1939 NFL All-Star Game explained

Type:pb
1939
Visitor:New York Giants
Home:All-America All-Stars
Visitor Qtr1:0
Home Qtr1:0
Visitor Qtr2:3
Home Qtr2:3
Visitor Qtr3:0
Home Qtr3:0
Visitor Qtr4:10
Home Qtr4:7
Date:January 15, 1939
Stadium:Wrigley Field
City:Los Angeles, California
Visitor Coach:Steve Owen
Visitor Coach Team:New York Giants
Home Coach:Gus Henderson
Home Coach Team:Detroit Lions
Mvp:none selected
Attendance:15,000
Network:not televised
Next:1940 (Jan)

The 1939 National Football League All-star Game was the professional football league's first-ever all-star game, sponsored by the Los Angeles Times as a charity game to benefit the Salvation Army.[1] [2] It pitted the New York Giants, the league's champion for the 1938 season, against a team of all-stars. The game was played on Sunday, January 15, 1939, at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, California in front of 15,000 fans; although 30,000 spectators were expected, bad weather led to the poor attendance.[3] The Giants defeated the all-stars by a score of 13–10.[4]

The players on the all-star squad were selected by fan balloting. For the only time in the game's history, players from teams outside the NFL were invited; five players from the Los Angeles Bulldogs and Hollywood Stars, two local teams in what would eventually become the Pacific Coast Professional Football League, were among the members of the All-Star team.[5]

Rosters

The players involved in this game were:[4] [6] [7]

All-American All-Stars roster

width=20%Position:width=40%Starters:width=40%Reserves:
QuarterbackErny Pinckert, Washington RedskinsStu Smith, Pittsburgh Pirates
Ed Goddard, Cleveland Rams
Gordon Gore, Los Angeles Bulldogs
Johnny Drake, Cleveland Rams
Cecil Isbell, Green Bay Packers
Left HalfbackSammy Baugh, Washington Redskins
Right HalfbackLloyd Cardwell, Detroit Lions
FullbackClarke Hinkle, Green Bay Packers
Left EndGaynell Tinsley, Chicago CardinalsBob McChesney, Washington Redskins
Joe Carter, Philadelphia Eagles
Bill Moore, Los Angeles Bulldogs
Right EndPerry Schwartz, Brooklyn Dodgers
Left TackleJoe Stydahar, Chicago BearsErnie Smith, Hollywood Stars
Right TackleFrank Kinard, Brooklyn Dodgers
Left GuardByron Gentry, Pittsburgh PiratesOwen Hanson, Hollywood Stars
Bill Radovich, Detroit Lions
Russ Letlow, Green Bay Packers
Right GuardPete Mehringer, Los Angeles Bulldogs
CenterJohn Wiatrak, Cleveland RamsPhil Dougherty, Chicago Cardinals

New York Giants roster

width=20%Position:width=40%Starters:width=40%Reserves:
QuarterbackNello FalaschiTuffy Leemans
Len Barnum
John Karcis
Kink Richards
Johnny Gildea
Dale Burnett
Leland Shaffer
Left HalfbackHank Soar
Right HalfbackWard Cuff
FullbackEd Danowski
Left EndJim Lee HowellHap Barnard
Chuck Gelatka
Jack Haden
Right EndJim Poole
Left TackleEd WidsethFrank Cope
John Mellus
Right TackleOx Parry
Left GuardOrville TuttlePete Cole
Right GuardKayo Lunday
CenterMel HeinStan Galazin

Notes and References

  1. News: Facts, Figures Regarding First Annual Pro Game. Los Angeles Times. Newspapers.com. January 8, 1939. January 26, 2019. January 27, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190127094734/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27610423/facts_figures_regarding_first_annual/. live.
  2. News: United Press. United Press. Giants Defeat Pro All-Stars. Republican Herald. Newspapers.com. January 16, 1939. January 26, 2019. January 27, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190127094551/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27578832/giants_defeat_pro_allstars/. live.
  3. Web site: Crawford. Fred R.. The First Pro Bowl Game. The Coffin Corner. January 26, 2019. November 12, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112030722/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/12-04-407.pdf. live.
  4. News: Giants Beat Stars; Ward Cuff Is Hero. February 2, 2012. Milwaukee Journal. Newspapers.com. January 16, 1939. UP. L-7. April 24, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160424055526/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bapQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GiIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6408,3438343. dead.
  5. News: Giants Meet All-Stars in Last of Bowl Games. February 2, 2012. Milwaukee Journal. January 15, 1939. UP. 7 (section III).
  6. News: Guenther. Jack. N.Y. Giants Winners of Pro Title. February 6, 2012. Berkeley Daily Gazette. January 16, 1939. United Press. 10. December 11, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151211162109/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-5goAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DwYGAAAAIBAJ&pg=1586,1231686&hl=en. live.
  7. Crawford . Fred R. . The First Pro Bowl Game . The Coffin Corner . 1990 . 12 . 4 . January 31, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101218203043/http://profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/12-04-407.pdf . 2010-12-18 . dead .