1946 Thiel Tomcats football team

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ConferenceIndependent
Record7–0
Headcoach
Captains
  • Ralph Demi
  • John Vitale
1946 Thiel Tomcats football
ConferenceIndependent
Record7–0
Head coach
Captains
  • Ralph Demi
  • John Vitale
Home stadiumPackard Field
Seasons
 1945
1947 
1946 Eastern non-major college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Thiel  700
Muhlenberg  910
Geneva  710
Dickinson  610
Alfred  510
Buffalo  720
Washington & Jefferson  620
Massachusetts State  620
Boston University  521
St. Lawrence  520
American International  421
Trinity (CT)  420
Swarthmore  530
Cortland State  430
Hofstra  430
Springfield  440
New York A&T  330
Northeastern  330
Scranton  451
Gettysburg  450
Drexel  340
Franklin & Marshall  340
Coast Guard  350
Tufts  160
CCNY  170
Carnegie Tech  060

The 1946 Thiel Tomcats football team was an American football team that represented Thiel College in Greenville, Pennsylvania, as an independent during the 1946 college football season. In their eleventh year under head coach Jack Stoeber, the Tomcats compiled a perfect 7–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 88 to 33.[1] The team played its home game at Packard Field in Greenville, Pennsylvania.

In the fall of 1946, Thiel College had a total enrollment of only 450 students with 30 of them playing for the football team. The players had an average weight of between 165 and 170 pounds, and all but two of them were World War II veterans.[2] Thirteen of the 30 players were locals from Greenville, and only two were from out of state.[3] In describing the strength of the squad, Coach Stoeber emphasized teamwork over raw talent: "Although I have a squad of 30, the quality is not too good, and there are no outstanding individuals. The boys play together, and that is the answer for our good season."[3]

The 1941 Thiel team also compiled an undefeated record,[4] but the football program ceased competition during World War II.[5] After a four-year hiatus, six players from the 1941 team returned to the 1946 team, including Joe DeFebo who served as an assistant coach.[3] In all, Thiel won 15 consecutive games from 1941 to 1948.[4][1][6]

In 1981, the team was inducted into the Thiel Athletic Hall of Fame. In its memorial to the 1946 team, Thiel Athletics note that "the 1946 team was forced to claw its way through", squeaking out narrow wins in a series of "cliff-hangers".[5]

Roster

References

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