The Cotton Bowl

Deep in the heart of Texas stands a monument that embodies the spirit of the Lone Star State. Surrounded by the festivities of the State Fair of Texas with people stuffing their faces with fried everything under the shadow of Big Tex while pondering whether or not to ride the giant Ferris Wheel affectionately known as Texas Star, the Cotton Bowl stands out for the history that has unfolded within its walls. For generations, the Cotton Bowl has provided the backdrop of countless moments that have enlivened the spirits of all who attend.

State Fair Park

In 1921, the organizers of the the State Fair of Texas erected a 15,000 seat stadium. It was not an original idea. Through much of the 1890s, they had tried and failed at various stages to build a wooden stadium. They hoped that this one could stand the test of time. It did not. State Fair Park's only sellout was on Thanksgiving 1923 when SMU beat Baylor 16-0.

Still, it was the homesite for one of college football's oldest neutral site games, the State Fair Classic. Under the dark cloud of Jim Crow, the State Fair grounds had a designated "Negro Day" where African Americans could attend and watch a football game between historically black colleges from the mighty SWAC. Seven years later, the Red River Rivalry moved into State Fair Park, pitting the Universities of Texas and Oklahoma against one another just a week after the State Fair Classic.

Seeing how large the crowds had gotten, in 1930 the State Fair of Texas decided that it was time to build a more modern stadium.

State Fair Park II

The stadium was a sight for sore eyes. For months, workers had worked around the clock lowering the playing field 24 feet, and spreading thee removed soil around the field so that the 46,000 seats were 15 feet above street level.

While State Fair Park gleamed in the spotlight after it opened to a 27-0 SMU victory over Indiana, it wasn't until it held the Calvacade of History that it really became a symbol of the state. Celebrating the state's 100th anniversary of independence from Mexico, the Texas Centennial Exposition decided to have a play in State Fair Park that featured over 250 actors portraying various important events of the Lone Star State.

Later that year, President Roosevelt spoke in front of 40,000. It was one of the last events held there before it received a major name change.

The Cotton Bowl

J. Curtis Sanford had grown inspired by the majesty of the Rose Bowl every New Years Day and put up $6,000 of his own money to start a new bowl game in Dallas. Naming the bowl game after one of the state's top items didn't stop Sanford from losing every penny of his investment that first game as TCU beat Marquette 16-6 in front of just 17,000 on January 1, 1937.

Still, the stadium itself was soon renamed after "Sanford's Folly" and suffered through some lean years, hitting an all time low of just 12,000 fans in Clemson's 6-3 win over Boston College in 1940. In 1941, the Cotton Bowl struck gold when it partnered with the Southwest Conference and it was awarded with its first sellout that January as Texas A&M beat Fordham 13-12 in front of more than 45,000 rabid fans.

Having hosted numerous SMU games since 1932, in 1947, the Cotton Bowl was blessed with the presence of SMU's iconic running back Doak Walker. Whether it was blocking or tackling, running or catching, one of college football's most legendary players could do it all. As the 1948 Heisman winner dazzled the crowd and floored defenses, while leading his teams to two SWC titles and Cotton Bowl appearances, SMU permanently moved into the Cotton Bowl. They would stay there through 1978. By 1949, the stadium had added a second deck to both the east and west sidelines, raising capacity to 75,500. It was without question the stadium's greatest era, one which gave it the moniker "The House that Doak Built".

Like any great venue, the Cotton Bowl has been more than just a sports stadium. In 1956, Elvis came to town and in the late 1970s, Aerosmith played their first live album at the Cotton Bowl. Through the decades, great artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Journey and Van Halen have all blasted their way into the hearts of Texans.

In 1960, the Cotton Bowl welcomed not one but two professional football teams: the Cowboys and the Texans. Both struggled mightily at the gate in their early years and even though the Texans won the AFL championship in 1962, their owner Lamar Hunt realized that the Cowboys were backed by a much more powerful entity, the NFL. Thus, the Texans moved to Kansas City in 1963 and became the Chiefs.

Three years later, the Cowboys finally made the postseason for the first time in their history and hosted the 1966 NFL Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers. The two teams traded blows on the first day of 1967, neither willing to go down easily. Quarterback Don Meredith hit Frank Clarke for a 68-yard bomb to cut the 34-20 fourth quarter deficit in half and marched his team all the way down the field in the waning minutes of the game. Many in the crowd were preparing themselves for overtime when Meredith was flushed out of the pocket and lofted an interception into the eager hands of Packers defensive back Tom Brown to end the game.

By 1971, the Cowboys had outgrown the Cotton Bowl and had built their own stadium. since Texas Stadium wasn't quite ready, they uniquely played their last game at the Cotton Bowl in the middle of the season. Roger Staubach led the Cowboys to a 13-6 halftime advantage over the Giants but was inexplicably pulled by coach Tom Landry and was forced to watch in a huff as his backup Craig Morton sealed the 20-13 win by hitting "Bullet" Bob Hayes for a 48-yard touchdown.

Legacy

Even though professional football has yet to return to the iconic stadium, the Cotton Bowl still hosts memorable moments every college season. The State Fair Classic is still played there with schools such as Wiley College, Langston University, Bishop College, Elizabeth City State, North Carolina A&T, Grambling State and Prairie View A&M playing their hearts out for school pride and added exposure to the NFL scouts that are sure to flood the stands. The Red River Rivalry has become one of college football's most renowned rivalries, especially with the advent of the spread offenses that have made college football so much more entertaining.

Unfortunately, the Cotton Bowl Classic itself left the Cotton Bowl in 2010 for the Cowboys new stadium in Arlington. The last Cotton Bowl Classic ever held at its namesake was on January 2, 2009 with Ole Miss surviving Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell's 364 yard and four touchdown barrage to win 47-34. Doak Walker would have been impressed.

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References

1. https://www.tshaonline.org/texas-day-by-day/entry/303

2. https://blogs.library.unt.edu/southwest-metroplex/2015/10/07/the-cotton-bowl-the-house-that-doak-built/

3. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196701010dal.htm

4. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197110110dal.htm

5. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/cotton-bowl

6. https://www.stadiumsofprofootball.com/stadiums/cotton-bowl/

7. https://texastimetravel.com/directory/the-cotton-bowl-stadium/