Ed Widseth Edwin Clarence Widseth ( January 5 , 1910 – December 3 , 1998 ) was an American football tackle . He was an All - American at the University of Minnesota in 1935 and an All - Pro in the National Football League for the New York Giants . He has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame . University of Minnesota . Widseth was born in Gonvick , Minnesota in 1910 . He played high school football in McIntosh , Minnesota and began his college football career at the Northwest School of Agriculture ( later renamed University of Minnesota , Crookston ) where he graduated in 1932 . Widseth next enrolled at the University of Minnesota where he played football for Bernie Bierman ' s great Golden Gophers teams of the mid - 1930s . The Golden Gophers compiled a record of 23 - 1 during Widseth ' s three seasons on the team from 1934 - 1936 . Widseth reportedly " ' lived ' in enemy backfields and was unquestionably the pillar of strength in the Gopher line " during a period in which they claimed three consecutive national championships . The only game the Golden Gophers lost during Widseth ' s three years as a starter was a 6 - 0 loss to Northwestern in 1936 . Minnesota had a 28 - game winning streak when they went to Evanston for a Halloween Day game against Northwestern . The game was scoreless when Widseth tackled a Northwestern player , and the referee accused Widseth of " slugging " the Northwestern player . After a 15 - yard penalty was assessed , the ball was placed at Minnesota ' s one - yard line , and Northwestern scored a touchdown for the only points of the game . Widseth also won two varsity letters as a pitcher and first baseman for the Minnesota baseball team . Widseth was selected as a first - team All - American in all three seasons he played for the Golden Gophers . As a sophomore in 1934 , he was selected as a first - team All - American by the International News Service ( " INS " ) - - the Hearst newspaper syndicate . In 1935 , he received first - team All - American honors from the United Press ( " UP " ) , the All - America Board , " Liberty Magazine " , the INS , the North American Newspaper Alliance , the Central Press Association , and the Walter Camp Football Foundation ( " WCFF " ) . In 1936 , he was a consensus All - American receiving first - team honors from the Associated Press , the UP , " Collier ' s Weekly " , the INS , the Newspaper Editors Association , " Liberty Magazine " , the Central Press , and WCFF . Professional football . Widseth was drafted in the first round ( fourth overall ) of the 1937 NFL Draft . He played for the New York Giants from 1937 - 1940 . Widseth was recognized as an all - NFL player three consecutive years . As a rookie in 1937 , he was selected as a second - team All - NFL player by Collyers Eye Magazine , the INS , the NFL , the New York Daily News and the United Press . In 1938 , he was rated a first - team All - NFL player by Collyer ' s Eye , the Pro Football Writers , the INS , the NFL , the " New York Daily News " , and the United Press . In 1939 , he was selected as a second - team All - NFL player by the NFL and " New York Daily News " . Later years and honors . Widseth coached St . Thomas College from 1945 to 1946 and his team won the Minnesota College Conference title both years . Widseth was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954 . His official biography at the Hall of Fame describes him as follows : " A slashing , driving invader , Widseth used his 6 - 2 220 - pound body to pummel opposing players , relentlessly advancing until the ball - carrier was within his grasp and quickly felled . " The football field at the University of Minnesota Crookston is named Ed Widseth Field in honor of Widseth . Widseth died in 1998 at St . Paul , Minnesota . He is buried at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in Minneapolis , Minnesota .