The 1939 College Football All-America team is composed of
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 ...
players who were selected as
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
ns by various organizations and writers that chose
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best college football players in the United States at their respective positions. The original use of the term '' All-America'' seems to have been to the 1889 College Footbal ...
s in 1939. The nine selectors recognized by the
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
as "official" for the 1939 season are (1) ''
Collier's Weekly
}
''Collier's'' was an American general interest magazine founded in 1888 by Peter F. Collier, Peter Fenelon Collier. It was launched as ''Collier's Once a Week'', then renamed in 1895 as ''Collier's Weekly: An Illustrated Journal'', shortened i ...
'', as selected by
Grantland Rice
Henry Grantland Rice (November 1, 1880 – July 13, 1954) was an American sportswriter and poet known as the "Dean of American Sports Writers". He coined the famous phrase that it was not important whether you “won or lost, but how you playe ...
, (2) 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 ...
, (3) the
United Press, (4) the All-America Board, (5) the
International News Service
The International News Service (INS) was a U.S.-based news agency (newswire) founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909. (INS), (6) ''
Liberty
Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
'' magazine, (7) the
Newspaper Enterprise Association
The Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) is an editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1902. The oldest syndicate still in operation, the NEA was originally a secondary new ...
(NEA), (8) ''
Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly news magazine based in New York City. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely distributed during the 20th century and has had many notable editors-in-chief. It is currently co-owned by Dev P ...
'', and (9) the ''
Sporting News
''The Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a ...
''.
Two players, USC guard
Harry Smith and Cornell tackle
Nick Drahos, were unanimously chosen by all nine official selectors. Two other players, Iowa halfback
Nile Kinnick and Michigan halfback
Tom Harmon were selected as first-team All-Americans by eight of the nine official selectors, with Kinnick winning the
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
in 1939 and Harmon winning it in 1940.
Consensus All-Americans
For the year 1939, the NCAA recognizes nine published All-American teams as "official" designations for purposes of its consensus determinations. The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans and displays which first-team designations they received.
All-American selections for 1939
Ends
*
Esco Sarkkinen, Ohio State
(AAB; AP-2; CO-1; NEA-1; NW-1; UP-1; CP-1; NYS-1; WC-1)
*
Ken Kavanaugh, LSU (College Football Hall of Fame)
(AP-2; INS-1; NW-1; LIB; SN; UP-1; BL; CP-2; CW-1; LIFE-1)
*
Bud Kerr, Notre Dame
(AAB; AP-1; INS-2; NEA-1; SN; UP-2; BL; CP-2; CW-1; LIFE-1; NYS-2; WC-1)
*
Ralph Wenzel, Tulane
(UP-3; CP-1; CW-2; LIFE-2; NYS-1)
*
Paul Severin, North Carolina
(AP-1; UP-3; NEA-2)
*
Harlan Gustafson, Penn
(AP-3; INS-1; CW-2; LIFE-2)
*
Pop Ivy
Lee Frank "Pop" Ivy (January 25, 1916 – May 17, 2003) was an American football player and coach who was the only person to serve as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL), the American Football League (AFL) and the Western Interpro ...
, Oklahoma
(AP-3; CO-1)
*
Dave Rankin, Purdue
(LIB)
*
Erwin Prasse, Iowa
(UP-2; CP-3)
*
Bob Ison, Georgia Tech
(CP-3; NEA-3; NYS-2)
*
Bob Nowaskey, George Washington
(NEA-3)
*Hal Newman, Alabama
(NEA-2)
*Bill Anahu, Santa Clara
(INS-2)
Tackles
*
Nick Drahos, Cornell (College Football Hall of Fame)
(AAB; AP-1; CO-1; INS-1; LIB; NEA-1; NW-1; SN; UP-1; CP-1; CW-1; LIFE-1; WC-1)
*
Harley McCollum, Tulane
(AP-1; INS-2; NEA-1; LIB; CP-3)
*
Harry Stella, Army
(AP-2; INS-1; NW-1; UP-1; CW-2; LIFE-2)
*
Joe Boyd
Joe Boyd (born August 5, 1942) is an American record producer and writer. He formerly owned Hannibal Records. Boyd has worked with Pink Floyd, Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny who was in Fairport Convention, Richard Thompson, Nick Drake, The ...
, Texas A&M
(AP-3; CO-1; NEA-2; SN; UP-2; BL; CP-2; CW-1; LIFE-2; NYS-1)
*
Cliff Duggan, Oklahoma
(INS-2; NEA-3; UP-2; BL; CP-1; LIFE-1; CW-2; NYS-1)
*
Lee Artoe, California
(AP-2)
*
Ty Coon, North Carolina State
(NEA-2; NYS-2)
*
Win Pedersen, Minnesota
(AP-3; UP-3)
*
Mike Enich, Iowa
(NEA-3)
*Phil Gaspar, USC
(UP-3)
*Bob Tierney, Princeton
(CP-2)
*
Jim Reeder, Illinois
(AAB; NYS-2; WC-1)
Guards
*
Harry Smith, USC (College Football Hall of Fame)
(AAB; AP-1; CO-1; INS-1; LIB; NEA-1; NW-1; SN; UP-1; BL; CP-1; CW-1; LIFE-1; NYS-1; WC-1)
*
Ed Molinski, Tennessee (College Football Hall of Fame)
(AAB; AP-1; CO-1; LIB; NEA-1; UP-2; CP-3; WC-1)
*
Bob Suffridge, Tennessee (College Football Hall of Fame)
(INS-1; NEA-3; NW-1; SN; UP-1; BL; CP-1; CW-1; LIFE-1; NYS-1)
*
Marshall Robnett, Texas A&M
(AP-2; UP-3)
*Jim Turner, Holy Cross
(UP-3; CP-2; INS-2; NYS-2)
*
Elbie Schultz, Oregon State
(AP-3; CP-3; CW-2; LIFE-2; NYS-2)
*
Allen Johnson, Duke
(INS-2; CW-2; LIFE-2)
*
Mel Brewer, Illinois
(UP-2)
*
Warren Alfson, Nebraska
(AP-2)
*
Bob Waldorf, Missouri
(NEA-2)
*
Tommy O'Boyle, Tulane
(NEA-2)
*
Jack Sommers, UCLA
(CP-2)
*
Frank Ribar, Duke
(AP-3)
*Joseph Enzler, Portland
(NEA-3)
*
Carl Nery, Duquesne
(CP-3)
Centers
*
John Schiechl, Santa Clara
(AAB; AP-1; UP-2; CO-1; CP-1; INS-2; NEA-1; NYS-2; WC-1)
*
Jack Haman, Northwestern
(INS-1; NW-1; SN; UP-1; BL; CP-3; CW-1; LIFE-2)
*
Cary Cox, Alabama
(CP-2; LIB)
*
Archie Kodros, Michigan
(UP-3; CW-2; LIFE-1)
*
Bulldog Turner, Hardin-Simmons
(NEA-3; NYS-1)
*Frank Finneran, Cornell
(AP-3; NEA-2)
*
Robert Nelson, Baylor
(AP-2)
Quarterbacks
*
George Cafego, Tennessee
(INS-1; AP-2; NEA-2 b NW-1; SN; UP-1; CP-2; CW-1; LIFE-1)
*
Paul Christman, Missouri
(AAB; AP-2; CO-1; CP-2; INS-2; NEA-1; SN; UP-2; CW-1; NYS-2; WC-1)
*
Jimmy McFadden, Clemson
(AP-1)
*
Walter Matuszczak, Cornell
(NYS-1)
*
Don Scott, Ohio State
(AP-3; UP-3; CP-3; NEA-2; LIB)
*
Snuffy Stirnweiss, North Carolina
(CP-2; NEA-3)
Halfbacks
*
Tom Harmon, Michigan (College Football Hall of Fame)
(AAB; AP-1; UP-1; CO-1; CINS-1; NEA-3; NW-1; LIB; SN; BL; CP-1; CW-1; LIFE-1; NYS-1 b WC-1)
*
Nile Kinnick, Iowa (College Football Hall of Fame)
(AAB; AP-1; UP-1; CO-1; INS-1; NEA-1; NW-1; SN; BL; CP-1; CW-1; LIFE-2; NYS-1; WC-1)
*
Banks McFadden, Clemson (College Football Hall of Fame)
(UP-3; CO-1 b CP-3; NEA-1)
*
George McAfee, Duke (College and Pro Football Hall of Fame)
(AP-2; UP-2; CP-2; NEA-2; NYS-1; BL; LIFE-2)
*
Kenny Washington, UCLA (College Football Hall of Fame)
(AP-2; UP-2; CP-3; INS-2; NEA-2; CW-2; NYS-2; LIB; LIFE-1)
*
Grenny Lansdell, USC
(AP-3; CP-1; CW-2)
*
Dick Cassiano, Pitt
(NEA-3; UP-3; CW-2; LIFE-2)
*Jim Lelanne, North Carolina
(INS-2; LIFE-2)
*
Beryl Clark, Oklahoma
(INS-2)
*
Bob Hoffman, USC
(NYS-2)
*
Jack Crain, Texas
(AP-3)
Fullbacks
*
John Kimbrough
John Alec Kimbrough (June 14, 1918 – May 8, 2006) was a college athlete, a member of the Texas Legislature, the star of two western movies and a rancher. His older brother Frank Kimbrough served as head football coach for the Baylor Bears an ...
, Texas A&M (College Football Hall of Fame)
(AAB; AP-1; INS-1; NEA-1; NW-1; LIB; UP-1; BL; CP-1; CW-2; LIFE-1; NYS-2; WC-1)
*
Milt Piepul, Notre Dame
(UP-2)
*
Dom Principe, Fordham
(AP-3; UP-3; CP-3; NEA-3)
Key
Bold = Consensus All-American
* -1 – First-team selection
* -2 – Second-team selection
* -3 – Third-team selection
Official selectors
* AAB = All-America Board
* AP =
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 ...
* CO = ''
Collier's Weekly
}
''Collier's'' was an American general interest magazine founded in 1888 by Peter F. Collier, Peter Fenelon Collier. It was launched as ''Collier's Once a Week'', then renamed in 1895 as ''Collier's Weekly: An Illustrated Journal'', shortened i ...
'', selected by
Grantland Rice
Henry Grantland Rice (November 1, 1880 – July 13, 1954) was an American sportswriter and poet known as the "Dean of American Sports Writers". He coined the famous phrase that it was not important whether you “won or lost, but how you playe ...
* INS =
International News Service
The International News Service (INS) was a U.S.-based news agency (newswire) founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909.
* LIB = ''
Liberty
Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
'' magazine
[
* NEA = ]Newspaper Enterprise Association
The Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) is an editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1902. The oldest syndicate still in operation, the NEA was originally a secondary new ...
* NW = ''Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly news magazine based in New York City. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely distributed during the 20th century and has had many notable editors-in-chief. It is currently co-owned by Dev P ...
'', based on a consensus of five All-America teams chosen by the UP, the ''New York Daily News'', Christy Walsh All-America Football Board, and the ''New York Sun''
* SN = The ''Sporting News
''The Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a ...
''[
* UP = United Press
]
Other selectors
* BL = '' Boys' Life'', All-America, All-Scout team.
* CP = Central Press Association
The Central Press Association was American print syndication, newspaper syndication company based in Cleveland, Ohio. It was in business from 1910 to 1971. Originally independent, it was a subsidiary of King Features Syndicate from 1930 onwards. ...
, selected by the captains of more than 60 football teams across the country
* CW = Collegiate Writers: selected by a national poll of 67 collegiate sports writers in 36 states
* LIFE = ''Life'' magazine selected by NBC announcer Bill Stern
* NYS = ''New York Sun''
* WC = Walter Camp Football Foundation
The Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit ...
See also
* 1939 Little All-America college football team
* 1939 All-Big Six Conference football team
* 1939 All-Big Ten Conference football team
* 1939 All-Pacific Coast Conference football team
* 1939 All-SEC football team
* 1939 All-Southwest Conference football team
References
{{College Football All-America Teams
All-America Team
College Football All-America Teams