1939 San Diego Marines Devil Dogs football team
American college football season
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]
The San Diego Marines were ranked at No. 96 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.[ 3]
Schedule
Date Opponent Site Result Attendance Source September 17 Western Bears San Diego, CA W 41–0[ 4]
September 23 Willamette San Diego, CA W 26–05,000 [ 5]
October 6 Caltech San Diego, CA W 21–6[ 6]
October 14 at Santa Barbara State W 7–0[ 7]
October 21 Redlands Balboa Stadium San Diego, CA W 15–143,500 [ 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 13–68,000 [ 11]
November 17 Cal Poly San Diego, CA W 20–7[ 12]
November 23 Arizona State San Diego, CA W 18–06,000 [ 13] [ 14]
December 7 Pacific (CA) San Diego, CA W 14–012,000 [ 15]
Players
Jack Rawls
Clifford Griffin
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
^ "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 .