[1927 UM vs Ohio Wesleyan Game Story, The Michigan Daily]
MICHIGAN WINS OPENING GAME BY 33-0 SCORE
RECORD ATTENDANCE OF 40,000 PEOPLE WITNESS
CONTEST DESPITE RAIN
OFFENSE STRONG
Babcock Features In Returning Punts And End Running;
Defense is Impregnable
By Herbert Vedder
Displaying a passing attack which was spectacular and productive but not at all dependable, and with a running attack which was the best a Michigan eleven has shown in several years but which is not yet in finished form, the Wolverines swept easily to a 33-0 victory over Ohio Wesleyan yesterday in the first game in the new stadium.
A crowd of more than 40,000 people witnessed the game to set a new attendance record in spite of the rain which assumed the proportions of a downpour several times before the game time and which continued through the greater part of the contest. The sun did not come out until the latter part of the second quarter.
Out of the maze of the opening game, however, one figure stands out in bold relief-that of Louis Gilbert. It was Gilbert who rose to take the mantle of all-around man left last June by All-American Bennie Friedman. The entire Wolverine attack was built around Gilbert, the passer, the runner, the punter and the goal kicker.
Gilbert in Every Score
Gilbert figured in every one of the scores made by the Maize and Blue. It was Gilbert who tossed a 15-yard pass to Laverne Taylor for the first touchdown in the stadium scarcely five minutes after the kickoff. It was Gilbert who caught a short, partially blocked Wesleyan punt and ran 24 yards for the second score. Again just before the half ended it was Gilbert who passed 20 yards to Hoffman who ran across the goal line for the third touchdown.
Immediately following this, Wesleyan's kickoff was short and Walder ran the ball back to Midfield. On the next play Gilbert passed to Capt. Bennie Oosterbaan who loped across for the fourth touchdown unmolested.
It was Gilbert who received the kickoff to open the second half and ran 90 yards for touchdown with his teammates blocking beautifully. Gilbert also strove to follow Friedman as a kicker of field goals. He made good on four of five tries but the last one was disallowed because of holding by the Wolverines.
Perhaps the most gratifying part of the game from the Michigan standpoint was the undisputed reserve strength showed by the Maize and Blue in the line. At tackle, four men performed creditably to say the least and all contributed, working with the ends to make the off tackle running attack formidable. Grinnell and Pommerening who started the game were later relieved by Poorman and Walder, who did well. Gabel was kept out.
Michigan Ends Strong
At end, the Wolverines showed undisputed strength with Oosterbaan, the nonpareil, Taylor, the flashy sophomore, and Boden sharing major honors. Boden was slated to start at right end but Taylor's back was so improved that he was allowed to start. Boden got in later and showed well defensively.
Wesleyan threatened the Michigan goal only once, in the first quarter. Thomas kicked out of bounds on the Wolverine 10 yard stripe. Halide then ran back Gilbert's partially blocked punt but a moment later Palmeroli recovered a fumble on his own 16 yard line.
In the second quarter the Wolverines lost a scoring chance, Boden blocking a punt which Palmeroli recovered on the 12 yard line.. Babcock fought at left end for no gain; Gilbert had the same luck, being stopped by Kyle. Gembis made it two yards for the three tries. On a fourth down, a pass over the goal line slipped past Oosterbaan's outstretched hands, later in the same quarter.
Babcock Shows Well
Sammy Babcock showed to advantage in running back punts and kickoffs from his safety post. Also he skirted the ends for several gains of 20 to 30 yards each. He also caught one of Michigan's five completed passes. Geistert who did not get into the game until late in the final period, ripped off one run of 30 yards.
In passing the Wolverines completed only 5 of 19, two being intercepted. Three of the five accounted for touchdowns, however. Wesleyan completed only 2 of 16 tried, three being intercepted.
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