The 1932 Pittsburgh Panthers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1932 college football season. In its ninth season under head coach Jock Sutherland, the team compiled an 8–1–2 record, shut out eight of its eleven opponents, suffered its sole loss to USC in the 1933 Rose Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a total of 182 to 60. The team played its home games at Pitt Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Although there was no AP Poll to determine a national champion in 1932, the Knute K. Rockne Trophy was presented at the end of the season to the team deemed to be the national champion using the Dickinson System, a rating system developed by Frank G. Dickinson, a professor of economics of the University of Illinois. Michigan won the Rockne Trophy. Pittsburgh was ranked third.
Halfback Warren Heller and end Joe Skladany were both consensus first-team selections to the 1932 All-America team, and center Joseph Tormey earned third team United Press All-America honors.
Schedule
Preseason
Paul Reider was elected by his teammates to captain the Panthers, and W. Don Harrison announced that Jack McParland and Elmer Rosenblum were selected to be co-student managers for the varsity team through the 1932 football season.
On March 18, Coach Sutherland welcomed 60 candidates to spring practice. The Post-Gazette reported: "The Pitt coach is anxious to get under way, as he has the task of building an entirely new varsity line, as well as finding a punter...ahead of him." The spring session came to an end on April 23 with a regulation football game between the varsity and second team. Sophomore Henry Weisenbaugh scored a touchdown in the second quarter for the second teamers. Varsity back Warren Heller tied the score in the third period, but Clarence Hasson of the second team broke the tie in the last stanza with his touchdown and Zora Alpert added the point after. The second team triumphed 13 to 6.
On September 8, 50 Pitt players reported to Camp Hamilton for two weeks of preseason training. The Sun-Telegraph observed: "Despite the fact that the hardest football schedule in Pitt history lies ahead, and the entire varsity wall of 1931 rated by many the best in Pitt history is missing, Sutherland is so well pleased by the condition of his team and by the mental attitude of the players that he is almost able to forget his troubles for five or ten minutes at a time."
Due to the Depression, the athletic department lowered the ticket prices for the 1932 schedule. Box seat season tickets were lowered from $23.00 to $18.50; sideline seats from $15.00 to $14.00; and end seats from $9.50 to $7.60. Individual game tickets were lowered fifty cents to a dollar depending on the section. Boys under 16 were admitted to the Ohio Northern game for a dime, and the special boys' price was a quarter for the remaining home games.
Coaching staff
Roster
Game summaries
Ohio Northern
The Panthers opened their season at home on September 24th against the Ohio Northern Polar Bears, who last played Pitt in 1913. Pitt led the series 6–0 and had outscored the Polar Bears 179–0. Second-year head coach Harris Lamb led the 1931 team to a record setting 6–2 season. The Pitt News noted: "The Ohio boys are not exactly hopeful of beating the Panthers, but expect to offer more opposition than was afforded by Miami U., which faded before Pitt's attack in last year's opener."
Chester L. Smith of The Pittsburgh Press wrote: "This afternoon's match with the Polar Bears from Ada, O., is counted on by Dr. Jock Sutherland, the Pitt coach, to enable him to try out his first, second and third elevens. Captain Reider and his varsity mates will be on the field at the kickoff, but they will not remain in action long." Projected starter, fullback John Luch (appendicitis) was the only Panther on the roster unable to play.
Pitt drubbed the Polar Bears 47–0, as forty-three Panthers saw action. The Panthers scored seven touchdowns. Both Warren Heller and James Simms each scored two. Isadore Weinstock, Paul Reider and Richard Matesic contributed one apiece. Weinstock kicked three extra points and Tarciscio Onder converted two. Pitt accumulated 120 yards in penalties, which cost them three more scoring chances. The Pitt defense was also impressive as, it only allowed one first down and held the Northern offense to negative 74 yards for the game.
The Polar Bears finished the season with a 4–2–1 record. The Pittsburgh Panthers and Ohio Northern Polar Bears would not meet on the gridiron again.