Inside the Orange Bowl Sept/Oct 2012 by Community Newspapers

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SEPT/OCT 2012

College Football Preview: The Road to South Florida By Ryan Trapp

Geno Smith led the Miami Gardens Chargers in 2005, and the West Virginia Mountaineers in 2012

Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance Kicks Off 14th Season By Noah Sharfman

From the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance,

to the Orange Bowl record book, Geno Smith’s football career came full circle in 2012. The West Virginia quarterback and former Miramar High School star improved his personal record in Orange Bowls to 3-0. Smith, who won the 2004 and 2005 Orange Bowl Youth Football Championships with the Miami Gardens Chargers, led the Mountaineers to a 70-33 victory over Clemson in the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl. In the win over Clemson, Smith shattered the Orange Bowl record book, setting records for passing yards (407), passing touchdowns (6) and total touchdowns (7). The Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance (Orange Bowl YFA) presented by Sports Authority, which has produced such talents as Smith, is home to more than 16,000 football players and cheerleaders. Consisting of nine member leagues, the Orange Bowl YFA ranges across South Florida, from north of Lake Okeechobee to Key West. Entering its 14th season in 2012, the Orange Bowl YFA presented by Sports Authority supports six recreational See OBYFA leagues and three competitive Page 13

College football is upon us, and this year all roads lead to South Florida as the Orange Bowl hosts the Discover BCS National Championship Game on January 7, 2013. This season has no shortage of storylines to follow as the top teams in the nation compete for a trip to Sun Life Stadium and a chance to play for college football’s ultimate prize. The Southeastern Conference, football’s deepest conference, is home to the last six national title winners and had five teams ranked in college football’s preseason top-10. Last season the SEC managed to send two schools from the same conference to the National Championship Game, a first in BCS history. While both Alabama and LSU entered the season in the top three of the polls, each school has their fair share of obstacles between them and a second straight national championship appearance. Alabama has to replace five All-Americans from what some considered the best defense in college football history. Nick Saban is a recruiting whiz, but he’ll have some work to do if the Crimson Tide expects to take home their third crystal trophy in four years. LSU will try and move forward with former Georgia transfer and first-year starter Zach Mattenberger. Their defense does return

The 2013 Discover BCS National Championship Game marks the 20th time the Orange Bowl has hosted the National Champion or National Championship Game

three potential first-round picks, but 2011 Heisman finalist Tyrann Mathieu isn’t one of them, leaving Les Miles’ squad without one of football’s biggest playmakers.

to match the mark set by former Boise State kicker Kyle Brotzman.

Despite Ball’s decorated college career, he isn’t the early favorite to join college football’s greatest Wisconsin running back Montee fraternity. USC quarterback Matt Ball entered the season as the only Barkley turned down the NFL for returning Heisman finalist back at one last hurrah with the Trojans, another shot at college football’s who find themselves back atop the most prestigious individual award. college football landscape once Not only will the NCAA’s active again. After a two-year postsearushing leader be trying to chase son hiatus the Trojans are back down the trophy, but he’s well on and hungry for a BCS title shot. his way to rewriting the history Things in Southern California books. After a record-tying 39 look good early, with Lane Kiffin scores last season, Ball is closing and company sitting on a number in on some of college football’s one ranking in the AP Preseason all-time records. He’s just six scores Poll for the first time since 2007. away for most rushing touchThey can field one of the most downs in FBS history, eight away talented top 22 in the game, but from most career touchdowns and could set a new NCAA mark for See Preview points in a career, needing just 73 Page 11

SEPT/OCT 2012

INSIDE THE ORANGE BOWL | PAGE 3

Orange Bowl Breaks Ground on Carter Park By Noah Sharfman

(L to R) State Representative Perry E. Thurston, City of Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Bobby B. DuBose, Joseph Carter Jr., City of Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler and Orange Bowl Legacy Gift Chairman Frank Gonzalez break ground on the $3 million renovation to Carter Park.

On July 19, 2012, the Orange Bowl announced its partnership with the City of Fort Lauderdale to invest $3 million - $1.5 million from each entity – to renovate Joseph C. Carter Park in Fort Lauderdale. Located at 1450 W. Sunrise Boulevard, the project will benefit thousands of underprivileged children who participate in various athletic leagues, after school programs and summer camps at Carter Park. A ground breaking ceremony was held at the park on July 19 at 10 am. The renovated park is expected to be unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony during the week of the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship Game. Once open, the football field will be officially known as Orange Bowl Field at Carter Park. New features at Carter Park will include the installation of a synthetic turf football field which will reduce maintenance costs, increase availability for usage and is environmentally friendly. Additionally, the Orange Bowl will replace the bleachers to provide better visibility and protec-

tion from the weather for spectators, add a state-of-the-art eight lane regulation track and accompanying individual track & field event areas (long jump runway, hammer throw / shot put circle, etc.) and replace the existing scoreboard. “Creating the opportunity for South Florida youth to benefit from the positive lessons learned from organized sports – dedication, discipline and sportsmanship – is what drives the Orange Bowl in our desire to give back to the community that has supported our organization for the past 79 years,” said O. Ford Gibson, president and chairman, Orange Bowl Committee. “Following the Orange Bowl’s Moore Park project in Allapattah, we are looking forward to making a similar impact in Fort Lauderdale, serving thousands of residents and creating the opportunity for Carter Park to attract a greater range of youth athletic competitions and community activities.” “This project marks the beginning of an exciting new era in the history of Carter Park,” said City of Fort

Lauderdale Mayor John P. “Jack” Seiler. “It represents a significant investment in our community that will allow us to expand our recreational programming, while continuing to encourage healthy, active lifestyles. The new turf football field, eightlane track and other amenities will enable us to enhance our youth football program, build a championship track and field program, and provide adults and seniors with an outstanding venue for daily exercise and physical fitness. We’d like to thank the Orange Bowl for their commitment to this project, and we look forward to working with them to make this one of the premier athletic facilities in South Florida.” The renovation of Carter Park is the Orange Bowl’s second legacy gift. In celebration of its 75th anniversary

The future of Carter Park.

in 2009, the Orange Bowl spearheaded a $5.65 million renovation of Miami’s Moore Park. Moore Park is the site of the 1933 and 1934 Palm Festivals, the predecessor of the Orange Bowl Festival. In January 2011, the renovations of Moore Park were completed and the Orange Bowl cut the ribbon on the brand new Orange Bowl Field at Moore Park.

2011 Orange Bowl Cheer & Dance On Sunday, November 6, 2011, the Orange Bowl hosted the 2011 Orange Bowl Cheer & Dance Championships, presented by Sports Authority, at Nova Southeastern University’s Don Taft University Center. The 2011 Orange Bowl Cheer & Dance Championships presented by Sports Authority saw 33 parks participate and 107 teams compete, the largest turnout in the 12 year history of the event. Teams competed in nine divisions (mini, pee wee, junior prep, prep, junior varsity, varsity, semi-pro, pro and special needs) and three squad sizes (small, medium, large). The Doral Lady Broncos of the Miami Xtreme Youth Football League won the Grand Championship by earning first place finishes in two categories, third place in two categories and earning the overall high score for the morning competition session.

The 2012 Orange Bowl Cheer & Dance Championships presented by Sports Authority will be held on Sunday, November 25, 2012 at the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami. 2011 ORANGE BOWL CHEER & DANCE RESULTS: Grand Champion: Doral Lady Broncos (MXYFL); Mini Division: South Kendall Gators (MXYFL), Miami Springs Hawks (MXYFL), Indiantown Thunderbirds (GTYAL), Palm Beach Tigers (PBYFL), Ives Estates Thunder (MXYFL), Broward Panthers (NYFL), Kendall Boys and Girls Club Kolts (MXYFL), West Park Hurricanes (MXYFL), Hialeah Cougars (MXYFL), Oak Grove Raiders (NYFL), Coral Gables Panthers (MXYFL), Palm Beach Tarheels

See Cheer Page 11

Fol l ow

SEPT/OCT 2012

INSIDE THE ORANGE BOWL | PAGE 5

2011 Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance Championship Results

West Park downs Opa-Locka in the battle of the Hurricanes for the 75 lbs. title

On Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11, 2011, the Orange Bowl hosted the 2011 Orange Bowl Youth Football (Orange Bowl YFA) Championships presented by Sports Authority at Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium. Twenty four teams from seven leagues competed over the two day event in 10 different weight classes. GAME 1 – WEST PARK 27, OPALOCKA 6 (75 lbs.): In the battle of Hurricanes, West Park defeated OpaLocka 27-6. West Park’s Keshawn Brown stole the show, accounting for all four of his team’s touchdowns. GAME 2 – PBCYFL 18, WCFL 6 (85 lbs.): The Palm Beach County Youth Football League All-Stars scored in the first, second and fourth quarters en route to an 18-6 victory over the Western Communities Football League All-Stars. Ja’Kavian Williams scored two of PBCYFL’s three touchdowns. GAME 3 – WCFL 13, PBYCFL 6 (120 lbs.): A goal line stand with a minute left in regulation secured a 13-6 victory for the Western Com-

munities All-Stars over the Palm Beach County Youth Football League All-Stars. PBCYFL had first and goal on the three yard line before WCFL defense held its ground and forced a turnover on downs. GAME 4 – PBCYFL 24, WEST BOCA TACKLE FOOTBALL 6 (140 lbs.): A one score game through nearly three quarters was broken open in the second half by the Palm Beach County Youth Football League All-Stars en route to a 24-6 victory over the West Boca Tackle Football All-Stars. Traionn Jones opened the scoring on a sevenyard touchdown run with two minutes remaining in the first quarter. GAME 5 – DICK CONLEY MEMORIAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 0, PBCYFL 28 (165 lbs.): Behind three second quarter touchdowns, the Palm Beach County Youth Football League All-Stars defeated the Dick Conley Memorial Football League All-Stars 28-0. Trinton Hanson caught one touchdown and ran for another in the second quarter and Shannon Patrick threw two touchdown passes.

GAME 6 – PBCYFL 0, WCFL 19 (105 lbs.): On the heels of three short touchdown runs, the Western Communities Football League All-Stars defeated the Palm Beach County Youth Football League AllStars 19-0. Anarjahe Douriet opened the scoring WCFL with less than two minutes remaining in the first quarter.

MOCKS WARRIORS 28, HELPING HANDS BULLS 7 (130 lbs.): Three rushing touchdowns helped the Kendall Hammocks Warriors to a 28-7 victory over the Helping Hands Bulls. Harvey Clayton Jr. scored first of two first quarter touchdowns for the Warriors on a four-yard scamper eight minutes into the game.

GAME 7 – WASHINGTON PARK BUCCANEERS 24, FORT PIERCE SEMINOLES 0 (175 lbs): Three different Washington Park Buccaneers players scored touchdowns as the Bucs defeated the Fort Pierce Seminoles 24-0. Isaiah Michael scored the first Buccaneers touchdown with just under four minutes remaining in the first quarter on an 11-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Janarvis Pough.

GAME 11 – WEST PARK HURRICANES 25, PAHOKEE BABY BLUE DEVILS 0 (90 lbs.): The West Park Hurricanes pulled out all the stops en route to their 25-0 victory over the Pahokee Baby Blue Devils. The Hurricanes opened the scoring with a highlight reel touchdown three minutes into the game.

GAME 8 – NORTH MIAMI BEACH 22, FORT PIERCE 0 (105 lbs): The North Miami Beach Sun Devils held the Fort Pierce Seminoles off the scoreboard en route to a 22-0 victory. Sun Devil running back J’Veion Johnson scored the first North Miami Beach touchdown midway through the first quarter GAME 9 – LAKE STEVENS CARDINALS 12, HIALEAH OPTIMIST CLUB 6 (120lbs.): A key special teams play resulted in the winning score as the Lake Stevens Cardinals defeated the Hialeah Optimist Club 12-6. With just over seven minutes remaining in the third quarter, and the score tied at six, Lake Stevens’ Canron Raye received a punt from Hialeah at his own 30 yard line and returned the kick 70 yards for the game winning score. GAME 10 – KENDALL HAM-

GAME 12 – KENDAL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB 11, PAHOKEE BABY BLUE DEVILS 6 (145 lbs.): In a game dominated by the defense in the second half, the Kendall Boys and Girls Club Kolts defeated the Pahokee Baby Blue Devils 11-6. Both teams were held off the scoreboard in the final two quarters and combined for two interceptions over the final 20 minutes of play.

The 2012 OBYFA Championships presented by Sports Authority will be held on December 8 and 9 at Florida International University

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PAGE 8 | INSIDE THE ORANGE BOWL

SEPT/OCT 2012

Committee Corner: Ford Gibson

A Sit-Down Interview with the Orange Bowl President & Chairman By Hayley Salyer

Hayley: What makes the Orange Bowl such a successful organization? Ford: We did a survey asking why our committee members wanted to be a part of the Orange Bowl, and what surprised me was that it was not college football. The number one reason was people wanted to give back to the community. We have some great community leaders that have embraced being a part of this organization, and giving back to and strength the community. It started well over 75 years ago, with the specific purpose of generating tourist dollars and boosting the economy. It was started as a community event and it remains that way today.

I stayed involved and things just evolved. I never said my goal in ten years is to become president, it just happened. What are your favorite aspects of being an Orange Bowl Member? I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the community interaction. We probably do a better job in that aspect than any other bowl game. The Orange Bowl is in the midst of its second legacy gift. How did that project start? We are now doing restorations at Carter Park and we have another facility restoration planned for Ives Dairy. But it all started in 2009 and Danny Ponce should get most of the credit for the Moore Park project. He researched ideas and the first Orange Bowl, called the Palm Festival, was played at Moore Park, so it was a natural gravitation we had toward that park. When you go out there and see how active that park is and that state that park was in, it automatically gelled. I was fortunate to

Gibson with former FSU head coach Bobby Bowden at the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl

implement Danny’s “We probably do a better job in that aspect than dream. There any other bowl game (on comunity interaction).” are two youth ~Ford Gibson sports leagues that use that What are some of your favorite facility. They Orange Bowl memories? have a state-of-the-art artificial turf. They have a state-of-the-art Olympic There have been so many great memories. One that sticks out was track. It is utilized all the time. This hosting Bobby Bowden. He’s what’s organization will continue to do all great about college football. Getting we can to help the community. to spend time one-on-one him and then seeing him out in the public interacting, I can say that he doesn’t change. With Bobby, what you see is what you get and he is a genuinely good person. What does the future hold for the Orange Bowl? That is more or less limitless. I think the projects we have done should continue in tangible items like park restorations. We are now starting a lacrosse legacy. I would love to see us get involved in more women’s athletics.

Gibson and former Clemson head coach Danny Ford.

How did you become President of the Orange Bowl? It’s something that I think if you enjoy the Orange Bowl, you want to make a difference. I think you follow one of two paths to the presidency. One is that you want to do something for the community and one is that you love college football.

Gibson and his family celebrating the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Moore Park.

SEPT/OCT 2012

Cheer

Continued from Page 3

INSIDE THE ORANGE BOWL | PAGE 11 Warriors (MXYFL); Pro: Medium: Tamiami Colts (MXYFL); Pro: Large: West Kendall Dolphins (MXYFL); Morning Spirit Award: West Kendall Dolphins (MXYFL); High Score Overall Morning: Doral Lady Broncos Medium Jr. Prep (MXYFL); Afternoon Spirit Award: Tamiami Colts (MXYFL); High Score Overall Afternoon: Tamiami Colts Medium Varsity (MXYFL).

(PBYFL), Olinda Park Bulls (NYFL), Project Hope (MXYFL), Tamiami Colts (MXYFL), North Miami Beach Sun Devils (MXYFL), West Kendall Dolphins (MXYFL), Kendall Hammocks Warriors (MXYFL), Western Communities Ultimate Team (WCFL); Pee Wee: Small: Miami MXYFL- Miami Xtreme Youth Football League Springs Hawks (MXYFL); Pee Wee: Medium: NYFL- National Youth Football League Doral Lady Broncos (MXYFL); Jr. Prep: Small: GTYAL- Glades Tri-City Youth Athletic League Hialeah Cougars (MXYFL); Jr. Prep: Medium: PBYFL- Palm Beach Youth Football League Doral Lady Broncos (MXYFL); Prep: Small: Miami Springs Hawks (MXYFL); Prep: Medium: WCFL- Western Communities Football League WBTFL- West Boca Tackle Football Tamiami Colts (MXYFL); Prep: Large: Western Communities Varsity Team (WCFL); Special Needs: Tamiami Colts (MXYFL); Jr. Varsity: Small: Miami Springs Hawks (MXYFL); Jr. Varsity: Medium: West Kendall Dolphins (MXYFL); Varsity: Small: Coral Gables Panthers (MXYFL); Varsity: Medium: Tamiami Colts (MXYFL); Varsity: Large: West Kendall Dolphins (MXYFL); Semi Pro: Small: Palm Beach Sr. Dolphins (PBYFL); Semi Pro: Medium: Tamiami Colts (MXYFL); Semi Pro: Large: Kendall Hammocks The Kendall Hammock Warriors of the Miami Xrtreme Youth Football League

2012 Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance Sponsors

Preview

Continued from Page 1

scholarship sanctions have limited the team from building the kind of depth accustomed to at USC. Urban Meyer, whose first college coaching job was as Ohio State’s tight end coach, will return to The Horseshoe’s sidelines after a brief reprieve from coaching. The former Florida head coach has his new campus buzzing with anticipation as he takes one of college football’s most storied programs in a new direction. Meyer isn’t the only name with a new home in 2012. It’s a time of change in college football, and there will be plenty of familiar faces in new places this season. Four schools will begin play in new conference this season, with West Virginia and TCU joining the Big 12 while Texas A&M joins Missouri as new members of the SEC. While conference shifts happen all the time in college football, the 2010-12 period marks one of the largest realignments in college football history, with all eleven FBS conferences either gaining or losing football members. This isn’t your daddy’s collegiate football. No longer is the college game just three downs and a cloud of dust; schools have intricate offenses, complex defenses and players are entering the NFL more prepared for the demands of pro football. Over the past two years, nine quarterbacks have been taken in the first round; and all but one started their rookie seasons, and all nine became starters by their second year in the pros. Eleven were taken in the previous five years combined, and just seven are still holding on to starting gigs. Players like Barkley, Oklahoma passer Landry Jones, Tyler Wilson out of Arkansas, Mountaineer quarterback Geno Smith and Virginia Tech’s Logan Thomas could all get first round looks come April. No matter which week you decide to turn in, there’s always something that’ll take your breath away and leave a hungry football fan asking for more. Upsets will occur, players will rise and fall while teams climb through the rankings until just two remain with a chance to play for the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship in South Florida come January.

PAGE 12 | INSIDE THE ORANGE BOWL

SEPT/OCT 2012

History Of the Orange Bowl : The Beginning Years Part 1 of 5 As tourists meccas go, Miami was still a struggling, largely isolated fishing village in 1930. The land boom of the early twenties had collapsed, and the 1926 hurricane had flattened the area and frightened developers. That natural disaster was compounded by the man-made stock market crash of 1929, which darkened Miami’s future. To turn darkness into light, ambitious city fathers worked hard to develop winter attractions that would bring more visitors to the community. A longer tourist season, they reasoned, was needed to boost the economy. The University of Miami began playing intercollegiate football in 1926, but players brought in for that first season got the scare of their lives when the hurricane hit, and many of them couldn’t wait to get out of town. Nevertheless, Miami played New Year’s Day games in 1927, 1928 and 1929. The games received little publicity and were not part of any festival. Henry Dutton, director of recreation for the Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, first promoted the idea of a post-season football game to attract tourists to the area. Dutton lured the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame to play an exhibition on New Year’s Day, 1926. He added fireworks, parades, bands, dancing and a golf exhibition with Tommy Armour, Bobby Jones, Leo Diegie and Gene Sarazen and called the three-day affair “The Fiesta of the American Tropics.” Three days was the extent of it. Dutton did not attempt a second “fiesta.” In the spring of 1929 a group of Miami business men formed their own version of a quarterback club to help the revitalized University of

The 1933 Palm Festival Program Cover.

Miami rebuild its football program. The stock market crash and Miami’s up-and-down teams did not discourage the group, then known as the Greater Miami Athletic Association. It was from this nucleus that the Orange Bowl Committee was born. By 1932, the enthusiasm of the association’s membership came to a boil. Plans for the first “Palm Festival” were formulated. “Have a Green Christmas in Miami” was the slogan, and a festival football game was scheduled for Moore Park. Wooden bleachers, seating 1,800, were erected at the corner of N.W. 7th Avenue and 36th Street. At that site, in honor of its 75th anniversary in 2008-09, the Orange Bowl Committee spearheaded a $5.7 million legacy gift to the community to rebuild Moore Park.

shoes for 32 players.” But bringing in a team to play the Hurricanes was another matter. George E. Hussey, recreation director for Florida Power and Light, was friendly with Chick Meehan, Coach of the Manhattan College team. Manhattan was an Eastern power in those days. After an enthusiastic call from Hussey, Meehan agreed to come to Miami. Henry L. Doherty, who owned the Miami Biltmore, the Roney Plaza, the Key Largo Angler’s Club and the Biltmore Golf Course agreed to put the Manhattan team up at the Biltmore and to underwrite $5,000 of the game’s expenses. The festival committee guaranteed Manhattan $3,000 to appear, $1,500 in advance. Meehan brought his team to Miami by ocean liner, the only team ever to travel to a bowl game by sea, and on arrival demanded the additional $1,500 advance. Seiler and his group didn’t have it. “So we made the Chief of Police our financial chairman,” Seiler recalls, “and he went around to the prominent bookies in town, including the notorious AceyDeucey, and we came up with the

full guarantee on game day.” In a meeting with Meehan a few days before the game the sponsors implored him to take it easy on hapless Miami. Meehan agreed to hold the difference down to “no more than three touchdowns.” The Hurricanes, meanwhile, got coaching assistance from immortal Bob Zuppke of Illinois. Miami’s head coach, Tommy McCann, had played under Zuppke. Thinking the result a foregone conclusion, Seiler ordered a giant “Congratulations Manhattan” cake for the post-game party. Miami had other ideas. The Hurricanes, as gutty as the soon-to-be-formalized Orange Bowl Committee, held off repeated Manhattan threats, once at the 3-inch line, and won, 7-0. Miami drove from its 44 for the lone touchdown in the fourth quarter, Cecil Cook scoring from two yards out. Seiler scrambled to the phone to call the chef at the Biltmore Hotel to change the name on the cake. The first Palm Festival was light years removed from the pageantry of today’s Orange Bowl, but some notice

Making a match for the first game was only half a problem. Poor little University of Miami was more than willing. “The Hurricanes were so poor,” says Earnie Seiler, then the City of Miami’s recreation director and the acknowledged ramrod of the Orange Bowl, “They had 14 pairs of Aerial shot of Miami Stadium during the 1935 Orange Bowl between Miami and Bucknell.

SEPT/OCT 2012 was served that in the future when football was played in Miami, the game would not be the only attraction. Just before kickoff, an auto moved on the field with an oversized replica of a football on top. A cannon boomed, the football opened and dozens of pigeons fluttered into the sunshine - Seiler’s first “extravaganza.” In 1934, W. Keith Phillips, chairman of the Greater Miami Athletic Club and President of the Miami Chamber of Commerce, invited Seiler and others to his office to discuss the prospect of a New Year’s Day football game—to be played at Miami Stadium—to succeed the first two Palm Festivals of 1933-34.

INSIDE THE ORANGE BOWL | PAGE 13

2012-13 Orange Bowl Event Schedule Nov. 25 Dec. 3-9 Dec. 5 Dec. 8-9 Dec. 26-30 Dec. 29 Dec. 30 Jan. 1 Jan. 3 Jan. 7 Jan. 12 Mar. 9

Orange Bowl Cheer & Dance Championships Dunlop Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships Orange Bowl Kickoff Party Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance Championships Orange Bowl International Youth Ragatta MetroPCS Orange Bowl Basketball Classic Junior Orange Bowl Festival Parade 2013 Discover Orange Bowl 10th Annual Orange Bowl Swim Classic 2013 Discover BCS National Championship Game Orange Bowl Paddle Championships Orange Bowl Lacrosse Classic

Phillips and local radio announcer Dinty Dennis brought the name “Orange Bowl” to the newly formed committee where it was immediately embraced. Despite having just six weeks to organize the contest, the first Orange Bowl Classic, pitting Bucknell against Miami, was played on January 1, 1935 in front of 5,135 fans, many begged off the streets at no charge. The game site was at N.W. 4th Street, the former Orange Bowl Stadium site. The Bison routed the Hurricanes, 26-0.

The committee was riding a wave of national publicity and, with a year to prepare for the 1936 Orange Bowl, decided to expand the Festival and stage a lavish parade prior to the game. On December 9, 1936, a proposed charter of “The Orange Bowl Committee” was put together. An election of officers was scheduled for the spring of 1937. The charter called for the Orange Bowl Committee to be a non-profit organization.

OBYFA

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leagues under its umbrella. The recreational league rules stipulate that all kids have an opportunity to play, while the competitive leagues hold tryouts for their roster spots on traveling teams.

BankUnited Center Frank Veltri Tennis Center Seminole Hard Rock Hotel FIU Stadium Coral Reef Yacht Club BB&T Center Multiple Locations Sun Life Stadium Jacobs Aquatics Center Sun Life Stadium Bayside Marketplac Marina Sun Life Stadium

teams, Catholic University and Mississippi, to the 1936 Classic, doubling nationwide interest. The thrilling 20-19 Catholic victory was played in front of 6,568 fans. The fans sat on wooden bleachers at the former Orange Bowl site. The 1936 game also marked the first Orange Bowl to be broadcast on radio with CBS’ Bill Munday delivering the play-by-play. Following Munday’s call of the 1936 Classic, the Committee and CBS signed a contract to broadcast the game on national radio and convinced the network to send its top announcer, Ted Husing, to the game. One week prior to the 1937 Orange Bowl, ground was broken for a new facility. Upon learning of the plans for Orange Bowl Stadium, Husing admired the ingenuity of the game’s organizers. The broadcaster was overwhelmed by the Orange Bowl’s hospitality and despite the subpar facilities, Husing became one of the Orange Bowl’s biggest booster following the game. ity, additional sponsors include American Airlines, Doctors Hospital, Florida Blue, Frito-Lay, FSFlorida / Sun Sports, Hampton Farms, Marathon Petroleum, Urbieta Oil Co., MetroPCS, Nike, POWERADE, Sparkling ICE, Sun Life Stadium & The Miami Dolphins, The Miami Herald, Toyota and Wells Fargo.

contributions for park improvements and also distribute promotional items and discounts from official Orange Bowl YFA sponsors.

At the culmination of the season, the best of the best will take part in the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance Championships presented by Sports Authority at Alfonso Field at FIU The Orange Bowl celebrated Park of the Week at the rennovated Moore Park. Stadium on the campus of Florida Throughout the 2012 season, the Since its inception in 1999, the Orange Bowl has invested approximate- including those that provide partici- Orange Bowl YFA’s Park of the Week International University. The twoprogram recognizes select youth day championship event to be held ly $5 million and countless volunteer patory opportunites to youth from all over the world, such as Junior football parks across South Florida on December 8 and 9 will pit chamhours in youth sports across South Orange Bowl, Orange Bowl Sailing pions from various leagues against each Saturday during the fall. At Florida. In addition to its continRegatta Series and the Orange Bowl the weekly caravan style celebration, each other and will crown winners in ued support of the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships. Orange Bowl staff and committee eight weight-class divisions. YFA presented by Sports Authority, members present each park with a the Orange Bowl directly supports Along with Orange Bowl YFA commemorative plaque and financial locally-based festivals and events, presenting sponsor Sports Author-

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