1927

Notes and Stats

Fourteen points from an unbeaten season -- and two from a losing campaign...The Oilers set up to kick the extra point against Sharpsville, but faked out the Blue Devils and Walter "Spike" McLain passed to Chester Mott for the point instead...McLain also scored the touchdown as the Oilers handed Sharpsville its first loss in 14 games...Mott was filling in for Henry Silverman, who rushed for 147 yards the game before against Warren St. Joseph, a military academy...Silverman was out for the season after breaking his leg in practice the Wednesday before the Sharpsville game...

McLain also scored the only TD against Titusville, and Harold Klase's kick for the extra point was the difference...The big play of the 33-yard drive was a 12-yard lateral to Truby Forker to the 1...The Oilers lost another big back, Frank "Bruv" O'Day, to a knee injury in the first quarter...Eddie Yorke replaced O'Day in the lineup...They were also without Phil "Nooky" Olmes in a 12-6 loss to Warren the next week...The Dragons scored on pass plays covering 22 and 25 yards...Forker scored the Oilers' only TD on a 20-yard run...McLain averaged 40 yards a punt against Warren...

Following the scoreless tie with Meadville, the Oilers had an Armistice Day game scheduled with PNA College, but the college team canceled...

McLain completed 10 of 16 passes (according to The Derrick's play-by-play) for 137 yards and a TD...Arleigh Huff caught 6 passes for 90 yards...McLain also rushed 13 times for 97 yards and scored on a 26-yard run...Forker added 92 yards on 14 carries and scored on a 32-yard run...

A 57-yard interception return for a TD was the difference in the second game with Franklin...Flash McClintock scored on runs of 80 and 45 yards in Franklin's 14-13 decision over the Oilers...McClintock was said to be the fastest guy around since Herb Eckert, another Franklin speed merchant...Oil City's TDs came on a 25-yard pass from McLain to Huff and a 30-yard run by Forker...

O'Day scored a TD and passed to Forker for another in the opener against Greenville...Forker scored twice...McLain had runs of 25 and 13 yards in a 70-yard march that resulted in O'Day's TD, a 5-yard run...Huff blocked a punt to set up Forker's first score...McLain's 23-yard run led to a 3-yard TD by Silverman...McLain also returned an interception 25 yards before scoring his TD from 5 yards away...McLain sprained his ankle in the game...

While Silverman rushed for 147 yards and O'Day 141 according to The Derrick's play-by-play account, the game story said they each gained about 170 yards...Meanwhile, The Blizzard reported Silverman, a workhorse type, rushed for more than 200 and O'Day added 150...O'Day scored three TDs on runs of 35, 30 and 8 yards, and McLain added an 11-yard TD...

Forker and McLain each scored 5 touchdowns to lead the Oilers...Forker led the team in scoring with 31 points...O'Day added 28 points, scoring 4 TDs...McLain and O'Day each threw 2 touchdown passes...O'Day was elected honorary captain...

Midway through the season it was announced that former Oiler Jack Cleaves would play for Princeton against Harvard in a special alumni game Oct. 31 at Yankee Stadium...It was hoped that the game would patch up severed relations between the two schools...Princeton won, 7-0...Proceeds went to the Red Cross...

Meadville Tribune All-Alpha Phi Team

First team -- G Bill Borland, QB Walter "Spike" McLain

Second team -- E Arleigh Huff, G Harold Klase

Meadville won the leg of the Alpha Cup with a 13-7 victory over Franklin, scoring with 20 seconds left when Harry Dennison caught an 8-yard pass for his second TD of the game...McClintock returned a fumble 80 yards for the only Franklin TD...