Bacardi Bowl
Encyclopedia
Bacardi Bowl was a college football
bowl game
played seven times in Havana, Cuba at La Tropical Stadium. Sometimes referred to as the Rhumba Bowl or the Cigar Bowl, the game was the climaxing event of Cuba’s annual National Sports Festival. The first five occurrences matched an American college team (all from the Deep South
) against Cuban universities or athletic clubs. The 1937 and 1938 games were billed under the Bacardi Bowl and Rhumba Bowl monikers. The 1946 game is sometimes considered the first of the Cigar Bowl
games.
The first Bacardi Bowl in 1907 matched Louisiana State University
against Havana University.
1937 - Auburn vs. Villanova
Auburn’s
bowl history began with the 1937 game before 15,000 to 18,000 spectators when the Tigers and Villanova
tied 7-7. This game marked the first time that two US universities played a game on foreign soil. An Auburn drive in the first quarter stalled on the 10-yard line where the Wildcats took over on downs. After a Villanova punt, Auburn running back
Billy Hitchcock
broke loose around left end and rambled 40 yards for the Tigers' only score. The score at the half was Auburn 7, Villanova 0.
Auburn stopped a Villanova drive on its own 12-yard line during the third quarter but couldn’t get field position. Villanova was able to tie the score when they blocked an Auburn quick kick and the ball bounced into the endzone where Wildcat Lineman Matthews Kuber fell on it for the score. The p.a.t. tied the game. Auburn’s return to the USA marked an end to more than 11,000 miles of travel for the 7-2-2 Tigers that finished the season ranked 13th in the country under coach Jack Meagher
.
The game was played in a revolutionary atmosphere. Fulgencio Batista
, the dictator who would be overthrown by Fidel Castro
22 years later, had just assumed power. The game was almost canceled because Batista’s picture was not in the game program. A quick trip to the printer saved the Bacardi Bowl. The December 22, 1963 issue of the Florence Times-Tri-Cities Daily has a detailed account of former Auburn player Frank Hamm's recollections of this game.
and the Temple Owls
played in Tokyo, Japan. This was the inaugural Mirage Bowl, which despite its name was conducted in the regular season, and was played annually (with different matchups each year) until 1993. The next postseason game played outside the US would not take place until 2007
, when Cincinnati
defeated Western Michigan
in the International Bowl
held in Toronto
.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
played seven times in Havana, Cuba at La Tropical Stadium. Sometimes referred to as the Rhumba Bowl or the Cigar Bowl, the game was the climaxing event of Cuba’s annual National Sports Festival. The first five occurrences matched an American college team (all from the Deep South
Deep South
The Deep South is a descriptive category of the cultural and geographic subregions in the American South. Historically, it is differentiated from the "Upper South" as being the states which were most dependent on plantation type agriculture during the pre-Civil War period...
) against Cuban universities or athletic clubs. The 1937 and 1938 games were billed under the Bacardi Bowl and Rhumba Bowl monikers. The 1946 game is sometimes considered the first of the Cigar Bowl
Cigar Bowl
The Cigar Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game featuring small college teams held in Tampa, Florida from 1946 to 1954. It was played at Phillips Field, which was located across the Hillsborough River from downtown Tampa at the current site of Tampa Preparatory School and Julian Lane...
games.
Game results
Italics denote a tie game.| Date Played | | Winning Team | | Losing Team | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 25, 1907 | Louisiana State | 56 | Havana University | 0 |
| January 1, 1910 | Havana Athletic Club | 11 | 0 | |
| January 1, 1912 | 12 | Havana Athletic Club | 0 | |
| December 25, 1912 | Florida | 28 | Vedado Athletic Club | 0 |
| December 31, 1921 | Cuban Athletic Club | 14 | 0 | |
| January 1, 1937 | 7 | 7 | ||
| January 2, 1938 | Rollins | - | Cuban Navy | - (game at Campo Polar canceled after naval goodwill fliers accident in Cali, Colombia) |
| December 7, 1946 | 55 | Havana University | 0 |
Notable games
1907 - LSU vs. Havana UniversityThe first Bacardi Bowl in 1907 matched Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
against Havana University.
1937 - Auburn vs. Villanova
Auburn’s
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
bowl history began with the 1937 game before 15,000 to 18,000 spectators when the Tigers and Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
tied 7-7. This game marked the first time that two US universities played a game on foreign soil. An Auburn drive in the first quarter stalled on the 10-yard line where the Wildcats took over on downs. After a Villanova punt, Auburn running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Billy Hitchcock
Billy Hitchcock
William Clyde Hitchcock was an American infielder, coach, manager and scout in Major League Baseball. He also served as president of the class AA Southern League from 1971-80...
broke loose around left end and rambled 40 yards for the Tigers' only score. The score at the half was Auburn 7, Villanova 0.
Auburn stopped a Villanova drive on its own 12-yard line during the third quarter but couldn’t get field position. Villanova was able to tie the score when they blocked an Auburn quick kick and the ball bounced into the endzone where Wildcat Lineman Matthews Kuber fell on it for the score. The p.a.t. tied the game. Auburn’s return to the USA marked an end to more than 11,000 miles of travel for the 7-2-2 Tigers that finished the season ranked 13th in the country under coach Jack Meagher
Jack Meagher
-External links:...
.
The game was played in a revolutionary atmosphere. Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
, the dictator who would be overthrown by Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
22 years later, had just assumed power. The game was almost canceled because Batista’s picture was not in the game program. A quick trip to the printer saved the Bacardi Bowl. The December 22, 1963 issue of the Florence Times-Tri-Cities Daily has a detailed account of former Auburn player Frank Hamm's recollections of this game.
Afterwards
After the demise of the Bacardi Bowl, an NCAA football game would not be played outside the US until the 1977 matchup between the Grambling State TigersGrambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
and the Temple Owls
Temple Owls football
The Temple Owls football team participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference...
played in Tokyo, Japan. This was the inaugural Mirage Bowl, which despite its name was conducted in the regular season, and was played annually (with different matchups each year) until 1993. The next postseason game played outside the US would not take place until 2007
2007 International Bowl
The 2007 International Bowl, held on January 6, 2007 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, was one of the college American football bowl games that ended the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The game pitted the University of Cincinnati against Western Michigan University...
, when Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats
The Cincinnati Bearcats are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Cincinnati. Since July 1, 2005, the school's athletic teams have been members of the Big East Conference....
defeated Western Michigan
Western Michigan Broncos football
The Western Michigan Broncos football program represents Western Michigan University in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I and the Mid-American Conference . Western Michigan has competed in football since 1906, when they played three games in their inaugural season...
in the International Bowl
International Bowl
The International Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association collegiate American football bowl game played in Toronto from 2007 through 2010...
held in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.