Gotham Bowl

Last updated

The Gotham Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game that was played in New York City, United States, in 1961 and 1962. [1] The game was initially created as a fund-raising attempt for the March of Dimes.

Contents

The game was not a success financially: the two games that were played both lost money as few fans were willing to sit through the frigid December New York weather. Additionally, as it was essentially a charity game, it had little financial capital on which it could survive.

Game results

DateWinnerLoserLocationNotes
December 1960 Oregon State was invited to play, but no opponent was found. [2]
December 9, 1961 Baylor 24#10 Utah State 9 Polo Grounds, New York, New York notes
December 15, 1962 Nebraska 36 Miami (FL) 34 Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York notes

1960

In what was supposed to be the game's inaugural year, the bowl hoped to invite Syracuse, but no invitation was extended when Syracuse announced immediately after its season ended that it would not accept any post-season offers. An Army–Air Force matchup fell through, so the bowl extended an offer to Oregon State. Holy Cross, and Colorado turned down invitations after bowl officials mishandled the invitation process, leaving Oregon State with no opponent, forcing the bowl to postpone for another year. [3]

1961

1234Total
Baylor737724
#10 Utah State00369

The following year, the Gotham Bowl managed to find two teams to play, Baylor and Utah State, for the game at the Polo Grounds. Baylor won 24–9 in front of a sparse crowd of 15,123. (It was the penultimate college football game played at the Polo Grounds; Army defeated Syracuse 9–2 in front of 29,500 on September 29, 1962.)

1962

1234Total
Nebraska6148836
Miami (FL)6147734

The 1962 edition of the Gotham Bowl, played in Yankee Stadium, was particularly tormented with poor planning and bad luck. The Miami Hurricanes (with a 7–3 record) were invited, but no opponent could be found. Finally, on December 4, 1962, just eleven days before the game, the Gotham Bowl invited Nebraska, which had just finished an 8–2 season under first-year head coach Bob Devaney. However, the day before the contest, the pilot of the Cornhuskers' team plane refused to leave the Lincoln airport until the bowl's check for expenditures cleared, which it did. (Miami made a similar demand and received their $30,000 expense check up front.)

In addition, the 1962–63 New York City newspaper strike began on December 8 and showed little sign of resolution, all but assuring that the Gotham Bowl would receive virtually no coverage in its own city. The contest was, however, aired on national television by ABC's Wide World of Sports.

The weather did not cooperate, either. A damp, 14 °F (−10 °C) day limited the official attendance to just 6,166 (plus 5,000 tickets given away). Perhaps a few thousand stalwarts were actually in the stands at kickoff.

The game itself was a thriller: Nebraska edged Miami 36–34, despite an MVP performance by Miami (and future professional) quarterback George Mira, who passed for 321 yards and a pair of touchdowns. [4] It was the Cornhuskers' first trip to the Big Apple in four decades, after beating Rutgers at the Polo Grounds 28–0 in 1920. Nebraska has not played a game in New York City proper since, although they have played in suburban New Jersey in the now-defunct Kickoff Classic (in 1983, 1988 and 1994) and in Big Ten Conference games at Rutgers (in 2015 and 2020). For the Hurricanes, it was only their second trip to New York, having lost to Fordham at the Polo Grounds in 1953; they would not return to NYC until 2018, when they lost to Wisconsin in the Pinstripe Bowl.

The poor attendance ensured the 1962 Gotham Bowl would be the last one played.

See also

Sources

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Devaney</span> American football player and coach (1915–1997)

Robert Simon Devaney was a college football coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Wyoming from 1957 to 1961 and at the University of Nebraska from 1962 to 1972, compiling a career record of 136–30–7 (.806). Devaney's Nebraska Cornhuskers won consecutive national championships in 1970 and 1971 and three consecutive Orange Bowls.

The 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season was the main college football season sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The season began on August 28, 1991, and ended on January 1, 1992. For the second consecutive season, there was a split national championship. Both the Miami Hurricanes and the Washington Huskies finished the season undefeated (12–0) and with the top ranking in a nationally recognized poll.

The 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season, play of college football in the United States at the NCAA Division I-A level, began in August 1994 and ended on January 2, 1995. Nebraska, who finished the season undefeated, ended the year ranked No. 1 in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls. This was the first national championship of coach Tom Osborne's career at Nebraska, having come close the year before, when Nebraska lost to eventual national champion Florida State on a missed field goal as time expired.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 NCAA Division I-A football season</span> American college football season

The 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Oklahoma Sooners beating the defending national champion Florida State Seminoles to claim the Sooners' seventh national championship and their thirty-seventh conference championship, the first of each since the 1988 departure of head coach Barry Switzer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 NCAA Division I-A football season</span> American college football season

The 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first college football season of the 21st century. It ended with the University of Miami winning the national title for the fifth time.

The 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami, led by Bernie Kosar, winning their first national championship over perennial power and top ranked Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Mira</span> Cuban-American gridiron football player (born 1942)

George Ignacio Mira is a Cuban-American former football quarterback who played in eight National Football League (NFL) seasons for four teams. He then played five seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the World Football League (WFL).

The 1971 Nebraska vs. Oklahoma football game was the 51st edition of the rivalry, one of several labeled as a "Game of the Century." The Big Eight Conference matchup was held on Thursday, November 25, 1971, in Norman, Oklahoma.

The 1962 Oregon State Beavers football team represented Oregon State University as an independent during the 1962 NCAA University Division football season. In their eighth season under head coach Tommy Prothro, the Beavers compiled a 9–2 record and outscored their opponents 279 to 148. They played three home games on campus at Parker Stadium in Corvallis and three at Multnomah Stadium in Portland.

The 1962 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the Big Eight Conference during the 1962 NCAA University Division football season. Led by first-year head coach Bob Devaney, the Huskers were 8–2 in the regular season, and played their home games on campus at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the Big Eight Conference during the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. The Cornhuskers were led by tenth-year head coach Bob Devaney and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pinstripe Bowl</span> American college football game

The Pinstripe Bowl is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football bowl game that is held at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York City. First played in 2010, the game is organized by the New York Yankees, primary tenants of the venue, and is currently affiliated with the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big Ten Conference through 2025. The game previously had ties with the Big 12 Conference and the Big East Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Pinstripe Bowl</span> College football game

The 2010 New Era Pinstripe Bowl was the first edition of this college football bowl game, and was played at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York. The game started at 3:20 p.m. ET on December 30, 2010, and was telecast on ESPN. The game featured the Syracuse Orange of the Big East Conference and the Kansas State Wildcats of the Big 12 Conference. New Era Cap Company was the title sponsor of the game. It ended with Syracuse defeating Kansas State, 36-34.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miami–Nebraska football rivalry</span> American college football rivalry

The Miami–Nebraska football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Miami Hurricanes of the University of Miami and Nebraska Cornhuskers of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The teams have most often met in bowl games which many times have decided a national championship. The series is currently tied 6–6.

The 1962 Gotham Bowl was the second and final edition of the college football bowl game, played at Yankee Stadium in New York City on Saturday, December 15. Part of the 1962–63 bowl game season, it matched the Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Eight Conference and the independent Miami Hurricanes.

The 1964 Orange Bowl was the thirtieth edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, January 1. Part of the 1963–64 bowl game season, it featured the sixth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Eight Conference and the #5 Auburn Tigers of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Nebraska scored early and won 13–7.

The 2018 Pinstripe Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 27, 2018. It was the ninth edition of the Pinstripe Bowl, and one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. Sponsored by the New Era Cap Company, the game was officially known as the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. The game was a rematch of the 2017 Orange Bowl, won by Wisconsin, 34–24.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Nebraska Cornhuskers football</span>

The History of Nebraska Cornhuskers football covers the history of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's football program, from its inception in 1890 until the present day. Nebraska competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, in the West Division of the Big Ten. Nebraska plays its home games at Memorial Stadium, where it has sold out every game since 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Pinstripe Bowl</span> Postseason college football bowl game

The 2021 Pinstripe Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 29, 2021, with kickoff at 2:15 p.m. EST and televised on ESPN. It was the 11th edition of the Pinstripe Bowl, and was one of the 2021–22 bowl games concluding the 2021 FBS football season. Sponsored by the New Era Cap Company, the game was officially known as the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. The Terrapins would score 54 points while only allowing 10 en route to their first win in a bowl game since the 2010 Military Bowl.

The 2023 Pinstripe Bowl was a college football bowl game being played on December 28, 2023, at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York. The 13th annual Pinstripe Bowl featured the Rutgers Scarlet Knights from the Big Ten Conference and the Miami Hurricanes from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The game began at approximately 2:15 p.m. EST and was aired on ESPN. The Pinstripe Bowl is one of the 2023–24 bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by lawn mower manufacturing company Bad Boy Mowers and was officially known as the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.

References

  1. ↑ Foldesy, Jody. "Bowls burgeon as big business", The Washington Times. December 21, 1997. Page A1.
  2. ↑ Oregon State Beavers bowl game history
  3. ↑ "Gotham Bowl inaugural off". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 1, 1960. p. 1D.
  4. ↑ "The Gotham Bowl 1962". Archived from the original on 2009-07-06. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.