TRIBUTE TO THE 1946 UNBEATEN MALVERN FRIARS

Like the 1941 team, I pulled this story of the 1946 team from the 1947 yearbook.

The members of the original 1947 class have this year felt a joy that they have never experienced before in their four years at Malvern. The thrill was having our football team come through undefeated.

In the sports world of 1946, Malvern ended the gridiron season by having nearly half of its first team mentioned for All-Scholastic Honors. Heading this list was Jack Monaghan who was rated one of the second string All-Scholastic halfbacks. Jack was a triple threat player who ran, kicked, and passed. There were three other players who received honorable mention. One was Ray Barrow, a halfback who could run and pass. End and Captain Bob McBride and center Joe Howanski were the other two selections. Both were stellar on offense and invaluable on defense.

Looking back on the 1946 campaign we recall mostly that the three occasions we were, as the saying goes, the underdog, and in these games the Friars came through victorious.

Malvern’s record was six wins and one tie. After playing to a 7-7 tie with Berwyn in the opening game, the Friars then proceeded to down Upper Merion 14-0, P.M.C 30-0, Williamson Trade School 6-0, St. Matthews 22-0, Bryn Athyn Academy 6-0, and Bristol High School 31-0. Malvern’s most notable win was Bryn Athyn Academy, with its best team in the history of that school and undefeated until they met the Friars.

Statistics showed Malvern had the best defensive team in the Philadelphia area with only seven points scored against it throughout the season. No team scored on Malvern via the ground route and only Berwyn tallied through the air.

We, the senior class of 1947, congratulate Coach John McKenna for his excellent work during this stellar season of 1946. May his future teams look back to this undefeated team as a pattern and goal to be duplicated, if not excelled.

I have seen some pretty good defenses in my years of watching Malvern football. There are some pretty good defenses listed below. I thought I played on a pretty good one in 1972. It seems that the 1946 team has left everyone in the dust by only giving up one TD all year and recording a school record 6 shutouts. They always say all you have to do is score one more point than the other guys to win. Well, if the other team doesn’t ever score, for pretty much the entire season your chances of pulling out a win are even better. The 1946 team was even better 6 times! I will go out on the proverbial limb and say the 1 point a game average and 6 shutouts will hold up for a very long time on the record books.

1946 Malvern Football Team

1946 Malvern Football Captain Bob McBride

1946 Malvern Football Team Offense

1946 Malvern Football Team Offense