BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 62 Days Until Kickoff, and a Look at an Oddity in the '62 Cat-Griz Game
6/30/2019 3:00:00 PM | Football
Bucky May was part of history in the 1962 Cat-Griz game
June 30: In addition to a quick look at players wearing the jersey number corresponding to the number of days remaining until Montana State's season opener at Texas Tech on August 31, Bobcats by the Numbers brings you another tidbit or two aligning with that number.
#62
Vacant: This jersey number is presently vacant at MSU.
(19)62 – The season that produced offensive and defensive touchdowns by players on each side of the Cat-Griz game.
The late Bucky May is a beloved figure in Whitefish, a long-time owner of the Bulldog Bar and a legendary local character. He was a central figure for in the Decrepit Bobcat reunions that took place in the Flathead area, and, of course, was a fine player for the Cats. He has ties to latter-day Montana State football team, as his grandson Luke is a Bobcat safety. But in 1962 May was involved in an incredible Cat-Griz oddity, the first rivalry game in which players from each squad scored an offensive and defensive touchdown in a single game. Early on May gave the Cats a 13-0 lead on a one-yard touchdown run, but Montana's Terry Dillon answered with his own plunge from the one to put the Grizzlies on the board. Late in the first half, May gave the Bobcats a lead they would carry into halftime with a pick-six. The homestanding Grizzlies outscored Montana State 22-0 in the second half, with the scoring capped by Dillon's 17-yard interception return. The previous player to score touchdowns offensively and defensively was UM's spectacular Wild Bill Kelly in 1925. Montana State's Gus Wylie also scored on an interception in that 1925 game, providing the Bobcats their only score. Like Kelly, Dillon is considered an all-time Grizzly great, although he tragically lost his life in a construction accident in 1964, months after a successful rookie season with the Minnesota Vikings.
Chronology: Bob Grine (1956), Bob Hyatt (1957), John Munk (1958), Jim Berg (1959-61), Milt Horton (1963), Clark Smith (1964-66), Gene Weyer (1967), Bob Beeker (1968), Leon Preston (1969-70, Wayne Norton 1971), Lonny Sanders (1974), Dan Ueland (1973, '75-77), Don Samuelson (1978-80), Don Leake (1981-82), Doug Richards (1983-84), Mike Vasquez (1985), Rob Fulton (1986-88), Joe Gradney (1989-92), Mike Nye (1993-95), Aaron Wilkins (1996), Brent Ludwig (1997-99), Nic Stevenson (2000-02), Troy Watson (2004), Neil Boyce (2005-07), Ben Tauanuu (2008-11), Brad Mathis (2012-13), Mitch Brott (2015), Kyle Murack (2016), Logan McDonald (2017-18)
More #62 Notes: The Bobcats have had good luck moving tight ends a couple of steps inward over the years, and two terrific end-turned-tackle stories landed at #62 consecutively. Aaron Wilkins volunteered to move to tackle in 1996 and started all 11 games. A season later Brent Ludwig moved to tackle from tight end, where he'd played at a true freshman, and became a terrific player. He would eventually become an All-Big Sky center.
#62
Vacant: This jersey number is presently vacant at MSU.
(19)62 – The season that produced offensive and defensive touchdowns by players on each side of the Cat-Griz game.
The late Bucky May is a beloved figure in Whitefish, a long-time owner of the Bulldog Bar and a legendary local character. He was a central figure for in the Decrepit Bobcat reunions that took place in the Flathead area, and, of course, was a fine player for the Cats. He has ties to latter-day Montana State football team, as his grandson Luke is a Bobcat safety. But in 1962 May was involved in an incredible Cat-Griz oddity, the first rivalry game in which players from each squad scored an offensive and defensive touchdown in a single game. Early on May gave the Cats a 13-0 lead on a one-yard touchdown run, but Montana's Terry Dillon answered with his own plunge from the one to put the Grizzlies on the board. Late in the first half, May gave the Bobcats a lead they would carry into halftime with a pick-six. The homestanding Grizzlies outscored Montana State 22-0 in the second half, with the scoring capped by Dillon's 17-yard interception return. The previous player to score touchdowns offensively and defensively was UM's spectacular Wild Bill Kelly in 1925. Montana State's Gus Wylie also scored on an interception in that 1925 game, providing the Bobcats their only score. Like Kelly, Dillon is considered an all-time Grizzly great, although he tragically lost his life in a construction accident in 1964, months after a successful rookie season with the Minnesota Vikings.
Chronology: Bob Grine (1956), Bob Hyatt (1957), John Munk (1958), Jim Berg (1959-61), Milt Horton (1963), Clark Smith (1964-66), Gene Weyer (1967), Bob Beeker (1968), Leon Preston (1969-70, Wayne Norton 1971), Lonny Sanders (1974), Dan Ueland (1973, '75-77), Don Samuelson (1978-80), Don Leake (1981-82), Doug Richards (1983-84), Mike Vasquez (1985), Rob Fulton (1986-88), Joe Gradney (1989-92), Mike Nye (1993-95), Aaron Wilkins (1996), Brent Ludwig (1997-99), Nic Stevenson (2000-02), Troy Watson (2004), Neil Boyce (2005-07), Ben Tauanuu (2008-11), Brad Mathis (2012-13), Mitch Brott (2015), Kyle Murack (2016), Logan McDonald (2017-18)
More #62 Notes: The Bobcats have had good luck moving tight ends a couple of steps inward over the years, and two terrific end-turned-tackle stories landed at #62 consecutively. Aaron Wilkins volunteered to move to tackle in 1996 and started all 11 games. A season later Brent Ludwig moved to tackle from tight end, where he'd played at a true freshman, and became a terrific player. He would eventually become an All-Big Sky center.
Players Mentioned
OT
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