Saint Mary's Gaels football

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For information on all Saint Mary's College of California sports, see Saint Mary's Gaels
Saint Mary's Gaels football
Saint Mary's Gaels logo 1981-2007.svg
First season1892
Last season 2003
StadiumSaint Mary's Stadium
Field surfaceNatural grass
Location Moraga, California
NCAA division Division I-AA  (now FCS)
(1993– 2003)
Conference Independent
Past conferencesIndependent (1892–1924)
Far Western (1925–1928)
Independent (1929–1950)
College Division Independent (1970–1979)
Division II Independent (1980–1992)
All-time record380–295–22 (.561)
Bowl record1–2 (.333)
Conference titles4 (FWC)
Rivalries Santa Clara (Little Big Game)
Oregon (Governors' Trophy Game)
Consensus All-Americans2 (1927, 1945)
ColorsNavy, red, and silver [1]
     

The Saint Mary's Gaels football program was the intercollegiate American football team for Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, California.

Contents

History

Founding and early years

The school's first football team was fielded in 1892, [2] and was initially dropped in 1899 after going 7–6 in that span. The football program resumed again in 1915. In 1920 came one of the worst defeats in college football history, an 18-touchdown, 127–0 defeat from neighboring Cal. The Gaels gained only 16 yards of offense the entire game. This loss drove St. Mary's to turn the program around by hiring Knute Rockne's protege, Slip Madigan, who helped SMC win four consecutive conference championships from 1925 to 1928.

Galloping Gaels era

By 1927, Saint Mary's developed into one of the strongest football programs on the West Coast. They defeated USC, UCLA, Cal, and Stanford. The Stanford team they defeated in 1927 went on to play in the Rose Bowl, as did the USC team they defeated in 1931. Slip also led the Gaels to the program's only two undefeated seasons in 1926, at 9–0–1, and 1929, at 8–0–1. Although the school's enrollment seldom exceeded 500, the 'Galloping Gaels' became a nationally known football power.

The famously red-clad jersey-ed 'Galloping Gaels', were known for their flashy style that reflected the personality of their flamboyant coach. In the most notable win in program history, Saint Mary's traveled to New York City in 1930 to play Fordham in front of 65,000 at New York City's famed Polo Grounds. Madigan traveled to New York for the game with 150 fans on a train that was labeled "The World's Longest Bar." To stir up publicity for the game, he then threw a party the night before the game and invited sportswriters and celebrities. Babe Ruth and New York mayor Jimmy Walker attended the party. Fordham was a heavy favorite, as the Rams had won 16 straight games going back to 1928. They featured the first version of a defense known as the "Seven Blocks of Granite," a formidable unit that later would include Vince Lombardi. Saint Mary's recovered from a 12–0 halftime deficit to win, 20–12.

The Gaels had a couple of shots at a national championship in the 1930s. A one-point loss to Cal in SMC’s opener in 1930 probably cost the school the No. 1 spot. In 1934, the Gaels beat Fordham and Cal, but were upset by Nevada, 9–7, and lost to UCLA, 6–0, and another national title had slipped away. [3] The Gaels won the Cotton Bowl in January 1939 and lost in the Sugar Bowl in January 1946. That 1945 team won its first seven games and was ranked seventh in the AP poll entering the bowl game. They also lost in the 1946 Oil Bowl the following year. Many home games of this era were played to sold-out crowds at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. [3]

Program revival

The football program was dropped after the 1950 season, [4] [5] first revived as a club sport, and then returned to sanctioned varsity status in 1970 (College Division, later Division III), [6] and moved up to Division II in 1980. [3]

Modern Division I era and end of program

In order to keep its overall athletics program at Division I, football was required to cease or move up to Division I-AA by 1993. (Rival Santa Clara discontinued football after 1992.) The team competed in NCAA Division I-AA as an independent from 1993 through 2003. [6]

By 1998, Saint Mary's awarded 14 scholarships in football (vastly under the FCS limit of 63), with a budget of almost $800,000. [7]

However, after eleven seasons as a Division I-AA independent, Saint Mary's ended its football program on March 3, 2004, citing budgetary reasons. [8] The announcement came a week after the institution had declared intent to join the Great West Football Conference, rendering SMC as the 11th California university to drop football since 1951. [9]

Conference affiliation

• 1892-1899: Independent

• 1915-1924: Independent

• 1925-1928: Far Western Conference

• 1929-1950: Independent

• 1970-1979: College Division-Division III Independent

• 1980-1992: Division II Independent

• 1993-2003: Division I-AA Independent

Conference championships

St. Mary's won four consecutive conference championships in a row in their only time associated in an athletic conference. The Gaels have been an independent all other years of existence.

YearConferenceCoachOverall RecordConference Record
1925 Far Western Slip Madigan 8-23–0
1926 Far Western Slip Madigan9–0–14–0
1927 Far Western Slip Madigan7–2–13–0
1928 Far Western Slip Madigan5–42–0

Bowl games

SeasonBowlsCityOpponentResult
1938 Cotton Dallas Texas Tech W 20–13
1945 Sugar New Orleans Oklahoma A&M L 13–33
1946      Oil      Houston Georgia Tech L 19–41

Head coaches

Slip Madigan and James Phelan are the only coaches that have led the 'Galloping Gaels' to bowl games.

CoachSeasonsRecordPct.Bowl Record
Slip Madigan 1921–1939117–45–12.7071–0
Red Strader 1940–194110–7.588
James Phelan 1942–194747–25–1.4900–2
Joe Verducci 1948–19497–12–1.375
Joe Ruetz 19502–7–1.250

Rivalries

Oregon

Oregon and Saint Mary's College competed in an annual Thanksgiving Day classic between 1929 and 1935, played at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. [10] The victors were awarded The Governors' Perpetual Trophy jointly by the governors of the states of California and Oregon. [11] The Gaels hold a 7–3 lead in the series and final possession of the trophy. The rivalry is unlikely to be contested again, as Saint Mary's discontinued football in 1951 due to the national emergency resulting from the Korean War, and reinstated its program in 1970, only to discontinue it again after the 2003 football season. [12]

College Football Hall of Fame

NameYearsPositionInductedRef
Larry Bettencourt 1924-1927 C / DE 1973 [13]
James Phelan 1942-1947 Head Coach 1973 [14]
Slip Madigan 1921-1939 Head Coach 1974 [15]
Herman Wedemeyer 1943, 1945-1947 HB 1979 [16]

Pro Football Hall of Fame

InductedPlayerPOSSeasons at St. Mary'sRef.
1987 John Henry Johnson HB/ FB 1949-1950 [17]

National Award Winners

Sean Laird (1997)

All Americans

Saint Mary's has 2 Consensus All-Americans and 1 Unanimous All-American (Herman Wedemeyer, HB- 1945)

St. Mary’s Gaels All-Americans
PlayerPositionSeasonPollTeamNotes
Red Strader FB19243rd Team
Larry Bettencourt C1925NB1st TeamCollege Football Hall of Fame member
19263rd Team
1927Consensus1st Team
UnderhillDE1926AP2nd Team
Malcolm FranklinDE1928AP1st Team
UP2nd Team
George AckermanT1929AP1st Team
UP2nd Team
Fred "Stud" StennettHB1929UP2nd Team
1930AP3rd Team
Dick Boyle HB19293rd Team
Harry Ebding DE1930AP3rd Team/ 2nd Team
Bud Toscani HB19312nd Team
Bill FisherG1931AP1st Team
UP1st Team
Angelo Brovelli FB1932UP3rd Team
NEA3rd Team
FWAA1st Team
Mike Steponovich G1932AP3rd Team
William "Bill" BeasleyQB19323rd Team
Ed GilbertG1933AP2nd Team
Fred ConrinusDE1933UP3rd Team
John Yezerski DT1933NEA1st Team
Carl Jorgensen DT19331st Team
UP2nd Team/3rd Team
George WilsonHB1933AP2nd Team
UP3rd Team
Marty KordickG1935NEA2nd Team
Herman Wedemeyer HB1945Consensus (Unanimous All American [note 1] )1st TeamCollege Football Hall of Fame
1946AP2nd Team
UP

Notable players

Notes

  1. ↑ AAB; AFCA; AP-1; COL-1; FWAA-1; INS-1; LK; SN; UP-1; CNS-1; CP-1; NL; OF-1; WC-1

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Mary's College of California</span> Catholic college in Moraga, California, US

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Strader</span> American football player and coach (1902–1956)

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The 1939 Cotton Bowl Classic was the third edition of the postseason college football bowl game, between the St. Mary's Gaels and the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint Mary's Gaels</span> Collegiate sports club in the United States

The Saint Mary's Gaels are the athletic teams that compete at Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, California. The nickname applies to the college's intercollegiate NCAA Division I teams and to the school's club sports teams. Most varsity teams compete in the West Coast Conference.

The 1946 Sugar Bowl was the eleventh edition of the bowl game and matched the Oklahoma A&M Cowboys and the St. Mary's Gaels. It was played on Tuesday, January 1, 1946, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The 1929 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1929 college football season. In their ninth season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled an 8–0–1 record, shut out eight of nine opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 198 to 6. The Gaels' victories included a 24–0 besting of UCLA, a 54–0 besting of Nevada, and a 31–6 victory over Oregon. The lone setback was a scoreless tie with California.

The 1930 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1930 college football season. In their tenth season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled an 8–1 record, shut out five of nine opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 168 to 31. The Gaels' victories included a 21–6 besting of UCLA, a 20–12 besting of Fordham, and a 7–6 victory over Oregon. The lone setback was a 7–6 loss to California.

The 1931 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1931 college football season. In their 11th season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled an 8–2 record and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 119 to 65. The Gaels' victories included a 13–7 besting of USC, a 14–0 besting of California, a 16–0 victory over Oregon, and a 7–2 victory over Southwest Conference champion SMU. The lone setbacks were losses to the Olympic Club (0–10) and UCLA (0–12).

The 1932 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1932 college football season. In their 12th season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled a 6–2–1 record and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 118 to 59. The Gaels' victories included a 14–7 besting of UCLA and a 7–0 victory over Oregon. The lone setbacks were a 12-12 tie with California and losses to Fordham (0–14) and Alabama (0–6).

The 1933 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1933 college football season. In their 13th season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled a 6–3–1 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 161 to 73. The Gaels' victories included a 13–6 besting of Fordham, a 22–14 victory over UCLA, and an 18–6 victory over SMU. They lost to California (13–14), USC (7–14), and Oregon (7–13).

The 1934 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1934 college football season. In their 14th season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled a 7–2 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 125 to 40. The Gaels' victories included a 7–0 besting of California, a 14–9 victory over Fordham, a 9–6 victory over Washington State, and a 13–7 victory over Oregon. The lone setbacks were losses to Nevada (7-9) and UCLA (0-6).

The 1938 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1938 college football season. In their 18th season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled a 6–2 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 106 to 41. The season ended in January with a 20–13 victory over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl, led by sophomore back Mike Klotovich.

The 1945 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1945 college football season. In their fourth season under head coach and College Football Hall of Fame inductee James Phelan, the Gaels compiled a 7–2 record, outscored their opponents by a combined total of 282 to 65, and were ranked No. 7 in the final AP Poll. The Gaels' victories included a 20–13 besting of California and a 26–0 victory over USC. Their only loss during the regular season was to UCLA by a 13–7 score. The Gaels were invited to play in the 1946 Sugar Bowl where they lost to an undefeated No. 5-ranked Oklahoma A&M by a 33–13 score.

The 1939 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1939 college football season. In their 19th and final season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled a 3–4–1 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 84 to 57.

The 1946 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1946 college football season. In their fifth season under head coach James Phelan, the Gaels compiled a 6–3 record and were outscored by opponents by a combined total of 229 to 160.

The 1935 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1935 college football season. In their 15th season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled a 5–2–2 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 115 to 37.

The 1937 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1937 college football season. In their 17th season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled a 4–3–2 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 71 to 50.

The Governors' Trophy Game was a college football rivalry game played between the University of Oregon and Saint Mary's College. The Webfoots and Gaels played an annual Thanksgiving Day classic from 1929 to 1935 in San Francisco's Kezar Stadium. Beginning in 1932 the teams played for The Governors' Perpetual Trophy, awarded to the victors jointly by the governors of the states of California and Oregon.

References

  1. ↑ "Gaels Color Guide". Saint Mary’s College of California Style Guide (PDF). January 10, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Saint Mary's Historical Data". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Springer, Steve (October 12, 1985). "Those Gaels, what tales: for St. Mary's, football glory is just a memory". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Gaels abandon gridiron sport". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. January 6, 1951. p. 7.
  5. ↑ "Gaels bow out of grid picture". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 7, 1951. p. 9.
  6. 1 2 Litsky, Frank (September 24, 1995). "Emotion: St. Mary's has it and Columbia does not". New York Times.
  7. ↑ "Saint Mary's vows to keep football". San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune. October 17, 1998. pp. C6.
  8. ↑ Burrell, Jackie, and Thompson, Marcus II (March 4, 2004). "Game over; St. Mary's dissolves football program". Contra Costa Times. Archived from the original on August 12, 2004. Retrieved April 18, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ Milne, Brian (March 4, 2004). "Great West Loses Team: St. Mary's Cites Financial Woes in Dropping Program". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA). pp. C1.
  10. ↑ "Gaels Hold Edge Over Webfoots in Games Played". The Eugene Guard. Eugene, Oregon. November 24, 1935. Retrieved November 28, 2022. The series, which was inaugurated in 1929 as an annual Thanksgiving day classic, is played in San Francisco. The governors of the states of Oregon and California donated a "Governor's[ sic ] Trophy,", which is awarded each year to the winning team.
  11. ↑ "St. Mary's Wins New Governors' Trophy". Corvallis Gazette–Times. Corvallis, Oregon. November 28, 1932. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  12. ↑ "St. Mary's Quits Football". Oakland Tribune. January 5, 1951. pp. 32–33.
  13. ↑ "Larry Bettencourt". footballfoundation.org. National Football Foundation. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Jim Phelan (1973) - Hall of Fame".
  15. ↑ "Slip Madigan". footballfoundation.org. National Football Foundation. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Herman Wedemeyer". footballfoundation.org. National Football Foundation. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  17. ↑ "John Henry Johnson". www.profootballhof.com. Archived from the original on October 30, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2023.

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