1937 VPI Gobblers football team

The 1937 VPI Gobblers football team represented Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute in the 1937 college football season. The team was led by their head coach Henry Redd and finished with a record of five wins and five losses (5–5).

1937 VPI Gobblers football
Conference	Southern Conference
Record	5–5 (2–4 SoCon)
Head coach	Henry Redd (6th season)
Captain	Carol Leo Shockey
Home stadium	Miles Stadium
Seasons ← 1936 1938 →

1937 Southern Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Maryland $	2	–	0	–	0			8	–	2	–	0
No. 19 North Carolina	4	–	0	–	1			7	–	1	–	1
Clemson	2	–	0	–	1			4	–	4	–	1
No. 20 Duke	5	–	1	–	0			7	–	2	–	1
VMI	4	–	2	–	0			5	–	5	–	0
NC State	4	–	2	–	1			5	–	3	–	1
South Carolina	2	–	2	–	1			5	–	6	–	1
Washington and Lee	2	–	3	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
The Citadel	2	–	3	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Richmond	2	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	1
Furman	1	–	2	–	2			4	–	3	–	2
VPI	2	–	4	–	0			5	–	5	–	0
William & Mary	1	–	3	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
Wake Forest	1	–	4	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Davidson	1	–	6	–	0			2	–	8	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 18		Roanoke*	Miles Stadium Blacksburg, VA	W 27–7	4,000	[1][2][3][4]
September 25	8:00 p.m.	vs. Duke	World War Memorial Stadium Greensboro, NC	L 0–25	11,000–12,000	[5][6][7]
October 2		at Tennessee*	Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN	L 0–27	10,000	[8][9]
October 9		vs. William & Mary	City Stadium Richmond, VA	L 0–12	6,000	[10]
October 16	8:00 p.m.	at NC State	Riddick Stadium Raleigh, NC	L 7–13	7,000	[11][12]
October 23		Washington and Lee	Miles Stadium Blacksburg, VA	W 19–7	5,000	[13][14][15][16]
October 30		Hampden–Sydney*	Miles Stadium Blacksburg, VA	W 31–0	3,000	[17]
November 6		at Richmond	City Stadium Richmond, VA	L 7–12		[18][19][20]
November 13	2:10 p.m.	at Virginia*	Scott Stadium Charlottesville, VA (rivalry)	W 14–7	7,000–7,500	[21][22]
November 25		vs. VMI	Maher Field Roanoke, VA (rivalry)	W 12–6	20,000	[23][24]
*Non-conference game Homecoming All times are in Eastern time

Game summaries

Roanoke

Roanoke at VPI

1 2 3 4 Total Roanoke 0 7 0 0 7 • VPI 7 7 6 7 27 Date: September 18, 1937 Location: Miles Stadium Blacksburg, VA Game attendance: 4,000 Game weather: "Ideal" Referee: Henry Gerard (Illinois)

See also: 1937 Roanoke Maroons football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Vecellio (left tackle), Devlin (left guard), Murray (center), Worthington (right guard), Robison (right tackle), Doxey (right end), Shockey (quarterback), Henry (left halfback), Miller (right halfback), Darnell (fullback). The substitutes were: Cregger.

The starting lineup for Roanoke was: Stanley Snidow (left end), Dexter Goodwin (left tackle), Anderson (left guard), Fred Coots (center), Larson (right guard), Cotter (right tackle), Moore (right end), Mongiello (quarterback), Crumley (left halfback), Bernard Pedneau (right halfback), Lester (fullback). The substitutes were: Larry Larson, Rip Patrone and Conley Snidow.

Duke

Duke Vs. VPI

1 2 3 4 Total • Duke 7 6 6 6 25 VPI 0 0 0 0 0 Date: September 25, 1937 Location: World War Memorial Stadium Greensboro, NC Game start: 8:00 p.m. Game attendance: 11,000–12,000

See also: 1937 Duke Blue Devils football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Robison (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Murray (center), Devlin (right guard), Vecellio (right tackle), Doxey (right end), Shockey (quarterback), Henry (left halfback), Miller (right halfback), Darnell (fullback).

The starting lineup for Duke was: Herbert Hudgins (left end), Joe Brunansky (left tackle), Bolo Perdue (left guard), Dan Hill (center), Buckle Badgett (right guard), Woody Lipscomb (right tackle), Fred Edwards (right end), Elmore Hackney (quarterback), Robert Spangler (left halfback), Eric Tipton (right halfback), Bob O'Mara (fullback). The substitutes were: Blackie Baskerville, Frank Ribar and Hardwood Smith.

Tennessee

VPI at Tennessee

1 2 3 4 Total VPI 0 0 0 0 0 • Tenn 7 14 0 6 27 Date: October 2, 1937 Location: Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN Game attendance: 10,000 Referee: Slutz (Depauw)

See also: 1937 Tennessee Volunteers football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Davis (left tackle), King (left guard), Murray (center), Devlin (right guard), Robison (right tackle), Doxey (right end), Powers (quarterback), DeMuro (left halfback), Henry (right halfback), Darnell (fullback). The substitutes were: Boswell, Cameron, Dunn, Ellison, Mast, Pitts, Shawhan, William and Worthington.

The starting lineup for Tennessee was: George Hunter (left end), Robert Fulton (left tackle), William Leffler (left guard), Joseph Little (center), Joe Black Hayes (right guard), Boyd Clay (right tackle), Ralph Eldred (right end), William McCarren (quarterback), Walter "Babe" Wood (left halfback), Cheek Duncan (right halfback), Marion Perkins (fullback). The substitutes were: Bacon, William F. Barnes, Sam Bartholomew, George Cafego, Leonard Coffman, Frank Crawford, Disspayne, Fields, Thomas "Red" Harp, Gerald Hendricks, Hereford, Melvin Herring, Bonnie Hodge, Carl Hubbuck, Van Kelley, Samuel Levine, Markey Luttrell, Allen Ramsey, Reno, Alvin Rice, Jim Rike, William Sanders, Robert Sneed, Alfred Thomas, Webber, Bob Woodruff and Bowden Wyatt.

William & Mary

William & Mary vs. VPI

1 2 3 4 Total • W&M 6 0 0 6 12 VPI 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 9, 1937 Location: City Stadium Richmond, VA Game attendance: 6,000

See also: 1937 William & Mary Indians football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Davis (left tackle), Devlin (left guard), Murray (center), Worthington (right guard), Robison (right tackle), Doxey (right end), Mast (quarterback), Henry (left halfback), Shockey (right halfback), Darnell (fullback).

The starting lineup for William & Mary was: John Coiner (left end), Samuel Walker (left tackle), Hugh McGowan (left guard), Herbert Krueger (center), John Davidson (right guard), John Dillard (right tackle), Stan Kamen (right end), Otis Bunch (quarterback), Charles Hall (left halfback), Yeager (right halfback), Gus Twiddy (fullback).

NC State

VPI at NC State

1 2 3 4 Total VPI 0 0 7 0 7 • NC State 7 0 6 0 13 Date: October 16, 1937 Location: Riddick Stadium Raleigh, NC Game start: 8:00 p.m. Game attendance: 7,000

See also: 1937 NC State Wolfpack football team

Washington and Lee

Washington and Lee at VPI

1 2 3 4 Total W&L 0 7 0 0 7 • VPI 6 0 6 7 19 Date: October 23, 1937 Location: Miles Stadium Blacksburg, VA Game attendance: 5,000 Game weather: "bitterly cold" Referee: Henry Gerard (Illinois)

See also: 1937 Washington and Lee Generals football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Davis (left tackle), Devlin (left guard), Murray (center), Worthington (right guard), Vecellio (right tackle), Doxey (right end), Cregger (quarterback), Henry (left halfback), DeMuro (right halfback), Belcher (fullback). The substitutes were: Cameron, Darnell, Ellison, King and Robison.

The starting lineup for Washington and Lee was: Bob Spessard (left end), Richard "Dick" Boisseau (left tackle), J. D. Wilson (left guard), William Rogers (center), William Brown (right guard), Joseph Ochsie (right tackle), Charles Lykes (right end), Don Dunlap (quarterback), C. Harrison Hogan (left halfback), R. M. White (right halfback), L. E. Long (fullback). The substitutes were: Raymond Craft, Merton "Chubby" Howard, James Humphrey, R. Shack Parrish and Francis Sugrue.

Hampden–Sydney

Richmond

VPI at Richmond

1 2 3 4 Total VPI 0 0 7 0 7 • Richmond 12 0 0 0 12 Date: November 6, 1937 Location: City Stadium Richmond, VA

See also: 1937 Richmond Spiders football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Oliver (left end), Davis (left tackle), King (left guard), Murray (center), Worthington (right guard), Vecellio (right tackle), Doxey (right end), Cregger (quarterback), Henry (left halfback), DeMuro (right halfback), Belcher (fullback). The substitutes were: Darnell and Shockey.

The starting lineup for Richmond was: Joseph Straughan (left end), Charles Siddall (left tackle), Via (left guard), Faris (center), Forrest Norvell (right guard), William Morrison (right tackle), A. B. Marchant (right end), Len Kielpinski (quarterback), Stuart Hoskins (left halfback), Buddy Lawless (right halfback), Clyde Pendleton (fullback). The substitutes were: Ed Merrick and Ed Sinar.

Virginia

VPI at Virginia

1 2 3 4 Total • VPI 0 7 0 7 14 UVA 7 0 0 0 7 Date: November 13, 1937 Location: Scott Stadium Charlottesville, VA Game start: 2:10 p.m. Game attendance: 7,000–7,500 Referee: Thomas Kain

See also: 1937 Virginia Cavaliers football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Davis (left tackle), King (left guard), Murray (center), Worthington (right guard), Vecellio (right tackle), Doxey (right end), DeMuro (quarterback), Darnell (left halfback), Henry (right halfback), Belcher (fullback). The substitutes were: Shockey.

The starting lineup for Virginia was: James Sargeant (left end), William Weeks (left tackle), Ray Schmidt (left guard), Keilman (center), John Acree (right guard), Arthur Bryant (right tackle), George (right end), Walter Smith (quarterback), Peter Nistad (left halfback), Jim Gillette (right halfback), Harry McClaugherty (fullback). The substitutes were: Harry Dinwiddie.

VMI

VMI vs. VPI

1 2 3 4 Total VMI 0 0 0 6 6 • VPI 0 6 0 6 12 Date: November 25, 1937 Location: Maher Field Roanoke, VA Game attendance: 20,000

See also: 1937 VMI Keydets football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Davis (left tackle), Robison (left guard), Murray (center), Devlin (right guard), Vecellio (right tackle), Doxey (right end), Cregger (quarterback), Henry (left halfback), DeMuro (right halfback), Shockey (fullback).

The starting lineup for VMI was: Ray Brittingham (left end), Richard Strickler (left tackle), Thomas Gray (left guard), Richard Irby (center), William "Red" Echols (right guard), Fieldler (right tackle), E. Ray Taylor (right end), Billy Roberson (quarterback), Vendel "Bud" Kovar (left halfback), Paul Shu (right halfback), Andy Trzeciak (fullback).

Players

Roster

VPI 1937 roster
	James Raymond Belcher Stephen B. Bogese Irving Ward Boswell Billy Boyd Graham S. Buchanan Archie Cameron Joe Carr Martin Ricks Cobb Pete Cregger Weldon Darnell Junior Davis Phil DeMuro W. H. Devlin Lloyd Doxey Samuel Bascom Dunn Mathew Leslie Ellison Leonard H. Futrell		James Anthony Gaugler John Alfred Hamer Mel Henry Paul Higgins Wade Hampton Hitt Woodrow Kantner E. S. King Howard Mast William McClelland Al Miller R. P. Murray Frank Lovitt Oliver Frank Pierce David Marion Pitts Stanley Covington "Sonny" Powers Arthur Robison Brick Rothrock		Rochelle Rountree Daniel Green Shawhan Carol Shockey (Capt.) Chilton Shorter Claude Simpson George Thorpe Leo Vecellio Edgar Waugh Boswell William Louis Willson Neil Saunders Wood Robert Woolwine Woodrum Woolwine George Worthington Thomas Wright Walter E. Zilahy

Varsity letter winners

Eighteen players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1937 VPI team.^[25]

Player	Hometown	Notes
James Raymond Belcher
Archibald Branks Cameron	Cranford, New Jersey	World War II veteran (Army). Awarded the Silver Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Marvin Andrew "Pete" Cregger
Weldon Tolliver "Kinky" Darnell	Winston-Salem, North Carolina
James Blackwell "Junior" Davis
Philip Galliano DeMuro
William Harper Devlin	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Lloyd Gibbs Doxey	Halifax, North Carolina	World War II veteran (Army). Awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Melvin Henry	Cumberland, Maryland
Ernest Stuart King
Howard Dilworth Mast	Lynnhaven, Virginia	World War II veteran (Lieutenant (junior grade), Navy).
Albert Sanford Miller
Ruffner Page Murray
Frank Marion Pierce		World War II veteran (Lieutenant Colonel, Army).
Arthur Stephen Robison	Richmond, Virginia	World War II veteran (Army).
Carol Leo Shockey (Capt.)	Shockeysville, Virginia
Leo Arthur Vecellio	Beckley, West Virginia	World War II veteran (Army). Awarded the Legion of Merit.
George Yellott Worthington

Coaching and training staff

• Head coach: Henry Redd
• Assistant coaches
  • Backfield coach: Herbert McEver
  • Line coach: Sumner D. Tilson
• Manager: W. B. Wine
• Freshman coaches
  • Freshman head coach: C. E. Tilson
  • Assistant freshman coach and trainer: Thomas A. Slusser

References

1. "V.P.I. again defeats Roanoke". The Roanoke Times. September 19, 1937. Retrieved March 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "V. P. I. Routs Roanoke". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. September 19, 1937. p. 30. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
3. "Virginia Tech Takes Opening Tilt from Maroons, 27-7". Brackety-ack. Roanoke College. September 22, 1937. p. 4. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
4. "Gobblers Win Over Roanoke College Maroons, 27 To 7". The Southwest Times. Library of Virginia. September 19, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
5. "Night Game to Usher in 1937 Grid Season For Blue Devil Eleven". The Duke Chronicle. Duke University. September 24, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
6. "Wademen Open Season With Win Over V.P.I." The Duke Chronicle. Duke University. September 28, 1937. p. 3. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
7. "Duke Too Strong For V. P. I., 25-0". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. September 26, 1937. p. 25. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
8. "Tennessee Tramples Virginia Tech, 27 to 0". Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 3, 1937. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Long Vol Dashes Down V. P. I., 27-0". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 3, 1937. p. 33. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
10. "W. And M. Smashes V. P. I.'s Mastery". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 10, 1937. p. 35. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
11. "State Defeats V.P.I. Gobblers By 13–7 Count". Technician. North Carolina State University. October 22, 1937. p. 3. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
12. "N. C. State Is Victor". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 17, 1937. p. 31. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
13. "W. & L.'s State Title Hopes Smashed by Tech, 19–7". Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 24, 1937. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Big Blue Downed 19-7 At Tech Homecoming" (PDF). The Ring-tum Phi. Washington and Lee University. October 26, 1937. p. 3. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
15. "V. P. I. Ends Losses in W. and L. Tussle". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 24, 1937. p. 28. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
16. "V. P. I. Trounces Generals, 19 to 7". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. October 28, 1937. p. 7. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
17. "Romp For V. P. I." The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 31, 1937. p. 27. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
18. "Spiders Pull Upset; Break VPI Jinx, 12-7". The Richmond Collegian. University of Richmond. November 12, 1937. p. 1. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
19. "Richmond Finally Wins From V. P. I." The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 7, 1937. p. 28. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
20. "Richmond Nips VPI". The Southwest Times. Library of Virginia. November 7, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
21. "Tar Heel Eleven Next Virginia Foe". The Daily Progress. University of Virginia. November 15, 1937. p. 8. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
22. "Tie Jinx Is Ended As V.P.I. Triumphs". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 14, 1937. p. 36. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
23. "Va. Tech Beats V.M.I., 12 to 6". The Baltimore Sun. November 26, 1937. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "V. M. I. Defeated Thursday Before Large Crowd". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. December 2, 1937. p. 7. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
25. "1937 VPI Letterwinners". Virginia Tech. Retrieved January 6, 2023.