1947 Wilberforce State Green Wave football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 football 1947 Wilberforce State Green Wave Midwest Athletic Association MWAA 11–1 3–1 Gaston F. Lewis 12th Fruit Bowl, W 26–0 vs. Prairie View A&MVulcan Bowl, W 27–21 vs. Grambling The 1947 Wilberforce State Green Wave football team was an American football team that represented Wilberforce State College of Education (now known as Central State University) in the Midwest Athletic Association (MWAA) during the 1947 college football season. In its 12th season under head coach Gaston F. Lewis, the team compiled a 11–1 record and all outscored opponents by a total of 415 to 79.Central State Yearly Results College Football Data Warehouse December 10, 2019 http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/c/central_state/yearly_results.php?year=1947 https://web.archive.org/web/20150906203002/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/c/central_state/yearly_results.php?year=1947 September 6, 2015 Wilberforce State was ranked No. 2 among the nation's black college football teams according to the Pittsburgh Courier and its Dickinson Rating System. The team's only defeat was against Tennessee A&I, the team selected by the Courier as the 1947 national champion.Tennessee No. 1 in Nat'l Grid Ratings The Pittsburgh Courier December 6, 1947 14 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40070100/tennessee_no_1_in_natl_grid_ratings/ Newspapers.com Key players on the 1947 Wilberforce State team included halfbacks Walt Sellers and Carl Baylor, quarterbacks Freddie Hall and Michael "Mickey" Carter, and end Blake White. Prior to the start of the 1947–48 academic year, the State of Ohio withdrew support from the church-supported portion of the school. The two portions of the school then split and fielded separate football teams with different coaches. Lewis, who had been the coach at Wilberforce since 1934, took responsibility for coaching the state school, and Dwight Fisher coached the religious school.Two Wilberforce Teams Bring Impossible Snarl The Tribune September 4, 1947 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39466279/the_tribune/ Newspapers.com Schedule y y September 27 at 1947 North Carolina A&T Aggies North Carolina A&T<ncg> Greensboro, NC W 9-7 8,000 Alert Wilberforce State Eleven Subdues A&T, 9-7 The Pittsburgh Courier October 4, 1947 15 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40411128/alert_wilberforce_state_eleven_subdues/ Newspapers.com October 4 vs Kentucky State League Park Cleveland, OH W 34-6 8,000 Wilberforce State Wins At Cleveland Dayton Daily News October 5, 1947 Sports 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40410420/wilberforce_state_wins_at_cleveland/ Newspapers.com(contemporary newspaper accounts record the game as a win, but College Football Data Warehouse records it as a forfeit by Wilberforce State) October 10 vs Tuskegee<ncg> Comiskey Park Chicago, IL W 20-6 25,000 Wilberforce's Eleven Wins Negro Battle Chicago Tribune October 11, 1947 21 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40410788/wilberforces_eleven_wins_negro_battle/ Newspapers.com October 18 Wright Field<ncg> Wilberforce Stadium Xenia, OH W 101-0 Wilberforce State Swamps Kittyhawks The Coshocton Tribune October 19, 1947 13 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40410947/wilberforce_state_swamps_kittyhawks/ Newspapers.comWilberforce One Of 39 Perfect 11's The Dayton Herald October 21, 1947 20 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40410916/wilberforce_one_of_39_perfect_11s/ Newspapers.com October 24 at Tennessee A&I Sulphur Dell Nashville, TN L 7-14 Tennessee State Stays In Unbeaten Ranks Nashville Banner October 25, 1947 7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39533223/tennessee_state_stays_in_unbeaten_ranks/ Newspapers.com November 1 Lincoln (MO) Wilberforce Stadium Xenia, OH W 32-6 'Force Wins, 32-6 Dayton Daily News November 2, 1947 Sports 5 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40410694/force_wins_326/ Newspapers.com November 8 Delaware State<ncg> Wilberforce Stadium Xenia, OH W 31-0 Wilberforce Victor Dayton Daily News November 9, 1947 Sports 2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40410729/httpswwwnewspaperscomclip40410694/ Newspapers.com November 15 at 1947 Philander Smith Panthers Philander Smith Hot Springs, AR W 57-7 November 22 West Virginia State<ncg> Wilberforce Stadium Xenia, OH W 31-0 3,000 Wilberforce Downs West Virginia, 31-0 Alabama Tribune November 28, 1947 7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40410590/wilberforce_downs_west_virginia_310/ Newspapers.com November 29 vs Bergen Junior College<ncg> Polo Grounds New York, NY W 40-12 13,000–16,000 Wilberforce Tops Bergen JC, 40-12 New York Daily News November 28, 1947 79 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40410373/wilberforce_tops_bergen_jc_4012/ Newspapers.comBergen Drops 40-12 Tilt To Ohio Eleven The Bergen Evening Record November 28, 1947 29 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40410493/bergen_drops_4012_tilt_to_ohio_eleven/ Newspapers.com December 14 vs Prairie View A&M<ncg> Kezar Stadium San Francisco, CA (Fruit Bowl) W 26-0 10,000 Wilberforce Wins Bowl Tilt, 26-0 The San Francisco Examiner December 15, 1947 24, 26 Bob Brachman https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40410268/wilberforce_wins_bowl_tilt_260/ Newspapers.com January 1, 1948 vs Grambling<ncg> Rickwood Field Birmingham, AL (Vulcan Bowl) W 27-21 8,500 Wilberforce Subdues Grambling in Hard Battle The Pittsburgh Courier January 10, 1948 14 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40378596/wilberforce_subdues_grambling_in_hard/ Newspapers.com References Wilberforce State Category:Central State Marauders football seasons Wilberforce State Green Wave football