REMEMBERING PERFECTION: THE 1935 JHS FOOTBALL TEAM

When the 1997 Jackson Indians football team went 10-0 in the regular season they conjured up comparisons with the last Jackson football team to accomplish such a feat.

This year's team, as we all know, went on to win their first playoff game to extend their streak to 11 wins before losing in the second round of the state 5A playoffs. This year's team will surely be remembered for many years to come as the other team to go undefeated through the regular season, the 1935 team. Another team went through the season without a loss. The 1925 team also went undefeated, but they had one tie, finishing 8-0-1.

Many people have been asking for more information on the 1935 Jackson High School football team. After receiving a few of photos and information on the 1935 team, we have decided to give everyone what they wanted. So here's a special "Look Back at Jackson."

Resume of 1935 football season

(from the 1935-1936 Silver Arrow, JHS yearbook)

The end of the football season found Jackson setting new records in the football history of the school. The team achieved a record never before equalled in the history of the school--that of not being scored upon the entire season. A new point of scoring was reached when their points totalled 311, as compared with the previous record of 299.

Individual scoring honors of any one game were broken by "Stubby" Wilhelm with a total of 45 points gained in his last appearance on the gridiron.

"Stubby" shared honors this year with his co-captain, Marion Rogers, possibly one of the best guards Jackson has produced. Also by Wilhelm's having 158 points to his credit, he broke the record of points scored in one season by an individual player, surpassing the record formerly held by Fred Putz.

This season of championship football opened on September 18 at Chaffee. In this game the Braves showed their spirit from the beginning. Through line plays and by the air route they were able to score a touchdown each quarter, the final score being 24-0.

The second game of the season was played at Crystal City. This was a hard fought battle, but the Indians showed their ability throughout the game, even though they were playing without the services of Captain Rogers. Line plunges and passes brought the Braves out victorious with a final score of 19-0.

For our first home game the Farmington Knights, outclassed from start to finish, were pushed back with off tackle plays and end runs. This gave the Indians another victory with a score of 21-0. Although Farmington is in the conference, this was not a conference game, as the second game must be counted when any two schools play two games a season.

On October 11 Jackson went to East Prairie, where the Indians were in the lead from the beginning. They emerged victorious with a score of 21-0, which resulted from end runs and passes.

Our fifth game of the season was played at Poplar Bluff. Because of the downpour of rain, the Indians were unable to use their passes, but resorted to end runs and reverses to gain a final score of 39-0.

The sixth game was played on the Indians' gridiron with the Chester, Ill., eleven, the only out of state team played. The first quarter found neither team scoring, but in the second quarter the Indians opened a passing attack which brought them four touchdowns. The third period they again tallied a touchdown, and the end of the game found the Indians with a score of 35-0.

The second conference game, played at Perryville, was the hardest-fought game of the season. The first half saw neither team close to the goal line. With only a few minutes to play, the Indians pushed the Pirates across their goal line. The extra point was missed, but the Indians won 6-0.

November 6 found Jackson and Charleston, two undefeated conference teams, in action. The great following of the Charleston Blue Jays was badly disappointed when the Blue Jays were knocked off their perches from start to finish by off-tackle plays and lateral passes, which gave the Jays their first defeat of the season. The final score was Jackson 39, Charleston 0.

From the Charleston game on, it was not a matter of whether the Indians would win but whether they would be scored upon. The next game, played on the home grid with Dexter, showed no cause for anxiety on that point, for the Braves were masters of the game from the beginning. Despite the downpour of rain, the Indians scored their first touchdown early in the game. The first half found them with a 27-0 lead, while in the last halt the Indians scored five touchdowns and two extra points, which netted a score of 59-0. In accomplishing this victory, the entire squad was used.

On Thanksgiving Day Jackson went to Farmington. In this game the Indians showed some of their best skill in playing football. The end of the game found Jackson with another top-heavy score of 48-0. As was mentioned above, it was in this game that "Stubby" broke the record of individual scoring in any one game. The entire squad made the trip and helped the team win its tenth consecutive victory, the last game of a season of championship football.

(Special Thanks to Rosebud Call for supplying a copy of the 1935-36 Silver Arrow.)

Shutout in jeopardy

(edited from a November 1935 Missourian article)

They had already won nine straight games where their opponents couldn't find the goal line, but late in the first quarter of the 10th game Cecil Davis fumbled a punt return and Farmington recovered on the five yard line.

But Farmington failed three times to move the ball across the goal line and fumbled on third down where Marion Rogers recovered for the Indians.

A testament to how dominant the 1935 team was shows up in the game summary against Farmington. Jackson had 21 first downs versus Farmington's one first down. Jackson gained 453 total yards, Farmington had 20 yards. Jackson was penalized 15 times while Farmington never garnered a flag and still Jackson won 48-0.

Brothers make up 'Ditto-Mark' Lineup

A lot was made of the five sets of brothers that played on the undefeated 1935 team at Jackson.

There was Sherman and Edward Cracraft, Murrell and Arnell Godwin, Lawrence and Emil Loos, Milton and Marion Nothdurft and Robert and Marion Rogers.

The Nothdurft brothers both played end for the Indians. Sherman Cracraft played halfback while his brother Edward played halfback and QB. The Loos brothers both played tackle. Arnell Godwin played center, while his brother Murrell played halfback and QB. The Rogers brothers both played guard.

The offensive line read the same both ways. They had from left to right and from right to left, Nothdurft (end), Loos (tackle), Rogers (guard), Godwin (center), Rogers (guard), Loos (tackle) and Nothdurft (end).

In fact, this team could have on any given play a right halfback named Cracraft and a left halfback named Cracraft while the center Godwin could snap the ball to Godwin at quarterback. Opponents must have been confused.

(Special thanks to Earl Kirchhoff and Lorene McDowell for their submissions about the 1935 Jackson Indians football team.)

1935 Football Record

24 Jackson vs. Chaffee 0

19 Jackson vs. Crystal City 0

21 Jackson vs. Farmington 0

21 Jackson vs. East Prairie 0

39 Jackson vs. Poplar Bluff 0

35 Jackson vs. Chester 0

6 Jackson vs. Perryville 0

39 Jackson vs. Charleston 0

59 Jackson vs. Dexter 0

48 Jackson vs. Farmington

Jackson outscored their opponents 311 to 0 in 1935.

Team Roster

Name Class Wt. Pos. Exp.

A. Godwin Jr. 147 center 1

N. Gockel Sr. 153 end 1

E. Loos So. 150 tackle 1

H. Bollinger Jr. 140 half back 2

R. Hartle Jr. 140 end 2

Jr. Weiss Sr. 138 guard 1

C. Davis So. 135 QB 2

P. Kurre Sr. 162 tackle 2

S. Cracraft Jr. 145 half back 1

M. Godwin So. 130 half back 1

E. Cracraft So. 140 QB 1

D. Walker * Jr. 155 tackle 2

Marion Nothdurft Jr. 175 end 2

M. Rogers ** Sr. 175 guard 3

C. Wilhelm ** Sr. 170 QB 3

L. Crites Fr. 150 guard 1

G. Niswonger Sr. 175 center 3

Milton Nothdurft Fr. 180 end 1

L. Loos * Jr. 165 tackle 2

O. Litzelfelner Sr. 160 guard 1

M. Meier Sr. 155 tackle 2

D. Sneathen Fr. 173 full back 1

R. Rogers Sr. 170 guard 2

C. Wessell Sr. 155 full back 1

L. Cracraft Sr. 160 half back 2

W. Crites Sr. student manager

Ryland Milner coach in third year at Jackson, total record at the time was 22-3-3.

* denotes co-captain elect

* denotes co-captains