The Little All-America team is an honor given annually in the United States to the best small-
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...
players at their respective positions.
The first Little All-America team for
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
, selected with assistance from reporters in every region, was announced in December 1934 by Edward J. Neil of the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.
Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
(AP). Neil wrote that the Little All-America team was intended to honor "the little fellows, players in hundreds of colleges who labored just as earnestly, often with just as much ability, but barely edging into the spotlight . . ."
Players who received Little All-America honors (years in parentheses) and were later inducted into the
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...
include:
Joe Stydahar
Joseph Lee Stydahar (March 17, 1912 – March 23, 1977), nicknamed "Jumbo Joe", was an American professional football player and coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972.
S ...
(
1934
Events
January–February
* January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established.
* January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...
),
Bulldog Turner
Clyde Douglas "Bulldog" Turner (March 10, 1919 – October 30, 1998) was an American professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He was elected, as a player, to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1960 and the ...
(
1939
This year also marks the start of the World War II, Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history.
Events
Events related to World War II have a "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1
** Coming into effect in Nazi Ger ...
),
Tony Canadeo
Anthony Robert Canadeo (May 5, 1919 – November 29, 2003) was an American professional football player who was a back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers from 1941 to 1952, although he missed most of the 1944 season ...
(1939),
Andrew Robustelli (
1949
Events
January
* January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2025
* January 2 – Luis ...
),
Buck Buchanan (
1962
The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War.
Events January
* January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...
),
Willie Lanier
Willie Edward Lanier (born August 21, 1945), is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) from 1967 through 1977. He ...
(
1965
Events January–February
* January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years.
* January 20
** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lynd ...
),
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw (born September 2, 1948) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since 1994, he has been a television sports an ...
(
1969
1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1969th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 969th year of the 2nd millennium, the 69th year of the 20th century, and the ...
),
Walter Payton
Walter Jerry Payton (July 25, 1953Although most sources at the time of his death gave Payton's birth year as 1954, reliable sources subsequently state he was born in 1953. – November 1, 1999) was an American professional American football, ...
(1974), and
Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe (born June 26, 1968) is an American former professional football tight end who played 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Denver Broncos. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, h ...
(1989).
Other notable Little All-Americans include
Otis Taylor (
1964
Events January
* January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved.
* January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...
),
Carl Garrett (
1966
Events January
* January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko.
* January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...
,
1967
Events January
* January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair.
* January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...
,
1968
Events January–February
* January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously.
* January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...
),
Billy "White Shoes" Johnson
William Arthur Johnson (born January 27, 1952), better known as Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) from 1974 throug ...
(1973),
Ed "Too Tall" Jones
Edward Lee Jones (born February 23, 1951), commonly known as Ed "Too Tall" Jones due to his height, is an American former professional American football, football player who was a defensive end for 15 seasons (1974–1978, 1980–1989) for the ...
(1973),
Wilbert Montgomery
Wilbert Montgomery (born September 16, 1954) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for nine years with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college ...
(1973),
Neil Lomax
Neil Vincent Lomax (born February 17, 1959) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL), playing his entire career for the St. Louis / Phoenix Cardinals. He played college footb ...
(1980), and
Christian Okoye
Christian Emeka Okoye (; born August 16, 1961) is a Nigerian–American former professional football fullback who played for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL) from 1987 to 1992. Nicknamed "the Nigerian Nightmare", he ...
(1986).
The award also exists for
college basketball
College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...
.
In 2017, the award was divided into
DII and
DIII Little All-America teams.
References
External links
AP Little All-America Archive (1934–2019)
{{College football award navbox
*
Awards established in 1934
1934 establishments in the United States