Catholic University of America - Cardinal Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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The CARDINAL I936 George Mulligan, the greatest of Catholic Universityts Hankmen, was the same sort of player. CU. football followers will never forget his sensational playing in the final moments of the Detroit game when the mighty Irishman grabbed forward passes seemingly from nowhere and raced on to score the points that gave the boys from Brookland one of their gra ndest victories 0f the year. Mulligan was awarded All-American and sectional honors for his play in this game and the other contests on the C. U. schedule. Hal MCGann was another Cardinal wingman who distinguished himself with his sparkling pigskin performances. He was well schooled in football fu ndamentals. His hard clean blocking and tackling were features of every contest in which he participated. For his entire four years at this institution Hal was the personification of a true gentleman, scholar, and athlete. The unsung hero of Catholic U.,s football success was Bill Lajousky. Bill, a 200-pound Lithuanian-born giant, was a veritable wall of strength in the Catholic U. forward line. Although one of the most vital factors in the success of the CU. line for the past three years, he did not receive the praise and the publicity for his work which were rightfully his. Before the seasons inaugural the Redbird eleven were conceded by the critics to be a potentially good football team with but a single weak spot. That weak spot was at quarterback. However, after these same critics had seen Peter Dranginis call the plays for the Catholic U., this point was promptly corrected. The diminutive signal barker turned out. to be the most improved back on the Redbird eleven. Particularly in the last few games did Peter show this superiority. Against Mississippi and North Carolina State his performances were Hawless. GEORGE MULLIGAN

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The CARDINAL I936 Seven days later the Flying Cardinals once again went into action, this time against the strong Green Terror eleven from W'estern Maryland College. It was the Homecoming game for Catholic U. and a crowd of 8,000 spectators, composed mostly of alumni, saw the Bergmamcoached outfit triumph by a 20-6 score. A 62-yard touchdown dash by Irish Carroll and the sensational punting of C.U.ls sophomore quarter- back, Spec Foley, were the features of this contest. Bill Adamaitis also shone for the Cardinals by chalk- ing up two six-pointers with his great line plunging. However, the best played game in which the Catholic U. eleven saw action was the Turkey Day scrap with the Wolfpack of North Carolina State. Coached by Hunk Anderson, former Notre Dame mentor, the Southerners brought to town one of the strongest teams in their section of the land. For the entire first half of the contest, which was played on a rain-soaked field that resembled a swamp more than a gridiron, the Flying Cardinals withstood the offensives of the Carolinians. It was the great punting of the C.U.'s fullback, Bob Makofske, that turned away the Wolfpack in the first two periods of the game. A blocked punt by Joe Yanchulis that rolled past the end zone for an automatic safety and a 41-yard sprint over the N .C. state goal line gave the Cardinals their 8-0 upset. The s'ound of the final gun down in Miami not only signalled the close of the Orange Bowl game but also the Close of the gridiron careers of five of the greatest athletes in Catholic Universityls football his- tory. The men who wound up their collegiate football careers on the first day of nineteen thirty-six were Captain Ed Karpowich, George Mulligan, Hal McGann, Bill Lajousky, and Pete Dranginis. To Ed Karpowich must go the lions share of the credit for the great scores the Cardinal football forces compiled this past season. Captain a Popeye, a big lumbering 210-pound tackle, was the type of leader HAROLD McGANN who by his courage and hard play inspired his teammates on to greater achievements in the face of insurmountable odds. l24

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The CARDINAL I936 Joseph D. Yanchulis The Most Valuable Player on the finest eleven ever to represent Catholic University is Joseph Yanchulis. This is the tribute paid to a man Who has time and again placed team above self, whose every act on the gridiron is calculated to make the football coach under Whom he plays repeat this commendation of praise. While playing center on the Freshman and Varsity teams during the past three years, uYani, has improved With every game. Although he was the lightest man on the line, his stamina enabled him to play more minutes of football than any other player. Seemingly unhurtable, Joe has repeatedly demonstrated an un- canny ability to diagnose plays, roving into holes split by oppOsing linesmen just in time to bowl over interferers and make hard and clean tackles. The number of plays, both offensive and defensive, in which Cardinal rooters have Watched Joe Yanchulis act as the key man cannot be adequately comprehended unless one has had the pleasure of watch- ing; Joe play. But an attempt to gild thelily always. fails. So the CARDINAL of 1936 contents itself with being proud to acclaim Joseph Yanchulis as the outstanding Cardinal football player of the year