Football
Football - Loyola Academy versus Lane High School 1927
Credit: Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
Loyola Academy Football Game - 1931
This game was played on the Lake Shore Campus outside Alumni Gymnasium. Notice the "L" tracks in the center background of the photograph. Credit: Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
Loyola athletics legend Leonard Sachs coached various sports teams for Loyola Academy in addition to his work as a coach for Loyola University. His 1933 Academy football team won the championship game in Soldier Field versus Fenwick, shutting their oppenents out in a 13-0 win. Loyola finished the season with an 8-0-2 record. Over the course of the season, Loyola outscored opponents 159-30, which included five shut-out victories.
Loyola Academy Football 1933 Championship Team
Coach Sachs can be seen sitting in the middle of his team on the steps of Dumbach Hall. Credit: Loyola University Chicago Archives & Special Collections
At first, there was confusion over which teams actually played in the legitimate championship game. Officially, Loyola Academy defeated Fenwich for the conference title. After that game, Mt. Carmel and St. Rita high schools decided to play a rematch game to make up for a forfeiture earlier in the season. Mt. Carmel won the game and declared itself the East Section Champions instead of Loyola, and they asked Fenwich to play them in a new championship game. Fenwick refused to play in a championship rematch, since they had already played Loyola. Mt. Carmel considered this refusal a forfeiture, and they declared themselves Catholic League champions. As can be clearly seen in this photograph, however, Loyola Academy received the championship title and the trophy.