When asked what I wanted for Christmas, my memory doesn’t have any hesitation. “Cotton Bowl tickets, I answered. And my parents came through. Come Christmas morning there were tickets.
Another memory: New Year’s Day, 1946 in Dallas was absolutely perfect. The weather was sunny without much wind, temperature in the mid-seventies. Short sleeve weather.
The game itself is remembered mostly because of Bobby Layne’s huge day. However, it would have been memorable for other reasons also. It matched two conference champions, the University of Texas, champs of the SWC, and Missouri who had won the conference that within a decade would grow into the Big Eight. And if Texas was not ranked in the top ten, they had to be very close. As well, this turned out to be UT coach Dana X. Bible’s last conference title as he retired at the end if the following season. Then there was Mizzou’s Split-T formation offense, something very few in the stands (other than MU fans) had ever seen before. I, of course, at that time, wouldn’t have known a Split-T from a Model T. Apparently the Longhorns didn’t either as Missouri rushed for huge chunks of yardage all day.
But it was Layne’s game. Bobby Layne, a sophomore fullback in Coach Bible’s single-wing, scored four of UT’s six touchdowns and passed for the other two. His passing was almost perfect that afternoon. Then, too, he kicked all four of the Horns’ made extra points, out of the five he attempted.
I brought a camera with me. While not a Brownie or even a Kodak, it probably was about that level as to features. There was no “zoom” type lens. The shutter speed was too slow to get action shots, so I had to take my pictures before the ball was snapped. The roll held eight shots, and I’m sure I used them all. A few years ago I discovered that two still existed. Here’s one.
[bp0.blogger.com]
Longhorns, single-wing right from about the MU one. The crowd is standing; photographers are ready, standing near. I was obviously excited myself, enough to move the camera when snapping the picture. The Cotton Bowl itself looks somewhat cockeyed and the near goal post is skewed. I feel certain Layne punched it in on this play.
[bp1.blogger.com]
The other shot is of the Missouri Tigers ready to attempt an extra point. I would have preferred to find one of the MU offense lined up, but alas… The nearest UT defender here on this conversion try seemed to me to be about the position where the fullback would line up on defense. So, I magnified it as best I could found the number on his back was 33, Layne’s number. A picture of ol’ Bobby himself— however small.
Here’s another memory. Missouri didn’t bring its band. This could have been due to wartime travel restrictions being still in effect. Some were. Anyway, Dad was incensed that the Cotton Bowl had not provided the Tigers with a band. With several high schools in Dallas having good-sized, good quality bands, I imagine at least one would have been willing to learn and practice a few new songs just to be able to be there. Didn’t happen, though.
After the Longhorns’ first (or maybe second) touchdown in the second half, a very small person wearing number 99 came off the Texas bench and ran to the huddle as they prepared for the extra point try. Dad told us that this wasn’t a regular player but sort of a team mascot. “We might see a dropkick,” he said. Never having seen one, this excited me. But, no. The “mascot” threw a pitiful looking pass, trying for the point, but it fell incomplete. (The little guy’s name was Rooster Andrews. I looked it up last week.)
[bp2.blogger.com]
Here’s the program cover. Ran across it somewhere on the net. It sold for a quarter. I sure got my two bits worth that day and over the next few weeks. Wish I still had my copy. That game and day were really big in my eleven year-old life of the time. Sadly those memories are fading fast.
Another memory: New Year’s Day, 1946 in Dallas was absolutely perfect. The weather was sunny without much wind, temperature in the mid-seventies. Short sleeve weather.
The game itself is remembered mostly because of Bobby Layne’s huge day. However, it would have been memorable for other reasons also. It matched two conference champions, the University of Texas, champs of the SWC, and Missouri who had won the conference that within a decade would grow into the Big Eight. And if Texas was not ranked in the top ten, they had to be very close. As well, this turned out to be UT coach Dana X. Bible’s last conference title as he retired at the end if the following season. Then there was Mizzou’s Split-T formation offense, something very few in the stands (other than MU fans) had ever seen before. I, of course, at that time, wouldn’t have known a Split-T from a Model T. Apparently the Longhorns didn’t either as Missouri rushed for huge chunks of yardage all day.
But it was Layne’s game. Bobby Layne, a sophomore fullback in Coach Bible’s single-wing, scored four of UT’s six touchdowns and passed for the other two. His passing was almost perfect that afternoon. Then, too, he kicked all four of the Horns’ made extra points, out of the five he attempted.
I brought a camera with me. While not a Brownie or even a Kodak, it probably was about that level as to features. There was no “zoom” type lens. The shutter speed was too slow to get action shots, so I had to take my pictures before the ball was snapped. The roll held eight shots, and I’m sure I used them all. A few years ago I discovered that two still existed. Here’s one.
[bp0.blogger.com]
Longhorns, single-wing right from about the MU one. The crowd is standing; photographers are ready, standing near. I was obviously excited myself, enough to move the camera when snapping the picture. The Cotton Bowl itself looks somewhat cockeyed and the near goal post is skewed. I feel certain Layne punched it in on this play.
[bp1.blogger.com]
The other shot is of the Missouri Tigers ready to attempt an extra point. I would have preferred to find one of the MU offense lined up, but alas… The nearest UT defender here on this conversion try seemed to me to be about the position where the fullback would line up on defense. So, I magnified it as best I could found the number on his back was 33, Layne’s number. A picture of ol’ Bobby himself— however small.
Here’s another memory. Missouri didn’t bring its band. This could have been due to wartime travel restrictions being still in effect. Some were. Anyway, Dad was incensed that the Cotton Bowl had not provided the Tigers with a band. With several high schools in Dallas having good-sized, good quality bands, I imagine at least one would have been willing to learn and practice a few new songs just to be able to be there. Didn’t happen, though.
After the Longhorns’ first (or maybe second) touchdown in the second half, a very small person wearing number 99 came off the Texas bench and ran to the huddle as they prepared for the extra point try. Dad told us that this wasn’t a regular player but sort of a team mascot. “We might see a dropkick,” he said. Never having seen one, this excited me. But, no. The “mascot” threw a pitiful looking pass, trying for the point, but it fell incomplete. (The little guy’s name was Rooster Andrews. I looked it up last week.)
[bp2.blogger.com]
Here’s the program cover. Ran across it somewhere on the net. It sold for a quarter. I sure got my two bits worth that day and over the next few weeks. Wish I still had my copy. That game and day were really big in my eleven year-old life of the time. Sadly those memories are fading fast.