The 1939 San Diego Marine Devil Dogs football team represented the United States Marines Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego as an independent during the 1939 college football season.[1] Playing against college football teams from California, Oregon, and Arizona, the Devil Dogs compiled a perfect 11–0 record, shut out five of eleven opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 241 to 51. Major Elmer Hall, who had previously played college football for Oregon, was the team's coach. The Marines challenged the Army and Navy service academy teams to a post-season match, but neither academy accepted the challenge.[2]
| 1939 San Diego Marines Devil Dogs football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Independent |
| Record | 11–0 |
| Head coach |
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| San Diego Marines | – | 11 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. T–14 Santa Clara | – | 5 | – | 1 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gonzaga | – | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Humboldt State | – | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Idaho Southern Branch | – | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cal Poly | – | 4 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| San Francisco | – | 4 | – | 3 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| La Verne | – | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Saint Mary's | – | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hawaii | – | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loyola (CA) | – | 2 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| San Francisco State | – | 2 | – | 4 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portland | – | 1 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rankings from AP Poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The San Diego Marines were ranked at No. 96 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.[3]
Schedule
edit| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 17 | Western Bears | San Diego, CA | W 41–0 | [4] | |
| September 23 | Willamette | San Diego, CA | W 26–0 | 5,000 | [5] |
| October 6 | Caltech | San Diego, CA | W 21–6 | [6] | |
| October 14 | at Santa Barbara State |
| W 7–0 | [7] | |
| October 21 | Redlands |
| W 15–14 | 3,500 | [8] |
| October 27 | Occidental | San Diego, CA | W 33–6 | [9] | |
| November 3 | Pomona |
| W 33–12 | [10] | |
| November 11 | San Diego State | San Diego, CA | W 13–6 | 8,000 | [11] |
| November 17 | Cal Poly | San Diego, CA | W 20–7 | [12] | |
| November 23 | Arizona State | San Diego, CA | W 18–0 | 6,000 | [13][14] |
| December 7 | Pacific (CA) | San Diego, CA | W 14–0 | 12,000 | [15] |
Players
edit-
Jack Rawls -
Clifford Griffin
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The 1939 San Diego Marines football team included the following players:[7]
- Arne Arneson, quarterback, 175 pounds
- Max Cowsert, guard, 190 pounds
- Bill Crass, fullback, 200 pounds
- Clifford Griffin, end, 202 pounds
- Clarence Klinck, center, 180 pounds
- Felix Krause, tackle, 195 pounds
- Alfred Montrief, end, 187 pounds
- Rivers Morrell, guard, 185 pounds
- Jack "Jittery Jackie" Rawls, halfback, 145 pounds
- Max Tafoya, halfback, 165 pounds
References
edit- ^ "Military Glory: Service Teams, in Their Heyday, Won Championships, Thrilled the Fans". Retrieved January 5, 2017.
- ^ "San Diego Marines Seek Major Contest". The Fresno Bee. November 26, 1939. p. 3C – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ E. E. Litkenhous (December 31, 1939). "Vols Second In Final Litkenhous Grid Rankings; Southern California Tenth". Johnson City Sunday Press. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Marines Pound Western Bears: Los Angeles Eleven Handed 41-0 Defeat". Los Angeles Times. September 18, 1939. p. II-12 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Willamette Bows To Marines, 26-0: Devil Dogs' Powerful in Late Attack; Earlier Thrusts Held off". The Oregon Statesman. September 24, 1939. pp. 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "San Diego Marines Ruin Caltech Grids". Los Angeles Times. October 7, 1939. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Gauchos and Marine To Meet On La Playa Battlefield Tonight". The Santa Barbara News-Press. October 14, 1939. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bulldogs Beaten In Last Two Seconds: Freak Play Enables Marines To Trip Redlands 15-14". The San Bernardino Sun. October 22, 1939. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "San Diego Marines Beat Occidental". The Modesto Bee. October 28, 1939. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Paul McKenzie (November 4, 1939). "Hens Clipped, 33-12, by Marines". The Pomona Progress-Bulletin. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ken Bojens (November 12, 1939). "Marines Turn in 13 to 6 Victory Over Aztecs Before 8000 Fans". The San Diego Union. San Diego, California.
- ^ "State Tech Eleven Plays Hard Ball But Loses 20-7 to Marine Gridmen". San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune. November 18, 1939. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "U.S. Marines Overpower Bulldogs, 18-0: Sea Soldiers Cash In On Experience To Down Tempe". Arizona Republic. November 24, 1939. p. II-2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "San Diego Marines Upset Tempe Teachers, 18-0". The San Bernardino Daily Sun. November 24, 1939. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ken Bojens (December 8, 1939). "Marines Land on Tiger Squadron by 14 to 0: Stagg-Men Score 'Warner Victory' With Plenty of Yardage in Midfield". Stockton Record. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.