UGA legend remembers 1943 Rose Bowl game

ATHENS, Ga. - Charley Trippi was a sophomore on the University of Georgia team that went to the Rose Bowl in 1943. Trippi was the star of the 9-0 UGA win over UCLA and was named the game's most valuable player. Cody Chaffins sat with the now 96-year-old who can still remember the long train trip to California.

"The hardest part of the whole trip was the train ride really," says Trippi. "It was kind of stale because we were not able to do much being on a train. We just couldn't wait to get to our destination."

Trippi says the southern California weather was perfect. "The weather was probably in the 70's. It was ideal to work out there and to play a football game in California," says Trippi.

One of the highlights of the Bulldogs trip was a visit to the Paramount Pictures movie studio. "That was quite an event because you hear about a lot of those people and see them on the screen and then here you are right there with them. We got to meet a lot of movie stars and we ate out there in Hollywood," recalls Trippi.

The Bulldogs were led by legendary coach Wally Butts. "When you play for Coach Butts, you do it one way, his way," says Trippi.

When it comes to the Rose Bowl game, Trippi remembers there being a number of UGA fans from across the country who made their way to Pasadena.

"It was a well-played game. It was the type of game where one team overwhelmed the other team. Of course, we won. That was the main thing. We went out there to win the football game. And we did," says Trippi.

UGA did win. Frank Sinkwich scored a touchdown and the Dawgs added a safety to beat UCLA 9-0. The Bulldogs were named National Champions that year.

Trippi will not be making the trip to Pasadena this year, but says he will be watching and cheering for the Bulldogs on New Year's Day.