John Ghindia
Encyclopedia
John V. Ghindia, Jr. is a former American football
player. He played for the University of Michigan
's undefeated football teams in 1947 and 1948 and was the starting quarterback on the 1949 Michigan Wolverines football team
that finished the season ranked No. 7 in the country.
, in 1925. His father, John V. Ghindia, Sr. (1897-1983), was a Romanian immigrant who came to the United States in 1915 and worked in a steel mill. As a youth, Ghindia moved with his family to Ecorse, Michigan
. Ghindia played football for the University of Michigan
under head coaches Fritz Crisler
and Bennie Oosterbaan
from 1946 to 1949. He played for Michigan's "B" team as a freshman in 1946. As a sophomore, he was a backup at fullback
and halfback
for the undefeated 1947 Michigan Wolverines football team
. As a junior, he played for undefeated, national championship 1948 team
. However, Ghindia missed most of the 1948 season after suffering a knee injury in the first game of the 1948 season against Michigan State; Ghindia's knee required surgery in the off-season.
, Ghindia "called a masterful game" against Stanford. Another newspaper described Ghindia's performance as follows:
The following week, Ghindia fumbled on Michigan's 13-yard line leading to an Army touchdown and a 14-0 deficit in the second quarter; Army defeated Michigan 21-7, ending Michigan's 25-game winning streak dating back to the 1946 season. After consecutive losses to Army and Northwestern, Ghindia led the Wolverines to a 14-7 win against Minnesota. After the game, Arch Ward
of the Chicago Daily Tribune wrote, "John Ghindia's performance today should dispel all doubt about the caliber of Michigan's field generalship. He called plays expertly."
Ghindia started seven of nine games for the 1949 team
that finished with a record of 6-2-1, tied for the Big Ten Conference
championship and was ranked No. 7 in the final AP poll. Ghindia's value was as a play-caller and blocking back rather than as a pass
er or rush
er. Ghindia completed only one of seven passes in 1949 for 11 yards and threw two interceptions; halfback Chuck Ortmann
was the team's leading passer with 627 passing yards. Ghindia carried the ball only four times in 1949 for negative seven rushing yards.
. He was the school's first full-time coach. Ghindia later served as a high school football coach in his home town of Ecorse, Michigan. He was also a successful high school tennis coach, leading Ecorse High School
to several state championships. His tennis teams compiled a record of 251-82 from 1964 to 1986. Ghindia retired from teaching in 1986.
Ghindia also served as the director of the Ecorse Recreation Department starting in 1962 and used the position to further tennis in Ecorse.
Ghindia has been inducted into the Catholic League Hall of Fame, the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame and the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
's undefeated football teams in 1947 and 1948 and was the starting quarterback on the 1949 Michigan Wolverines football team
1949 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1949 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1949 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan...
that finished the season ranked No. 7 in the country.
Early years
Ghindia was born in Trumbull County, OhioTrumbull County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 225,116 people, 89,020 households, and 61,690 families residing in the county. The population density was 365 people per square mile . There were 95,117 housing units at an average density of 154 per square mile...
, in 1925. His father, John V. Ghindia, Sr. (1897-1983), was a Romanian immigrant who came to the United States in 1915 and worked in a steel mill. As a youth, Ghindia moved with his family to Ecorse, Michigan
Ecorse, Michigan
Ecorse is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan, named for the Ecorse River. The population was 9,512 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. Ghindia played football for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
under head coaches Fritz Crisler
Fritz Crisler
Herbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler was an American football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football," an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and defense. Crisler developed two-platoon football while serving as head coach at the University of...
and Bennie Oosterbaan
Bennie Oosterbaan
Benjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...
from 1946 to 1949. He played for Michigan's "B" team as a freshman in 1946. As a sophomore, he was a backup at fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
and halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
for the undefeated 1947 Michigan Wolverines football team
1947 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1947 Michigan Wolverines football team, nicknamed the "Mad Magicians", represented the University of Michigan in the 1947 college football season. Coached by Fritz Crisler, the Wolverines finished undefeated and untied with a 10–0 record...
. As a junior, he played for undefeated, national championship 1948 team
1948 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan during the 1948 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.-Schedule:...
. However, Ghindia missed most of the 1948 season after suffering a knee injury in the first game of the 1948 season against Michigan State; Ghindia's knee required surgery in the off-season.
1949 season
In 1949, Bill Bartlett began the season as Michigan's starting quarterback. In the second game of the season, head coach Oosterbaan made a surprise move starting Ghindia at quarterback against Stanford. Ghindia led the Wolverines to a 27-8 win over Stanford. According to the Chicago Daily TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Ghindia "called a masterful game" against Stanford. Another newspaper described Ghindia's performance as follows:
"Michigan's 'new' quarter-back, the veteran John Ghindia of Ecorse, Mich., a lad who came up the hard way, from the reserves, and who started his first game at the signal calling position
against Stanford, will handle the field general spot Saturday. The 1719-pound [sic] blocking back, who handled the generalship assignment reminiscent of Howard YergesHoward YergesHoward Frederick Yerges, Jr. was an American football player who played quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team in 1943 and the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1944 to 1947...
and Pete ElliottPete Elliott-External links:...
, quarterbacks on the 1947 and 1948 championship teams respectively, pulled a shaky first half team together and knitted into a confident, coordinated outfit. Significant was the fact that his precision blocking paved the way for the Wolverine running attack."
The following week, Ghindia fumbled on Michigan's 13-yard line leading to an Army touchdown and a 14-0 deficit in the second quarter; Army defeated Michigan 21-7, ending Michigan's 25-game winning streak dating back to the 1946 season. After consecutive losses to Army and Northwestern, Ghindia led the Wolverines to a 14-7 win against Minnesota. After the game, Arch Ward
Arch Ward
Arch Ward was the sports editor for the Chicago Tribune and personal friend of the owner, Robert R. McCormick. He created the MLB All-Star Game, the All-America Football Conference , the Golden Gloves amateur boxing tournament and the College All-Star Game. Ward was twice offered the job as...
of the Chicago Daily Tribune wrote, "John Ghindia's performance today should dispel all doubt about the caliber of Michigan's field generalship. He called plays expertly."
Ghindia started seven of nine games for the 1949 team
1949 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1949 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1949 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan...
that finished with a record of 6-2-1, tied for the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship and was ranked No. 7 in the final AP poll. Ghindia's value was as a play-caller and blocking back rather than as a pass
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
er or rush
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
er. Ghindia completed only one of seven passes in 1949 for 11 yards and threw two interceptions; halfback Chuck Ortmann
Chuck Ortmann
Charles H. Ortmann is a former American football player who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1948 to 1950 and in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1951 and the Dallas Texans in 1952....
was the team's leading passer with 627 passing yards. Ghindia carried the ball only four times in 1949 for negative seven rushing yards.
Coaching career
In July 1953, Ghindia accepted the position of head coach of all sports at St. Patrick High School in Wyandotte, MichiganWyandotte, Michigan
Wyandotte is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,883 at the 2010 census, a decrease of 7.6% from 2000. Wyandotte is located in southeastern Michigan, approximately south of Detroit on the Detroit River, and is part of the collection of communities known as...
. He was the school's first full-time coach. Ghindia later served as a high school football coach in his home town of Ecorse, Michigan. He was also a successful high school tennis coach, leading Ecorse High School
Ecorse Public Schools
Ecorse Public Schools is a school district headquartered in Ecorse, Michigan, United States. The district serves Ecorse.-Schools:Zoned* Ecorse Community High School * Grandport Elementary School * Ralph J. Bunche School Magnet...
to several state championships. His tennis teams compiled a record of 251-82 from 1964 to 1986. Ghindia retired from teaching in 1986.
Ghindia also served as the director of the Ecorse Recreation Department starting in 1962 and used the position to further tennis in Ecorse.
Ghindia has been inducted into the Catholic League Hall of Fame, the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame and the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame.