1962 UH Tangerine Bowl Reunions
  (50 year - 10/5 - 6, 2012)   (60 year - 9/24/2022)
Home PageOct-2012 Events1962 Season!Photos - 1962Current Photos

  Friday, October 5th
                 Reunion   Events Held

     The Reunion Dinner was held at the University of Houston Athletic/Alumni/Bill Yeoman
                  Fieldhouse - Complex located on campus at 3100 Cullen Blvd.

The Friday night dinner was preceded by a visit to the Cougar Hall of Honor — a collection so extensive, it surely warrants a second and third visit to see all the memorabilia.  

At the invitation of Head Coach Tony Levine, everyone toured the UH Alumni Athletic Center athletic facilities — with that mind-boggling weight room — and a viewing of the current Cougars indoor walk-through practice prior to the North Texas game.

Memorabilia on display (brought in by lettermen) shared the spotlight with Coaches Bill Yeoman and Melvin Brown at the dinner. Memories flowed freely in the beautiful Alumni Athletic Center hall.  

Coach Yeoman started his illustrious UH career with this historic bowl championship season, bringing the Cougars from a bleak period into the beginning of a career that eventually changed the face of college football.

With Coach Yeoman headlining the dinner program, a lively agenda was presented by Master of Ceremonies Bo Smith (a 1961 UH athletic trainer and, eventually, UH Board of Regents President). Memories mixed with future plans as the group was entertained and informed by UH Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades, Head Coach Tony Levine and '62 Tangerine Bowl Committee Co-Chairmen Horst Paul, Bobby Brezina and Paul Reinhardt.

Taking home special door prizes at the dinner were Buddy Dacus who came the farthest to attend from Williamsburg, Virginia, and Rocky Hernandez and John McGee whose birthdays coincided with the bowl date: December 22. 

Also recognized were Reunion Committee members Clem Beard, Bernie Brezina, Don Caballero, Jack Matejka, Mike Spratt, Thad (Bo) Smith and Josanna Brattis Smith, Billy Smith and Brenda Beust Smith. Clem Beard, who is now an actor, brought with him a film crew from Austin to record not only the evening's highlights but interviews with numerous personnel. Jill Smith, wife of Dan Smith, manned the sign-in table and "Black Fin" provided the much-praised catering. 

   For Questions - contact one of your Reunion Committee members ( see end of web page )

       The Reunion Golf Outing was held at Golfcrest Country Club in Pearland, Texas, 
                        ( www.golfcrestcountryclub.com ) ( 281-485-4323 )

     Taking top honors at the 50th Year Reunion Scramble Golf Tournament at Golfcrest Country Club in Pearland
     were Bob Brezina, Gus Brezina, Steve Benson and Rob Brezina. 

     Second Place went to Pete Nikirk Trey Brezina, Preasley Cooper and Les Hewitt, and Third Place to Charlie
     Berry, Richard Berry and Steven Santini. Closest to the hole winners were Pete Nikirk, Steven Santini, Lynn
     Houston and Les Hewitt. Long drive winner was Bob Brezina. 

          Questions - contact Bobby Brezina ( rbrezina@sbcglobal.net ) (713- 253-3380 )
                Saturday, October 6th 

           Pregame Tailgate Activities and UH vs.North Texas Football Game

Before gathering at the North Texas games for their special on-field recognition, the '62 Tangerine Bowl honorees, 135 strong, were feted by a special tailgate party in the H Association pavilion courtesy of the 
                             'H' Association  -   (www.uhletterwinners.com ) 

"When we were walking on the field to get recognized, did I see some of the guys get that anxious feeling similar to what overcame us when we were ready to step on the field with an opponent back in 1962?"  

Was Horst right? And, when we were touring the Athletic Facilities and watching today's Cougars do their walk-through, how many of us were flashing back to our old practice field on Wheeler, with its somewhat "pungent" aroma from the cattle rendering plant across Calhoun?

For the first time in 50 years, we were about to step foot back on a University of Houston football field — 35 lettermen, 16 freshmen and 3 equipment managers and trainers. In the crowd were Byron Beaver, Frank Brewer, Bobby Brezina, Gus Brezina, Gerald Dean, Richard Elliott, Rocky Hernandez, Demaree Jones, Ed Korenek, Wally Ludtke, John Magee, Jack Matejka, Bill McMillan, Sandro Minatrea, Pete Nikirk, Norman Oates, Wilbert Patterson, Horst Paul, Paul Reinhardt, Jack Skog, Billy Smith, Don Vlasek and Ron Yokubaitis and Clem Beard.  

They were joined by then-freshmen Bernard Brezina, Don Caballero, Preasley Cooper, Calvin Enderli, Cotton Guerrant, George Hamilton, Ronnie Powledge, Mike Spratt, Ray Dudley, Pete Hermann, Anson Jones, and Tim Wright, Durrel Roddy and Danny Smith.

Rounding out our returnees were equipment managers Charlie and Richard Berry, Trainer Joe Kohlmaier, cheerleaders Taffy Lamping Hewett, Buddy Dacus and Ray Massey, Cougar Mascot Steve Benson and '62 Cougar Editor Mike Weingart. 1963 Cheerleader Josanna Smith helped with cheers from the stands.

The evening was completed with a victory by the current Cougar Team over North Texas; 44 to 21.

       Questions - contact one of our Reunion Committee members. ( see end of web page )
    Reunion Committee Members / Volunteers

                              Co-Chairmen - 1962 Tangerine Bowl Reunion Committee
                        .  Bobby Brezina - rbrezina@sbcglobal.net / ( 713-253-3380 )    
                        .  Paul Reinhardt - uofhpaul@sbcglobal.net / ( 281-796-6962 )
                        .  Horst Paul - horst.paul36@gmail.com / (832-724-8657 )      

  Committee Volunteers - 
      .  Brenda and Billy Smith - bbsmith@sbcglobal.net  .  Josanna Brattis Smith - wwwunited@aol.com 
      .  Clem Beard - cbeard5211@aol.com                 .  Jack Matejka - jmatgmat@aol.com
      .  Mike Spratt - mlspratt@aol.com                    .  Don Caballero - lizanddon@msn.com
                          .  Bernie Brezina - berniebrezina@brezinaclaims.com  
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Home PageOct-2012 Events1962 Season!Photos - 1962Current Photos