What Is 1938 La Salle Explorers football team

Overview

The 1938 La Salle Explorers football team represented La Salle College, now known as La Salle University, during the 1938 college football season. Competing as an independent, the team was led by head coach Marty Brill in his second year at the helm and played its home games at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium.

The Explorers finished the season with a 5–4 record, demonstrating moderate improvement from the previous year’s 4–4–1 mark. Though not affiliated with a conference, the team faced a mix of regional collegiate opponents and military academies, typical of independent programs at the time.

• Record: The team compiled a 5–4 overall record, winning five and losing four games during the season.
• Scoring: The Explorers scored 110 total points across nine games, averaging 12.2 points per game.
• Coach:Marty Brill, in his second season, served as head coach and helped shape the team’s offensive and defensive strategies.
• Home Field: Games were played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium, later renamed John F. Kennedy Stadium, which seated over 100,000.
• Opponents: The schedule included teams like Temple, West Virginia, and Washington & Jefferson, reflecting regional competition trends.

Season Performance and Game Results

The 1938 season featured a balanced mix of wins and losses, with the team showing competitiveness against both strong and mid-tier programs. The Explorers opened the season with a win and maintained a winning streak early, though inconsistency later in the year led to a losing record in the final stretch.

• September 24: La Salle defeated West Virginia Wesleyan 19–0 in the season opener at Municipal Stadium.
• October 1: The team won again, beating Washington & Jefferson 13–7 in a close defensive battle.
• October 8: A 20–13 loss to Temple marked the first defeat, against a strong in-state rival.
• October 22: La Salle bounced back with a 19–0 shutout of Western Maryland, showcasing defensive strength.
• November 5: The Explorers lost 13–7 to West Virginia, a team that finished 5–4–1 that season.
• November 12: A 20–13 win over Georgetown improved their record to 4–3 at midseason.
• November 19: A 19–0 victory against St. Mary’s (Md.) highlighted late-season momentum.
• November 26: The season concluded with a 13–7 loss to Carnegie Tech, ending at 5–4.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 1938 La Salle Explorers with select peer teams from the same season:

The table shows that La Salle’s performance was comparable to regional peers, with a slightly better record than Temple and Georgetown. Their point differential of +22 indicated a balanced team, outscoring opponents by an average of just over 2 points per game. The Explorers’ defense allowed fewer points than Temple and Georgetown, highlighting defensive consistency.

Why It Matters

The 1938 season is a notable chapter in La Salle’s early football history, reflecting the program’s development during the pre-World War II era. Though not a national power, the team’s competitive schedule and solid record demonstrated the growing stature of Philadelphia-based collegiate programs.

• Program Growth: The 5–4 record under Marty Brill signaled gradual improvement from prior seasons.
• Regional Rivalries: Games against Temple and West Virginia helped build local fan interest and tradition.
• Stadium Legacy: Playing at Municipal Stadium connected the team to Philadelphia’s broader sports culture.
• Historical Context: The season occurred during the Great Depression, a time when college sports provided public morale boosts.
• Player Development: The team served as a training ground for athletes who might have pursued semi-pro or military service careers.
• Foundation for Future: This era laid groundwork for La Salle’s later participation in the Big 5 Philadelphia basketball rivalry, though football was eventually discontinued.

Though La Salle dropped football after 1941 due to financial and wartime constraints, the 1938 season remains a testament to the program’s early ambitions and regional significance in college football history.