What Is 1937 New Mexico Lobos football team

Overview

The 1937 New Mexico Lobos football team represented the University of New Mexico during the 1937 college football season. Competing as a member of the Border Conference, the team was led by head coach Ted Shipkey, who was in his fifth year at the helm.

Playing their home games at Zimmerman Field in Albuquerque, the Lobos finished the season with a 3–5 overall record and a 2–2 mark in conference play. Despite modest results, the season contributed to the early development of the program’s football legacy.

• Head coach Ted Shipkey led the team for the fifth consecutive season, striving to build consistency in the program.
• The Lobos played a total of eight games during the 1937 season, facing both regional and conference opponents.
• They secured three wins against five losses, reflecting a slightly below-average performance for the era.
• Home games were held at Zimmerman Field, a historic on-campus venue with a capacity of around 15,000.
• The team’s 2–2 conference record placed them in the middle tier of the competitive Border Conference standings.

How It Works

The 1937 season followed standard college football structures of the time, with scheduling, rules, and team operations reflecting pre-World War II norms. Conference affiliation, coaching leadership, and regional rivalries shaped the Lobos’ season.

• Border Conference Membership: The University of New Mexico was a founding member of the Border Conference, which included schools from New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. This affiliation dictated most of the Lobos’ key matchups.
• Season Record (3–5): The team won three games and lost five, a performance that placed them below .500 but competitive within their conference.
• Home Field – Zimmerman Field: Located on the UNM campus, this field served as the team’s home from 1938 onward; however, in 1937, games were already being played at the site during its early development.
• Coach Ted Shipkey: Serving from 1933 to 1939, Shipkey was instrumental in shaping the early years of UNM football, compiling a 26–27–3 record over seven seasons.
• Game Scheduling: The 1937 schedule included non-conference opponents such as Hardin–Simmons and conference matchups against teams like Arizona State and New Mexico A&M.
• Player Roster Size: Rosters in 1937 were smaller than modern teams, typically ranging from 30 to 40 players, with limited substitutions due to rules at the time.

Comparison at a Glance

The 1937 season can be better understood by comparing it to adjacent years in the Lobos’ football history.

This table shows a gradual decline in performance from 1936 to 1939 under Shipkey’s leadership. The 1937 season marked a downturn from the previous year’s 5–4 record, indicating growing challenges in maintaining competitiveness.

Why It Matters

The 1937 season is a snapshot of the University of New Mexico’s early efforts to establish a sustainable football program amid regional competition and limited resources.

• The season highlights the Border Conference’s role in shaping Southwestern college athletics during the 1930s and 1940s.
• It reflects the challenges of small programs in developing consistent talent pipelines before modern recruiting systems.
• Coach Ted Shipkey’s tenure, including 1937, laid foundational experience for future UNM coaching staffs.
• Games from this era contributed to the rivalry traditions with schools like New Mexico State and Arizona.
• The use of Zimmerman Field marked the beginning of a long-standing tradition of on-campus football at UNM.
• Historical records from 1937 help preserve the legacy of early student-athletes who played without modern scholarships or media attention.

While not a standout year in wins, the 1937 season remains a documented chapter in the evolution of New Mexico Lobos football, illustrating perseverance and regional identity in collegiate sports history.