1937 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

The Panther faithful had little time to savor the 1936 (8–1–1) football season and Rose Bowl victory, due to a winter of discontent in the athletic department.

On Monday February 22, Joe Williams of the New York World-Telegram broke a story about a rift between Coach Jock Sutherland, and Athletic Director Don Harrison that took place at the Rose Bowl.

The infamous "Hagan Plan", which Sutherland claimed he had not seen until he read it in the newspaper in October, was accepted by the athletic council and lauded by Chancellor Bowman.

[24] On May 8, Coach Sutherland and the squad put on a free Spectator Clinic in Pitt Stadium for more than 1000 fans to officially close the spring practice session.

"[25] On September 6, the Pitt coaching staff welcomed 60 Panthers, including 21 lettermen, for the start of their two weeks of two-a-day practices on Trees Field.

The Pitt starting lineup for the game against Ohio Wesleyan was Bill Daddio (end), Tony Matisi (tackle), Walter Raskowski (guard), Henry Adams (center), Steve Petro (guard), George Delich (tackle), Frank Souchak (end), John Michelosen (quarterback), Marshall Goldberg (left halfback), Harold Stebbins (right halfback) and Frank Patrick (fullback).

Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Paul Shaw, Charles Fleming, John Dickinson, Walter Miller, Leslie Holt, John Kapurka, Edward Spotovich, Stephen Horton, Joseph Morrow, Elmer Merkovsky, Ben Asavitch, Frank Kristufek, Carmen Etze, Ralph Hafer, George Musulin, Ted Schmidt, Joseph Cambal, Alfred Berger, Dante Dalle Tezze, Albin Lezouski, Luther Richards, George Yocos, Albert Walton, Harold Klein, Arthur Corace, Don Hensley, Robert Dannies, Richard Fullerton, William Curry, John Chickerneo, Ben Kish, Emil Narick, James Koskinski, John Urban, Lawrence Peace, Dick Cassiano, Charles Shea, Clement Cambal, Howard Jackman, Fred Herlinger, George Soroka, Bill Stapulis, William Farkas, Frank Goodell, James Scarpfin and Earl Shord.

[42] David Finoli reported in When Pitt Ruled the Gridiron: "While Father Jones eventually was relieved of his faculty position because of his comments, there was some hypocrisy with his statements as the Dukes players received tuition, books, meals, room and board and clothing free as well as $15 spending money a month.

[50] With Pitt installed as a 2–1 favorite Coach Crowley told a reporter: “If we get a tie, we'll be tickled.”[51] The Panthers' train arrived in New York on Friday morning and the squad stayed at the Westchester-Biltmore Country Club in Rye, NY.

The Panthers and Rams played another tie with no score at the Polo Grounds this afternoon – the third season in succession that neither has been able to prod, probe, or punch a path to the other's goal line – and tonight historians were digging into the archives to learn if there ever had been another series quite like this one.

Jess Carver of the Sun-Telegraph noted: "A Homecoming Day crowd of 31,200 fans turned out to view the inauguration of gridiron relations between Pitt and Wisconsin.

The weather was cold and clear and dry until the final period, when a combination rain and snow storm struck the stadium without warning, making the remainder of the day miserable for the folks huddled in the stands.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Paul Shaw, Edward Spotovich, Elmer Merkovsky, Ralph Hafer, Walter Raskowski, Robert Dannies, Henry Adams, Dante Dalle Tezze, Ben Asavitch, Carmen Etze, Harold Klein, Albert Walton, Ted Schmidt, Fabian Hoffman, John Chickerneo, Ben Kish, John Urban, Dick Cassiano, Lawrence Peace, Emil Narick, Bill Stapulis and William Farkas.

Head coach Bill Kern and his assistants Edward Baker, Joe Skladany and Frank Kutz all played for Sutherland at Pitt.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Frank Souchak, Edward Spotovich, Walter Raskowski, Elmer Merkovsky, Robert Dannies, Henry Adams, Dante Dalle Tezze, Harold Klein, James Scarpfin, Ted Schmidt, John Chickerneo, Ben Kish, John Urban, Lawrence Peace, Emil Narick and Bill Stapulis.

Coach Layden praised his team: "Pitt today had a great line and the fact that our boys were able to hold the Panthers scoreless for three quarters speaks for itself.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Edward Spotovich, Elmer Merkovsky, Walter Raskowski, Albert Walton, Henry Adams, Robert Dannies, Dante Dalle Tezze, Harold Klein, Ted Schmidt, Ralph Hafer, Fabian Hoffman, John Chickerneo, Ben Kish, Dick Cassiano, Clement Campal, Lawrence Peace and Bill Stapulis.

[84][85] The Husker line was anchored by four All-Americans – tackles Fred Shirey[77] and Ted Doyle,[86] end Elmer Dohrmann,[86] and center Charles Brock.

[76] Nebraska assistant coach W. H. Browne, who scouted the Panthers, felt: "Pitt can be beaten, but it will take 60 minutes of alert aggressive football.

"[88] In front of the second largest crowd (71,267) to watch a football game in western Pennsylvania, the Pitt Panther eleven continued its mastery over the Nebraska Cornhuskers, with another come from behind fourth quarter rally, by the score of 13–7.

Seniors, tackle Tony Matisi and end Frank Souchak, along with underclassmen, halfback Marshall Goldberg and guard Albin Lezouski, were honored before the game for being chosen to the Associated Press All-American list.

[95] Assistant coach Mike Nicksick, who scouted the Lions, noted they were: “a team that loves to gamble, and with the breaks, they'll be hard to beat.”[96] 23,000 fans sat through snow, wind and bitter cold to see Pitt win its last home game of the season 28–7.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported: "Sutherland has his boys well prepared for the encounter and the Panthers will be ready both physically and mentally for one of the best games of the day Saturday.

"[104] Jess Carver of the Sun-Telegraph wrote: "Pitt's Golden Panthers of the gridiron wrote a very acceptable final chapter to their 1937 football story here today by whipping a rugged band of Duke University Blue Devils, 10 to 0... "[105] Late in the first quarter, Pitt fullback Frank Patrick punted to Duke quarterback Elmore Hackney.

[2] On November 29, Pitt varsity right end, Frank Souchak, received the Most Valuable Football Player in the City trophy from the Curbstone Coaches Association at their annual banquet in the Hotel Keystone.

[110] In late November, Percy St. Clair Browne, custodian of athletic equipment at Pitt for the previous 12 years, resigned and moved to Boston to live with his son.

[112] Unlike the previous year, the Pitt Panthers were the favored opponent to be invited to the Rose Bowl by numerous sports writers on the west coast.

The players voted no to any Bowl participation in a closed door, player-only meeting arranged by Hagan and business manager John Weber.

Havey Boyle of the Post-Gazette wrote that John Weber was not pleased that Don Harrison had to resign earlier in the year and his snub of not telling the coach was a form of payback.

[114] Quarterback John Michelosen and end Frank Souchak accepted invitations to play for the East squad in the annual East-West Shrine Game on New Year's Day in San Francisco.