Week 7 of season-specific reminiscing -- 1959

[Eric15]

Obviously this was a very long time ago. Eisenhower was finishing up his Presidency, and All4SU had just turned 40.

To my knowledge, cto is the only person here who attended that Cotton Bowl against Texas. CTO, can you please share with us...

-how did you get down to Dallas? Bus?
-what was the atmosphere like outside the Cotton Bowl? Did people tailgate then?
-how many Syracuse fans were there? Did people wear Orange to games then?
-did you observe any Jim Crow-era discrimination against our players?
-what was the celebration like after the game?
-how did it compare in excitement to the 2003 basketball title?

Did any poster here attend this game or any other game during 1959 national title season? I've said this before, but I can't figure out why QB Dave Sarrette isn't a household name amongst Cuse fans. He was an extremely efficient passer, and led us on our greatest three year stretch in program history.

 

[adk(roc)CUSE]

I seem to remember some years back Lee Corso saying that this team was the greatest team he had ever seen in college football. Forget the specifics but pretty sure he said it.

 

[Doc5120]

I love this thread, and I look forward to it every Thurs/Fri. It's a nice way to end the week. Unfortunately I'm realizing it's only Tuesday afternoon and the work week isn't nearly over. That said, my Mom was 6 years old at the time, so I have nothing of value to add here.

 

[OttoMets]

Obviously this was a very long time ago. Eisenhower was finishing up his Presidency, and All4SU had just turned 40.

To my knowledge, cto is the only person here who attended that Cotton Bowl against Texas. CTO, can you please share with us...

-how did you get down to Dallas? Bus?
-what was the atmosphere like outside the Cotton Bowl? Did people tailgate then?
-how many Syracuse fans were there? Did people wear Orange to games then?
-did you observe any Jim Crow-era discrimination against our players?
...

A former acquaintance was in the Pride of the Orange (don't know if they actually were called that back then, but it's always fun to type) and traveled to the Cotton Bowl. Black members of the band were denied service at at least one restaurant and the group ended up ordering in at their motel.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I saw The Express.

 

[Scooch]

A former acquaintance was in the Pride of the Orange (don't know if they actually were called that back then, but it's always fun to type) and traveled to the Cotton Bowl. Black members of the band were denied service at at least one restaurant and the group ended up ordering in at their motel.

I believe in 1959 the marching band was called "100 Men and a Girl".

The Orange Girl | Syracuse University - The Original Orange

originalorange.syr.edu

 

[OttoMets]

I believe in 1959 the marching band was called "100 Men and a Girl".

The Orange Girl | Syracuse University - The Original Orange

originalorange.syr.edu

There's a Michigan State basketball joke somewhere in here.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I seem to remember some years back Lee Corso saying that this team was the greatest team he had ever seen in college football. Forget the specifics but pretty sure he said it.

They were unbelievably tough and hit really hard. The defense was unbelievable. They gave up very, very few rushing yards, and the passing game in the 1950s and early 60s was nothing compared to today.

You go back and look at box scores and legends like Bart Starr threw the ball maybe 15 times in a Green Bay Packers game in the early 60s. Now, imagine so little passing and one of the very best rushing defenses in college football history. Then add a Heisman Trophy winner to the offense. Boom.

I used to have one of those statistics-based board games for college football, where you could play teams from different eras against each other. And nobody could score on the 1959 Orangemen.

 

[adk(roc)CUSE]

They were unbelievably tough and hit really hard. The defense was unbelievable. They gave up very, very few rushing yards, and the passing game in the 1950s and early 60s was nothing compared to today.

You go back and look at box scores and legends like Bart Starr threw the ball maybe 15 times in a Green Bay Packers game in the early 60s. Now, imagine so little passing and one of the very best rushing defenses in college football history. Then add a Heisman Trophy winner to the offense. Boom.

I used to have one of those statistics-based board games for college football, where you could play teams from different eras against each other. And nobody could score on the 1959 Orangemen.

Don't suppose that game was called "Bowl Bound?". One of those types of games I loved in the 80s.

 

[Roger N]

Obviously this was a very long time ago. Eisenhower was finishing up his Presidency, and All4SU had just turned 40.

To my knowledge, cto is the only person here who attended that Cotton Bowl against Texas. CTO, can you please share with us...

-how did you get down to Dallas? Bus?
-what was the atmosphere like outside the Cotton Bowl? Did people tailgate then?
-how many Syracuse fans were there? Did people wear Orange to games then?
-did you observe any Jim Crow-era discrimination against our players?
-what was the celebration like after the game?
-how did it compare in excitement to the 2003 basketball title?

Did any poster here attend this game or any other game during 1959 national title season? I've said this before, but I can't figure out why QB Dave Sarrette isn't a household name amongst Cuse fans. He was an extremely efficient passer, and led us on our greatest three year stretch in program history.

View attachment 167166

Here we go. I was in 8th grade and was an usher at Archbald Stadium in section 49, which was in the west end zone. I would show people to their seats and once in a while I would get a quarter tip.

Lots of memories. One duty that I had was to go down to the track with other ushers to join hands to provide a path for the team to run to the locker room.

The first game was against Kansas who had two hall of famers - John Hadl and Gale Sayers. I think SU won 35-21.

Another game I remember was the VPI game. Va Tech now. A guy was running around with this giant Rebel flag. That didn’t go over very well with me.

A lot of people dressed up for the games. Men wore a sport coat and tie and women might have a corsage.

One tradition they had was a fraternity had a civil war cannon and they would fire it after every touch down. They used nylon stockings as the fodder I was standing nearby on the track when the cannon misfired and set a coed on fire. That was the end of that.

We felt close to the team in those days. At West Genesee, we always got star athletes as student teachers. We got Bruce Tarbox in 1960. Fantastic team. I wish I could re watch every game.

 

[Roger N]

A former acquaintance was in the Pride of the Orange (don't know if they actually were called that back then, but it's always fun to type) and traveled to the Cotton Bowl. Black members of the band were denied service at at least one restaurant and the group ended up ordering in at their motel.

The band was called “100
Men and a Girl”

 

[bubba1917]

Snuck into every home game in 59. Season for a lifetime.

 

[Eric15]

Here we go. I was in 8th grade and was an usher at Archibald Stadium in section 49, which was in the west end zone. I would show people to their seats and once in a while I would get a quarter tip.

Lots of memories. One duty that I had was to go down to the track with other ushers to join hands to provide a path for the team to run to the locker room.

The first game was against Kansas who had two hall of famers - John Hadl and Gale Sayers. I think SU won 35-21.

Another game I remember was the VPI game. Va Tech now. A guy was running around with this giant Rebel flag. That didn’t go over very well with me.

A lot of people dressed up for the games. Men wore a sport coat and tie and women might have a corsage.

One tradition they had was a fraternity had a civil war cannon and they would fire it after every touch down. They used nylon stockings as the fodder I was standing nearby on the track when the cannon misfired and set a coed on fire. That was the end of that.

We felt close to the team in those days. At West Genesee, we always got star athletes as student teachers. We got Bruce Tarbox in 1960. Fantastic team. I wish I could re watch every game.

Great post -- thanks for sharing. Was there a parade in Syracuse after the team came back? What was that like?

 

[IthacaMatt]

Don't suppose that game was called "Bowl Bound?". One of those types of games I loved in the 80s.

Too long ago to remember. I know there was Strat-O-Matic Baseball, but I remember a variety of those football games.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Here we go. I was in 8th grade and was an usher at Archbald Stadium in section 49, which was in the west end zone. I would show people to their seats and once in a while I would get a quarter tip.

Lots of memories. One duty that I had was to go down to the track with other ushers to join hands to provide a path for the team to run to the locker room.

The first game was against Kansas who had two hall of famers - John Hadl and Gale Sayers. I think SU won 35-21.

Another game I remember was the VPI game. Va Tech now. A guy was running around with this giant Rebel flag. That didn’t go over very well with me.

A lot of people dressed up for the games. Men wore a sport coat and tie and women might have a corsage.

One tradition they had was a fraternity had a civil war cannon and they would fire it after every touch down. They used nylon stockings as the fodder I was standing nearby on the track when the cannon misfired and set a coed on fire. That was the end of that.

We felt close to the team in those days. At West Genesee, we always got star athletes as student teachers. We got Bruce Tarbox in 1960. Fantastic team. I wish I could re watch every game.

I would have given you a like simply for dropping West Genny. TFCIT.

 

[adk(roc)CUSE]

Too long ago to remember. I know there was Strat-O-Matic Baseball, but I remember a variety of those football games.

This was the one I had. I'd spend hours playing in when I was 12 or 13 in the late 80s.