Photo Credit: Seattle Times

AIRPORT FAREWELL: Members of the University of Washington football squad were given a rousing send-off at Seattle-Tacoma Airport as the Rose Bowl-bound team and coaches departed for California at noon today (December 18, 1959). The blue-jacketed team members, wearing flowered leis, can be seen in the crowd near the speakers' platform as each football player was escorted by a Seafair Commodore (wearing white caps) to the platform where he was introduced to the cheering crowd.

A four-engine plane — with "Husky Rose Bowl Special" painted on its side — roared off at noon today from the Seattle - Tacoma Airport, carrying the University of Washington Huskies south for their New Year's Day Rose Bowl game with Wisconsin.

The Huskies departed to the cheers and good wishes of an enthusiastic crowd of 600 of their supporters.

Huskies Introduced

Led by a sheriff's escort, two busloads of players and coaches arrived at the airport about half an hour before departure. They were met by band music and the confetti-tossing crowd.

The Seafair Commodores, who sponsored the send-off celebration, escorted Coach Jim Owens' Huskies to a platform where they were introduced and then taken to the chartered United Airlines DC-7.

Jack Gordon, representing Greater Seattle, Inc., was master of ceremonies. Mayor Gordon S. Clinton and George Kachlein, president of Greater Seattle, made stirring speeches to the departing team.

Roses Replace Wreaths

"We've got the team, we've got the spirit and we're going to win the Rose Bowl game!" the master of ceremonies told the cheering crowd.

As the uniformed Commodores led the blue-jacketed Huskies past a Marine Corps color guard, flowered leis were placed around the players necks.

Aboard the 58-passenger plane, the traditional Christmas wreaths had been replaced by fresh roses, in keeping with the Rose Bowl decor. The Hawaiian leis were not the only incongruous note at the farewell ceremony. Many of the pompons that were distributed to the crowd were black and orange—apparently left over from Halloween—instead of the university's purple and gold.