1955 Compton Tartars football team

1955 Compton Tartars football
Junior college national champion
WSC champion
Junior Rose Bowl champion
ConferenceWestern State Conference
Record11–0 (5–0 WSC)
Head coach
Home stadiumRamsaur Stadium
Seasons
← 1954
1956 →
1955 Western State Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Compton $ 5 – 0 – 0 11 – 0 – 0
Pasadena 4 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Los Angeles City 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 1
Ventura 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Glendale 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Pierce 0 – 5 – 0 2 – 6 – 1

The 1955 Compton Tartars football team was an American football team that represented Compton College as a member of the Western State Conference (WSC) during the 1955 junior college football season. In their 16th-year under head coach Tay Brown, the Tartars compiled a perfect 11–0 record (5–0 in conference games), won the WSC championship, defeated Jones County in the Junior Rose Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a total of 403 to 63.

At the end of the regular season, Compton was ranked No. 1 and Jones County No. 2 in the junior college rankings.[1] With its victory over Jones County in the Junior Rose Bowl, Compton was acknowledged as the junior college national champion.[2][3]

Halfback Jim Waddell set the school's single game rushing record with 317 yards, scored 107 points, and ranked with the school's all-time rushing and scoring leaders (and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees), Hugh McElhenny and Joe Perry.[4][5]

Compton placed five players on the first team of the 1955 All-Western State Conference football team: Jim Waddell and Lee Mack at back; Jack Atwood at center; Dick Long at guard; and David Main at tackle. Four others were named to the second team: Bunny Aldrich at back; Marvin Perz at guard; Joe Lewis at tackle; and Charles McNeil at end.[6] Lee Mack scored nine touchdowns in the first eight games of the season, but missed the remainder of the season after fracturing his hip in the game against Glendale.[7]

The team played its home games at Ramsaur Stadium in Compton, California.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 25Long Beach Navy*W 28–0
October 1Stockton Junior College*
  • Ramsaur Stadium
  • Compton, CA
W 32–2
October 8at Oregon Tech*
W 60–7[8]
October 15Pierce
  • Ramsaur Stadium
  • Compton, CA
W 66–0
October 21at Ventura
W 13–7[9]
October 29at Hartnell*Salinas, CAW 28–0
November 5Weber*
  • Ramsaur Stadium
  • Compton, CA
W 63–14[10]
November 11at Glendale (CA)
W 26–0[11]
November 17Los Angeles City
  • Ramsaur Stadium
  • Compton, CA
W 20–2[12]
November 23at Pasadena
W 45–1812,227[13]
December 10vs. Jones County*
W 22–1357,132[14]
  • *Non-conference game

References

  1. ^ "Compton, Jonnes Vie for National Title: Top-Ranked Tartar 11 Captures 3rd JRB Bid". Pasadena Independent. November 29, 1955. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Compton National Champion". Valley Times. December 12, 1955. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Compton Claims No. 1 Ranking After Victory". The Pomona Progress Bulletin. December 12, 1955. p. 8 (sectio 2) – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Compton's Waddell Is On Par With Joe, Hugh". San Mateo Times. December 8, 1955. p. 31 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Waddell Improving: Concussion Hampers Tartar Ace". Pasadena Independent. December 13, 1955. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Tartars Dominate Conference Picks". News-Pilot. December 3, 1955. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Don Snyder (November 15, 1955). "JRB Hopefuls Roll On; Compton Star Injured". Los Angeles Times. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Clayton Hannon (October 9, 1955). "Compton Tartars Outclass Owl Gridders, 60-7". Herald and News. Klamath Falls, Oregon. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Chuuck Thomas (October 24, 1955). "Pirates Scare Compton, Bow to Latest Score, 13-7: Louis Byrd Anchors Stiff Ventura Defense". The Ventura County Star-Free Press. p. II-4 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Compton Defeats Weber 63 to 14". the Daily Herald (Provo, UT). November 7, 1955. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Valley JC Upset by Harbor, 18-7". Los Angeles Times. November 12, 1955. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Compton in 9th Victory". Los Angeles Mirror-News. November 18, 1955. p. III-5 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Jim Galbraith (November 24, 1955). "Compton Back Ruins Pasadena 11, 45-18: Lancer End Rips Mark". Pasadena Independent. p. A1 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Jim Gabraith (December 11, 1955). "Waddell-Less Compton Trips Up Jones, 21-13: 57,132 Fans See Tartars Nab 3rd JRB". Pasadena Independent. p. 31 – via Newspapers.com.