1949 Lewis Flyers football team
| 1949 Lewis Flyers football | |
|---|---|
Badger-Illini champion | |
| Conference | Badger-Illini Conference |
| Record | 9–0 (6–0 Badger-Illini) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive scheme | T formation |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $ | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Milton | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Concordia (IL) | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mission House | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern (WI) | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin Tech | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aurora | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| St. Procopius | 0 | – | 6 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin–Extension | 0 | – | 6 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1949 Lewis Flyers football team represented Lewis College—now known as Lewis University—of Lockport, Illinois, as a member of the Badger-Illini Conference during the 1949 college football season. Led by second-year head coach Ray McLean, the Flyers compiled a perfect 9–0 record (6–0 in conference games), won the Badger-Illini championship, shut out six opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 310 to 15.[1][2]
Lewis employed a T formation on offense.[3] Coach McLean played halfback for the Chicago Bears from 1940 to 1947, winning four NFL championships, and used the Bears' playbook while coaching at Lewis. McLean boasted to the press that his players were "so well versed in the Chicago Bears' plays that they could step into the Bears' lineup and run them off without trouble."[4] McLean later became head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
Key players on the 1949 Lewis team included fullbacks Bill Stratton and Bob Giesey, halfback Chico Mavigliano, quarterback Larry O'Shea, and Marvin Prate who was described in the Chicago Tribune as "not too fast but a tricky runner."[5][4]
Lewis in 1949 was a two-year college with less than 150 students. The team was touted as a candidate to play in the 1949 Little Rose Bowl.[5] In the end, Little Rock received the bid over Lewis. In late November 1949, Lewis withdrew from the Badger-Illini Conference after dropping plans to expand into a four-year college, a requirement for continued membership in the conference. Because of the school's withdrawal from the conference, no Lewis players were included on the 1949 all-conference team.[6]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 15 | LaSalle-Peru Junior College* | Romeoville, IL | W 28–8 | ||
| September 23 | Morgan Park Junior College* | Romeoville, IL | W 54–0 | ||
| October 1 | at Northwestern (WI) | Watertown, WI | W 21–7 | [7] | |
| October 8 | Concordia (IL) | Romeoville, IL | W 44–0 | ||
| October 15 | 2:00 p.m. | Wisconsin Tech |
| W 30–0 | [8] |
| October 21 | Great Lakes Hospital* | W 53–0 | [9] | ||
| October 29 | at Aurora | Aurora, IL | W 47–0 | [10] | |
| November 3 | Mission House | Romeoville, IL | W 33–0 | [11] | |
| November 12 | St. Procopius | Baldwin City, KS | W (forfeit) | [2] | |
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References
- ^ "Milton College Second In Badger-Illini Conference". The Gazette. Janesville, Wisconsin. November 26, 1949. p. 8. Retrieved November 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ a b "Any Takers?". The Terre Haute Star. Terre Haute, Indiana. United Press. November 12, 1949. p. 9. Retrieved April 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "'Little Bears' Eye Bowl Bid". Evening World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. International News Service. November 12, 1949. p. 10. Retrieved April 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ a b Robert Cromie (November 3, 1949). "Lewis Rolling Along on Push of Its Scooter". Chicago Tribune. p. 4 (part 4) – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Lewis College Gridders Have High Hopes Of Bid To Little Rose Bowl". The Journal-Standard. November 4, 1949. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Badger-Illini Champs; Lewis Drops League". Chicago Tribune. November 26, 1949. p. 3 (part 2) – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Northwestern College Challenges Lewis Title". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. October 1, 1949. p. 4, part 2. Retrieved April 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Football!". The Platteville Journal. Platteville, Wisconsin. October 13, 1949. p. 1, part 2. Retrieved April 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "College Football". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. October 22, 1949. p. 1, part 2. Retrieved April 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Lewis Blanks Aurora in Badger-Illini Game, 47-0". Chicago Sunday Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. October 30, 1949. p. 2, part 8. Retrieved April 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Lewis Defeat Mission House, 33-0; 8th In Row". Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. November 4, 1949. p. 2, part 3. Retrieved April 6, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .