1946 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team

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1946 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football
AP small college national champion
Mason–Dixon champion
Cigar Bowl, W 21–7 vs. Rollins
ConferenceMason–Dixon Conference
Ranking
APNo. 19
Record10–0 (3–0 Mason–Dixon)
Head coach
CaptainTony Stalloni
Home stadiumWilmington Park (7,000)
Frazer Field
Seasons
← 1942
1947 →
1946 Mason–Dixon Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 19 Delaware $ 3 – 0 – 0 10 – 0 – 0
Johns Hopkins 2 – 0 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Western Maryland 4 – 1 – 0 5 – 2 – 0
Hampden–Sydney 2 – 2 – 0 2 – 2 – 0
Randolph–Macon 2 – 4 – 0 2 – 4 – 0
Washington College 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 5 – 0
Mount St. Mary's 0 – 2 – 0 0 – 2 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1946 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team was an American football team that represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Mason–Dixon Conference during the 1946 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach William D. Murray, the Blue Hens compiled a perfect 10–0 record (3–0 in conference games), shut out five opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 358 to 45. They won the Maxon-Dixon championship, defeated Rollins in the Cigar Bowl, and were selected by the Associated Press as the small college national champion. They were also ranked at No. 82 among all college football teams in the final Litkenhous Difference by Score System rankings for 1946.[1]

Delaware's 1946 season was part of a 32-game unbeaten streak that began on October 26, 1940, and ended on October 3, 1947. The only imperfection was a 7-7 tie with West Chester on September 27, 1941, which was followed by a 26-game winning streak.

Delaware ranked fifth nationally among small-college teams in total offense with an average of 335.1 yards per game. It ranked 14th nationally in total defense, giving up an average of 163.4 yards per game.[2] Key players included quarterback Jim Buchanan; halfbacks Gerald "Doc" Doherty and Art Millman; fullback Paul Hart; team captain and tackles Tony Stalloni and Bob Campbell; guards Gene Carrell and Walt Marusa, ends Carroll Hauptle and Harold "Buck" Thompson; and center Jack Messick.[3]

Buck Thompson set a Delaware record with a 98-yard rushing play against Washington. Doc Doherty had an 83-yard run against Gettysburg.

The team played the majority of its home games at Wilmington Park. The October 26 game against Drexel was the final game played at Frazer Field, and the last game played in Newark until the opening of Delaware Stadium in 1952.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 28Pennsylvania Military*
W 25–010,000[4]
October 5Randolph–Macon
  • Wilmington Park
  • Wilmington, DE
W 53–07,000[5]
October 11Western Maryland
  • Wilmington Park
  • Wilmington, DE
W 44–67,500[6]
October 19at Gettysburg*
W 27–63,500[7]
October 26Drexel*dagger
W 52–08,000[8]
November 2at Franklin & Marshall*
W 28–06,000[9]
November 9at Bucknell*
W 27–144,000-6,000[10][11]
November 16Washington College
  • Wilmington Park
  • Wilmington, DE
W 61–05,000[12][13]
November 23Muhlenberg*No. 16
  • Wilmington Park
  • Wilmington, DE
W 20–1215,000[14][15]
January 1, 1947vs. Rollins*No. 19
W 21-710,000[16][17]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[18]

Rankings

[edit]
See also: 1946 college football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked ( ) = First-place votes
Week
Poll12345678Final
AP——————1615 (2)19

After the season

[edit]
Main article: 1947 NFL draft

The 1947 NFL Draft was held on December 16, 1946. The following Fightin' Blue Hens were selected.[19]

Round Pick Player Position NFL Club
21 187 Paul Hart Back Boston Yanks
30 278 Tony Stalloni Tackle Pittsburgh Steelers

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 15, 1946). "Rice Rated Fifth Best, Tennessee 12th by Lit". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ W.J. Bingham, ed. (1947). The Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide including the Official Rules 1947. A.S. Barnes and Company. p. 87.
  3. ^ "Delaware Blue Hens Promised Cool Weather for Game; Hold Weight Advantage". Journal-Every Evening. December 31, 1946. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "P.M.C. Loses to Delaware". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. September 29, 1946. p. S1 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Jackets Bow to Delaware Eleven, 53-0". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond, Va. Associated Press. October 6, 1946. p. 6B – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Gibbons, Jack (October 12, 1946). "Delaware Routs Terrors; Blue Hens Run String to 24 in Succession with 44 to 6 Victory". Wilmington Morning News. Wilmington, Del. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Doherty's Three Touchdown Runs Sparks Delaware Team to 27-6 Win over Bullets". The Gettysburg Times. Gettysburg, Pa. October 21, 1946. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Lewis, Allen (October 27, 1946). "Delaware Routs Drexel for 26th". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. S1 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Delaware Conquers F&M 28 to 0; 'Hens' Annex 27th Win After Rugged Battle". The Sunday News. Lancaster, Pa. November 3, 1946. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Delaware Rally Beats Bucknell". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. November 10, 1946. p. S1 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Delaware Beats Bucknell For 22nd Straight Victory: Blue Hens Score Two Touchdowns in Final Period to Win, 27-14". Wilmington Morning News. November 11, 1946. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Lewis, Allen (November 17, 1946). "Delaware Wins for 29th; Washington Routed as Nine Tally, 61-0". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. S2 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Marty Levin (November 18, 1946). "Delaware Routs Shoremen for 23rd Straight Victory: Hens Score Almost At Will to Hang Up One-Sided 61-0 Win". Wilmington Morning News. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Morrow, Art (November 24, 1946). "Delaware Trips Muhlenberg, 20-12; 15,000 See Blue Hen's Unbeaten Run Hit 30". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. S1 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Blue Hens Beat Mules To Finish Season Undefeated: Delaware Runs Streak To 24 Triumphs in Row By Scoring 20-12 Win". Wilmington Morning News. November 25, 1946. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Hollingsworth, Byron (January 2, 1947). "Delaware Defeats Rollins Tars, 21-7; Hart Stars for Blue Hens in Shrine Tilt". Tampa Morning Tribune. Tampa, Fla. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Marty Levin (January 2, 1946). "Blue Hens Trip Rollins, 21-7, in Cigar Bowl: 10,000 See Paul Hart Put on Sensational Display of Power As Delaware Whips Tars". Wilmington Morning News. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "1946 Schedule". Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  19. ^ "1947 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 29, 2020.


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