After this morning’s “Schnauzerton,” a visit from 1-800-GOT-JUNK, and two trips to our new downtown apartment to deliver carloads full of non-junk, I actually sat down and watched some college football. This was just after the Cubs blew another critical game, and I.U. claimed their third football victory of the season. I wanted to see the Oregon-Stanford match-up, but ended up flipping over to Notre Dame – Georgia. Early in the game, the Fighting Irish  recovered a fumble and completed a pass in the end zone, however The Bulldogs had cleverly called timeout and the play was disallowed. As number 89 (currently Brock Wright) caught the ball for the temporary TD, it caused me to flash back to my childhood.

It was just after my 9th birthday (9/24/60, 59 years ago next week), and my dad took me to the University of California opener at Notre Dame Stadium. I remember only two things: the Golden Bear Mascot and my cousin’s #89 number. He was a sophomore Tight End on the 1960 team and my uncle John was an assistant coach. Their last name was Murphy, so they also had that Irish Catholic heritage that undoubtedly attracted them to Touchdown Jesus! They must have gotten tickets for my Dad and I, so this became my very first college football game. I had to look it up, because I definitely didn’t pay much attention to the game at that age. In fact, it reminds me of my own experience taking my son to his first high school basketball game. He was totally focused on the Tiger mascot of my team’s opponent, just as I spent the afternoon watching the Cal Dancing Bear. 

My research this afternoon showed me that Notre Dame won the game 21-7 and nearly 50,000 fans were in attendance. It would be hard to not remember an experience like that! My dad went to Indiana University, and in fact hated Notre Dame, so I’m sure I didn’t get much encouragement in following the team that day. Maybe he even privately enjoyed the fact that I was following the Golden Bears? We did, of course, want to support my uncle and cousin, especially since they provided the tickets. As family, I’m certain we had good seats, plus we got together with them after the game. I also recollect my cousin as a giant, (probably 6’5″) and have a few black & white pictures with him in my scrapbook.

I did discover that Notre Dame had an awful team that year, winning only their first and last games and going 2-8 for the year. USC and California were their two victims. In my cousin’s Junior and Senior years they did improve to 5-5, with Daryle Lamonica at quarterback. Lamonica turned down a baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills. I’m not really sure what happened to my cousin, to be quite honest. It seems like he went into coaching himself, but he’ll always be number 89 to me!