1919 Rose Bowl

MVP	George Halas (E) – US Navy

The 1919 Rose Bowl, known at the time as the Tournament East-West Football Game, was a bowl game played on January 1, 1919, at Tournament Park in Pasadena, California. It was the 5th Rose Bowl Game. With the war just over, the game was played with players from the Mare Island Marines of California and the Great Lakes Navy from Great Lakes, Illinois.

Teams

With college football teams depleted due to World War I, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses decided to stage the game with military personnel. With approval from President Woodrow Wilson, they invited the team from the Marine detachment at the Mare Island Naval Base for the second consecutive year, while it was the first appearance by a Navy team from the Naval Station Great Lakes.

Scoring

First quarter

• GL – Paddy Driscoll 30-yard drop-kick field goal

Second quarter

• GL – Reeves, 3-yard run (Blacklock drop kick good)

Third Quarter

• GL – George Halas, 32-yard pass from Driscoll (pass was 22 yards, and he ran for 10) (Blacklock drop kick good)

Game notes

Game MVP and future NFL Hall of Fame coach and Chicago Bears owner George “Papa Bear” Halas holds the Rose Bowl record for the longest non-scoring pass interception return of 77 yards.