Edition number 3 of #WPW gets emotional: Maybe this is why Illini fans really hate us? From 1948, a homecoming display on campus featuring the recipe for a little Illinois Stew. Well done. Bennie Oosterbaan’s #1 ranked Wolverines got a battle from the unranked Illini on October 30, 1948 but prevailed 28-20. Above you’ve got Michigan head hoops coach Bill Perigo checking out the damage in Yost Field House from the storm that ripped through the athletic campus back in 1959. The damage amounted to $100,000 according to the wire caption which, coincidentally, is exactly the revenue from Twizzler sales at the Wisconsin game on Friday night. 2412 Below, from a 2010 post, a great shot above Yost from the same storm: That’s head hoops coach Dave Strack, who succeeded Perigo, a bit distraught on the sidelines. Strack, the man who coached the great hoops teams of the mid-1960s, passed away in January at age 90. Previous editions: Wire Photo Wednesday : Smooth Swing, Smooth Ride Wire Photo Wednesday – The inaugural
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The New 98 and on The Legends
It’s not a secret that I’m a fan of the Michigan Football Legends program because it’s forcibly re-introduced these names and these eras into the conversation, especially on the week they’ve been honored. I’ve also witnessed (and in many cases been a part of) the research and publication of fresh materials on these men as a direct result of the Legends program. That’s a good thing– and this stuff will be available for future generations to see. Speaking of that you might have noticed I’ve been plugging the commemorative Tom Harmon/Notre Dame game program this week. Call me a #1000SSS shill, but those who read this site understand that I aggressively support projects like that program because the athletic department invested resources to make this a big day, and again, to gather fresh material on Harmon. Great stories. New interviews. Digitization of epic footage. Enhancement of old photos (see the program cover). Et cetera. As a fan I think this is a case where a few bucks to grab the program is important. And I’m assuming a lot of what was produced will end up in Schembechler Hall. I also understand there are critics. I felt the Twitter flak when the #11, #87, #21 jerseys were re-introduced and I’m feeling a tad groundswell from those that think the #98 should…
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Michigan’s Grand Old Man Laid to Rest (1946)
On August 22,1946, Michigan lost its Grand Old Man—Fielding H. Yost. Here is a wire photo from Yost’s funeral procession. The photo depicts the casket and his pallbearers: J. Fred Lawton, the composer of ‘Varsity’. Legendary player and coach Bennie Oosterbaan. 1922 team captain Paul Goebel. 1925 team captain Robert Brown. Legendary M Swim coach Matt Mann Andrew Baker, Yost’s secretary For as many times as you’ve speculated that Yost was rolling over in his grave, now you’ve got an idea of what he’s rolling in. Curiously the gent who composed the photo caption spelled Bennie Oosterbaan’s first name correctly (with the “ie”, often butchered as Benny) but laid an egg hammering when it came to his last name (“Oosterbaum”). Bah. The caption of the wire photo reads “GRAND OLD MAN OF MICHIGAN FOOTBALL LAID TO REST”. I can’t summarize Yost’s impact on Michigan athletics in a single post and won’t really try to. While he was not a man without flaws, he leveraged his incredible success on the football field along with his business acumen to lead U-M to build an athletic campus (for men, for women, and in spirit, for the people of the State of Michigan) that was years ahead of its time, with iconic structures like Yost Field House, the U-M Golf Course, and of course…
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Michigan-Air Force 2012 (Pregame Photos)
Sights and sights from pre-game today. Actually turned out to be a nice day: The fabulous Air Force chicken (is that unpatriotic of me?) mocking Denard’s Usain Bolt comments It was basically like a practice for Hoke in pregame – he was coaching up the D-line hard Court’s moms and his pops with the custom gear – not available in stores Custom made pylons Gardner still doing a few drills with the QB Gear note #1 and #2. The helmet numbers are gone; blue socks with the maize ‘M’ are here Gear note #3: Brendan Gibbons’ adidas soccer gear? Meet Ben McCready – Bennie Oosterbaan’s godson and namesake Follow MVictors on Twitter or MVictors on Facebook Related: Oosterbaan Honored – Official Release Provisioning for Michigan Stadium 2012: Bridge is Closed version TWIMFbH: Bo Shows ‘The U’ How We Do Things (1984) Oosterbaan, Banners and Books Honoring Oosterbaan: An Interview with Ben McCready
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Honoring Oosterbaan: An Interview with Ben McCready
Young Ben McCready with a gift from his godfather, namesake and then-U-M coach Bennie Oosterbaan. It’s the gameball from the 1958 Minnesota Little Brown Jug game & was a Christmas gift. For Michigan historians Saturday’s game holds special significance. Bennie Oosterbaan, arguably the greatest athlete in U-M history will be honored. He was the first football man to have his jersey retired (#47) and against Air Force, he will be the first to have a Michigan jersey “unretired”. Oosterbaan’s exploits on the field are well known: a three time All-American in football, a two time All-American in basketball, and a Big Ten batting title champion in baseball. The Muskegon native turned down offers to play professionally and instead chose a different path: a life dedicated to coaching U-M students in each of the sports in which he dominated. He coached all three sports at one time another, the highlight being when he led Michigan to the 1948 football national championship. After his coaching days he remained an administrator with the athletic department until he retired in 1972. Over the past year I’ve gotten to know Ben McCready, the godson and namesake of the great Oosterbaan. He’ll be there Saturday when his godfather is honored. McCready was kind enough to share some insight on how the “unretirement” came to be, his…
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The Meyer Morton Award Trophy – Michigan
Meyer Morton Reader David is the son of former Michigan player Don Dugger who won the annual Meyer Morton award in 1954 under coach Oosterbaan. The award has been given out since 1925 to “the football player who shows the greatest development and most promise as a result of the annual spring practice.” They used to issue an actual trophy and yes, David owns it today and sent over a photo: Sweet. Although I can’t spot the confirmation on mgoblue.com, I believe FB John McColgan was the recipient this spring. I discussed the MM in more detail here and I shared this photo of the 1932 winner–future President Gerald Ford, holding the trophy: Very cool.
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This Week in Michigan Football History: The Incomparable Bennie Oosterbaan & September 25, 1948
Here’s the next entry in ‘This Week in Michigan Football History’ to be played tomorrow on WTKA 1050AM’s Key Bank Countdown to Kick-off pregame show before the Bowling Green game. This time we head back to September 25, 1948 for the season opener and the first game for at the helm for the legendary Bennie Oosterbaan. A little different flavor this time, as we focus less on that season and team and more on Oosterbaan himself: [display_podcast] The sponsor is Wolverine Beer so here’s where you can find it, or check out the Beer Wench’s Blog. I’m still waiting to have my first Wolverine beer, perhaps some day soon. You can hear all of the This Week… clips here. Here’s much more on Oosterbaan on MVictors: eBay Watch: The Wolverine Pack & 1926 eBay Watch: Hanging Bennie in Effigy (1958) eBay Watch: Have a Highball with Bennie Oosterbaan
