La Salle College : Chronicle 1944

Game 1, September 24, 1944: La Salle 34 – St. James 0

Chester Times

St. James Loses To Strong Band of Explorers La Salle High School unleashed a ground attack materializing from a T formation, that smothered St. James, 34-0. The Bulldogs, fresh from a 19-0 win over Collingdale, bogged against the strong team from the Philadelphia Catholic League from the start. The Bulldogs never showed the same sparkle after the Little Explorers recovered a St. James early in the second period and soon scored on it. The backfield combination of Bill Pfaff, Jim Sundstrom and Murt Nicholas tore the Bulldogs apart for the remaining three quarters and nearly scored at will. Pfaff scored on a 28-yard broken field run, Bill Whiteside on a four yard buck, Sundstrom on a buck from the six and Nicholas from the five. La Salle scored through the air lanes only once, this play being a pass from Whiteside to John Garvin and covering 31 yards.

The Wisterian

Explorers Swamp St. James Bulldogs, 34-0, As T-Formation Clicks In Opening Game; Clever Running, Passing Attack Produce Victory Opening up its 1944 season, the Explorers ran rough-shod over a hapless St. James outfit to the sweet tune of 34-0. The Bulldogs won the toss and elected to kick off. Whiteside returned the to our 37. After numerous plunges, sparkled by Bull Pfaff’s thirty-yard jaunt, we found ourselves deep in St. James’ territory, but the first scoring attempt was tamed as we ran out of downs. The Chester boys took over on their 10, and for the remainder of the quarter the ball see-sawed back and forth. The teams were deadlocked, 0-0, at the end of the quarter. Things started to pop in the second period when the Bulldogs, following a return, lost the ball on their own 41, with the aid of a penalty. The TD was set up when Whiteside passed to Rainey, who advanced to the thirty. On the following play, Pfaff was off again, with Sundstrom running interference, through a hole made by Gaynor for the Explorers’ first score. Taking possession of the ball in their own territory, the Blue and White attempted several unsuccessful line bucks and then punted. With the aid of spectacular interference from Fanuka, La Salle’s Pfaff drove all the way to the opponents’ 20. Then, following Garvin’s advance to the 14, Sundstrom moved the ball to the 5. Nicholas went to the goal line on the next play, and Whiteside, on a sneak, gave us a twelve-point lead. This time Gaynor booked the leather between the standards and La Salle was ahead, 13-0. The half came to a close as Miller intercepted O’Brien’s pass. Action started early in the third period when Garvin advanced from our 17 to 36 yard line for the first in a series of three first downs which moved the ball to St. James’ 30. Here another scoring possibility was quelled when Devonshire, the visitors’ left end, recovered Garvin’s muff. It was following this play that the Bulldogs presented their most serious scoring threat. Ward -passed to O’Leary, who in turn heaved downfield to O’Malley, going all the way to our 30. St. James started a passing attack, their only offensive action with a threat, but this was cut short when Sundstrom intercepted Ward’s pass and with Rainey running interference, galloped down the to their 30. Whiteside then flat-passed to 1

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1944

Garvin and “Lightning John” romped thirty yards to score. Co-captain Gaynor kicked the extra point with perfection. Soon after the opening of the fourth quarter, Sundstrom returned a necessitated punt to their 40 and again touchdownists was in the air. Pfaff, who gained 140 yards, was ploughing again, first to the 12, then to the 3, with a penalty moving the ball back to the 8. A flat pass to Sundstrom, followed by the same Jim taking a reverse, put the Explorers six more points in front. Gaynor completed the extra point. Bracken, left half, kicked off, and the visitors, after a passing attack flopped, were forced to punt. A penalty placed the Explorers deep in their own territory. Nicholas, another back, moved the ball to the midstripe through the left side of the St. James line. Jack Wanner made his debut on a speedy run, through a hole made by “Smitty”, that took him all the way to the 4-yard line. Nicholas reached paydirt when he went through a “tank-size” hole on the right side. Whiteside attempted the extra point, number 34.

Game 2, October 1, 1944: West Catholic 19 – La Salle 7

The Blue And Gold

Leading at halftime, the Explorer gridmen were unable to halt a rallying West Catholic eleven who tucked the ball game under their belt, 19-7. The 18,000 fans gathered at Finnesey Field saw Bill Whiteside complete an aerial to Jim Sundstrom, who tore 60 yards to tally for the Explorers. Gaynor’s kick was good. An aerial from Connor to Bogan did the first damage. In the final frame, Connor tossed one to Dougherty who stepped across the line. A few plays later, McGarvey plunged from the 6 to put the Burrs in front by a 19-7 margin.

Game 3, October 8, 1944: La Salle 14 – Roman Catholic 0

The Blue And Gold

Scoring twice in the second half, the La Salle gridders gained their second League triumph by downing Roman, 14-0. Early in the third stanza, Bernie Bradley’s football aggregation tallied when Jim Sundstrom snared a long pass from Bill Pfaff. Later Bill Pfaff completed to John Garvin who raced to the Broad and Vine 24. On the first play of the final session Billy Whiteside carried the pigskin into the Cahillite from the one-yard line. Whiteside kicked both placements to bring the total points to 14.

Game 4, October 22, 1944: La Salle 27 – St. John’s 0

The Blue And Gold

La Salle’s gridders journeyed to Manayunk to topple St. John’s High, 27-0, thus continuing their winning ways and garnering the third win of the season. In the opening session, Jim Bracken tallied in the Eagle end zone on a run. Jim Sundstrom scored in the second period and when the placement was good, La Salle led, 13-0. John Garvin and Jim Bracken registered 6-pointers in the third quarter.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1944

Game 5, October 29, 1944: La Salle 25 – South Catholic 6

The Blue And Gold

The Explorer model “T” machine ran very smoothly over a South Catholic eleven, 25-6, driving to its fourth league victory in five starts. Led by Billy Pfaff, John Garvin and Jim Bracken, each of whom tallied for a score, Bradley’s eleven soared to a safe 18-0 halftime advantage. Senior Jimmy Sundstrom scored on a brilliant pass play in the third chukker, boosting the score to 25-0. Joe Gorman cashed in on a freak fumble and a long 80-yard dash to give Johnny McGarry’s squad its only tally.

Game 6, November 5, 1944: La Salle 13 – St. Joseph’s Prep 7

The Wisterian

Bradleymen Jar Hawklets 13-7 Casting aside all traditions and customs, the 1944 Explorer gridmen snuffed out the last desperate Prep hope for the League crown by defeating the Hawklets, 13-7. Almost 9,000 fans saw the two teams battle to a 0-0 stalemate in the opening session. Neither ball club penetrated farther than the enemy’s thirty- yard stripe. The story was much the same in the second stanza and the two elevens trotted to the locker rooms with a 0-0 count on the scoreboard. Explorers On Rampage The fireworks began in the opening minutes of the second half when after only eleven plays, Nannie Bradley’s Model “T” machine cashed in for six points. Behind the splendid blocking of the La Salle aggregation and the open field tactics of Jack Garvin, Jim Sundstrom plowed to two . The first six-pointer was registered when the Olneyites marched seventy yards with Sundstrom driving over the goal line. Jack Garvin set up the second Explorer tally only ten plays later when he outstepped Crimson and Gray tacklers for fifty-five yards. Halfback Sundstrom again tallied, and when Co-Captain Gaynor’s extra point try went through the uprights, the 20th and Olney gridmen soared ahead, 13-0. Hawklets Tally Once With Gaynor, Smith and Fanuka crashing through Shields’s wall and tossing the Preppers backward, the Hawklets found themselves in hot water. They rallied in the closing minutes to penetrate La Salle’s end zone with DiGiacomo carrying the pigskin. Time and strength slipped from the Preppers’ grasp and the Explorer gridders of ’44 copped the ball game. This marked the first La Salle victory in nearly a quarter of a century. It would be unfair to mention individuals for outstanding play, as team play was the theme of the contest. However, Co-Captain Bill Gaynor’s spirited play was a big factor in gaining the Explorers’ fifth League victory.

The Wisterian

Defeat of “Prep” Incites Research Despite what one of the city papers featured in a two-column sports headline on Monday, November 6, saying that La Salle had beaten St. Joseph’s for the first time since 1917, the fact is that La Salle won in 1919. The score was 9 to 6. The game was played at Houston Field, the old Central High field, on Saturday morning, November 1. That year La Salle was the admitted champion of Catholic schools.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1944

Concerning the championship, the Philadelphia Inquirer stated: “La Salle won the Catholic High School championship by defeating West Philadelphia Catholic High football team yesterday (Thanksgiving Day) morning by a score of 13-9.” Brennan and Burroughs tallied the touchdowns for La Salle. Competing with one another were these five Catholic schools: La Salle, Catholic High, West Catholic, St. Joseph’s and Villanova Prep. Catholic High was unable to meet La Salle that year. La Salle had defeated the other teams. In 1920, when the Catholic League was formed, the game between St. Joseph’s and La Salle ended in a scoreless tie. Because La Salle had resigned its place in the League in the spring of 1921, the two teams did not meet until 1923, when La Salle lost 27-0. There was a defeat also the following year, 34-0. Since that time the series has resulted in several tie games. Paul Prep, a sportswriter for the Evening Ledger (a paper no longer in existence), in his comments on the high school football teams at the end of the 1919 season, suggested that there should be a league among the Catholic high schools. When the League was formed in 1920, Doctor Bonner, representing Catholic High, was elected president. He is now Monsignor Bonner, the superintendent of Catholic schools. In 1921 Salesianum requested the place left vacant when La Salle withdrew from the League. The Wilmington school was admitted in the fall of 1921. Although La Salle did not play in the League in 1921, it had a successful season, having but seven points scored on it in an Inter-city game with La Grange High of Chicago. The game, which ended 7-6, was played in the Phillies Park, the day after Thanksgiving. La Salle had several runs called back. Lou Little, now the Columbia University mentor, was the coach of La Salle.

Game 7, November 12, 1944: La Salle 34 – St. Thomas More 19

The Wisterian

Golden Bears Smothered By 34-19 Count The Tommies bowed to the Explorers 34-19, thus becoming the sixth Catholic League opponent to taste defeat at the hands of the Blue and Gold. The La Salle aggregation lost no time in getting out in front, a position they did not cede the remainder of the sunny November afternoon. Early in the first quarter, following the initial exchange of punts, the Explorers took over on the Tommies’ forty-eight and went the distance to score. This particular drive was climaxed by Jimmy Sundstrom’s thirty-five yard touchdown jaunt. Gaynor’s PAT was good. Sundstrom’s scoring appetite was by no means satisfied. After the Bears had punted to our twelve, “Sunny” broke through the line and eluded safetymen for eighty-eight yards to score Number 2 of the game and his ninth touchdown of the football campaign. The extra point attempt by Bubbles Gaynor was successful and the scoreboard read 14-0. The opponents got back into the ball game shortly after the second quarter commenced, with the Explorers’ second team in action, when Tees intercepted quarterback O’Brien’s lateral and drove to the nine. The Tommies’ passing combination of Welde to Booth accounted for the touchdown. Welde failed to convert. The greater part of what remained of the quarter was a punting contest between Pfaff and Welde, until Pfaff intercepted a Tommie pass and TD Number 3 was set up. Bill Whiteside let one fly from the twenty-one to Mart Vesey, who scored his first touchdown of the current season. Gaynor’s conversion made the halftime score 21-6.

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La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1944

In the third quarter Sundstrom’s fumble on his own thirty-five paved the way for a Tommie More touchdown when “Triple-Threat” Welde let loose an aerial from the thirty to End Booth. Captain Capper’s conversion set the score at 21-13. The Explorers came right back and scored again on a sixty-five yard drive, with Sundstrom and Nicholas putting the ball in scoring position. Whiteside let loose his second to Vesey from the enemy fifteen to set the count at 27-13. Gaynor missed his first try for the extra point in four attempts. Midway in the fourth quarter, Bill Pfaff tallied he Explorers’ final touchdown when he intercepted Welde’s pass. He raced thirty yards for the score. The conversion by Gaynor gave him four out of five for the afternoon. Our vulnerable pass defense gave way to Welde’s passes to Booth, and Welde reached paydirt by skirting the end from the two. He failed to convert. Final score: 34-19, in favor of La Salle.

Game 8, November 19, 1944: La Salle 7 – North Catholic 7 (tie)

The Wisterian

Explorers In Deadlock 7-7; North And La Salle Share Second Place In Catholic League In one of the most thrilling tussles in the Catholic League this season, La Salle and North Catholic elevens, battling for second place honors, played to a 7-7 tie. Each team closed the 1944 campaign with a record of six victories, a tie and a loss, both dropping contests to West Catholic, League champ. The game’s first half was a determined showing of La Salle power, while the remaining half found North Catholic setting a rebound pace that routed all theories stating West had finished our opponents for the season. The first of many scoring opportunities, afforded the Explorers, came in the second play of the game when Walsh of North fumbled and “Moose” Rainey recovered on the enemy 32. Unable, due to a penalty, to make a first down, the ball passed into the Falcons’ possession. This time the opponents decided to fumble a little closer to their goal and this bit of action proved fatal. Explorer co-captain Smith, who undoubtedly played his best game of the season, recovered for his team, on the North Catholic 25. “Crazy-legs” Sundstrom ran the ball to the 19. Whiteside then passed to Vesey, who fumbled but the ever-alert Rainey recovered, and the Blue and Gold were ten yards from paydirt. The Falcons were not the team to prevent Sundstrom from scoring, as a result La Salle took a six-point lead. After a penalty moved the PAT attempt to the one, Garvin crashed over to set the score at 7-0. The La Salle powerhouse offensive, plus numerous North Catholic , kept the visitors from advancing past their own 30 for the remainder of the half. Scoring opportunities for the Explorers were numerous. The most promising followed Gaynor’s attempted from the twenty, blocked by Falcon captain, Kolanko. A fourth down kick blocked by Smth gave the La Salle men the ball on the twenty-six. Sundstrom, Garvin and Pfaff moved the “skin” on two first downs to the goal line. Between this time a TD pass from Whiteside to Vesey was muffed. Cocco recovered Garvin’s goal line fumble to prevent another La Salle tally and end the drive. Early in the second half the opponents began a fifty-five yard drive that did not stall till it reached the Explorer 5. A pass from Porth to Cocco netted twenty-eight yards to the La Salle 32. Following this play, Idzik broke loose, and seemingly touchdown-bound fell on the 5. The line, led by Fanuka defended its lead for four downs. North scored shortly afterwards on a twenty-yard pass from Porth to Cocco. The injured Willis assured a tie by place-kicking the extra point. From here the La Salle eleven played a defensive rather than offensive game. A recovery by Sundstrom of Walsh’ fumble on the former’s 3 prevented North from gaining the lead after having driven fifty-two 5

La Salle College High School Football: Chronicle 1944 yards, from their own 45. Passes by Idzik to Fitzkee accounted for forty-five yards. A bad fourth-down pass from center to Pfaff enabled North Catholic to take over on its opponents’ 16. This enabled Willis’ return to attempt a desperation field goal from the 15. The ball went wide. The War ended with North on the offensive at midstripe.

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