‘Undefeated Since 1941: History of Gonzaga Football’
SPOKANE, Wash. — While Gonzaga is well known for its basketball success, the University is celebrating its football history with a new exhibition titled “Undefeated Since 1941: The History of Gonzaga Football.” The exhibition, located in the Cowles Reading Room on the third floor of the Foley Library, is free and open to the public through Oct. 31.
Anthony “Tony” Canadeo led Gonzaga’s offense in the 1940 upset win against University of Detroit. His nickname was the grey ghost of Gonzaga because his hair was turning grey at age 20. He played for Gonzaga from 1938-1940, graduated, and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers and played many positions. Often considered Gonzaga’s best player, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984. (GU Archives)
The 99 items on display emphasize the most important aspects of Gonzaga’s football history and tell the story of why Gonzaga football has been absent from the American sports scene since 1941.
During the 1920s, Gonzaga football was considered one of the premier football programs in the nation.
Houston Stockton, John Stockton’s grandfather, played halfback for GU from 1922-24. He was the captain of the 1924 team that won the Northwest Conference Championship and is considered the best football team in Gonzaga history. After graduating, he played professionally for the Frankford Yellow Jackets, Providence Steamrollers and Boston Braves. (GU Archives)
The exhibition was guest-curated by Gonzaga history intern Abby Tarantino, Class of 2020. With materials from the GU Archives, the exhibition highlights include a 1939 football, information about star players and coaches, the fan experience and the 1925 Indian Congress and football game against the Haskell Indian Institute.
On Nov. 16, 1926, home-run king George Herman “Babe” Ruth came to campus to meet the GU football team and Coach Maurice “Clipper” Smith. He practiced with the football team and signed baseballs. Afterward, Ruth gave a short talk and said that he was unofficially picking Gonzaga to win the Homecoming game on Thanksgiving Day against Washington State College. Unfortunately, WSC beat Gonzaga 7-0 with a crowd of over 10,000 at Gonzaga. Coach Smith played for the University of Notre Dame from 1917-20 and coached GU’s football team from 1925-1928. (GU Archives)
Exhibition Hours
Monday-Thursday: 7:30 a.m.-2 a.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m.-2 a.m.
In 1951, the first-year women in beanies (left) competed against the sophomore women during Campus Days, in various events including pie eating, powder puff football, and tug of war. If the first-year class beat the sophomores, they could stop wearing their beanies for the rest of the year; otherwise they had to wear them through the end of October. (GU Archives)
