1923 Michigan Wolverines football team
Encyclopedia
The 1923 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan
in the 1923 college football season
. The team's head football coach was Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines played their home games at Ferry Field
.
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in the 1923 college football season
1923 college football season
The 1923 college football season saw several teams finish their seasons unbeaten and untied. Illinois and Michigan The 1923 college football season saw several teams finish their seasons unbeaten and untied. Illinois (coached by Bob Zuppke) and Michigan The 1923 college football season saw...
. The team's head football coach was Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines played their home games at Ferry Field
Ferry Field
Ferry Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It opened in 1906 and was home to the Michigan Wolverines football team prior to the Michigan Stadium opening in 1927. It had a capacity of 46,000....
.
Schedule
Varsity letter winners
The following list of 1923 varsity letter winners is taken from the 1924 Michiganensian, at page 223.- Richard G. "Dick" Babcock, Royal Oak, MichiganRoyal Oak, MichiganRoyal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby....
– three games at right tackle - Jack BlottJack BlottJack Leonard Blott was an All-American football center and place kicker for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1922–1923. He was also a baseball catcher for the Wolverines from 1922–1924. After a two-game Major League Baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1924, he worked as...
, Girard, OhioGirard, OhioGirard is a city in Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. The population was 10,902 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Girard is located at ....
– seven games at center - Robert J. BrownRobert J. BrownRobert J. Brown was an American football center and university regent. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1923 to 1925. He later served as a member of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan from 1967 to 1974...
, Ypsilanti, MichiganYpsilanti, MichiganYpsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...
– one game at center - Louis B. Curran, Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, KentuckyLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
– seven games at right end - Charles W. Grube, Saginaw, MI - halfback
- Harry HawkinsHarry HawkinsHarry Hawkins was an American athlete and engineer. He was a lineman for the University of Michigan football team from 1923-1925 where he was selected as a first-team All-Western player and a third-team All-American in 1925. Fielding H. Yost called him the "greatest lineman of the year." He was...
, Saginaw, MichiganSaginaw, MichiganSaginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
, Arthur Hill H.S. – four games at right guard - William H. Herrnstein, Jr., Chillicothe, OhioChillicothe, OhioChillicothe is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States.Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio and is located in southern Ohio along the Scioto River. The name comes from the Shawnee name Chalahgawtha, meaning "principal town", as it was a major settlement of...
– one game at right halfback - Harry Kipke, Lansing, MichiganLansing, MichiganLansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
– eight games at left halfback - Walter Kunow, Detroit, MI - tackle
- Philip E. Marion, Detroit, MichiganDetroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Northwestern H.S. – seven games at left end - James K. Miller, Grand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, Grand Rapids Central H.S. – six games at fullback - Stanley MuirheadStanley MuirheadStanley Nelson Muirhead was an American football player. He played at the tackle position for the University of Michigan from 1921 to 1923, leading the Wolverines to consecutive undefeated seasons in 1922 and 1923 and a national championship in 1923. He was selected as a second-team All-American...
, Detroit, Michigan, Northern H.S. – eight games at left tackle - LeRoy Neisch, Detroit, Michigan, Eastern H.S. – one game at left end, one game at right end
- Ferdinand Rockwell, Jackson, MichiganJackson, MichiganJackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
– two games at quarterback - Edliff SlaughterEdliff SlaughterEdward Ratliff "Butch" Slaughter, Sr. , also known as Edliff Slaughter, was an American football player, athletic coach and professor of physical education. He played guard at the University of Michigan from 1922–1924 and was chosen as a first-team All-American in 1924...
, Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, KentuckyLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
– seven games at left guard - Harold O. Steele, Sioux City, IowaSioux City, IowaSioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
– four games at right guard, one game at left guard - Herb StegerHerb StegerHerbert F. Steger was an American football player, coach and official. He played for the University of Michigan from 1922 to 1924...
, Oak Park, IllinoisOak Park, IllinoisOak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
, Oak Park H.S. – seven games at right halfback - Irwin UteritzIrwin UteritzIrwin Charles "Utz" Uteritz was an American athlete and coach. He played American football and baseball for the University of Michigan from 1921 to 1923. At 140 pounds, he was one of the lightest quarterbacks ever to start for a major college program. Despite his size, Michigan football coach...
, Oak Park, Illinois, Oak Park H.S. – six games at quarterback - Ed Vandervoot, Lansing, MichiganLansing, MichiganLansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
– five games at right tackle - Richard Vick - fullback
- Howell S. White, Reed City, MI - guard
aMa letter winners
- Merle C. Baker, Royal Oak, MI - quarterback
- William J. Donnelly, Cadillac, MI - tackle
- Henry Ferenz, Flint, MI - end
- LeRoy G. Heston, Detroit, MI - halfback
- Robert Ingle, Ann Arbor, MI - guard
- Lowell Palmer, Grand Rapids, MI - end
- Frederick H. Parker, Hastings, MI - halfback
- Donald Swan, Detroit, MI - guard
- Fred T. Wall, Birmingham, MI - center
- John Witherspoon, Detroit, MI - end
Others
- Richard Vick, Toledo, OhioToledo, OhioToledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, Scott H.S. – started two games at fullback for the varsity - Benny FriedmanBenny FriedmanBenjamin "Benny" Friedman was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan , Cleveland Bulldogs , Detroit Wolverines , New York Giants , and Brooklyn Dodgers .He is generally considered the first great passer in professional football...
, Cleveland, OhioCleveland, OhioCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
- future Hall of Fame quarterback played for the all-freshman team in 1923
Awards and honors
- Captain: Harry Kipke
- All-Americans: Jack BlottJack BlottJack Leonard Blott was an All-American football center and place kicker for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1922–1923. He was also a baseball catcher for the Wolverines from 1922–1924. After a two-game Major League Baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1924, he worked as...
- All-Conference: Harry Kipke, Jack BlottJack BlottJack Leonard Blott was an All-American football center and place kicker for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1922–1923. He was also a baseball catcher for the Wolverines from 1922–1924. After a two-game Major League Baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1924, he worked as...
, Stanley Muirhead
Coaching staff
- Coach: Fielding H. Yost
- Assistant coaches: George LittleGeorge Little (football coach)George Edkin Little was an American football player and coach of football and basketball coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Cincinnati , Miami University , the University of Michigan , and the University of Wisconsin–Madison , compiling a career college...
, A. J. SturzeneggerA. J. SturzeneggerAlfonzo John "A. J." Sturzenegger , sometimes also referred to as Jack Sturzenegger, was an American football and baseball player and coach. He played college football and baseball at the University of Nebraska...
, Elton WiemanElton WiemanElton Ewart "Tad" Wieman was an American football player and coach and college athletic director. He played football for the University of Michigan from 1915 to 1917 and 1920 under head coach Fielding H. Yost. He was a coach and administrator at Michigan from 1921 to 1929, including two years as...
, Ernie VickErnie VickHenry Arthur "Ernie" Vick was an American football and baseball player. He was selected as an All-American center in 1921, played on the 1926 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals, and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.-University of Michigan:Born in Toledo, Ohio, Vick...
, Ray FisherRay FisherRay Lyle Fisher was an American professional baseball pitcher. He pitched all or part of ten seasons in Major League Baseball. His debut game took place on July 2, 1910. His final game took place on October 2, 1920...
, Edwin Mather - Trainer: Charles B. HoytCharles B. Hoyt-Champion sprinter:A native of Greenfield, Iowa, Hoyt won three straight 100 and 220 yard dashes in the Iowa state meet from 1911–1913 and won seven career gold medals. As a high school student in 1912, Hoyt was offered a place on the U.S. Olympic team but turned down the chance...
, William Fallon - Manager: Donald McCabe