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The 1925 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1925. The organizations that chose the teams included: the United Press; the Associated Press; Collier's Weekly selected by Grantland Rice; an Inter-Sectional Board of Football Coaches made up of Tad Jones of Yale, Knute Rockne of Notre Dame and Glenn "Pop" Warner of Stanford; the New York Sun; Walter Eckersall; Billy Evans; and Norman E. Brown.

Walter Camp died in March 1925, marking the end of his "official" All-American selections for Collier's. The wire services moved in to fill the void in 1925, with both the United Press and Associated Press offering their own All-American teams for the first time.

The only two unanimous All-Americans in 1925 were tackle Ed Weir of Nebraska and halfback Andy "Swede" Oberlander of Dartmouth College.

NCAA consensus All-American team[]

The following players make up the consensus All-American team recognized in the NCAA All-American guide.[1]

Position Name School Unanimous College Hall of Fame
Ends Bennie Oosterbaan
Mike Tully
Michigan
Dartmouth
No
No
Oosterbaan HOF Profile
No
Tackles Ed Weir
Ralph Chase
Nebraska
Pittsburgh
Yes
No
Weir HOF Profile
No
Guards Carl Diehl
Ed Hess
Dartmouth
Ohio State
No
No
No
No
Center Edward L. McMillan Princeton No No
Quarterback Benny Friedman Michigan No Friedman HOF Profile
Halfbacks Andy "Swede" Oberlander
Red Grange
Dartmouth
Illinois
Yes
No
Oberlander HOF Profile
Grange HOF Profile
Fullback Ernie "Big Dog" Nevers Stanford No Nevers HOF Profile

Death of Walter Camp and calls to end the All-Americans[]

Walter Camp - Project Gutenberg eText 18048

Walter Camp died in March 1925

For more than twenty years before 1925, the selections made by Walter Camp for Collier's Weekly were considered the "official" All-American selections. With the death of Camp in 1925, the field was open as to which selector's choices would be recognized as the "official" All-Americans.

Some advocated putting an end to the tradition of selecting All-American teams. Edward K. Hall, chairman of the inter-collegiate rules committee, advocated that position at the New York banquet honoring the New York Sun's 1925 All-Americans. Hall said, "I say with all the earnestness that is in me that I hope this is the last dinner to an all-American team that will ever be held in America." Hall argued that such selections place an over-emphasis on the importance of individual players in a team sport. Hall also denounced as a menace the manner in which professional football promoters were luring college players to play professional football for "easy money and quick money."[2]

Proliferation of All-American teams[]

Despite the calls of some for the end to All-American teams, the death of Walter Camp did not bring an end to the tradition. Instead, Camp's death led to a proliferation of yet more experts naming their own All-American teams.

Even Ring Lardner jumped into the All-American mix in 1925 offering a satirical All-American team consisting of Red Grange at quarterback with Lardner, his friends and family members (men and women, elderly and children) filling out the remaining spots. Lardner wrote: "As soon as you have Grange and a center to pass him the ball you don't need or want no more football players and can take advantage of the opportunity to fill out other positions with relatives and congenial friends."[3] Frank Getty of the United News Service wrote: “Now that All-American teams, All-Eastern teams, All-Conference teams and All-Colored teams for 1925 have been picked by everyone including the janitor, the janitor’s boy and Natalia Crane it’s about time to admit that it’s a futile practice. At best. No one is qualified to select an All-American team on his own, because no one can watch more than one game each Saturday during the season, nor see more than eight or nine games at the most.”[4]

The rise of the wire service teams[]

One of the major developments in 1925 was the rise of All-American teams selected by wire services based on polls of sports writers and coaches across the country.

In late November 1925, University of Michigan coach Fielding H. Yost publicly advocated a new system. Yost opined that the selection was not a job to be undertaken by any individual or any group of football experts. Yost said: "As Walter Camp has stated to me more than once, during the last five years of his life, this job of selecting an All-American was growing more and more difficult because of the great number of good football men in America."[5]

Both the United Press and Associated Press named All-American teams in 1925. United Press sports editor Henry L. Farrell described the service's purpose in entering the All-American business: "The average season consists of from eight to ten Saturdays and it is a physical impossibility for any one to see more than one game and it is likewise impossible for any human with ordinary vision equipment to see in action all the good teams in the country." For that reason, Farrell announced that he had submitted questionnaires to 75 leading coaches and officials and picked a team based on those results.[6][7]

All-American selections for 1925[]

Key[]

Selectors recognized by NCAA in consensus determinations

Other selectors

  • Bold = recognized as unanimous All-American in NCAA All-American guide[1]
  • Italics = recognized as consensus All-American in NCAA All-American guide[1]
  • 1 - First Team Selection
  • 2 - Second Team Selection
  • 3 - Third Team Selection

Ends[]

  • Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan (UP; AP-1; COL-1; A&S-1; AAB-1; Sun-1; WC; WE–1; BE-1; NB-1; RKN)
  • Mike Tully, Dartmouth (UP; AP-1; COL-3; A&S-1; Sun–1; WE-2; BE-1; NB-1; SW)
  • George Thayer, Pennsylvania (AP-2; COL-1; WE-3; Sun-2; RKN)
  • Charles F. Born, Army (AP-2; AAB-1; Sun–2; WC; BE-2)
  • Lavern Dilweg, Marquette (WE–1)
  • Vic Hanson, Syracuse (AP-3)
  • Lowe, Tennessee (AP-3)
  • Chuck Kassel, Illinois (COL-2; AAB-3; WE-2; BE-2)
  • Romley, Iowa (COL-2)
  • Carl Bacchus, Missouri (COL-3)
  • Edwards, Washington & Jefferson (NB-2)
  • Ted Shipkey, Stanford (AAB-2; NB-2; SW)
  • Ted Sloane, Drake (AAB-2; WE-3)
  • Ray Wagner, Columbia (AAB-3)
  • Cunningham, Ohio State (HR)
  • Baxter, Army (HR)

Tackles[]

  • Ed Weir, Nebraska (UP; AP-1; COL-1; A&S-1; AAB-1; Sun–1; WC; WE–1; BE-1; NB-1; HR; RKN)
  • Ralph E. Chase, Pittsburgh (AP-1; COL-1; AAB-1; Sun-2; WE-2; BE-2)
  • Tom Edwards, Michigan (AP-3; COL-2; WE–1; NB-2)
  • Nathan Parker, Dartmouth (UP; AP-2; COL-2; AAB-3; WE-2; Sun–2)
  • Johnny H. Joss, Yale (Sun–1; BE-2; NB-2)
  • Ed Lindenmeyer, Missouri (AP-2; COL-3; A&S-1; AAB-2; WE-3; BE-1; RKN; SW)
  • Henderson, Chicago (NB-1)
  • Hector Cyre, Gonzaga (AP-3)
  • Erickson, Washington (COL-3)
  • Bud Sprague, Army (AAB-2; SW)
  • Harry Hawkins, Michigan (AAB-3; WE-3)
  • Bachor, Detroit (HR)

Guards[]

  • Carl H. Diehl, Dartmouth (UP; AP-1; COL-1; AAB-1; Sun–1; WE-1; WC; BE-2; NB-1; SW)
  • Ed Hess, Ohio State (UP; AP-2; COL-1; A&S-1; AAB-2; WE–2; BE-1; NB-1; HR)
  • Herbert Sturhahn, Yale (AP-1; COL-1; AAB-1; Sun–1; WE-1; WC; RKN [center])
  • Len Walsh, Minnesota (WE–2)
  • August William Lentz, Jr., Navy (Sun–2)
  • Kilgore, Harvard (Sun–2; NB-2)
  • Edward McMillan, Princeton (BE-1)
  • Bill Buckler, Alabama (AP-2; WE-3)
  • Walter "Red" Mahan, West Virginia (AP-3; AAB-3; WE-3; BE-2)
  • Carey, Cornell (A&S-1)
  • Carey, California (AP-3; COL-2; AAB-2; NB-2)
  • Godwin, Georgia Tech. (COL-2; RKN)
  • R.J. Stipek, Wisconsin (COL-3)
  • Zonar "Zeke" Wissinger, Pittsburgh (AAB-3)
  • Mitterwallner, Illinois (HR)
  • Schmidt, Army (RKN)
  • Taylor, Univ. South. Calif. (SW)

Centers[]

  • Edward L. McMillan, Princeton (UP; AP-1; COL-1; AAB-1; Sun – 1; WE-1; WC; NB-2; HR)
  • Robert Brown, Michigan (AP-2; COL-2; A&S-1; Sun–2; BE-1; NB-1; SW)
  • Hutchinson (Hutchison), Nebraska (AP-3; WE–2)
  • Lowry (Lowery), Northwestern (COL-3; AAB-2; WE-3; BE-2)
  • Jeff Cravath, USC Trojans (AAB-3)

Quarterbacks[]

  • Benny Friedman, Michigan (UP; AP-2; COL-2; AAB-1; Sun–1; WE–2; BE-2; RKN; SW)
  • Harold "Red" Grange, Illinois (AP-1; COL-1; WC; BE-1; NB-1; HR; RKN; SW)
  • George Wilson, Washington (WE–1; HR; RKN)
  • George Pease, Columbia (Sun–2)
  • Kenny Hyde, Colorado Aggies (AP-3)
  • Chester (or Lester) Lautenschlager, Tulane (COL-3)
  • Alison "Pooley" Hubert, Alabama (NB-2)
  • Jacob Slagle, Princeton (AAB-2)
  • Morley Drury, U.S.C. (AAB-3)
  • Charles "Peggy" Flournoy, Tulane (WE–3; HR)

Halfbacks[]

  • Andy "Swede" Oberlander, Dartmouth (UP; AP-1; COL-1; A&S-1; AAB-1; Sun–1; WE-1; WC; BE-1; NB-1; HR; RKN; SW)
  • Red Grange, Illinois (UP; A&S-1 [qb]; AAB-2; WE–1)
  • George Wilson, Washington (AP-1; COL-1; AAB-1; WC; BE-2)
  • Eddie Tryon, Colgate (AP-2; COL-2; A&S-1; AAB-3; Sun-1; WE-2; BE-2; NB-2; SW)
  • Charles "Peggy" Flournoy, Tulane (AP-2; COL-3; AAB-2; BE-1; NB-1)
  • Jacob Slagle, Princeton (COL-2; Sun–2; WE-2)
  • Jackson Keefer, Brown (AP-3; COL-3; WE-3)
  • Ralph Baker, Northwestern (NB-2)
  • Alison "Pooley" Hubert, Alabama (AAB-2)
  • Kreuz, Penn (Sun–2)
  • Johnny Mack Brown, Alabama (AP-3)
  • Tony Plansky, Georgetown(AAB-3)
  • Doyle Harmon, Wisconsin (WE–3)

Fullbacks[]

Notes[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "All-America Roster". NCAA. Archived from the original on 1 December, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071201142919/http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/footballs_finest/2002/154-174.pdf. Retrieved 14 January 2008.
  2. "All-American Team Menances College Game: So States Chairman of Intercollegiate Rules Committee at Banquet". The Davenport Democrat and Leader. 1925-12-07.
  3. Lardner, Ring W. (1925-11-29). "Lardner Weekly Letter: Grange and Self on All-American Team". The Zanesville Signal.
  4. Getty, Frank (1925-12-28). "Picking of Honor Teams Is Futile: Coaches Would Abolish System". Cedar Rapids Republican (United News story).
  5. "'All America' Selection Job For Grid Expert". The Bridgeport Telegram (AP Report). 1925-11-24.
  6. Farrell, Henry L. (1925-12-17). "All American Teams Become Yearly Custom: Many Good Arguments to Oppose Selection of Honor Elevens". Cedar Rapids Republican.
  7. Farrell, Henry L. (1925-12-18). "Farrell Tells How He Picked All-Americans". The Fresno Bee.
  8. Farrell, Henry L. (1925-11-28). "United Press Chooses All-American Team: Undertakes to Name Eleven Best Playes of Season". Tyrone Daily Herald (Pa.).
  9. "Associated Press Announces All-American Teams". Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. 1925-12-14.
  10. "Syracuse Draws Blank as Rice Names Official All-American Eleven". Syracuse Herald. 1925-12-15.
  11. "Coaches To Pick All Star Eleven: Jim Thorpe Canvasses Athletic Heads". Cedar Rapids Republican. 1925-12-04.
  12. Tad Jones, Knute Rockne, and Glenn Warner (1925-12-04). "Red Grange Placed on Second All-American Team: Coaches Keep Star Off First: Rockne, Jones and Warner Claim He Has Two Main Weak Points; Friedman Is Captain; Two Michigan Men Honored; Pacific Coast Stars in the Backfield". The Davenport Democrat.
  13. "Here’s An All-American Picked By New York Sun Favors Eastern Players". Hamilton Evening Journal. 1925-11-28.
  14. "Walter Camp Football Foundation". Archived from the original on 18 December, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20071218214203/http://waltercamp.org/index.php/teams_and_awards/. Retrieved 13 January 2008.
  15. "Westerners Lead On All-American: Chicago Critic Picks Team With Strong Aerial Attack". The Galveston Daily News. 1925-12-20.
  16. "Seven Westerners Given Places on Eckersall's All-American Eleven: Grange Named As Leader of Mythical Team". Davenport Democrat And Leader. 1925-12-20.
  17. Evans, Billy (1925-12-05). "Here's Billy Evans' All-Americans". The Fitchburg Sentinel.
  18. Brown, Norman E. (1925-12-07). "Here Are Brown's All-American Selections: All Sections of Country On Writer's All-American". Galveston County Daily News.
  19. Brown, Norman E. (1925-12-07). "Here Are Brown's All-American Selections: Michigan Draws Two Positions; Pacific Coast and South Land". San Mateo Times.
  20. Brown, Norman E. (1925-12-04). "Norman E. Brown's All-American Eleven: Has Line Power of A Dreadnaught: Dazzling Aerial Attack of Bombing Fleet". Oil City Derrick (Pa.).
  21. Brown, Norman E. (1925-12-13). "Norman E. Brown's All-American Eleven: Has Line Power of A Dreadnaught: Dazzling Aerial Attack of Bombing Fleet". The Morning News Review (S.C.).
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 "All-America Addendum". College Football Historical Society Newsletter. November 2008. http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/CFHSN/CFHSNv12/CFHSNv12n1j.pdf. Retrieved 05 March 2010.

This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at 1925 College Football All-America Team.
The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with American Football Database, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

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