The 1939 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the 18th
NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at the
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...
's
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (also known as the L.A. Coliseum) is a multi-purpose stadium in the Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Conceived as a hallmark of civic pride, the Coliseum was commissioned in 1921 as a mem ...
in June 1939. The
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...
won its fifth consecutive team title.
The individual high scorers at the meet were
William Watson of Michigan, who scored in three events, and double hurdles champion
Fred Wolcott
Fred Arrington Wolcott (November 28, 1915 – January 26, 1972) was an American track and field athlete who was United States champion and world record holder in the sprint hurdles events in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Track career
After g ...
of Rice. Both finished with 20 points.
Additionally, the NCAA hosted the first ever separate
cross country national championships during the 1938–39 season. The
1938 NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships were held in November 1938 in
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County, Michigan, Clinton County. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 ...
;
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
won the team event and Greg Rice, from
Notre Dame, won the individual event.
Team scoring
Track events
100-yard dash
1.
Mozel Ellerbe
The Moselle ( , ; german: Mosel ; lb, Musel ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A ...
, Tuskegee - 9.8 seconds
[Officials initially ruled that Jeffrey had won the race. Following review of the tapes, it was determined that Ellerbe's torso was the first to cross the line, and he was awarded first place.]
2.
Clyde Jeffrey Clyde may refer to:
People
* Clyde (given name)
* Clyde (surname)
Places
For townships see also Clyde Township
Australia
* Clyde, New South Wales
* Clyde, Victoria
* Clyde River, New South Wales
Canada
* Clyde, Alberta
* Clyde, Ontario, a to ...
, Stanford
3. Willis, USC
4. Jordan, USC
5. Ledford, Washington State
120-yard high hurdles
1.
Fred Wolcott
Fred Arrington Wolcott (November 28, 1915 – January 26, 1972) was an American track and field athlete who was United States champion and world record holder in the sprint hurdles events in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Track career
After g ...
, Rice - 14.2 seconds
2. Smith, Wisconsin
3. Corpening, North Carolina
4. Wright, Oklahoma A&M
5. Kinzle, Duke
6. Gatewood, Texas
220-yard dash
1.
Clyde Jeffrey Clyde may refer to:
People
* Clyde (given name)
* Clyde (surname)
Places
For townships see also Clyde Township
Australia
* Clyde, New South Wales
* Clyde, Victoria
* Clyde River, New South Wales
Canada
* Clyde, Alberta
* Clyde, Ontario, a to ...
, Stanford - 21.1 seconds
2. Ledford, Washington State
3. Pettichord, Washington State
4. Jordan, USC
5. Ohl, Pitt
220-yard low hurdles
1.
Fred Wolcott
Fred Arrington Wolcott (November 28, 1915 – January 26, 1972) was an American track and field athlete who was United States champion and world record holder in the sprint hurdles events in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Track career
After g ...
, Rice - 23 seconds
2. Earl Vickery, USC
3. Cochran, Indiana
4. Marshall, Butler
5. Hawkins, Stanford
440-yard dash
1.
Erwin Miller Erwin may refer to:
People Given name
* Erwin Chargaff (1905–2002), Austrian biochemist
* Erwin Dold (1919–2012), German concentration camp commandant in World War 2
* Erwin Hauer (1926–2017), Austrian-born American sculptor
* Egon Erwin Kis ...
, USC - 47.5 seconds
2. Watts, California
3. Simmons, Nebraska
4. Upton, USC
5. Breidenbach, Michigan
880-yard run
1.
John Woodruff, Pitt - 1:51.3
2. Giddings, NYU
3. Dale, Washington State
4. Moore, Stanford
5. Storli, Oregon
One-mile run
1.
Louis Zamperini
Louis Silvie Zamperini (January 26, 1917 – July 2, 2014) was an American World War II veteran and an Olympic distance runner. He took up running in high school and qualified for the United States in the 5,000 m race for the 1936 Ber ...
, USC - 4:13.6
2.
Walter Mehl
Walter may refer to:
People
* Walter (name), both a surname and a given name
* Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968)
* Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...
, Wisconsin
3.
John Munski
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
, Missouri
4. Holderman, Purdue
5. Girard, Stanford
Two-mile run
1.
Gregory Rice
Joseph Gregory Rice (January 3, 1916 – May 19, 1991) was an American long-distance runner. He was five times American champion in the 5000 m, set world indoor best times at two miles and three miles, and in 1940 received the Sullivan Award as ...
, Notre Dame - 9:02.6 (NCAA record)
2.
Ralph Schwarzkopf
Ralph (pronounced ; or ,) is a male given name of English, Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Old English ''Rædwulf'' and Radulf, cognate with the Old Norse ''Raðulfr'' (''rað'' "counsel" and ''ulfr'' "wolf").
The most common forms ...
, Michigan
3. Efaw, Oklahoma A&M
4. Dodds, Ashland
5. Garner, Washington State
Field events
Broad jump
1.
Judson Atchison
Judson may refer to:
Places Canada
*Judson, Alberta
*Mount Judson, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
United States
* Judson, Indiana, Howard County
*Judson, Parke County, Indiana
* North Judson, Indiana, Starke County
* Judson, Minnesota, an uni ...
, Texas - 24 feet, 9¼ inches
2. Billy Brown, LSU - 24 feet, 8 inches
3. Turner, UCLA - 24 feet, 5½ inches
4.
William Watson, Michigan - 24 feet, 1/2 inch
5. Manuel, California - 24 feet
High jump
1.
Johnny Wilson, USC - 6 feet, 6 inches
2. Mallery, USC
2. Diefenthaler, Illinois
4. Burke, Marquette
4. Arrington, Michigan State
4. Lincoln, Stanford
4. Du Fresne, Oregon State
Pole vault
1. Ganslen, Columbia - 14 feet, 5 inches
2. Day, USC
2. Padway, Wisconsin
2. Varoff, Oregon
Discus throw
1.
Pete Zagar
Pete or Petes or ''variation'', may refer to:
People
* Pete (given name)
* Pete (nickname)
* Pete (surname)
Fictional characters
* Pete (Disney), a cartoon character in the ''Mickey Mouse'' universe
* Pete the Pup (a.k.a. 'Petey'), a character ...
, Stanford - 164 feet, 1/4 inch
2.
William Watson, Michigan - 161 feet, 9¾ inches
3. Harris, Indiana
4. White, Tulane
5. Faymonville, Notre Dame
Javelin
1. Bob Peoples, USC - 220 feet, 6½ inches
2. Boyd Brown, Oregon
3. DeGroot, USC
4. Vukmanic, Penn
5. Graham, Texas
Shot put
1.
Elmer Hackney, Kansas State - 55 feet, 10⅜ inches (NCAA and American record)
2.
William Watson, Michigan - 54 feet, 6½ inches
3. Williams, Xavier New Orleans
4. Andersen, Stanford
5. Wohl, Stanford
See also
*
NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
*
1938 NCAA Men's Cross Country Championships
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1939 Ncaa Men's Track And Field Championships
NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship