95 years ago this week the world was a very different place, and football took a backseat to international events. It was 1918 and while World War I was winding down, a massive flu epidemic raged across the globe. Naturally these events affected the college football schedule but the 1918 Michigan men excelled all they way through the finale in Columbus: [display_podcast] You can catch all of the This Week in Michigan Football History clips here….sponsored in 2013 by Ziebart of Yspilanti. And don’t forget to catch it live Saturday on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM or inside the Victors Lounge starting at 8am. Beat Ohio. Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Ron Johnson Rolls Up 347 (1968) – This Week in Michigan Football History
For this edition of This Week in Michigan Football history we head back four and a half decades to the home finale of the 1968 season, Bump Elliott’s final year at the helm of the Wolverines. On November 16, 1968 the Big House was barely half full. Those who didn’t bother to show certainly regret it as Michigan, Big Ten and heck, NCAA history was made by Bump’s badass back Mr. Ron Johnson. 347 yards on the ground. One man. Barely more than 3 quarters. Ponder that here in 2013. Today, Friday November 15, we are as far from that type of performance as we’ve been since that day 45 years ago. Johnson, along with Elliott and Old 98, graced the program cover (above) for this game and this was fitting. Johnson’s big day knocked out a couple of Harmon’s records, and of course it was Bump’s final home game. (P.S. I want one of those vintage ‘68 coaches shirts). You can catch all of the This Week in Michigan Football History clips here. Don’t forget to catch it live Saturday on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM starting at 11:30AM Saturday. Follow MVictors on Twitter
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TWIMFbH: Relief from The Crash (1929)
For Saturday’s WTKA pregame show, we step back to the first game after the stock market crash of 1929. It was a biggie and yielded this iconic program cover:Despite the financial mess just days earlier, 87,000 fans packed the big to witness the heavyweight clash. While Yost had established Michigan as a national power long ago, the Wolverines had, up to this point, failed to beat or even score on Harvard in their four previous meetings dating back to the 1880s. That changed on this day in Michigan Football History 84 years ago on Saturday: Here’s the clip: [display_podcast] You can catch all of the This Week in Michigan Football History clips here….sponsored in 2013 by Ziebart of Yspilanti. And don’t forget to catch it live Saturday on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM or inside the Victors Lounge.
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TWIMFbH: Track Meet Cures Depression (1935)
Wire photo from the 1935 Penn game. That’s U-M’s Stark Ritchie toting the pigskin. (via eBay) Harry Kipke was an All-American start on Fielding Yost’s squads in the early 1920s, and then took a shot a coaching, first as an assistant at Missouri, then took the head coaching job up the road at Michigan State in 1928. When the head coaching job came free in Ann Arbor, Yost brought Kipke home and he got off to a fast start. But then 1934 hit: [display_podcast] That 16-6 win over Penn in 1935 was probably Kipke’s last great win of his coaching career. You can find more on the Willis Ward vs. Jesse Owens match-up here, and if you can stomach it, the run down of why Kipke was fired here. And if you need more on the 1934 Georgia Tech game controversy, grab Stunt3 Multimedia’s epic documentary today. You can catch all of the This Week in Michigan Football History clips here….sponsored in 2013 by Ziebart of Yspilanti. And don’t forget to catch it live today on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM. Related: I’ll be shoving off to East Lansing so check back here and on Twitter for sights, snark, and sounds.
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Flattening the Mountaineers (1904) | This Week in Michigan Football History
For Saturday’s edition of #TWIMFbH we march a mere three years forward to 1904 when on that day in Michigan Football history we welcomed the spring lambs from the American Medical School (Chicago) to Ann Arbor. Just three days later on the Saturday that followed Michigan faced West Virginia and unleashed a batch of whoopass not seen before or since:
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TWIMFbH: You Gotta Hand it to Chap (1946)
This Week…heads to back at the battle on a hot October 5, 1946 day at the Big House against the Hawkeyes. That summer we lost Michigan’s Grand Old Man, but returned to us (from World War II) was the great Bob Chappuis. The formula for coach Fritz Crisler was simple so dig it: [display_podcast] You can catch all of the This Week in Michigan Football History clips here….sponsored in 2013 by Ziebart of Yspilanti. Listen to it live tomorrow on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM or catch it live inside the Bud Light Victors Lounge. Radio notes!! I’ll be on with The Wolverine guys at 11am – you can catch it here. I’ll live in the WTKA Victors Lounge at around noon talking jug Catch me on the Michigan Tailgate Show on WWJ 950AM at 2:20pm Follow MVictors on Twitter
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TWIMFbH: Bay City Rolling The Hawkeyes 24-7 (1974)
To help fire up for the Zips here’s your sneak listen at TWIMFbH for Saturday. This time was step by 39 years to the 1974 season opener against Iowa. Thanks to a nasty virus, senior star QB Dennis Franklin couldn’t play so Bo gave the ball to Bay City, Michigan legend Mark Elzinga (left, with coach Hanlon rocking the sabertooth maize coaches shirt). Here’s a look at that game, after a brief look back at the conclusion of the 1973 season and a shout-out to my boys Crazy Legs and Spartan Bert.. Remember: You can catch all of the This Week in Michigan Football History clips here. Listen to it live tomorrow on the KeyBank Countdown to kick off on WTKA 1050AM or catch it live inside the Bud Light Victors Lounge. Follow MVictors on Twitter
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TWIMFbH: Harmon and Howard Launch Legendary Seasons (1940, 1991)
HOLD ON TO YOUR MAIZE AND BLUE FEDORAS! For the Under the Lights II edition of This Week in Michigan Football History we take a double dip to the opening game of two Heisman winning seasons: Tom Harmon’s trip to Cal in 1940, and Desmond Howard trek to Boston College in 1991. Each man delivered two of the greatest performances in Wolverine history, accounting for 9 touchdowns between this. And Harmon had to outduel 12 men on one play, as my man Bud Brennan hopped on the field and tried to bring down Terrible Tommy. Without further ado: [display_podcast] For more on the 1940 Cal game and much, much more on Tommy Harmon, grab Saturday’s commemorative game program and support U-M efforts to archive these men and these eras. Oh, and sponsor note. You know I recorded TWIMFbH in style by rocking my Michigan Game Changer from MaraWatch, don’t you? That’s it on the left with Ira manning the 1s and 2s in the background in studio at WTKA. Remember: You can catch all of the This Week in Michigan Football History clips here. Listen to it live tomorrow on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM or catch it live inside the Bud Light Victors Lounge. Follow MVictors on Twitter script: For this Prime Time…
