On November 16, 1968, my dad and I went to the Museum of Science and Industry next to the L.A. Coliseum. When we came out, the football game between #1 USC and #13 Oregon State to determine who would go to the Rose Bowl was just starting, and the scalpers were getting desperate. So my dad was able to buy 2 tickets for whatever was in his pocket, which turned out to be $1.10.
But the seats were in the 89th and last row dead center in the end zone. I could stand on my seat and see our Pontiac Catalina in the parking lot. Yet the seats turned out to be weirdly perfect for watching two All American running backs. Oregon State’s 250-pound Bill “Earthquake” Enyart dominated the early going with his strength and finished with 135 yards, which was excellent by 1960s standards.
But USC’s tailback, O.J. Simpson, who had recently helped set a world record in the 4×110 yard dash, was even better, carrying the ball 47 times for his college career high of 238 yards. USC won 17-13.
That’s probably not the first time I noticed human biodiversity—that both All-American running backs played tremendously, but the white star wasn’t quite as fast as the black superstar—but it’s one I can date precisely.
