Portal:1980 Spring Men/Intro

Lost in the very first National Collegiate Championships in a match to Cal Berkeley, 9-15, compliments of their great kicker, whom we are told, went on to kick for the Atlanta Falcons football team. (see below for details). Matches were held in Davenport Iowa on 17 and 18 May 1980 - the first ever collegiate rugby “final four”. (and the last time the team hitch hiked back from a major tournament)

From Jim Russell, a Denver based referee: (quote) What I heard at the time, which was NOT later denied by Al Osur, was that the Academy did not give the AFA RFC much support, and there was almost no money for the club to get to Davenport. So Capt./Coach Al used the little money available to rent one car in which to haul the gear and kit, and somebody had to drive it, so who better than Al? Meanwhile he told the cadets to hitchhike both ways, and they did, with no ill effects. I also heard that when this hitchhiking stunt came to the notice of the commandant or some general or somebody important, there was hell to pay, which Capt./Coach Al used to the Club’s advantage by saying something like, “Well, if you’d give us more support, like more money or a bus, we wouldn’t have to do something like that.” Which is what happened thereafter. Or so I was told. (unquote)