Today, in 1947, the University of Houston beat the Daniel Baker College Hill Billies, 35-12. Baker led 12-0 after the first quarter, but UH roared back. QB Boyd Tingle scored twice, including a 54-yard run.
The win helped UH move to 3-0 on the season, outscoring Centenary, McMurray, and Daniel Baker 68-32. Then reality hit, and UH struggled: the Cougars lost the season’s final eight games by a combined score of 182-28. But then…
The 1947 Cougar team was, perhaps, the worst the program has ever fielded. In its second year of existence, the team took a big step back from 1946. The lowest moment in UH history to that point was the “lake of mud” game, when Houston lost to Southwest Texas, 2-0, at Public School Stadium.
Via the Corpus Christi Caller-Times
In Jewell Wallace’s second season, UH’s 1947 team was held to 96 points for the year and just 28 over the last eight games. The year ended with three straight shutouts and five overall. Almost hard to imagine today as UH has a 222-game scoring streak heading into the 2020 season (last time shutout: 2000 vs. Texas).
But the 1947 team ran into a lot of trouble, the biggest being a non-existent passing game. In several games where stats are available, UH did not complete a pass. There are no season stats from 1947, but through our research, we know that UH had two completions in the McMurry, Texas A&I, Trinity, Hardin-Simmons, and North Texas State games combined.
How bad was it? Boyd Tingle led the team with 116 yards passing. For the season.
The shoulder-striped Coogs took it in the gut in 1947. Quite literally for team captain Bill Cook.
Game conditions were also a problem all season, with several game stories describing “a heavy downpour,” “a driving rain,” “a field of mud,” and a “quagmire.” A blinding rainstorm produced UH’s lowest-scoring game ever: a 2-0 loss to Southwest Texas. There were 42 punts in the game, and UH ended with -21 yards.
At the end of the season, Coach Wallace was replaced by Clyde Lee.
Click the photo gallery below to get a sense of the 1947 season. Stories and captions give a comprehensive view of the season. Scroll down to find our “Explore UH History” options by year and by decade.
UH's 1947 football team. Head coach Jewell Wallace is top row, far left.
Top UH staff in the fall of 1947.
Centenary student newspaper preview of the season opener (Pt 1)
It would be Centenary's first game since before World War II.
Centenary sponsored a train to Houston for the game.
Centenary game program 1947
Bill Cook "belly-tackles" a Centenary Gent
Headline in Centenary paper after UH beats the Gents
Recap of Centenary-Houston game
Recap of Centenary-Houston game (part 2)
Recap of Centenary-Houston game (bottom part of article)
AP article - UH beats Centenary
The Centenary yearbook says "UH is a team to watch"
Centenary recap & McMurry preview
Preview from McMurry War Whoop (student newspaper)
Houston fans appear to be doing a "white out" in the McMurry game
McMurry War Whoop game story
UH edges McMurray pt 1
UH edges McMurry (pt 2)
McMurry student newspaper end-of-year wrap-up.
UH QB Boyd Tingle lets it fly against Daniel Baker College
Kicker Ken Hawkins in an attempt vs Daniel Baker College
Cougar defense in pursuit of Daniel Baker runner.
Coogs beat the Daniel Baker Hillbillies, 35-12.
Cougars rout Daniel Baker
Daniel Baker yearbook recap
UH QB Boyd Tingle vs Texas A&I
Texas A&I shuts out UH. Cougars don't complete a pass.
Texas A&I yearbook on the UH game. The score in the headline is inaccurate. It was 13-0.
East Texas State runner about to be hit.
East Texas scat back scores
East Texas St rolls UH
Wrap up of ETS and Trinity preview from Houston Citizen.
Trinity running it at Public School Stadium
Trinity shuts out the Coogs
Cougars lose a "dull lifeless game" according to the Trinity yearbook
Travel story before the Hardin Simmons game. From The Brand student newspaper at H-SU.
H-SU The Brand preview of Houston
Abeline Reporter newspaper's preview of UH/Coach Wallace
Cecil Towns - Tackle for UH
HS-U Romps Over UH in Corpus Christi / Corpus Christi Caller
Billy Butler - Tackle
Game recap from The Brand. UH loses 33-7 and completes 0 passes again.
Recap from the Bronco, the Hardin-Simmons yearbook
SFA hosts UH at at Lumberjack Homecoming
SFA runner named Anger gets free as the Coogs chase him down
SFA Bops the Coogs
SFA game from the SFA yearbook, the Stone Fort
The SFA game would be the last time UH scored on the season.
The North Texas State game in Denton
UH defenders try to bring an Eagle down as #88 watches from afar.
The referee is in white. This is the standard ref uniform in the late 1940s. UH in their 1947 stripes.
North Texas wins 33-0 on Homecoming / Denton Record-Chronicle
Eagles stomp the Coogs from the NT yearbook, the Yucca
Southwest Texas game preview / the Houston Citizen
Cougar punter Roy Wallace couldn't handle a snap in the end zone vs Southwest Texas State
Lowest scoring UH game of all-time, 2-0 (UP wire service)
The 1st broadcast home of the Cougars, KOPY-FM. was Texas' first FM station. It was owned by Judge Hofheinz.
Bill Cook - Center
Sam Houston shuts out UH to end the season
Bobcats and Bearkats Win / Houstonian Yearbook
Three weeks after the season ends with 3 shutouts, Jewell Wallace resigns.
Jewell Wallace quits
Frank Leahy speaks at UH football banquet / Houston Citizen
Clyde Lee named coach – March 1948 / Houston Citizen
