Friar Football
Beginning in 1921, just four years after the College’s opening in 1917, the Providence College football team took the field for the first time. Providence played at the Cycledrome and Hendricken Field and sometimes Cranston Stadium playing to crowds that sometimes exceeded 10,000 fans. They had a all-time record 67–86–16. During those years the school had rivals the like of Boston College, Holy Cross, St John's and Rhode Island State. With the coming of the Second World War the college suspended its football program. It was the need for soldiers in World War II that brought the varsity football era at Providence College to an end.
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Notable Rhode Island schoolboy footballers played for the Dominicans during their gridiron era in the city. One of the first was All-State Quarterback Joe McGee (Woonsocket High). McGee transferred from Holy Cross and became the Friars first captain in 1921 and again in 1922. He would later coach the Friars from 1933 to 1937. Two-time all-state quarterback Tom "Junie" Bride (Cranston High) had a 60 yard touchdown run for the Friars over the Coast Guard Academy in 1926. He also became back field coach under Joe McGee. Rhode Island State transfer Bill Connor (Technical High) was captain in 1923 and went on to play in the NFL for the Boston Bulldogs and Newark Tornadoes. Leo Smith (Westerly High) was Mr. Varsity at Providence College. He earned an incredible 10 letters and was All-New England and All-East in 1928. Dixie Mathews (Technical High) at end, Joe Gomes (East Providence High) and guard Lou Matthews (Cranston High) followed.
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All-Stater Omer Landry (Central Falls High) was captain in 1935 and led at quarterback with running back Dick Vitullo (Warren High) and future NFLer Hank Soar (Pawtucket High). Vitullo would go on to play for Jersey City Giants and Providence Steam Roller in the American Football Association. Soar, one of the greatest Rhode Island high school athletes ever, would later enjoy a lengthy career with the New York Giants before becoming a successful Major League Baseball umpire. Soar, a running back and a defensive back, played for the Giants for ten seasons earning one Pro Bowl nomination. He was one of the first players to be fined by the NFL’s league and he also caught the game winning touchdown pass in the 1938 NFL championship game against the Green Bay Packers.
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Carroll "Red" Gould (Cranston High), like Soar, a suburb three sport athlete in high school, spurned Dartmouth College to come to Providence followed by Charlie Gaffney (La Salle). Ben Abrams (Hope High), Walter Garbecki (Technical High), Charlie Burdge (Warren High) and Bill Kutniewski (Commercial High) all played for the Steam Roller after college. Kutniewski, was captain and All-New England while being named to the Polish All-American team in 1934. Ben Polak (Warren High) was captain of the 1937 unit and also played for the Roller. Chuck Avedisian (Pawtucket High), was named to the All-East region football team and was a member of the N.Y. Herald Tribune Eastern All-Stars that played the New York Giants in 1941. He also played for the NFL Giants from 1942 to 1944 and he took part in a NFL game that finished with a scoreless tie (a feat that has not been repeated). After the 1941 season it would be a long 26 year hiatus until the return of Friar Football with the addition of a club team in 1967 until the 1980s.
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