1956 St. Thomas Tommies football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1956 St. Thomas Tommies football Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference MIAC 8–0 7–0 Frank Deig 11th Tom Turk O'Shaughnessy Stadium MIAC champion The 1956 St. Thomas Tommies football team represented the University of St. Thomas of Saint Paul, Minnesota, as a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) during the 1956 NAIA football season. In their eleventh year under head coach Frank Deig, the Tommies compiled a perfect 8–0 record (7–0 against MIAC opponents), won the MIAC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 212 to 77.1956 - Saint Thomas (MN) College Football Data Warehouse May 3, 2023 http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/incomplete_data/game_by_game_current.php?teamid=2850&year=1956 September 10, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150910182008/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/incomplete_data/game_by_game_current.php?teamid=2850&year=1956 dead St. Thomas had prior perfect seasons in 1910, 1913, 1923, 1942, and 1944; they have not had another since 1956.Saint Thomas (MN) Records by Year College Football Data Warehouse May 3, 2023 http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/incomplete_data/year_by_year_current.php?teamid=2850 September 6, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150906080426/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/incomplete_data/year_by_year_current.php?teamid=2850 dead Three St. Thomas players were selected by the Minneapolis Sunday Tribune as first-team players on the 1956 All-MIAC football team: quarterback Bernie Raetz; end Dick Trafas; and tackle John Heller. Tom Turk and Dick Sappo were named to the second team as guards.Toms, Macs, Concordia Place Three Each on All-Star Team Minneapolis Sunday Tribune Ray Canton November 4, 1956 S7 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-toms-macs-concordia-place/123980061/ Newspapers.com The team played its home games on O'Shaughnessy Stadium in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Schedule y y September 21 1956 Augsburg Auggies Augsburg O'Shaughnessy Stadium Saint Paul, MN W 34-12 4,342 Toms Bomb Auggies 34-12 in Opener Minneapolis Morning Tribune September 22, 1956 22 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-toms-bomb-auggies-34-12-in/123978786/ Newspapers.com September 28 1956 Macalester Scots Macalester O'Shaughnessy Stadium Saint Paul, MN W 12-7 6,347 Aggressive Toms Face Macalestr Challenge Minneapolis Tribune Ray Canton September 28, 1956 3S https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-aggressive-toms-face-macale/123989646/ Newspapers.comRaetz' Passes Rally St. Thomas to 12-7 Win Over Macalester Minneapolis Morning Tribune Ray Canton September 29, 1956 S3 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-raetz-passes-rally-st-tho/123988182/ Newspapers.com October 6 at 1956 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Minnesota Duluth Duluth, MN W 34-14 Toms Tumble Duluth 34-14 Minneapolis Sunday Tribune October 7, 1956 Sports 6 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-toms-tumble-duluth-34-14/123979041/ Newspapers.com October 13 at 1956 Concordia Cobbers Concordia (MN) Moorhead, MN W 18-13 Raetz Rallies Tommies to Beat Cobbers 18-13 Minneapolis Sunday Tribune October 14, 1956 S5 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-raetz-rallies-tommies-to-be/123988506/ Newspapers.com October 19 1956 Gustavus Adolphus Golden Gusties Gustavus Adolphus O'Shaughnessy Stadium Saint Paul, MN W 14-0 9,245 Tommies Line Play Blanks Gusties 14-0: St. Thomas Holds First Minneapolis Morning Tribune October 20, 1956 1S https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-tommies-line-play-blanks-gu/123979756/ Newspapers.com October 26 1956 Hamline Pipers Hamline O'Shaughnessy Stadium Saint Paul, MN W 33-6 3,756 St. Thomas Wins 33-6 to Cinch State Title Tie Minneapolis Morning Tribune October 27, 1956 1S, 2S https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-st-thomas-wins-33-6-to-cin/123979216/ Newspapers.com November 3 at 1956 Saint John's Johnnies Saint John's (MN) Collegeville, MN W 33-25 Toms Topple St. John's Minneapolis Sunday Tribune November 4, 1956 6S https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-toms-topple-st-johns/123980744/ Newspapers.com November 11 at 1956 Loras Duhawks Loras<ncg> Dubuque, IA W 34-0 Toms Win 34-0, Finish Unbeaten: Raetz Passes Beat Loras Minneapolis Morning Tribune November 12, 1956 2S https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-toms-win-34-0-finish-unbea/123976758/ Newspapers.comUnbeaten Toms Roll Back Years The Minneapolis Star November 12, 1958 17B https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-minneapolis-star-unbeaten-toms-roll/123977092/ Newspapers.com Players The following players are listed in the coverage cited above: John Amelse, end Jim Andresick, right halfback John Benedict, guard Jerry Castle, fullback Doc Dolan, left halfback Walter Dziedzic, tackle Pat Gorman, right halfback John Heller, tackle Roger Ilstrup, T-quarterback Earl Mergens, substitute end Bernie Raetz, quarterback Dick Sappa, center/guard Dick Trafas, end Tom Turk, guard and captain, senior, 175 poundsPersistence Gets Toms' Captain Grid Career -- and Wife Minneapolis Tribune Ray Canton October 23, 1956 24 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-persistence-gets-toms-capt/123989187/ Newspapers.com Jerry Wright, fullback References St. Thomas Category:St. Thomas Tommies (Minnesota) football seasons Category:College football undefeated seasons St. Thomas Tommies football