1940 VPI Gobblers football team explained

Year:1940
Team:VPI Gobblers
Sport:football
Conference:Southern Conference
Short Conf:SoCon
Record:5–5
Conf Record:2–3
Head Coach:Henry Redd
Hc Year:9th
Captain:Jim Coleman
John Henderson
Stadium:Miles Stadium

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]

Game summaries

Catawba

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

See also: 1940 Marshall Thundering Herd football team. 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

See also: 1940 Richmond Spiders football team. 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

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

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

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

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

See also: 1940 Furman Purple Hurricane football team.

VMI

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

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.[2] [3]

Players

Varsity letter winners

Twenty-four players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1940 VPI team.[4]

PlayerHometownNotes
Cecil Van AndersonAndersonville, VirginiaWorld War II veteran (Major, Army Air Corps).
Alton Harwood BelcherPetersburg, VirginiaWorld War II veteran (2nd Lieutenant, Army). Participated in D-Day, the liberation of Paris, and the Battle of the Bulge.
Gerald Harley ClarkBristol, Tennessee
James Emory Coleman (Capt.)Fayetteville, West Virginia
Robert Preston GravesSalem, VirginiaWorld War II and Vietnam War veteran (Colonel, Army). Awarded the Bronze Star Medal.
John L. Henderson (Capt.)Sevierville, Tennessee
Rankin McGuire HudsonSweetwater, Tennessee
William Wilson "Bill" JamesHampton, Virginia
Samuel Benjamin JudyBelleville, West Virginia
Richard Davis KernWinchester, Virginia
Robert "Bob" LawsonCambria, Virginia
Roger Nelson McClureGlasgow, West VirginiaWorld War II veteran (Captain, Army).
Joseph Franklin SmithBristol, Virginia
John O. SmithBeckley, West Virginia
William Lee "Bill" TatePulaski, Virginia
Garrett Ernest TaylorVictoria, Virginia
Herbert Joseph ThomasSouth Charleston, West VirginiaWorld War II veteran (Sergeant, Marines). Awarded the Medal of Honor.
Andrew Wellington ToddHampton, VirginiaWorld War II veteran (Army).
Albert Crawford "Pete" TraynhamRichmond, Virginia
Ralph Travis UnterzuberBelmont, OhioWorld War II veteran (Army).
George Daniel WarrinerMontgomery County, VirginiaWorld War II veteran (Captain, Army). Awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Eugene Hagy WheelerBig Stone Gap, VirginiaWorld War II veteran (Army).
James Walter Woolwine, Jr.Giles County, VirginiaWorld War II veteran (Navy).
William Daniel ZydiakManville, New Jersey

Coaching and training staff

Notes and References

  1. News: Final 1940 Litkenhous Ratings. The Boston Globe. Dr. E. E. Litkenhous. December 19, 1940. 22. Newspapers.com.
  2. News: Coach To Resign. Library of Congress. The Wilmington Morning Star. November 21, 1940. 14. December 29, 2022.
  3. News: Redd Quits as Coach. Library of Congress. The Evening Star. November 21, 1940. 42. December 29, 2022.
  4. Web site: 1940 VPI Letterwinners. Virginia Tech. January 2, 2023.