The draft was held in the Empire Room of the
Schroeder Hotel in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In the early history of the NFL, drafts were typically held on the eve of the
NFL Championship Game. The
1939 NFL Championship Game (held the day after the draft) was hosted by the
Green Bay Packers, but took place in Milwaukee (at the "Dairy Bowl" stadium in the infield of the
Milwaukee Mile racetrack) instead of the
Green Bay, Wisconsin due to team owner
Curly Lambeau's belief that a game in Milwaukee (a larger city more accessible by rail) would generate greater attendance than one in Green Bay. Lambeau's decision paid off, with a sold-out game the day following the draft. Both the hotel (today known as the "Hilton Milwaukee") and the ballroom in which the draft was held remain today, with the ballroom maintaining a similar appearance to how it looked at the time of the draft. ==Player selections==