[Bumped July 2025, due to news of a potential U-M football game in Germany in 2026. Originally posted in December 2008]: ‘A unique, well-traveled piece of Michigan athletics memorabilia showed up on eBay this week. It’s described to be a ticket stub from a game between Michigan baseball and a university team from Tokyo, played in Japan in 1932. At first glance, I laughed, thinking there was no way a college team traveled to Japan during the throes of the Great Depression to play baseball. And the auction description didn’t help sell it for me: 1932 Michigan University vs Meiji University tour ticket stub from game 1 played at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo. According to an excellent summary published in Michigan Today in 1998, the story began with Japanese teams conducting a college tour in the US years earlier, with many of the stops in Ann Arbor from 1911 to 1925. Then, in 1929, Michigan coach Ray Fisher received an invitation from Meiji University, inviting the maize and blue to visit Japan as “ambassadors of goodwill.” Fielding Yost and the board of athletics approved the trip, and so they headed west, then more west, until they reached the Far East in 1929: The stub in the eBay auction claims the ticket to be from the 1932 trip, which per the…
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Where Bob Ufer Laid Woody Hayes Away
How Bo and Ufer laid Woody Hayes away.
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True Dedication – Opening Michigan Stadium Sights & Sounds (1927)
A few sights and sounds from the Michigan Stadium dedication on October 22, 1927. Video footage, a theft(!), the MMB, enemy praise and much more.
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The Snow Bowl (1950)
But none of these games, even the Rose Bowl, told the story of the 1950 season. It was all about what happened in the amazing game in Columbus that year. It was November 25, 1950, in Columbus—a game that will forever be known as The Snow Bowl. The lead-up, game and aftermath of one of the greatest games in college football history: 1950's "Snow Bowl" - Michigan at Ohio State.
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Jesse Owens, Gerald Ford and 1934
Regular readers of this site know one of my favorite decades of Michigan football is the 1930s, having covered different seasons and events in eBay Watch and in the Little Brown Jug Lore series from those years. If I had to pick one year as my favorite during the stretch it’s definitely 1934 which is ironic, as it’s arguably the worst season in Michigan football history. I argued this point here and here, but in a nutshell consider that Harry Kipke’s team, coming off back-to-back national championships, finished 1-7, was shut out in five of the eight games and scored a mere 21 points. Fugly. Despite the futility on the gridiron, the season is packed with historical treasures of major significance both on and off the field. Check out this program from the Ohio State-Michigan held on November 17, 1934: The program features several photos of players, including a collage of the Michigan team including team MVP Gerald Ford: The top of the photo features Willis Ward, the African American end who was at the center of a fierce controversy that played out before the Georgia Tech game a few weeks earlier that season. For those not familiar, The Jackets made it known well before the game that they wouldn’t take the field in Ann Arbor if Ward played, spawning…
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eBay Watch: Billy Sauer’s Mask (2007)
Next up on eBay Watch, someone’s listing what they claim is the winged helmet and facemask belonging to former Michigan hockey goalie Billy Sauer: The seller says this mask was worn in the 2007 NCAA playoffs and Frozen Four, per the description: Game worn Billy Sauer University of Michigan helmet worn during the 2007 season including the NCAA Playoffs and Frozen Four. Itech mask with gorgeous Michigan paint job by Gilders(see all attached pictures). Helmet shows good usage with puck/stick marks on the top of the helmet and as well as on the chin area. Tough to argue on the authenticity here, and the seller points out a chip on the chin that appears to be on a photo of Sauer: According to a quick Googlestalk, Sauer is currently playing with the ECHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Looks like he’s struggled a bit early on but he did get his first professional win last week on Wednesday. Great to hear. The seller didn’t explain how he came to own the mask or why it was put on the block. It doesn’t appear to be tied to a University charity or fundraiser. The auction closed tonight, and no one bit on the $1,599.00 asking price, which seems way steep. Other cool stuff: A pin from the 1927 Illinois game at Champaign. Starting at…
