New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-01-02
RIEGElS STANDS
AS GOAT Of GAME
Disastrous Blunder in Football
Game Goes Into History

Pasadena, Cal, Jan. : (UP)-
Roy Riegels, center and captain
elect of the California football team.
stands today beside Fred Merkle and
Heinie Zimmerman on the shelf re-
served for those who commit disas-
trous blunders.
Merkle was the man who deprived
John McGraw CT a National league
pennant by failing to touch second
base as he circled the paths in a
crucial game; Zimmerman was the
slow, heavy-footed third baseman
who chased the fleet Eddie Collins all
the way to the home plate in a world
series game instead of adopting the
obvious means of putting Collins out
throwing the ball to the catcher.
And Riegels is the ad-shoulder-
ed young man who handed the tour
nament of roses football game to
Georgia Tech on a platter yesterday
by gathering up tumble and racing
IS yards toward mis- own goal line
before a team mate could halt him.
The subsequent safety which Georgia
Tech scored enabled the southerners
to defeat California. 5 to Z before
70. 900 persons who surged into Rose
bowl for the greatest athletic spec
tacle offered on the Pacific coast.
Today Riegels is in the toughest
spot a football player could pick.
Next year he must lead CALIFORNIA;
Golden Bears through a difficult
schedule and always lowering around
him will be the stigma of yesterdays
blunder. The laughter that still
crackles out at the mention OF
Merkle's name is an indication of
what is in store for Riegels.
Tho unfortunate side of the story
is that the play probably would have
been forgotten by next week had
California won. 1t would have been
just one of those laughable Incl
dents, lost in CALIFORNIA; flush of
triumph at having sent the pride OF
Dixie back home defeated.
But they take their football SER
iously out here.
Riegers run was one of the most
astounding plays ever seen in an i'm
portant game. 1t dazed the spectat-
ors so much that the California CEN
ter made his dash in silence. Even
the Georgia Tech roofing section
was SO surprised that it forgot to
laugh. The one thing that broke
the silence in the vast Rose bowl was
Al, ~, r.cfiNlt1o ting figure OF
LON, California halfDack, pounding
along behind Riegels in vain at
tempt to turn him in the right direc-
ton.
On the one yard line. LON launch
ed a vicious tackle that brought
Riegels down foot from his own
goal line. Then, when the Golden
Bears lined up for the next play,
Riegels made what looked like bad
pass from center and Tech scored its
safety.
Again 10000 persons were silent
as Riegels walked dejectedly toward
the bench and a substitute trotted
out.
Eliminate Riegel's play. and it was
as good a football game as the coast
has ever seen. Georgia Tech match
ed vile and speed against Califor-
Mas superior weight and sledge-
hammer attack.
Neither team seemed to hold
great advantage in the first half as
they fought back and forth, first IN
California and then in Tech terri
tory.
LON broke loose for a 6Syard run
late in the second period for what
appeared to be a touchdown. but the
referee ruled that the loose ball he
had scooped UP to start the run was
dead.
Lem was very much in evidence
throughout the first half. On one OF
the first plays of the game he
romped 81 yards through the entire
Georgia team before he was stopped.
He broke loose for numerous lesser
gains and his kicking was most eff
fective.
The third period saw the Golden
Tornado unleash its widest fury and
the game was decided before the
start of the final quarter.
Tech had its one real chance to
score when Jones. Tornado end,
blocked one of I.oms punts and re-
covered on California's 9-yard line.
Mizell slipped off right guard for
three yards and Iumpkin carried
the ball to the 2-yard line. On the
next play Lumpkin advanced the
ball to the 6-inch line.
Then California piled the Tech
men on fourth down and punted
from behind their own goal line,
Thomson receiving the ball on the
Bears A yard line.
Mizell cut loose. behind perfect
interference, for 80 yards and it was
Techs bail on CALIFORNIA; Is yard
line. Thomason slipped left end
and sped through an open field to the
goal line. He failed to kick goal.
1t was a desperate California team
that started the final quarter, but
that period had nearly ended before
the Bears found a scoring combina-
ton.
AS the crowd awaited the maj gun i
LON received a punt on his own 5
yard line and ran it back five yards. |
Then. in two plays, LON added nine
yards and Coburn was called to
make it first down. Coburn smashed |
off tackle for yards and it was
California's ball on its own IS yard
line.
LON then engineered a series Of
passes that are seldom equalled in
a major game. His first. TO Captain |
Phillips, end, took the ball to Techs
% yard line. His second brought |
California to the II yard line where |
Evans. substitute quarterback, was
downed. The third. to Phillips, re-
suited in the touchdown. Barr place
kicked the extra point.