Kentucky Wildcat fans may still be celebrating this fateful match up against the Oklahoma Sooners, when Southeastern Conference winners (10-1) Kentucky upset favorite Big 7 champ Oklahoma (10-0) during this January 1, 1951 contest at Tulane Stadium.  Oklahoma was coached by famous coach and sports broadcaster Bud WIlkinson, while Kentucky was coached by legend Paul Bear Bryant later to achieve his greatest fame as legendary coach of Alabama’s Crimson Tide.

This remarkable Elgin Deluxe square case, water proof design model celebrates this event on it’s face as well as it’s caseback. A very unusual large for the era square design, that takes a flange crystal, and has a very unusual screw back plate set into the case back.

We surmise that the current watch was given to players and coaching staff of both of these power house teams. This example was presented to Blythe Carney, who is listed as quarter back on the 1951 team roster, but who is designated as “End” on the case back engraving. The exceptionally well preserved original light brown dial reads; SUGAR BOWL 1951 in silver printing, with wide silver leaf style hands. The case back is engraved B. Carney, End, Oklahoma vs Kentucky.

Powered by a 17 jewel manual wind movement, recently serviced and guaranteed. The first time we have seen such a case configuration, a square water proof style model would usually be fitted with case back screws or a thick compression gasket, but here we see an internal screw down disk.

An horological treasure and great piece of Sugar Bowl and Oklahoma Sooner history!