David Nathan Schreiner, born in 1921, hailed from Lancaster, Wisconsin and played football for the Wisconsin Badgers as a defensive end and as an offensive pass receiver.
After Pearl Harbor happened, he wrote a letter saying that most of the Badgers would probably be in battle with the army soon enough and that the football season would have prepared them well for the tasks ahead.
Just 24 years old, Schreiner was at Okinawa in 1945, hours before victory was claimed by the Allied forces but whilst out on patrol he was shot in the body, apparently by Japanese soldiers faking surrender.
He died of his wounds the following day, 21st June.
I live in the UK, I have never been fortunate enough to visit Wisconsin but I follow the Badgers from afar and Dave’s story struck a chord with me.
I have just written the following poem as my contribution to the legendary status of a brave Badger who passed away 72 years ago.
The references below to ‘Wink’ and ‘Harder’ are just to illustrate the two players who threw three passes for Schreiner to catch and score from in one quarter of one game in 1942. The quarterback was Jack Wink, the full-back was Pat Harder…
The final two verses are based of course on Wisconsin’s game song, ‘On, Wisconsin’.
Pete Ray…
Dave Schreiner, Wisconsin Badger Hall-of-Famer
A Senior, an All-American,
Multi-faceted, an End,
He would face in-state rival Marquette
In the Fall of 1942 at Camp Randall
To reiterate his offensive threat,
As well as his penchant to defend…
In the second quarter Dave Schreiner
Scored touchdowns from three passes caught,
A feat rarely Harder, completed quick as a Wink,
Yet the standout hauled them in to cheer Camp Randall,
As deflated opponents could only reflect and think
On a thrashing defeat and a demeanour distraught…
Four catches, one hundred and thirty-eight yards gained,
A school record for the Big Ten’s MVP;
He was an All-American again and the Detroit Lions’ second round pick
In the 1943 NFL draft, cementing legendary staus at Camp Randall:
But World War Two conjured up an evil trick
And a professional career for Schreiner never did come to be…
At Okinawa in the war against Japan,
The Lieutenant Badger fought as a Marine
But whilst out on patrol he was mortally wounded
And in June 1945, news filtered through to Camp Randall
That he had succumbed just before victory was sounded:
Thus a stunned Wisconsin mourned in silence serene…
The number 80 jersey was retired in that year
And into the College Football Hall of Fame
Schreiner was inducted in 1955,
A reward for a hero from Camp Randall,
Who should surely certainly have still been alive
And an NFL star of the Grid Iron game…
On, Wisconsin, on, Dave Schreiner,
He plunged right through those lines;
Fighting on for America’s fame,
A fighting fellow, fighting to win the game…
On, Wisconsin, on Dave Schreiner,
His driving spirit through adversity rang;
He raised his glowing, fighting flame,
So let us stand, fellows and salute his name…
Pete Ray
June 2017
For non-American football enthusiasts, an End was basically a defensive-line player, a quarterback commanded the offense by passing, handing-off the ball to a runner, or maybe taking off on runs himself and a full-back like Pat Harder was a tough runner, who was employed to gain short yardage usually.
The Big Ten was the league the Wisconsin Badgers played in, an MVP is obviously the Most Valuable Player and an All-American is a player voted as one of the very best college performers in the country, a major honour.
Camp Randall is where the Badgers play their games in Madison, Wisconsin.
Rest in Peace, Dave Schreiner…
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