America's First Flight of Football Team
UNM's 1921 Lobos Football Team with Tom Popejoy and team mascot, "Wolf."
Thirteen members of the Lobo squad of the University of New Mexico took off on October 10, 1929, in two Transcontinental Air Transport planes for Los Angeles, where they played Occidental College football in the Rose Bowl. This trip made them the first football team in the country to fly from its home gridiron to the opponent’s territory. Eleven of the players left Albuquerque in a special plane and five other players left in the regular west bound T. A. T. plane. The two planes took off from Albuquerque at 10:10 a.m. mountain time and arrived at Glendale airport in Los Angeles at 4:45 p.m. Pacific Time.[1] The team was accompanied by Assistant Coach Harry W. Bliss, Graduate Manager Tom L. Popejoy, and Student Manager Charles Hickman. Coach Roy W. Johnson with thirteen players went by train."[2]
”It’s good traveling,” said one of the players on the special plane “A-7” when he had his feet on the firm earth. Three others did not feel so optimistic. They were suffering from 'air-sickness.'
After the game, those that flew to California took the train back to Albuquerque, and the others made the return trip by air."[3]
[1] “Lobo Football Team Going to Game by Plane,” Roswell Daily Record, October 9, 1929.
[2] “New Mexico Team Goes Through by Plane to Coast,” Winslow Daily Mail, October 10, 1929.
[3] Ibid.
”It’s good traveling,” said one of the players on the special plane “A-7” when he had his feet on the firm earth. Three others did not feel so optimistic. They were suffering from 'air-sickness.'
After the game, those that flew to California took the train back to Albuquerque, and the others made the return trip by air."[3]
[1] “Lobo Football Team Going to Game by Plane,” Roswell Daily Record, October 9, 1929.
[2] “New Mexico Team Goes Through by Plane to Coast,” Winslow Daily Mail, October 10, 1929.
[3] Ibid.