California Golden Bears – No. 11 | |
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Position | Center |
Personal information | |
Born: | Oakland, California, U.S. | April 4, 1908
Died: | March 26, 1993 Woodland, California, U.S. | (aged 84)
Weight | 165 lb (75 kg) |
Career history | |
College | California (1927–1929) |
Bowl games | |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Roy "Wrong Way" Riegels (April 4, 1908 – March 26, 1993) played for the University of California, Berkeley football team from 1927 to 1929. His wrong-way run in the 1929 Rose Bowl is often cited as the worst blunder in the history of college football.[1][2] That one play overshadowed Riegels' football talents, since he earned first team All-America honors and served as team captain for the Bears in 1929. Riegels' notability has been shared by motivational speakers who use his life as an example of overcoming setbacks.