1921 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

Poke Williams at work

For the third straight year the Panthers opened their football season in Beaver Falls against the Covenanters of Geneva College. Geneva was led by fifth year coach Philip Henry Bridenbaugh. The Geneva lineup had Harold Krotzer, a former Panther, at fullback and Joseph Lynch, a Princeton transfer, at tackle.[17] The Covenanters finished the season with a 5-3-1 record.[18]

The Panther squad, students and alumni traveled to Beaver Falls on the P. & L. E. railroad. Since school was not officially in session, the band was not in attendance. The Pitt squad left Pittsburgh at 10 a.m. and had a noon lunch at the Grand Hotel in Easton. Coach Warner planned to start his strongest eleven and hoped to play everyone. However, he cautioned the Panthers that the Geneva squad "are many percent stronger than in 1920."[19]

Coach Warner's words seemed prophetic as "the Covenanters put up a gritty battle and held the Panthers to one touchdown in the first half." Pitt backs Tom Davies and John Anderson were both injured early in the game. Late in the first quarter sophomore Charles "Poke" Williams raced 32-yards around right end for a touchdown the first time he touched the ball. Tom Holleran kicked the goal. The first half ended with the score 7-0 in Pitt's favor. Late in the third period, Nick Colonna scored from the five to pad the lead. Holleran was successful on the try for goal. Fullback Bill Robusch added two scores in the last quarter and Williams kicked both goals to close out the scoring. Pitt 28 - Geneva 0. All the touchdowns were scored by stars from the 1920 freshman team and twenty-four players received playing time.[20]

The Pitt lineup for the game against Geneva was Herb Stein (left end), Harvey Harman (left tackle), John Sack (left guard), Henry Magarral (center), Harry Seidelson (right guard), John McLean (right tackle), Frank Williams (right end), Tom Holleran (quarterback), Tom Davies (left halfback), John Anderson (right halfback), and Orville Hewitt (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Edmund Fredette, Fred Peters, Charles Williams, Mike Hartnett, Nick Colonna, Nick Shuler, Bill Robusch, Fred Ewing, Leon Kelly, John Miller, Richard Simpson, Charles Winterburn, and Paul Youngk. The game was played in 15-minute quarters.[21]

Game Day Program

The second road trip was to Easton, PA to do battle with third-year coach Jock Sutherland's Lafayette Leopards. The team departed Pittsburgh Thursday evening at 8:05 and arrived in Harrisburg at 6:00 a.m. Friday for breakfast. They then hopped aboard the P.& R. Railroad car and arrived in Allentown around 9:30 a.m. A worried Coach Warner held practice at the Lehigh Valley Country Club Friday afternoon. Saturday at noon the team made its way to Easton for the 3:00 o'clock kick-off. "After the game they will board their train at Phillipsburg, N. J., which is directly opposite Easton, and go thence to Trenton, where their sleeper will be awaiting them. They will arrive home at 8:12 Sunday morning."[22]

Lafayette opened its season with a convincing 48-0 win over Muhlenberg College.[23] Coach Sutherland had 16 returning lettermen, so "he can place the same team on the field this Saturday that gave Pitt such a hard tussle last year. With the advantage of playing on the home gridiron, Lafayette is hopeful of a victory."[24] The Leopard line was anchored by consensus All-America Guard Frank Schwab. [25][26]

Harry Keck of the Post-Gazette was worried: "There is danger of a Pitt defeat in the meeting." Pitt was physically battered by Geneva. Starting halfback Anderson will be sidelined for three weeks. Captain Tom Davies may not play and guard Harry Seidelson will start under a handicap. "So, if Pitt has trouble winning from Lafayette Saturday, don't be surprised."[27]

The Allentown Morning Call reported: "The bell on old South College rang out the tidings of Lafayette's greatest football triumph in the last decade yesterday afternoon when the Maroon team crushed mighty Pitt by the score of 6-0. Fifteen thousand fans jammed historic March Stadium to witness the battle between these two gridiron juggernauts which was decided by a lone touchdown by 'Bots' Brunner in the first quarter of play." Pitt quarterback Holleran fumbled the ball on the Pitt 24-yard line and Lafayette recovered. The Leopards advanced the ball to the eight and proceeded to score on a triple pass from Gazella to Seasholtz to Brunner. The goal after was blocked. Lafayette 6 - Pitt 0. Pitt made 9 first downs but fumbled at inopportune moments. In the fourth quarter, Lafayette tried for a first down on fourth and one from their 18-yard line and failed. Pitt moved the ball to the 4-yard line on second down and then was penalized 5 yards back to the nine. On third down Hewitt gained four yards. On fourth down a pass to the end zone fell incomplete. "It was mighty Pitt's third defeat in the last four years and the victory gave Dr. Jock Sutherland the distinction of beating his old mentor, Glenn Warner. The two coaches were the first to congratulate each other after the game."[4] Lafayette finished the season unbeaten with a 9-0 record.[23]

The Pitt lineup for the game against Lafayette was Herb Stein (left end), Harvey Harman (left tackle), Jack Sack (left guard), Charles Bowser (center), Harry Seidelson (right guard), John McLean (right tackle), Frank Williams (right end), Tom Holleran (quarterback), Fred Byers (left halfback), Charles Williams (right halfback) and Orville Hewitt (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Fred Peters, Tom Davies, Leon Kelly, Nick Colonna and J. Charles Winterburn. The game was played in 15-minute quarters.[28]