new Classic Moment

TU_BLA

Heisman
Mar 8, 2012
29,576
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Anything that shows us pummeling the Aggies/Pokes is classic whether it's basketball, football, softball, soccer, academic bowl.
 

rabidTU

Sophomore
Jan 2, 2004
12,092
145
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I was there. It was a great game!

Me too!

I think that was Billy Van Burkleo who caught the final pass shown on the film. I didn't realize there was color film of that game. Good job! My how things have changed.
 
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TU_BLA

Heisman
Mar 8, 2012
29,576
13,858
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It's cool to realize that Tulsa offense was pretty much the innovator of the modern passing game in football before the read/option era started.
 

rabidTU

Sophomore
Jan 2, 2004
12,092
145
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Was that game played at Skelly Stadium, or in Stillwater? Kinda looks like the Tulsa neighborhoods near the end zones, but I don't see any landmarks I recognize in it.

Yes, at the old Skelly Stadium before it was enlarged to 40,000.

That year (after our Bluebonnet Bowl victory over Ole Miss in Houston at Rice Stadium), the stadium underwent a complete enlargement and renovation. The old stadium consisted of the east and west stands we now have including a running track and the old north stands that no longer exist. Some of the track actually extending "behind" those north stands. (The Case Center is now there.) Part of the 1965 renovation had the field lowered and track removed where the section of seats behind the benches are today. That's why the wall at the north endzone exists today and held the north stands because it was left in place. That eastside odd looking concrete ediface with the square openings was actually a small press box with outside windows. It says Skelly Field on the outside if anyone ever noticed that. Some of the TU players actually worked on the renovation as summer jobs. i remember Willie Townes working there. Anyone remember him?
 

TU 1978

All-American
Jan 30, 2009
13,614
6,350
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It says Skelly Field on the outside if anyone ever noticed that. Some of the TU players actually worked on the renovation as summer jobs. i remember Willie Townes working there. Anyone remember him?

My favorite defensive player back then was Willie Townes. Got to meet him and Howard Twilley.
 
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Tulsafanzz

All-Conference
Apr 21, 2006
6,907
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Thanks for the history, Rabid. I didn't realize the field was lowered that much. The "elevated" north end zone stands now make sense.
 

dvctulsa

Redshirt
Dec 3, 2003
243
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Me too!

I think that was Billy Van Burkleo who caught the final pass shown on the film. I didn't realize there was color film of that game. Good job! My how things have changed.
It may have been Van Burkleo, but it also could have been Eddie Fletcher.
I think Fletcher was #11, and Van Burkleo # 15. I did not recognize the running style, almost a gallop, so who knows. #44 who scored earlier on a run was a Bob Daugherty, who at 6'2'' and 210lbs or so, was a great player. He was the 1964 version of Charles Clay, big, fast, and was used in many ways.
The first play that OSU ran was Walt Garrison up the gut for 40 yards or so. After that, we kicked their asses!
 

dvctulsa

Redshirt
Dec 3, 2003
243
8
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When the field was dug up much of the soil became the South berm that the South Stands were built on.
 

rabidTU

Sophomore
Jan 2, 2004
12,092
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Speaking of nostalgia, was anyone else at the first FB game every played in the renovated Skelly Stadium? Dallas Cowboys vs the Chicago Bears preseason game. Jerry Rhome was a QB on that Dallas team with Bob Hayes, Bob Lilly and Dandy Don Meredith playing for Tom Landry. George Halas was the Chicago coach and Gayle Sayers was the RB. BTW so was Brian Picolo from Wake Forest who later on caught cancer and both he and Sayers were the main "characters" in the emmy winning movie "Brian's Song". Something that has stuck in my head all these years was when in the warm ups, Hayes and Sayers both trotted/jogged around the stadium. Everyone could just tell they oozed speed and ability. Hayes had come off the Olympic gold medal and Sayers was that AA back out of Kansas with the unbelievable "leaping" moves.
 

Tu Geo

Senior
Dec 8, 2003
12,448
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Good stuff Rabid..... I loved our seats in the North Endzone hated to see that go. The elevation made those seats fantastic.

GO TU!!!!
 

barrister1602

All-Conference
Jan 24, 2007
13,196
1,310
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Something that has stuck in my head all these years was when in the warm ups, Hayes and Sayers both trotted/jogged around the stadium. Everyone could just tell they oozed speed and ability. Hayes had come off the Olympic gold medal and Sayers was that AA back out of Kansas with the unbelievable "leaping" moves.
I would have loved to have seen that. What a surreal moment in time which occurred at good ole Skelly.
 

Babe the Blue Ox_rivals

All-Conference
Oct 3, 2001
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Didn't Pele play in Skelly back in the day?

I believe that Pele retired from the Cosmos after the '77 season then the Roughnecks started up in '78.

One of the more unique events in stadium history was a exhibition baseball game with the Cardinals in the mid '60s. Home plate was in the southwest corner of the field. Right field was very shallow.
 
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Lumpuckeroo

Senior
Oct 5, 2015
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Speaking of nostalgia, was anyone else at the first FB game every played in the renovated Skelly Stadium? Dallas Cowboys vs the Chicago Bears preseason game. Jerry Rhome was a QB on that Dallas team with Bob Hayes, Bob Lilly and Dandy Don Meredith playing for Tom Landry. George Halas was the Chicago coach and Gayle Sayers was the RB. BTW so was Brian Picolo from Wake Forest who later on caught cancer and both he and Sayers were the main "characters" in the emmy winning movie "Brian's Song". Something that has stuck in my head all these years was when in the warm ups, Hayes and Sayers both trotted/jogged around the stadium. Everyone could just tell they oozed speed and ability. Hayes had come off the Olympic gold medal and Sayers was that AA back out of Kansas with the unbelievable "leaping" moves.
My father still has his TU football scrap book from the 1930 s. One photo shows T.U.'s Backfield facing a game against SMU at Skelly Stadium. Harold Wickersham at blocking halfback,Woody Estel at quarterback, Joe Kahl at fullback and Captain Tack Dennis, fullback.