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<H2 ALIGN=CENTER>Remembering The Bacardi &amp; Orange Bowls </H2>

<P ALIGN=CENTER>by Bob Grant

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<IMG SRC="pic/flashback_latech.jpg" ALT="Auburn vs. Villanova " WIDTH=312 HEIGHT=197 BORDER=1>
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<B>Auburn and Villanova tied 7-7 in the 1937 Bacardi Bowl.
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<FONT SIZE=7><B>w</B></FONT>hen remembering great Auburn bowl victories, certain games leap from our memories and rise above the rest. In the 1971 Gator Bowl the Tigers defeated Ole Miss 35-28, in a game billed as the "Battle of the Quarterbacks," between Pat Sullivan and Ole Miss' Archie Manning.

<P>Al Del Greco's game-winning field goal with only seconds remaining sealed a 9-7 win over Michigan in the 1984 Sugar Bowl and capped an 11-1 season. And, in 1972 the Tigers truly earned the nickname "The Amazin's" after an improbable 24-3 win over Colorado in the Gator Bowl.

<P>But all great stories must have a beginning. And Auburn's began in 1937 when coach Jack Meagher led his Tigers to Havana, Cuba to play in the only bowl game played in a foreign country.

<P>At halftime of today's game, Auburn University will honor the men who played on the Tigers' first bowl teams.

<P>Sometimes referred to as the Rhumba Bowl or the Cigar Bowl, the Bacardi Bowl pitted the Tigers against the Villanova Wildcats as the main event of Cuba's annual National Sports Festival.

<P>Auburn halfback Billy Hitchcock recalled some of the strange happenings during the team's trip to Cuba.

<P>"We took a train to Tampa (Fla.) and then a boat to Cuba. I'll never forget how strange it was watching all those football players getting sea sick during the boat ride," Hitchcock said.

<P>"Another thing I remember is the story we heard of how Batista, Cuba's president, had all of the high ranking government officials that opposed him shot in the hotel we stayed at."

<P>Hitchcock added a memory of his own when he rambled 40 yards for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead. However, despite being held to just 153 yards on offense, Villanova blocked a quick kick and recovered in the end zone in the fourth quarter and the game ended in a 7-7 tie.

<P>That game capped a unique season that saw the Tigers visit Canada and Mexico while traveling to games against Detroit and Santa Clara. Auburn finished the season 7-2-2, shut out six opponents and gave up an average of five points per game.

<P>The following season Auburn's defense again led the way as it shut out seven teams, including Michigan State in the 1938 Orange Bowl.

<P>The Spartans were held to only two first downs and 57 yards total offense that day, while Auburn piled up 312 yards on offense, including 233 on the ground, en route to its first ever bowl victory.

<P>Twenty-four bowl games later the Tigers rank 12th all-time in bowl wins (14) and 13th all-time in bowl appearances (26), including a school record nine consecutive appearances from 1982-1990.

<P>From its historic beginnings in the Bacardi Bowl to last year's thriller over Clemson in the Peach Bowl, Auburn has established itself as one of the premiere bowl teams in the country rich in tradition and success.

<P ALIGN=CENTER><A HREF="./" target="_top">TABLE OF CONTENTS</A> | <A HREF="../" target="_top">PROGRAM INDEX</A> | <A HREF="../../index.html" target="_top">HOME</A></P>

<P ALIGN=CENTER><I>&copy; 1999 Auburn Network, Inc.</I></P>


</BODY>
</HTML>
	<HTML>

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	</HEAD>

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	<H2 ALIGN=CENTER>Remembering The Bacardi & Orange Bowls </H2>

	<P ALIGN=CENTER>by Bob Grant

	<HR>

	<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=RIGHT WIDTH=10>
	<TR>
	<TD VALIGN=BOTTOM>
	<IMG SRC="pic/flashback_latech.jpg" ALT="Auburn vs. Villanova " WIDTH=312 HEIGHT=197 BORDER=1>
	<FONT SIZE=2>
	<B>Auburn and Villanova tied 7-7 in the 1937 Bacardi Bowl.
	<HR>
	</TD>
	</TR>
	</TABLE>

	<FONT SIZE=7><B>w</B></FONT>hen remembering great Auburn bowl victories, certain games leap from our memories and rise above the rest. In the 1971 Gator Bowl the Tigers defeated Ole Miss 35-28, in a game billed as the "Battle of the Quarterbacks," between Pat Sullivan and Ole Miss' Archie Manning.

	<P>Al Del Greco's game-winning field goal with only seconds remaining sealed a 9-7 win over Michigan in the 1984 Sugar Bowl and capped an 11-1 season. And, in 1972 the Tigers truly earned the nickname "The Amazin's" after an improbable 24-3 win over Colorado in the Gator Bowl.

	<P>But all great stories must have a beginning. And Auburn's began in 1937 when coach Jack Meagher led his Tigers to Havana, Cuba to play in the only bowl game played in a foreign country.

	<P>At halftime of today's game, Auburn University will honor the men who played on the Tigers' first bowl teams.

	<P>Sometimes referred to as the Rhumba Bowl or the Cigar Bowl, the Bacardi Bowl pitted the Tigers against the Villanova Wildcats as the main event of Cuba's annual National Sports Festival.

	<P>Auburn halfback Billy Hitchcock recalled some of the strange happenings during the team's trip to Cuba.

	<P>"We took a train to Tampa (Fla.) and then a boat to Cuba. I'll never forget how strange it was watching all those football players getting sea sick during the boat ride," Hitchcock said.

	<P>"Another thing I remember is the story we heard of how Batista, Cuba's president, had all of the high ranking government officials that opposed him shot in the hotel we stayed at."

	<P>Hitchcock added a memory of his own when he rambled 40 yards for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead. However, despite being held to just 153 yards on offense, Villanova blocked a quick kick and recovered in the end zone in the fourth quarter and the game ended in a 7-7 tie.

	<P>That game capped a unique season that saw the Tigers visit Canada and Mexico while traveling to games against Detroit and Santa Clara. Auburn finished the season 7-2-2, shut out six opponents and gave up an average of five points per game.

	<P>The following season Auburn's defense again led the way as it shut out seven teams, including Michigan State in the 1938 Orange Bowl.

	<P>The Spartans were held to only two first downs and 57 yards total offense that day, while Auburn piled up 312 yards on offense, including 233 on the ground, en route to its first ever bowl victory.

	<P>Twenty-four bowl games later the Tigers rank 12th all-time in bowl wins (14) and 13th all-time in bowl appearances (26), including a school record nine consecutive appearances from 1982-1990.

	<P>From its historic beginnings in the Bacardi Bowl to last year's thriller over Clemson in the Peach Bowl, Auburn has established itself as one of the premiere bowl teams in the country rich in tradition and success.

	<P ALIGN=CENTER><A HREF="./" target="_top">TABLE OF CONTENTS</A> \| <A HREF="../" target="_top">PROGRAM INDEX</A> \| <A HREF="../../index.html" target="_top">HOME</A></P>

	<P ALIGN=CENTER><I>© 1999 Auburn Network, Inc.</I></P>


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