CMS75 Moments: 1955 P-C Football Comes Back for Third Straight SCIAC Title

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.

Great Moments from 75 Years of Athletics
1955 Football: Pomona-Claremont Edges Whittier for Third Straight SCIAC Title
As Claremont McKenna finished its first decade since opening in 1946, several of the school's student-athletes combined forces with Pomona College to capture three straight SCIAC titles from 1953-55, including an undefeated season in 1954 led by CMC senior John Whitham, who set the Sagehens scoring record with 11 touchdowns that stood for over 40 years. The third title, though, was decided by the narrowest of margins, as Pomona-Claremont edged Whittier by one game in the final standings at 4-0 after defeating the Poets 14-13 in dramatic fashion, marking the third SCIAC title in a row for the combined institutions.

Whittier held a 13-7 lead with three minutes to go and had the ball, but a key defensive stop set up a fourth down and CMC's Rusty Grosse broke through for a big blocked punt and gave Pomona-Claremont one final chance. On fourth down, the Sagehens scored from the six-yard line and the ensuing extra point from Hugh Martin kept the SCIAC title in Claremont. Along with Grosse's play in the backfield, CMC stalwarts (as the yearbook referred to them) John Devereux, Bernie Marshall, Ernie Smith and Jim Smith were part of a line that formed the backbone of the team's success. The CMS family lines from the 1953-55 team run will also continue to the modern era, as Izze Stolzoff, the granddaughter of fullback Gordon Stolzoff, will attend Scripps and play for CMS Volleyball starting this fall.   

The championship was part of a run of SCIAC dominance that would help provide some of the impetus for the two schools splitting into separate athletic departments, which would result in the inter-consortium Sixth Street Rivalry we know to this day. Grosse and Devereux would also share the CMC Athlete of the Year honor as seniors in 1956-57 after contributing to the Pomona-Claremont three-peat. 

1955 Pomona-Claremont Football Photo Gallery

Rusty Grosse:

Of historical note, the Whittier College coach at that time was the notorious George Allen, subsequently an NFL Hall of Fame Coach, inducted as such in 2002.  We were down six points with minutes to go Whittier was preparing to punt.  Either Jess Cone or Fuzz Merritt called time out, and we prepared to block the punt.  I believe Ernie Smith and Bill Van Horn were designated to block like offensive guards instead of defensive positions.  It was a planned play.  I was able to sprint through the hole they created to block the punt. 

After we recovered, and we were making every effort to score a touchdown, we had four 4th-and-goals. One normal, second one because of a penalty, third one because of a penalty, the fourth one, we scored. Then Hugh Martin kicked the extra point to win the game. 

At the end of the game, George Allen walked off with the game ball instead of delivering it to the winning coaches.  Bernie Marshall had been injured and was on crutches.  He was sent to the Whittier lockers to retrieve the game ball.  Standing with his crutches, Coach Allen slammed the ball into his diaphragm. Bernie brought the ball back to the visiting team locker room.  The game ball was presented to Hugh Martin and to me by our coaches.  I still possess the game ball.  Prior to Hugh Martin's passing, he agreed that I could present the ball for display into the CMC-Pomona Era location in Roberts Pavilion.

CMC Athletes on 1953-55 SCIAC Championship Teams
Bill Barrington
Buzz Block
Bob Bury
John Devereux
Konstantine George
Rusty Grosse 
Miller Lee
Bernie Marshall
Hugh Martin
Ernie Smith
Jim Smith
Bill Van Horn
Cal Wells
John Whitham
Dick Woods