Two 1931 Rose Bowl Players To Return

Joe Hansen will go to Pasadena for the first time in 67 years.

This time, he won’t be playing football. The former Washington State Cougar will be in the stands, rooting for his team.

Washington State University has offered free Rose Bowl tickets to the seven living players from the 1930 football team. That was the last Cougar team to play in the Rose Bowl.

Two players said they’ll pick up the ball and run with it - Hansen, of Portland, and Myron “Mike” Davis, who lives 15 minutes from Pasadena, Calif.

“I wasn’t going to go, but my daughter forced me into it kind of,” Hansen said. “I kind of hate to impose on anybody.”

The university gave each player a ticket. Tickets will be available for relatives to buy, said Rod Commons, WSU sports information director.

Davis and Hansen will get to meet this year’s team, go to practice and maybe get their pictures taken in front of the stadium, Commons said. The former players also might be honored during the 1998 bowl, he said.

That game will be a tough one for Hansen, who for years hasn’t watched or listened to the Cougars play ball.

“I get uptight,” Hansen said. “It bothers me. They don’t always win, and I’m a poor loser. But I’ll watch the Rose Bowl, after 67 years.”

, DataTimes