Wikipedia

1947 Denison Big Red football team

The 1947 Denison Big Red football team was an American football team that represented Denison University as a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) during the 1947 college football season. In their second year under head coach Woody Hayes, the Big Red compiled a 9–0 record (6–0 in conference games), won the OAC championship, and outscored opponents by 268 to 60. Of the 39 college football teams in Ohio, Denison was the only one in 1947 to compile a perfect season with no losses or ties.[1][2] It was also the first perfect season in Denison football history. Hayes also led the 1948 Denison team to a perfect season before moving on to Miami (OH) and Ohio State.

1947 Denison Big Red football
Head coach Woody Hayes, 1947
OAC champion
ConferenceOhio Athletic Conference
Record9–0 (6–0 OAC)
Head coach
CaptainWalter Cheslock
Home stadiumDeeds Field
Seasons
← 1946
1948 →
1947 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Denison $ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0
Findlay 4 – 0 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
Heidelberg 6 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 0
John Carroll 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Toledo 3 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Kent State 3 – 1 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Baldwin–Wallace 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Ohio Wesleyan 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 2 – 1
Wittenberg 4 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Muskingum 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Kenyon 1 – 1 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Wooster 4 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Mount Union 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Ohio Northern 2 – 4 – 0 2 – 5 – 1
Oberlin 1 – 2 – 0 3 – 4 – 1
Wilmington (OH) 1 – 2 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Akron 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Ashland 1 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
Marietta 1 – 3 – 0 2 – 5 – 0
Otterbein 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 6 – 1
Capital 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 6 – 1
Case 0 – 5 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

Tackle Walter Cheslock was the team captain.[3] Four Denison players were selected as first-team players on the 1947 All-Ohio Conference football team: Cheslock; halfback Ed Rupp; end Bill Hart; and center Bill Wehr. Halfback Gerald Gaynor was named to the second team[4] Hart was selected as a first-team player on the 1947 Little All-America college football team,[5] and Gaynor was selected to play in the Blue-Gray gridiron classic, the first Denison player to be so honored.[6]

The team played its home games at Deeds Field in Granville, Ohio.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultSource
September 27Rio Grande*
W 38–0[7][8]
October 4at Washington & Jefferson*Washington, PAW 20–14[9]
October 11at Beloit*Beloit, WIW 50–7[10]
October 18Wooster 
  • Deeds Field
  • Granville, OH
W 21–0[11]
October 25Oberlin
  • Deeds Field
  • Granville, OH
W 33–6[12][13]
November 1at Muskingum
W 20–14[14]
November 8at CapitalColumbus, OHW 56–7[15]
November 16at Ohio WesleyanDelaware, OHW 18–6[16]
November 22Wittenberg
  • Deeds Field
  • Granville, OH
W 12–6[17]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming

Players

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  • Walter Cheslock, tackle and captain, New Philadelphia, Ohio
  • Glenn Culp, quarterback, Youngstown, Ohio
  • Norman Dellner, tackle, Chagrin Falls, Ohio
  • William Hart, end, East Cleveland, Ohio
  • Richard Huff, tackle, Dover, Ohio
  • Bill Fleitz, fullback, Newark, Ohio
  • Gerald Gaynor, halfback, Toledo, Ohio
  • William Henderson, halfback, Culver, Indiana
  • Richard Koster, end, Toledo, Ohio
  • William G. Miller, guard, Dayton, Ohio
  • Robert Phillips, quarterback, Dover, Ohio
  • Eddie Rupp, halfback, Granville, Ohio
  • Don C. Watkins, tackle, Granville, Ohio
  • William Wehr, center, Barnesville, Ohio

[18]

References

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  1. ^ Howell, Fritz (November 25, 1947). "Denison Footballers Sweep Ohio College Laurels". Mansfield New-Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. Associated Press. p. 12. Retrieved July 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com  .
  2. ^ "2020 Ohio Athletic Conference Football Record Book" (PDF). Ohio Athletic Conference. 2020. p. 46. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  3. ^ "D.U. Begins Practice; Cheslock Voted Leader". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. September 9, 1947. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Four Denison Gridders Placed On 1947 All-Ohio Conference Eleven". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. December 11, 1947. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Hart On Little All-America Grid Team". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. December 9, 1947. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Gaynor To Play in North-South Tilt". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. December 4, 1947. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Five Seniors Will Start Saturday for Big Red Eleven Against Rio Grande in Grid Opener". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. September 26, 1947. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Bob Rock (September 29, 1947). "Denison Defeats Rio Grande In Grid Opener, 38-0: Big Red Scores in Three Periods for Lop-Sided Victory". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Denison Defeats Washington and Jefferson, 19-14: Big Red Rallies To Defeat Favored Team For Second Triumph". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. October 6, 1947. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Denison Smashes Beloit For Third Straight Win". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. October 13, 1947. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Bob Rock (October 20, 1947). "Denison Smashes Wooster 28-0 For Fourth Victory: Rupp Collects Two Touchdowns Before Homecoming Crowd". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Denison Rips Oberlin, 33-0, to Bag Fifth". Cleveland Plain Dealer. October 26, 1947. p. 6C – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Bob Rock (October 27, 1947). "Denison Romps Over Oberlin For Fifth Win, 33-0". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Bob Rock (November 3, 1947). "Denison Undefeated, Untied Nips Muskies, 20-14". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Bob Rock (November 10, 1947). "Denison Retains Undefeated and Untied Record: Big Red Runs Over Capital, 56 to 7, for Seventh Grid Verdict". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. p. 12 – via Newspaper.com.
  16. ^ "Denison One Game Away From Perfect Season: Big Red Chalks Up Eighth Straight by Defeating Weseleyan". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. November 17, 1947. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Bob Rock (November 24, 1947). "Denison Boasts First Unbeaten, Untied Season: Big Red Extended To Nip Wittenberg Team In Final Game, 12 to 6". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Denison University Opens Football Practice Monday". The Newark Advocate and American Tribune. September 6, 1947. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
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