Joe Magliolo
| Joe Magliolo | |
|---|---|
| College | Texas |
| Conference | Southwest Conference |
| Sport | Football |
| Position | QB, DB, G |
| Jersey # | 61, 62 |
| Class | 1948 |
| Major | Chemical Engineering |
| Career | 1942–1948 |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Born | October 17, 1922 Galveston, TX |
| Died | July 31, 2008 Houston, TX |
| High school | Ball High School |
| Career highlights | |
| Honors | |
| |
| Bowl games | |
Joseph S. Magliolo, Jr. (October 17, 1922 - July 31, 2008) was a former college and professional football player. He was an all-conference quarterback in 1943 who led the Longhorns to conference championships in 1942 and 1943, and to its first two bowl games at the end of those seasons.
Early life
Magliolo was born in Galveston in 1922, where he played football and tennis at Ball High School.[1][2]
College Football
Magliolo started school at Texas in 1939 and in 1940, 1941 and 1942 he came out for spring practice, but it wasn't until 1942, when World War II created a shortage of players, that he tried out for the varsity in the fall. In 1942, despite being an unheralded high school player whose parents didn't want him to play, Magliolo became Coach Dana X. Bible's choice for starting "blocking back" at the start of the season.[3][4][5] At the time, Texas was utilizing the single-wing formation in which the quarterback didn't pass or control the ball as much as the quarterback does in modern football, and was often called the "blocking back." The work of taking snaps and throwing the ball was primarily handled by the fullback, who in 1942 was Roy McKay. Later in the season when the Longhorns began playing against pass-oriented offenses in the Southwest Conference, William Harold "Spot" Collins became the starter because players went both ways, and Collins was seen as the better pass defender.[4] Still, with platoon football, Magliolo saw considerable playing time right through to the 1943 Cotton Bowl.[6] That season, Texas went 9-2 and won the Southwest Conference championship to finish ranked #11 in the country. They played in, and won, the school's first ever bowl game with a 14-7 win over Georgia Tech in the 1943 Cotton Bowl.
In 1943, Magliolo was named one of three team captains for the Longhorns,[7] and the starting quarterback.[8] That season, the Longhorns went 7-1-1, posted the school's first ever repeat conference championship, finished ranked #14 and tied Randolph Field in the 1944 Cotton Bowl.
After leaving school to serve in the Navy for two years, where he was an executive officer on a PT boat in the Philippines during World War II, Magliolo returned to Texas in 1947.[1] By then the Longhorns had switched to the T-formation which did not need a blocking back, and Magliolo was moved to left guard.[9] He was solid on offense, but excelled on defense and wound up making 3rd Team All-Southwest Conference as the Longhorns went 10-1 to finish ranked #5 and beat Alabama in the 1948 Sugar Bowl, a game in which Magliolo started.[10]
Pro Football
Magliolo was first drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in the 17th round of the 1944 NFL Draft, but he never signed with them and instead went off to war. He was then drafted by the New York Yankees of the All-America Football Conference in the 15th round of the 1948 AAFC draft and played one season for them that year. He played defensive back, recording one interception in 13 games.[1]
Later Life
Magliolo earned a chemical engineering degree from Texas in 1948. In 1950, he went to work for Monsanto where he spent 27 years as a chemical engineer. In 1980, he purchased the Bay Area Racquet Club near the Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake, Texas and became an advocate for local tennis.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Snyder, Mike (13 August 2008). "Obi: Joseph Magliolo, chemical engineer, tennis fan". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
- ^ "Ball High Netters Play at Houston San Jacinto Squad". Galveston Daily News. 18 February 1938. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
- ^ "Men for Grid Team". Paris News. 13 June 1943. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
- ^ a b "Texas Soph might be Texas Starter". The Mexia Weekly Herald. 11 September 1942. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
- ^ Grayson, Harry (14 November 1942). "Collins, Magliolo Pave Way For Texas Speedmen; Bible Develops Blockers And Steers Roll Onward". Mount Carmel Item. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
- ^ Ratliff, Harold (2 January 1943). "Rigid Texas Line Beats Ga. Tech" (PDF). The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
- ^ "Bible Names Captains For Texas Longhorns". Lubbock Morning Avalanche. 21 September 1943. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
- ^ Olsne, Homer (24 October 1943). "Longhorns Run Wild to Overwhelm Rice Owls 58-0". The Brownsville Herald. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
- ^ Grayson, Harry (16 December 1947). "Grayson's Scoreboard". Breckenridge American. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
- ^ Ratliff, Harold V. (1 December 1947). "SMU AND TEXAS DOMINATE ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS". The Eagle. Retrieved 3 March 2015.