Bowl Games on New Years Day

On January 1, 1902 The Tournament of Roses committee for the City of Pasadena, California staged the very first college football bowl game. The game was not called the Rose Bowl game, it was called The East-West Tournament Game. Because the first game was such a mismatch, Michigan over Stanford by a score of 49-0, it was not played again until 1916. In 1923 the game was moved from Tournament Park to the brand new Rose Bowl and officially branded The Rose Bowl Game. The 1923 game marked the first of 33 appearances by the USC Trojans, who have won 24 times.
  It was not until January 1, 1935, the Rose Bowl remained the only bowl game to be played. On that date the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl joined the New Years Day lineup. The first Sugar Bowl Game was played between Tulane and Temple with Tulane winning the game by a score of 20-14. The first Orange Bowl Game was played between Bucknell and Miami of Florida. Bucknell won the game by a score of 26-0.
    In 1935 the first Sun Bowl Game was played. In that game New Mexico State scored  a 14-14 tie against Hardin-Simmons. In 1937 a record six bowl games were played. Joining in were the Cotton Bowl and the Bacardi Bowl. The Cotton Bowl Game saw Rice beat Colorado by a score of 28-14. The Bacardi Bowl was played as a part of the Cuban National Sports Festival in Havana. The game saw Auburn and Villanova play to a 7-7 tie. No school was ever crowned Bacardi Bowl champion as the game was discontinued after the one game.
   It was not until after World War II that the bowl games were started to multiply. On January 1, 1946 the first Gator Bowl, Oil Bowl and Raisin Bowl Games were played. In the first Gator Bowl Game, Wake Forest beat South Carolina by a score of 26-14. Georgia beat Tulsa 20-6 in the Oil Bowl at Houston, TX. Drake edged out Fresno State by a score 13-12 at the Raisin Bowl in Fresno, California. In 1947 Nevada beat North Texas by a score of 13-6 in the first Salad Bowl Game played at Phoenix, Arizona. It was after the 1947 season that any bowl games were scheduled for any day other then New Years Day.
  In 1957 the Tangerine Bowl joined the New Years Day lineup as West Texas A & M beat Southern Mississippi by a score of 20-14.
   Today yet another bowl game will play its first game when Texas Tech will meet Northwestern at the Ticket City Bowl at Dallas, Texas.
  As for tomorrow we will take a look at the beginning of an early hockey league. Have a great New Years Day everyone!!!