1947 Pittsburgh Steelers season

The 1947 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 15th season in the National Football League (NFL). The team improved on its 1946 record by winning eight games and losing four. This record tied for the lead in the Eastern Division and qualified the Steelers for the franchise's first playoff berth.^[1][2][3] It was the Steelers' only postseason appearance before 1972.

1947 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Head coach	Jock Sutherland
Home field	Forbes Field
Results
Record	8–4
Division place	2nd NFL Eastern
Playoff finish	Lost Divisional Playoffs (vs. Eagles) 0–21
← 1946 Steelers seasons 1948 →

It was Jock Sutherland's second and final year as head coach; he died the following April^[4][5] after being found wandering around in a field in Kentucky. Once flown back to Pittsburgh, he was diagnosed as having two brain tumors. He only lived a few more days.

Pre-Season Changes

In 1946, the Steeler offense and defense featured the NFL MVP in the person of Bill Dudley. The Virginia grad and Army veteran led the NFL in rushing, interceptions, punt returns and all-purpose yards. Despite being wildly popular with fans and fellow players, Dudley and Coach Sutherland could not get along. Ultimately, Dudley asked Art Rooney, Sr. to trade him and the owner reluctantly agreed.

Dudley was traded to the Detroit Lions for Bob Cifers and Paul White. Additionally, the Steelers received the Lions' 1948 first round draft pick. Both White and Cifers had a demonstrable positive effect on the team. Cifers played brilliantly and was one of the top punters in the NFL that year. ^[6]

Draft

Main article: 1947 NFL Draft

1947 Pittsburgh Steelers draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	5	Hub Bechtol	E	Texas	Signed with the Baltimore Colts (AAFC)
3	16	John Mastrangelo	T	Notre Dame
5	29	Frank Wydo	T	Cornell
6	38	Frank Aschenbrenner	RB	Northwestern	Returned to college
7	49	Bryant Meeks	C	South Carolina
8	58	Jerry Shipkey *	LB	UCLA	Played beginning in 1948
9	69	Bert Vander Clute	G	Wesleyan
10	78	Paul Gibson	E	NC State
11	89	Jack Medd	C	Wesleyan
12	98	Jack Fitch	B	North Carolina
13	109	Ara Parseghian	HB	Miami (OH)	Signed with the Cleveland Browns (AAFC)
14	118	Red Moore	G	Penn State
15	129	Larry Bruno	B	Geneva
16	138	Ralph Jenkins	C	Clemson
17	149	Elbie Nickel *	E	Cincinnati
18	158	Bill Cregar	G	Holy Cross
19	169	Jerry Mulready	E	North Dakota State	Signed with the Chicago Rockets (AAFC)
20	178	Warren Smith	T	Kansas Wesleyan
21	189	Fred Hamilton	T	Vanderbilt
22	198	Fred Taylor	E	TCU
23	209	Binks Bushmiaer	B	Vanderbilt
24	218	Paul Davis	FB	Otterbein
25	229	Tommy Kalmanir	HB	Nevada	Returned to college
26	238	Don Mohr	E	Baldwin Wallace
27	249	Art Young	G	Dartmouth
28	258	Ralph Sazio	T	William & Mary
29	269	Dick Pitzer	E	Army
30	278	Tom Stalloni	T	Delaware
31	287	Vince DiFrancesca	G	Northwestern
32	294	Warren Lahr *	DB	Case Western Reserve	Returned to college
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[7]

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Game recap
1	September 21	Detroit Lions	W 17–10	1–0	Forbes Field	Recap
2	September 29	Los Angeles Rams	L 7–48	1–1	Forbes Field	Recap
3	October 5	at Washington Redskins	L 26–27	1–2	Griffith Stadium	Recap
4	October 12	at Boston Yanks	W 30–14	2–2	Fenway Park	Recap
5	October 19	Philadelphia Eagles	W 35–24	3–2	Forbes Field	Recap
6	October 26	at New York Giants	W 38–21	4–2	Polo Grounds	Recap
7	November 2	at Green Bay Packers	W 18–17	5–2	Wisconsin State Fair Park	Recap
8	November 9	Washington Redskins	W 21–14	6–2	Forbes Field	Recap
9	November 16	New York Giants	W 24–7	7–2	Forbes Field	Recap
10	November 23	at Chicago Bears	L 7–49	7–3	Wrigley Field	Recap
11	November 30	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 0–21	7–4	Shibe Park	Recap
12	December 7	Boston Yanks	W 17–7	8–4	Forbes Field	Recap
13	Bye
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue	Game recap
Divisional	December 21	Philadelphia Eagles	L 0–21	Forbes Field	Recap

The 1947 team was the most successful team in club history to date. It was the Steelers' first playoff appearance, the first time winning more than four games consecutively, and the club posted a franchise-best 8–4 record. Though the Steelers lost the playoff,^[3][8][9] fans and players were excited for their future.

However, fate would interrupt again when head coach Jock Sutherland took a trip to visit family in Kentucky. He ran off the road and was found wondering in a muddy field. Flown back to Pittsburgh, Sutherland died four days later on April 11, 1948, due to complications from a brain tumor.^[4][5] It was a sudden and disheartening end to a successful period in team history. The Steelers did not play in the postseason again until 1972.

Game summaries

Week 1

Sunday, September 21: Detroit Lions

	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	7	0	3	0	10
Steelers	0	7	0	10	17

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 34,691
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Detroit – Dudley 30 pass from Zimmerman (Zimmerman kick)
• Pittsburgh – Jansante 15 pass from Slater (Glamp kick)
• Detroit – FG Zimmerman 18
• Pittsburgh – Repko 48 fumble run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 35

Week 2

Monday, September 29: Los Angeles Rams

	1	2	3	4	Total
Rams	6	14	7	21	48
Steelers	0	7	0	0	7

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 35,658
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Los Angeles – FG Waterfield 30
• Los Angeles – FG Waterfield 45
• Los Angeles – Hoerner 4 run (Waterfield kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lach 4 run (Glamp kick)
• Los Angeles – Benton 11 pass from Waterfield (Waterfield kick)
• Los Angeles – Washington 9 lateral from Waterfield (Waterfield kick)
• Los Angeles – Hubbell 45 pass from Waterfield (Waterfield kick)
• Los Angeles – Hubbell 15 pass from Hardy (Waterfield kick)
• Los Angeles – Washington 6 run

Week 3

Sunday, October 5): Washington Redskins

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	3	7	14	2	26
Redskins	0	7	13	7	27

at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 36,565
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 15
• Washington – Nussbaumer 55 pass from Baugh (Poillon kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lach 15 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• Washington – Poillon 3 pass from Baugh (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh – Compagno 64 int (Glamp kick)
• Washington – Taylor 35 pass from Baugh (Poillon kick)
• Pittsburgh – Sullivan 50 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Safety, Baugh stepped out of end zone
• Washington – Farmer 1 run (Poillon kick)

Week 4

Sunday, October 12: Boston Yanks

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	7	7	9	30
Yanks	0	0	0	14	14

at Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 18,894
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Lach 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – White 52 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lach 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Safety, Dancewicz tackled in end zone by Bova
• Pittsburgh – Clement 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Boston – Currivan 33 pass from Dancewicz (Scollard kick)
• Boston – Currivan 20 pass from Dancewicz (Maznicki kick)

Week 5

Sunday, October 19: Philadelphia Eagles

	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	10	14	0	7	31
Steelers	7	7	0	21	35

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 33,538
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Compagno 39 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• Philadelphia – Pihos 43 pass from Thompson (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – FG Patton 14
• Philadelphia – Pritchard 69 pass from Thompson (Patton kick)
• Pittsburgh – Clement 5 run (Glamp kick)
• Philadelphia – Pihos 17 pass from Thompson (Patton kick)
• Pittsburgh – Garnaas 19 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Clement 23 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lach 1 run (Glamp kick)

Week 6

Sunday, October 26: New York Giants

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	17	7	7	38
Giants	0	7	7	7	21

at Polo Grounds, New York, New York

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 41,736
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Jansante 7 pass from Lach (Glamp kick)
• New York – Carroll 18 pass from Governali (Strong kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lach 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lach 1 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 37
• Pittsburgh – Garnaas 68 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• New York – Blumenstock 1 run (Strong kick)
• Pittsburgh – Sinkovitz 47 int (Glamp kick)
• New York – Livingston 65 pass from Governali (Strong kick)

Week 7

Sunday, November 2: Green Bay Packers

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	3	6	7	2	18
Packers	10	0	0	7	17

at Wisconsin State Fair Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 30,073
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Green Bay – Goodnight 69 pass from Jacobs (Cuff kick)
• Green Bay – FG Cuff 16
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 23
• Pittsburgh – Jansante 37 pass from Clement (kick failed)
• Pittsburgh – Compagno 55 int (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Safety, Jacobs tackled in end zone by Calcagni
• Green Bay – Luhn 27 pass from Jacobs (Cuff kick)

Week 8

Sunday, November 9: Washington Redskins

	1	2	3	4	Total
Redskins	0	7	0	7	14
Steelers	7	7	7	0	21

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 36,257
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Lach run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Compagno 2 run (Glamp kick)
• Washington – Taylor 24 pass from Baugh (Poillon kick)
• Pittsburgh – Clement 18 run (Glamp kick)
• Washington – Castiglia 2 run (Poillon kick)

Week 9

Sunday, November 16: New York Giants

	1	2	3	4	Total
Giants	0	0	7	0	7
Steelers	3	0	0	21	24

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 35,000
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 12
• New York – Paschka 2 run (Strong kick)
• Pittsburgh – Compagno 4 run (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Jansante 19 pass from Clement (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – Seabright 39 int (Glamp kick)

Week 10

Sunday, November 23: Chicago Bears

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	7	0	0	7
Bears	7	14	7	21	49

at Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

Scoring Drives:

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 34,142
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Chicago Bears – McAfee 2 run (McLean kick)
• Chicago Bears – Kavanaugh 6 pass from Luckman (McLean kick)
• Chicago Bears – McAfee 4 run (McLean kick)
• Pittsburgh – Jansante 15 pass from Morales (Glamp kick)
• Chicago Bears – Kindt 3 run (McLean kick)
• Chicago Bears – Keane 6 pass from Luckman (McLean kick)
• Chicago Bears – Gulyanics 44 run (McLean kick)

Week 11

Sunday, November 30: Philadelphia Eagles

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	0	0	0	0	0
Eagles	7	0	0	14	21

at Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 37,218
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Philadelphia – Van Buren 2 run (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – Muha 28 run (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – Mackrides 1 run (Patton kick)

Week 12

Sunday, December 7: Boston Yanks

	1	2	3	4	Total
Yanks	0	7	0	0	7
Steelers	10	0	0	7	17

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time:
• Game weather:
• Game attendance: 31,398
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Pittsburgh – Mastrangelo recovered blocked punt in end zone (Glamp kick)
• Pittsburgh – FG Glamp 30
• Boston – Golding 14 run (Maznicki kick)
• Pittsburgh – Lach 1 run (Glamp kick)

Post season

Main article: 1947 NFL playoffs

Game summary

Week 14

Sunday, December 21: Philadelphia Eagles

	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	7	7	7	0	21
Steelers	0	0	0	0	0

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Game time: 2:00 pm EST
• Game weather: 39 °F (4 °C)
• Game attendance: 35,729
• Referee:

Scoring Drives:

• Philadelphia – Van Buren 15 pass from Thompson (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – Ferrante 28 pass from Thompson (Patton kick)
• Philadelphia – Pritchard 79 punt return (Patton kick)

Source:^[2][3][8][9]

All-Pro Honors

• Val Jansante 2nd Team, UPI
• Charlie Mehelich 2nd Team, Chicago Herald
• Red Moore 1st Team, UPI
• Johnny Clement 2nd Team AP, 2nd Team UPI
• Chuck Cherundolo 2nd Team AP, 2nd Team UPI ^[10]

Standings

NFL Eastern Division
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	PF	PA	STK
Philadelphia Eagles	8	4	0	.667	6–2	308	242	W1
Pittsburgh Steelers	8	4	0	.667	6–2	240	259	W1
Boston Yanks	4	7	1	.364	3–4–1	168	256	L2
Washington Redskins	4	8	0	.333	3–5	295	367	W1
New York Giants	2	8	2	.200	1–6–1	190	309	L1

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

References

1. Biederman, Les (December 15, 1947). "Steelers, Eagles in playoff Sunday". Pittsburgh Press. p. 24.
2. Biederman, Les (December 21, 1947). "Eagles given edge over Steelers". Pittsburgh Press. p. 28.
3. Biederman, Les (December 22, 1947). "Steelers disappoint in grid playoff". Pittsburgh Press. p. 28.
4. Sell, Jack (April 12, 1948). "Jock Sutherland is dead at 59". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 1.
5. "Sutherland rites tomorrow; Steelers to be pallbearers". Pittsburgh Press. April 12, 1948. p. 1.
6. Starless: The 1947 Pittsburgh Steelers, Steve Massey, 2018
7. "1947 Pittsburgh Steelers Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
8. "Philadelphia Eagles defeat Steelers for right to play Cards next Sunday". Milwaukee Journal. December 22, 1947. p. 10, part 2.
9. "Philadelphia Eagles win Eastern division of National grid league". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 22, 1947. p. 8.
10. Pro Football Reference 1947 All Pro Team

Further reading

• Steve Massey, Starless: The 1947 Pittsburgh Steelers. NC: Steve Massey, 2018.