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 The world of college football was turned upside down in the
mid-1940’s because of World War II. Collegiate players throughout the
nation became soldiers in the war effort. The balance of college
football power shifted because of the assignment of many star players to
small colleges which served as training sites for the military and to
many military bases. Military installation teams sprang up and
challenged such powers as Notre Dame, Michigan and Texas. In fact, in
1943, five military installations were ranked in the final top 20 and
this doubled in 1944 to ten teams. The most successful service teams of
the era were Midwestern powerhouses, Great Lakes Naval Training Station
and Iowa Pre-Flight. The Southwest's two strongest outfits were
Southwestern Louisiana Institute (loaded with service trainees) and the
Ramblers of Randolph Field. In 1943, Randolph posted a 9-1 record
(losing only to SLI) and were selected to play in the Cotton Bowl.
Although they had fallen out of the top 20 following the Southwestern
loss in the last game of the season, they were still the only service
team to participate in a bowl following the ’43 season. Because of their
unique status on January 1, 1944, there was increased pressure to win
for the morale of servicemen throughout the world.
Randolph’s opponent in the Cotton Bowl would be Dana X. Bible’s Texas
Longhorns. The contest was expected to be a thrilling and probably a
high scoring affair with the Ramblers relying mainly on the stellar play
of All-American Glenn Dobbs. Dobbs had been an All-American at Tulsa in
1942 and ranked with the finest performers of his era. He was playing in
his third consecutive bowl game and his feat of throwing seven TD passes
in one game received national attention. Behind Dobbs, Randolph Field
led the nation in passing in ‘43. The Longhorns had won the Southwest
Conference behind the strength of their defense, the nation’s No.1
ranked unit. Texas entered the game at 7-1 and ranked 14th nationally.
The Steers were banking their on their fine running at tack that carried
them through the campaign to the Southwest Conference championship. The
Longhorns boasted All-American Joe Parker, an extremely talented end.
The truth is, Texas’ team was comprised of mostly Navy trainees. So, the
game became a tribute and celebration to all members of the armed
services.
There was a great debate nationally in advance of the game as to which
was the superior weapon, a great passing attack or a solid defense. This
was supposed to be the game that would produce the answer. The stage was
set for the showdown between the respective collegiate and service team
football champions of the Southwest.
On New Year’s Day, the gridiron was slippery and soggy, largely because
officials of the State Fair of Texas refused to put the protective
tarpaulin over the field when requested at midweek. They gave the excuse
that they had to give the winter rye grass a chance to grow, and it
wasn't until the ground had already soaked up several hours of rainfall
that the athletic director of the Dallas high schools, was able to get
his own crew on the job to unroll the canvas. The game was attended by
many servicemen and women who attended free due to donations of
patriotic fans. But, the the cold and rainy weather limited the
attendance to 15,000 of the approximately 32,000 who had purchased
tickets.
All the scoring was crammed into about seven minutes, almost midway in
the first half. Dobbs punted Texas deep into their own territory.
Longhorn J.R. Calahan fumbled a wet ball which Walter Parker pounced on
at the Texas 26. From there, Dobbs ran for 11 yards and then hit Leslie
“Tex” Aulds for the last fifteen yards and the score. Aulds, a former
professional baseball player who had no college grid experience, cut to
the right behind the Texas line, caught the pass and scored standing up.
Aulds had sprained his ankle in a practice session the week before the
game and his status was uncertain at game time. Wal ter West, a hefty
former University of Pittsburgh backfield mainstay, converted the extra
point for the Ramblers. Six minutes into the second period, Texas
responded. Dobbs fumbled while trying to squirm for extra yardage and it
was recovered by Texas’ Phil Bolin at the Randolph 42 yard line. Three
plays later, halfback Ralph Ells worth hit end George McCall with a
thirty-five yard touchdown pass. Calahan, formerly of Texas Tech, booted
the extra point for the Longhorns and the game was tied at 7.
From that point on, the collegians never made a serious scoring threat
while the soldiers became grimly determined with the knowledge they were
battling for the armed forces overseas listening to the short-wave
broadcast. But, Randolph suffered severely from the very few rules
infractions called in a clean, well-played con test remarkably free of
penalties. There were only twenty yards in penalties in the entire
contest and all were walked off against the servicemen. Three times
Dobbs completed long passes only to see them nulli fied by penalties.
Shortly before the half, he whipped a bullet shot to end Leon Leinweber
to the Texas 11 yard line but the play was called back because a
Randolph lineman was offside. It would have been good for a first down
but instead, the assessment bogged a Rambler drive and the Longhorns
finally managed to take over on their own 20 when Leiland Killian missed
a 26 yard field goal from a bad angle. Texas maintained possession for
the rest of the period.
Early in the third period, Dobbs completed another long pass to Grover
Keeton, a former SMU Mustang receiver, from the Texas 37 and the
receiver was apparently loose but the Ramblers again were offside. And,
near the end of the period, a Dobbs pass to Keeton looked good for
twenty-four yards and a first down to the Longhorns' 10, when the of
ficials ruled the Randolph backfield was illegally in motion.
Late in the third quarter, Dobbs returned a Calahan kick nine yards to
the Texas 28 and Walter West picked up twenty more yards on two
identical run ning plays through the middle. But, after penetrating the
Steers' 10-yard marker, the Rambler attack hit a snag and Tex as took
over on downs on its own 9. Shortly afterward, Ralph Park quashed
another menace by intercepting a heave intended for Keeton.
At the start of the fourth period, a nineteen-yard gallop through the
middle by Dobbs after a fake pass gave Randolph another first down on
the Texas 21, but an interception by Ellsworth halted this march.
Neither team made another se rious threat and Dobbs’ kicking kept Texas
battling to get off its own goal line for two series of downs.
Aside from his fine passing, which the statistics fail to reflect
because of the nullifying penalties, and some thrilling ball carrying he
contrib uted, Dobbs earned generous accolades for one of the greatest
exhibitions of punting ever witnessed on the gridiron, wet or dry. On
nine punts he had an amazing average of 44½ yards. His masterpieces
included punts of 58, 59, and 68 yards.
Fans who braved the weather to attend the bowl never regretted taking
the risk, but it was evident to all that the Ram blers and Longhorns
would have been good for one of the most thrilling and most wide-open,
whirlwind shows in the history of this bowl had they been brought
together in more favorable weather. The Ramblers who were 2-1 underdogs,
would have polled a lot more votes to win a fair weather encounter
following their fine performance. They proved that a top-flight service
football team was equal the highest grade of the college ranks at the
time
Dana Bible was happy to have met Glenn Dobbs, but he was glad when the
game was over. "That boy's a great player, one of the finest I have ever
watched," the Longhorn mentor declared as he slushed through two inches
of mud in the Cotton Bowl after shak ing hands and talking briefly with
Lieutinent Frank Tritico, coach of Randolph Field
But, the most impressive thing about the Cotton Bowl, Bible said, was
not Dobbs, not the crowd, not the fact it ended in a tie (first in the
annals of the Southwest classic). As Bible saw it, the most important
thing was the weather.
"In my thirty years of coaching, I have never seen anything like it.”
Bible declared. The rain wasn't so bad, but the cold added to it and
made it most disagreeable. But, my real sympathies go to the fans. I'm
sorry that so many people who bought tickets didn't get to come to the
game and see it because it was a close game all the way.” Bible
declared.
Following the Cotton Bowl, Bible insisted that Randolph Field be awarded
the Arthur A. Everts team trophy as Cotton Bowl champs. The Cotton Bowl
consented to awarding the Longhorns a smaller trophy to show that they
had participated and not lost.
Note: A very special note of thanks is
extended to
Peter A. Law, GS-11, 12th Flying Training Wing,
and Randolph
historian for his help in
this research. Randolph is preserving the history of the Ramblers and
their contribution to college football.
A new $13.9 million Rambler Fitness
Center officially opened to the Randolph community on Feb. 2, 2007,
dedicated to the memory of the team.
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