Raisin Bowl
1948
Pacific 26
Wichita State 14
The 1948 Raisin Bowl was played on January 1 at Fresno, CA. By
today’s standards, the game would appear to be a match of two smaller
colleges and of little significance. But, in 1948, this game was
considered one of the most interesting contests of that bowl season. The
College of Pacific, located in Stockton, CA had brought their program to
a new level in the early forties under the leadership of college
football’s immortal coach, Amos Alonzo Stagg. At 84 in 1946, Stagg had
left the program in the hands of his assistant, Larry Siemering. The
Tigers were led by 17 year-old freshman sensation, Eddie LeBaron.
LeBaron was named to the small college “little All-American” team that
year and was already drawing comparisons to Notre Dame’s Heisman winner,
Johnny Lujack. LeBaron was the finest T-Formation quarterback in the
country and had guided COP to an 8-1 regular season record and the
California Collegiate Athletic Association title. Pacific had also won
the Grape Bowl over Utah State back in December. Wichita came to Fresno
with a 7-3 record under Ralph Graham, who was coaching his last game.
Linwood Sexton finished the season as the nation’s 9th leading rusher
with 685 yards and led the nation’s 7th ranked offense.
The 3rd Annual Raisin Bowl was played before 14,000 fans with
temperatures in the 50’s and a clear sky that allowed the fans a
panoramic view of the snow-capped mountains to the east. The odds-makers
favored the Tigers. All in all, it was a tremendous match-up. On the
opening kickoff, WU all-Valley performers, Mike Knopick and Paul Houser
forced a fumble on the return and the Shocks recovered at the Pacific 17
yard line. On the games second play from scrimmage, Art Hodges carried
the ball twelve yards for the score with two defenders hanging on him.
The Tigers responded with a 5 play scoring drive, which ended in a
34-yard LeBaron touchdown pass, but Pacific failed on the PAT and
Wichita led 7-6. In the 2nd quarter, COP took the lead when Bob Heck
returned an Art Hodges punt for 52 yards and the score. Pacific led 13-7
at the half.
The Shockers opened the 2nd half with runs by Nutter and Hodges pushing
the ball to the COP three-yard line where the drive stalled. Pacific
answered with a 91-yard drive to the Shocker 6-yard line but, on 4th and
5, Hap Houlik broke up a LeBaron pass at the goal line. The score
remained 13-7 as the game entered the 4th quarter. Another Wichita drive
stalled inside the five-yard line and LeBaron drove the Tigers 97 yards
in 7 plays for a 20-7 lead with six minutes to play. On the ensuing
kickoff, Sexton returned the ball to the 47 and the Shocks went into
action. WU drove to the 1 foot line where Hodges plunged in to make the
score 20-14 with 5:00 remaining. Pacific wasn’t through, however, and
scored in two plays on a drive of 63 yards in less than a minute.
Wichita drove to the COP 3-yard line in the last four minutes, but the
drive and the game ended at the Pacific 12-yard line. The final score
was 26-14.
The Raisin Bowl was won in the trenches as Pacific was able to prevent
Wichita’s vaunted offense from punching the ball across on several
occasions and was able to open holes in the Shocker’s line as the game
progressed. Incredibly, Wichita was outgained 501 to 249 yards in total
offense. Coach Ralph Graham made no excuses; “It was a nice ballgame,
cleanly played and well officiated.”
Pacific's Don Brown moves through Wichita defense
From Pacific student yearbook
Eddie LeBaron
Attendance- 14,000
From the Third Annual Raisin Bowl Program:
There was the Rose Bowl in
Southern California......
And the East-West game in Northern California......
It was only natural that a small group of Fresno Junior Chamber of
Commerce members should deem it a worth while project to promote a Bowl
game in Central California. The idea came into the open on November
25th, 1945, the brainchild of Taylor C. Nuttali and in five weeks the
First Annual Raisin Bowl was witnessed by 11,000 people. Competitors in
the 1947 spectacle were Fresno State and Drake University, with Drake
winning, 13-12.
The Second Annual Raisin
Bowl, under the general chairmanship of Al Radka, found the Jaycee group
signing up the winner of the California Collegiate Athletic
Association, San Jose State. It is hoped to have the CCAA champ as the
home team in every Raisin Bowl. Against the Spartans, the Junior Chamber
pitted the Rocky Mountain 'co-champions, Utah State. The final gun found
the score: San Jose, 20; Utah State, 0.
Today you are about to witness the Third Annual Raisin Bowl with a
ferocious California Tiger attempting to subdue a rough Kansas Shocker.
Fresno Junior Chamber of Commerce sincerely hopes you enjoy the game and
the spectacular half-time show. The Jaycee also hopes that in the years
to come there will always be ....
Rose Bowl in Southern California ....
East-West in Northern California ....
.... and the RAISIN BOWL IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA.
History of
the Raisin Bowl
Results:
December 31, 1949: San Jose St. 20, Texas Tech 13
January 1, 1949: Occidental 21, Colorado St. 20
January 1, 1948: Pacific 26, Wichita St. 14
January 1, 1947: San Jose St. 20, Utah St. 0
January 1, 1946: Drake 13, Fresno St. 12
