1939 NFL All-Star Game

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. 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. The Giants defeated the all-stars by a score of 13–10.

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.

Rosters The players involved in this game were:

All-American All-Stars roster Position:Starters:Reserves:QuarterbackErny Pinckert, Washington Redskins Stu Smith, Pittsburgh PiratesEd Goddard, Cleveland RamsGordon Gore, Los Angeles BulldogsJohnny Drake, Cleveland RamsCecil Isbell, Green Bay PackersLeft HalfbackSammy Baugh, Washington RedskinsRight HalfbackLloyd Cardwell, Detroit LionsFullbackClarke Hinkle, Green Bay PackersLeft EndGaynell Tinsley, Chicago Cardinals Bob McChesney, Washington RedskinsJoe Carter, Philadelphia EaglesBill Moore, Los Angeles BulldogsRight EndPerry Schwartz, Brooklyn DodgersLeft TackleJoe Stydahar, Chicago BearsErnie Smith, Hollywood StarsRight TackleFrank Kinard, Brooklyn DodgersLeft GuardByron Gentry, Pittsburgh Pirates Owen Hansen, Hollywood StarsBill Radovich, Detroit LionsRuss Letlow, Green Bay PackersRight GuardPete Mehringer, Los Angeles BulldogsCenterJohn Wiatrak, Cleveland RamsPhil Dougherty, Chicago Cardinals

New York Giants roster Position:Starters:Reserves:QuarterbackNello Falaschi Tuffy LeemansLen BarnumJohn KarcisKink RichardsJohnny GildeaDale BurnettLeland ShafferLeft HalfbackHank SoarRight HalfbackWard CuffFullbackEd DanowskiLeft EndJim Lee HowellHap BarnardChuck GelatkaJack HadenRight EndJim PooleLeft TackleEd WidsethFrank CopeJohn MellusRight TackleOx ParryLeft GuardOrville Tuttle Pete ColeRight GuardKayo LundayCenterMel HeinStan Galazin

References