1947 Michigan State Spartans football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1947 Michigan State Spartans football 1947 Michigan State Spartans football team.png 285 Independent 7–2 Biggie Munn 1st Warren B. Huey Robert B. McCurry Macklin Field The 1947 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State College as an independent during the 1947 college football season. The team compiled a 7–2 record and outscored opponents 167 to 101.2016 Football Media Guide Michigan State University 146, 154 June 16, 2017 http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/msu-media-guide-history-145-19.pdf January 17, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170117203046/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/msu-media-guide-history-145-19.pdf dead1947 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football June 16, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1947-schedule.html Biggie Munn was the first-year head coach, Ralph H. Young was the athletic director, and Robert McCurry was the team captain. The three assistants (Duffy Daugherty, Forest Evashevski, Kip Taylor) were all future head coaches. In December 1946, after Charlie Bachman resigned, Michigan State hired Munn as its head football coach. Munn had been the head coach at Syracuse in 1946 and had previously been the line coach at Michigan for seven years.Spartans Choose Munn as New Football Coach Detroit Free Press December 15, 1946 4–1 Marshall Dann https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20702727/spartans_choose_munn_as_new_football/ Newspapers.com In their first season under Munn, the Spartans achieved their most successful since the 1937 team finished 8–2. The Spartans began the Munn era with a 55–0 loss to in-state rival Michigan. The Spartans' only other setback was a narrow 7 to 6 loss to Bear Bryant's Kentucky Wildcats. In intersectional play, the Spartans beat Mississippi State (7–0), Washington State (21–7), Santa Clara (28–0), Temple (14–6), and Hawaii (58–19). The Hawaii game was played in Honolulu with Bud Crane scoring four touchdowns for the Spartans.Michigan State Wins in Hawaii Sunday Times, Cumberland, Maryland November 30, 1947 31 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2799223/michigan_state_wins_in_hawaii/ The team's 58 points against Hawaii was its highest total since 1932. Michigan State was ranked at No. 38 (out of 500 college football teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1947.Michigan National Champion in Final Litkenhous Ratings Times Dr. E. E. Litkenhous December 18, 1947 47 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123152970/michigan-national-champion-in-final/ Newspapers.com At the end of the 1947 season, Tommy Devine wrote in the Detroit Free Press that Munn had "restored athletic 'peace' to Michigan State."Great Grid Season Gets Munn off Spot Detroit Free Press December 1, 1947 24 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20707403/great_grid_season_gets_munn_off_spot/ Newspapers.com At the team's post-season banquet, Robert McCurry was selected to serve another year as the team's captain, and end Warren B. Huey was named the team's most valuable player and recipient of the Governor of Michigan award.Munn Points at 1948 As 'S' Gridders Dine Lansing State Journal December 9, 1947 George S. Alderton 20 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20707739/munn_points_at_1948_as_s_gridders_dine/ Newspapers.com Schedule y y September 27 at Michigan Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry) L 0-55 72,015 October 4 Mississippi State Macklin Field East Lansing, MI W 7-0 22,562 MSC Takes Only Chance Detroit Free Press Marshall Dann October 5, 1947 Sports 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20691716/msc_takes_only_chance/ Newspapers.com October 11 at Washington State Rogers Field Pullman, WA W 21-7 18,000 Little Guerre Shines as Spartans Win, 21-7 Detroit Free Press October 12, 1947 Sports 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20691833/little_guerre_shines_as_spartans_win/ Newspapers.com October 18 Iowa State Macklin Field East Lansing, MI W 20-0 20,987 Long Sprints Win for Spartans, 20-0 Detroit Free Press Marshall Dann October 19, 1947 Sports 1, 4 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20691748/long_sprints_win_for_spartans_200/ Newspapers.com October 25 Kentucky Macklin Field East Lansing, MI L 6-7 26,997 MSC Loses Star, Game Detroit Free Press Marshall Dann October 25, 1947 Sports 1, 2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20691695/msc_loses_star_game/ Newspapers.com November 1 Marquette Macklin Field East Lansing, MI W 13-7 23,856 Power Pays for Spartans Detroit Free Press W. W. Edgar November 2, 1947 Sports 1, 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20691773/power_pays_for_spartans/ Newspapers.com November 8 Santa Clara Macklin Field East Lansing, MI W 28-0 21,867 Spartans Roll Over Santa Clara, 28-0 Detroit Free Press W. W. Edgar November 9, 1947 C3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20691802/spartans_roll_over_santa_clara_280/ Newspapers.com November 15 at Temple Temple Stadium Philadelphia, PA W 14-6 5,000 Spartans Rack Up No. 6, a 14-6 Decision Over Temple Lansing State Journal November 16, 1947 George S. Alderton 28 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20691868/spartans_rack_up_no_6_a_146_decision/ Newspapers.com November 29 at Hawaii Honolulu Stadium Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii W 58-19 15,000 Michigan State, Despite Heat, Overpowers Hawaii 58 to 19 Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton November 30, 1947 30 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20691877/michigan_state_despite_heat/ Newspapers.com Players From the 1947 team, 32 players and the student manager received varsity letters for their contributions to the team. The players who received varsity letters are: Don Arnson, Muskegon Ed Bagdon, guard, Detroit Ken Balge, end, Detroit Mark Blackman, Jackson Jim Blenkhorn, fullback, Saginaw Carl Cappaert, Clare Cornelius Carrigan, East Pittsburgh, PA Lynn Chandnois, halfback, Flint Bud Crane, Highland Park Henry Ferris, Utica, NY Pete Fusi, tackle, Flint Hal Gasser, Birmingham John Gilman, Clinton Russ Gilpin, Detroit Gene Glick, quarterback, Saginaw George Guerre, halfback, Flint Warren Huey, end, Punxsutawney, PA Bob Krestel, quarterback, Swissvale, PA Don Mason, guard, Wayne Bob McCurry, center, Lewistown, PA Carl Nestor, Chicago Rex Parsell, Flint John Poloncak, halfback, Chicago Barney Roskopp, Mt. Clemens Steve Sieradzki, halfback, Muskegon George Smith, Wayne Horace Smith, Jackson Ed Sohacki, Detroit Bill Spiegel, Birmingham Hal Vogler, tackle, Detroit Frank Waters, fullback, Wallingford, CT Jim Zito, tackle, Geneva, OH Frank O. May of Dearborn was the student manager. Coaching staff Biggie Munn, head coach Duffy Daugherty, line Forest Evashevski, backfield Kip Taylor, ends Game summaries Michigan Week 1: Michigan State at Michigan Mich. St. Michigan 0 0 0 0 14 14 20 7 September 27 Ann Arbor, Michigan 73,115 Mike Layden On September 27, Michigan State opened the season with a non-conference game against Michigan. Playing in Ann Arbor in front of 73,115 spectators, the Wolverines defeated the Spartans, 55–0. The game was the first as head coach of the Spartans for Biggie Munn, who had been an assistant coach at Michigan from 1938 to 1945. Michigan dominated the game, outgaining Michigan State 504 yards to 56. Michigan head coach Fritz Crisler played second, third, and fourth string players later in the game, using 37 players in all. Bob Chappuis ran for three touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass for another.Wolverines Rout Spartans By 55-0: Chappuis Scores Three Times as Michigan Displays Its Running, Passing Skill The New York Times September 28, 1947Under-Manned State Footballers Lashed By Michigan, 55 to 0 Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton September 28, 1947 1, 10 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20701765/undermanned_state_footballers_lashed/ Newspapers.com References External links Game program: Michigan State at Washington State, October 11, 1947 Michigan State Category:Michigan State Spartans football seasons Michigan State Spartans football