1919 Detroit Titans football team

The 1919 Detroit Titans football team was an American football team that represented the University of Detroit as an independent during the 1919 college football season. Detroit shut out five of its nine opponents, outscored all opponents by a combined total of 257 to 30, and finished with an 8–1 record.^[1]

1919 Detroit Titans football
Conference	Independent
Record	8–1
Head coach	James F. Duffy (2nd season)
Home stadium	Navin Field
Seasons ← 1918 1920 →

1919 Midwestern college football independents records

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Notre Dame			–					9	–	0	–	0
Detroit			–					8	–	1	–	0
Western State Normal (MI)			–					4	–	1	–	0
Akron			–					6	–	1	–	1
North Dakota Agricultural			–					5	–	1	–	1
Haskell			–					8	–	2	–	1
Marquette			–					5	–	1	–	2
St. Xavier			–					6	–	2	–	0
Morningside			–					6	–	2	–	0
Heidelberg			–					6	–	3	–	0
Saint Louis			–					4	–	2	–	2
Valparaiso			–					5	–	3	–	0
Wabash			–					4	–	3	–	2
Central Michigan			–					2	–	2	–	3
Michigan Agricultural			–					4	–	4	–	1
Nebraska			–					3	–	3	–	2
St. Mary's (OH)			–					2	–	2	–	0
Iowa State Teachers			–					2	–	4	–	1
Toledo			–					2	–	4	–	0
Butler			–					0	–	5	–	1
Bowling Green			–					0	–	3	–	0

James F. Duffy, who had led the team to an 8–1 record in 1917, rejoined the team as head coach after having served in the United States Navy during World War I.^[2] James M. "Bingo" Brown was the assistant football coach and also served as head coach of the basketball, track, and baseball teams.^[3] William A. Reid, formerly of Colgate, was the athletic director.^[3]

In an effort to place the Titans "on the national college football map", the school scheduled three games for 1919 against "three important teams from the east"—Georgetown, Tufts, and Holy Cross.^[3] The Titans won two of those three games.

Several players from the 1919 University of Detroit football team later played in National Football League, including end Walt Clago, halfbacks Eddie Moegle and Tip O'Neill, and tackle Tillie Voss.

The team conducted its pre-season practice sessions at the athletic field on Belle Isle. An alumni committee then arranged for further practice sessions and the team's home games to be played at Navin Field, which was also the home field for the Detroit Tigers baseball team.^[3][4]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
October 4	Hillsdale	Navin Field Detroit, MI	W 34–0		[5]
October 11	Ohio Northern	Navin Field Detroit, MI	W 35–3		[6]
October 18	Bethany (WV)	Navin Field Detroit, MI	W 47–0		[7]
October 25	Georgetown	Navin Field Detroit, MI	W 16–13		[8]
November 1	Kalamazoo	Navin Field Detroit, MI	W 28–0		[9]
November 8	Tufts	Navin Field Detroit, MI	L 3–7	10,000	[10]
November 15	North Dakota Agricultural	Navin Field Detroit, MI	W 48–0		[11]
November 22	at Buffalo	International Park Buffalo, NY	W 25–0		[12]
November 27	Holy Cross	Navin Field Detroit, MI	W 21–7		[13]

Roster

The players on the Titans' 1919 football team included the following:^[14]

• Francis Bowler, 5'8", 165 pounds - halfback
• Joe Brennan, 5'10", 156 pounds - quarterback
• Warren Brennan, 5'11", 172 pounds - end
• Walt Clago, 6', 181 pounds - end
• John Curtain, 5'9", 158 pounds - fullback
• Walter "Speed" Ellis, 5'11", 200 pounds - tackle
• F. Fitzgerald, 5'10", 185 pounds - halfback and captain
• Martin Gormley - 6', 210 pounds - guard
• Peter Hampston, 6', 165 pounds - quarterback
• Thomas Hogan, 6'2", 180 pounds - tackle
• Lauren A. Howe, 5'10", 160 pounds - halfback
• Frances Kane, 5'10", 155 pounds - end
• Thomas A. Kenney, 5'10", 170 pounds - center
• Edward Larkin 6', 180 pounds - tackle
• Harold S. "Dutch" Lauer, 5'10", 175 pounds - fullback
• Hansen Loving,5'8", 160 pounds - halfback
• Eddie Moegle, 5'9", 159 pounds - halfback
• Tip O'Neill, 5'10", 157 pounds - halfback
• Percy Prey, 6'1", 177 pounds - guard/tackle
• Claude Seitz, 5'10", 158 pounds - fullback
• Tillie Voss, 6'1", 190 pounds - guard/tackle

References

1. "Detroit Yearly Results (1915-1919)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
2. "Detroit vs. Bethany game program". University of Detroit. October 18, 1919. p. 3. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
3. "Detroit vs. Bethany game program". University of Detroit. October 18, 1919. p. 2. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
4. "Detroit vs. North Dakota game program". University of Detroit. November 15, 1919. p. 2. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
5. "U. of D. Wins Opener Easily". Detroit Free Press. October 5, 1919. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Early Start Beats Ohio". Detroit Free Press. October 12, 1919. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Bethany Easy for University". Detroit Free Press. October 19, 1919. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Blue and Gray Proves Victim of Detroiters". Detroit Free Press. October 26, 1919. pp. 21, 22 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Tiges Blank Kazoo Tribe". Detroit Free Press. November 2, 1919. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Ralston Goss (November 9, 1919). "Tufts Whips U. of D., 7 to 3; Whistle Saves Bay Staters". Detroit Free Press. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "U. of D. Routs Dakota, 48-0". Detroit Free Press. November 16, 1919. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
12. Dick Heath (November 23, 1919). "Duffy's Tigers in a Walkaway: Trample All Over Buffalo "U" on a Muddy Field, Winning, 25 to 0". Detroit Free Press. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
13. K. W. Hall (November 28, 1919). "Holy Cross Is Trampled On By University". Detroit Free Press. pp. 15, 16 – via Newspapers.com.
14. Full names, weights, heights, and positions from the Detroit vs. Bethany game program.

External links

• 1919 University of Detroit football programs