Beef Bowl To-Go

While autographing a Lawry's Beef Bowl program in 2004, All-American wideout Braylon Edwards remarked, "I'll bet this is probably gonna' end up on eBay tomorrow morning, huh?"

On Thursday night, there were 523 items matching his name on eBay, but none of them were from the Beef Bowl. Memorabilia from the event is hard to come by. Limited to players, media, and others with close ties to the team, organizers have distributed collectibles since the 1980s -- but only to those in attendance.

Programs probably date back to 1963, and at least to 1970 (Stanford vs. Michigan). The early 1-sheets bear little resemblance to the 12-page color version that are being handed out this year. Mugs and baseball caps were given out briefly in the 1980s. The 1985 Ohio State team is pictured above with branded steins, meaning a 1985 USC version exists somewhere. Pins became a regular tradition in 1986 and have continued ever since. Lawry's added mini-footballs in 2002 (for the players only) and trading cards (currently printed by Choice Sports Cards) in 2004. USC's card from last year is pictured to the left. Most items are limited to a run of 1,000 or less, though production was bumped to 1,400 in national championship years.

Beef Bowl Media Director Todd Erickson said that his wife has found pennants from the event's early years in antique stores. The have to be pre-1970, because that was the year the events name was temporarily changed to the Beef Scrimmage.

According to Erickson, the rarest trading card was a run of 200 handed out in the summer of 2005. They were part of the build-up to the BCS National Championship and the event's 50th anniversary. The card, picturing the 1960 game between Wisconsin and Washington, is shown to the left.

Later that year they designed a card with a much smaller run: zero.

In 2004, Texas approved a layout featuring Cedric Benson -- and only Cedric Benson. That violated NCAA rules prohibiting promotional items that feature just one player and created a minor headache for the Longhorns. After their first experience, they refused to authorize a card for 2005 (prior to the USC game).

After the 2006 Rose Bowl, Lawry's offered to give the Longhorns make-up cards featuring the score and an aerial shot of the stadium. Texas declined again -- a move sure to be appreciated by Trojan fans who have no desire to commemorate that game.

Speaking of Texas, Lawry's in Dallas has hosted their own Beef Bowl since 1983. The event is for the participants in the Cotton Bowl. Participants get pins just like in the original.

Click on any pictures in this post to see an enlarged version.

   

 

Images courtesy Todd Erickson and the Lawry's Beef Bowl.