By CHRIS WALTERSKIRCHEN
OOPS!!… We made a significant blooper in this space a few weeks ago and need to correct the error. There was a reigning FCS National Champion at Washington-Grizzly Stadium since the Griz reign ended in 2002. It was September 17, 2011 when the Griz hosted the Eastern Washington University Eagles. The Eagles had won the FCS title the previous January, but fell to the Griz 17-14 (the Crown proved a bit of a burden for EWU as they opened the 2011 season 0-3.)
As the Major League Baseball All-Star game approaches UM Grizzly football fans might have a reason to cheer for the National League. You see, both times the Griz have won FCS National titles the national pennant winner won the World Series and if the NL wins in Cincinnati they will have earned home field advantage in the Fall Classic. In 1995 the Atlanta Braves won their first and still only World Series title since moving from Milwaukee 50 years ago. In 2001The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Yankees in 7, a D-Backs team that featured some young talented who had played for the Ospreys in Missoula.
The question was raised with the four major pro golf titles split currently between Rory McElroy and Jordan Speith (2 apiece) has such a thing ever occurred before. In the spring and summer of 1972 the four major titles were held all between Lee Trevino and Jack Nicklaus. In 1972 both Trevino and Nicklaus were 32 years old as compared to McElroy–currently 26 and Speith, 21.
One of the joys of early season college football match-ups is the geographic and mascot match-ups. While most presidential candidates are heading to New Hampshire the University of New Hampshire wildcats will head west to open their season at San Jose State. In College Park Maryland the age old question “Turtle vs. Spider, who would win?” will be answered as the University of Richmond (Spiders) take on the Terrapins of the University of Maryland.
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Chris Walterskirchen has been an observer of Montana sports for nearly half a century. A Kalispell native, Chris has worked in various capacities for professional and college sports organization of at various times: ranging from announcing and statistical work to the concessions and even a stint as a costumed mascot.
Chris has academic degrees in communications and elementary education. His style of sports trivia involves more than just who won and who lost, but also focuses on the obscure or human side of sports. In this blog you will learn things like the Grizzly football team has won 210 games over the 19 seasons since they have had Monte as their mascot or that UNLV is the only school that both the Griz and Lady Griz have both faced in the NCAA basketball tournament
When not following sports Chris enjoys taking care of animals of all kinds (a peacock rescue?) and reading to pre-schoolers.