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The 1923 Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 1923,
was an American Football bowl game. It was the 9th Rose Bowl Game.
The USC Trojans defeated the Penn State Nittany
Lions 14-3.[1] Leo Calland, a USC
guard, was named the Rose Bowl Player of the Game when the award
was created in 1953 and selections were made retroactively.[2]
It was the very first Tournament of Roses football game held in the
newly constructed Rose Bowl
Stadium. The 1923 Rose Bowl was actually the fourth USC
football game played in the stadium. The stadium was dedicated
officially on January 1, although Cal had defeated USC in the very
first game in the stadium on October 28, 1922. USC defeated Idaho
and Washington State in the new stadium to close out their season.
It was the very first bowl game appearance for both the University of Southern
California and Pennsylvania State
University football teams.
Stadium
The Rose Bowl under construction
The game now known as the Rose Bowl Game was played at Tournament Park
until 1922. Organizers of the Tournament of
Roses realized that the temporary stands were inadequate for a
crowd of 40,000+, and sought to build a better, permanent
stadium.
The Rose Bowl was designed by architect Myron Hunt in 1921. His design was
influenced by the Yale
Bowl (New Haven, Connecticut, built
1914). The Arroyo Seco dry
riverbed was selected as the location for the stadium. The Rose
Bowl was under construction from 1921 to 1922.
A number of regular season games were played there before the
actual Tournament of Roses football game to try out the new
stadium. USC played three games there. Olympic Club also played a
football game there.
Teams
Penn
State Nittany Lions
In the 1921 season, Penn State was 8-0-2 with notable wins over
Navy, Georgia Tech, and Washington. In the 1922 season the Lions
opened with wins over St. Bonaventure, William and Mary,
Gettysburg, Lebanon Valley. By mid October they were viewed as a
likely candidate to be invited to play in the Rose Bowl.[3]. On
October 21, the Nittany Lions got their fifth straight season win
against Middlebury for their homecoming game. Penn State was
officially extended an invitation by the Tournament committee, and
they accepted.[4]
The Lions tied Syracuse 0-0 at the Polo Grounds in New York city in front of
their largest seasonal crowd to date, 25,000. Then the Nittany
Lions lost to Navy 0-14 in Washington D.C., breaking a 30-game
undefeated streak on November 3.[5] Despite
the loss, the Tournament selection committee re-affirmed its
choice.[6] They
beat Carnegie Tech,[7] but the
Tournament committee still faced controversey. They re-affirmed
their decision again.[8] The
Nittany Lions then lost to in-state rivals Pennsylvania and
Pittsburgh.[9]
USC
Trojans
The Trojans opened 5-0 to start the season. This was the first
season of competition in the Pacific Coast Conference for
the USC Trojans. The first PCC conference game was against
California. The very first game in the Rose Bowl stadium was the
regular season contest on October 28, 1922 when Cal defeated USC 12-0. This was
the only loss for USC, and California finished the season
undefeated. Cal declined the invitation to the 1923 Rose Bowl game
by vote of the associated students. This made the deciding games to
be whether Cal would defeat Washington by more than 12, and whether
USC would defeat Stanford on November 11.[10] USC
went on to beat Occidental and Stanford. The Trojans then played
Idaho, and Washington State in the new Rose Bowl stadium and
defeated both. The Trojans actually finished fourth in the PCC
behind Cal, Oregon, and Washington. The PCC committee held a mail
vote. The Trojans were given the berth on the basis of the defeat
of Washington State and the tie between Washington and Oregon on
Thanksgiving Day.[11] The
Trojans received six of eight conference votes.[12]
Game
summary
The 29-member Penn State traveling party left State College, Pennsylvania
by train on December 19. They stopped in Chicago and the Grand Canyon. They
arrived in Pasadena, California on December
24. The Nittany Lions worked out in the Rose Bowl stadium,
alternating with the Trojans. Lions coach Bezdek was noted for
changing their play style frequently.[13]
The morning of the game on January 1, the team watched the Tournament of Roses Parade.
The Lions left in several taxi cabs at 11 a.m. for the drive to the
Rose Bowl, but as the 2:15 p.m. kickoff approached, the team was
delayed by post-parade traffic. Only after the cab drivers drove
over the lawns of local residents, did the Penn State team finally
reach the Rose Bowl stadium.[14]
When the team arrived, they found kickoff already had been delayed
by 10 minutes. Penn State coach Hugo Bezdek and USC coach Gus
Henderson almost came to blows as Bezdek successfully lobbied game
officials for additional warmup time. The game finally started an
hour late and ended in moonlight, with sportswriters lighting
matches in order to finish their stories.[14]
Penn State scored first on a 20-yard drop-kick field goal by
Mike Palm. Roy "Bullet" Baker rushed for 123 yards and one
touchdown for the Trojans. The Lions were held to five first downs
and 104 yards.
Scoring
First
Quarter
- Penn State - Field Goal, Palm
Second
Quarter
- USC - Touchdown Campbell, PAT Hawkins
Third
Quarter
- USC - Touchdown Baker, PAT Hawkins
Fourth
Quarter
no score
Aftermath
As of the 2007 football season and 2008 Rose Bowl, USC has appeared 32
times in the Rose Bowl game, more than any other school.
The nearby Los Angeles Memorial
Coliseum also was under construction during this time and would
be completed in May 1923. It would become the home stadium for USC.
The Rose Bowl was completed earlier. Originally built as a
horseshoe, the Rose Bowl stadium was expanded several times over
the years.
Penn State's share of the proceeds, $21,349.64, was directed
toward the $2 million Emergency Building Fund and in particular the
construction of Varsity Hall (now Irvin Hall) on
campus.
The game was the first USC game attended by Giles Pellerin,
at the time a high school student; Pellerin, who became known as
the "Super Fan", would go on to attend 797 consecutive USC football
games over a period of 73 years until his death at age 91 just
outside the same stadium in 1998.[15]
References
- ^
"Tournament of Roses - Rose
Bowl Game Photo Timeline". http://www.tournamentofroses.com/photogallery/RBGtimeline/1920s.htm. Retrieved
2008-04-23.
- ^ 2008 Rose Bowl Program, 2008 Rose Bowl.
Accessed January 26, 2008.
- ^
PENN STATE LIKELY TO FACE BEARS Everything Settled for New Year's
Day Game but Selection of Teams. Los Angeles Times, October 17,
1922. It is quite likely that Penn State will face the
California Bears in the New Year's Day football classic at
Pasadena, according to rumors being circulated in football circles
hereabouts.
- ^
OLD PENN IS WILLIN' TO COME Nittany Lion Accepts Conference
Invitation to Play at Pasadena. Los Angeles Times, October 26,
1922. CORVALLIS, (Or.) Oct. 25.-- Pennsylvania State University
will accept the invitation of the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate
Conference to represent the East in the intersectional football
game at Pasadena. Cal., January 1, against a team to be selected by
the Pacific Coast conference, according to a message received late
today by Dr. U.G. Duback, president of the Coast
conference.
- ^
NAVY WARRIORS TRAMPLE OVER PENN STATERS BY 14 TO 0 SCORE MIDDIES
MAKE GENTLE CATS OF NITTANY LIONS; Pennsylvanians Launch Valiant
Struggle on Tanbark, But Sailors Quell Attacks. Los Angeles Times,
November 4, 1922. WASHINGTON (D.C.) Nov. 3.--The Navy goat
proved more powerful than the Nittany lion here today and Naval
Academy football team gave the Penn State aggregation the first
defeat it has suffered in more than four years. The Nittany Lion
was more conspicuous before the contest, but he could not horn in
on the proceedings after the whistle had blown. The lion did the
mascotting for an eleven that had to be satisfied with the butt end
of a 14-to-0 count.
- ^
NONE OTHER THAN PENN STATE WILL REPRESENT EAST ON NEW YEAR'S
CONFERENCE STICKS TO ITS ORIGINAL SELECTION; Pacific Coast Eleven
to be Named on Saturday Preceding Thanksgiving Day. Los Angeles
Times, November 7, 1922. Penn State's football team will
positively represent the East in the New Year's Day game at
Pasadena on January 1. This much was definitely settled some time
ago and was confirmed in a loud tone of voice last night by Leslie
J. Ayer, secretary of the Pacific Coast Conference. Hence all the
efforts of the volunteer selection committees who have been
choosing everybody from Washington and Jefferson to the San Diego
Army and Navy Military Academy have gone to waste.
- ^
Nittany Lions in Comeback Role PENN STATERS TRIM CARNEGIE; Tech
Temp Loses Gruelling Game, 10 to 0; Keystone Eleven Ices Tilt in
Second Period; Bezdek's Line-up Shift Big Factor in Victory. Los
Angeles Times, November 12, 1922
- ^
PENN STATE INVITATION IN EFFECT Rumors Concerning Having Presidents
Here New Year's Plain Bunk. Los Angeles Times, November 16, 1922.
PORTLAND (Or.) Nov. 15.--Dr. U.D. Duback of Oregon Agricultural
College, president of the Pacific Coast conference, today by long
distance telephone from Corvallis, emphatically denied rumors that
the conference would withdraw its invitation to Penn State to
represent the East in the New Year's Day football game at Pasadena,
and substitute Washington and Jefferson.
- ^
Panthers Flop on Nittany Lions and Tear 'em Badly Laying 'em Away
for Dear Old Hahvah. Los Angeles Times, December 1, 1922.
PITTSBURG (Pa.) Nov. 30.-- The Pitt Panthers rode roughshod
over the Penn State team today and defeated them by a score of 14
to 0, breaking a tie that had existed for two years. Penn State
having won the 1920 game by a 29-to-0 score, after which neither
side crossed the goal line until today.
- ^
U.S.C. OR WASHINGTON TO MEET PENN STATE AT PASADENA NEW YEAR'S
TROJANS MAY TACKLE BEZDEK'S CREW IF THEY BEAT STANFORD; U.S.C.-Card
Gridiron Struggles Will Serve to Pick the West's Representative
TROJANS MAY TACKLE PENN. Los Angeles Times, November 10, 1922.
Penn State will meet either the University of Southern
California or the University of Washington at Pasadena on New
Year's Day. The University of California, twice defender of the
honor of the Pacific Coast, has, by the action of the Associated
Students in caucus, definitely refused to meet Penn State and act
as the representative of the West. Tomorrow's games between U.S.C.
and Stanford at Palo Alto and California and Washington at Seattle
will probably settle the representative of the West. If California
beats Washington worse than 12 to 0, U.S.C. will probably be the
representative of the West, unless the Trojans should be humbled by
Stanford.
- ^
TROJANS WILL REPRESENT WEST IN NEW YEAR'S GAME IS REPORT RESULT OF
MAIL VOTE SELECTION OUT MONDAY; Southern California Team Rules
Favorite to Hook Up With Penn State The Animal Tamer. Los Angeles
Times, December 2, 1922. SEATTLE, Dec. 1.--Instead of a vote by
telegraph as was planned for tonight, for the purpose of naming the
Conference team to meet Penn State at Pasadena in the annual East
vs. West grid classic on New Year's Day, a mail vote will be taken
among the members of the Pacific Coast Conference and the result
will not be made public until Monday morning. Because of the
University of Southern California's overwhelming victory over
Washington State at Pasadena and the tie between Oregon and
Washington on Thanksgiving Day, it is more than probable that the
Trojans will be picked to represent the West.
- ^
TROJANS SELECTED TO DEFEND WEST AT PASADENA ON NEW YEAR'S SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA CHOICE OF CONFERENCE Henderson's Squad Receives Six of
Eight Votes Cast for Penn State Game. Los Angeles Times, December
6, 1922. PORTLAND, Dec. 5.--The University of Southern
California will defend for the West against Penn State for the East
in the New Year's Day East vs. West football game at Pasadena.
Selection of Southern California as the Pacific Coast Conference
choice was announced tonight by Prof. U.G. Duback of Oregon
Agricultural College, president of the conference, shortly after
arrival of the Idaho vote, the last to arrive. All votes were
mailed to Prof. Duback.
- ^
COACH BEZDEK CHANGES TEAM'S STYLE OF PLAY FOR THIRD TIME TROJANS TO
TACKLE A REORGANIZED ELEVEN; Nittany Lions to Take Field With
Almost a Completely New Bunch of Regulars. Los Angeles Times,
December 27, 1922. Hugo "Spinx" Bezdek, commander-in-chief of the
Penn State football squad, which is to meet the University of
Southern California in the annual East-West Tournament of Roses New
Year's Day game, changes the style of his eleven's play almost as
much as a woman changes her mind.
- ^ a
b
Penn State football history
- ^
Superfan Pellerin Passes
Away: Trojan fan's streak ends Saturday at 797 straight games,
Associated Press, November 21, 1998, Accessed December 1,
2008.
External
links
Bibliography
- Penn State football history (PDF copy available at gopsusports.cstv.com)
- USC Trojans football media guide (PDF copy available at www.usctrojans.com)
- Bezilla, Michael
(1986), Penn State: An Illustrated History, University
Park, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press, ISBN
0271003928
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