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The Sun Bowl was first played on January 1, 1935, as a fund-raising
event for a local service club, to benefit underprivileged children and
to finance improvements to the El Paso High School Stadium. It has
grown into El Paso's number one national attraction and is second only
to the Rose Bowl in longevity.
On October 18, 1934, at a meeting of the
El Paso Kiwanis Club, Dr. Brice Schuller suggested that the club
sponsor a football game on New Year's Day, matching an El Paso High
School All-Star Team against a worthy opponent. The motion was passed
unanimously. It was decided to ask for public suggestions as to the
name of this annual game, and the name "Sun Bowl" was submitted by Dr.
C. M. Hendricks, who became the first Sun Bowl Association president.
The following year, a week-long schedule of events was added to the Sun
Bowl festivities, and four other local service clubs (Rotary, Lions,
Optimist and Active 20-30) joined the Kiwanis in coordinating the
entire "Sun Carnival" calendar. In 1936, New Mexico State and
Hardin-Simmons were invited to play, and the Sun Bowl has been a
college game ever since.
Over the years, many great collegiate stars who went on to illustrious
football careers in both the college and professional ranks have
participated in the Sun Bowl. Some of these athletes include Ara
Parseghian, Merlin Olsen, Tony Dorsett, Barry Sanders, Billy Stevens,
Charlie Johnson and Jesse Whittenton. Another famous Sun Bowl
participant was Burt Reynolds, who was a member of the 1955 Florida
State team.
Today, events held in conjunction with the Sun Bowl include the Western
Refining College All-America Golf Classic, the FirstLight Federal
Credit Union Sun Bowl Parade and the State Farm Sun Bowl Basketball
Tournament. During the early years of the Sun Bowl, it was a tradition
to match the Border Conference champion against the best available
opponent. Today the Sun Bowl matches teams from the tradition-rich Big
Ten and Pac-10 Conferences.
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