BEHIND THE BANNER - November by VisitDallas

BMW Dallas Marathon returns for 50th edition following pandemic-forced layoff By Jaime Aron

In 1969, a retired Navy pilot named Tal Morrison started the Dallas Cross Country Club. At 8 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month, he held races of various distances at White Rock Lake. In the spring of 1971, he decided to stretch things out a bit – to a full marathon. Two full loops of the lake, plus a little extra out-and-back, equaled 26.2 miles. He had the route certified by the Amateur Athletics Union, bought a $25 ad in Runner’s World magazine and cajoled DCCC folks into joining him. Morrison and 81 others finished the debut event, which also was the first marathon in Texas.

From that humble beginning, this marathon has grown into one of the biggest and best in the country. It’s gone from the hugging the lake to showcasing much of Dallas, from a single race to a weekend filled with them, and from an event organized strictly by volunteers (proudly known as “a race put on by runners for runners”) to one with three full-time staffers and big-time corporate sponsorship atop that legion of dedicated volunteers. On the second weekend in December, downtown will be swarmed by thousands of runners and fans for the 50th edition of the BMW Dallas Marathon.

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The festivities start at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 10, with the opening of the Health & Fitness Expo at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. The first race is the Friday Night Lights Mile, a onemile event. On Saturday, there’s a 5K (3.1 miles) and a 10K (6.2), plus a 100-meter dash for kids. Sunday features the marquee races: the half marathon (13.1), full marathon (26.2) and ultramarathon (50K, or 31 miles). In addition to individual runners, relay teams will compete: two-person squads in the half, five in the full.

Between the milestone anniversary and the joy of racing again after last year’s event was lost to the pandemic, there’s a lot to celebrate. There are many individuals worth celebrating, too. So many that longtime race organizer Bob Hancook said, “It sort of puts goose chills through me just thinking about all the people throughout the years who’ve bent over

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backwards helping put on this event – and still do!” A special spotlight belongs on Annabelle Corboy. Corboy was among those Morrison cajoled into running the inaugural race. One of three women entrants, she was the only finisher. That made her the women’s division winner and the first woman to run a marathon in Texas. While those alone are noteworthy feats of endurance, so is this: At age 74, Corboy is running this year’s half marathon. She’s believed to be the only ’71 finisher participating at any distance. “A few months ago, I thought, `Well, I am still running, and there’s only going to be one 50th anniversary,’” Corboy said. “So doing this is a little bit of pride and also a little bit because I’m a running addict. I’m a very average runner, but I’ve never really been injured. Maybe not focusing much on my time has been in my favor.” A few months ago, race organizers began seeking the

finish line were moved to City Hall. “That was a tough move, but we needed to do it,” said Hancook, who’s been involved since ’77. “To be the Dallas Marathon, we need to start in downtown Dallas. The harder part was taking ‘White Rock’ out of the name (in 2012).” In 1997, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children became the race’s primary beneficiary. More than $4 million has gone to the hospital, with a boost coming from the “Last Man/Woman Running Challenge” that Rybczyk started in 2012.

winners of the 1971 race. As of late November, they’d yet to track down overall winner Ricky Richardson. They found Corboy right away – she’d already signed up. She was offered access to the VIP lounge before and after the race, and a spot among the first wave of runners. She declined it all. As much as Corboy enjoys her claim to fame, humility is her default. For instance, her medal from 1971 was packed in a box until she recently dug it out at the request of others.

The concept is simple: A designated person starts last in the half marathon, then passes as many people as he/she can on the way to the finish line, with a sponsor paying a “bounty” for each person caught. This year’s runner is Emily Jones of the Texas Rangers broadcast team, with Andrews Distributing donating $1 per person she passes. Note to Jones: Keep an eye out for Corboy. “My goal is just to finish,” said Corboy, whose last marathon was Boston in 2005; her last half was Cowtown in March 2020. “I enjoy the excitement of a race, the camaraderie and laughing at people’s foibles and the cute signs that people put up to encourage you to run. I

The course is fantastic because we really show off the city of Dallas. I can’t wait. - Mark Rybczyk, Race Chairman “I really think kind of Annabelle is the story of the marathon this year,” said race chairman Mark Rybczyk, also known as Hawkeye, the morning DJ on KSCS 96.3 FM. “It’s really amazing.”

like to say that the race is the reward for all the training you put in.”

The original Dallas marathon was held in March and started at noon. While that made it easier for runners to know their finishing time – digital watches didn’t come out until the following year – it also meant running in the heat of a spring day. The race was moved to December in 1976.

Hancook noted that the ethos of a race “by runners for runners” remains evident in the fact there’s no prize money. Rybczyk is hooked on the race-day atmosphere.

The next big change came in 1983, when the start and

Hancook and Rybczyk agree.

“I’ll stack up our marathon against any out there,” Rybczyk said. “The start-finish area is more exciting than you can imagine. The course is fantastic because we really show off the city of Dallas. I can’t wait.”

1965 Cotton Bowl Classic

’Tis the Bowl Season

More than eight decades of Dallas-area bowl games have delivered some of the most memorable moments in college football history. By David Lee

Cotton Bowl Classic founder J. Curtis Sanford took a train to the 1936 Rose Bowl and came away determined to bring a college football bowl game to Dallas. The first Cotton Bowl Classic was played in 1937 at the Texas State Fair Grounds between TCU and Marquette. Since then, Dallas has hosted some of the most iconic college football bowl games, matchups, performances and legends in history. This includes 37 top-10 matchups. Legendary players include Sammy Baugh, Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Lance Alworth, Roger Staubach, Earl Campbell, Joe Montana, Bo Jackson, Troy Aikman and several others.

Lewis leaped off the bench and tackled Moegle near mid-field. The referee called a touchdown for Rice, which is in the record books as a 95-yard touchdown run.

“Mr. Sanford thought there was a void in our part of the country that needed a bowl game for teams and fans in our area because of the passion for football in the state of Texas and the whole region,” says Cotton Bowl Classic Historian Charlie Fiss. “With the game starting in 1937, that preceded pro football, basketball and anything else professionally in North Texas. It was kind of the shining star people were proud to attend. We’ve always said the Cotton Bowl Classic is part of the fabric of the community.”

Ernie Davis Leads Syracuse to Perfect Season – 1960 Cotton Bowl Classic (Texas vs. Syracuse) Just a few years after Jim Brown’s legendary time at Syracuse, freshman running back Ernie Davis took over and led the Orangemen to a national championship and perfect season. Already named national champions, Syracuse came to Dallas to prove itself against the Texas Longhorns. Davis scored two touchdowns and two two-point conversions, caught a Cotton Bowl record 87-yard touchdown pass (which still stands), and was named MVP in the 23-14 win. Two season later, he became the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy.

We’ll take a stroll through history looking at some of the iconic games and moments of more than 80 years of Dallas-area bowls. Slingin’ Sammy Baugh Starts It All – 1937 Cotton Bowl Classic (TCU vs. Marquette) At the Texas State Fair Grounds inside what was once named Fair Park Stadium, TCU and Marquette squared off in the inaugural Cotton Bowl Classic. TCU quarterback Sammy Baugh led the Horned Frogs to a 16-6 victory. The 12th Man Tackle – 1954 Cotton Bowl Classic (Rice vs. Alabama) This game featured one of the most famous plays in college football history. Rice halfback Dicke Moegle ran from the team’s own 5-yard line and hit the open field when Alabama’s Tommy BEHIND THE BANNER NOVEMBER 2021 EDITION

Jim Brown Does It All in One-Point Loss – 1957 Cotton Bowl Classic (TCU vs. Syracuse) Syracuse senior running back Jim Brown’s heroics fell just short in a 28-27 loss to TCU. Brown ran for 135 yards, scored three touchdowns and kicked three extra points. TCU blocked an extra point in the fourth quarter to preserve the one-point win.

Pat Summerall Coins “Instant Replay” in De facto National Championship – 1964 Cotton Bowl Classic (Texas vs. Navy) Matching No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Navy, this is one of the biggest college bowl games ever and served as the de facto national championship. Texas ripped off a 28-0 fourth quarter lead over Navy and Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach and finished an undefeated season 28-6. A year earlier in the Army-Navy game, instant replay technology was born, but it wasn’t until this game that CBS broadcaster Pat Summerall coined the term “instant replay” when it was used during the game.

The Game That Changed the Polls – 1965 Cotton Bowl Classic (Arkansas vs. Nebraska) Before this game, the major polls named their national champion before bowl games. Alabama was on top of the AP and Coaches Poll before losing to Texas in the Orange Bowl. Arkansas won this game 10-7 and had beaten Texas earlier that season. The following season, the AP began naming its champion after the bowl games. Oh, and a kid by the name of Jerry Jones was a co-captain on that Arkansas team. A stadium he built in Arlington, Texas, is now how to the Cotton Bowl Classic. Longhorns Earn Coaches and AP Title – 1970 Cotton Bowl Classic (Texas vs. Notre Dame) The Coaches Poll still declared its national champion before the bowl games, which went to Texas in 1969. Notre Dame appeared in its first postseason game for the first time in 45 years, setting up one of the biggest matchups in bowl history. The fourth quarter saw three lead changes, but Texas pulled off a 27-17 win, earning the AP national title as well. The Chicken Soup Game – 1979 Cotton Bowl Classic (Houston vs. Notre Dame) A brutal ice storm hit Dallas with a windchill of minus-6 degrees. Notre Dame quarterback Joe Montana was fighting a flu, and Houston rose to a 34-12 lead in the third quarter. Montana ate some chicken soup in the locker room and was revitalized, as were the Fighting Irish, scoring 23 points in the fourth quarter. Montana threw two two-point conversions, ran for a touchdown and threw the game-tying touchdown as time expired. The extra point gave them the 35-34 win. The 10-9 Game – 1984 Cotton Bowl Classic (Texas vs. Georgia) The Longhorns entered the game 11-0 and had a shot at a national championship if top-ranked Nebraska lost to Miami, which it did. Texas and Georgia struggled to score, but Texas held a 9-3 lead late in the game. Texas muffed a punt, then Bulldogs QB John Lastinger dove into the endzone for a touchdown to take the lead. Georgia shut down Texas’s title hopes with a 10-9 win.

Cotton Bowl Classic Becomes Major Bowl Once Again – 2014 (Oklahoma State vs. Missouri) The BSC declined to include the Cotton Bowl Classic among its major games mainly due to the unpredictable North Texas weather in January. But moving to AT&T Stadium set up the game for what was to come. In 2014, it was included as part of a six-bowl game rotation in the newly formed College Football Playoff. First College Football Playoff National Championship Game – 2015 (Ohio State vs. Oregon) The first College Football Playoff National Championship Game was not part of an existing bowl game, but a stand-alone title game. The first was played at AT&T Stadium on Jan. 12, 2015. Ohio State defeated Oregon 42-20, and Buckeye running back Ezekiel Elliott ran for four touchdowns. The Heart of Dallas Bowl Rebrands as the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl - 2018 (Boise State vs. Boston College) In 2018, the Heart of Dallas Bowl gained a new title sponsor, becoming the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. The game's ninth edition a weather delay so severe that it turned into a no-contest game. Boston College had taken an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter. The game is believed to be the very first postseason game at the FBS-level ever canceled due to weather. Boise State was the favorite to win, and they ended their season with a 10-3 record. The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl Moves to SMU - 2020 (UTSA vs. Louisiana) In 2020, the First Responder Bowl to moved a short way over to Gerald J. Ford Stadium at SMU due to a conflict with the NHL Winter Classic. The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns beat the UTSA Roadrunners 31-24, and marked the first occasion the teams had faced each other. Louisiana came out of the season with a 9-1 record and ranked 16th in the AP Poll.

Cotton Bowl Classic Moves to AT&T Stadium – 2010 (Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss) After more than 70 years in its namesake stadium in Fair Park, the Cotton Bowl Classic got a new home at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The move was part of an attempt to add the game to the BCS bowl system, but it wasn’t until 2014 that the game returned to major status.

2021 DFW Bowl Game Schedule

The TicketCity Bowl is Held at Cotton Bowl Stadium - 2011 (Texas Tech vs. Northwestern) Originally called the Dallas Football Classic, the TicketCity Bowl began in 2011 at Cotton Bowl Stadium. Texas Tech came out the victor over Northwestern in the 2011 game.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl - December 21, 6:30 PM, Toyota Stadium

Houston Bates wins MVP against his Former Team in the Newly Minted Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl - 2014 (Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech) The fifth edition of the TicketCity Bowl got a rebrand as the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl in 2014. Houston Bates made a splash as the MVP of the game against his former team. An Illinois transfer to Tech, Bates also set the school's record for all-time school rushing during the game.

Armed Forces Bowl – December 22, 7 PM, Amon G. Carter Stadium SERVPRO First Responder Bowl – December 28, 2:15 PM, SMU, Gerald J. Ford Stadium College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic – December 31, 2:30 PM, AT&T Stadium

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