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
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1933 Michigan National Champions Charm
A real doozy of an item showed up recently on eBay, described to be a pendant awarded to Michigan’s 1933 national championship team under coach Harry Kipke. Very cool: It appears to be in outstanding condition, made of 14K gold, and assigned to a quarterback named “W.W. Renner”. This appears to be originally the property of a William Renner who was on that ’33 squad and who wore #63: Renner is listed as “Art” on the 1933 team photo caption but as “William W.” on the official roster and in his later years, including when he was captain of the 1935 squad. I think the “Art” reference is an error as there was an Art Renner who played in the 1940s. I’ll let the Bentley know so they can check it out. I rarely use Wikipedia as a research source but the entry on Renner has some excellent detail, including this nugget about the Youngtown, OH native’s exploits against the Buckeyes during that 1933 championship year: In the 1933 Michigan-Ohio State game, played before the largest crowd to see a Big Ten Conference football game to that date, Renner came into the game at the end of the first half and ran the ball for a game-winning touchdown. An Associated Press story described Renner’s impact in the scoring drive against…
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This Week in Michigan Football History – September 18, 2004
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 UMass game. This is probably the most recent history we’ll visit in the series, just a few years back to September 18, 2004 when Michigan took on the Aztecs of San Diego State. Hope you like it: [display_podcast] The sponsor is Wolverine Beer so here’s where you can find Wolverine Beer, or check out the Beer Wench’s Blog. Anyone tried Wolverine Beer? I should probably try one sometime soon. You can hear all of the This Week… clips here.
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Should Michigan Men where Numbers on Jerseys? (1910)
Saturday Michigan players will wear a special ’87’ decal on their helmets in honor of the great athlete Ron Kramer who passed away last week. Here’s what it will look like on the winged headgear (HT: U-M Media Relations): Not every Michigan football great got the opportunity to wear a jersey number, including but not limited to Willie Heston, Germany Schulz, and Neil Snow. 1930 was the first year uniform numbers showed up in a Michigan team photo, but we know digits were worn on the gridiron sweaters starting in 1915. Trolling through the 1910 Michigan Daily archives, I found a brief discussion on whether Yost’s men should don digits on their numberless backs. Apparently eastern teams wore numbers and there was a legitimate question of whether Michigan should join them. Yost saw it as a counter to the team concept, telling the Daily, “..it brings the individuals into too much prominence. The team is a machine and should be considered as such and not their individual efforts.” Baseball captain Norman Hill comments echoed Yost’s sentiments but he also noted, “It looks queer to me.” (It’s unknown if the Daily reporter told Hill, “No, you are.”) Here’s the entire piece from the front page of the Tuesday, October 11, 1910 edition of the Michigan Daily:
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Historical Context of Denard Robinson, 2010 Notre Dame Game
Given that John Kryk, author of the definitive history of the Notre Dame-Michigan rivalry Natural Enemies, is a mere email away, I had to get his thoughts and observations on the game. This marked the 19th time Kryk has watched the game in person and that’s exactly half of the 38 games played all-time between two schools. A few thoughts from Mr. Kryk: The only Michigan players I’ve seen that are so potentially and routinely electrifying [as Denard] are Anthony Carter and Desmond Howard (in that order). This is no fluke. The drive to open the second half vs UConn was mostly Denard completing 3rd-down after 3rd-down pass, not Denard running for first downs. And the winning drive Saturday was almost all on Denard’s arm, not his legs. He’s a quarterback, not a deluxe running back who keeps defenses honest with his throw. In fact, he tears ’em up with his throws. This game reminds me what Lloyd Carr once told me about the greatness of this series — that neither team will ever play its greatest game of the year, because it’s too early in the year, but because both teams play so hard in this game, and it’s early, you get more killer mistakes. Thus more momentum swings, thus more exciting games. It was the seventh time in…
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Schembechler Hall Lockers – Still Available
A must have for any man cave, Michigan shrine, office, garage and/or living room (if you aren’t married). Details: Full size locker, with combination. We have proof of authenticity, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the ultimate Michigan Football memorabilia collector. It could be a very long time before they change lockers again. Locker numbers still on them. Dimensions: 36? wide x 24? deep x 74-3/4? tall Weight: About 200 lbs – free pick-up in Detroit It seems a local demolition company cleaned out the locker room and was granted rights to take away the lockers. Get this—they actually crushed one of them before someone came to their senses. The company is based in Detroit and they’ve still got some to sell. Interested to buying one of these to round out your shrine or for a gift? The seller was asking $800 earlier this year but shoot me an email, he might do better: One recent buyer sent over this pic. He got the #7 locker and went with the Drew Henson theme. Looks great, although I think a few Ricky Leach and Chad Henne fans are scratching their heads:
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Tea Leaves into Divisional alignment (Dave Brandon audio 08-20)
WTKA broadcast live from Schembechler Hall this morning and Sam and Ira did a solid segment with AD Dave Brandon. Topics ranged of course, but Brandon also addressed some tough questions about divisional realignment, particularly where Ohio and Michigan might fall. You can hear these and all the WKTA podcasts here, or click below, in two parts. He gets into the division realignment questions in the second part: [display_podcast] Notes: A few key quotes on divisional realignment. When asked if he were making the decision, would he put Michigan and Ohio State in the same conference division? Brandon paused then answered. "No." Sam asked, "Why?" Brandon: "Because we’re in a situation where one of the best things that could happen, in my opinion in a given season, would be the opportunity to play Ohio State twice. Once in the regular season and once for the championship of the Big Ten. Sam asked about whether they would hold the tradition to keep that the last game of the season. Brandon: "I think there’s a distinct possibility that that game will be a later game in the season, but not necessarily the last game of the season. And that’s simply because…I don’t think the coaches, or the players, or the fans, or the networks or anyone, would appreciate that match-up to…
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The Wisterts: Ox, Moose and Whitey (1949)
Check out this great photo of three icons in Michigan football lore: The Wistert Brothers, Albert (“Ox”), Francis (“Whitey”) and Alvin (“Moose”):
