--- description: Having courage. Not being a bully. Being a good student. Sounds like the Young America League might have been onto something. title: Little Tough Guys: Faces of the Young America Football League, 1939 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaa83b54d9bc9aa99/69877ad506f2c11e033337f3/140116-football-young-america-league-16.jpg?branch=production&width=1920&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Little Tough Guys: Faces of the Young America Football League, 1939 by [Ben Cosgrove](/author/ben-cosgrove/) ## Ben Cosgrove Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 15, 2014 8:04 PM CUT  Caption from LIFE. Bill Gregory, 8-year-old star tackle for the Wolf Pack football team in the Young America League for kids. Caption from LIFE. Bill Gregory, 8-year-old star tackle for the Wolf Pack football team in the Young America League for kids.Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images by [Ben Cosgrove](/author/ben-cosgrove/) ## Ben Cosgrove Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 15, 2014 8:04 PM CUT Not long ago, we posted [a gallery](http://life.time.com/culture/tough-guys-faces-of-the-nfl-1938/#1 "undefined") of photographs featuring National Football League players in 1938\. “In those years,” we noted, “the biggest sports in the land were baseball, boxing, horse racing and college football; the NFL barely registered on most sports fans’ radar. But it was making strides, and LIFE magazine noticed.” LIFE, it turns out, also noticed that youngsters around the country were, in increasing numbers, playing the game under the aegis of organized leagues. But one Colorado league, in particular, caught the eye of LIFE photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt. As the magazine told its readers in its Oct. 9, 1939, issue: --- > “” --- --- > “” --- --- > “” --- Courage is a good thing. Not bullying girls — or boys, or anyone — is a good thing. Being a good student is, generally speaking, a good thing. Sounds like the Young America League might have been on to something.  Caption from LIFE. Bill Gregory, 8-year-old star tackle for the Wolf Pack football team in the Young America League for kids. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Boys aged 8 to 12 years, gathered in circle for ceremony (with American flags and signs for Honesty, Loyalty, Reverence, The Spirit of Young America) before playing Young American Football league games. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Alex Lindsay Jr., 10, member of the Young America League, who plays football for the Wolf Pack Club. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Boys learning to play football in the Young America League. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Jim Petersen, 8, plays football in the Young America League for kids. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Thirsty members of Wolf Pack kids football team drinking water from garden hose. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Jim Matthews, 11, who is learning to play football in the Young America League. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Boys in the Young America League roughhousing instead of learning to play football. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Boys (8 to 12 yrs.) playing midget football in the Young America League. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Bill Blake, 8, plays football in the Young America League for kids. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Young Football League member Cliff Donnelly struggling with his equipment. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Boy learning to play football in the Young America League. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Boys (8 to 12 yrs.) playing midget football in the Young America League. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Duane Castella, who is learning to play football in the Young America League. (Note: Originally misidentified in LIFE 10-09-1939 issue). Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Mother pulling football jersey off her son after Young America League game. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Jimmy Connell, 8, who is learning to play football in the Young America League. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3675182/young-america-football-league-1939/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3675182/young-america-football-league-1939/"},"headline":"Little Tough Guys: Faces of the Young America Football League, 1939","datePublished":"2014-01-15T20:04:30.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:06:07.723Z","description":"In the 1930s, youngsters around the U.S. were, in increasing numbers, playing football under the aegis of organized leagues. 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