NHS Hall of Fame Profile: The 1937 football team, part two
By Tom Rowe
Sun Contributing Writer
Editor’s note: Today we complete the profiles of the 2012 Norwich Sports Hall of Fame induction class with the second part of the 1937 football team article.
Scrimmage (13-6) – Tuesday, Oct. 26: In an effort to keep their team sharp before Saturday’s trek to Binghamton North, the second sub-par club to face the Purple in succession, the Norwich coaching staff held a practice game, played under regular-game conditions at Alumni Field.
When the dust had settled, the Tornado varsity came away with a hard-fought, 13-6 triumph over their second-team counterparts. Scoring first was the varsity, but the second team tied the score early in the third quarter – the only time their grid was invaded all year – on a pass from Tom Mirabito to Annesi. Who else but Toots Mirabito put the varsity back on top for good, with a fourth-quarter run.
After the contest, head coach Beyer said the game was close and hard fought throughout all four quarters, and that the work of Caezza in the second team line was outstanding. Beyer added that Byrne played a bang-up defensive game in the varsity line.
Comprising the varsity lineup were Wassung and Yank Robertson, ends; Byrne and Mowry, tackles; Rotundo and DiStefano, guards; Panaro, center; Tom Mirabito, Toots Mirabito, Burdnell and Palmatier, backs. The second team was made up of Annesi and Ramaccia, ends; Odenkirchen, Harvey Boyer and Cushman, tackles; Caezza, Ed Downey and Boyer, guards; Farnham, center; Elmo Robertson, Zaia, Dennis O’Neil, Alan Scott, Morris, Johnson and Dominic A. Zieno, backs. Panaro and Farnham changed teams at the half at center, and Elmo Robertson switched at halfback with Tom Mirabito. Morris went to the first team in the fourth quarter in place of Palmatier.
___
Binghamton North (41-0) – Saturday, Oct. 30 (Away): Despite the successful scrimmage just four days prior, Norwich’s play against the out-manned Indians bordered on the edge of raggedness, both defensively as well as offensively. All told, the Purple chalked up a half dozen six-pointers, but too many fumbles and uncharacteristic mistakes kept the tally from being greater.
Leading that scoring brigade was Toots Mirabito with four touchdowns, while Tom Mirabito and Morris added one apiece. Rotundo booted four extra points and Burdnell hauled in a PAT strike from Toots Mirabito to round out the math. Toots began the arithmetic with runs of 48 yards and one foot in the first quarter, and tacked on two more in the closing period from eight and three yards out. He also teamed up with Tom Mirabito on a 10-yard reverse to make the halftime count 27-0, while Morris broke off tackle for a 30-yard bender in that same second quarter.
Because of the lopsided nature of the game, Beyer and his staff were able to flood the field with many substitutes. Mowry spelled Odenkirchen to start the game at tackle, and he was followed over the course of the day by the likes of Annesi, Boyer, Caezza, Cushman, Johnson, Panaro, Ramaccia, Scott and Zaia.
Johnstown (34-0) – Saturday, Nov. 6 (Away): In order to ward off the slovenly play that plagued the Purple during their victory over Binghamton North, Beyer and his associates moved practice to the Cortland Street playground, where lights not only permitted longer sessions but a respite from the early-setting sun.
As noted by Browne in his Wednesday, Nov. 3 slant, Beyer was not satisfied with the showing of his men in Binghamton, when their play was very loose at times. “Considerable work on defense will be given the gridders this week,” promised the Norwich coach.
The long trip north to Johnstown, which necessitated Norwich leaving at 8 a.m. via chartered bus, was originally scheduled as a homecoming of sorts for former Norwich school superintendent Frank R. Wassung. Wassung, whose son “Sonny” anchored left end for the Purple, had moved on to Johnstown to assume the same position. But before the game came about, he took a similar role at Garden City on Long Island. Still, he made the long haul north, and even addressed the team before the game. That pre-game talk marked the first time in the coaching regime of Beyer that anyone other than members of the coaching staff had spoken to the players.
Be it that talk or the arduous workouts during the week, the undermanned Sir Bills were no match for the inspired Tornado. After forcing Johnstown to punt following its initial possession of the afternoon, Elmo Robertson executed a perfect reverse for 30 yards, Burdnell pulled in a 33-yard spiral from Toots Mirabito, and the latter polished off the first drive from two yards out. Toots tacked on two more six-pointers before the half, the first on an off-tackle dive following a pair of long runs by Morris of 40 and 30 yards, while the second capped a Purple aerial assault late in that second stanza.
Norwich added one score in each of the final two periods, Palmatier chalking up the first when he broke free of three would-be tacklers to ramble 50 yards to paydirt, while Toots Mirabito produced a 30-yard burst, following a pair of 20-yard receptions by Elmo Robertson in the last quarter. Rotundo went 4-for-5 in conversion boots.
The Sir Bills, who used only 11 players all day, threatened late in the game. Air strikes led them to the Tornado 17, from where an offsides penalty resulted in a first and 10 from the Norwich 12. Four plays picked up just over six inches, and on the last, a pass, Panaro intercepted but fumbled a second later. An alert Morris fell on the ball, and time ultimately expired as the Purple was marching toward another score.
Oneonta (26-0) – Saturday, Nov. 13 (Away): A movie producer couldn’t have scripted it better – all that stood between Norwich and football immortality was its long-standing foe from Oneonta.
“Every season the Oneonta 11 comes up to the Norwich game with a spirit and determination that makes them play their best game of the year against us,” said Beyer prior to the final game. “This game isn’t in the bag and our boys will have to play football every minute of the game.”
Enthusiasm on the part of the Yellowjackets and the entire Oneonta populace was sky high. Throughout the city signs blared the command to “Stop Mirabito” and the Oneonta Theatre’s marquee carried the message – in foot-high electricity – “Come On Oneonta, Let’s Beat Norwich.”
Well, the Yellowjackets did a good job of slowing down Mirabito as he didn’t cross the goal line until the final quarter on a 5-yard toss from Morris. That TD enabled Mirabito to have scored in every game. But while the defense centered its attention on Mirabito, they left themselves vulnerable on the outside where Morris and Palmatier ran with abandon, and Burdnell was used as a delayed receiver from his blocking back position.
After trading first-quarter punts on the rain-infested quagmire, Morris – in for Palmatier who injured his leg earlier in the week – sliced through left tackle, picked up speed and swept around end for a 52-yard score. Rotundo’s kick gave the Purple an early 7-0 lead.
Palmatier returned to action in the second period and wasted little time in making his presence felt. Slipping and mud-dogging his way over left tackle, he shook off three tacklers, carried forward with deceptive speed, eluded two more tacklers, then reversed his field and escaped two more foes – the last of whom hit him and catapulted him over the goal line for a 20-yard TD run much to the delight of the large Norwich contingent on hand.
Earlier in the week, an inability to secure bus accommodations created a transportation problem for many Norwich students. A cry went out to all fans and alumni who had passenger space to ask some student to accompany them. Those who were unable to fill their cars were asked to drive by the high school prior to leaving the city for the game in hopes of finding a stranded student or two awaiting a ride there.
And for the folks unable to attend, Norwich faculty manager Floyd “Tubby” Lothridge would continue his role of calling in the halftime and final scores to both (Gordon) Ingalls’ Sport Shop at 24 South Broad Street – the current home of Arnell Music – and The Norwich Sun office on Lackawanna Ave. Local fans could just dial 140 and 325, respectively, and be brought up to date on the action.
Morris continued his assault on the rain-soaked Oneonta grid with a 40-yard sweep around left end in the third stanza and almost ran back a punt with a 25-yard burst in the final chapter. He and Toots Mirabito took turns marching the ball to the Yellowjacket five, from where Mirabito scored on that aforementioned pass from Morris.
Said Oneonta coach George Reynolds following his team’s hard-fought defeat, “That Purple team is all they have said for it, the finest high school team I have ever seen.”
Indeed – and now perfection and history was theirs forever.
THE CELEBRATION
In order to acknowledge the historic significance of the Purple’s unprecedented achievements, a pep rally was held on Monday, Nov. 15 before a general assembly of the high school. Principal Hogue received a lusty cheer when he announced that school would be recessed for the day to allow fans of the Tornado to express their enthusiasm for the team.
A victory dance, sponsored by the junior class, was held later that night in the gym. Dancing was from 8 to 10 p.m. to permit ample rest in preparation for the regular class schedule Tuesday. Admission was five cents per person.
Later in the week, General Electric’s flagship radio station WGY-810 AM in Schenectady broadcast throughout the northeast the many records established by the Norwich gridders. The announcer gave high praise to the NHS 11, who outscored their foes 251-0 and held a first down advantage of 95-41. Pacing that scoring juggernaut (31.4 ppg) was Toots Mirabito with 19 touchdowns for 114 points, while Morris tallied 36, Stan Burdnell chalked up 31, Rotundo booted 19, Palmatier rang up 18 as did Tom Mirabito, Johnson and Wassung finished with six each and the Robertsons – Elmo and Yank – rounded out the math with two and one, respectively. All told, in 32 quarters of football, the Purple failed to cross the goal in only three – the first against Kingston, the second versus Cortland and the third at Binghamton North.
Even the Norwich city council got into the act when Alderman James W. Flanagan offered a resolution on the success of the team. The resolution recited the scores of the eight games played by the Purple and said in part,
“And whereas this splendid and unusual record has brought much favorable attention to the city of Norwich, and the team, by their clean, hard play, has brought much credit to our school system.
“Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the common council of the city of Norwich express to this wonderful team the appreciation of all the citizens of Norwich.”
The historic season culminated with a city-wide testimonial dinner on Wednesday night, Dec. 15 at Norwich City Hall. Gold footballs were presented to the lettermen and later a dance was held at the Norwich Club, with Jack Lynch and his orchestra of Binghamton providing the music. Contributions came in from throughout the city to defray the evening’s cost as banquet tickets were only $1.25.
Jim Crowley of Notre Dame’s famed Four Horsemen was the featured speaker. Crowley, who was then the head coach at Fordham University, praised the feats charted by the Norwich gridders before a crowd of nearly 500. Besides Crowley, many other coaches from the likes of Colgate, Cornell and Syracuse were in attendance as well as a host of sports reporters from throughout the state. And those who couldn’t attend – many former Norwich and opposing players and coaches – sent congratulatory messages. Among those was a celebratory note from former Tornado player Tommy Manning, who was an inaugural inductee into the Norwich High School Sports Hall of Fame last year. Manning, then the head coach at Lake Placid, said, “To Kurt Beyer, the boys and the people of Norwich, my congratulations for the unexcelled season.”
TODAY
Of the 52 assorted players, coaches, managers and mascot, only eight are still living. All in their 90s, they include Don Collier, Jim Georgeson, Fred Johnson, Sal “Toots” Mirabito, Lee “Bunky” Morris, Elmo Robertson, Jim Rotundo and Dominic J. Zieno. Collier and Rotundo still reside in Norwich; Georgeson and Johnson are in neighboring Cooperstown and Binghamton respectively; Morris and Robertson have found the sunshine in the respective Florida towns of Marathon and Port Richey; Zieno lives west of here in Lyons, and Toots Mirabito makes Seaford on Long Island his home.
The other 44, now departed, are no doubt comparing their earthly exploits with those accomplished by Martel and Dante in “Paradiso.”
Sun Contributing Writer
Editor’s note: Today we complete the profiles of the 2012 Norwich Sports Hall of Fame induction class with the second part of the 1937 football team article.
Scrimmage (13-6) – Tuesday, Oct. 26: In an effort to keep their team sharp before Saturday’s trek to Binghamton North, the second sub-par club to face the Purple in succession, the Norwich coaching staff held a practice game, played under regular-game conditions at Alumni Field.
When the dust had settled, the Tornado varsity came away with a hard-fought, 13-6 triumph over their second-team counterparts. Scoring first was the varsity, but the second team tied the score early in the third quarter – the only time their grid was invaded all year – on a pass from Tom Mirabito to Annesi. Who else but Toots Mirabito put the varsity back on top for good, with a fourth-quarter run.
After the contest, head coach Beyer said the game was close and hard fought throughout all four quarters, and that the work of Caezza in the second team line was outstanding. Beyer added that Byrne played a bang-up defensive game in the varsity line.
Comprising the varsity lineup were Wassung and Yank Robertson, ends; Byrne and Mowry, tackles; Rotundo and DiStefano, guards; Panaro, center; Tom Mirabito, Toots Mirabito, Burdnell and Palmatier, backs. The second team was made up of Annesi and Ramaccia, ends; Odenkirchen, Harvey Boyer and Cushman, tackles; Caezza, Ed Downey and Boyer, guards; Farnham, center; Elmo Robertson, Zaia, Dennis O’Neil, Alan Scott, Morris, Johnson and Dominic A. Zieno, backs. Panaro and Farnham changed teams at the half at center, and Elmo Robertson switched at halfback with Tom Mirabito. Morris went to the first team in the fourth quarter in place of Palmatier.
___
Binghamton North (41-0) – Saturday, Oct. 30 (Away): Despite the successful scrimmage just four days prior, Norwich’s play against the out-manned Indians bordered on the edge of raggedness, both defensively as well as offensively. All told, the Purple chalked up a half dozen six-pointers, but too many fumbles and uncharacteristic mistakes kept the tally from being greater.
Leading that scoring brigade was Toots Mirabito with four touchdowns, while Tom Mirabito and Morris added one apiece. Rotundo booted four extra points and Burdnell hauled in a PAT strike from Toots Mirabito to round out the math. Toots began the arithmetic with runs of 48 yards and one foot in the first quarter, and tacked on two more in the closing period from eight and three yards out. He also teamed up with Tom Mirabito on a 10-yard reverse to make the halftime count 27-0, while Morris broke off tackle for a 30-yard bender in that same second quarter.
Because of the lopsided nature of the game, Beyer and his staff were able to flood the field with many substitutes. Mowry spelled Odenkirchen to start the game at tackle, and he was followed over the course of the day by the likes of Annesi, Boyer, Caezza, Cushman, Johnson, Panaro, Ramaccia, Scott and Zaia.
Johnstown (34-0) – Saturday, Nov. 6 (Away): In order to ward off the slovenly play that plagued the Purple during their victory over Binghamton North, Beyer and his associates moved practice to the Cortland Street playground, where lights not only permitted longer sessions but a respite from the early-setting sun.
As noted by Browne in his Wednesday, Nov. 3 slant, Beyer was not satisfied with the showing of his men in Binghamton, when their play was very loose at times. “Considerable work on defense will be given the gridders this week,” promised the Norwich coach.
The long trip north to Johnstown, which necessitated Norwich leaving at 8 a.m. via chartered bus, was originally scheduled as a homecoming of sorts for former Norwich school superintendent Frank R. Wassung. Wassung, whose son “Sonny” anchored left end for the Purple, had moved on to Johnstown to assume the same position. But before the game came about, he took a similar role at Garden City on Long Island. Still, he made the long haul north, and even addressed the team before the game. That pre-game talk marked the first time in the coaching regime of Beyer that anyone other than members of the coaching staff had spoken to the players.
Be it that talk or the arduous workouts during the week, the undermanned Sir Bills were no match for the inspired Tornado. After forcing Johnstown to punt following its initial possession of the afternoon, Elmo Robertson executed a perfect reverse for 30 yards, Burdnell pulled in a 33-yard spiral from Toots Mirabito, and the latter polished off the first drive from two yards out. Toots tacked on two more six-pointers before the half, the first on an off-tackle dive following a pair of long runs by Morris of 40 and 30 yards, while the second capped a Purple aerial assault late in that second stanza.
Norwich added one score in each of the final two periods, Palmatier chalking up the first when he broke free of three would-be tacklers to ramble 50 yards to paydirt, while Toots Mirabito produced a 30-yard burst, following a pair of 20-yard receptions by Elmo Robertson in the last quarter. Rotundo went 4-for-5 in conversion boots.
The Sir Bills, who used only 11 players all day, threatened late in the game. Air strikes led them to the Tornado 17, from where an offsides penalty resulted in a first and 10 from the Norwich 12. Four plays picked up just over six inches, and on the last, a pass, Panaro intercepted but fumbled a second later. An alert Morris fell on the ball, and time ultimately expired as the Purple was marching toward another score.
Oneonta (26-0) – Saturday, Nov. 13 (Away): A movie producer couldn’t have scripted it better – all that stood between Norwich and football immortality was its long-standing foe from Oneonta.
“Every season the Oneonta 11 comes up to the Norwich game with a spirit and determination that makes them play their best game of the year against us,” said Beyer prior to the final game. “This game isn’t in the bag and our boys will have to play football every minute of the game.”
Enthusiasm on the part of the Yellowjackets and the entire Oneonta populace was sky high. Throughout the city signs blared the command to “Stop Mirabito” and the Oneonta Theatre’s marquee carried the message – in foot-high electricity – “Come On Oneonta, Let’s Beat Norwich.”
Well, the Yellowjackets did a good job of slowing down Mirabito as he didn’t cross the goal line until the final quarter on a 5-yard toss from Morris. That TD enabled Mirabito to have scored in every game. But while the defense centered its attention on Mirabito, they left themselves vulnerable on the outside where Morris and Palmatier ran with abandon, and Burdnell was used as a delayed receiver from his blocking back position.
After trading first-quarter punts on the rain-infested quagmire, Morris – in for Palmatier who injured his leg earlier in the week – sliced through left tackle, picked up speed and swept around end for a 52-yard score. Rotundo’s kick gave the Purple an early 7-0 lead.
Palmatier returned to action in the second period and wasted little time in making his presence felt. Slipping and mud-dogging his way over left tackle, he shook off three tacklers, carried forward with deceptive speed, eluded two more tacklers, then reversed his field and escaped two more foes – the last of whom hit him and catapulted him over the goal line for a 20-yard TD run much to the delight of the large Norwich contingent on hand.
Earlier in the week, an inability to secure bus accommodations created a transportation problem for many Norwich students. A cry went out to all fans and alumni who had passenger space to ask some student to accompany them. Those who were unable to fill their cars were asked to drive by the high school prior to leaving the city for the game in hopes of finding a stranded student or two awaiting a ride there.
And for the folks unable to attend, Norwich faculty manager Floyd “Tubby” Lothridge would continue his role of calling in the halftime and final scores to both (Gordon) Ingalls’ Sport Shop at 24 South Broad Street – the current home of Arnell Music – and The Norwich Sun office on Lackawanna Ave. Local fans could just dial 140 and 325, respectively, and be brought up to date on the action.
Morris continued his assault on the rain-soaked Oneonta grid with a 40-yard sweep around left end in the third stanza and almost ran back a punt with a 25-yard burst in the final chapter. He and Toots Mirabito took turns marching the ball to the Yellowjacket five, from where Mirabito scored on that aforementioned pass from Morris.
Said Oneonta coach George Reynolds following his team’s hard-fought defeat, “That Purple team is all they have said for it, the finest high school team I have ever seen.”
Indeed – and now perfection and history was theirs forever.
THE CELEBRATION
In order to acknowledge the historic significance of the Purple’s unprecedented achievements, a pep rally was held on Monday, Nov. 15 before a general assembly of the high school. Principal Hogue received a lusty cheer when he announced that school would be recessed for the day to allow fans of the Tornado to express their enthusiasm for the team.
A victory dance, sponsored by the junior class, was held later that night in the gym. Dancing was from 8 to 10 p.m. to permit ample rest in preparation for the regular class schedule Tuesday. Admission was five cents per person.
Later in the week, General Electric’s flagship radio station WGY-810 AM in Schenectady broadcast throughout the northeast the many records established by the Norwich gridders. The announcer gave high praise to the NHS 11, who outscored their foes 251-0 and held a first down advantage of 95-41. Pacing that scoring juggernaut (31.4 ppg) was Toots Mirabito with 19 touchdowns for 114 points, while Morris tallied 36, Stan Burdnell chalked up 31, Rotundo booted 19, Palmatier rang up 18 as did Tom Mirabito, Johnson and Wassung finished with six each and the Robertsons – Elmo and Yank – rounded out the math with two and one, respectively. All told, in 32 quarters of football, the Purple failed to cross the goal in only three – the first against Kingston, the second versus Cortland and the third at Binghamton North.
Even the Norwich city council got into the act when Alderman James W. Flanagan offered a resolution on the success of the team. The resolution recited the scores of the eight games played by the Purple and said in part,
“And whereas this splendid and unusual record has brought much favorable attention to the city of Norwich, and the team, by their clean, hard play, has brought much credit to our school system.
“Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the common council of the city of Norwich express to this wonderful team the appreciation of all the citizens of Norwich.”
The historic season culminated with a city-wide testimonial dinner on Wednesday night, Dec. 15 at Norwich City Hall. Gold footballs were presented to the lettermen and later a dance was held at the Norwich Club, with Jack Lynch and his orchestra of Binghamton providing the music. Contributions came in from throughout the city to defray the evening’s cost as banquet tickets were only $1.25.
Jim Crowley of Notre Dame’s famed Four Horsemen was the featured speaker. Crowley, who was then the head coach at Fordham University, praised the feats charted by the Norwich gridders before a crowd of nearly 500. Besides Crowley, many other coaches from the likes of Colgate, Cornell and Syracuse were in attendance as well as a host of sports reporters from throughout the state. And those who couldn’t attend – many former Norwich and opposing players and coaches – sent congratulatory messages. Among those was a celebratory note from former Tornado player Tommy Manning, who was an inaugural inductee into the Norwich High School Sports Hall of Fame last year. Manning, then the head coach at Lake Placid, said, “To Kurt Beyer, the boys and the people of Norwich, my congratulations for the unexcelled season.”
TODAY
Of the 52 assorted players, coaches, managers and mascot, only eight are still living. All in their 90s, they include Don Collier, Jim Georgeson, Fred Johnson, Sal “Toots” Mirabito, Lee “Bunky” Morris, Elmo Robertson, Jim Rotundo and Dominic J. Zieno. Collier and Rotundo still reside in Norwich; Georgeson and Johnson are in neighboring Cooperstown and Binghamton respectively; Morris and Robertson have found the sunshine in the respective Florida towns of Marathon and Port Richey; Zieno lives west of here in Lyons, and Toots Mirabito makes Seaford on Long Island his home.
The other 44, now departed, are no doubt comparing their earthly exploits with those accomplished by Martel and Dante in “Paradiso.”
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