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 LODI
GRAPE BOWL, Dec. 13.- The College of Pacific Tigers inaugurated the
first annual Grape Bowl with a 35 to 21 victory over the Utah State
Aggies here today before 10,500 fans. It was the ninth 1947 victory for
the Tigers who lost only a 21-20 decision to the Santa Clara Broncos
earlier this year. It was also a personal victory for C.O.P. Quarterback
Eddie LeBaron. He scored one touchdown and passed to another and lived
up to all the rave notices made earlier this year. Bert Stanley,
professional scout, had this to say of him:
"I have seen 39 quarterbacks this year, including Notre Dame's Johnny
Lojack. LeBaron is the best I have seen bar none."
LeBaron was not the only star for the Tigers. He had two fine running
mates in Halfback Donald Brown and Bruce Orvis. The outstanding feature
about LeBaron was his all around ability, besides being one of the most
deceptive T-formation generals on the coast, the 17-year-old lad can
kick with the best of them and is a demon on defense.
The Tigers had it pretty much their own way the first half of the game
and were leading 28 to 0 at half time. It was the Aggie line which came
back the last two periods to slow down the C.O.P. attack.
The Tigers took the opening kickoff and drove 13 plays direct to a
touchdown in a drive that carried the length of the field. Halfback Bob
Heck took the kick on the C.O.P. goal line and got to the Tiger 27.
From there Halfback Don Brown and Fullback Harry Cane carried the load
in the Tiger smashes at tackles and around end. Kane finally plunged
over from the Aggie one yard line on fourth down with six minutes gone
in the game. Wayne Hardin, who is on the Tiger basketball team, came on
the field to try the conversion. The kick and put the Tigers out ahead 7
to 0.
The Aggies came back on another drive of their own but the Tiger line
was giving the Utah State running attack a rough time. The Angles got
down to C.O.P.'s six when the unexpected happened. Aggie Quarterback
Jack Sorenson took the ball from the center, turned and was hit by the
Tiger line as he tried to hand the ball to Half John Worley. The ball
squirted in the air and was grabbed by Tiger Bruce Orvis on the one yard
line. He took it and ran all the way to score. With the Aggies spread
out behind him. Hardin's kick again split the uprights.
The Tigers started a drive at the end of the first period which
culminated in a C.O.P. touchdown in the first minute and one-half of the
second quarter.
It only took the Tigers eight plays to carry the pigskin from their own
15 to a tally. LeBaron set it up with a 10-yard pass to Brown who was
stopped on the Aggie one. On the next play, LeBaron went over on a sneak
and Hardin made the conversion kick. The Tigers then held a 21-0 lead.
The Tigers made their final tally of the first half after the Aggies
booted out to the 50-yard line. LeBaron faked a hand off and hit center
for nine yards. Halfback John Poulos cut off right tackle to thc Aggie
19 yard line. Don Brown then skirted left end for five yards. LeBaron
took his time on the next play and connected with a 15 yard pass to end
John Rohde who was standing by himself in the endzone. Hardin’s kick
split the uprights to give Pacific a 28-0 lead with three minutes left.
A fumble by Brown early in the third period set up the first Aggie
score. Keith Hughes got the fumble for Utah State on the C.O.P. 42 and
in five plays Halfback Ernie Groll went over from the Tiger five. Frank
Williams' kick was good.
Near the end of the thud quarter, the Tigers crossed Utah Stale's goal
line again on a five-play drive from the Tiger 10. Orvis picked up 16
yards over guard and Brown got eight over tackle. LeBaron bit the center
of the line to the Tiger 45 and Orvis got another three at tackle. Then
Brown skirted the Aggie left end and dashed 53 yards down the sidelines
to tally. Hardin's kick was good.
John Worley then contributed one of the better runs of the game as he
took the Tigers kickoff on his own 22 and danced down the sidelines to
the C.O.P. 19. In four plays, Fullback Sutich went three yards over
tackle to score for the Aggies. Sutich's conversion kick made the score
35 to 14.
The Aggies scored with two minutes remaining in the contest when Groll
intercepted LeBaron's pass on the Tiger 43. Groll cut back down the
field, picked up interference and hit the goal line as the last Tiger
defense man took a shot at him. Williams made the kick good.
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