Inductees THE POTENT 1942 Spalding Institute football team, coached by the beloved Ennio Arboit, also a member of the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame, was the third unbeaten team in the history of the school but the first to go through a season without a tie game.
Brilliant on offense and exceptionally stern on defense, the Irish scored 258 points, averaging 32.2 a game, while allowing but 18 for the season.
Spalding produced five shutouts, with only Woodruff among city schools able to score on the Irish. The only scare for this talented team came in a narrow 7-6 win over Quincy Notre Dame.
A dozen Irish gridders were named to the all-Greater Peoria team including ends Stu Montgomery (honorary captain) and Jack Errion (who later became a head football coach at Spalding), tackles Jack Tomic and Jim Robitski, guards John Pavich (All-State selection), and Bill Seitz, center Jack Donnelly and backs Rollie lngold (both team and Greater Peoria Coaches' MVP), Bob Traeger, Bob Guinnee, Dick McLinden and George Coyle. This "Dream" Season climaxed the High School playing career of 18 seniors.
THE 1942 SEASON
Spalding 30, Bloomington Trinity 6
Spalding 33, Pekin 0
Spalding 40, Central 0
Spalding 44, Springfield Cathedral 0
Spalding 26, East Peoria 0
Spalding 7, Quincy Notre Dame 6
Spalding 45, Manual 0
Spalding 33, Woodruff 6