No. 22 Stanford, Cal meet 30 years after The Play

By Antonio Gonzalez

Associated Press

Published: Friday, Oct. 19 2012 1:40 p.m. MDT

FILE - In this Nov. 20, 1982, file photo, California's Kevin Moen (26) leaps with the ball in the air after scoring their winning touchdown while the Stanford band runs to get out of his way during an NCAA college football game in Berkeley, Calif. Thirty years since those laterals lifted the long running rivalry into national stardom, the 115th Big Game at remodeled Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, will be a chance for the next generation of players to make their own memories.

The Tribune, Robert Stinnett, File) MANDATORY CREDIT, Associated Press

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Summary

California tight end Richard Rodgers never heard of "The Play" for most of his childhood, even though he was raised by one of its masterminds.

BERKELEY, Calif. — California tight end Richard Rodgers never heard of "The Play" for most of his childhood, even though he was raised by one of its masterminds.

Growing up in Massachusetts, he had watched replays of the five increasingly improbable laterals that led to the winning touchdown on the last-second kickoff return into a band-blocked end zone, with Cal's Kevin Moen flattening a Stanford trombone player to punctuate one of the most iconic moments in college football history.

Not until about fifth grade did Rodgers realize his father tossed two of them.

Thirty years since those laterals lifted the long running rivalry into the national spotlight, the 115th Big Game at remodeled Memorial Stadium on Saturday will be a chance for the next generation of players to make their own memories.

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