A Mighty Roar Shook the Coliseum

Like Milk turning to cream, The Trojan recruits from the 1935 Hobbs Adams had whipped the Frosh team into the best curds-and-way money could buy. Howard Jones inherited the best band of football players money could buy for the 1936 season
   So good in fact, these new kids on the block knocked most of the seniors to the spartan team or bench. The Golden Boy from San Diego  became their king as these sophomores gave Jones another team to compete with the first string. And so the Second Trojan Dynasty began their four years term of marvelous play.
    With his broken foot and sprained ankle healed, The San Diego Golden Boy, Ambrose Parks Schindler, could live up to his billing as the greatest football player to come out of San Diego. His first game against an Oregon team made the Coliseum crowed a bit noisier that Saturday at the Coliseum.
   The crowd rushed through the turnstiles after finding a place to park their cars off of Exposition Before these fans climbed the tall stairs to find their seats, they took care of their hunger with a trip to the concessions outside the round stadium.
    They entertained their stomachs with peanuts, cracker jacks, hot doggies with mustard and onions, and of course suds to wash it down. Their appetites filled, they read their programs to find the names of these recruits for the Jones team of upstarts. These sophomores reminded the alumni of other great players from earlier U.S.C. Trojan dynasties. 
     Just above tunnel eight, Harry waved to a coke vendor. My Dad  had left his plumbing store on  on Central Avenue to witness his favorite team, the Trojans. His one dollar ticket was the best buy in the land. He waved to the coke vendor. Schindler had been given a great write up by the local papers and my Dad felt curious to find out if the stories were true.
     'Sir, can you pass me down two cokes...Thanks." My Dad Harry would become a Schindler idol that day in September while he removed some relish from his face. The pangs from the depression yeas melted away with the excitement on the Gridiron.
     With relish, the Trojans would feast on the two Oregon teams the beginning of the season. And what is a season without rally girls, the Trojan band, and the pregame warm ups. Thee Trojans wore crimson and gold as they ran through tunnel 46 and took up their seats.
    On the 36 team, their center and captain Gil Kuhn played for sixty minutes and became the glue for the 1936 team. So good, the rugby player was drafted second that year by the professional football league. but that day belonged to the long legged nicknamed "Spider" from San Diego. Schindler's long legs were too long for his body but helped his toes leap frog over tacklers. He looked six feet tall but actually was a shade over five feet eight.
    "A mighty roar shook the Coliseum as the sophomores came to bat. They boys trotted out with vim and vigor and vitality and wasted no time in striking. Quick as a flash, Schindler hit right tackle, tore it apart and made eight yards. Again he hit the same spot, and eight more yards."
    This yarn stolen from Casey at the Bat, Sid Ziff used for his column in the Herald and Examiner for his football edition of the Oregon game. His description proved prophetic for these new kids on the block. On that summer day when autumn leaves turn yellow and fall, and new buds later replace the old, The Second Trojan Dynasty began with the San Diego Golden Boy, Ambrose Parks Schindler at the helm at Quarterback.
   Oh yes, on the drive he did score a touchdown, but a Trojan was caught offside so it was called back. A chronic charley horse kept him out of this game and the next until his leg healed and he played a great game against the Indians of Stanford up north.

 Schindler turned 99 years of age on the 21st of April, not too bad for one who had banged his way into Trojan Lore. It has been my pleasure to write his story and about his teammates.  He probably will out live me but not before his story is published.  .