The 1940 College All-Star Game
On
August 29, 1940, college football’s All-Star team met the champion Green
Bay Packers in what was labeled as “the wildest scoring battle in the
history of the series.” The Packers made their second appearance in the
game having lost in 1936. Just before the opening ceremonies were to
begin all in attendance, which included figure skater Sonja Henie and
her husband, owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers football team, Dan Topping,
observed a moment of silence in memory of Noble Kizer who had passed
away in June of that year. Kizer had coached the first team of All-Stars
to play in the series in 1934.
The Packers, coached by Curly Lambeau, had a superb aerial attack and
packed too much of a punch in the air for the collegians. Cecil Isbell,
who had led the All-Stars in 1938, was now passing for the Packers with
three long scoring throws and ran for the final TD of the game himself.
Iowa’s Nile Kinnick, the number one player of the 1939 season, and
Ambrose Schindler of Southern California, played sensationally for coach
Eddie Anderson of Holy Cross. Schindler scored twice for the All-Stars,
led their scoring and was voted Most Valuable Player. Also involved in
the scoring were Kenny Washington of UCLA, and Banks McFadden of Clemson
University.
Three and a half minutes into the game, Schindler intercepted a pass
setting up a play in which he carried the ball to score the first
touchdown of the game. The Packers responded with a 51-yard pass to Don
Hutson who ran 30 yards to the endzone. Before the end of the quarter
Isbell threw to Carl Mulleneaux for another TD, ending the period at
14-7. Scoring in the second period was non-stop. Both the Packers and
the
Stars
managed 14 points each, ending the first half with a score of 28-21 in
favor of the NFL champs.
Green Bay scored again in the third period with an 18-yard pass from
Arnold Herber (who shared passing honors with Isbell) to Don Hutson,
giving Green Bay a lead of 35-21. But the Stars found the endzone one
more time in the fourth period when Ambrose Schindler slid off left
guard for a touchdown. The effort was fruitless, however, as Green Bay
tacked on 10 more points for a final score of 45-28. The 1940 game
established some record setting performances including:
Highest number of punts returned:
7 – Green Bay
Highest number of kickoffs returned:
7 – All-Stars
Highest average distances of kickoffs returned:
36 – Green Bay
Most touchdowns scored:
6 – Green Bay
4 – All-Stars
Most touchdown runs:
3 – All-Stars
Most touchdown passes:
5 – Green Bay
Most extra points:
6 – Green Bay
4 – All-Stars
Most points scored:
45 – Green Bay
Lambeau vs. the All Stars
Cartoon from Chicago Tribune