The 1919 VPI Gobblers football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute in the 1919 college football season. The team was led by their head coach Charles Bernier and finished with a record of five wins and four losses (5–4).

Schedule

Before the season The 1918 VPI Gobblers football team compiled a 7–0 record and were led by Charles A. Bernier in his second season as head coach.

Game summaries Hampden–Sydney

VPI's first game of the season was a victory over Hampden–Sydney at Miles Field.

The starting lineup for VPI was: J. Hardwick (left end), Hall (left tackle), Armstrong (left guard), Parrish (center), Shaner (right guard), Tilson (right tackle), Davis (right end), Crisp (quarterback), Graham (left halfback), Godsey (right halfback), Redd (fullback). The substitutes were: Brooks, Farmer, H. Hardwick, Kornegay, Lancaster, McCann, Pierce and Rice.

The starting lineup for Hampden–Sydney was: Maurice Lancaster (left end), J. A. Martin (left tackle), J. W. Hogshead (left guard), F. Hogshead (center), Philip Adams (right guard), Ernest Herzig (right tackle), Robert Warren (right end), J. A. Jones (quarterback), B. H. Smith (left halfback), Hill (right halfback), T. K. Menefee (fullback). The substitutes were: W. O. Day, George Lyle, A. C. Paulett and W. B. Rogan.

Richmond

After their victory over Hampden–Sydney, VPI played Richmond College at Miles Field.

The starting lineup for VPI was: J. Hardwick (left end), Hall (left tackle), Armstrong (left guard), Parrish (center), Shaner (right guard), Tilson (right tackle), Washington (right end), Crisp (quarterback), Graham (left halfback), Godsey (right halfback), Lancaster (fullback). The substitutes were: Brooks, Davis, Farmer, H. Hardwick, Hutcheson, Kornegay, McCann, Pierce, Rice and Shepherd.

The starting lineup for Richmond was: W. Richard Broaddus (left end), Harry Carter (left tackle), Claiborne Thompson (left guard), Gates Kidd (center), Robert Price (right guard), Albert Klevesahl (right tackle), Hubel Robins (right end), Waverly Jones (quarterback), E. Hobson Snead (left halfback), Alexander Blankingship (right halfback), James Lane (fullback). The substitutes were: Clyde Shepherd, Thurman Towill and William Ziegler.

Georgetown

The starting lineup for VPI was: J. Hardwick (left end), Hall (left tackle), Armstrong (left guard), H. Hardwick (center), Shaner (right guard), Tilson (right tackle), Davis (right end), Crisp (quarterback), Graham (left halfback), Godsey (right halfback), Redd (fullback). The substitutes were: Brooks, Farmer, Kornegay, Lancaster, Pierce, Rice and Shepherd.

The starting lineup for Georgetown was: Harry Sullivan (left end), Dan Ahern (left tackle), William Dudack (left guard), Carl Wirts (center), Thomas Sullivan (right guard), Metzger Smeach (right tackle), William C. Kenyon (right end), Jackie Maloney (quarterback), Joseph Leighty (left halfback), Johnny McQuade (right halfback), Harold Livers (fullback). The substitutes were: Alec Anderson, Frank Buckley, Rudy Comstock, Davis, Paul Etzel, Farrell, William Gargan, Jack Haley, Al Leary, Thomas Lonergan, William Moran, Joseph O'Connell, John Sullivan, James Sweeney, John Thornton, Spencer Wise and Andy Zazelli.

Maryland State

The starting lineup for VPI was: J. Hardwick (left end), Pierce (left tackle), Armstrong (left guard), H. Hardwick (center), Shaner (right guard), Crisp (right tackle), McConkey (right end), Lancaster (quarterback), Graham (left halfback), McCann (right halfback), Redd (fullback). The substitutes were: Chapman, Farmer, Kornegay and Tilson.

The starting lineup for Maryland State was: Geary Eppley (left end), Andy Nisbet (left tackle), Sam Edel (left guard), Dutch Myers (center), Jerry Sullivan (right guard), Roy Mackert (right tackle), M. Talbot Riggs (right end), Ray Knode (quarterback), Lester Bosley (left halfback), W. L. Barall (right halfback), Alexander McDonald (fullback). The substitutes were: Caleb Bailey, Herbert Gilbert, John Groves, John Moore and Romeo Pagnucci.

Washington and Lee

The starting lineup for VPI was: J. Hardwick (left end), Hall (left tackle), Armstrong (left guard), H. Hardwick (center), Shaner (right guard), Crisp (right tackle), Parrish (right end), Lancaster (quarterback), Graham (left halfback), Godsey (right halfback), Redd (fullback). The substitutes were: Chapman, McCann, Pierce, Tilson and Washington.

The starting lineup for Washington and Lee was: O. R. Daves (left end), Lindsay Moore (left tackle), Richard Sanford (left guard), F. M. Paget (center), Edward Bailey (right guard), Turner Bethel (right tackle), John Corbett (right end), Marcus Cogbill (quarterback), Joseph Silverstein (left halfback), Samuel Raines (right halfback), J. W. McDonald (fullback). The substitutes were: Barrow, Cobb, Lewis Collins, Matson, Jim Mattox, and Marv Mattox.

Wake Forest

The starting lineup for VPI was: J. Hardwick (left end), Hall (left tackle), Armstrong (left guard), H. Hardwick (center), Shaner (right guard), Pierce (right tackle), McCann (right end), Crisp (quarterback), Graham (left halfback), Lancaster (right halfback), Redd (fullback). The substitutes were: Brooks, Farmer, Kornegay, Parrish and Tilson.

The starting lineup for Wake Forest was: C. B. Johnston (left end), Pierce (left tackle), Moss (left guard), Wall (center), Forrest Feezor (right guard), Hubert Olive (right tackle), Heckman (right end), Jennette (quarterback), Boylan (left halfback), Fulton (right halfback), Harry Rabenhorst (fullback). The substitutes were: Benton, Bundy, John Floyd, Moore, Shaw Pruette and Taylor.

NC State

The starting lineup for VPI was: J. Hardwick (left end), Hall (left tackle), Armstrong (left guard), H. Hardwick (center), Shaner (right guard), Pierce (right tackle), Washington (right end), Crisp (quarterback), Graham (left halfback), Lancaster (right halfback), Redd (fullback). The substitutes were: Brooks, Copenhaver, Godsey, Parrish and Tilson.

The starting lineup for NC State was: Solomon Homewood (left end), Herbert Weathers (left tackle), Robert Young (left guard), William Whitaker (center), Averette Floyd (right guard), John Ripple (right tackle), Charles Kirkpatrick (right end), John Faucette (quarterback), Dick Gurley (left halfback), Nathaniel Pierson (right halfback), George Murray (fullback). The substitutes were: Joel Lawrence.

Emory and Henry

The starting lineup for VPI was: Chapman (left end), Farmer (left tackle), Sherertz (left guard), Shaner (center), Saunders (right guard), McConkey (right tackle), Washington (right end), McCann (quarterback), Walters (left halfback), Brooks (right halfback), Glaze (fullback). The substitutes were: Crisp, Gay, Graham, Lancaster, Newman, Redd, Rice and Wills.

The starting lineup for Emory and Henry was: Southerland (left end), Wolfe (left tackle), Carter (left guard), Anderson (center), Jim Weaver (right guard), Lotspeich (right tackle), Dyer (right end), Kelly (quarterback), Terry (left halfback), Graham (right halfback), Perry (fullback). The substitutes were: Jones.

VMI

The starting lineup for VPI was: Camper (left end), Hall (left tackle), Armstrong (left guard), H. Hardwick (center), J. Hardwick (right guard), Pierce (right tackle), Parrish (right end), Crisp (quarterback), Redd (left halfback), Lancaster (right halfback), McCann (fullback). The substitutes were: Brooks, Farmer, Godsey, Graham, Shaner and Tilson.

The starting lineup for VMI was: Howard Hawkins (left end), Frank Summers (left tackle), Howard Shipley (left guard), J. T. Smith (center), Mantor (right guard), Robert Hunt (right tackle), Sam Mason (right end), Walker Stuart (quarterback), Jere Bunting (left halfback), Jimmy Leech (right halfback), Richard Dickson (fullback). The substitutes were: Bertram Bacharach, William Drewry, Fix, William Harrison, Hubert McCuistion and William Wilson.

After the season In December 1919, the VPI players elected Henry Redd as captain of the 1920 VPI Gobblers football team.

Players Roster VPI 1919 rosterQuarterback Hank Crisp Guards "Dustie" Armstrong Wally Shaner Tackles "Polly" Hall Walter Pierce Sumner D. Tilson Centers Harry Judson Hardwick Ends Davis Jim Hardwick (Capt.) George Parrish WashingtonHalfbacks J. R. Graham Robert Godsey George Lancaster Fullback Henry Redd (Capt.) Substitutes Philip Clay Brooks Julian Jessings Camper Chapman John Copenhaver Farmer Gay Glenn Vernon Glaze Hutcheson John Keatts Kornegay Harry McCann Samuel Anderson McConkey Newman Guy Eldridge Rice Robert M. Saunders Shepherd William Shields Sherertz Walters Clarke Willey Allan Wills

Monogram Club members Sixteen players received monograms for their participation on the 1919 VPI team.

Player Hometown Notes A. B. "Dustie" Armstrong John Kelly Copenhaver Seven Mile Ford, Virginia World War I and World War II veteran (Lieutenant Colonel, Army Corps of Engineers). Hank Crisp Falkland, North Carolina Robert Drew Godsey Bristol, Virginia J. R. Graham Lysle Gregory "Polly" Hall Harry Judson Hardwick Blacksburg, Virginia 22nd head football coach at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, serving for two seasons, from 1937 to 1938, and compiling a record of 8–7–3. James Thomas Hardwick, Jr. Blacksburg, Virginia George Douglas Lancaster Hanover, Virginia World War I and World War II veteran (Lieutenant Colonel, Air Force). Harry Lee McCann George F. Parrish Bristol, Virginia Elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1934. Inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1986. Walter Morgan Pierce Christiansburg, Virginia Henry Redd Martinsville, Virginia World War I veteran (First Lieutenant, Army). VPI Head football coach from 1932 to 1940. Wally Shaner Lynchburg, Virginia Reserve outfielder in Major League Baseball, playing mainly at left field for three different teams between the and seasons. Sumner Dewey "Tex" Tilson Childress, Texas VPI's head football coach for one season, in 1942, compiling a record of 7–2–1. Clarke Randolph Willey Winchester, Virginia

Coaching and training staff Head coach: Charles A. Bernier Graduate Manager: Sally Miles Trainer: Doc Tyler Manager: Edward Purcifull Yeager

References