1961 Ball State Cardinals football team

American college football season

1961 Ball State Cardinals football

Head coach Jim Freeman diagrams a play for quarterback Phil Sullivan, 1961

Conference| Indiana Collegiate Conference
Record| 2–5–1 (2–4 ICC)
Head coach|

* Jim Freeman (6th season)

Captain| Peter Jubeck, Al Thomas
Home stadium| Ball State Field

Seasons

<- 1960

1962 ->

1961 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Butler $  | 6  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 0  | - | 0
Valparaiso | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 2  | - | 0
Evansville | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 0
DePauw | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0
Ball State | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 5  | - | 1
Indiana State | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0
Saint Joseph's (IN) | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 7  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

The 1961 Ball State Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented Ball State College (later renamed Ball State University) in the Indiana Collegiate Conference (ICC) during the 1961 college football season. In its sixth season under head coach Jim Freeman, the Cardinals compiled a 2–5–1 record, were outscored by a total of 179 to 68, and finished in a three-way tie for fourth place out of seven teams in the ICC.[1][2]

Fullback Peter Jubeck and center Al Thomas were the team's co-captains.[3]

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|

September 23| Eastern Michigan*|

* Ball State Field
* Muncie, IN

| T 0–0| > 7,500| [4]
September 30| at Butler|

* Butler Bowl
* Indianapolis, IN

| L 6–48| 7,450| [5][6]
October 7| DePauw|

* Ball State Field
* Muncie, IN

| L 8–10| | [7]
October 14| at Saint Joseph's (IN)| Rensselaer, IN| W 8–0| | [8]
October 21| Indiana State|

* Ball State Field
* Muncie, IN (Blue Key Victory Bell)

| L 0–41| > 9,000| [9][10]
October 28| at Valparaiso| Valparaiso, IN| L 20–28| | [11][12]
November 4| Evansville|

* Ball State Field
* Muncie, IN

| W 6–3| | [13]
November 11| at Ohio Northern*| Ada, OH| L 20–49| | [14][15]

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming

[1]

## Statistics

[edit]

The Cardinals tallied 1,729 yards of total offense (216.1 yards per game), consisting of 1,256 rushing yards (157 yards per game) and 473 passing yards (59.1 yards per game). On defense, the Cardinals gave up 2,102 yards (262.8 yards per game) with and 1,496 rushing yards (187 yards per game) and 606 passing yards (75.8 yards per game).[2]

The team set a program record by losing 33 fumbles in a season -- an average of more than four fumbles lost per game. The record remains unbroken as of the 2024 season.[16]

Senior quarterback Phil Sullivan led the team in passing, completing 20 of 69 passes (28.9% completion percentage) for 269 yards.[17] He also led the team with 374 yards of total offense.[2]

Halfback Joe Burvan in rushing, tallying 278 rushing yards on 54 carries for an average of 5.1 yards per carry.[18]

Halfback Joe Robinson led the team in scoring with 20 points on three touchdowns and a two-point conversion.[19]

End Larry Hamel was the team's receiving leader with 145 receiving yards on 9 receptions for an average of 16.1 yards per reception.[20]

## Awards

[edit]

The John Magnabosco Award for the most outstanding player of 1961 went to center and co-captain Al Thomas.[21]

## Players

[edit]

* Jim Biltz, halfback, 156 pounds
* Terry Bonta, quarterback, sophomore, 170 pounds
* John Burtrum, halfback, 175 pounds
* Joe Burvan, halfback, 170 pounds
* Frank Cerqueira, tackle, sophomore, 196 pounds
* Larry Dreasky, fullback, sophomore, 173 pounds
* Colin Duffala, end
* Jim Freeman, guard, 215 pounds
* Larry Hamell (sometimes Hamel), end, 209 pounds
* Ted Huber, guard, 190 pounds
* Don Hunter, center
* Peter Jubeck (sometimes listed as Jubek), fullback and co-captain, senior
* Dick Lootens, guard, 187 pounds
* George McKay, end, 204 pounds
* Dick Rinehart, tackle, 221 pounds
* Joe Robinson, halfback, 180 pounds
* John Shipley, quarterback, 161 pounds
* Max Smith, end
* Phil Sullivan, quarterback, senior, 160 pounds
* Al Thomas, center and co-captain, 207 pounds
* John Walker, halfback
* Ron Webb, end, 193 pounds
* Dave Welcome, tackle, 225 pounds
* Bob Wetnight, fullback, sophomore
* Jim Zielinski, tackle, 224 pounds

[22][9]

Jim Freeman was regarded as one of the ICC's best lineman, sustained a serious knee injury in the Cardinals' homecoming loss to Indiana State and was lost to the team for the remainder of the season.[23]

## See also

[edit]

* Film of Easern Michigan game
* Film of Evansville game

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Record Book Ball State Football" (PDF). Ball State University. 2024. p. 54. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
2. ^ a b c "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
3. ^ Ron Lemasters (September 3, 1961). "Backfield Wealth Mark of '61 Cards". The Muncie Star. p. 1 (sports) - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ Bob Barnet (September 24, 1961). "0-0 Grid Start With Hurons Riddles Cards Via Injuries". The Muncie Star. p. 1C - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ Jep Cadou Jr. (October 1, 1961). "Bulldogs Grab 6 Fumbles, Trample Ball State, 48-6". The Indianapolis Star. p. IV-1 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ Bob Barnet (October 1, 1961). "Bulldogs Alert, Cards Dazed: 48-6; Six Butler Scores Result of Blunders". The Muncie Star. p. 1 (sports) - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ Ron Lemasters (October 8, 1961). "Cards Had It Won -- Then Came the Kick; DePauw Field Goal in Final Minutes Nullifies Gamble, Takes 10-8 Victory". The Muncie Star. pp. 1C, 2C - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Ball State Finds Victim: Cardinal Defense Offsets Fumbles, Nips St. Joe, 8-0". The Muncie Star. October 15, 1961. p. Sports 1 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ a b Jerry Fennell (October 20, 1961). "Sycamores Stoutest Winless Team Among State Elevens". The Muncie Star. p. 21 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ Bob Barnet (October 22, 1961). "Grads View 41-0 Debacle: Cardinal Collapse Spurs Sycamores". The Muncie Star. pp. 1C, 3C - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "Valpo Batters Down Cards in 2nd Half: Overcomes BSC Lead at 28-20". The Muncie Star. October 29, 1961. p. 1 (sports) - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ Bob Cuccia (October 30, 1961). "Crusaders, Butler Ready For Showdown: VU Trails Cards 3 Times But Wins Sixth Straight". Vidette-Messenger. p. 7 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "Subs, Defense Halt Aces: Late BSC Gamble Leads to 6-3 Win". The Muncie Star. November 5, 1961. pp. 1C, 3C - via Newspapers.com.
14. ^ "Card Fumbles Aid Own Burial in 49-20 Grid Wind-Up Defeat". The Muncie Star. November 12, 1961. p. 1 (sports) - via Newspapers.com.
15. ^ "Bears Feast". Mansfield News-Journal. November 12, 1961. p. 34 - via Newspapers.com.
16. ^ Record Book, p. 32.
17. ^ Record Book, p. 18.
18. ^ Record Book, p. 14.
19. ^ Record Book, p. 24.
20. ^ Record Book, p. 22.
21. ^ Record Book, p. 40.
22. ^ "96 Cardinals Get Varsity, Frosh Awards". Muncie Evening Press. December 5, 1961. p. 11 - via Newspapers.com.
23. ^ Bob Barnet (October 23, 1961). "Freeman Loss Worst Blow for Luckless Cards". The Muncie Star. p. 6 - via Newspapers.com.

* v
* t
* e

Ball State Cardinals football

Venues|

* Ball State Field (1924–1967)
* Scheumann Stadium (1967–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Indiana State (Blue Key Victory Bell)
* Northern Illinois (Bronze Stalk Trophy)

Culture & lore|

* Charlie Cardinal
* The Pride of Mid-America Marching Band

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1924
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*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties