Big Game Week
Big Game Week starts on the weekend before The Big Game and
concludes on the Monday following The Big Game.
The Big Game itself is traditionally held the Saturday before
Thanksgiving Day. Big Game Week is considered the heart of the
year for all spirit groups and includes the following activities
(in approximate chronological order):
Table of Contents
Blue Monday
Cal-Stanford Sing Off
Big Game Titration
Guardsmen's Luncheon
Cable Car Rally
Big Game Bonfire Rally
The Big Game
Axe Rally
Though no longer called this, the Monday of Big Game Week is
refered by some spirit group members as "Blue Monday".
Traditionally, spirit group members would make sure that no one
on the campus was wearing red. Bill Ellsworth, the long time
advisor to the spirit groups and announcer for the Cal Band,
took this to extremes by having students dye his flaming red
hair blue. Nowadays the only activity on Blue Monday is the
Big Game Week kickoff rally.
The Cal-Stanford Sing Off takes place on one evening of Big Game
Week at a site on the campus hosting the Big Game. Inaugurated in
1986 as a counterpart to similar singing events held by universities
on the east coast, the Sing-Off features performances by the premier
singing groups of both Cal and Stanfurd. It is not a
competition; Instead it is a festival that celebrates the vocal
musical talent and spirit at both schools.
Every Big Game Week, Chem. 1A students are treated to this
display of Cal spirit which was started by Dr. Joel Hildebrand.
Tradition states that if the Red and Clear liquid is turned
completely Blue and Gold, then Cal will win the Big Game.
On the Wednesday of Big Game Week, The Guardsmen, an organization
that helps underprivileged youths, holds a luncheon in San Francisco
at one of the hotels near Union Square. Both the Cal and Stanfurd
Bands, cheerleaders and yell leaders perform in a "battle of
Big Game spirit." The Rally Committee is always present with
the California Banner and helps protect the Cal Band from various
Stanfurd pranks (such as theft of their straw hats).
Following the Guardsmen's Luncheon, the California ranks make
their way to Fisherman's Wharf via Cable Cars (yelling and singing
throughout the entire trip). The Cable Car rally concluded with a
rally at Ghirardelli Square and was always one of the high points
of Big Game Week.
The night before the Big Game, is the biggest of the bonfire
rallies. The rally includes Tom Edwards relating a History of
the Stanford Axe, Jamie Sutton leading the Cal Hakka (and other
yells), and the presentation of the Axe
(when in Cal's possession).
The rally traditionally concludes with the reading of
The Spirit of California, a brief reflection on
Cal spirit written by Ken Raust '81; a tradition
which began in 1985 when Professor Emeritus Garff Wilson '31,
decided that it was time to replace the tradition of telling
The Andy Smith Eulogy. During the reading of
The Spirit of California, the lights of the Greek Theatre
are turned off, and the only light comes from what's left
of the bonfire and the lit candles held by the members of the
audience and the participants in the rally.
This year's Big Game Rally will be on Friday, November 19 at 7:30pm
at the Greek Theatre. Admission is free.
The Big Game is a tradition that dates back to March 19, 1892.
The first Big Game started late because Stanfurd team manager
(and future President of the United States)
Herbert C. Hoover forgot to bring the football.
Up through 1903, the game was held in San Francisco, as it was
considered a neutral site. Attendees of Big Games have been
witness to various events in college football history:
The 1910 contest featured the first card stunts, the 1921 game
was the first football game ever held in Stanfurd Stadium,
the 1923 game was the inaugural football game for Memorial Stadium,
the 1933 contest was the first one for which the Axe was a trophy,
and the 1963 game marked the debut of the California Victory Cannon.
Many Big Games have been close games (48 have been decided by a
touchdown or less) with both sides fighting to the end, several
upsets and some games being decided on the final play of the game.
In 1972, Cal won on a touchdown pass from Vince Ferragamo to Steve
Sweeney as time expired. In 1974, Stanfurd won on 50 yard Mike
Langford field goal as time expired, after Cal had taken the lead
with just 33 seconds left. In 1982, Kevin Moen scored the winning
touchdown for Cal at the end of "The Play".
The 1988 contest ended in a tie when Stanford's Tuan Van Le blocked
Cal kicker Leland Rix's winning field goal attempt as time expired.
The 1990 game ended with Stanford scoring 9 points in the final 16
seconds to pull out a 2 point victory. It is said that the only
thing predictable about the Big Game is that the outcome is almost
always unpredictable.
Surprisingly, the Big Game is not Cal's longest continuous
rivalry (there has been a football contest between Cal and USC
every year from 1926). Cal and Stanfurd did not play from 1915
to 1918 because of a disagreement between the two schools over
Freshman eligibility. No contests were held from 1943 to 1945
because of the impact of World War II on Stanfurd.
This year's Big Game is the 102nd contest between the two schools.
Stanfurd holds the series lead 51-39-11 and
scoring
lead by 117 points. By number of games played, the Big Game is the
10th longest series in college football history.
If Cal has retained or regained possession of
The Axe,
a rally is held on the Monday following the Big Game.
This rally starts on the steps of Sproul Hall and is the
first time after the game that the Axe is displayed in public.
The rally concludes with the Axe being paraded around the
campus by Rally Committee with the Cal Band, spirit groups,
and any other willing participants.
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