It was 89th meeting between Cal and Stanford NCAA football teams. It was to be Cal head coach Joe Kapp’s last game as head coach. The Bears came into the game at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley with a 1-9 record and were a 21 point underdogs to the Stanford Cardinal. The Golden Bears of Cal Berkeley played inspired football for their soon to be former head coach and beat the Cardinal 17-11. At games end the beloved coach was carried off the field. It wasn’t the first time Joe Kapp’s Cal Bears had unexpectedly beaten Stanford in the Big Game. Four years before (1982) the Bears of California beat the Stanford Cardinal with 5 lateral passes to end the game with a 25 to 20 victory in what is widely excepted as the greatest play ever in college football. It has come to be simply known as “The Play”. Cal and Stanford meet tomorrow to renew their rivalry for the 112th time. On the line this time is a possible trip to the Rose Bowl for the Cardinals. The Bears have won 6 of the last 7 meetings between the two teams.

November 22, 2009 Update – Cal beat Stanford in 2009 Big Game 34 to 28. The win moved the Golden Bears back into both the Associated Press and BCS polls in 22nd place. Cal junior linebacker Mike Mohamed was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for his performance in the Big Game. It’s the 3rd time in his career that he’s had this honor.

December 5th, 2009 Update: Two weeks ago golfer Tiger Woods was the honorary captain for Stanford in the Big Game against Cal, after a really bizarre car accident and disclosures about Tiger’s personal life, he is now hiding in his Florida home. How the mighty have fallen.

August 23, 2010 Update: Nine months later, and after a whole lot of disclosures about Tiger’s private life, it is announced that Tigers Woods and Elin Nordegren have officially finalized their divorce.