HomeMy WebLinkAboutGames to Remember - 6 1
GAMES 11, REMEMBER -6
How an Anonymous Gent Spent
His $50 Well on Nov 30, 1935
By TOM DAVISON I utes left. set up the second SMU touch -
(This is one in a series of stories on The biggest play of the big- down from the TCU 10. Johnny
some of the most memorable games in gest game was Bob Finley's Sprague Iateraled to Wilson
Southwest Conference history. Installments
will appear as space permits. Since the high, arching 35 -yard pass to for the final 10 yards and two
Southwest conference has had so many Bobby Wilson, had worked conversions by Maurice Orr
well - publicized Intersectional games, this y son, who wor conversons y
. series will be limited to conference games his way behind the TCU sec- gave SMU a 14-0 lead midway
only ■ ondary and made a leaping in the second quarter.
1935 —SMU 20, TCU 14 catch near the goal line. Finley's poor 22 -yard punt to -
The anonymous gentleman AT THE TIME, SMU had a the SMU 26 set up the first
who shelled out 50 depression 14-14 tie with fourth down and Frog score, consummated on '
dollars for the privilege of needing five on the Frog 35. Lawrence's two -yard smash.
spending the windy afternoon Even the most reckless contem- Walter Roach kicked point and
of Nov 30, 1935, at F o r t porary quarterback would like- SMU had a 14-7 lead at the
Worth's Amon Carter Stadium ly call a punt under those half.
today can be proud of his conditions. As if to save all the roaring -
Investment. But SMU wasn't going for a climax for the last, neither
Here is what he saw: tie. The Ponies had earlier dis- team scored in the third guar -
1) The Southwest Conference sipated a 14 -0 lead and they ter, but TCU drove 54 yards to
game with the greatest build- wanted at least some of it back. tie the game in the f o u r t h.
up. Twice after that thrilling SMU's defense put up a strong
2) The most important game touchdown play, Baugh took fight, but finally yielded on
in SWC history. the Frogs well into the Mus- Baugh's fourth down pass to
3) Very likely the hardest tang defenses, once to the 28 Lawrence from the eight,
fought and most thrilling game and again to the 35 as the Roach's conversion tied the
in SWC history. game ended. Since Orr had score at 14-14 with about 10
THIS SCALPER'S d r e a m missed his third point try, minutes left.
was played before 37,000, an everybody knew all TCU need -
overflow crowd in the ultimate ed to win was one all - the -way Matty Bell's red team took
sense of the word, for the sta- Baugh pass and a conversion. the following kickoff a n d
dium hardly seated 30,000 at SMU had made its big play, promptly moved 54 yards to
the time. Many $2.20 tickets but the big play for TCU never the winning touchdown, the!
were reported to have been came. For SMU's 6-2-2-1 combi- last 35 on Finley's fourth down
sold for $40 and the tense nation zone -man defense bot- pass to Wilson.
crowd was jammed so closely tled up Baugh's deep receivers, WILSON, FINLEY, Tackle
around the sidelines that team and most of his completions Truman Spain and Ends Stew
trainers spent more time at- during the game came on quick <•s .
tending to injured spectators hooks into the flat. art and Bill Tipton were fore
than injured players. Many unconvinced TCU par- most among the Mustangs,
Hundreds watched the game tisans maintain yet that the who stopped Baugh with a rel- ;
from the hillside at the open Froggies really had the better atively poor 16 for 41 pass �*
south end of the stadium. TCU team that year that the reason completion mark. Master Matty
Coach Dutch Meyer recalls that they lost was because Meyer proved again that a defense r
as he went down to the field (as he readily admits) wound could be found for any offense
the only terra firma he could them too tight. TCU receivers even Baugh.
see anywhere was the actual dropped several of Baugh's Wilson led ground gainers L 4
playing surface. perfectly placed passes. with 67 yards in 12 carries and 't:
This was the 'Batts for the "WE WERE PRETTY keyed earned consensus All- American `` `z
Rose Bowl." And as it turned up anyway, then Dutch wound recognition with his perform - -:;>.:".'
out the loser got the Sugar us up a little tighter before the ance. a' � �; :...:' :ti :` ,M $ Fr •
• Bow as consolation prize. game," All-American Center Sports writers and proms «
The conference had never Darrell Lester recalls. nent coaches from all over the
known such an important after- "I made the mistake of try- nation came to see the game .4<<a?
noon and likely will never ing to fire them up when they Grantland Rice, who placed ,
again because of bowl limita- were already fired up to the both Wilson and Baugh on his
tions imposed since 1935. limit," Meyer says in retro- All- American team that year
HERE WERE TWO of the spect. "I learned my lesson." called it "One of the greatest m::: "' €"
very finest teams this confer- They also point out that football games ever played in :,.,..; .,,, z ' '
ence has ever known, undefeat• Wilson would n e v e r have the 64 -year history of the na
ed and untied through 10 caught that touchdown pass if tion's finest college sport." a �
games, meeting to see who won Jimmy Lawrence had been in To any Southwest Confer
the conference, the Rose Bowl there. Lawrence was hurt as ence fan lucky enough to have
bid and ranking as the best he took Baugh's short pass for been there, those were modest {
team in all the land. the second TCU touchdown. words indeed. 2,H ° $10
T
Here was a matching of SMU also had its problems. he starting lineup:
SMU's great climax runner, Harry Shuford, the great Mus- Tipton n LE Meyer F ?:
Bobby Wilson, and TCU's in tang fullback, missed the game Baker is Harr
ison •+16a. « ;: ? > s4;z a g
comparable S a m m y B a u g h, with injuries, and ace Guard Johnson c Lester
even then acclaimed as foot J. C. Wetsel, also ailing, saw Vt. mps Rc xellow a
RT Groseclose
ball's finest passer. brief but brilliant service. Stewart RE Roach m °
Under such m o m e n t o u s Strictly from comparative Wiison L Lawrence E "
props, any ordinary football performances that day, SMU' Burt RH Manton 2 `` ' ;ar •. >: ; :
would have been deserved tin. They Turner FB Baugh z e� er aF K�
game wou en an a eser to w ey shredded NEXT: 1937 —Rice 27 Ar
ful anticlimax. Somewhat sur- the TCU line for a 14 -0 half- a
kansas 20. t: >,
prisingly, the game was every time lead and were never be- 1935 EMU -TCU game statistics: ;� �9
bit as great as its buildup. hind. The first drive went 73 SMU Tcu j x
a
g g yards period First
It was a tense, savage stru and in the first eriod with Y Pa ard Gows from ns scrimmage 225 178 {
zi, M s
gle in which underdog SMU Finley banging across from the sses attempted 18 9 41 o ' �M ,, .y . :: ;y ,, ,'
muffled Baugh's passing threat one. Ye as gained passing toe 2 4 `'a
• with a tremendous defensive TCU later lost the ball on the Total yards gained 333 398 . F: mi : _:
Passes intercepted 1 1
effort and scored the winning Pony 15. Yards from scrimmage 225 178
touchdown on one big fourth MACO STEWART'S great Fumeles iat 8-48 2 8-56.3 TCU , S SA11
down play with t my seven min• catch of Finl '.y's 31 -yard pass I Penalties II s They Mt