Historic victory: Oregon Webfoots claim inaugural March Madness title in 1939

EUGENE, Ore. (KTVZ) The Oregon Webfoots made history on March 27, 1939, by winning the first-ever NCAA basketball tournament. The team defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes with a score of 46-33 to claim the inaugural national title.

This landmark victory marked the beginning of what would become the nationwide phenomenon now known as March Madness.

The inaugural tournament in 1939 featured just eight teams vying for a national championship, a stark contrast to today's expansive event. The Oregon team, then known as the Webfoots, entered the competition as one of the nation's top contenders.

Keith Richard, an archivist at the University of Oregon, noted the high caliber of the participating teams. "You really had two teams that were coming in that were almost certainly the strongest in the nation," Richard said.

The average height of a college basketball player in 1939 was six feet tall. The Webfoots benefited from a significant height advantage, with their tallest player standing six foot four.

This contributed to their success in the first and second rounds of the tournament, where they secured victories over Texas and Oklahoma The team's consistent performance was built on a combination of strong defense and efficient offense throughout the season.

Upon their return to Eugene, thousands of fans gathered to welcome the new champions. The celebration included an incident where a police officer, attempting to manage traffic, was hoisted onto the shoulders of the jubilant crowd.

The team's achievement became a source of statewide pride for Oregon. Head coach Howard Hobson expressed particular pride in his team's local roots. "I'm very proud of some things about our team, by the way and so we're starting five. We're all native Oregonians, five Oregonians who made history," Hobson stated. All five of the starting players were native Oregonians.

The tournament has grown significantly since its inception. Today, the NCAA basketball tournament features 68 teams and generates billions of dollars in wagered money, a far cry from its humble beginnings.