack Spencer and Dave Wiley.

Washington and Lee

[edit]
Washington & Lee vs. VPI
1 234Total
W&L 0 000 0
• VPI 0 777 21
See also: 1940 Washington and Lee Generals football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Sullivan (left end), W. Tate (left tackle), McClure (left guard), Zydiak (center), Anderson (right guard), Belcher (right tackle), Henderson (right end), Kern (quarterback), Thomas (left halfback), Smith (right halfback), Warriner (fullback). The substitutes were: Hudson, James, Lawson and Wheeler.

The starting lineup for Washington & Lee was: Taylor Truehart (left end), Sanders Simmons (left tackle), Stephen Hanasik (left guard), John "Jack" Mangan (center), Francis Bryan (right guard), John Rulevich (right tackle), Courtney Wadlington (right end), Joe Baugher (quarterback), Preston Brown (left halfback), Robert "Bob" Pinck (right halfback), Alfred "Junie" Bishop (fullback). The substitutes were: John Ligon.

Virginia

[edit]
Virginia vs. VPI
1 234Total
UVA 0 000 0
• VPI 0 600 6
See also: 1940 Virginia Cavaliers football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Sullivan (left end), W. Tate (left tackle), McClure (left guard), Zydiak (center), Anderson (right guard), Belcher (right tackle), Henderson (right end), Kern (quarterback), Thomas (left halfback), Smith (right halfback), Warriner (fullback). The substitutes were: Clark, Hudson, McKinney, Morehead, James and Wheeler.

The starting lineup for Virginia was: White (left end), Harbinson (left tackle), Dickey (left guard), William Suhling III (center), John Sauerbeck (right guard), Morse (right tackle), Nick Gianakos (right end), Bill Dudley (quarterback), Bryant (left halfback), Crenshaw (right halfback), Cardozo (fullback). The substitutes were: Abbott, Aldrich, Goodwin, Gravatt, William Hill, Lee McLaughlin, Mirman, Murden, Leroy Neustedter, O'Grince, William Preston, Schlesinger and Waldrop.

Furman

[edit]
Furman at VPI
1 234Total
Furman 0 1407 21
• VPI 14 7710 38
See also: 1940 Furman Purple Hurricane football team

Centre

[edit]
Centre vs. VPI
1 234Total
Centre 6 000 6
• VPI 7 003 10
  • Date: November 16, 1940
  • Location: Farris Stadium
    Danville, KY
  • Game attendance: 4,000
  • Game weather: "Freezing temperature and high wind"

VMI

[edit]
VMI vs. VPI
1 234Total
• VMI 0 707 14
VPI 0 000 0
  • Date: November 21, 1940
  • Location: Maher Field
    Roanoke, VA
  • Game start: 2:15 p.m.
  • Game attendance: 20,000-21,000
  • Game weather: "Half-way decent for a change, though a trifle on the warm side"
See also: 1940 VMI Keydets football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Clark (left end), W. Tate (left tackle), Anderson (left guard), Zydiak (center), McClure (right guard), Belcher (right tackle), Henderson (right end), Wheeler (quarterback), Kern (left halfback), Thomas (right halfback), Warriner (fullback). The substitutes were: Chasen, Graves, Hudson, Johnson, Morehead, Smith and Unterzuber.

The starting lineup for VMI was: Luther Sexton (left end), Andrew Nelson (left tackle), Ray Reutt (left guard), Barney Skladany (center), Tom Thrasher (right guard), Harold Tipton (right tackle), Randolph Huyett (right end), Abisha "Bosh" Pritchard (quarterback), Carter Catlett (left halfback), Joe Muha (right halfback), Byron Walker (fullback). The substitutes were: Billy Clark, Clyde Ellington, James Matthews, William Nugent, Roy Replogle, James "Son" Shelby, Emil Sotnyk, William Walker and Gerald Williams.

After the season

[edit]

On November 20, 1940, Henry Redd announced that he would resign as VPI head coach to become full-time secretary of the General Alumni Association and the director of the Tech Alumni Fund.[29][30] After considering other coaches to fill the vacancy (reportedly including Bunny Oakes[31] and John Barnhill[32]), former Rice head coach Jimmy Kitts accepted the VPI head coaching position on February 13, 1941.[33]

In December 1940, the VPI letterwinners chose linemen Bill Tate and Bill Zydiak as co-captains for the 1941 football season.[34]

Players

[edit]

Roster

[edit]
VPI 1940 roster
  • Cecil Anderson
  • Mason Harper Blandford
  • Alton Belcher
  • Bruce Brinkley
  • Richard Carpenter
  • Irvin Jean Chasen
  • Gerald Clark
  • William Claypool
  • Jim Coleman (Capt.)
  • William Davis
  • Frank L. DeBord, Jr.
  • Paul Gowen, Jr.
  • Preston Graves
  • John Henderson (Capt.)
  • Willard Henderson
  • Rankin Hudson
  • Bill James
  • William B. Johnson
  • Ben Judy
  • Dick Kern
  • Bob Lawson
  • Roger McClure
  • Charles Thomas McCurdy
  • Charles McKinney
  • Paul McMullin
  • Henry Morehead
  • John Rucker
  • Julian Sedwick
  • Joe Smith
  • John Smith
  • Frank Arthur Streiff
  • James Sullivan
  • Benjamin Tate
  • William "Bill" Tate
  • Garrett Taylor
  • Herbert Joseph Thomas
  • Andy Todd
  • Albert "Pete" Traynham
  • Ralph Unterzuber
  • Paul A. Warner
  • George Warriner
  • Gene Wheeler
  • Jimmy Woolwine
  • Bill Zydiak

Varsity letter winners

[edit]

Twenty-four players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1940 VPI team.[35]

Player Hometown Notes
Cecil Van Anderson Andersonville, Virginia World War II veteran (Major, Army Air Corps).
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.
Gerald Harley Clark Bristol, Tennessee
James Emory Coleman (Capt.) Fayetteville, West Virginia
Robert Preston Graves Salem, Virginia World War II and Vietnam War veteran (Colonel, Army). Awarded the Bronze Star Medal.
John L. Henderson (Capt.) Sevierville, Tennessee
Rankin McGuire Hudson Sweetwater, Tennessee
William Wilson "Bill" James Hampton, Virginia
Samuel Benjamin Judy Belleville, West Virginia
Richard Davis Kern Winchester, Virginia
Robert "Bob" Lawson Cambria, Virginia
Roger Nelson McClure Glasgow, West Virginia World War II veteran (Captain, Army).
Joseph Franklin Smith Bristol, Virginia
John O. Smith Beckley, West Virginia
William Lee "Bill" Tate Pulaski, Virginia
Garrett Ernest Taylor Victoria, Virginia
Herbert Joseph Thomas South Charleston, West Virginia World War II veteran (Sergeant, Marines). Awarded the Medal of Honor.
Andrew Wellington Todd Hampton, Virginia World War II veteran (Army).
Albert Crawford "Pete" Traynham Richmond, Virginia
Ralph Travis Unterzuber Belmont, Ohio World War II veteran (Army).
George Daniel Warriner Montgomery County, Virginia World War II veteran (Captain, Army). Awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Eugene Hagy Wheeler Big Stone Gap, Virginia World War II veteran (Army).
James Walter Woolwine, Jr. Giles County, Virginia World War II veteran (Navy).
William Daniel Zydiak Manville, New Jersey

Coaching and training staff

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 19, 1940). "Final 1940 Litkenhous Ratings". The Boston Globe. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Tech Mobilizes For Marshall Game Saturday". Suffolk News-Herald. Library of Virginia. September 24, 1940. p. 5. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  3. ^ "VPI Outscores Stubborn Catawba Eleven To Win 34-12". The Southwest Times. Library of Virginia. September 22, 1940. p. 5. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  4. ^ "Virginia Tech Victor". The New York Times. September 22, 1940. p. 123. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  5. ^ "Marshall Defeats Gobblers: West Virginians Score In Last Minute to Win From Tech by 13 to 7". Richmond Times-Dispatch. September 29, 1940. p. Sports 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "UR Opens Conference Play Against Tech". The Richmond Collegian. University of Richmond. October 4, 1940. p. 4. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  7. ^ "Red and Blue Victors Over Tech". The Richmond Collegian. University of Richmond. October 11, 1940. p. 5. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  8. ^ "Richmond Jinx Holds as VPI Loses 13–7". Bristol Herald Courier. October 6, 1940. Retrieved November 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Colonial Echo 1941" (PDF). Colonial Echo. 1941. p. 198. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  10. ^ "Korczowski Sparkles as W. & M. Topple Virginia Tech". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 13, 1940. p. 32. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  11. ^ "William and Mary Nips VPI, 20-13 Before 9,000". The Southwest Times. Library of Virginia. October 13, 1940. p. 5. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  12. ^ "Injury-Plagued Hoya Team Plays Host To Winless Gobblers This Friday" (PDF). The Hoya. Georgetown University. October 16, 1940. p. 4. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  13. ^ "Hilltop Eleven Remains Unconquered Downing Plucky Gobbler Team, 46-4" (PDF). The Hoya. Georgetown University. October 23, 1940. p. 4. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  14. ^ "Georgetown Romps Over Virginia Tech". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. October 19, 1940. p. 16. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  15. ^ "VPI rises up to slap Gens". The Charlotte News. October 27, 1940. Retrieved August 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Defeat by VPI Fails to Mar Weekend For W&L Students on Lynchburg Trip" (PDF). The Ring-tum Phi. Washington and Lee University. October 29, 1940. p. 3. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  17. ^ "Gobblers Turn On W. & L. 21 To 0". The Sunday Star-News. Library of Congress. October 27, 1940. p. 9. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  18. ^ "Oft Beaten Virginia Tech Scores Over Generals, 21-0". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 27, 1940. p. 28. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  19. ^ "Generals Bow To Gobblers". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. October 31, 1940. p. 7. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  20. ^ "Va. Team Turns To W. & L. Tilt". The Daily Progress. University of Virginia. November 4, 1940. p. 6. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  21. ^ "V.P.I. Upsets Virginia By 6 to 0 To Offset Early Beatings". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 3, 1940. p. 38. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  22. ^ "Crippled Purples Fall Victim To High-Scoring Tech Crew". The Furman Hornet. Furman University. November 15, 1940. p. 5. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  23. ^ "Furman Defeated By VPI, 38 to 21". The Sunday Star-News. Library of Congress. November 10, 1940. p. 9. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  24. ^ "Gobbler Defeat Centre College". The Sunday Star-News. Library of Congress. November 17, 1940. p. 6. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  25. ^ "VMI Runs Rough-Shod Over Tech 14 to 0". The V.M.I. Cadet. Virginia Military Institute. November 25, 1940. p. 1. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  26. ^ "Joe Muha Leads Keydets to Win". The Sunday Star-News. Library of Congress. November 22, 1940. p. 7. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  27. ^ "V. M. I. Trims Gobblers In Annual Turkey Day Battle". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. November 28, 1940. p. 2. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  28. ^ "V. P. I. Names Linemen As First Co-Captains". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. December 14, 1939. p. 71. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  29. ^ "Coach To Resign". The Wilmington Morning Star. Library of Congress. November 21, 1940. p. 14. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  30. ^ "Redd Quits as Coach". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. November 21, 1940. p. 42. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  31. ^ "Vitt Changes Mind About Exposing Indians' Uprising". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. January 25, 1941. p. 16. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  32. ^ "V.P.I. To Name Grid Coach Soon". The Wilmington Morning Star. Library of Congress. January 23, 1941. p. 6. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  33. ^ "Kitts Named to Grid Coaching Berth at Virginia Tech". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. February 13, 1941. p. 55. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  34. ^ "Two Lead Virginia Tech". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. December 10, 1940. p. 38. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  35. ^ "1940 VPI Letterwinners". Virginia Tech. Retrieved January 2, 2023.