December games versus Cal in the 1930's

The Jacket

The Jacket

The Coat
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This may be something I've read about before and I've just forgotten, but I was looking through our page on the All-Time Database and spotted this. From 1931-40 we played California five times (going 2-3 against them) with all but the '32 (12/17) and '40 (12/28) games being played on December 26th. Neither team was good enough in those years to qualify for a bowl, so was this some sort of consolation exhibition the teams agreed to? It wasn't done at a neutral site, three were played in Atlanta and two in California.

Anyone have any insight into why these games were played? Or any further information about them at all?
 
Have you tried looking at newspaper archives in the time / area of the first game? They may have a game recap and summary of events leading up to the series.
 
The Georgia Tech Library has archives that go all the way back to the 1800's for the Atlanta Joural and Atlanta Constitution (two separate papers back then). Everything is on Microfilm, if you go in the librarians can help you, I think the microfilm is on the 3rd floor. Since you already know the date you are looking for it shouldn't be to difficult to find some information.
 
kramer2727 said:
The Georgia Tech Library has archives that go all the way back to the 1800's for the Atlanta Joural and Atlanta Constitution (two separate papers back then). Everything is on Microfilm, if you go in the librarians can help you, I think the microfilm is on the 3rd floor. Since you already know the date you are looking for it shouldn't be to difficult to find some information.
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I live a few hundred miles OTP so I'm stuck looking for an online resource.
 
Haha, yeah that does make it hard...the archives for the AJC are mostly only in Atlanta area. And unfortunately a lot of older articles haven't been digitized. But it is really interesting, because these games were played almost a month after the rest of the season. It would be nice to know what the reason was back then.
 
kramer2727 said:
Haha, yeah that does make it hard...the archives for the AJC are mostly only in Atlanta area. And unfortunately a lot of older articles haven't been digitized. But it is really interesting, because these games were played almost a month after the rest of the season. It would be nice to know what the reason was back then.
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I've read a few different books about Tech and the program's history but I can't remember any of them mentioning this series, which strikes me as odd. Even though neither team was good, it seems like an odd enough footnote to merit a mention, at least.
 
Tech played Cal in the Rose Bowl (and won) in 1929 so this probably stemmed out of that as a friendly cross-country rivalry.

This was the Wrong Way Riegels game, if you have ever heard of that. Cal player scooped up a blocked punt and ran the Wrong Way for a safety. Jackets won 8-7.
 
Architorture23 said:
Tech played Cal in the Rose Bowl (and won) in 1929 so this probably stemmed out of that as a friendly cross-country rivalry.

This was the Wrong Way Riegels game, if you have ever heard of that. Cal player scooped up a blocked punt and ran the Wrong Way for a safety. Jackets won 8-7.
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m


Rose Bowl stem joke!
 
Short lived, but enthralling, "Southeners capable of passing Calculus vs pro Illegal Immigrant but anti Free Speech" Bowl.

First ever attempt to put lights on an airship with the name of the game spelled out. All the extra weight prevented liftoff.

Final blow came when Cali legislature realized GT was from the South and prevented cal from playing the game.
 
Architorture23 said:
Tech played Cal in the Rose Bowl (and won) in 1929 so this probably stemmed out of that as a friendly cross-country rivalry.

This was the Wrong Way Riegels game, if you have ever heard of that. Cal player scooped up a blocked punt and ran the Wrong Way for a safety. Jackets won 8-7.
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Yeah, I'd noticed that began right after the '29 Rose Bowl but I wasn't sure how much that explained about the series and why it was played. I want some details but I can't register for the free trial on the newspaper archive and apparently nobody else is interested in finding out.
 
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