Cotton and the President

04-06-2006

By Tom Shanahan, San Diego Hall of Champions

The college football season was 1934, and San Diego High alumnus Irvine "Cotton" Warburton was a returning All-American running back for USC with a national following.

Warburton’s star was so bright he might have won the Heisman Trophy in his career, but his consensus All-American season in 1933 – he was picked on all 10 recognized teams -- pre-dated the inception of the award in 1935.

Following Warburton’s 1934 senior year, he played in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 1, 1935 in San Francisco. A photo was published of Warburton running the ball and the photo later became a football card issued in 1935.

Warburton’s card – titled “Cotton Goes Places” -- was included in the National Chicle Football Stars set that was offered by Chicle chewing gum. Football fans could redeem 20 wrappers for the cards.

Warburton would add to his fame when he won an Oscar for movie editing for the 1965 film “Mary Poppins.” But years later another football player could be recognized among those tackling Warburton. The man in the background went on to broader fame and a place in history.

Future President Gerald Ford, then an All-American lineman at Michigan, is clearly in the background of the photo. He is easy to identify because there were no facemasks in those days of leather helmets. After the all-star game, Ford turned down professional football contract offers and attended Yale Law School.

Mike Moran, a Connecticut resident, identified Ford in the card and his discovery was featured in the “Beckett Sports Vintage Magazine” issue of May, 2003. University of Michigan historical library personnel agreed the photo is of Ford.

When Moran came across a story that was written for voiceofsandiego.org and the San Diego Hall of Champions' website about Warburton and USC Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush from suburban San Diego's Helix High, Moran forwarded a copy of the Warburton-Ford story to the Hall of Champions.

The magazine page, signed by Ford for Moran, with the photo is posted here on the SDHOC website. Take a closer look at the picture and the face in the middle behind Warburton.

Read more about Cotton Warburton

Contact Tom Shanahan at 619-699-2334 or toms@sdhoc.com.