Poi Bowl

Poi Bowl (defunct)
StadiumHonolulu Stadium
LocationHonolulu, Hawaii
Operated1936–1939
Conference tie-insPacific Coast Conference
Succeeded byPineapple Bowl

The Poi Bowl was a college football bowl game played during the late 1930s in Honolulu, Hawaii, at Honolulu Stadium. The game featured the then-Hawaii Rainbows and, usually, an invited team from the Pacific Coast Conference.

History

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The game was contested in early January from 1936 to 1939. The bowl was named after poi, a traditional taro-based staple food in Polynesia, on suggestion from Vernon "Red" McQueen, sports editor of The Honolulu Advertiser.[1] In December 1938, the contest was renamed as the Pineapple Bowl at the request of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.[1]

The university invited teams from the Pacific Coast Conference to participate in the Poi Bowl every year except for 1937, when they played a local all-star team.[2] The game was normally contested on New Year's Day, except in 1939 when the holiday fell on a Sunday, and by mutual agreement of the teams in 1937 due to heavy rain.[3]

For the 1937 game, Hawaii's opponent was to be determined by a Christmas Day contest between Kamehameha alumni and the "Town Team".[4] However, when that game ended in a tie, an all-star roster of players from those two teams was selected.[5]

Game results

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The University of Hawaii went 1–3 in the Poi Bowl.[6]

Date Winner Loser Attendance Ref.
January 1, 1936 USC 38 Hawaii 6 18,000 [7]
January 2, 1937 Hawaii 18 Honolulu All-Stars 12 5,000 [8]
January 1, 1938 Washington 53 Hawaii 13 13,000 [9]
January 2, 1939 UCLA 32 Hawaii 7 18,000 [10]

While NCAA records indicate the January 1939 edition was staged as the Poi Bowl,[11] contemporary newspaper reports indicate it was held under the Pineapple Bowl name.[1][12]

The media guide of the now-Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football program does not include any Poi Bowl games in their bowl game history.[13] Results do appear in the NCAA's bowl game history, in the "Unsanctioned Or Other Bowls" section.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c McQueen, Red (December 20, 1938). "Hoomalimali (column)". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. 10. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "College Football Reference - Poi Bowl". Archived from the original on 2008-03-02. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
  3. ^ "University Will Battle Stars Today". The Honolulu Advertiser. January 2, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Warriors Repulse Repeated Threats by Maroon Eleven". The Honolulu Advertiser. December 26, 1936. p. 6. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Mitsukaso, Andrew (December 28, 1936). "Powerful Team to Oppose Rainbows on New Year's Day". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. 9. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Poi Bowl record". cfreference.net. Archived from the original on March 2, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
  7. ^ McQueen, Red (January 2, 1936). "Trojan Team Takes U.H. 38 to 6". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. 1. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ McQueen, Red (January 3, 1937). "Early Lead Enables Rainbow Squad to Emerge Triumphant". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. 8. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ McQueen, Red (January 2, 1938). "Huskies Prove Too Much for Rainbows; Surpass Fondest Fans' Expectations". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. 6. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ McQueen, Red (January 3, 1939). "UCLA Conquers UH In 32 To 7 Skirmish". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. 8. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b "Bowl/All Star Game Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. NCAA. 2022. p. 181. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  12. ^ "Pineapple Bowl Game Won by UCLA Eleven". The Evening News. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. January 3, 1939. p. 13. Retrieved December 24, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Hawaii Rainbow Warrior Media Guide" (PDF). hawaiiathletics.com. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. 2022. p. 114. Retrieved December 24, 2022.