On the road with Rosso’s Pirates

One of the major changes that arrived for California junior college

football after World War II was widespread planning for

long-distance, nonconference gridiron contests. And, Orange Coast

College would be in the thick of it after opening its doors in 1948

under grid chief Ray Rosso.

Many games through the late 1940s and the ‘50s would be scheduled

by commercial planes, but tight budgets sometimes forced colleges to

charter bus transportation. The school staff also had to pack food

and make arrangements for some stopovers at distant hotels.

“We realized that financially we had to plan surface

transportation and avoid the cost of flying,” Rosso said, reminiscing

of one post-Thanksgiving week game in 1950. “As such, we further

agreed to use our own bus and proceed to plan accordingly.

“The plan was to supply our own food and feeding as well as

planned stops for workouts and overnights. It was like trying to move

a military unit.”

Rosso spoke of the Oregon Tech game set for Klamath Falls in

southern Oregon. The two schools had never played each other before.

John Owens, the OCC linemen coach, provided insight during the

trip.

“Owens, who had grown up in northern California, was the most

enthusiastic because he was going to plan an ongoing travel lecture

of all the history and highlights of the area,” said Rosso, now an

87-year-old who lives in Newport Beach.

With amusement, though Owens was a lively spokesman, Rosso

recalled that many of the players were more inclined to use that

lecture time for snoozing.

The trip created camaraderie among the players, Rosso said.

“All went well on our first segment up the Highway 99 valley

route,” the OCC coach said. “We worked out in sweats at a Fresno high

school field. Inasmuch as school was not in session, we showered,

dressed, had catered box lunches and all in all it was a great

start.”

Rosso came out of the Bay Area as a top Pacific Conference guard

at UC Berkeley in the late ‘30s. He reached familiar grounds during

the trip.

“We made our next stop north of the San Francisco area, and again

had school facilities to use and had a more serious workout because

our next stop was Oregon Tech,” he said. “We had pre-planned meals

and overnight accommodations as well.”

Rosso continued his story of the trip with a touch of humor.

“Our next leg was John Owens’ special oration on how the Chinese

were imported to build our rail system in the mountain areas and

again we could detect a lot of snoozing.”

Rosso said the team’s arrival at the Oregon Tech campus was

dampened with rain.

“However, we were well greeted and made comfortable, and, of

course, we were happy to be off the bus,” he said. “The home team

players and coaches were very friendly and it was unique to prepare

for a game with our attitude that was meant for playing the game for

fun.”

Rosso also said the trip and the game served as learning lessons

for his players.

“We had an enjoyable game,” Rosso said. “But we missed the

necessary intensity to go all out. This in itself was a lesson in

scheduling and playing the game for fun.”

It is fair to say that OCC was trailing by a narrow margin and at

the end of the mud-soaked field. But a frosh speedster from Yuma,

Ariz. streaked out of a spread formation and ran a fair distance for

the winning touchdown. His name was Howard Del Miller.

The game concluded with a special Thanksgiving dinner for both

teams.

“I must say that it left everyone quite comfortable with the

venture,” Rosso said. “I really can’t recall personal reactions, but

I do know that there is something to playing to win and yet enjoying

the game and opponents.

“All in all, intersectional competition is well worthwhile at the

season’s end,” he continued. “Naturally, if it means winning a

bowl-type game, it requires more intensity in all aspects of

preparing and playing. But this type of game made many on the team

closer together and made their relationships with each other and the

coaches more meaningful. And, it also gave us a start for the next

year!”

Rosso compared the OCC trip along with his own experience with

road games and realized the positive impact for everyone involved.

“Well, it was not as exciting as flying, but the guys will

remember it even better,” Rosso said. “On this point, I recall that

was true when I played and we had train trips to Oregon and

Washington. And, in the two or three days, we all profited from the

experience of being able to know each other and enjoying the

atmosphere that travel provides in preparing for competition.”