Today's Tidbit... Plainfield Teachers College's Dream Season

Stop me if you've heard this one before.

Back in 1941, the standard process for reporting football scores was to call or telegram the sports desk at area newspapers. Jerry Croyden, the sports information director at Plainfield Teachers College in New Jersey, dutifully called newspapers from Philadelphia to New York City to report the school's 24-0 victory over Chesterton. He did the same the following week when the Plainfield Phantoms upset Scott 12-0. The same occurred as the victories mounted in the coming weeks when Plainfield shut out three more opponents, winning the sixth game when they gave up a lone field goal in a win over Winona.

Smith, Chester, 'The Village Smithy,' Pittsburgh Press, November 15, 1941.

Despite playing stiff defense, Plainfield's offense got most of the attention under coach "Hurry Up" Hoblitzel, whose innovative W formation had both ends facing the backfield. (Regular readers will recall a recent article about Syracuse doing something similar in running the Reverse Center offense in 1941.)