First Gophers All-American McGovern led All-Star teams vs. the Marines


University of Minnesota Gophers player John McGovern was the team's first-ever All-American in 1909 at quarterback. (This image is from the December 23, 1934, Minneapolis Sunday Tribune.) From 1912-16 and 1919-20, McGovern organized exhibition teams dubbed the Minnesota All-Stars, which played opponents on Thanksgiving Day at Nicollet Park. McGovern's Minnesota All-Stars included mostly former Gophers players, and they usually played the Minneapolis Marines, the local professional football team, which joined the NFL in 1921. McGovern's all-star teams always beat the Marines or, just once, they tied. McGovern later opened a successful law practice in Washington, D. C.

Read more in Mill City Scrum, the history of Minnesota's first team in the National Football League.

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