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1934 VPI Gobblers football
Conference Southern Conference
Record5–5 (3–3 SoCon)
Head coach
CaptainLouis L. Fittro
George Maxie Smith
Home stadium Miles Stadium
Seasons
←  1933
1935 →
1934 Southern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Washington and Lee $ 4 0 0 7 3 0
North Carolina 2 0 1 7 1 1
Duke 3 1 0 7 2 0
Maryland 3 1 0 7 3 0
Clemson 2 1 0 5 4 0
VPI 3 3 0 5 5 0
South Carolina 2 3 0 5 4 0
NC State 1 3 1 2 6 1
Virginia 1 4 0 3 6 0
VMI 0 5 0 1 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1934 VPI Gobblers football team represented Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute in the 1934 college football season. The team was led by their head coach Henry Redd and finished with a record of five wins and five losses (5–5).

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 22 Roanoke*W 21–0 [1] [2]
September 29at Temple*L 0–3412,000 [3] [4]
October 6 Florida*
  • Miles Stadium
  • Blacksburg, VA
L 13–20 [5] [6]
October 13vs. William & Mary*W 6–09,000 [7] [8]
October 20vs. MarylandL 9–14> 4,500 [9] [10] [11]
October 2711:00 a.m.at Washington and Lee
L 7–138,000-10,000 [12] [13] [14] [15]
November 32:30 p.m.at South CarolinaL 0–20 [16] [17] [18]
November 10vs. NC State
W 7–6 [19] [20] [21]
November 17 Virginiadagger
  • Miles Stadium
  • Blacksburg, VA ( rivalry)
W 19–63,000 [22] [23]
November 29vs. VMI
W 13–010,000 [24] [25]

Game summaries

Roanoke

The starting lineup for VPI was: Reynolds (left end), Dodge (left tackle), Copenhaver (left guard), Jones (center), English (right guard), Banks (right tackle), Negri (right end), Smith (quarterback), Ottaway (left halfback), Russell (right halfback), Dickerson (fullback). The substitutes were: Botnick, Cunningham, Dailey, Fittro, Ingles, Ochs, Rankin, Sodaro, Spruill, Stowe, Thomas and Wagley.

The starting lineup for Roanoke was: Ward Akers (left end), George Pitzer (left tackle), Gus Quisito (left guard), Weldon Plank (center), Earl Fisher (right guard), Harry Suttner (right tackle), J. "Buss" Irvin (right end), Harrison Weeks (quarterback), Gregory Wroniewicz (left halfback), Herman Smith (right halfback), Bud Miley (fullback). The substitutes were: Carey Brewbaker, Edward Gough and John Pitzer.

Temple

The starting lineup for VPI was: Thomas (left end), Banks (left tackle), English (left guard), Jones (center), Copenhaver (right guard), Dodge (right tackle), Negri (right end), Smith (quarterback), Ottaway (left halfback), Russell (right halfback), Dickerson (fullback).

The starting lineup for Temple was: Wise (left end), J. Russell (left tackle), John Boyd (left guard), Peter P. Stevens (center), Schaefer (right guard), Zukas (right tackle), Zanin (right end), Glenn Frey (quarterback), John Stonik (left halfback), Daniel Testa (right halfback), David Smukler (fullback). The substitutes were: Hartman, Wilfred Longsderff and Horace Mowrey.

Florida

The starting lineup for VPI was: Thomas (left end), Banks (left tackle), English (left guard), Wagley (center), Ochs (right guard), Dodge (right tackle), Negri (right end), Smith (quarterback), Holsclaw (left halfback), Carpenter (right halfback), Dickerson (fullback).

The starting lineup for Florida was: Chuck Rogers (left end), Hal Starbuck (left tackle), Bill Turner (left guard), Alton Brown (center), Carlisle Hughes (right guard), Bill Stark (right tackle), Robert Rickett (right end), Wally Brown (quarterback), Billy Chase (left halfback), Jack Beckwith (right halfback), Charlie Stoltz (fullback).

William & Mary

The starting lineup for VPI was: Thomas (left end), Dodge (left tackle), English (left guard), Copenhaver (center), Ochs (right guard), Negri (right tackle), Fittro (right end), Smith (quarterback), Holsclaw (left halfback), Sodaro (right halfback), Dickerson (fullback). The substitutes were: Botnick, Cunningham, Huffman and Russell.

The starting lineup for William & Mary was: Albert Michaels (left end), Waddy Stewart (left tackle), Frank Livesay (left guard), Joseph Bridgers (center), Joseph Marino (right guard), Norman Murray (right tackle), Walter J. Zable (right end), Charles Shade (quarterback), Melville Bryant (left halfback), Arthur Woodward (right halfback), William Yerkes (fullback). The substitutes were: Marshall Brickell, Albert DeGutis, Preacher Franklyn, Hatke, Ned LeGrande, Reginald Pinch, Harry Spack and John Truehart.

Maryland

The starting lineup for VPI was: Fittro (left end), Huffman (left tackle), Ochs (left guard), Copenhaver (center), Botnick (right guard), Dodge (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Holsclaw (quarterback), Smith (left halfback), Sodaro (right halfback), Dickerson (fullback). The substitutes were: Daily, Negri, Ottaway, Reynolds, Russell and Stowe.

The starting lineup for Maryland was: Louis Ennis (left end), Ed Minion (left tackle), John Birkland (left guard), Bill Andorka (center), John Simpson (right guard), Carl Stalfort (right tackle), Victor G. Willis (right end), Norwood Sothoron (quarterback), Bill Guckeyson (left halfback), George Sachs (right halfback), Charles Yaeger (fullback). The substitutes were: Brooks Bradley, Bernie Buscher, Joseph Crecca, Edmond Daly, Charles F. Ellinger, Edward Fletcher, William Garrott, John Gormley, Harry Gretz, Coleman Headley, Charlie Keller, Stewart McCaw, Tom McLaughlin, Dick Nelson, Edward Quigley, Jack Stonebraker and Earl Widmyer.

Washington and Lee

The starting lineup for VPI was: Fittro (left end), Negri (left tackle), Copenhaver (left guard), Jones (center), Banks (right guard), Dodge (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Holsclaw (quarterback), Carpenter (left halfback), Smith (right halfback), Dickerson (fullback).

The starting lineup for Washington and Lee was: William Ellis (left end), W. H. Dyer (left tackle), Porter Berry (left guard), G. R. Glynn (center), Hugo Bonino (right guard), Howard Owings (right tackle), Charles Smith (right end), William Seaton (quarterback), Samuel Mattox (left halfback), Alfred Moore (right halfback), Jack Bailey (fullback). The substitutes were: Joseph Arnold and Edward Seitz.

South Carolina

The starting lineup for VPI was: Fittro (left end), Banks (left tackle), Copenhaver (left guard), Jones (center), Botnick (right guard), Dodge (right tackle), Thomas (right end), Smith (quarterback), Carpenter (left halfback), Ottaway (right halfback), Dickerson (fullback).

The starting lineup for South Carolina was: Tom Craig (left end), Paul Gaffney (left tackle), Tomlin (left guard), Strod (center), Dean Fowble (right guard), Freeman Huskey (right tackle), Rowland (right end), Harold Mauney (quarterback), Clay "Bud" Alexander (left halfback), Bob Robbins (right halfback), McDougall (fullback). The substitutes were: William McCrady and Walker Yonce.

Virginia

The starting lineup for VPI was: Fittro (left end), Banks (left tackle), Copenhaver (left guard), Jones (center), Ochs (right guard), Dodge (right tackle), Reynolds (right end), Holsclaw (quarterback), Carpenter (left halfback), Smith (right halfback), Dickerson (fullback). The substitutes were: Botnick, Daily, Howard, Ingles, Ottaway, Piland, Russell, Shafer, Sodaro, Spruill and Stowe.

The starting lineup for Virginia was: Wier Tucker (left end), Edward Andrews (left tackle), William Zimmer (left guard), Horace Hallett (center), Peyton Hoge (right guard), Leonard Trell (right tackle), Cullen Wilkin (right end), Thomas Johnson (quarterback), Vincent Cardwell (left halfback), Griffith Dodson (right halfback), Spencer Berger (fullback). The substitutes were: Andrew Conner, Philip Fryberger, Randolph Garnett, Sanford Haskell, Kenneth Morton, Willard Quarles, Gordon Regan and George Seibels.

VMI

The starting lineup for VPI was: Reynolds (left end), Banks (left tackle), Copenhaver (left guard), Jones (center), Ochs (right guard), Dodge (right tackle), Fittro (right end), Smith (quarterback), Carpenter (left halfback), Russell (right halfback), Dickerson (fullback). The substitutes were: Botnick, Daily, Holsclaw, Howard, Ingles, Ottaway, Piland, Rankin, Shafer, Sodaro and Spruill.

The starting lineup for VMI was: Charles Hancock (left end), Russ Coleman (left tackle), Burgess (left guard), Jack Zimmerman (center), James Farley (right guard), Harry Hightower (right tackle), Morris Haas (right end), Bo McMillin (quarterback), Wayt Clark (left halfback), Tuck Watkins (right halfback), Dodson (fullback). The substitutes were: Maxie Bair, John Childress, David Kane, Bill Oglesby, John Penn and Archie Witt.

NFL draft selections

NFL draft selections
Year Round Pick Overall Name Team Position
1937 7 3 63 Herman E. "Foots" Dickerson Chicago Cardinals End

Players

Roster

VPI 1934 roster
Quarterbacks
  • Duncan Holsclaw
  • Mattox

Guards

  • Benny Botnick
  • Jim Copenhaver
  • Edward Ralph English
  • Norman Ochs

Tackles

  • Mac Banks
  • Ben Dodge
  • Harry Howard
  • Richard "Tris" Huffman

Center

  • Dave Jones
Ends
  • Louis Fittro (Capt.)
  • Warren "Red" Negri
  • Dave Thomas

Halfbacks

  • Buck Carpenter
  • Herman "Foots" Dickerson
  • Jim Ottaway
  • J. D. Russell
  • George Sodaro
  • Howard "Hank" Spruill

Fullback

  • George Smith (Capt.)

Substitutes

  • Oscar "Flinky" Piland
  • Buck Reynolds

Varsity letter winners

Twenty players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1934 VPI team. [26]

Player Hometown Notes
F. M. "Mac" Banks
Benjamin Botnick Elmira, New York World War II veteran ( Navy).
Jack A. "Buck" Carpenter
James Henry Copenhaver
Herman Edward "Foots" Dickerson Reidsville, North Carolina World War II veteran ( Major, Army). First Virginia Tech player to be chosen in the NFL draft.
Benjamin Walter Dodge Norfolk, Virginia
Louis Leonard Fittro (Capt.)
William Duncan Holsclaw
Harry Worden Howard
Richard "Tris" Huffman
David Jones
John Norman Ochs
James Edward Ottaway Sherrill, New York World War II veteran ( Lieutenant Commander, Navy).
Oscar Glazier "Flinky" Piland
Lawrence Samuel "Buck" Reynolds
Joseph Decatur Russell
George Maxie Smith (Capt.)
George Edward Sodaro
Howard Arnold "Hank" Spruill
David Thomas

Coaching and training staff

References

  1. ^ "Fast V. P.I. Team Defeats Roanoke". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. September 23, 1934. p. 28. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  2. ^ "Maroons Take 21-0 Trouncing From Va. Tech". Brackety-ack. Roanoke College. September 27, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  3. ^ "At Bay in First Half, Temple Speeds to Defeat V. P. I., 34-0". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. September 30, 1934. p. 37. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  4. ^ "Temple Buries V. P. I. in Opener, 34-0". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 30, 1934. Retrieved November 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Saurians Stage Comeback To Trounce V.P.I. 20-13". The Alligator. University of Florida. October 7, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  6. ^ "Florida is Winner With Late Rally". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 7, 1934. p. 31. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  7. ^ "V.P.I. Scores on Pass to Beat Indians, 6–0". The Flat Hat. College of William & Mary. October 16, 1934. p. 3. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  8. ^ "V. P. I. 6-0 Victor on Early Score". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 14, 1934. p. 30. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  9. ^ "Terps Add Second Victory, Downing Gobblers, 14 to 9". The Diamondback. University of Maryland, College Park. October 22, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  10. ^ "Maryland Halts Tech, 14-9". Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 21, 1934. p. 15. Retrieved November 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Maryland Passes Topple V. P. I., 14-9". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 21, 1934. p. 25. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  12. ^ "Lagging Generals Strike Fast, Take Conference Lead" (PDF). The Ring-tum Phi. Washington and Lee University. October 30, 1934. p. 3. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  13. ^ "Generals Beat V. P. I., 13-7". The Washington Times. Library of Congress. October 27, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  14. ^ "Generals Rally to Nip V. P. I., 13-7". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 28, 1934. p. 27. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  15. ^ "Saturday Was A Big Day In Lexington". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. November 1, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  16. ^ "Gamecocks-Gobblers To Match Spurs". The Gamecock. University of South Carolina. November 2, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  17. ^ "Subs Aid in Gobbler Fall". The Gamecock. University of South Carolina. November 9, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  18. ^ "Gamecocks Make Strong Comeback". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 4, 1934. p. 31. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  19. ^ "State Defeated 7-6 By Gobblers". The Technician. North Carolina State University. November 16, 1934. p. 3. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  20. ^ "V.P.I. trips N.C. State, 7–6". Richmond Times-Dispatch. November 11, 1934. Retrieved November 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Gobblers Victors as Luck Switches". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 11, 1934. p. 25. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  22. ^ "Plucky Virginia Eleven Beaten". The Daily Progress. University of Virginia. November 19, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  23. ^ "Gobblers Down Cavaliers, 19-6". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 18, 1934. p. 26. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  24. ^ "VPI Subdues Cadets On Muddy Field 13–0". The V.M.I. Cadet. Virginia Military Institute. December 3, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  25. ^ "V. M. I. Loses to V. P. I. Thanksgiving Game". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. December 6, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  26. ^ "1934 VPI Letterwinners". Virginia Tech. Retrieved January 7, 2023.