Steve Lach
Encyclopedia
Steve Lach was an American football
player. Lach was among a list of sixty-one nominees to the College Football Hall of Fame
in March 1960. He was elected in 1980.
high school and prep school indoor track and field championships at Madison Square Garden
, in February 1938. He placed 4th in the 12-pound shot put
, with a distance of 40 feet and 6 inches. While a Duke student, Lach took part in the shot put and discus
events in the April 1941 Penn Relay Carnival, held on Franklin Field
at the University of Pennsylvania
. He came in 4th in the discus competition, with a throw of 140 feet, 11 inches. In the April 1942 Penn Relay Carnival Lach placed 5th in the shotput with a distance of 46 feet, 9 inches. He was also 5th in the discus throw, with a distance of 138 feet.
as a member of the varsity football team at Duke University
. As a senior he was a wingback
, which allowed his team to take advantage of his fine blocking ability. His playing weight was 190 pounds.
Lach scored from a half yard out in a 37-0 Duke pasting of Colgate University
at Wallace Wade Stadium
, in October 1939. He carried three times after George McAfee
set up the Blue Devils at the Red Raiders 8-yard-line. Lach passed 42 yards to Tommy Prothro
for the final touchdown in a 33-6 win over Syracuse University
on October 21. On the 7th play after halftime, Lach broke a 61-yard run for a touchdown at Groves Stadium, against Wake Forest University
, on October 26. Wes McAfee tossed a 13-yard pass to Lach
against Georgia Tech
in the second quarter to complete a 54-yard drive. Lach was one of four Blue Devils selected to the eleven man Southern Conference
1940 Associated Press
honor team.
Lach caught two passes from Moffat Storer for touchdowns at Pitt Stadium
on October 25, 1941. Duke triumphed over Pittsburgh University 27-7. Lach
caught a high pass from Tom Davis at the three yard line, which he converted for a
touchdown against Georgia Tech in November. This reception, together with a number of fine kicks,
helped Duke beat the Engineers in Atlanta, Georgia
.
He ran just eight times versus the University of North Carolina
, but escaped for 23 and 17 yard
runs in the third quarter. He punted the Tar Heels into a hole at their own 5 yard line late in the 3rd quarter. In all he accounted for 61 of Duke's 194 rushing yards. Lach returned in the fourth quarter after leaving the field near the end of the third period. He appeared still shaken after slipping and being hit while off-balance as he attempted a cutback play. As he walked slowly to the sidelines the Duke fans began to chant a touchdown for Lach. Only moments later a Blue Devil teammate got into the end zone.
By the end of 1950 Wallace Wade had included only five sophomores as varsity starters in twenty-five years as a coach at the University of Alabama
and Duke. Pooley Hubert and Johnny Mack Brown
were the exceptions who played first team at Alabama. The Duke sophomores who played regularly for the varsity were Ace Parker, Lach, and Billy Cox.
as a member of the
Flying Cadets, in August 1942. At the time he was in Chicago, Illinois training as a member of the College All Stars.
On September 14, 1942 Lach caught a pass from Bud Schwenk to account for the game's only touchdown, in the Cardinals' 7-0 victory over the Cleveland Rams
, at Civic Stadium
in Buffalo, New York
. The 6-yard toss was batted by Lach with his left hand and then caught by him behind Bill Conkright
. Against the Detroit Lions
at Comiskey Park
, Schwenk pounced on a loose ball fumbled by Harry Hopp
on the last play of the third quarter. Schwenk then found right halfback Lach from the Lions' 20-yard-line for a touchdown, on the first play of the last period. The Green Bay Packers
defeated the Cardinals despite trailing 13-10 midway through the fourth quarter in Chicago,
on October 4. Once again the aerial combination of Schwenk passing to Lach dominated the highlights. Lach received a 20-yard pass and then raced in from the 15 in the first quarter. Lach accounted for one of two touchdowns the Cardinals made during a lopsided loss to the Chicago Bears
on October 11.
Schwenk lofted a 47-yard strike to Lach in the first quarter of a game witnessed by 38,500 fans.
In July 1943 Lach was scheduled to play with the College All-Star team against the N.F.L. champion Washington Redskins
, at Dyche Stadium in Evanston. Otto Graham
and Charlie Trippi were
other backs on the collegiate squad. Lach was kept from suiting up for the game by a directive preventing Navy
athletes from participating in off-station contests, except as members of Navy teams.
Panthers was the third win in four tries for the team of sailors. Lach scampered 28 yards for a third period touchdown in Great Lakes' 13-6 victory over Ohio State University
at the naval training stations' Ross Field Stadium, in Great Lakes, Illinois.
Lach played a key role in a last minute comeback upset of Notre Dame University on November 27. The Fighting Irish scored what seemed to be the winning touchdown against Great Lakes with merely one minute and six seconds left in the fourth quarter. Starting from his own 37-yard line Lach found Emil Sitko
with a strike to the
Notre Dame 46-yard line. He then took a snap from center, faded, was rushed, and abruptly lofted a high pass, directed to the far corner of the field. The football was caught by Paul Anderson, who had played the majority of the final period at quarterback. Anderson
was running with intensity and was many yards behind the closest Irish defender. He gathered it in on the 7-yard line and ran into the end zone. With the extra point the Blue Jackets prevailed 19-14. It was a finish no Hollywood script writer would dare to turn in to his boss. A New York Times writer called the Great Lakes Naval Station victory over undefeated, 9-0 Notre Dame, the biggest upset of this or any recent football season. An audience of 23,000, composed primarily of sailors and naval officers, watched from wooden stands in close proximity to Lake Michigan
.
All-Stars in 1944- 1945. Lach signed to play with the New York Yankees (AAFC)
on January 21, 1946.
In the fall of 1946 Lach was a back (sports) with the Pittsburgh Steelers
after he was traded from the Cardinals. In October against the Boston Yanks
he
scored two touchdowns during a 16-7 Steelers' triumph. Lach scored from five yards
out on the fifth play following Charley Seabright
's interception of a Sammy Baugh
pass, on November 3. Pittsburgh defeated the Washington Redskins
14-7 before a record-setting home crowd of 39,060.
Lach, playing fullback (American football)
, caught a 15-yard pass from Johnny Clement in a game with the Redskins at Griffith Stadium
, in October 1947. The lead
seasawed back and forth eight times before the Redskins won 27-26.
At Fenway Park
on October 12 the Steelers gained 276 yards employing the single wing of Jock Sutherland
, occasionally switching to a double wing set-up. Lach scored from six inches out following a 40-yard run by Bob Cifers
, which set up the first touchdown. Pittsburgh defeated Boston 30-14 in front of 18,894
spectators.
Lach's nine touchdowns in 1947 set a Steelers' club record. He was Pittsburgh's second leading ground gainer with 372 yards in
129 carries. Lach tied for 9th in the N.F.L. in points scored,
with 54.
Lach was one of eight members of the 1947 Pittsburgh Steelers team chosen as a pallbearer for the funeral of Coach Dr. John B. (Jock)
Sutherland on April 13, 1948. Sutherland died following a brain operation in West Penn Hospital.
Lach was released without explanation by new Steelers' coach, John Michclosen, on September 21, 1948. The Pittsburgh fullback job was awarded to Jerry Shipkey
, who played collegiate
football at U.C.L.A..
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. Lach was among a list of sixty-one nominees to the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in March 1960. He was elected in 1980.
Track and field athlete
Lach competed in the 5th annual National AAUAmateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
high school and prep school indoor track and field championships at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, in February 1938. He placed 4th in the 12-pound shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
, with a distance of 40 feet and 6 inches. While a Duke student, Lach took part in the shot put and discus
Discus
Discus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
events in the April 1941 Penn Relay Carnival, held on Franklin Field
Franklin Field
Franklin Field is the University of Pennsylvania's stadium for football, field hockey, lacrosse, sprint football, and track and field . It is also used by Penn students for recreation, and for intramural and club sports, including touch football and cricket, and is the site of Penn's graduation...
at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. He came in 4th in the discus competition, with a throw of 140 feet, 11 inches. In the April 1942 Penn Relay Carnival Lach placed 5th in the shotput with a distance of 46 feet, 9 inches. He was also 5th in the discus throw, with a distance of 138 feet.
Duke halfback (1939 - 1942)
He played running backRunning back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
as a member of the varsity football team at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
. As a senior he was a wingback
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, which allowed his team to take advantage of his fine blocking ability. His playing weight was 190 pounds.
Lach scored from a half yard out in a 37-0 Duke pasting of Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
at Wallace Wade Stadium
Wallace Wade Stadium
Wallace Wade Stadium is a stadium on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Primarily used for American football, it is the home field of the Duke Blue Devils. It opened in 1929 with a game against Pitt, as the first facility in Duke's new west campus. The...
, in October 1939. He carried three times after George McAfee
George McAfee
George Anderson McAfee was a former American football player. McAfee is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He played college football at Duke University. He is a former running back who played for the Chicago Bears...
set up the Blue Devils at the Red Raiders 8-yard-line. Lach passed 42 yards to Tommy Prothro
Tommy Prothro
James Thompson "Tommy" Prothro, Jr. was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Oregon State University from 1955 to 1964 and at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1965 to 1970, compiling a career college football record of 104–55–5...
for the final touchdown in a 33-6 win over Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
on October 21. On the 7th play after halftime, Lach broke a 61-yard run for a touchdown at Groves Stadium, against Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
, on October 26. Wes McAfee tossed a 13-yard pass to Lach
against Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
in the second quarter to complete a 54-yard drive. Lach was one of four Blue Devils selected to the eleven man Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
1940 Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
honor team.
Lach caught two passes from Moffat Storer for touchdowns at Pitt Stadium
Pitt Stadium
Pitt Stadium was a stadium located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 1925 to 1999. It served primarily as the home of the University of Pittsburgh's football team, the Pittsburgh Panthers...
on October 25, 1941. Duke triumphed over Pittsburgh University 27-7. Lach
caught a high pass from Tom Davis at the three yard line, which he converted for a
touchdown against Georgia Tech in November. This reception, together with a number of fine kicks,
helped Duke beat the Engineers in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
He ran just eight times versus the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, but escaped for 23 and 17 yard
runs in the third quarter. He punted the Tar Heels into a hole at their own 5 yard line late in the 3rd quarter. In all he accounted for 61 of Duke's 194 rushing yards. Lach returned in the fourth quarter after leaving the field near the end of the third period. He appeared still shaken after slipping and being hit while off-balance as he attempted a cutback play. As he walked slowly to the sidelines the Duke fans began to chant a touchdown for Lach. Only moments later a Blue Devil teammate got into the end zone.
By the end of 1950 Wallace Wade had included only five sophomores as varsity starters in twenty-five years as a coach at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
and Duke. Pooley Hubert and Johnny Mack Brown
Johnny Mack Brown
Johnny Mack Brown was an All-American college football player and film actor originally billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career.-Early life:...
were the exceptions who played first team at Alabama. The Duke sophomores who played regularly for the varsity were Ace Parker, Lach, and Billy Cox.
Chicago Cardinals (1942)
Lach was selected as the #4 pick in the 1st Round of the 1942 N.F.L. Draft by the Chicago Cardinals. He was sworn into the U.S. Navy in Evanston, IllinoisEvanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
as a member of the
Flying Cadets, in August 1942. At the time he was in Chicago, Illinois training as a member of the College All Stars.
On September 14, 1942 Lach caught a pass from Bud Schwenk to account for the game's only touchdown, in the Cardinals' 7-0 victory over the Cleveland Rams
Cleveland Rams
The Cleveland Rams were a professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio.The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland, Ohio. The NFL considers the franchise as a second incarnation of the previous Cleveland Rams team that was a charter member of the second American Football League...
, at Civic Stadium
Civic Stadium
Civic Stadium may refer to:* Civic Stadium in Eugene, OregonOther places formerly called Civic Stadium:* Oshawa Civic Auditorium in Oshawa, Ontario* Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton, Ontario* Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Oregon...
in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. The 6-yard toss was batted by Lach with his left hand and then caught by him behind Bill Conkright
Bill Conkright
William Franklin Conkright was an American football center in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, the Washington Redskins, the Cleveland Rams, and the Brooklyn Dodgers. He played college football at the University of Oklahoma and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1937 NFL Draft....
. Against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
at Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
, Schwenk pounced on a loose ball fumbled by Harry Hopp
Harry Hopp
Harry Hopp was a professional American football fullback who played in the National Football League and the All-America Football Conference . He played for the NFL's Detroit Lions and the AAFC's Buffalo Bisons , Miami Seahawks , and Los Angeles Dons ....
on the last play of the third quarter. Schwenk then found right halfback Lach from the Lions' 20-yard-line for a touchdown, on the first play of the last period. The Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
defeated the Cardinals despite trailing 13-10 midway through the fourth quarter in Chicago,
on October 4. Once again the aerial combination of Schwenk passing to Lach dominated the highlights. Lach received a 20-yard pass and then raced in from the 15 in the first quarter. Lach accounted for one of two touchdowns the Cardinals made during a lopsided loss to the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 11.
Schwenk lofted a 47-yard strike to Lach in the first quarter of a game witnessed by 38,500 fans.
In July 1943 Lach was scheduled to play with the College All-Star team against the N.F.L. champion Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, at Dyche Stadium in Evanston. Otto Graham
Otto Graham
Otto Everett Graham, Jr. was a professional American football and basketball player who played for the Cleveland Browns in both the All-America Football Conference and National Football League, as well as the Rochester Royals in the National Basketball League.-Early life:Born in Waukegan,...
and Charlie Trippi were
other backs on the collegiate squad. Lach was kept from suiting up for the game by a directive preventing Navy
athletes from participating in off-station contests, except as members of Navy teams.
Great Lakes Blue Jackets (1943)
Lach ran for touchdowns of 13 and 65 yards as a member of the Great Lakes Blue Jackets on October 2, 1943. The 40-0 defeat of the University of PittsburghUniversity of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
Panthers was the third win in four tries for the team of sailors. Lach scampered 28 yards for a third period touchdown in Great Lakes' 13-6 victory over Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
at the naval training stations' Ross Field Stadium, in Great Lakes, Illinois.
Lach played a key role in a last minute comeback upset of Notre Dame University on November 27. The Fighting Irish scored what seemed to be the winning touchdown against Great Lakes with merely one minute and six seconds left in the fourth quarter. Starting from his own 37-yard line Lach found Emil Sitko
Emil Sitko
Emil "Red" Sitko was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on September 7, 1923. He earned the nickname of "Red" due to his red hair. He attended Central High School in Fort Wayne. At only 5'8" and 180 pounds he was not considered a big man. "Emil wasn't very big as football players go -- even for those...
with a strike to the
Notre Dame 46-yard line. He then took a snap from center, faded, was rushed, and abruptly lofted a high pass, directed to the far corner of the field. The football was caught by Paul Anderson, who had played the majority of the final period at quarterback. Anderson
was running with intensity and was many yards behind the closest Irish defender. He gathered it in on the 7-yard line and ran into the end zone. With the extra point the Blue Jackets prevailed 19-14. It was a finish no Hollywood script writer would dare to turn in to his boss. A New York Times writer called the Great Lakes Naval Station victory over undefeated, 9-0 Notre Dame, the biggest upset of this or any recent football season. An audience of 23,000, composed primarily of sailors and naval officers, watched from wooden stands in close proximity to Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
.
Pittsburgh Steelers (1946 - 1947)
He played with the Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
All-Stars in 1944- 1945. Lach signed to play with the New York Yankees (AAFC)
New York Yankees (AAFC)
The New York Yankees were a professional American football team that played in the All-America Football Conference from 1946 to 1949. The team played in Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and often played in front of sold-out crowds . They were owned by Dan Topping, who brought many of his Brooklyn...
on January 21, 1946.
In the fall of 1946 Lach was a back (sports) with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
after he was traded from the Cardinals. In October against the Boston Yanks
Boston Yanks
The Boston Yanks were a National Football League team based in Boston, Massachusetts that played from 1944 to 1948. The team played its home games at Fenway Park. Games that conflicted with the Boston Red Sox schedule were held at the Manning Bowl in Lynn, Massachusetts...
he
scored two touchdowns during a 16-7 Steelers' triumph. Lach scored from five yards
out on the fifth play following Charley Seabright
Charley Seabright
Charles Seabright was an American Football player from Wheeling, West Virginia, where he spent the majority of his professional career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Seabright played both offense and defense with the Steelers from 1946–1950, including stints as the starting quarterback...
's interception of a Sammy Baugh
Sammy Baugh
Samuel Adrian "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Horned Frogs at Texas Christian University, where he was a two-time All-American. He then played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 1952...
pass, on November 3. Pittsburgh defeated the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
14-7 before a record-setting home crowd of 39,060.
Lach, playing fullback (American football)
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
, caught a 15-yard pass from Johnny Clement in a game with the Redskins at Griffith Stadium
Griffith Stadium
Griffith Stadium was a sports stadium that stood in Washington, D.C. from 1911 to 1965, between Georgia Avenue and 5th Street, and between W Street and Florida Avenue, NW. An earlier wooden baseball park had been built on the same site in 1891...
, in October 1947. The lead
seasawed back and forth eight times before the Redskins won 27-26.
At Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
on October 12 the Steelers gained 276 yards employing the single wing of Jock Sutherland
Jock Sutherland
Dr. John Bain "Jock" Sutherland, D.D.S., was an American football coach. He coached college football at Lafayette College and the University of Pittsburgh and professional football for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Steelers...
, occasionally switching to a double wing set-up. Lach scored from six inches out following a 40-yard run by Bob Cifers
Bob Cifers
Robert Gale "Bob" Cifers was a professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Green Bay Packers. In 1938 he shattered the national high school football season scoring record. He scored 235 points in his 1938...
, which set up the first touchdown. Pittsburgh defeated Boston 30-14 in front of 18,894
spectators.
Lach's nine touchdowns in 1947 set a Steelers' club record. He was Pittsburgh's second leading ground gainer with 372 yards in
129 carries. Lach tied for 9th in the N.F.L. in points scored,
with 54.
Lach was one of eight members of the 1947 Pittsburgh Steelers team chosen as a pallbearer for the funeral of Coach Dr. John B. (Jock)
Sutherland on April 13, 1948. Sutherland died following a brain operation in West Penn Hospital.
Lach was released without explanation by new Steelers' coach, John Michclosen, on September 21, 1948. The Pittsburgh fullback job was awarded to Jerry Shipkey
Jerry Shipkey
Jerry Shipkey was a football player. He played as a linebacker for six seasons in the NFL.-External links:*...
, who played collegiate
football at U.C.L.A..