1934 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

1934 Pittsburgh Panthers football

National Champion Eastern Champion
Conference	Independent
1934 record	8–1
Head coach	Jock Sutherland (11th year)
Offensive scheme	Single wing
Home stadium	Pitt Stadium

The 1934 Pittsburgh Panthers football team, coached by Jock Sutherland, represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1934 college football season. The Panthers finished the regular season with eight wins and a single loss (to Minnesota at home) and were considered the champions of the East.^[1] According to a 1967 Sports Illustrated article,^[2] Parke H. Davis, whose selections from 1869–1933 are recognized as "major" in the official NCAA football records book,^[3] named Pitt as one of that season's national champions, along with Minnesota, six months after his death on June 5, 1934.^[4] The article contained a "list of college football's mythical champions as selected by every recognized authority since 1924," which has served as the basis of the university's historical national championship claims, with the legendary Davis having been the only major selector for three of them, including the posthumous 1934 pick.^[5]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result
September 29	Washington & Jefferson	Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA	W 26-6
October 6	at West Virginia	Mountaineer Field (1924) • Morgantown (Backyard Brawl)	W 27-6
October 13	USC	Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA	W 20-6
October 20	Minnesota	Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA	L 7-13
October 27	at Westminister	New Wilmington, PA	W 30-0
November 3	Notre Dame	Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA	W 19-0
November 10	at Nebraska	Memorial Stadium (Lincoln) • Lincoln, NE	W 25-6
November 17	at Navy	Thompson Stadium • Annapolis, MD	W 31-7
November 29	Carnegie Mellon	Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA	W 20-0

^[6]

List of national championship selectors

The 1915 team was selected or recognized as national champion by multiple selectors, of which Parke H. Davis' selection is recognized as "major" (i.e. national in scope) by the official NCAA football records book.^[3] College Football Data Warehouse also recognized Pitt as 1915's national champion,^[7] as did a "list of college football's mythical champions as selected by every recognized authority since 1924," printed in Sports Illustrated in 1967.^[2] The article revealed that Parke Davis' selection of Pitt after he was dead was the historical basis of the university's 1934 national championship claim,^[5] a selection that is not documented in the official NCAA football records book.^[3]

These are the selectors that determined Pitt to be national champion in 1934, according to College Football Data Warehouse:

However, there are 41 selectors who chose Alabama and Minnesota (who defeated Pitt in Pittsburgh) as national champions for 1934,^[4] including numerous "major" selectors (i.e., those that were "national in scope").^[3]

After the death of Davis in June, 1934, Walter R. Okeson became the editor of the annual Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide, which Davis had previously edited. In the Guide, Davis had compiled a list titled, "Outstanding Nationwide and Sectional Teams," for the seasons from 1869 onward. For several years, Okeson continued to add annual selections to this list, described as "Originally Compiled by the late Parke H. Davis."^[8]^:233-35 The 1935 Guide stated, in Okeson's review of the 1934 season, "Minnesota — Undefeated and untied, team was generally conceded to be national leader," and "Pittsburgh — Defeated only by Minnesota, team was generally rated as strongest in East."^[8]^:173-74 Okeson listed both schools as "Outstanding Nationwide Teams" for 1934.^[8]^:235

All-Americans

Charles Hartwig, guard, Pitt's team captain. The following season his picture was put on a Wheaties cereal box for being a football hero. He battled back from an injury that caused him to miss his entire sophomore year. A media guide referred to him as a brilliant defensive player and workmanlike on offense. He was a Panther standout in the 1933 Rose Bowl. Played the 1935 East-West Shrine Game.^[9]
George Shotwell, center became an All-American for his offensive line play in 1934. He was highly regarded for his all-around skills. Shotwell was an intelligent football player known as a keen diagnostician of plays. "I have never seen his superior in this respect, and only a coach knows how valuable this quality is," Coach Jock Sutherland said.^[9]
Isadore Weinstock, fullback, a smart and aggressive fullback who became an All-American in 1934. He was known as a crack ball-handler, especially on trick plays such as double passes and fake reverses. Weinstock was a fine blocker and also played defensive back, kicked extra points and handled kickoff duties. After suffering a broken nose he became one of the first players to wear a face mask. He led the Panthers in scoring in 1934 with 63 points. After Pitt he went on to the NFL, where he played three seasons at quarterback for Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.^[9]

*Bold - Consensus All-American^[10]

References

↑ University of Pittsburgh 1975 football media guide. University of Pittsburgh. 1975. p. 54. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
1 2 Jenkins, Dan (September 11, 1967). "This Year The Fight Will Be In The Open". Sports Illustrated. Chicago, IL: Time, Inc. 27 (11): 30–33. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
1 2 3 4 2012 NCAA Football Records (PDF). The National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2012. pp. 69–73. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
1 2 "1934 National Championships". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
1 2 Borghetti, E.J.; Nestor, Mendy; Welsh, Celeste, eds. (2008). 2008 Pitt Football Media Guide (PDF). Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh. p. 156. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
↑ "University of Pittsburgh - 1934". College Football Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
↑ "1915 National Championships". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
1 2 3 Okeson, Walter R., ed. (1935). Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide 1935. New York: American Sports Publishing Co.
1 2 3 http://www.pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/052306aaa.html
↑ Consensus All-American designations based on the NCAA guide to football award winners

Pittsburgh Panthers football

Venues	Recreation Park (1898–1904) Exposition Park (1904–08) Forbes Field (1909–24) Pitt Stadium (1925–99) Three Rivers Stadium (2000) Heinz Field (2001–present) UPMC Sports Performance Complex (practice)

Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games West Virginia (Backyard Brawl) Penn State Notre Dame Syracuse Cincinnati (River City Rivalry)

Culture & lore	Panthers "Hail to Pitt" "Pitt Victory Song" Marching band

People	Head coaches All-Americans NFL draftees Statistical leaders

Seasons	1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

National championship seasons in bold

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