A team shot of the 1960 football team and a headline from the local paper after the game which reads
L: Local Headline, R: Team Photo, Below: 1960 action shot, the game ball from the win
Posted: Apr 28, 2021

CMC75 Moments: 1960 Football Wins Sixth Street Rivalry Game for First Time

As part of the buildup to the 75th Anniversary celebration for Claremont McKenna College (visit CMC's 75th Anniversary Countdown Page to learn more), we are reliving many of the great moments from CMS athletic department history over the 75-day countdown from April 17 to July 1. If you were a part of this great moment and would like to add to the memories, or if you would like to submit your memories of your own favorite CMS Athletics moment, fill out the form on our main 75th Anniversary page.

The 1960 football team in action Great Moments from 75 Years of Athletics
 1960 Football: Stags 14, Pomona 12

In only their second season in the SCIAC, the Stags were able to win their first neighborhood rivalry game, defeating Pomona 14-12 for its first-ever league victory to improve to 3-0 on the young season. In the Stags' debut SCIAC season a year before, Pomona pulled out a close 20-14 win, but Claremont-Mudd was able to turn the tables and earn the Peace Pipe Trophy, the newly-created spoils for the victor of the grudge match, which had already been established in the fledgling years of the Stags vs. Sagehens game to symbolize the friendly battle between neighbors (and which has now become the Sixth Street Trophy).

The 1960 Sixth Street game was evenly matched, as each team had two touchdowns, but Dave Ariss blocked a Pomona extra point, and the Stags stopped a later two-point conversion try, to account for the difference in the 14-12 final score. Halfback Dave Haber scored on an eight-yard run to put Claremont-Mudd ahead 7-6 just before the half, with Terry Spragg making several big catches on the two-minute drive, before the Sagehens went ahead 12-7 in the third quarter.

In the fourth, the CMS defense earned a key stop with the Sagehens pinned inside their 10-yard line, and Ken Stevens returned the punt to the Pomona 20-yard line. Quarterback Don Doty then pitched to fullback George Nostrant from five yards out for the winning score. Over 4,000 fans attended the game, as the new rivalry was a big draw right from the start. 

When the season concluded, center Ken Waggener earned Second-Team All-District, and Ken Stevens and Vern Eppley were Second-Team All-SCIAC, while honorable mention All-District honors went to Terry Spragg, Pete Rhein, Doty, Stevens and Eppley.

Head Coach Jesse Cone wrote of the squad, "The boys on the 1960 team were some of the finest I have ever known."

1960 Football RosterGame ball from the 1960 Pomona game with the final score written on it: Stags 14, Pomona 12
Head Coach: Jesse Cone
Assistant Coach: Leon George
Assistant Coach: Karol Bills
Manager: Jim Mason
Dave Ariss (Halfback, CMC)
Bill Benkovsky (Fullback, HMC)
Bud Bevins (Center, CMC)
Art Birtcher (Fullback, CMC)
Daryl Butcher (Guard, CMC)
Will Chamberlin (Tackle, CMC)
Bill Crouch (Tackle, CMC)
Sam Delich (Tackle, HMC)
Don Doty (Quarterback, CMC)
Dave Dykstra (Guard, HMC)
Vern Eppley (Tackle, CMC)
Dave Haber (Halfback, HMC)
Chris Huston (Guard/End, CMC)
Bob Mead (Quarterback, CMC)
George Nostrant (Fullback, CMC)
Ed Prono (End, HMC)
Pete Rhein (Guard, CMC)
Dick Seward (Halfback, CMC)
Barry Shapiro (Guard/Tackle, CMC)
Alden Simmons (End, HMC)
Terry Spragg (End, CMC)
Ken Stevens (Halfback, HMC)
Carl Strona (Guard, CMC)
Bill Tinker (Halfback, CMC)
Ken Waggener (Center, CMC)
Rod Waters (Guard, CMC)
Ed Widmann (End, CMC)
Lloyd Williams (End, CMC)
Dave Wilson (Halfback, CMC)