Wayne State University - Griffin Yearbook (Detroit, MI)

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IN IHGH GEAR-H The Tartars looked like a grid juggernaut during the first two games of the sea- son. Johnny Hazely 1171 is shown being hauled down after a substantial gain in the Southern Illinois fray. Other Tartars are fullback Virgil Florea 1181. ends Ed. Dopkowski 1311 and Warren Fraleigh 1131. GRAD GRIDDFRS A , FT ',3 ANGELO CORATTI Although weighing on- ly 155 pounds, Coratti earned a spot in the Tartar defensive back- field. A marine during the war, Coratti saw ex- tensive service in the Pacific. + -s-J .. -, - ff1fi?1'J:lffi1f.!m?.n VE S' Af. liliizqfil . i i ff s 515 v- 1 1- . - f. .WWA , - L Hfvlf nLb': ' V 'A Lf A : 1' '1-31'E'f'-J- P L P I '. ,f-.-l,.,V.v- .,'1f1- 1 ' 2 4 -.' .J .c uni.,-,. , GENE D AMBROSIO D'Ambrosio ne played high school fo ball but was Wayn first-string quart back for two years. In 1949, he threw f touchdown passes set up several ot scores. Gene was a a constant threat a runner.

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U T U M Nun FOOTB LL T T SEASON RECORD Win 3 Lose 5 Wayne 48 Southern Illinois 7 Wayne 33 Western Illinois 14 Wayne 7 St. Bonaventure 25 Wayne 14 Quantico Marines 33 Wayne 0 U. of Detroit 41 Wayne 6 Niagara 4 Wayne 7 Toledo 37 Wayne 38 Omaha 2 6 Totals 1 5 3 7 Football prospects looked rosy to Tartar gridders in 1949. After sniffing two early- season victories, the team backed squarely into one thorny opponent after another. Wayne failed to win again until the season finale with Omaha. Green and Gold supporters, students, facul- ty, alumni and Detroit newspapermen, felt that a three-pronged combination of new coaches, 18 seniors and a new athletic plant would sure- ly lead to some success. BUT--Something was lacking! ! ! Some ob- l servers feel that senioritis wrecked the l team--that the 18 seniors had played too much football before the season began. Others be- lieve that the coaching staff couldn't bring the team back from the bruising setback to St. Bonaventure early in the campaign. Whatever the trouble was, the season didn't lack its bright spots. Halfback Johnny Hazely picked up right where he left ,off in 1948 in his oldhabit of record setting. When the otherwise lackluster season ended, 'Big Jawn' had led the Tartar backs in rushing for the third straight year. addition, the Port Huron flash set a new game scoring mark against Southern Illinois--24 points on three touch- s and six consecutive extra points. Those six points from placement were good for another record. When John down the curtain, he also held the school's all-time scoring lead of 81 points, most 'points after touchdowns and ost points scored during one season. iting about J ohn's extra point booting brings to mind an interesting question. Can anyone remember who held the for Hazely? The answer is Bill Foley who was a star in his own right. Foley's great defensive work saved much rrassment for Wayne during his four years. Perhaps if the entire team had shown the same drive, skill and t that Foley and Hazely exhibited the outcomes of several games would have been radically altered. ries also helped wreck what had promised to be the beginning of the Golden Era' of Wayne athletics. Perhaps this one false start, the Tartars can make the next 50 years a lot more enjoyable for the students, alumni, facul- than the first 50 years.

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STRIPPED Then someone threw a monkey wrench into the Wayne grid gears. The Tartars' hopes for a successful campaign ended with a disastrous 41-0 trouncing by U. of Detroit. U. of D's Don Nelson ill is shown grabbing a touchdown pass to complete the Titans' scoring. Bill Foley C91 arrives too late. ' Co-captain of the 1949 rid squad, Dernerjian as one of the better artar tackles. His work was very onspiciou in the Tol- do game where he spent ore time in the Toledo ackfield than the Ohio acks did. ED DEMERJIAN Ed Dopkowski was Wayne s best offensive end during his four year tenure. Tall, 6 foot 1, and fast, Ed could be used on an effective end- around play as well as for his pass-snaring W ED DOPKOWSKI f R W w