Today's Tidbit... David vs. Goliath - The All-American Bowl
Football fans have always enjoyed a good David and Goliath story, and they had one in a different form in the late 1950s and early 1960s. One of the hallmarks of football's post-season was an all-star game between players from major colleges and smaller schools. It was hosted in Tucson and was known as the Optimist Bowl from 1959 to 1960 before becoming the All-American Bowl in 1961 and 1962.
The NCAA was a simpler organization then, having only the University and College divisions. The divisions were not based on enrollment, attendance, or the presence or number of scholarships, but on self-identification. Small schools with 1,500 students could identify as and compete in the University Division, while directional state schools ten times their size competed at the college level. The teams generally followed the University-College lines, though the small school team also had NAIA players.
All-Star games today are part of the pre-draft process. They help teams evaluate prospects before the draft by pitting them against other talented players, which is particularly important for those who play at lower levels. The early 1960s were a different era, however, since the draft occurred before many of the all-star games, so the game helped teams assess the qualities of the qualities of the players they had already drafted.
The 1959 game saw the major college team beat the small college players 14-12, while the 1960 game was a 53-0 blowout. Despite changing the bowl's name in 1961, the result was similar to that in 1960, when the major colleges stuffed the small schools 31-0. That left the 1962 All-American Bowl in a tough spot. Seeking to raise money for a local Boys Home, the Gator, Blue-Gray, and East-West game were also scheduled for December 29 and had TV contracts, while the All-American Bowl could only be seen by those in attendance. The All-American Bowl needed a sizable gate and a more competitive game to survive.
The major college roster included Minnesota's Bobby Bell, that year's Outland Trophy winner, and Dave Behrman, Michigan State's 1st round pick for Chicago. Meanwhile, future All-Pro Willie Richardson of Jackson State, Tulsa's Tony Liscio, Green Bay's 3rd round choice, and Stan Sanders of Whittier and Chicago's 4th round choice, headlined the small school roster. Sanders never played pro football, though having earned a Rhodes Scholarship before attending Yale Law, he turned out okay.
The game began with the small schools executing a solid drive before turning it over on downs as Bobby Bell sacked the quarterback. As expected, the big boys quickly drove 85 yards in four plays to earn a touchdown, and the conversion left it 7-0. The teams went back and forth the rest of the half, but neither scored.
The small schoolers earned the first tally of the second half when Texas A&I halfback Tom Yanick pinned his opponent on the 2-yard line with a beautiful punt. After the defense held, Yanick combined 22-yard and 5-yard runs for a TD. A fake kick and two-point conversion gave the small schools an 8-7 lead.
An interception and long return set up a fourth-quarter TD for the big boys, but the small schoolers quickly responded to take a 14-13 lead.
The major colleges began a late second-half drive when Willie Richardson intercepted a pass at the 15-yard line and returned it to midfield. The small school boys then drove inside the one before the clock ran out, claiming the 14-13 win.
The small schools outgained their superiors 365 to 227 and held a 20-9 first-down advantage, giving Delaware head coach Dave Nelson, who developed the Wing-T offense, his first All-American win in three tries.
Unfortunately, the game attracted only 8 or 9,000 fans, and the lack of a television contract left the game with a $2,500 deficit. Still, they planned to play again over the 1963-1964 holidays. However, the lack of manpower among the organizers and the likely impact of stadium construction on the already-poor attendance lead to a September decision to end the All-American Bowl. As a result, the big boys never got to avenge their loss to the little squirts.
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Another great article! Thank you!