Dominic Tomasi
Encyclopedia
Dominic Tomasi was an American football
player who played guard for the University of Michigan Wolverines. He was a four-year starter and was selected as both the captain and Most Valuable Player of the National Champion 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team
.
, Tomasi attended Flint Northern High School
. In 1944, at age 16, the 5 foot, 8 inch, 178 pound Tomasi was selected by the Associated Press
to its All-Michigan football team at the guard position.
where he played both football for Fritz Crisler
and baseball for Ray Fischer. Tomasi was a four-year starter for the 1945, 1946, 1947
and 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team
s that won 23 straight games (including undefeated seasons in 1947 and 1948), defeated USC, 49-0, in the 1948 Rose Bowl
. During his sophomore year, Tomasi's photograph was published in newspapers across the country with a caption calling him "a charging block of granite for the Michigan Wolverines," and he was selected as a second-team All-Big Ten guard by the conference coaches.
Before the 1947 season got underway, one writer noted that Tomasi "is back for more and will give anyone a race for All-America honors." The 1947 Michigan Wolverines team completed the season undefeated. The Wolverines outscored their opponents 394-53, and Coach Fritz Crisler
credited Tomasi "for much of his team's offensive punch." Tomasi was again named to the second-team All-Big Ten team. Tomasi's blocking in the 1948 Rose Bowl
helped Michigan outscore the USC Trojans 49-0, and in March 1948, his teammates elected him to be captain of the 1948 team—the first time a guard had been selected as Michigan's captain in 33 years.
In 1948, Tomasi was both team captain and one of the top performers on Michigan's second consecutive undefeated team. In October 1948, one columnist described Tomasi's role as follows:
The 1948 Wolverine team was undefeated for the second consecutive season and was selected as the National Championship team in the final Associated Press
poll. At the conclusion of the 1948 season, Tomasi was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player, a first-team All-Big Ten guard, and a third-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America
, and the Central Press Association
and Newspaper Enterprise Association.
and instead joined Michigan's coaching staff as a line coach. He also played baseball in the Northern loop, batting .340 and hitting 27 home runs.
He was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
in 1994.
The University of Michigan Club of Greater Flint awards an annual Dominic Tomasi Scholarship to a resident of Genesee County, Michigan
who played a varsity sport and will attend the University of Michigan as a full-time undergraduate student.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who played guard for the University of Michigan Wolverines. He was a four-year starter and was selected as both the captain and Most Valuable Player of the National Champion 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team
1948 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan during the 1948 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.-Schedule:...
.
High school
A native of Flint, MichiganFlint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
, Tomasi attended Flint Northern High School
Flint Northern High School
Flint Northern High School, is a public secondary school located in Flint, Michigan. The original building was built in 1928, and the current site was erected in the 1970's. It is one of three high schools in the Flint Community Schools district along with Flint Northwestern High School and Flint...
. In 1944, at age 16, the 5 foot, 8 inch, 178 pound Tomasi was selected by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
to its All-Michigan football team at the guard position.
University of Michigan
In 1945, Tomasi enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity 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...
where he played both football for Fritz Crisler
Fritz Crisler
Herbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler was an American football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football," an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and defense. Crisler developed two-platoon football while serving as head coach at the University of...
and baseball for Ray Fischer. Tomasi was a four-year starter for the 1945, 1946, 1947
1947 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1947 Michigan Wolverines football team, nicknamed the "Mad Magicians", represented the University of Michigan in the 1947 college football season. Coached by Fritz Crisler, the Wolverines finished undefeated and untied with a 10–0 record...
and 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team
1948 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan during the 1948 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.-Schedule:...
s that won 23 straight games (including undefeated seasons in 1947 and 1948), defeated USC, 49-0, in the 1948 Rose Bowl
1948 Rose Bowl
The 1948 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1948. It was the 34th Rose Bowl Game, and the second since the Big Nine Conference and the Pacific Coast Conference reached an exclusive agreement to match their champions in the game each year. In the game, the Michigan...
. During his sophomore year, Tomasi's photograph was published in newspapers across the country with a caption calling him "a charging block of granite for the Michigan Wolverines," and he was selected as a second-team All-Big Ten guard by the conference coaches.
Before the 1947 season got underway, one writer noted that Tomasi "is back for more and will give anyone a race for All-America honors." The 1947 Michigan Wolverines team completed the season undefeated. The Wolverines outscored their opponents 394-53, and Coach Fritz Crisler
Fritz Crisler
Herbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler was an American football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football," an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and defense. Crisler developed two-platoon football while serving as head coach at the University of...
credited Tomasi "for much of his team's offensive punch." Tomasi was again named to the second-team All-Big Ten team. Tomasi's blocking in the 1948 Rose Bowl
1948 Rose Bowl
The 1948 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1948. It was the 34th Rose Bowl Game, and the second since the Big Nine Conference and the Pacific Coast Conference reached an exclusive agreement to match their champions in the game each year. In the game, the Michigan...
helped Michigan outscore the USC Trojans 49-0, and in March 1948, his teammates elected him to be captain of the 1948 team—the first time a guard had been selected as Michigan's captain in 33 years.
In 1948, Tomasi was both team captain and one of the top performers on Michigan's second consecutive undefeated team. In October 1948, one columnist described Tomasi's role as follows:
"As long as Michigan has operatives like Dominic Tomasi, the hard-hitting guard who captains the team, the Wolverines will give a good account of themselves. Tomasi isn't big as linemen of the Western Conference run, but he is one of the very best guards in intercollegiate circles. He stands only five, ten and weighs 180 pounds, tops, yet he has been has been a regular since he began playing as a 17-year-old freshman. Extremely fast, and a deadly blocker, 'Tommy' is the key man of the Wolverine offense. His ability to 'turn corners' at full speed and block with split-second precision means as much yardage to Michigan as if he were an All-America ball carrier. Tomasi is also an outstanding second baseman on Michigan's championship baseball team and his work has attracted several big league scouts. As in football, he has been a regular since 1946. He shows the same hustle and keen competitive instinct on the diamond as he does on the gridiron."
The 1948 Wolverine team was undefeated for the second consecutive season and was selected as the National Championship team in the final Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
poll. At the conclusion of the 1948 season, Tomasi was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player, a first-team All-Big Ten guard, and a third-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
, and the Central Press Association
Central Press Association
The Central Press Association was an American newspaper syndication company based in Cleveland, Ohio. It was in business from 1910 to 1971. At its peak, the Central Press supplied features, columns, and photographs to more than 400 newspapers and 12 million daily readers.-History:Virgil Venice...
and Newspaper Enterprise Association.
Later years
In 1949, Tomasi passed on a chance to play professional football for the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and instead joined Michigan's coaching staff as a line coach. He also played baseball in the Northern loop, batting .340 and hitting 27 home runs.
He was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
The University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...
in 1994.
The University of Michigan Club of Greater Flint awards an annual Dominic Tomasi Scholarship to a resident of Genesee County, Michigan
Genesee County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-69* I-75* I-475-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-13* M-15* M-21* M-54* M-57-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 436,141 people, 169,825 households, and 115,990 families residing in the county. The population density was 682 people per square mile . There were 183,630...
who played a varsity sport and will attend the University of Michigan as a full-time undergraduate student.
See also
- University of Michigan Athletic Hall of HonorUniversity of Michigan Athletic Hall of HonorThe University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...
- 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team1948 Michigan Wolverines football teamThe 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan during the 1948 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.-Schedule:...