A Veterans Day Story: The 1943 Team, Bill Daley and Elroy Hirsch

In honor of Veterans Day, it's interesting to remember the story of the 1943 Michigan team, coached by Fritz Crisler. In the middle of World War II, players were transferring all over the country due to their military assignments. Michigan lost a few key transfers in 1943, and we also gained a couple very notable ones: Bill Daley (the best player on Minnesota's team) and Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch (the best player Wisconsin has ever had).

They both transferred to Michigan when they were assigned to military training facilities here, and they both helped U-M to an 8-1 record and No. 3 finish in the AP poll.

Hirsch's history at Michigan is pretty well-known. He played three sports here and earned multiple All-American honors. He later became the Wisconsin athletic director and then stabbed us in the back by (supposedly) voting for Ohio State to go to the Rose Bowl in 1973. Wisconsin continues to claim him as a legend; us, not so much.

I wasn't as familiar with Daley's story, though. He only played in six games at U-M, because midway through the season, he was transferred to another facility in New York. In his biggest game for U-M, he scored two TDs against his former Minnesota team, helping us win back the Little Brown Jug after nine years. So he won the jug three times as a Minnesota player and once as a Michigan player.

He was named an All-American for us, even though he only played six games.

If you want to know more, read this story on MVictors. You'll find it here. They posted it last year when Daley died at the age of 96.

Just wanted to share the story on Veterans Day! (And mods, please move this to Diaries if you think it's a better fit there.)