San Francisco Chronicle: Still a Cal leader, a half century later

By Ron Kroichick

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Twenty-six years after his players weaved through the Stanford band and 22 years after his alma mater fired him for not winning enough games as head coach, Joe Kapp insisted he still hasn't allowed himself any tequila. Kapp's eyes twinkled as he spoke.  "I'm thinking about asking for a papal dispensation," he said, his voice rising. "Does it count if I go on the other side of the border and have tequila? On the other hand, when are we going to the Rose Bowl?!"  During his unsuccessful run as Cal's coach (1982-86), Kapp promised to sacrifice his drink of choice until the Bears won the Rose Bowl. He didn't imagine the vow would remain relevant on the brink of New Year's Day 2009, a half-century since Kapp, an All-America quarterback, guided Cal to the Pacific Coast Conference championship.  Even 50 years later, Kapp's old teammates described his leadership in reverential tones. Fullback Bill Patton remembered Kapp gathering the Bears before the third game of the 1958 season, against Washington State, and loudly declaring, "Anybody who doesn't think we're going to win, get ... off the field!"

Nobody left - and, yes, Cal won decisively. Tom Bates, then Cal's tight end and now mayor of Berkeley, recalled the Bears' late-season game against Washington. The score was tied in the second half, with rain falling on a cold, bleak day in Seattle. Kapp approached the line of scrimmage during a timeout and started screaming at the Huskies' defensive players, essentially telling them the Bears would kick their tails during the game and afterward, too.  Kapp then returned to the huddle and warned his teammates he had just picked a fight, so they better be ready.  "He did it to motivate us," Bates said, chuckling at the memory. "We were all cold and tired, really exhausted. Suddenly, we had to fight for our lives thanks to Joe." (Cal won 12-7).  Beyond that one episode, Bates said of Kapp, "Joe was the difference. He was a phenomenal leader - I've never come across anyone like Joe in my 30 years of public service. He would not accept anything but a victory."