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1946 Chicago Rockets season
American football team season
American football team season
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| team | Chicago Rockets |
| logo | 460920-rockets-yankees.jpg |
| year | 1946 |
| record | 5–6–3 |
| division_place | 4th AAFC West |
| coach | Dick Hanley, Pat Boland, Bob Dove, Ned Mathews, and Willie Wilkin |
| stadium | Soldier Field |
| playoffs | *did not qualify* |
| previous | *none* |
| no_prevseason | true |
| shortnavlink | Rockets seasons |
The 1946 Chicago Rockets season was the inaugural season for both the Chicago Rockets and the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in which they played. The Rockets compiled a 5-6-3 record, were outscored by a total of 315 to 263, and finished in last place in the AAFC's West Division.
Dick Hanley, who had been the head coach at Northwestern from 1927 to 1934, was the head coach at the start of the season. After the first three games, the players voted 32-to-1 to remove Hanley. The team felt that Hanley's double-wing system was outdated. After a two-hour meeting between the players and team owner John L. Keeshin, Keeshin fired Hanley. Three of the players (Ned Mathews, Bob Dove, and Willie Wilkin) took over as player-coaches. The "self-coached experiment" ended on October 29 when Pat Boland was hired as head coach.
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Bob Hoernschemeyer with 1,266 passing yards and 375 rushing yards, halfback Elroy Hirsch with 347 receiving yards, and backup quarterback (and placekicker) Steve Nemeth with 59 points scored (32 extra points, 9 field goals).
Preseason schedule
| Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Game | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Date | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Opponent | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Result | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Record | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Venue | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Attendance | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Sources | 1 | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 18 | vs. [Brooklyn Dodgers](1946-brooklyn-dodgers-aafc-season) | **T** 14–14 | 0–0–1 | Multnomah Stadium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 1 | at [San Francisco 49ers](1946-san-francisco-49ers-season) | **T** 14–14 | 0–0–2 | Kezar Stadium |
Schedule
| Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Game | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Date | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Opponent | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Result | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Record | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Venue | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Recap | Chicago Rockets | year=1946 | border=2}}" | Sources | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | — | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **[Cleveland Browns](1946-cleveland-browns-season)** | **L** 6–20 | 0–1 | Soldier Field | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194609130cra.htm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [New York Yankees](1946-new-york-yankees-aafc-season) | **T** 17–17 | 0–1–1 | Soldier Field | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194609200cra.htm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [Buffalo Bisons](1946-buffalo-bisons-season) | **W** 38–35 | 1–1–1 | Soldier Field | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194609250cra.htm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| September 29 | **[San Francisco 49ers](1946-san-francisco-49ers-season)** | **W** 24–7 | 2–1–1 | Soldier Field | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194609290cra.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| **[Los Angeles Dons](1946-los-angeles-dons-season)** | **L** 9–21 | 2–2–1 | Soldier Field | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194610050cra.htm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| at [Brooklyn Dodgers](1946-brooklyn-dodgers-aafc-season) | **T** 21–21 | 2–2–2 | Ebbets Field | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194610110bda.htm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [Miami Seahawks](1946-miami-seahawks-season) | **W** 28–7 | 3–2–2 | Soldier Field | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194610180cra.htm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 27 | at [Buffalo Bisons](1946-buffalo-bisons-season) | **L** 17–49 | 3–3–2 | Civic Stadium | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194610270bba.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [Brooklyn Dodgers](1946-brooklyn-dodgers-aafc-season) | **L** 14–21 | 3–4–2 | Soldier Field | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194611020cra.htm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| at [Miami Seahawks](1946-miami-seahawks-season) | **W** 20–7 | 4–4–2 | Burdine Stadium | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194611110msa.htm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 17 | at **[Cleveland Browns](1946-cleveland-browns-season)** | **L** 14–51 | 4–5–2 | Municipal Stadium | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194611170cle.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 24 | at [New York Yankees](1946-new-york-yankees-aafc-season) | **W** 38–28 | 5–5–2 | Yankee Stadium | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194611240naa.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| at **[San Francisco 49ers](1946-san-francisco-49ers-season)** | **L** 0–14 | 5–6–2 | Kezar Stadium | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194611300sfo.htm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Bye* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 15 | at **[Los Angeles Dons](1946-los-angeles-dons-season)** | **T** 17–17 | 5–6–3 | LA Memorial Coliseum | [Recap](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194612150lda.htm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| **Note:** Intra-division opponents are in **bold** text. |
Division standings
Roster
| 1946 Chicago Rockets final roster |
|---|
| **Backs** |
References
References
- "1946 Chicago Rockets Statistics and Players". Sports Reference LLC.
- (September 27, 1946). "A New Twist: Rockets Now Self Coached". Chicago Tribune.
- (October 30, 1946). "Boland Named Head Coach of Rocket Eleven". Chicago Tribune.
- (December 16, 1946). "Jungmichael Named On All-AAFC Second". The Miami News.
- (January 5, 1947). "All-Star Pro Eleven Named". Baltimore Sun.
- "1946 Chicago Rockets (AAFC)". Pro Football Archives.
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