Robert Derleth
Encyclopedia
Robert J. "Bob" Derleth (born June 9, 1922 in Marquette, Michigan
) was an American football
lineman. He played college football
for the University of Michigan
Wolverines football
teams in 1942, 1943, 1945 and 1946—missing the 1944 season due to military service. He also played professional football for the Detroit Lions
in 1947.
in 1922. He enrolled at the University of Michigan where he joined the football team coached by Fritz Crisler
in 1942. He started several games for the Wolverines at the tackle
position in 1943. Derleth was also the captain of the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey
team in 1943.
After the 1943 season, Derleth was inducted into the U.S. Navy
and assigned to aviation training cadet at the Iowa Pre-Flight School in Iowa City, Iowa
. He also played football on the Navy's Iowa Seahawks team
. The 1944 Iowa Seahawks included star players such as Les Horvath
, and defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes
in 1944 by a score of 30 to 6. Derleth also took up track while in the Navy as reflected in a June 1945 wire report: "Bob Derleth and Bobby Mickelson took up track for the first time this season. Proof that Derleth, a former Michigan football tackle, catches on quickly is illustrated by his 133 feet 7-inch cast of the discus which brought him the all-time Seahawk mark in the event."
While Derleth was serving in the Navy, the Detroit Lions
selected him as a late pick in the 29th round of the 1944 NFL Draft
. Upon being placed on inactive status by the Navy in October 1945, Derleth elected to return to the University of Michigan rather than play professional football. The Associated Press
reported that Derleth's return to the team had "sparked" the Wolverines. The article continued:
Derleth did not return to the starting lineup for Michigan in 1945, but he did see action in the November 1945 "Homecoming" game against Minnesota. During the 1946 season, Derleth returned to the starting lineup at the tackle position. Derleth suffered a concussion in the 1946 game against Illinois and did not play the following week. After his 1946 season at Michigan, Derleth was drafted in by the Chicago Rockets
in the 1947 AAFC
draft, this time being taken as the 25th overall pick. In May 1947, Derleth signed instead with the Detroit Lions, who still held the NFL rights to his services. At the time Derleth signed with the Lions, he weighed 230 pounds. The 1947 Detroit Lions team included six former Michigan football players, including Derleth's Wolverine teammates Bob Westfall
, Merv Pregulman
, Bob Wiese
, and Elmer Madar
. Derleth appeared in only one game for the Lions in 1947. He was later recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame
on the honor roll of more than 1,000 NFL
personnel to serve in the military during World War II
.
Marquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
) was an American football
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...
lineman. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
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...
Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
teams in 1942, 1943, 1945 and 1946—missing the 1944 season due to military service. He also played professional football for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in 1947.
Biography
Derleth was born in Marquette, MichiganMarquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
in 1922. He enrolled at the University of Michigan where he joined the football team coached by 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...
in 1942. He started several games for the Wolverines at the tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
position in 1943. Derleth was also the captain of the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey
Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey
The Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Earning varsity status in 1922, the program is competing in its 90th season...
team in 1943.
After the 1943 season, Derleth was inducted into the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and assigned to aviation training cadet at the Iowa Pre-Flight School in Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
. He also played football on the Navy's Iowa Seahawks team
Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks football
The Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks represented the U.S. Navy pre-flight school at the University of Iowa in the college football seasons of 1942, 1943, and 1944.- History :...
. The 1944 Iowa Seahawks included star players such as Les Horvath
Les Horvath
Leslie "Les" Horvath was the 1944 Heisman Trophy winner, who played quarterback and halfback for the Ohio State University.- Early life :He was born in South Bend, Indiana, and raised in the Cleveland, Ohio area....
, and defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in 1944 by a score of 30 to 6. Derleth also took up track while in the Navy as reflected in a June 1945 wire report: "Bob Derleth and Bobby Mickelson took up track for the first time this season. Proof that Derleth, a former Michigan football tackle, catches on quickly is illustrated by his 133 feet 7-inch cast of the discus which brought him the all-time Seahawk mark in the event."
While Derleth was serving in the Navy, the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
selected him as a late pick in the 29th round of the 1944 NFL Draft
1944 NFL Draft
The 1944 National Football League Draft was held on April 19, 1944.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:-Round eleven:...
. Upon being placed on inactive status by the Navy in October 1945, Derleth elected to return to the University of Michigan rather than play professional football. The Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that Derleth's return to the team had "sparked" the Wolverines. The article continued:
"Derleth reported for practice yesterday after being placed on inactive dutv by the Navy. The Marquette, Mich., lineman immediately was issued a uniform and put in considerable time at the right guard spot during scrimmage. The former aviation cadet said he was in 'pretty good' physical shape and was an inch taller and about 14 pounds heavier than the last time he played for Michigan. In 1942 he was six-two and weighed 203."
Derleth did not return to the starting lineup for Michigan in 1945, but he did see action in the November 1945 "Homecoming" game against Minnesota. During the 1946 season, Derleth returned to the starting lineup at the tackle position. Derleth suffered a concussion in the 1946 game against Illinois and did not play the following week. After his 1946 season at Michigan, Derleth was drafted in by the Chicago Rockets
Chicago Rockets
The Chicago Rockets was an American football team that played in the All-America Football Conference from 1946 to 1949. During the 1949 season, the team was known as the Chicago Hornets...
in the 1947 AAFC
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
draft, this time being taken as the 25th overall pick. In May 1947, Derleth signed instead with the Detroit Lions, who still held the NFL rights to his services. At the time Derleth signed with the Lions, he weighed 230 pounds. The 1947 Detroit Lions team included six former Michigan football players, including Derleth's Wolverine teammates Bob Westfall
Bob Westfall
Robert Barton "Bullet Bob" Westfall was an American football fullback who played for the University of Michigan and the Detroit Lions . He was a consensus first-team All-American in 1941 and a first-team All-Pro player in 1945...
, Merv Pregulman
Merv Pregulman
Mervin Pregulman is a former All-American football tackle and center who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines and in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers , Detroit Lions , and New York Bulldogs ....
, Bob Wiese
Bob Wiese
Robert Lee Wiese was an American football player. He played college football for Fritz Crisler's University of Michigan Wolverines football teams in 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1946—missing the 1945 season due to military service...
, and Elmer Madar
Elmer Madar
Elmer F. Madar was an All American football player at the University of Michigan in 1942 and 1946. Born in Sykesville, Pennsylvania, Madar played football at Northeastern High School in Detroit...
. Derleth appeared in only one game for the Lions in 1947. He was later recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
on the honor roll of more than 1,000 NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
personnel to serve in the military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.