San Diego hosted its first football classic in 1921
FROM THE ARCHIVES
On Dec. 26, 1921, Centre College Praying Colonels defeated the University of Arizona Wildcats 38-0 in the Eastwest Christmas Classic, the first big post-season college football bowl game played in San Diego.
The Colonels, representing the East, were the wonder of the football world that year. The team from tiny Centre College in Danville, Ky., with a student body of just 274, had defeated Harvard’s football team in a historic upset. The University of Arizona, all-southwestern conference champions, represented the West.
From The Evening Tribune, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 1921:
By George H. White
San Diego’s first Christmas east-west football classic makes more gridiron history for the famous Centre College Praying Colonels of Danville, Ky. Their goal line still remains not crossed, despite the fighting efforts of the Arizona university Wildcats from Tucson, in the stadium yesterday, and the east triumphed over west, as represented by these two teams, by a score of 38 to 0.
Whether the score would have been more or less on a dry field will remain a question. Centre was schooled in mud, while the element was practically unknown to Arizona.
It is inconceivable, however, that Arizona would have a real chance to beat Centre on any field. Whatever the field, it was a case of good big men against good little men — and the sports world knows the results of such conflict.
The weight of these good big men was the principal factor in victory over the good little men who faced them yesterday. Centre, first on the field after throwing off their green blankets, looked the big, powerful team it proved to be. Arizona appeared as boys to men as they ran out onto the slippery field.
How weight was employed in deciding the battle is best exemplified by the use made of Big “Red” Robert by the Centre team general, “Bo” Mcmillin. Roberts, left end of the Colonel team, weighing 220 pounds and towering above all players of both sides, was the hippopotamus of the swampy game.
Pulled back from the line to carry the ball from the backfields, Roberts threw his bulk against the Arizona line, and it had to skid. Again Roberts would be used for the interference and plow a wagonroad through the Wildcat line. He made holes so wide the man with the ball must gain five yards or more before the Wildcats could close in again behind the hippo. Again Roberts would be sent out ahead, bumping the Wildcats away, and, turning, reach high over their heads to receive a forward pass.
“Bo” Mcmillin scintillated with some of his reputed end running and dodging, but contributed a 35-yard gain as his greatest distance. Covington, a backfield replacement for Centre, pulled the most spectacular run for Centre, when he rushed 40 yards to a touchdown.
Although consistently outdone, it fell to Arizona nevertheless to count the outstanding spectacular run of the day — and that in the final quarter, with the Wildcats still fighting as best they could. Connell, a Wildcat substitute, received a kickoff from Centre on his own five-yard line and dashed among players of the two teams up field to the 50yard line, a distance of 45 yards.