1941 Hawaii Rainbows football team

The 1941 Hawaii Deans football team was an American football team that represented the University of Hawaii during the 1941 college football season. The team compiled an 8–1 record and outscored opponents by a total of 280 to 83.[1] The season was shortened by two games following the Attack on Pearl Harbor.

1941 Hawaii Rainbows football
Conference	Independent
1941 record	8–1
Head coach	Tom Kaulukukui and Eugene Gill
Home stadium	Honolulu Stadium

1941 Western college football independents records
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Hawaii			–					8	–	1	–	0
Santa Clara			–					6	–	3	–	0
San Francisco			–					6	–	4	–	0
Idaho Southern Branch			–					5	–	1	–	2
Cal Poly			–					5	–	3	–	1
Saint Mary's			–					5	–	4	–	0
Loyola (CA)			–					5	–	5	–	0
Nevada			–					3	–	5	–	1
Portland			–					3	–	5	–	0
Gonzaga			–					3	–	7	–	0
San Francisco State			–					2	–	4	–	1
Humboldt State			–					2	–	5	–	1
La Verne			–					0	–	6	–	0

Tom Kaulukukui and Eugene Gill were co-head coaches. It was Kaulukukui's first year as a head coach; Gill had been head coach of the team in 1940 as well.[1]

During a September 24 game against Pacific (CA) in Stockton, California, a distressed army flying cadet tried to land his plane at the stadium, diving for 30 minutes "a few feet over the heads of terrified spectators and players and clipped the stadium power line, darkening the field."[2] The cadet ultimately landed his plane safely in the stadium parking lot.[2]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 24	at Pacific (CA)	Baxter Stadium Stockton, CA	W 14–0	12,000	[3]
September 20	at Portland	Multnomah Stadium Portland, OR	W 33–6	9,000	[4]
October 10	Hawaii Bears	Honolulu Stadium Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii	W 20–6	20,000	[5]
October 17	Na Alii	Honolulu Stadium Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii	W 19–6	15,000	[6]
October 27	Healani	Honolulu Stadium Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii	L 6–26	19,000	[7]
November 7	Na Alii	Honolulu Stadium Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii	W 33–14	4,000	[8]
November 19	Hawaii Bears	Honolulu Stadium Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii	W 27–13	5,500	[9]
November 26	Healani	Honolulu Stadium Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii	W 21–6	11,000
December 6	Willamette	Honolulu Stadium Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii (Shrine Football Classic)	W 20–6	25,000[10]	[11]
December 13	San Jose State	Honolulu Stadium Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii	Cancelled
January 1, 1942	Nevada	Honolulu Stadium Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii	Cancelled

Shrine Game and Pearl Harbor

On the afternoon of December 6, 1941, in the Shrine Football Classic, Hawaii defeated Willamette at Honolulu Stadium.[11] The game drew a crowd of 25,000 persons, the largest paid attendance in Hawaii history to that point.[10] The attendees included Territorial Governor Joseph Poindexter, Honolulu Mayor Lester Petrie, and Lt. Gen. Walter Short, the U.S. military commander responsible for the defense of U.S. military installations in Hawaii;[10] the game was preceded by a "spectacle" of marching bands, including performances by the U.S. Marine band and bands from the University of Hawaii, Royal Hawaiian, McKinley High, St. Louis College, Kamehameha, Roosevelt High, Punahou Academy, Honolulu Plantation Co., and others.[12]

Early the following morning, the Attack on Pearl Harbor occurred, beginning the Pacific War. The team's remaining game against San Jose State and Nevada were cancelled.[13] The San Jose State team was already in Honolulu at the time of the attack. The San Jose State and Willamette players were stranded in Hawaii due to the emergency following the attack. The Hawaii, Willamette, and San Jose State football teams all volunteered to perform special police duties during the emergency.[13][14]

The Hawaii football program was suspended for the duration of the war.[15]

References

1. "Hawaii Rainbow Warrior Football 2018 Media Guide". University of Hawaii. 2018. pp. 124, 135. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
2. "Flier Attempts Landing During Football Game". The Honolulu Advertiser. September 27, 1941. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Rainbows Defeat Pacific, 14-0". The Honolulu Advertiser. September 25, 1941. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Hawaiians Pass Pilots Dizzy To Win Season Opener 33-6". The Oregon Statesman. September 21, 1941. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Loui Leong Hop (October 11, 1941). "Smith and Rainbows' Early Start Beat Bears". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
6. Don Watson (October 18, 1941). "Rainbows Win But Must Improve On Passing". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Red McQueen (October 28, 1941). "Heialanis Overpower U. of Hawaii 26 to 6". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Loui Leong Hop (November 8, 1941). "UH Has Long Workout At Na Allii's Expense". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Andrew Mitsukado (November 20, 1941). "Rainbows Trounce Bear Eleven 27-13". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Record Crowd Takes In Colorful Shrine Show". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. December 8, 1941. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Red McQueen (December 7, 1941). "University of Hawaii Downs Willamette 20-6: Rainbows Explode in Last Half to Conquer Invading Eleven". The Honolulu Advertiser. pp. 14, 16 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "14 Bands Play in Spectacular Benefit Affair". The Honolulu Advertiser. December 7, 1941. pp. 1, 4 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Red McQueen (December 9, 1941). "All Major Athletic Events Are Cancelled". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Visiting Grid Players Given Police Duties". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. December 8, 1941. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
15. 2018 Media Guide, p. 98.