You probably know the tale: Willis Ward, Michigan’s lone black player on Harry Kipke’s ’34 squad, was benched as U-M succumbed to Georgia Tech’s refusal to play in a game with African American players. So it’s a fair question if the same issue came up in 1957 when another team from Georgia visited town. The Bulldogs fielded an all-white team, while Michigan had at least three black players on the roster including starting back Jim Pace.
-
-
The Rise and Fall of Harry Kipke (1929-1937) | This Week in Michigan Football History
The theme of this week's episode is the rise and fall of great pigskin powers. The game? 1937 Michigan vs. Chicago. If these teams met at the turn of the 20th century it would have been one of the biggest games in the country. I'm talking Stagg vs. Yost huge. But on that November 6th day 84 years ago back in 1937, it was about two once-great programs in tatters.
-
The Groundbreaker – George Jewett (1890-1894) | This Week in Michigan Football History
In this edition of This Week in Michigan Football History we look at traditions past and present, old and new. First, we note today is the 87th playing of the SAE Mudbowl down on campus. Next, we note the calendar features two big wins over rival Minnesota in the 1940s, including one in 1943 that snapped a 10 (TEN!) game winless streak against the Gophers. Finally, we celebrate the legacy of Dr. George Jewett, and welcome the 16th Big Ten Rivalry Trophy – The George Jewett Trophy - as Northwestern faces Michigan Saturday.
-
The Distinguished Digit, The Sacred Seat | Origins of the 1 in Michigan Stadium capacity
A discussion on the origins and significance of the "1" in the Michigan Stadium official capacity. Includes an interesting theory coming out of a 1960s article in Sports Illustrated.
-
The Legend of Bennie Oosterbaan | This Week in Michigan Football History
ational championship season of 1948. Before all that we lead off with a quick look at two of Bo's more dominating performances over UCLA on this day in 1971 and Navy in 1976.
-
Irish On, Off and Back On Again | This Week in Michigan Football History
This Week In Michigan Football History, as played during the WTKA 1050AM 'Countdown to Kickoff' on November 14, 2020 before the Michigan-Indiana game. We discuss the on-again, off-again, on-again history of the Notre Dame rivalry from the 1910 cancellation, up to the resumption of the series in 1942:
-
Kenn Domerese – Michigan Memorabilia Super Collector
Recently I had a chance to visit the incredible personal U-M memorabilia collection at the home of Kenn Domerese. In Part I we start with a brief interview followed-up by a look at a few items from his collection. This episode includies Michigan helmets from the 1910s and 1930s, a vintage cane that once belonged to Irving Pond (the man who scored the first touchdown in U-M history), original sheet music from The Victors, a 1930s "Schedule Bot", a 1901 cloth item dedicated to Fielding H. Yost's first team, and much more:
-
The Life and Career of Fielding H. Yost
A video of my complete guest lecture at U-M course EDUC 212: The History of Intercollegiate Athletics. The topic is the career of Fielding H. Yost. In Part I we cover his early life and coaching career before Michigan, and just into his first season in Ann Arbor. Part II gets into his coaching and AD career, and legacy.
