1940 Santa Ana Dons football team

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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 scchool 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[edit]

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[edit]

  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[edit]

  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. Deceber 10, 1940. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  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].
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