[Editor’s note: Welcome back to the return of “Collector’s Corner” to Uni Watch. Although no longer run by Brinke Guthrie, it has been ably resurrected by Chris Weir. Chris approached me about restarting CC, vowing to uphold the old look and style, but with one new twist: he will make each edition timely with what is going on currently in the sports world (i.e. rivalry games, big events, anniversary of events). Enjoy and please give Chris some feedback about the new (old) feature. — PH]
by Chris Weir
This week’s Collector’s Corner will focus on the non-New Year’s Six Bowl Games.
• First, someone is going to have to explain how you play the VCR College Bowl Game and then let me borrow their VCR so I can play it.
• One constant in bowl games is watches. Bowl games always give the players, coaches, sponsors, etc. wrist watches no matter how obscure the bowl game is. This watch is from the 1964 Liberty Bowl, which became the first major bowl game held indoors. The Liberty Bowl’s first five games were held in Philadelphia at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium (later named John F. Kennedy Stadium) but due to dwindling attendance the game would move to the Atlantic City Convention Hall for one year. They actually brought in real grass and laid it on top of “two inches of burlap.” To fit the field within the convention center floor the end zones were only eight yards deep. The game was then moved to Memphis in 1965 and has been played there ever since. Here’s an awesome Mizzou Football Shirt from the 1978 Liberty Bowl.
• Another constant in bowl games is sponsor and name changes. The Blockbuster Bowl became the Carquest Bowl, then the Micron PC Bowl, then the Tangerine Bowl, then the Champs Sports Bowl, then the Russell Athletic Bowl, then the Camping World Bowl, then the Cheez-It Bowl, and now it’s the Pop Tart Bowl. Here’s a 1990 Blockbuster Bowl PSU Sweater from the bowl’s inaugural game.
• Being one of the oldest bowl games hasn’t prevented the Citrus Bowl from enduring some name changes as it has also been known as the Tangerine Bowl & Capital One Bowl. Here’s a Cliff Engle Sweater commemorating one of the game’s editions. Not sure why this Auburn Citrus Bowl Hat has military officer’s scrambled eggs on the brim but it works.
• Does a jar of mayonnaise go bad if you don’t open it? You can buy this Jar of Mayo from the 2022 Duke’s Mayo Bowl and find out. My friend went to this game and said that these jars were hot commodities at the game.
• I remember the days in which the Aloha Bowl was pretty much the only sporting event on TV on Christmas (I never really watched the NBA). The 1997 Aloha Bowl between Michigan State and Washington is now a Big Ten Conference game. Here’s a pseudo Jersey from that game featuring both team’s helmets. The Hula Bowl isn’t a Bowl Game but rather a college all-star game that’s now played in Orlando instead of Hawaii, but I just had to show you the greatest Football Hawaiian Shirt and the greatest Football Volcano T-Shirt.
• WVU’s sleeping, gun toting, barefooted Mountaineer logo is featured on this Pennant from the discontinued Bluebonnet Bowl, which was held in Houston at Rice Stadium and the Astrodome until 1987.
• I love the design and color scheme of this Pin from the also discontinued California Bowl, which was played in Fresno.
• The Gotham Bowl only lasted two years and the inaugural game was played at the aging Polo Grounds in front of only 15,123 fans. This Program is from that game.
• My favorite defunct bowl game has to be the Cherry Bowl which was only played twice at the Pontiac Silverdome. The Cherry Bowl’s logo featured an upside silver helmet filled with cherries and the most 1980s font you could imagine. If you’re a defunct bowl fan like myself you’ve got to get this Cherry Bowl Hat and of course, a Cherry Bowl Watch featuring a football shaped second hand. I actually own a Pennant from the 1985 game although I’m not sure what “Maryland University” is.
• I’ve always wanted to see a game at the Sun Bowl in El Paso. The Sun Bowl has been played since 1935 but I’d imagine this Dish is from the late ’70s or early ’80s.
• The Independence Bowl in Shreveport has been around since 1976. You can’t go wrong with a Jacket sporting a logo featuring a star-spangled eagle catching a football with its talons. Texas Tech was not successful in being “Rebel Busters” in the 1986 Independence Bowl as they lost to Ole Miss but that shouldn’t stop Red Raider fans enjoying this Shirt.
• The Gator Bowl is the 6th oldest bowl game and maybe the most prestigious of the non-New Year’s Six Bowls. To me there’s something unsettling about this Hat from the 1984 Gator Bowl. When in Florida I’m always wary of alligators and now that I know they can eat large numbers like “84”, I’ll be even more nervous when visiting the Sunshine State.
It isn’t often that you get references to the Sun, Bluebonnet and Cherry Bowls in the same post. Three of my favorite bowls!
I’d wear that Cherry Bowl cap.
Make that four… I like the Liberty Bowl too!
always loved this feature and like the new format relevant to the uni news. thank you, chris!
Liked this a lot! Reminds of things I have that I should sell, give, or donate that I have stored away. Much better to see than have!
Wow, I love that Cherry Bowl cap…but not at that price! I used to have a Michigan Panthers cap in that exact same style but a friend’s girlfriend swiped it.
I have to admit, I used to love bowl games, the names, the cities. Now that corporate sponsorship is the name of the game, literally, I have lost interest.
Wonderful stuff, great article. That Cherry Bowl hat and the Gotham Bowl program are top of the pile.