Wayne Tartars football, 1930–1939

The 1930 Detroit City College Tartars football team represented Detroit City College (later renamed Wayne State University) in the Michigan Collegiate Conference during the 1930 college football season. In its second season under head coach Norman G. Wann, the team compiled a 0–9 record.^[1]

The 1931 Detroit City College Tartars football team represented Detroit City College (later renamed Wayne State University) as an independent during the 1931 college football season. In its third and final season under head coach Norman G. Wann, the team compiled a 0–6–1 record.^[9]

In January 1932, Sy Berent, a member of the team, led a petition drive in support of coach Norman Wann. The petition asserted that the team's mediocre performance in recent years was the result of high academic standards, the school's lack of appeal as an athletic center, and "indifference and lack of support by the student body."^[10] Wann was nevertheless replaced as the head football coach by Joe Gembis. Wann remained on the school's faculty as a teacher of physical education.^[11]

The 1932 Detroit City College Tartars football team represented Detroit City College (later renamed Wayne State University) as an independent during the 1932 college football season. The team compiled a 1–6 record and was outscored by its opponents by a combined total of 95 to 10.^[20]

Joe Gembis was hired as the team's head coach in July 1932. He succeeded Norman Wann as head coach. Gembis, a native of Vicksburg, Michigan, had played fullback for the Michigan Wolverines football team from 1927 to 1929; he coached Chesapeake High School in Chesapeake, Ohio, to a 14-4 record in 1931. Gembis agreed to coach the Detroit City College team in exchange for post graduate work.^[21]

On October 8, the Tartars defeated Toledo, 3–0, for their only victory of the 1932 season. Dan Dobbins, a substitute halfback, kicked a field goal in the last eight seconds.^[22]

During Gembis' 14-year tenure as the school's head football coach, the team began playing a higher caliber of opponents, including regular games against regular Michigan State, the University of Detroit, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Cincinnati, and Bowling Green. Gembis compiled an overall record of 42–51–8 at Detroit City College/Wayne University.

The 1933 Detroit City College Tartars football team represented Detroit City College (later renamed Wayne State University) as an independent during the 1933 college football season. In their second year under head coach Joe Gembis, the Tartars compiled a 2–5–1 record and were outscored opponents by a combined total of 130 to 56.^[29]

The 1934 Wayne Tartars football team represented Wayne University (later renamed Wayne State University) as an independent during the 1934 college football season. In their third year under head coach Joe Gembis, the Tartars compiled a 7–1 record, shut out five of eight opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 179 to 26.^[38] Jimmy Demaree was the quarterback and star player.

The 1935 Wayne Tartars football team represented Wayne University (later renamed Wayne State University) as an independent during the 1935 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Joe Gembis, the Tartars compiled a 5–2–1 record and shut out four of eight opponents.^[47]

Fred Bens was the team captain.^[48] The team played its four home games at Kelsey Field located at the corner of Fourth and Lysander in Detroit and used an old house for lockers, showers, equipment and training rooms.^{[49][50][51][52][53]}

Schedule

More information Date, Opponent ...

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
September 28	at St. Mary's (MI)	Orchard Lake, MI	W 33–0	[54]
October 5	Michigan State Normal	Kelsey Field Detroit, MI	L 6–16	[51]
October 12	at Central State (MI)	Alumni Field Mount Pleasant, MI	W 13–6	[55]
October 19	Hillsdale	Kelsey Field Detroit, MI	L 6–9	[52]
October 26	at Buffalo	Rotary Field Buffalo, NY	W 14–0	[56]
November 2	Kalamazoo	Kelsey Field Detroit, MI	W 13–12	[49]
November 9	Hope	Kelsey Field Detroit, MI	W 16–0	[50]
November 16	at Albion	Albion, MI	T 0–0	[57]
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The 1936 Wayne Tartars football team represented Wayne University (later renamed Wayne State University) as an independent during the 1936 college football season. In their fifth year under head coach Joe Gembis, the Tartars compiled a 5–2–1 record and shut out four of eight opponents.^[58]

Schedule

More information Date, Opponent ...

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 26	at Michigan State	Macklin Field East Lansing, MI	L 0–27	17,000	[59]
October 3	Bluffton	Kelsey Field Detroit, MI	W 13–0		[60]
October 10	Central State (MI)	Kelsey Field Detroit, MI	T 0–0		[61]
October 17	at Michigan State Normal	Normal Field Ypsilanti, MI	W 8–0		[62]
October 31	at Toledo	Toledo, OH	W 9–6		[63]
November 7	at Baldwin–Wallace	Berea, OH	L 20–66	4,000	[64]
November 14	Buffalo	Kelsey Field Detroit, MI	W 14–6	3,000	[65]
November 21	Muskingum	Kelsey Field Detroit, MI	W 19–0		[66]
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The 1937 Wayne Tartars football team represented Wayne University (later renamed Wayne State University) as an independent during the 1937 college football season. In their sixth year under head coach Joe Gembis, the Tartars compiled a 6–2 record, shut out four of eight opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 183 to 77.^[68] The coach's younger brother, George Gembis, and Frank "Ace" Cudillo were the stars of the team.

Schedule

More information Date, Opponent ...

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 25	at Michigan State	Macklin Field East Lansing, MI	L 0–19	18,000	[69]
October 2	at Akron	Buchtel Field Akron, OH	W 19–13		[70]
October 9	Louisville	Roosevelt Field Detroit, MI	W 32–0	2,500	[71]
October 16	at Central Michigan	Alumni Field Mount Pleasant, MI	W 18–0		[72]
October 30	Toledo	Roosevelt Field Detroit, MI	L 19–39	> 6,000	[73]
November 6	Michigan State Normal	Roosevelt Field Detroit, MI	W 7–0	4,000	[74]
November 13	at Buffalo	Rotary Field Buffalo, NY	W 23–6		[75]
November 20	Hillsdale	Roosevelt Field Detroit, MI	W 65–0	2,000	[76]
Homecoming

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The 1938 Wayne Tartars football team represented Wayne University (later renamed Wayne State University) as an independent during the 1938 college football season. In their seventh year under head coach Joe Gembis, the Tartars compiled a 2–6 record and were outscored by opponents, 179 to 106. team defeated Akron (16–0) and Buffalo (35–0), but lost to Michigan State (34–6), Louisville (14–12), Michigan State Normal (20–7), Ohio (52–7), Toledo (39–20), and Central Michigan (20–3).^[78]

The 1938 team captain, George Gembis, became the first Wayne player to be selected in the National Football League Draft. He was selected by the Brooklyn Dodgers with the 115th overall pick in the 1939 NFL draft.^[79]

Schedule

More information Date, Opponent ...

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 24	at Michigan State	Macklin Field East Lansing, MI	L 6–34	22,000	[80]
October 1	Akron	Keyworth Stadium Detroit, MI	W 16–0	5,000	[81]
October 7	at Louisville	Maxwell Field Louisville, KY	L 12–14	> 3,500	[82][83]
October 15	at Michigan State Normal	Briggs Field Ypsilanti, MI	L 7–20	3,500	[84]
October 22	at Ohio	Athens, OH	L 7–52		[85]
October 29	Toledo	Keyworth Stadium Detroit, MI	L 20–39		[86]
November 5	Central Michigan	Keyworth Stadium Detroit, MI	L 3–20	5,600	[87]
November 12	Buffalo	Keyworth Stadium Detroit, MI	W 35–0	6,500	[88]
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The 1939 Wayne Tartars football team represented Wayne University (later renamed Wayne State University) as an independent during the 1939 college football season. In their eighth year under head coach Joe Gembis, the Tartars compiled a 4–5 record and were outscored by opponents, 117 to 66.^[90]

Wayne was ranked at No. 303 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.^[91]

Schedule

More information Date, Opponent ...

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 30	at Michigan State	Macklin Field East Lansing, MI	L 0–16	23,000	[92]
October 7	at Bowling Green	Bowling Green, OH	L 0–9		[93]
October 13	at Michigan State Normal	Briggs Field Ypsilanti, MI	W 9–7		[94]
October 21	Cincinnati	Keyworth Stadium Hamtramck, MI	L 0–21	3,500	[95]
October 28	at Akron	Buchtel Field Akron, OH	W 18–12	5,402	[96]
November 4	Michigan State Normal	Keyworth Stadium Hamtramck, MI	L 6–13	5,000	[97]
November 11	at Central Michigan	Alumni Field Mount Pleasant, MI	L 6–33	5,500	[98]
November 18	Buffalo	Keyworth Stadium Hamtramck, MI	W 20–0	4,500	[99]
November 23	Western State Teachers (MI)	Keyworth Stadium Hamtramck, MI	W 7–6	6,000	[100]
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