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Salad Bowl 1952
Houston 26 Dayton 21 |
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Skibo McKay Tucson Daily Citizen January 2, 1952
Most remembered as outstanding backs in previous Salad Bowl games were Tommy Kazmaier and Stan Heath, Nevada; Johnny Pont, Miami (Ohio); Whizzer White, Tempe; Cliff Wilkie, Xavier and Eddie Wolgast, Arizona.
But Shannon can take his place near the top of that list. The 180 pound senior scored all four of the favored Texans’ touchdowns, carried the ball 28 times for 175 yards and was a unanimous selection on the press box ballot as the outstanding host team player. Houston was recognized as the host team, being from the west.
It was the 13th time in Shannon's college career that he outgained the entire opposition on the ground since Dayton moved for only 152 yards. His four touchdown runs were 14, 19, 2 and 9 yards. Shannon was aided by the blocking of fellow running backs Randy Owens (who gained 76 yards on the day) and Warren Ramsey (83 yards), and linemen Howard Clapp, Buck Miller and Lloyd Holloway.
Dayton, executing its plays most of the time from spread formations, relied on the passing attack of Quarterback Frank Siggins, who tossed scoring aerials to Bobby Recker and Jim Currin and accounted for most of the team's 183 yards in the air.
Dayton took advantage of the game's first break. Warren Ramsey, a spectacular running mate of Shannon, fumbled on the Dayton 34, ending a 50-yard drive as Joe Malloy recovered for the Ohioans.
Seven plays later Recker took a pitchout and raced seven yards to score with 3:15 remaining in the opening quarter. On the third play of that march Dayton suffered a four-yard loss, but Fullback Jim Akau set up the touchdown with a 46-yard run. Paul Spakowski added the extra point.
With only 10 seconds left in the period Shannon and Randy Owens took turns with the running plays to drive from Houston's 35 to within 14 yards of paydirt where Shannon, on a pitchout from Quarterback Bobby Clatterbuck, broke over left guard to score. Owens missed the conversion.
Shannon finished a 72-yard Houston drive with a 19-yard touchdown run with 6:50 to go in the second quarter. Owens split the uprights and the Cougars' remained behind, 14-13.
Dayton returned to score its third touchdown after running and passing for 70 yards. Siggins threw 42 yards to Currin, who took only one step before entering the crossed section. Spakowski kicked his third extra point and only 14 seconds were left before the half.
Another long Houston march, highlighted by a 49-yard pass play from Clatterbuck to Vic Hampel found Shannon scoring from seven yards out early in the third quarter. Owens kicked 'the point.
The final touchdown of the game and one to give Houston the victory, resulted late in the third stanza. Shannon took a pitchout from Clatterbuck, who was in a prone position when he tossed the ball, and went through the nine yards to score. Owens' kick for point was blocked.
The series of plays was set up by Howton who recovered Recker's fumble on the Dayton 26. The Houston defense, led by Howton, asserted itself in the second half. Howton intercepted a pair of passes and recovered a fumble as the Cougars limited Dayton to just five yards rushing in the stanza.
Note:
The 1952 New Year's Dav Salad Bowl was University of Houston's highest peak of glory in football to that point in their history. It was the fifth and final Salad Bowl. Net profits did not exceed 814,000. The sponsoring Phoenix Kiwanis Club credited the Arizona sunshine with making the charity classic a success, but higher expenses would cut the net gains and the Salad Bowl would disappear from the college football landscape.
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The Houston defense closed down the Flyers in the 4th quarter to seal the victory. |
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Team captains meet at midfield to commence the final Salad Bowl. |
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| Gene Shannon scores Houston's first TD. | Future NFL great, Chuck Noll, played for the Flyers. |
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Houston's Vic Hampel takes a pass from Bobby Clatterbuck for a 30-yard gain. |
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Attendance- 17,000
Scoring Summary
First Quarter UD- Recker 7 run (Spakowski kick) UH- Shannon 15 run (kick failed)
Second Quarter UD- Recker 25 yard pass from Siggins (Spakowski kick) UH- Shannon 19 run (Owens kick) UD- Currin 36 yard pass from Siggins (Spakowski kick)
UH- Shannon 1 run (Owens kick) UH- Shannon 10 run (kick blocked)
Individual Statistics
Rushing UH- Shannon 28-175, Ramsey 13-83, Owens 9-75
Passing UH- Clatterbuck 7-4-1
Receiving- UH: Ramsey 2-46, Hampel 1-46
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MONTGOMERY
STADIUM, Phoenix.- Right Halfback Gene Shannon joined the list of other
backfieldmen turning in memorable performances in former Salad Bowl
games as he paced the Houston Cougars to a 26-21 win over the Dayton
Flyers in the fifth edition of that New Year's day classic here
yesterday.
Dayton
increased its lead to 14-6 in the second quarter as Recker hauled in
Siggins' 23-yard pass on the two-yard line for his second tally.
Spakowski converted.
