The 1917 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1917 college football season. Led by coach Pop Warner, the Panthers won all ten games and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 260–31.
The Panthers were nicknamed "The Fighting Dentists" because during some rotations all eleven players on the field would be dentistry students. One of those players was Pitt Panthers legend Jock Sutherland.
Schedule
Preseason The 1916 football championship was given to the unbeaten Pitt Panthers by the Eastern critics. Edward Bushnell noted: "Under the present system of haphazard schedule making in the east, the awarding of the football championship is largely a matter of opinion. It is quite impossible to dodge the conclusion that Pittsburgh deserved the honor."
The Pitt Weekly reported: "The 1916 football season was not only a remarkable one in point of games won, but was also attended with great financial success, according to the Graduate Manager of Athletics. With all accounts paid, at the end of the football season, the assets over liabilities amounted to $17,124.00. This will more than take care of the development of non-profit producing sports, such as baseball, basketball, track, tennis, swimming and wrestling, and the Athletic Council will go into the 1917 football season with a nice balance. Owing to the adoption of the One-Year Residence Rule and the fact that Freshman teams will be equipped and provided with coaches in all branches of athletics in future, these expenses will be materially increased."
At the postseason banquet, H. Clifford Carlson was elected Captain and T. Lee Trimble, class of 1919, a student in the School of Mines, was chosen Student Manager of the football team for the 1917 season.
Only four starters (Bob Peck, Claude Thornhill, James Herron and Randall Soppitt) and three substitutes (Sam Friedlander, O.C. Ammons and Harry Stahlman) were lost to graduation. With 15 returning lettermen and Coach Warner at the helm, the alumni, fans and students expected another good season. Then on April 6, 1917 The Pittsburgh Post headline read: "Congress has declared that the United States is at war with the Imperial German government."
In mid-May The Pittsburgh Post noted: "In the list of men who have signed up for the hospital corps of the university appear the names of Hastings, DeHart, Sies, McLaren, Seidel, Morrow and several other of the well-known athletes on the Pitt teams. These men are expecting to be called out at any time, and if they go it will leave a big gap in the ranks of the candidates for the grid team next fall."
The May 30, 1917 The Pittsburgh Post reported that: "Football will be played by the leading colleges of the country next fall." Where hysteria and chaos reigned in athletic circles at the outbreak of the war between the United States and Germany, Pitt Graduate Athletic Manager Karl E. Davis said all was calm now and nearly every institution represented at the Graduate Athletic Managers' Association meeting expressed itself heartily in favor of playing football.
On September 9, 1917 The Gazette Times noted: "The University of Pittsburgh football squad headed by Coach Glenn S. Warner and Captain Cliff Carlson, will leave tomorrow for Camp Hamilton, Windber, and the following day the first practice of the 1917 season will be held in the mountain retreat. The season promises to be an unusual one in many ways. Andy Hastings, Jimmy DeHart and Jim Morrow are now encamped at Allentown, PA, with the Pitt Base Hospital Unit. Of the great backfield quartet, only George McLaren remains, he escaping the draft on account of being under 21 years of age. Of the 33 men who formed the 1916 varsity squad only 11 men will be available." The Pittsburgh Post added: "The party going to camp today will number about 40 men, including the coach, camp physician, Manager Trimble and his two assistants, Frank Finley and Tom Ware, the student camp helpers and players. About 30 players will be in the party, they being the eligibles from last year's varsity and freshman teams under the one-year residence rule." The 1919 Owl Yearbook noted: "There was an uncertainty as to just how the game would be affected by the war. Several of the candidates who went to camp had enlisted and were expecting a call any time; and others had low numbers in the draft and were subject to call." On September 26, three days prior to the opening game with West Virginia, Gus Aschman, the projected starting quarterback was summoned to the Navy.
The Pitt Weekly summarized: "The University is going ahead with football this Fall although the clause "as usual" can hardly be added. The athletic authorities feel that football is needed at this time to help weld the students and alumni close to the University, to help train the boys physically for future war activities, to provide wholesome amusement for the undergraduates who are not in the service, and to help provide the proper "mental attitude" on the part of the public in general, which sports help bring about. Football, baseball, basketball and other forms of healthful amusement must go on. This is the position taken by President Woodrow Wilson and the Secretaries of the Navy and Army. It is a source of gratification to the athletic authorities of the University that their policy as regards the continuation of athletics has been adopted by the intercollegiate athletic world as a whole. The Council is really taking a great chance from a financial standpoint in having a football team this year. They ask for the undivided support of the "grads" to make it a success. The one year residence rule will be in effect. There will be no training table. These moves are made in strict accordance with recommendations of the Intercollegiate Association"
On Friday September 28, The Pittsburgh Press reported: "The University of Pittsburgh football squad broke camp and entrained for Morgantown, where they will conduct a raid on the formidable West Virginia aggregation."
Coaching staff
1917 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff Coaching staff Glenn "Pop" Warner – Head coach Floyd Rose – Assistant coach Alexander Stevenson – Assistant coach Andrew Kerr – Freshman Coach Support staff T. Lee Trimble – Student football manager Karl E. Davis – Graduate manager of athletics Charles S. Miller – Director of athletics
Roster 1917 Pittsburgh Panthers football roster H. Clifford Carlson*end95' 10"1701918Bellefonte AcademyDoctor of Dental SurgeryFayette City, PA Roy A. Easterday*end/halfback85' 8"1481919Lisbon H. S. (Ohio)EconomicsLisbon, OH Roscoe A. Gougler*quarterback75' 8"1561919Harrisburg H. S.CollegeHarrisburg, PA William E. Harrington*end55' 8"1551918Conway Hall Associate EconomicsBentlyville, PA Leonard Hilty*tackle45' 10"1831918Peabody H. S.EconomicsPittsburgh, PA Thomas R. Kendrick Jr.center55' 8"1781918Duquesne H. S.CollegeDuquesne, PA William D. McClelland*fullback85' 10"1611918Pittsburgh Central H. S.EconomicsPittsburgh, PA George W. McClaren*fullback95' 9"1741919Peabody H.S.EconomicsPittsburgh, PA Fred A. Seidel*tackle75' 11"1971919Bellefonte AcademyEconomicsHazelton, PA Dale H. Sies*fullback/tackle96' 1"1951919Davenport H. S. (IA)CollegeDavenport, IA William H. Miller*halfback75' 7"1551918Wyoming SeminaryEconomicsShenandoah, PA Edward A. Stahl*guard95' 11"1841919Bellefonte AcademyEconomicsScranton, PA John B. Sutherland*tackle96' 2"1751917Oberlin AcademyDoctor of Dental SurgeryCooper Angus, Scotland Clyde Mitchelltackle35' 10"1551919Vandergrift H. S.DentalMahaffey, PA Leland Stanfordguard45' 10"1751919Bellefonte AcademyDentalSheffield, PA Fred Henry*end75' 7"1391919Allentown H. S.MinesAllentown, PA William Baurysguard36' 2"200 1920Nanticoke H.S.Medical SchoolLatrobe, PA Charles V. Allshouse*center75' 11"1951919Allegheny CollegeDentalVersailles, PA George R. Allshouse*end96'1761919Tarentum H.S.DentalVersailles, PA Richard Donnellyend16'1601920Bellevue H. S.EngineeringPittsburgh, PA W. J. Thomasguard45' 11"2101920Lock Haven NormalEconomicsWeedville, PA Isadore R. Pearlman*end66'1801919Fifth Avenue H.S.DentalPittsburgh, PA Carl Mikschhalfback35' 7"1501920Charleroi H. S.CollegeCharleroi, PA Gus Ashmanquarterback05' 10"1651920Beaver H. S.EconomicsBeaver, PA Murdoch Millerhalfback15' 10"1601919St. John's Military AcademyDentalNavarre, OH Robert Penmanhalfback35' 10"1651919Grove City H. S.DentalGrove City, PA Harry C. McCarter*halfback95' 11"1651920Beaver Falls H. S.Medical SchoolBeaver Falls, PA Edward Jewtackle05' 10"165 1920South H. S.CollegeBeaver, PA David Pitlerquarterback75' 7"1401919Fifth Avenue H. S.DentalPittsburgh, PA Bernard Petersend25' 10"1601920Tarentum H. S.MinesTarentum, PA W. J. Griffithguard05' 9"1701920East Liberty AcademyEconomicsPittsburgh, PA James W. McIntyrecenter25' 7"1991919Central H. S.EducationPittsburgh, PA * Letterman
Game summaries
At West Virginia
The defending champion Pitt eleven opened the 1917 season on the road at Morgantown, West Virginia against the West Virginia Mountaineers. The Mountaineers were led by second year coach Mont McIntire, who led them to a 5–2–2 record in 1916.
Richard Guy of The Pittsburgh Gazette Times reported: "Pittsburgh and West Virginia Universities resumed football relations this afternoon after a severance of several years, and the final result of the encounter, which marked the opening of the season for both teams, was in favor of Glenn Warner's pupils, 14 to 9."
The Pittsburg Press noted: "Each team went into the game with a wholesome respect for the other's ability, and, while it was generally conceded that Pitt had the better chance of victory, West Virginia surprised everybody by coming back in the second half. Pitt was unable to gain consistently on line plays, but in the second quarter showed flashes of the strength that made the team the best in the country last fall."
Pitt opened the second quarter in possession of the ball on West Virginia's 30-yard line. "At this juncture, the Pitt team, which had been like 11 players working in different directions, pulled together and made an old time march up the field. McLaren finally went through a hole between Sutherland and Stahl for touchdown." Gougler kicked goal. Pitt 7 to WVA 0. "Soon afterwards, King fumbled a ball in his own territory, giving Pitt the ball on the West Virginia 35-yard line. This was an opportunity not to be overlooked and Pitt was soon knocking at the Mountaineers' goal line, (Roy) Easterday carrying it over." Gougler kick goal and Pitt led 14 to 0 at halftime.
"Fickle Fortune flirted to the West Virginia banner in the third period. King, the lanky halfback, stood on his own 32-yard line and booted the ball. (Pitt halfback Harry) McCarter let it hit the ground, which was baked hard. The ball bounded away from the Pitt 25-yard mark, where it hit, back toward the goal line. On the 1-yard line McCarter grabbed the elusive ball and in a nonce Capt. Bailey, of the home team, had grabbed him around the waist and McCarter was thrown back over the goal line for a safety." Score 14 to 2.
Early in the fourth quarter Pitt had possession on their 20-yard line and the West Virginia defense forced a punt situation. "(Dale) Sies dropped back to kick. Ice broke through, blocked the kick and recovered the ball for a touchdown. Rodgers kicked goal." Final score: Pitt 14 – West Virginia 9. West Virginia would finish the season with a 6–3–1 record.