Memory - The Big Shootout

HornHuskerDad

HornHuskerDad

5,000+ Posts
OK, here I sit bored to tears and in pain. I had day surgery today - a scope job on my knee to smooth a big tear in the cartilage (successful). I suspect I'll be up and down throughout the night with pain pills and ice treatments, so I decided I'd ask HornFans to help me pass a bit of the time, and the first topic that popped into mind was my favorite Longhorn game - the Big Shootout.

My memory of The Big Shootout is a great one. I was in Air Foce Pilot Training at Williams AFB, Arizona (10 mles east of Chandler, which is about 15 miles southeast of Phoenix). I was a newlywed at the time, and my wife and I had decided that our Christmas present to each other would be a new color TV. That was a fairly significant outlay on a Second Lieutenant's salary, so it was a big move for us. We had found the one we wanted at a TV store in Scottsdale in September, and had put it on layaway, paying $20 every payday, with the intent to pay it off just in time for Christmas. However, when it became apparent that the Horns and the Hogs would meet as Number One and Number Two on national TV in early December, I couldn't take it any longer. Karen and I went to Scottsdale to pay it off Thursday before the game, and the salesman assured me they could deliver it and have it working in time for the game. (Remember, back in 1969, you could still get that kind of service!) They did exactly as advertised, and the set was working perfectly in time for the game.

My lovely bride, bless her, quickly discovered that being in the room with me when I was totally involved in a football game was not going to be very kind to her ears, so she went to the apartment next door (an apartment complex with 36 units, 34 of which were student pilots at Williams) and visited with one of the other wives while I watched the game.

I'll admit I was worried (and hoarse!) going into the fourth quarter. On the 4th and 4, when DKR called the famous "53 Veer Pass" to Randy Peschel, my heart went into my throat when James threw the ball, but when Randy caught it, I let out such a loud roar that my wife ran over from next door to see if I had hurt myself! Needless to say, I was absolutely elated (and totally hoarse!) when the Horns hung on to win that one. She has learned to live with my being totally absorbed in Longhorn football games, and 36 years and three children later, we're still doing it and she still leaves me alone during Longhorn football games!

I still have discussions with some Husker and Sooner friends, and when they discuss the "Game of the Century" from 1971, I pointedly remind them that the Horns and the Hogs beat them to it by two years.

Any of you guys that are old enough to remember the Big Shootout care to share your memory? It'll help an old HornFan pass the idle time recovering from surgery.

HornHuskerDad
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Great story. My father, pop999 (who turned 50 today) was at that game. He wrote a story about how he woke up that morning in Dallas at 4:30 and returned to that same house to see that same alarm clock at 4:30 A.M the next day just before he went to sleep. He fittingly calls his story "24 hour football." Hemingway and Twain don't have **** on that. It's a thing of pure greatness. I hope I can one day convince him to post it here. You guys will love it.

"Are you sure, coach???"
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I was in the Naval Air Reserves and that was my weekend to serve and it was my weekend to have lunch with an officer. However, I left at noon so my wife and I could go watch the game at a very close friend's home, also Texas graduate who would soon go to Vietnam (he did return safe). I remember when Randy Pechel caught that 4th down pass I jumped so high I hit the ceiling. A few years ago my son gave me a video tape of the game. About once a year I pull it out and watch it.
Great memory. Also about 10 years ago I was able to meet Randy whem my son and I had lunch with him and got his signature ona Longhorn cap

Hook'em.
 
I was 13 when I watched "The Big Shootout". I was home alone, watching the game on the old black and white Zenith TV. My mom was out shopping and my dad was at work. It was the most exciting football game I had ever seen. I listended to many exciting Longhorn football games on the radio, as the games were not available to be broadcast on TV, like they are today. Great memories!
 
I was a small child in the midwest so I was not yet interested in Longhorn football. But I do remember it was with a B&W TV that we watched man first walk on the moon that year.

Was your color TV a Curtis Mathis?
 
The color TV was a 20" Zenith table model. We had that TV, still working perfectly, for 15 years. It moved from Arizona to Oklahoma to Florida to New Mexico while I was on active duty in the Air Force, and came with us to Fort Worth when I separated. It will always be a family memory, since it was our Christmas present to each other on our first Christmas as husband and wife. My sons always enjoy hearing the story (especially my Longhorn son!).

More memories, Guys? It's almost time for my second dose of pain pills so I'll be up for a while.

HornHuskerDad
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I was 13 and my family was living in Austin. My older brother, my dad and I watched the game at home and just went crazy when the Horns won. The three of us then headed out in my father's '65 GTO convertible to drive down the Drag and celebrate. Guadalupe was packed with people and cars and everyone was going nuts. For some reason I clearly remember one instance when we were headed north on the Drag near 24th and a girl in a car headed the other way (we were stopped) handed my dad a bottle of beer. He took a swig and handed it back. My brother then told him to be careful because these college students might put LSD in the beer just for the fun of it. My dad looked a little concerned, but we continued to honk and cheer with everyone. We drove up and down the Drag a few more times and then headed for home to celebrate some more.
 
I watched the game at my brother-in-laws house.The previous Thanksgiving we had watched the A&M game with the same crew which included is step father,an Aggie thru and thru and one great guy.The bets were made before the game and the drinking started and I had a pretty good bet made with the Aggie step father.As i recall,we put it on the Ags in the first half and I was being quite obnoxious.Ben decided he had enough of this longhorn BS and decided to increase the bet.I (being fairly "inspired" by now) foolishly gave him a ridiculous amount of points.Ben jumped on it.The horns covered for me and I was unmerciful in my gloating.It was not one of my finest moments but felt good since he was an Aggie.
When the Game of the century came around,the same cast of characters met at the same place.Ben was ready to get even so we made another bet.This time I was sweating bullets.Ben was a gentleman and just settled for watching me suffered watching the impending disaster.When Peschel caught the pass I yelled like I never had before.I can still see the look on Ben's face when he paid the bet.I now regret being such an *** as Ben was one fine guy and we became good friends.But that was one moment I'll never forget.
 
First of all, if you haven't already, you need to buy the book: "Horns, Hogs and Nixon Coming" by Gary Fry (I think that is the authors name). Excellent book about the Game of the Century.

Second, thank U. Michigan for the huge 24-12 upset of #1 Ohio State in mid November, that moved us from #2 to #1..

Oh, do I remember that game. I was 16 that fall of 1969 and a huge Longhorn fan since I was 9 yrs. old (Dad and another member of our family were UT grads). My Dad and I had attended several games that fall: Tech, OU, TCU, SMU and eventually Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl. What a truly magical season with Street, Koy, Worster, Bertelsen smashing everyone with the Wishbone offense.

Living in Ft. Worth at the time, my Dad, my brother (he became a UT grad later) and I gathered around our new 25" RCA color TV that my very kind & rich Uncle had surprised us with a couple of months earlier.

Whoa, the Hogs were ready for us and basically stuffed us for 3 quarters. It was so painful to watch and THE most stressful UT game I ever watched. The Hawgs played well and the 'Horns played so bad - lousy field position, numerous turnovers and seemingly uninspired play for 3 quarters before Street ignited us at the beginning of the 4th quarter with that stunning run for a TD.

Then the legendary Right 53 Veer Pass from Street to Peschel. It was so unexpected that we all almost passed out from the initial shock of a long risky pass and in the next instant - supreme exhiliration once it was complete and we had a first down on the Hog 13. We had a chance to win this game if we could score, get a Happy Feller extra point and hold them for a few minutes.

It is hard to explain to someone that was not alive then, not watching the game, not a part of that wonderful 1969 season / National Championship just how MUCH pressure there was, weeks & weeks of unprecedented hype, 100 years of college football celebration, Pres. Nixon there, incredible pride and glory was riding on that one game and how it looked for 3 quarters like it would all just slip away... look at Arkansas - 35 years later former HC Broyles, many former players and many fans say it was THE most disappointing and devastating loss in their history.

Think of what a loss would have done / meant to us....

Whew, I am just glad we won it, even by one point
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I was at the reunion last September in Fayetteville. Players from both teams were there and it was like a band of brothers. There was about 22 Longhorns and a few more Razorbacks there and most of the guys had never met most of their counterparts. None of the coaches attended since Broyles didn't want anything which made it appear they were honoring us.

The Razorbacks felt Broyles didn't want to attend because he was afraid he would be asked about his decision to pass in the last minute or so of the game when they were within easy field goal range.
 
Who can forget the picture of Nixon congratulating James Street in the locker room and Slick shaking his right hand and grasping Nixon's forearm like he was the Gov. of Texas.Now that I think of it,he could have run and won .
 
I have a different perspective. I was 8 years old and even though living in Houston, was still under the spell of my Ark family. Being the only Ark fan at my elementary school there was a lot of talk going back and forth. I remember at the end of the third quarter we were all feeling pretty confident. Even joked about calling our minister (a HUGE Horn fan) and rubbing it in a little. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. I was devastated at the end. I had nightmares about it for years. I can honestly say it was one of the most traumatic events in my childhood. (Obviously, I had a pretty sheltered childhood.)

Of course, now I am a Horn fan and hate the Hogs. Even though it caused me so much grief at the time, and even though the joy I later received was all in retro-reflection, I wouldn't change a thing.
 
I had graduated from UT in Jan '69 and was working in Houston. My wife was 6 months pregnant at the time of The Big Shootout, so we watched the game at my sister's (also a UT alum, as was her husband).

They had invited a few more family and friends so my brother-in-law, in a stroke of genius, RENTED SOME BLEACHERS from Rent-Way. That's right, bleachers, 3 rows high, in my sister's den. Also, several wash-tubs full of beer with ample more in the fridge in reserve.

We were all supremely confident at the outset, boldly predicting a runaway of 40-0 proportions. As the game got underway, however, we started getting uneasy. Arkansas came out on the field sky-high, nearly jumping out of their shoes, while the 'Horns seemed much more subdued and calm. The Arkies emotional high, combined with the blitzing, stunting defense they used, had the Horns looking confused and inept for 3 qtrs, and us drunks in the bleachers were more than worried.

Street's 42-yard run to open the 4th qtr gave renewed hope and seemed to inspire the UT defense, as they started getting mean. The long pass to Peschel was a stunning blow, but IMO the next play was the most underrated, if not the best, play of the game. From the 13, Ted Koy went romping and stomping, hitting every defender on the field, to the 2-yard-line, from where Bertelsen scored on the next play.

The last few minutes--Arkansas' deep drive, Campbell's interception to ice the game--were anti-climactic. Most of us were drunk and I was blubbering like a fool and crying like a baby. My wife was afraid all the bellowing, etc., could somehow affect the baby (it didn't--she's also a UT grad
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Truly a game for the ages!
 
I was at the games in '63,'64 and '65 but had graduated and lived in a small rent house in Highland Park in '69. When we scored I jumped hit the ceiling and came down on this old chair we had in the living room and broke an arm off of it. Of course this wife had already realized what a complete fool I was when it came to Texas games, kind of like you couldn't talk to me before the games because I was so tense. Afterwards, if we won, I was alright, but if we lost, it was manic depresion. Fortunatly, she wised up and moved on.

My brother is a horn, my aunt is a horn, my sister is a horn, and a nephew is a Horn, and we all had a tradition. Wherever we happened to be of calling to discuss the game. We still do it to this day, but only if we win. Back in those days we were all really in to our games, especially OU and Arkansas. These days it's not quite as intense, as we've almost become human, with the exception of me. I still get way too worked up. My wife of 26 years learned years ago to make plans to be somewhere else when the Horns play. However, she watched the Rose Bowl this year with the boys, me and a nephew. I think for the first time she kinda got it. Nah, probably not. But that team in '69 was an absolute group of winners and reflected the personalities of Street and DKR, as the team of '63 did the personalities of the Duke and DKR. You can about stick a fork in my old ***, as I'm just about done, but when you do, don't be surprised if I sing "The Eyes" one last time.
 
Golly, Guys (and Gals), what great reading! I've had a blast reading all these fantastic memoirs. When I started the first post, I had no idea we'd get this superb response, but it's really been great fun. I bet there are probably still some more to come in. Sooner or later, we'll ask LHG to move the thread to Classics - but in the meantime, keep 'em coming!

HornHuskerDad in Arlington
P.S. Feeling better today - 1st full day after the surgery, and I can actually put some weight on my knee already - the arthroscopic surgery is a marvel...

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I was a junior at UT. I waited in a long line to try to get tickets for the game, but they ran out before they got to me. I called my Dad (who had been a season ticket holder since he graduated - around 1945), and he was able to get tickets for us in a few hours. My best friend and roommate took his girlfriend and I took a girl from my hometown who I had never dated before. I subsequently found out that she had been dating someone at the time and it was a big to-do for her to go (they got married soon afterwards), ..... but I regress.

We drove up to Fayettville and on the day of the game, it was cold and the atmosphere was electric. Nixon flying in on his Presidential helicopter; the NC up for grabs; surrounded by Razorbacks. Some people from my hometown were actually sitting a couple of rows behind us. Our seats were down low, so we didn't have a great view, but we were so close to the field that it made the players and the game all the more real - like you were a part of it. On the big play, we could see the ball go up, there was momentary confusion over whether the catch had been made, and then the word came...1st down. There were still lot of crucial plays left in the game and we felt relieved to walk away with the win; we didn't exactly dominate, but we certainly deserved the win.

After the game, the Arkansas people we encountered were actually very good sports about the whole thing (not everyone had that experience). It was a great road trip, with a great date and I'll never forget it. You know the old saying that, "It feels like it was only yesterday..."? Well it feels like it was only yesterday and it was a great time.
 
I was AT the game that miserable-wonderful day. It was cold and wet the whole game, and Longhorn Band uniforms being what they were, we were cold and wet the whole game. The tension was unbelievable the first three quarters as our team turned the ball over again and again. Then Slick took off on that first TD run and we actually had a ray of hope. Street to Peschal on that 4th down had our hearts in our throats, but Randy came down w that ball. After we scored the go-ahead TD, the Arkansas folks around the Texas Fans and LHB began to realize this thing might slip away from them and the “ugly” factor went WAY up. If you watch the ESPN Classics version at the end of the 4th Quarter, you’ll see more and more shots of the LHB playing for almost EVERY down. DiNino had us as cranked up as any time I remember, including the thriller in the following Cotton Bowl. When we intercepted the last pass and had only to run out the clock, you’ll see LHB hats start turning and looking up into the stands. That was us looking to see what was making all that busting glass and rocks and stuff landing noise in the stands around us. Enough of us would see objects, glass bottles, ice-filled cups, seat cushions and rental chairs flying down from the upper seats in time to warn others. My brother still has the seat cushion he caught on it’s way down.

After the final gun, the team was hustled off to the locker room for their famous meeting w President Nixon. The LHB was stuck on those risers at the edge of the stadium wall, well within range of the drunks throwing stuff. We weren’t allowed out of our stands for about 15 minutes, when we were finally escorted down onto the field more out of range. We quickly formed up like a Roman Legion Block, moved the girls into the middle and passed all the Stetson hats to the middle. We took the Big Flag poles, those 1 ¼” wooden closet rods, rolled the flags on them and held them horizontal at our waists, forming a barrier to anyone trying to get at us. We were finally allowed to march out of the stadium to the buses where one person would watch another’s back while another packed and loaded instruments. We finally collapsed into our seats on the buses, completely emotionally spent. The ride to McAllister Oklahoma was one of the quietest I remember.

Yeah, I was there. Still get goose bumps just thinking about it, over 35 years later.

It just makes my day to think that game STILL sticks in their craw, as does last year's loss to us. Those losses will fester in their little minds til hell freezes over. Cool.

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Well, I'll throw mine in the mix.

I was 12, and 1969 was the first year that I really began to get interested in the Longhorns. I had begun watching Dallas Cowboys games with my dad a couple of years before, but there were so few college games on television back then. My first memory of a Texas game was actually the OU game the year before. Normallly my mom and dad would have gone to the game with their friends the Deusterhoeft's, but my grandmother was in bad health and we had gone to Brady for the weekend. My dad and brother and I listened to that 1968 OU game on the car radio outside the hospital. I remember how excited my dad was when Texas scored late in the game to win. In 1969 I started paying attention to the Longhorns, and as this game approached, I remember being really excited about it. We went to Dallas to watch the game with some other good friends of my parents from my dad's days in Austin. I remember the struggle that Texas went through for the entire game, and at halftime my dad and his friend both took off their orange ties and draped them on the top of the TV set for good luck (sort of the forerunner to the rally cap, I guess). Our friend's two boys were both outside playing and I was asked several times if I wanted to go outside, but I was fixated on watching that game.

The thing about that game is that it made me a Texas fan forever.
 
I watched the game on TV, but the only memory I have is when Street dropped back to pass on 4th and 3 and i was thinking ..no no no. But that quickly changed.

I've watched the game on ESPN Classics a few times and what i like the best is the Clarinet Girl in the LHB. They show her during the time out before the big play and she is shouting GO GO like she really believes the louder she shouts it the better chance the Longhorns have.

Then after the pass is complete, they show her again. The band is playing the fight song and she is trying to get her breath to play, but she never quite can.

Also, right after Peschel makes the catch, the referee runs over to the sideline and signals a catch. Just then a Longhorn cheerleader appears doing handstands across the screen right out on the field.
 
Okay, DJ; What reason has Broyles given for passing deep in our end of the field as time was expiring. Broyles did not want this reunion to take place. The U of A had absolutely nothing to do with it. It was held downtown in the convention center. A former Arkansas backup defensive lineman wrote the check to cover the entire banquet. There was around 125 attendees including several of the wives but none of the coaches from either team.

We speculated Royal and his former staff members did not attend in deference to Broyles. You are speculating about an event of which you have no direct knowledge.
 
That Arkansas pass play is discussed thouroughly in the above referenced book Horns, Hogs...., but there is very little of Broyles direct viewpoint. There is discussion among the Arkansas assistant coaches and players about what they think Broyle's thoughts were, but the only direct comment I read from Broyles was that he thought Arkansas had a better chance to complete the 3rd down pass than they did to make the field goal if they missed the pass. From reading the book, it seems like Don Breaux was the one who took most of the heat for it, and Montgomery says he just made a bad pass or it would have been a touchdown.
 
I was 13.

My father and mother both graduated from Texas and were huge Texas Fb fans. 50-yard-line seats and everything.

So they throw a party. There were abotu 100 people in teh house, mostly Horn fans. We had televisions everywhere. Mom and Dad borrowed about every TV in the neighborhood. TVs in the kitchen, TVs in every bedroom. TVs in the bathrooms.

I was just beginning to develop a taste for football at the time. I'd been with a friend to the USC game (?, maybe UCLA, I don't recall. A West Coast team, anyway) earlier that year, where the California QB kept killing us with the short passes. Texas won that game in the last few minutes, and I was in love with the team. Dad had a few Razorback friends who came over for the party. They were being obnoxious through most fo the game, and I was feeling pretty bad about it--then Peschel went up and made that miraculous grab. I was so excited about it. I did not really understand the importance of the game--I knew it was #1 against #2, but I didn't know the President was there or anything. I just watched the game and ate chips until Texas won. It was a defining moment in my developing love fo football, along with the Cotton Bowl win over ND that year.
 
Don Breaux joined Royal's staff in 1975 (he replaced Fred Akers when he became the head coach at Wyoming.)

Breaux said that he made the initial call from the press box and that Broyles eventually okayed it. Said they felt it was as safe a play as a run since Dicus was the only receiver Montgomery was to look at. If wasn't open, they would take the incomplete and kick the field goal.
 
NebLHAB

You wouldn't know who Clarinet Girl is would you? I swear, she got almost as much face time as Nixon and to this day I can't remember Street to Peschel without seeing her reaction in my mind. She must be someone's grandmother by now.

BTW, the last time I saw Street to Peschel replayed was on the Fox broadast of an Oakland A's game a few weeks ago while Huston was on the mound and the announcers were bringing the Californians up to date on Huston's pedigree.

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