As part of 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 course of the year. 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
Pomona-Claremont Men's Soccer Club Defeats UCLA
Moment Submitted and Written by John Sanger (CMC '63)
CMC's historical soccer roots reach back at least into the '50's and early 60's when the Claremont Colleges soccer team, open to players from now archrival Pomona along with CMC, Harvey Mudd, Claremont Graduate School (supplying two fine coaches) and the Theological Institute, also won their league championship and I think provided for each team member a high point in his soccer career.
Most often referred to as Pomona-Claremont (P-C) since most players were from schools other than CMC, we were technically a "club" sport and given Parents Field and one other CMC field for daily practice and games. Occasionally we used Pomona's Alumni Field if their football team was away. We were provided with game referees and uniforms and played as one team-there was not a freshmen team. Beginning as a CMC freshman with four years of high school soccer experience, I was fortunate to be able to play all four years (most notably as right halfback) in league games.
Having finished second in our league in 1961, under graduate school coach Moky Quandour (conference coach of the year), the P-C team began its next season with guarded optimism. In biblical parlance, all but one of the league teams were "Davids," that one, the "Goliath," was UCLA with far and away the largest student body and number of students to draw from. A win over UCLA was our "Holy Grail" and if we could win all our other games, home and away, the key to a league championship. It seemed indeed a long shot since UCLA had amassed 96 consecutive victories over five seasons. Slowly, under the spirited direction of Claremont Graduate School player/coach Don Blything – who occasionally substituted himself in to replace an injured player – our wins were tallied: Redlands, UC Riverside, Caltech, Biola.
Our first encounter with UCLA was to be a night game on Pomona's Alumni Field. Since our three leather game balls were hard to see at night, a couple of us bought bottles of white Shinola, making a spectacular improvement under the lights. By now, each of us was physically and mentally prepared; this was the pivotal moment and we all knew it. UCLA appeared quietly and justifiably confident as they came on the field. Before long, a pass by left wing Pat Bacchus (British Guiana) to center was routed away from the Bruin defense by Bander Faisal (Saudi Arabia), who kicked it into the UCLA net – goal, 1-0!...the home spectators roared and Jock Stewart (UCLA Coach) fumed. Now the P-C defense was thoroughly energized for the onslaught they knew was imminent. The P-C defense held the score, protecting its single goal lead through the first half.
As the second half began, P-C's defense continued to stand firm and before long, captain Korhan Berzeg (Turkey) on right forward scored a second goal, followed by a pass to wing Bob Worcester (Argentina) for a third. Though UCLA came back with one score, it was clear they had now been dispirited in the final minutes of the game by our overwhelming lead. After shaking hands with each UCLA player, it was time to celebrate; our "Goliath" had been vanquished. We were able to hold UCLA, bent on revenge, to a tie in our away game on their home field and we were victorious in our final league game with Redlands (11-1) to win the 1962 Southern California Soccer Association championship. The grail was ours at last.
The vibrant comradery that developed between members of our P-C soccer team – representing seven nations – provided each of us a richly positive memory. It's a reminder that uniting with others around a common vision can create a synergy that makes greater things happen than you thought possible. I suppose that's the idea in any team sport and a worthy goal in the stages of life beyond graduation.
