The last time Miami played in Yankee Stadium...

[mirednmediocrity2]

'63 was supposed to be Gustafson's dream team. He was set to retire after that season. He had the two great sophomore RB's, Russ Smith and Pete Banaszak. People were comparing this backfield to, potentially, his great backfield in the 1940's at Army when he was an assistant to Red Blaik. That Army team was a national power and the backfield was Arnold Tucker (QB); Glenn Davis (HB, "Mr. Outside"); and Doc Blanchard (FB, "Mr. Inside").

There was talk that Russ Smith and Pete Banaszak would give us an outside-inside running tandem that would be comparable.

With Russ Smith, a big star at Stranahan, and younger brother of early '50's UM great Frank Smith, we thought we had finally found that great breakaway back we had needed for years. Our backs had been hard running backs who never seemed able to break long runs (Jim Vollenweider, Nick Ryder, Van Parsons, Mark Panther, and others.)

That '63 season turned out to be very disappointing. There were all kinds of theories about Mira's passing. Some said he's mechanics were off. One former college player I knew, then one of my teachers, blamed it on George"s recent marriage--said if Mira hadn't spent time in bed with his wife he would have been OK.

Lot of strange ideas around.

I've learned over the years to live with the disappointments. Back then, we didn't have the recent history of being the truly elite.

Now, I know we have the potential to return to that level. It might not be under the current coach, though.

Remember that year. Ended up 3-7. Awful team.

 

[26GOAT]

He did punt and kickoff returns and receiver and db. Even intercepted Joe Namath which most of the game is on YouTube. He was 2nd to Bill Miller in most receiving categories until the 80's. Very ****y and got kicked off the team due to temper/trashing room but got back in for next season. One of the only times to ever cry was when Gus died.

 

[skeets]

i want this thread to go on forever.

 

[Dingaan1828]

Jack Bahen had a kickoff return for a TD in the "Mira;s left-handed pass game" @UF.

That 62 game against Maryland was really a great game. I believe Tom Brown ran the opening kickoff back for a score for Maryland,

Speaking of the substitution rules: I remember Mira getting stuck in the game at DB because of the weird rules.

Beating ND for the first time ever in 1960 was a very big deal to me at the time. That was with a QB who was a very poor passer, but good runner (Eddie Johns). The amazing thing is that Bill Miller was All-American in 1960 with Johns as the QB.

This thread brings back a lot of great memories. It feels like I practically lived in the OB from the mid 50s until joining the Navy in 63.

 

[Martycane]

Here are the results from 1962. Note: There are no scrubs like Savannah States or Bethune Cookmans or FIU on the schedule. Although didn’t we lose to Florida A&M in the 70s?

Pitt W 23-14
TCU W 21-20
FSU W 7-6
LSU (ranked 6) L 3-17
Maryland W 28-24
Air Force W 21-3
Kentucky W 25-17
Alabama (ranked 3) L 3-36
Northwestern L 7-29
Florida W 17-15
Nebraska L 34-36

 

[TheMatador]

I

Jack Bahen had a kickoff return for a TD in the "Mira;s left-handed pass game" @UF.

That 62 game against Maryland was really a great game. I believe Tom Brown ran the opening kickoff back for a score for Maryland,

Speaking of the substitution rules: I remember Mira getting stuck in the game at DB because of the weird rules.

Beating ND for the first time ever in 1960 was a very big deal to me at the time. That was with a QB who was a very poor passer, but good runner (Eddie Johns). The amazing thing is that Bill Miller was All-American in 1960 with Johns as the QB.

This thread brings back a lot of great memories. It feels like I practically lived in the OB from the mid 50s until joining the Navy in 63.

I remember the weird substitution rules. Players coming in would have to line up to go by an official who checked them off. They could only go in and out a game a certain number of times per quarter. A few time Mira got stuck in because no replacement could come in. He stood back there as a DB until the next play when they could bring in someone to replace him. The crowd saw that he was still in the game and started yelling. I think it happened a few times. At least one time during a game I attended.

 

[TheMatador]

I
I remember the weird substitution rules. Players coming in would have to line up to go by an official who checked them off. They could only go in and out a game a certain number of times per quarter. A few time Mira got stuck in because no replacement could come in. He stood back there as a DB until the next play when they could bring in someone to replace him. The crowd saw that he was still in the game and started yelling. I think it happened a few times. At least one time during a game I attended.

Remember Eddie Johns very well. He succeeded Curci and was regarded as a very good option QB. He was moved to half back to take advantage of his running ability and to make room for Mira at QB. After hurting his knee,, he never played again after his freshman year. He then left school, tried out with the Steelers, but got cut.

 

[Dingaan1828]

The first time Mira took the field against Pitt in the 1961 opener, I think everyone knew we had something very different from any QB before him. We lost the game in a torrential rainstorm, but hope ran high after seeing what we had at qb.

BTW, that’s the deepest water I’ve ever seen on a football field.

 

[Twhizman]

Fred Flintstone was playing fetch with dino.

 

[JuniorCane66]

I remember Ben Rizzo very well. I had a friend who moved down to south Florida from Utica. He was a huge Syracuse fan but knew about Rizzo. It was horrible when Syracuse beat us 15-14 in that Liberty Bowl. Couldn't live that down with that friend. We had some pretty good defensive ends on those teams: Rizzo and Frank Reinhardt. Reinhardt was a military veteran and played for UM in his late 20's. I think he was like 28 as a senior. That was legal but highly unusual.

Back then, substitution rules were different. We usually had what were called platoons. Some played only or mainly offense or defense. Sone guys played on both sides of the ball. Sometimes our WRs ended up playing DB. Fullbacks might play some LB.

We had a really good lineman named Dan Connors who was outstanding on defense, but I remember seeing him play offensive line against LSU in the Orange Bowl. That was probably during the '63 season.

Connors ended up a fixture as starting MLB for the Raiders for years.

I remember we had another fast WR who played around that time--Jack Bahen. I believe he was one of the many kids we recruited out of western Maryland (Cumberland). Bahen and Spinelli were just about the only guys who had long TDs for us during that era. We were known for not having a lot of speed. Everybody would lament the lack of a breakaway back.

I’m just seeing this for the first time. All the players you have referenced from the early 60s we’re great teammate of my dad, Ben Rizzo. We’ve gotten together with many of them over the years coming back to the Orange bowl including George Mira, Dan Connors, Pete Banaszak and Nick Ryder. I of course remember Nick Spinelli very well when he briefly lived in Utica during my childhood and was coaching at a rival school, Utica Free Academy, when my Dad was the head coach of Notre Dame high school. Here’s a few pictures from back in the ‘60’s. The first is a touchdown against Nebraska in the Gotham Bowl, the second is sacking Auburn’s QB in 1960, the third is making a tackle in the North-South All-Star game (wearing #85), the fourth is a publicity still, and the last is the pregame coin toss against Alabama. No doubt his proudest accomplishment, even more than getting drafted by the Eagles, was being voted as the sole team captain of the ‘62 hurricanes after having been a walk-on in 1959. Great times indeed. Thanks for sharing your memories!

 

[JuniorCane66]

Jack Bahen had a kickoff return for a TD in the "Mira;s left-handed pass game" @UF.

That 62 game against Maryland was really a great game. I believe Tom Brown ran the opening kickoff back for a score for Maryland,

Speaking of the substitution rules: I remember Mira getting stuck in the game at DB because of the weird rules.

Beating ND for the first time ever in 1960 was a very big deal to me at the time. That was with a QB who was a very poor passer, but good runner (Eddie Johns). The amazing thing is that Bill Miller was All-American in 1960 with Johns as the QB.

This thread brings back a lot of great memories. It feels like I practically lived in the OB from the mid 50s until joining the Navy in 63.

Here’s a picture of my Dad, Ben Rizzo, making a one handed catch against Maryland in that ‘62 game in the OB that you were referencing. Great times no doubt!

 

[Dingaan1828]

Here’s a picture of my Dad, Ben Rizzo, making a one handed catch against Maryland in that ‘62 game in the OB that you were referencing. Great times no doubt!

One of my favorites.

 

[Martycane]

Great stuff. Thanks.
Re: Mira...Wasn't he the first scrambling qb?
Fran Tarkenton came after...

 

[26GOAT]

I’m just seeing this for the first time. All the players you have referenced from the early 60s we’re great teammate of my dad, Ben Rizzo. We’ve gotten together with many of them over the years coming back to the Orange bowl including George Mira, Dan Connors, Pete Banaszak and Nick Ryder. I of course remember Nick Spinelli very well when he briefly lived in Utica during my childhood and was coaching at a rival school, Utica Free Academy, when my Dad was the head coach of Notre Dame high school. Here’s a few pictures from back in the ‘60’s. The first is a touchdown against Nebraska in the Gotham Bowl, the second is sacking Auburn’s QB in 1960, the third is making a tackle in the North-South All-Star game (wearing #85), the fourth is a publicity still, and the last is the pregame coin toss against Alabama. No doubt his proudest accomplishment, even more than getting drafted by the Eagles, was being voted as the sole team captain of the ‘62 hurricanes after having been a walk-on in 1959. Great times indeed. Thanks for sharing your memories!

Very cool. I have vague memories of visiting with your dad when my father nick spinelli was in utica. I of course was very young, born in 66, but i knew he and your dad lived in utica. We moved from utica in 1979 and he is living in boca.

 

[TheMatador]

The first time Mira took the field against Pitt in the 1961 opener, I think everyone knew we had something very different from any QB before him. We lost the game in a torrential rainstorm, but hope ran high after seeing what we had at qb.

BTW, that’s the deepest water I’ve ever seen on a football field.

I watched that game at home. It was broadcast locally.

 

[TheMatador]

Great stuff. Thanks.
Re: Mira...Wasn't he the first scrambling qb?
Fran Tarkenton came after...

Probably. Great scrambler.

 

[TheMatador]

Here’s a picture of my Dad, Ben Rizzo, making a one handed catch against Maryland in that ‘62 game in the OB that you were referencing. Great times no doubt!

Ben was more of a defensive specialist, along with Frank Reinhart, who was, I think a 28-year old military veteran. Bill Miller and Larry Wilson tended to play more offensive and were the better receivers.

Although I remember some of guys played two ways from time to time. For example, Sam Fernandez was a LB, I think, but played some fullback.

I remember our centers and guards often played LB or defensive guards. That's how Jim Otto wrecked his knees, playing LB while at the U. When he got to the pros he still was not that big and he declined playing LB in the pros because he didn't want more knee problems.

 

[TheMatador]

DaytonaCane who has been posting here is Doug Davis' widow. Doug played from '57-'61. He often started at fullback when Curci and John's played QB.

She told us she was going in for heart surgery (minimal incision valve replacement, I believe) about three or four weeks ago. I haven't seen any posts by her since then. I hope she is OK. Anybody see anything by DaytonaCane? Are you out there, Daytona?

Most likely she knew Nick Spinelli and Ben Rizzo, although my recollection is that Ben might have been a year or two earlier than Nick. Her husband might have overlapped a bit with Ben and Nick.