What Is 1939 La Salle Explorers football team

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1939 La Salle Explorers football team represented La Salle College in Philadelphia during the 1939 college football season, finishing with a 5–3 record under head coach Marty Brill.

Key Facts

The 1939 La Salle Explorers football team had a 5–3 overall record
Marty Brill was the head coach during the 1939 season
The team played as an independent with no conference affiliation
They played their home games at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium
The season included a notable 13–6 win over West Virginia

Overview

The 1939 La Salle Explorers football team represented La Salle College, a Catholic liberal arts institution in Philadelphia, during the 1939 college football season. Competing as an independent, the team was led by head coach Marty Brill in his second year at the helm.

La Salle finished the season with a respectable 5–3 overall record, showcasing a balanced performance on both offense and defense. The team played its home games at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium, a multi-purpose venue that hosted several local college teams at the time.

Season Record: The Explorers finished the 1939 season with a 5–3 overall record, demonstrating consistent competitiveness throughout the year.
Head Coach: Marty Brill served as head coach, continuing his tenure after taking over in 1938 and helping build the program’s early foundation.
Conference Status: La Salle competed as an independent, meaning it was not affiliated with any formal athletic conference during the 1939 season.
Home Stadium: The team played home games at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium, also known as JFK Stadium, which seated over 100,000 spectators.
Notable Game: A key victory came against West Virginia, winning 13–6, which stood out as one of the season’s most significant results.

Season Highlights and Game Results

The 1939 campaign featured a mix of regional opponents and emerging programs, with La Salle showing improvement over its previous season. The schedule included teams from Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia, reflecting the geographic reach of independent college football at the time.

September 30: La Salle opened the season with a 13–0 win over West Virginia Wesleyan, setting a strong tone early.
October 7: The Explorers defeated Albright College 20–0, showcasing a dominant defensive performance.
October 14: A close 13–6 victory over West Virginia highlighted the team’s ability to compete against stronger competition.
October 21: La Salle lost to NYU 13–7 in a tightly contested matchup in front of a large crowd.
November 4: The team fell to Temple 19–0, a setback against a local rival with a more established program.
November 11: La Salle rebounded with a 20–7 win over Bucknell, regaining momentum late in the season.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 1939 La Salle Explorers with other regional independent teams from the same season:

Team	Record	Head Coach	Home Stadium
La Salle Explorers	5–3	Marty Brill	Philadelphia Municipal Stadium
Temple Owls	3–4–1	Pop Warner	Temple Stadium
West Virginia Mountaineers	6–4	Marshall Glenn	Mountaineer Field
Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens	4–4	William D. Murray	Delaware Stadium
St. Joseph's Hawks	2–4	No coach listed	On-campus field

La Salle’s 5–3 record placed them above several regional peers in terms of win percentage. While Temple and West Virginia were more established programs, La Salle’s victory over West Virginia demonstrated their upward trajectory. The use of Philadelphia Municipal Stadium gave them access to a larger venue than most local colleges, enhancing their visibility and game-day experience.

Why It Matters

The 1939 season was a building block in the development of La Salle’s football program, which would later become a staple of mid-20th century college football in the Northeast. Though the program was discontinued in 1950, this era laid the groundwork for future athletic identity at the university.

Program Growth: The 1939 season contributed to the growing reputation of La Salle as a competitive independent football program.
Historical Context: College football in 1939 was in transition, with radio broadcasts increasing exposure and La Salle benefiting from regional attention.
Coaching Legacy: Marty Brill’s leadership helped stabilize the team during a formative period in the program’s history.
Stadium Use: Playing at Municipal Stadium allowed La Salle to host larger crowds and higher-profile opponents than smaller venues permitted.
Rivalry Development: Games against Temple and West Virginia helped establish early regional rivalries that shaped scheduling for years.
Legacy: Though La Salle dropped football in 1950, the 1939 season remains a documented milestone in the school’s athletic history.

Today, the 1939 La Salle Explorers are remembered as part of the broader narrative of college football’s expansion during the pre-World War II era, representing a time when smaller Catholic colleges competed with ambition on the national stage.