Then a rookie coach, John Ray (center) -- surrounded by Bob Lally, Steve Kopelka, Larry Wolf and Leon Matthews -- guided John Carroll to its first undefeated football season in 1959
Laying claim as the first undefeated football team in school history, the 1959 edition of the Blue Streaks has earned induction into the John Carroll University Athletic Hall of Fame.
The 1959 JCU football team will be inducted as part of this year's Hall of Fame contingent that includes Paul Voinovich (class of 1994) and Ben Wilkins (class of 1998) from the men's golf program, David Pfundstein (class of 1997) and Mark Heidorf (class of 1999) from the men's basketball program, Leslie Mahl (class of 1994) from the volleyball program, Grant Mast (class of 1998) from the men's soccer program, Rich Eslich (class of 1999) from the wrestling program, and Nick Caserio (class of 1999) from the football program.
The eight individual inductees and the 1959 football team will be feted at a ceremony that will be held on October 9 as part of Homecoming Weekend at John Carroll University.
As the second team to be elected into the Hall of Fame at John Carroll -- following the 1975 national champion wrestling team that was inducted last year -- the 1959 football team holds a special place in John Carroll athletic history. Under the direction of first-year head coach John Ray, the Blue Streaks posted a record of 7-0 overall and 5-0 mark in the Presidents' Athletic Conference. So dominant were the Streaks that the only points allowed in conference play that year came off an interception return for a touchdown.
The 1959 season featured five shutouts, including a season opening 45-0 win over Bethany, a 40-0 Homecoming win over Wayne State and a 20-0 victory over Washington & Jefferson on the final Saturday of the season that sealed the first undefeated season in JCU football history.
Perfection in a football season has only been achieved three times in JCU history. The 1959 team was the first to accomplish the feat, after which only the 1962 and 1963 teams were able to match the achievement. All three teams were headed up by coach Ray.
Two players from that team earned small college Catholic All-American honors, and four were drafted to play professional football.
All 42 members of the squad plus the coaching staff will be considered as part of the 1959 team that will be inducted on October 9, 2009.
