1943 Bainbridge Commodores football team

The 1943 Bainbridge Naval Training Station Commodores football team represented the Bainbridge Naval Training Station during the 1943 college football season. The station was located at Bainbridge, Maryland. The team compiled a 7–0 record, outscored opponents by a total of 313 to 7, and was ranked No. 17 in the final AP Poll. Joe Maniaci was the team's head coach.[1]

1943 Bainbridge Commodores football
Conference	Independent
Ranking
AP	No. 17
1943 record	7–0
Head coach	Joe Maniaci (1st season)

1943 military service football records
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 17 Bainbridge			–					7	–	0	–	0
Bunker Hill NAS			–					6	–	0	–	0
Greensboro			–					6	–	0	–	0
Memphis NAS			–					3	–	0	–	0
No. 2 Iowa Pre-Flight			–					9	–	1	–	0
No. 10 March Field			–					9	–	1	–	0
No. 8 Del Monte Pre-Flight			–					7	–	1	–	0
Randolph Field			–					9	–	1	–	1
Georgia Pre-Flight			–					5	–	1	–	0
No. 6 Great Lakes Navy			–					10	–	2	–	0
San Diego NAS			–					7	–	2	–	0
Fort Riley			–					6	–	2	–	1
Alameda Coast Guard			–					4	–	2	–	1
Saint Mary's Pre-Flight			–					3	–	4	–	1
North Carolina Pre-Flight			–					2	–	4	–	1
Camp Grant			–					2	–	6	–	2
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 25	at Camp Lejeune		New River, NC	W 9–0		[2]
October 9	at Fort Monroe		Hampton, VA	W 57–0		[3]
October 16	Curtis Bay Coast Guard		Bainbridge, MD	W 26–7		[4]
October 24	at Camp Lee		Lee Field Camp Lee, VA	W 49–0	12,000	[5]
October 31	Philadelphia Yellowjackets		Bainbridge, MD	W 72–0	> 10,000	[6]
November 6	Curtis Bay Coast Guard		Bainbridge, MD	W 54–0		[7]
November 13	Maryland		Bainbridge, MD	W 46–0	10,000	[8]
Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

Bainbridge's 1943 roster was loaded with star players from the college and professional ranks. Its backfield included:

• Charlie Justice, halfback, who was later a two-time All-American at North Carolina, played four years in the NFL, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame;
• Bill DeCorrevont, back, later played five years in the NFL;
• Harvey Johnson, fullback who later played five years of professional football and coached the Buffalo Bills;
• Hilliard Cheatham, back out of Auburn; and
• Don Durdan, back out of Oregon State.

Its line included:

• Buster Ramsey, guard, an All-American at William & Mary in 1942 who was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and who also played in the NFL and was named to the NFL 1940s All-Decade Team;
• Len Akin guard, played for the Chicago Bears in 1942;
• Red Hickey, end, played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1941 and later coached the San Francisco 49ers;
• Lou Sossamon, who went on to play for the New York Yankees;
• Phil Ragazzo, who played in the NFL from 1938 to 1941;
• Woody Gerber, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1941 and 1942;
• Carl Tomasello, end, played for the New York Giants in 1941;
• Clure Mosher, center, played for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1942; and
• Carl Mulleneaux, end, played for the Green Bay Packers in 1942.

References

1. "Wonder Team of Bainbridge To Have Its Chance". The Daily Mail. November 17, 1943. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Lejeune Bows To Bainbridge". The Baltimore Sun. September 26, 1942. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Bainbridge Sailors Massacre Gunners Of Fort Monroe, 57-0". Daily Press (Newport News, VA). October 10, 1943. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Cutters Bow To Bainbridge In 26-7 Game". The Baltimore Sun. October 17, 1943. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Bainbridge Triumphs, 49-0". The Baltimore Sun. October 25, 1943. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Bainbridge Tramples Yellowjacket Eleven On Home Grid, 72-0". The Baltimore Sun. November 1, 1943. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Bainbridge Commodores Bury Coast Guard Cutters Under 54-To-0 Score". The Baltimore Sun. November 7, 1943. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Bainbridge Rolls Over Terps, 46-0". The Baltimore Sun. November 14, 1943. pp. Sports 1–2 – via Newspapers.com.