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Lot # 1483: November 25th, 1939, Cornell vs. U-Penn Game Used Football to Complete Cornell's Last Undefeated Season (Incredible Provenance)

Category: Football

Starting Bid: $200.00

Bids: 2 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "2024 Summer Classic",
which ran from 6/9/2024 12:00 PM to
6/29/2024 10:00 PM



Presented is the game ball from the last game of Cornell's undefeated football season, on November 25, 1939, versus the University of Pennsylvania, the last-to-date undefeated season for the "Big Red." Cornell won the game 26-0. Painted on the ball, in white paint, is "19 U 39 unbeaten." During the undefeated season, before the team's final game against Penn, Cornell defeated: Syracuse, Princeton, Penn State, Ohio State, Colombia, Colgate, and Dartmouth. Cornell turned down an invitation to the Rose Bowl that year because the players had to "catch up on their studies." The team won the Lambert Trophy as the best team in the East. The Associated Press ranked Cornell as 4th nationally. In later retrospective rankings, Cornell was rated as the nation's top 1939 team by both the Litkenhous and Sagarin rankings. Tackle Nick Drahos was a consensus First Team All-American, and he was later elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. Quarterback Walter Matuszczak was named First Team All American by the New York Sun newspaper. The football is not fully inflated, and it may not hold air for an extended period. The football exhibits great game use, with scuffs and very minor outer skin loss, some minor darkening, and very minor paint loss on the ball's painted inscription. The ball comes with great provenance. The ball originated from the Joe Madden Trophy Room Collection. Included is a LOA from the collection of Don Schmitz.

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