Gotham Bowl
Encyclopedia
The Gotham Bowl was a post-season college football
bowl game that was played in New York City
, United States
, in 1961 and 1962. The game was initially created as a fund raising attempt for the March of Dimes
.
The game was not a success financially: the two games that were played both lost money as few fans were willing to sit through the cold December New York weather. Plus, as it was essentially a charity game, it had little financial capital on which it could survive.
and Utah State, for the game at the Polo Grounds
. Baylor won, 24-9, in front of a sparse crowd of some 15,000 fans.
. Finally, on December 4, 1962, just eleven days before the game, the Gotham Bowl invited Nebraska
, which had just finished an 8-2 season. However, the day before the contest, the Cornhuskers' team plane refused to leave the Lincoln
airport until the bowl's check for expenditures cleared, which it did. (Miami made a similar demand and received their $30,000 expense check up front.)
In addition, the 1962 New York City newspaper strike
ensured that the Gotham Bowl would receive virtually no coverage in its own city. The contest was, however, aired on national television by ABC
's Wide World of Sports.
The weather didn't cooperate, either: a damp, 14-degree day limited the official attendance to just 6,166 (plus 5,000 tickets given away). Perhaps a few thousand stalwarts were actually in the stands at kickoff.
The game itself was a thriller: Nebraska edged Miami, 36-34, despite an MVP performance by Miami (and future professional) quarterback George Mira
, who passed for 321 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The poor attendance ensured the 1962 Gotham Bowl would be the last one played.
in 2010 was announced at a press conference in New York
. The game will feature the third- or fourth-place finisher in the Big East against the seventh-place team in the Big 12, according to BCS
rules. If the Big 12 team does not meet those guidelines, Notre Dame
has agreed to step in. The game will be played between Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
The name for the contest was revealed on March 9, 2010 as the Pinstripe Bowl. The leagues and the New York Yankees
have a four-year agreement in place, running through the 2013 season. The payout to each team will be about two million dollars.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game that was played in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in 1961 and 1962. The game was initially created as a fund raising attempt for the March of Dimes
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
.
The game was not a success financially: the two games that were played both lost money as few fans were willing to sit through the cold December New York weather. Plus, as it was essentially a charity game, it had little financial capital on which it could survive.
1960
The first game was scheduled for December 1960. The game was to be Syracuse and Alabama but both backed out. Notre Dame, Oregon State, Colorado and Holy Cross all turned down the invitation. As a last resort the Bowl invited Air Force to play Army on December 10. Air Force accepted if Army would play, but like Notre Dame, Army did not go to Bowls. The 1960 game was then cancelled.1961
The following year, the Gotham Bowl managed to find two teams to play, BaylorBaylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
and Utah State, for the game at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
. Baylor won, 24-9, in front of a sparse crowd of some 15,000 fans.
1962
The 1962 edition of the Gotham Bowl, played in Yankee Stadium, was particularly tormented with poor planning and bad luck. Again, the game had been scheduled, but only one participant had been invited: the Miami HurricanesMiami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
. Finally, on December 4, 1962, just eleven days before the game, the Gotham Bowl invited Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
, which had just finished an 8-2 season. However, the day before the contest, the Cornhuskers' team plane refused to leave the Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
airport until the bowl's check for expenditures cleared, which it did. (Miami made a similar demand and received their $30,000 expense check up front.)
In addition, the 1962 New York City newspaper strike
1962 New York City newspaper strike
The 1962-63 New York City Newspaper Strike ran from December 8, 1962 until March 31, 1963, lasting for a total of 114 days.-Preliminary actions:...
ensured that the Gotham Bowl would receive virtually no coverage in its own city. The contest was, however, aired on national television by ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Wide World of Sports.
The weather didn't cooperate, either: a damp, 14-degree day limited the official attendance to just 6,166 (plus 5,000 tickets given away). Perhaps a few thousand stalwarts were actually in the stands at kickoff.
The game itself was a thriller: Nebraska edged Miami, 36-34, despite an MVP performance by Miami (and future professional) quarterback George Mira
George Mira
George Ignacio Mira is a former professional American football player. A quarterback drafted in the second round of the 1964 NFL Draft from the University of Miami, Mira played in eight NFL seasons from 1964-1971 for three different teams...
, who passed for 321 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The poor attendance ensured the 1962 Gotham Bowl would be the last one played.
Game results
| Date | Winning Team | | Losing Team | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Oregon State Oregon State Beavers football The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive... was invited to play, but no opponent was found. |
||||
| December 9, 1961 | Baylor Baylor Bears football The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:... |
24 | Utah State Utah State Aggies football The Utah State Aggies are a college football team that competes in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I, representing Utah State University. The Utah State college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Romney Stadium since 1968... |
9 | New York, New York |
| December 15, 1962 | Nebraska 1962 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team The 1962 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team was the representative of the University of Nebraska and member of the Big Eight Conference in the 1962 college football season... |
36 | Miami Miami Hurricanes football The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships... |
34 | The Bronx, New York |
Pinstripe Bowl in 2010
On September 30, 2009, a new bowl game to be played in Yankee StadiumYankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
in 2010 was announced at a press conference in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The game will feature the third- or fourth-place finisher in the Big East against the seventh-place team in the Big 12, according to BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
rules. If the Big 12 team does not meet those guidelines, Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
has agreed to step in. The game will be played between Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
The name for the contest was revealed on March 9, 2010 as the Pinstripe Bowl. The leagues and the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
have a four-year agreement in place, running through the 2013 season. The payout to each team will be about two million dollars.