IQFB.com Examines The NFL All-Decade Teams: The 1940s

Posted by Mark

Welcome to part three of our six part series examining the NFL All-Decade teams. Today, we look at the 1940s NFL All-Decade Team.

Position Player Name: Team(s): College Attended: In Hall of Fame?

Quarterback Sammy Baugh Washington Redskins Texas Christian Yes

Sid Luckman Chicago Bears Columbia Yes

Bob Waterfield Cleveland Rams
Los Angeles Rams UCLA Yes

Running back Tony Canadeo Green Bay Packers Gonzaga Yes

Bill Dudley Pittsburgh Steelers
Detroit Lions Virginia Yes

George McAfee Chicago Bears Duke Yes

Steve Van Buren Philadelphia Eagles Louisiana State Yes

Charley Trippi Chicago Cardinals Georgia Yes

Byron White Detroit Lions Colorado No

Fullback Marion Motley Cleveland Browns
Pittsburgh Steelers Nevada Yes

Pat Harder Chicago Cardinals
Detroit Lions Wisconsin No

Bill Osmanski Chicago Bears Holy Cross No

End Mac Speedie Cleveland Browns Utah No

Pete Pihos Philadelphia Eagles Indiana Yes

Ed Sprinkle Chicago Bears Hardin-Simmons University
Navy No

Dante Lavelli Cleveland Browns Ohio State Yes

Ken Kavanaugh Chicago Bears Louisiana State No

Jim Benton Cleveland Rams
Chicago Bears
Los Angeles Rams University of Arkansas No

Jack Ferrante Philadelphia Eagles none No

Tackle Al Blozis New York Giants Georgetown No

George Connor Chicago Bears Notre Dame Yes

Frank “Bucko” Kilroy Philadelphia Eagles Temple No

Buford “Baby” Ray Green Bay Packers Vanderbilt No

Vic Sears Philadelphia Eagles Oregon State No

Al Wistert Philadelphia Eagles Michigan No

Guard Bruno Banducci Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers Stanford No

Bill Edwards New York Giants Baylor No

Garrard “Buster” Ramsey Chicago Cardinals William and Mary No

Bill Willis Cleveland Browns Ohio State Yes

Len Younce New York Giants Oregon State No

Center Charley Brock Green Bay Packers Nebraska No

Clyde “Bulldog” Turner Chicago Bears Hardin-Simmons Yes

Alex Wojciechowicz Detroit Lions
Philadelphia Eagles Fordham Yes

Position	Player Name:	Team(s):	College Attended:	In Hall of Fame?
Quarterback	Sammy Baugh	Washington Redskins	Texas Christian	Yes
Sid Luckman	Chicago Bears	Columbia	Yes
Bob Waterfield	Cleveland Rams Los Angeles Rams	UCLA	Yes
Running back	Tony Canadeo	Green Bay Packers	Gonzaga	Yes
Bill Dudley	Pittsburgh Steelers Detroit Lions	Virginia	Yes
George McAfee	Chicago Bears	Duke	Yes
Steve Van Buren	Philadelphia Eagles	Louisiana State	Yes
Charley Trippi	Chicago Cardinals	Georgia	Yes
Byron White	Detroit Lions	Colorado	No
Fullback	Marion Motley	Cleveland Browns Pittsburgh Steelers	Nevada	Yes
Pat Harder	Chicago Cardinals Detroit Lions	Wisconsin	No
Bill Osmanski	Chicago Bears	Holy Cross	No
End	Mac Speedie	Cleveland Browns	Utah	No
Pete Pihos	Philadelphia Eagles	Indiana	Yes
Ed Sprinkle	Chicago Bears	Hardin-Simmons University Navy	No
Dante Lavelli	Cleveland Browns	Ohio State	Yes
Ken Kavanaugh	Chicago Bears	Louisiana State	No
Jim Benton	Cleveland Rams Chicago Bears Los Angeles Rams	University of Arkansas	No
Jack Ferrante	Philadelphia Eagles	none	No
Tackle	Al Blozis	New York Giants	Georgetown	No
George Connor	Chicago Bears	Notre Dame	Yes
Frank “Bucko” Kilroy	Philadelphia Eagles	Temple	No
Buford “Baby” Ray	Green Bay Packers	Vanderbilt	No
Vic Sears	Philadelphia Eagles	Oregon State	No
Al Wistert	Philadelphia Eagles	Michigan	No
Guard	Bruno Banducci	Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers	Stanford	No
Bill Edwards	New York Giants	Baylor	No
Garrard “Buster” Ramsey	Chicago Cardinals	William and Mary	No
Bill Willis	Cleveland Browns	Ohio State	Yes
Len Younce	New York Giants	Oregon State	No
Center	Charley Brock	Green Bay Packers	Nebraska	No
Clyde “Bulldog” Turner	Chicago Bears	Hardin-Simmons	Yes
Alex Wojciechowicz	Detroit Lions Philadelphia Eagles	Fordham	Yes

The 1940s NFL All-Decade team was highly affected by World War II. Some teams stopped playing while others merged so that they could still field a team of experienced players. Many teams contributed players to the All-Decade team, but two produced twice as many as the best of the rest of the NFL. The 1950s Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles each contributed eight players to the All-Decade team. The Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns were next in line, each contributing four players.

From a standpoint of colleges represented, the 1940s NFL All-Decade Team is starting to look a little more modern in terms of having players from what are considered classic football schools included. There are still a few smaller colleges that contributed players, colleges that today are not considered to be classic football schools. One of the more interesting facts is that the 1940s NFL All-Decade Team includes two players that attended Hardin-Simmons University, a small Baptist college in Abilene, Texas.

As we stated before, what prompted this look at the NFL’s All-Decade Team was the question as to how many players have made the All-Decade Team, meaning they’ve been a great player for roughly a decade if not more, but failed to make it into the Hall-of-Fame.

1940s All Decade Team Players Who Didn’t Make It Into The Hall Of Fame:
Byron White – Running Back – Detroit Lions
Pat Harder – Fullback – Chicago Cardinals, Detroit Lions
Bill Osmanski – Fullback – Chicago Bears
Mac Speedie – End – Cleveland Browns
Ed Sprinkle – End – Chicago Bears
Ken Kavanaugh – End – Chicago Bears
Jim Benton – End – Cleveland/Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears
Jack Ferrante – End – Philadelphia Eagles
Al Blozis – Tackle – New York Giants
Frank Kilroy – Tackle – Philadelphia Eagles
Buford Ray – Tackle – Green Bay Packers
Vic Sears – Tackle – Philadelphia Eagles
Al Wistert – Tackle Philadelphia Eagles
Bruno Banducci – Guard – Philadelphia Eagles/San Francisco 49ers
Bill Edwards – Guard – New York Giants
Garrard Ramsey – Guard – Chicago Cardinals
Len Younce – Guard – New York Giants
Charley Brock – Center – Green Bay Packers

Players selected: 33
Players not in Hall of Fame: 18
54% of 1940s All Decade Team Players are not in the Hall of Fame