The 14th Rose Bowl

In this edition of our celebration of Rose Bowl history we chat about this 14th Rose Bowl between Pitt and Stanford.

Following the 1927 season, there was only one post-season game, the January 2, 1928 Rose Bowl game. The invited contestants were interesting as the Pitt Panthers would face their former coach, Pop Warner, and his new team, the Stanford University eleven. The Panthers sported a record of 8-0-1 under fourth-year head coach Jock Sutherland, including seven shutouts during the regular season. Stanford, the Pacific Coast champ, was 8-2-1, suffering two home losses to tough St.Mary's and Santa Clara squads.

Image is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, of 1928 Rose Bowl football game ticket stub (Pitt versus Stanford) contributed by Pittalum

Pitt had their week-long train journey to get to the game. According to  author Harry G. Scott in his 1954 book, Jock Sutherland – Architect of Men. Exposition Press, "The first Pitt team to travel to the West Coast for an intersectional postseason game left Pittsburgh in two labeled Pullman cars on (Monday) December 26, 1927, at nine o'clock in the evening. They stopped in Dodge City, Kansas, on Wednesday for a four-hour practice and at Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Thursday for a three-hour practice."

The Pittsburgh-Press later added information on another stop along the way as the previously scheduled Friday stop at Ashfork, Arizona was converted to be in Winslow, Arizona, due to poor weather conditions. "With the entire squad kicking the ball around and messing things up in general, Sutherland cut the drill short to the disappointment of the spectators, who were enjoying the show immensely." The team attracted large groups of spectators wherever they stopped and local entertainment was provided. On Saturday morning they arrived in Pasadena, where they were welcomed by a great crowd before leaving the station for their headquarters, the Hotel Vista Del Arroyo. Saturday and Sunday's practice was held in the Rose Bowl.

Stanford on the other hand had a much shorter uneventful travel. The game on Monday 1/2/1928 was going to be a good one.

The scoring started with another lousy break for Stanford player Frankie Wilton. The standout had the misfortune of having his punt blocked a year earlier at the 1927 Rose Bowl. History repeated itself when Wilton lost the ball in this contest against Pitt after being hit on his 20-yard line, and Panther Jimmy Hagan scooped the fumble and scored. Walter Heinecke of Stanford saved the day when he charged through a hole and blocked the extra-point attempt, holding Pitt's lead to 6-0. Wilton's chance at redemption came a bit later. Pitt star halfback Gibby Welch, an All-American that season, browke away for a few long runs but just couldn't get the ball in the endzone. Pop Warner had his defense focus on the stud runner, and though he gained 50 yards in the contest, they limited him from scoring. His Pitt teammate fullback Booth, with 39 yards was also prevented from crossing the goal line.

The Cardinal turnaround happened in the second half. Biff Hoffman threw a 31-yard strike to his receiver Worden that took the ball to the 29 yard-line of Pitt. Hoffman pounded the ball into the Panther defense from there on multiple rushes, until the ball sat at the two-yard line. Stanford teammate Spud Lewis mishandled a Hoffman pitch a yard from the goal, and hearts sunk in the Stanford faithful in a moment. Those groans turned to Cardinal fan cheers an instant later when Wilton alertly grabbed the ball and bullied his way through for the tying touchdown. A few moments later, Frankie W's kick was good, and the Cardinals held on for a 7-6 win. From the goat of a year before the hero of 1928, Frankie Wilton had quite the roller coaster ride.

Stanford wins 7-6 03 Jan 1928, Tue The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama) Newspapers.com

However in 1953 Biff Hoffman a Stanford running back was declared the MVP of the game by a group of historians after he gained 88-yards by rushing the ball and even more with his passing.

A Very Special thanks to information obtained from the following brilliant internet sites: Newspapers.com, Liquisearch.com, the Sports Reference's family of website databases & Stathead.com.

Banner photo is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons of  Official Souvenir program 1928 Rose Bowl - Pitt versus Stanford