Portal:1971 Spring Men/Memorable Events

Per Tony Mason (later, Air Vice Marshall Mason) "Memories - the elation (and guilty loyalties on beating the team I had coached three years previously) and then disappointment at losing in the last minute to Sandhurst . But, as I dimly recall we won both parties despite being depleted by the mysterious absence from the Cranwell bar of some nameless members who were snared by young ladies from the local Teacher Training College, thoughtfully invited by our Cranwell hosts."

Per Jim Russell: After one Coors Cup Final won by AFA, maybe Fall 1991 (was this spring I think), all the ruggers retired to a Capitol Hill, Denver dive bar called the Diamond, at 13th and Pearl, a very nasty part of town then; it was sometimes called the Red pool room, with perhaps half a dozen native Indians at or near the table (s?) We were very noisy and had possibly consumed a few beers on the touchline. I don’t remember what started it but very quickly the locals had reversed their cues and a major scuffle was about to erupt, with the locals objecting to their space being invaded and some of the ruggers declining to be intimidated. It was a very ugly situation and deteriorating rapidly. I was coincidentally in the middle of the group en route to the bar and, because I was driving our USAFA people carrier, had at most a couple of beers. Anyway, I had immediate visions of a downtown brawl involving the rugby club and while not doubting the capacity of the team(s?) to more than look after themselves, the potential implications back at USAFA were horrendous. We have to remember that the ruggers had already developed a healthy reputation for enjoying our fraternal post match celebrations in a manner not usually seen at USAFA sporting occasions and not necessarily stimulating whole hearted support in the Academy hierarchy. In addition I probably had more than fleeting concerns about my own future after such a fracas.

For some reason, and it certainly wasn’t heroism, I stepped forward to confront the lead cue/club wielder who was probably the same age roughly as the cadets. I have no recollection what I said- I would like to think it had the eloquence and imagination quoted by Gary but I do recall holding both hands up, palms outward, in a gesture of reconciliation and deliberately speaking slowly and distinctly in my best Brit accent. And I visibly had the enormous advantage of surprise: they had obviously never heard a Brit before and 20 years older was just enough to get their attention. I apologised for our noisy intrusion into their space and suggested they accept a couple of beers from us. It all calmed down as quickly as it started but that is the way legends begin..

I remember the UK trip and we did win both the after parties. The night before our departure after beating Cranwell we had a great formal dinner We tied our cloth napkins together under the table and then tied the end to the head table and.commenced to pull in unison the head table away from its rather snooty occupants. After dinner we had a great time and showed our host just how carrier landings are done on beer soaked tables. Songs were sung and rugger dances done. I woke up the next morning with a RAF mess dress jacket and a very nice set of RAF wings. I still have those wings today. Memorable trip. (T. Grayson)

Top Try scorer - Miller (8)

Top Penalty Kicks - Olin (8)

Top Conversions - Grayson (9)

Five players selected to take part in Colorado North South game: MacDougall, Edris, Stanberry and Yaniglos for South; Priddy for North