1937: Pittsburgh, 21 vs. Washington, 0

The University of Washington may as well have invited Public Enemy No. 1 to the 1937 Rose Bowl Game. They may have taken less lambasting.

The Huskies (7-1-1) had picked the Pittsburgh Panthers (7-1-1) as their opponent in the game. The choice was seen as a gaffe equally because the Panthers were seen as inferior to LSU or Alabama, whom Washington had passed over, and because their history in the Rose Bowl Game was rocky at best. They had lost their first appearance against Stanford, 7-6, in 1928, and they were manhandled by USC, 47-14 and 35-0, in 1930 and 1933, respectively.

The choice reverberated up and down the West Coast.

Maxwell Stiles, in the Los Angeles Examiner: “And so, we’ll have to put up with Pitt again – Pitt, which has consistently done the greatest el foldo of all the teams ever to play in Pasadena.”

Bob Foote, in the Pasadena Star-News: “Here’s hoping the Pitt boys … are coming this time for something more than the $80,000 loot and a nice train ride.”

Well, Bob Foote, your wish was Pitt’s command. The Panthers did show up for more than a scenic cross-country train ride. In fact, they showed up with fire; they left with 21 points to Washington’s 0 and a decisive, resounding Rose Bowl Game win.

“When Pittsburgh’s peevish Panthers, stung to burning fury by uncomplimentary local comments, trounced Washington, 21-0 … they challenged the time-honored axiom which tells us that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” wrote Bill Henry in the Los Angeles Times. “With the precision of a finely tuned bit of machinery fired by the blazing resentment of maligned youth, Pitt’s underslung team of terrific chargers and blockers struck with crushing power to pulverize the Husky forward wall and bowl over the secondary defenders with the utter devastating completeness of a well-rolled strike in a bowling alley.”

After a handful of punts started the game, Pittsburgh finally found its footing, and it used it to push forward. Hard.

Marshall Goldberg, an 18-year-old sophomore, took the ball 22 yards to Washington’s 35. Then halfback Bobby LaRue jammed his way all the way to the 10-yard line. Goldberg took it to the 5, and fullback Frank Patrick ran up the middle twice to score. It was a 57-yard drive.

Then, in the third quarter, Pitt intercepted a pass on its 25-yard line. LaRue took it 45 yards to the Washington 30, “from which point Patrick, the battering-ram, took over again and worked his way over the goal,” wrote Pasadena Star-News columnist Rube Samuelson.

Added legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice: “On these two power attacks, Pittsburgh located an open boulevard through the center of Washington’s waiting, drifting line and the Panthers used this boulevard as a speedway planted with the no-stop sign.”

Pittsburgh insured its 14-0 lead with a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Washington gave a valiant fight. Byron “Bender” Haines, despite his inability to wriggle into the open, brought his team to the Pitt 19-yard line in the second quarter and the 29-yard line in the fourth.

Attendance
87,196

Weather
55 degrees

Scoring
First Quarter
Pitt – Patrick, 1-yard run (Daddio kick good)

Third Quarter
Pitt – Patrick, 3-yard run (Daddio kick good)

Fourth Quarter
Pitt – Daddio, 71-yard run off interception (Daddio kick good)

Coaches
Pittsburgh: John “Jock” Sutherland
Washington: Jimmy Phelan

Fun Fact
In 1937, Rose Bowl seating was increased to 87,677. 

Individual Stats
Rushing
Pitt: LaRue 15-109; Goldberg 10-36; Patrick 11-42
Wash: Haines 8-26