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 Trading Cards

USC players will walk into Lawry's The Prime Rib in a matter of hours for the annual Beef Bowl. Part of tradition is memorabilia given to the participants. In the past they've handed out pins, mugs, and trading cards.

Here's a sneak peak at the cards that will be handed out tonight for USC and tomorrow for Illinois (after the jump).

Stay tuned for more on some of the popular items that have come from this event over the years.

Signing Day

They hunted as a pack.

Despite being out in the open, the six could only be described as lurking.

They pounced as soon as they caught a glimpse of their prey's distinctive markings.

It was a coordinated attack. One would approach from the front and others would come from the sides. If they missed just one of their unsuspecting targets, another would chase from behind and close in at a full sprint. Their hunger could only be satiated by ... an autograph.

The hunting ground was Downtown Disney and the prey was anybody wearing a cardinal-and-gold track suit with a VIP credential hanging around their neck. The autograph seekers probably couldn't tell the difference between John David Booty and Aubey Layno-Moses, but the important part seemed to be getting as many signatures from USC players as possible.

The whole team was strolling around, dressed the same, and killing time at a special event. It was a field day for some. Little kids asked the players for autographs, too. They may have known every statistic or merely that they were meeting a very large man who was part of their favorite team, but there was no doubting the innocence of the request. It was reminiscent of this article about Harmon Killebrew.

The six? They were a different story.

I approached one during a lull in the action, telling her I was a writer and I was curious about memorabilia. I asked if she was a dealer, but she started to run away.

Another New Category

Christmas brought a new gift idea category, but it's got a close cousin we like to call memorabilia.

Like any sports team, the Trojans have spawned a lot of stuff. Call if what you will: tchotchkes, ephemera, souvenirs, swag, or sometimes even works of art. It all celebrates the history of Troy, and some of it is incredibly rare and meaningful. That's what we hope to discuss in this new category.

While some older posts are being tagged with the memorabilia label, we'll officially start this category with a look at items from the Lawry's Beef Bowl. The timing couldn't be better, since the USC football team will sit down for the world-famous prime rib eat-off this week as part of the Rose Bowl festivities.

Anybody reading this blog who owns something with a rare or unique connection to USC history is encouraged to share photos and the story of their favorite item. We can't promise that it'll all get discussed here, but if you have an original leather helmet signed by one of the early Trojan teams or every ticket stub from the USC-Notre Dame rivalry ... we'd love to hear from you! Email adam@laist.com.

Keep in mind that this category is not about run-of-the-mill hats and t-shirts. Unless there's a compelling reason to discuss something that's currently commercially available, we'll try to stick to items that are of historic merit or were not originally intended for sale to the public.

No Appointment Necessary

We just confirmed that walk-ins are welcome to tonight's art exhibit at the TrojanBookstore, featuring USC-inspired work by Dave Hobrecht.

Hobrecht is a Trojan alumnus known for his work in Surfer Magazine.

Prices range from $200 for limited-edition prints (unframed, 26"x21")to $12,500 for original charcoal drawings (framed, 45"x35").

The event will run from 5 to 9 p.m. at the bookstore (840 Childs Way). 

USC at the College Football Hall of Fame

I was first introduced to the concept of "giddy" in the third Indiana Jones movie, when a beautiful blond described Sean Connery's character as "giddy as a schoolgirl."

Today, I don't know many phrases less macho than "giddy."

But I don't know what can be more macho than Indiana Jones, Sean Connery and college football.

So when you visit the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, go ahead, be giddy.

I was.

The Hall of Fame rolls out the red carpet every time a team visits Notre Dame. This weekend you can't miss the Trojan regalia that adorns the entrance. The building is a shrine to the rich history of the sport, and well worth the trip -- especially during USC's biennial pilgrimage.

Located a short cab ride from Notre Dame or the South Bend airport, it's open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday (be forewarned, it gets busier on Friday than game day).

For a full list of hours and other important information, click here or go to their main website.

More photos and a list of USC's inductees after the jump.

What did it take to get invited to this dinner?

We couldn't find a back story on this photo, but rarely do you find so many icons together like this. Click the image to enlarge and admire.

Photo courtesy Notre Dame Sports Archives.