1939 AGGIES TO RECEIVE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS
Oct 06, 1998 | Football
October 06, 1998
Almost 59 years after winning the national championship, members of Texas A&M's 1939 football team will receive commemorative championship rings prior to the A&M-Nebraska football game Saturday at Kyle Field.
A total of 64 rings will be presented, 26 to surviving members of the team and the rest to family members of deceased players and coaches. Of the 26 living former players, 22 are scheduled to attend the ceremonies.
The tribute will include an awards ceremony, a pregame meal at the Lettermen's Lounge and at halftime presentation during the game at Kyle Field. The luncheon is expected to attract more than 400 people.
"It will be a very, very emotional moment for us all," said Howard Shelton, a member of the 1939 team and one of the organizers of the event. "I get kind of emotional just thinking about it. I believe it will be the culmination of a great life for a lot of us."
The 1939 Aggies finished with an 11-0 record, culminating with a 14-13 Sugar Bowl victory against Tulane. That team still owns the NCAA record for total defense, allowing an incredible 76.3 yards per game. A&M also led the nation in scoring defense and rushing defense that season.
Offensively, the 1939 Aggies were led by one of the greatest players in A&M history, running back Jarrin' John Kimbrough, who went on to finish second in balloting for the Heisman Trophy in 1940.
"That team was made up of so many extraordinary individuals," Shelton said. "It was a team of incredible integrity and character. It was a very special group, especially when you look at what the guys on that team accomplished after Texas A&M. It's pretty amazing. There are a lot of success stories in this group."
