Big Sky Blog

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Griz to the core, but I take my hat off and shall always be mindful of sacrifices my Bobcat colleagues have made for us all. Here’s another reason why I love Montana….

The Ultimate Sacrifice:

The 1946 MSU Football team was special for more than its accomplishments, however. When it reassembled following World War II, its special mission was to carry the Bobcat banner after 11 members of Montana State’s previous team, the 1941 squad, were killed during World War II. The only pre-war regular to play in the Harbor Bowl was Bill Zupan, whose brother Al was among those ‘Cat gridders making the ultimate sacrifice. Others were Orin Beller, Newell Berg, Dana Bradford, John Burke, Bernard Cluzen, William Coey, Karl Fye, John Hall, Joseph McGeever, John Phelan, Richard Roman, Wendell Scabad and Alton Zempel, according to the outstanding centennial history of MSU, “In the People’s Interest”.

May they rest in peace.