1940 Santa Ana Dons football team

1940 Santa Ana Dons football
Junior college national champion
Eastern Conference champion
ConferenceEastern Conference
Record11–0 (5–0 Eastern)
Head coach
Home stadiumSanta Ana Municipal Bowl
Seasons
← 1939
1941 →
1940 Eastern Conference (California) football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Santa Ana $ 5 – 0 – 0 11 – 0 – 0
Fullerton 3 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Chaffey 2 – 3 – 0 ? – ? – ?
Riverside 2 – 3 – 0 ? – ? – ?
San Bernardino 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Pomona Junior College 1 – 4 – 0 ? – ? – ?
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1940 Santa Ana Dons football team was an American football team that represented Santa Ana College as a member of the Eastern Conference during the 1940 college football season. In their 14th year under head coach Bill Cook, the Dons compiled a perfect 11–0 record (5–0 in conference games), won the Eastern Conference championship, held 10 of their opponents to seven or fewer points, and outscored all opponents by a total of 317 to 41.[1][2] The Los Angeles Times referred to the team as "one of the greatest junior college teams ever developed in the Southland."[3]

Santa Ana was rated as the No. 1 junior college football team in the country in the final rankings issued in December 1940 by the All-American Gridiron Index. Santa Ana received 509 points, edging Louisiana State University's Northeast Center Junior College and Kilgore College which received 499 and 492 points, respectively.[4] The Louisiana school challenged Santa Ana to a post-season game; Santa Ana officials favored the game, but the Southern California Conference refused to lift its rule banning post-season games.[5]

Ten Santa Ana players received first-team honors on one or more of the 1940 Eastern Conference all-conference teams selected by The San Bernardino Sun (SBS), the Helms Athletic Foundation (HAF), and the sports editors of the six school newspapers (SE). Santa Ana's first-team honorees were: fullback Bob Bryant (SBS/HAF/SE); back Earl Parsons (SBS); quarterback/halfback Hal Lilley (HAF/SE); blocker Frank Minisi (HAF); ends Dick Gunther (SBS) and Bob Shildmeyer (HAF/SE); tackles Paul Sedar (SBS/HAF/SE) and Jim Crowther (SBS/SE); guard Bill Noble (SBS/HAF); and center Lester McKnight (SBS/HAF).[3][6][7]

The team played its home games at the Santa Ana Municipal Bowl in Santa Ana, California.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 21Loyola (CA) freshmen*
W 13–0[1]
September 27Santa Monica*
  • Santa Ana Municipal Bowl
  • Santa Ana, CA
W 32–0[8]
October 4Pasadena*
  • Santa Ana Municipal Bowl
  • Santa Ana, CA
W 13–67,500–10,000[9]
October 11at San Mateo*
W 20–0[10]
October 18Chaffey
  • Santa Ana Municipal Bowl
  • Santa Ana, CA
W 26–0[11]
October 30[n 1]at Riverside
W 27–3[12]
November 2Oceanside*
  • Santa Ana Municipal Bowl
  • Santa Ana, CA
W 39–13[1]
November 8Pomona Junior College
  • Santa Ana Municipal Bowl
  • Santa Ana, CA
W 59–65,500[13][14]
November 15San Bernardino
  • Santa Ana Municipal Bowl
  • Santa Ana, CA
W 40–0[15]
November 21at FullertonFullerton, CAW 14–7[16]
November 29Santa Rosa*
  • Santa Ana Municipal Bowl
  • Santa Ana, CA
W 34–66,000[17][18]
  • *Non-conference game

Notes

  1. ^ The game was originally scheduled for Friday, October 25. The original date was a rainout and was rescheduled for the following Wednesday, October 30.

References

  1. ^ a b c "1940 Santa Ana College (CA)". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved May 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Santa Ana Jaysee Tops Eastern Loop". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. November 23, 1940. p. 8, part 1. Retrieved May 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  3. ^ a b "Santa Ana Places Seven on Eastern Jaysee Team". The Los Angeles Times. December 23, 1940. p. II-11 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "National Poll Ranks Bear cub Gridders 18th: Mighty Santa Ana Dons Picked as Top J.C. Team in America". The Press Democrat. Associated Press. December 4, 1940. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Rule Prevents J. C. Playoffs: No National Title Tilt For Santa Ana Dons". The Pasadena Post. December 10, 1940. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Taylor All-Conference Choice; Santa Ana Dominates Team: Dons Place Seven Players on J.C. Eleven". The San Bernardino Sun. December 21, 1940. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Five Dons on All-Star Grid Team". The Los Angeles Times. December 9, 1940. p. II-10 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Dons Show Punch in 32-0 Triumph: Santa Monica Is Outclassed". Santa Ana Register. September 28, 1940. pp. 6, 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Dons' Deadly Blocking Beats Pasadena: Hull, Lilley Pace 13-6 Win". Santa Ana Register. October 5, 1940. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Cliff Nelson (October 12, 1940). "Bulldogs Take a Trimmin': Santa Ana Grabs 20-0 Triumph; Dons Smear Bullogs as Bad Breaks Turned Into Santa Ana Scores". The Times and Daily News Leader. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Don Powerhouse Subdues Chaffey, 26-0: Lilley, Margucci, Bryant, Chase Tally". Santa Ana Register. October 19, 1940. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Dons Trail At Half But Win, 27-3: Crowther's Blocked Punt Turns Tide And Bryant 'Lowers Boom'". Santa Ana Register. October 31, 1940. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Dave Meiklejohn (November 9, 1940). "Pomona J.C. Bows To Dons 58-6". The Progress-Bulletin. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Chaffey Wins From Hornets". Anaheim Bulletin. November 9, 1940. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Ray Nish (November 16, 1940). "Santa Ana Pounds Indian Eleven, 40-0: Dons Turn on Power Attack for Triumph; San Bernardino Suffers Worst Licking of Season; Makes Two Scoring Threats". The San Bernardino Daily Sun. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Santa Ana Dons Drive to Loop Crown". The Los Angeles Times. November 22, 1940. p. II-10 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Emerson Street (November 30, 1940). "Outclassed Bear Cubs Thumped by Santa Ana, 34 to 6: Peterson Puts Over Lone J.C. Tally from One". The Press Democrat. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Dons Wind Up With Victory: Santa Ana Smothers One of North's Best Teams to Tune of 34-6". Anaheim Bulletin. November 30, 1940. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com].