1947 Springfield College Football Team
- Image
- View Full Item
- Created Date
- 1946-1947
- Description
In 1890, Amos Alonzo Stagg, a Yale all-American and major league baseball pitching prospect, came to Springfield College (then known as the YMCA Training School) and started the college’s first football team. A grad student in a one-year program to become a YMCA Physical Director, he served as Coach, Manager, Captain, and Player on this original team often called “Stagg’s Eleven” or “The Stubby Christians.” The team finished the first season with a record of 5 wins and 3 losses, playing Yale strongly in the first indoor football game ever played in Madison Square Garden. Among other greats to coach the football team was James Huff McCurdy. McCurdy came to Springfield in 1895 and headed the team till 1917. He is largely responsible for helping to grow the Springfield College football team’s reputation and starting a long tradition of being feared by other colleges, in addition to his innovative work in exercise physiology. Later, Oscar “Ossie” Solem, famous Syracuse University coach, coached the team from 1946-1957.
A photograph of the 1947 football team at Springfield College. The team was led by head Coach Ossie Solem and team co-captains Fred Boothe and Fern Tetreau. They finished the season with an overall record of 4 wins and 4 losses. Members of the 1947 Springfield College football team: Solem, Oscar (Ossie); Boothe, Fred; Tetreau, Fern; Stephens, Hamilton; Munson, William; Waldron, Murray; Bjorklund, Leslie; Crozier, Howard; Kern, James; Strong, James; Frink, Robert; Vye, Gordon; Toomer, Edward; Tefft, Merton; Hallas, Clifford; Stoeckel, Edward; DeWeese, Douglas; Kruger, Hayes; Yost, William; Swartz, Douglas; Conway, Don; Van Arsdale, Stanley; Chinatti, Roland; McCrum, Reinald; Bachman, Jack; Berard, Roland; Mason, Edward; Friberg, William; Moore, Freeman; King, Keith; Romaine, Seeley; Parmigiane, Ralph; Auble, Harry; Robinson, Frank; Rees, Carl; Mahoney, James; LaFountain, Wallace; Alvord, Robert; Coons, John; Melish, Leonard; Drum, Roland; Kahn, Charles; Carlson, Ronald; Stringfell
- Partner
- Digital Commonwealth
- Contributing Institution
- Springfield College Archives and Special Collections
- Collection
- College Archives Digital Collections
- Publisher
- Springfield College
- Subjects
- International Young Men's Christian Association College
Springfield College
Springfield College--Football
Springfield College--Sports
Springfield College--Sports--Men
Stadiums
Helmets
Bleachers
Group portraits
Football - Type
- image
- Format
- Photographs
- Rights
- Contact host institution for more information.
Text and images are owned, held, or licensed by Springfield College and are available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that ownership is properly cited. A credit line is required and should read: Courtesy of Springfield College, Babson Library, Archives and Special Collections. Any commercial use without written permission from Springfield College is strictly prohibited. Other individuals or entities other than, and in addition to, Springfield College may also own copyrights and other propriety rights. The publishing, exhibiting, or broadcasting party assumes all responsibility for clearing reproduction rights and for any infringement of United States copyright law.
- Chicago citation style
- 1947 Springfield College Football Team. 1946-1947. Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America, http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/6648. (Accessed April 18, 2024.)
- APA citation style
- (1946-1947) 1947 Springfield College Football Team. Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America, http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/6648
- MLA citation style
- Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America <http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/6648>.