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Fall 57 150# Starters Army’s First 150 Team. They played every play Offense, Defense and Special Teams only getting relieved by the 2d Team.
Here is News Article from First Army Navy 150 Football Game
Class of 1958
John Brinson Left Tackle
Brad Johnson Center
“Bill Shely” Left Guard
Dick Schonberger Left End
“Jude Thiebert” Running Back
Ralph Wensinger Quarterback
Stories of 150 history are found in Army Lore 2, 3, 5, 6(3 stories) and 8.
The five photos are from the 59 Princeton Game. The articles do not list the year, but by matching names they appear to be fall of 59, 60 and 61.
Additional data from the 1st Army 150 Team
Here are John Brinson‘s recollections of that first season from his emails earlier this year. He obviously has better recollection than the rest of us. It probably seems like ancient history now.
A great experience. The asterisk denotes Navy star, which we all received. (Somehow mine was omitted from the Howitzer. How’ll I ever convince my grandchildren I was there?)
We were all there on that final drive of 45 yards, running on every play, 4 yards, 5 yards, 4 yards until we got to the goal line, and Ralph Wensinger took it over behind Brad and the rest of us. They couldn’t stop us.
Yes, Ralph was a Classmate of ours, and a great quarterback. KIA, RVN
There were 600 at the screening in May; 150 made it to the tryouts in September; Coach Eric Tipton had 2 weeks to cut the squad to 48, teach plays, and play our first game. All 6 of us made the starting team. Center, LG, LT, LE, QB, RB.
Brad was elected team captain, and a good one he was.
This Fall, 51 years!
John
QB “Ralph Wensinger” (’59 x ’58) KIA, RVN Ralph was ’58 for 3 years.
RB “Jude Thiebert”
Center “Brad Johnson”
LG “Bill Shely”
LT John Brinson
We were all starters – first team. It was not easy making the starting team, because the coach rightfully preferred Yearlings, then Cows, who would return next season. We played both offense and defense – under the then-current NCAA rules. We were undefeated, beat Navy, and won the (EIAA) Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship in Army’s first year – in a league that had been dominated by Navy for years. It was great fun. President Eisenhower attended one of our games. (Note: My recollection is two games that year, one when the president was visiting WP and came down on a Friday evening and the other was the first 150# A/N game at Annapolis)
Our great coach, Eric Tipton, went on to become the all-time winningest coach in Army history (lightweight football, baseball). Eric was All-America at Duke in 1938, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1965. We all loved him, and honored him at a 150 lb. reunion at West Point in 1993 when he was 78 years old. He died at age 86.
