Since 1937, the stadium that bears the name "Cotton Bowl" will cease to host the annual grid iron classic by the same name, a moving moment for the thousands who have made or experienced memories in this cornerstone football arena.

"It's definitely bittersweet," says Cotton Bowl Classic President Rick Baker, who will be attending his 21st Cotton Bowl Classic when Texas Tech entertains Ole Miss in the last Cotton Bowl game to be played in the Fairgrounds stadium in Dallas on Jan. 2. "It's going to be very nostalgic to look around and know this will be the last Cotton Bowl game in the namesake stadium. As much as you wish for something that we need in order to be competitive, you can't help but stop and reflect on something that's been a big part of your life."

Next year the Cotton Bowl Classic moves to their new digs - the new multimillion dollar arena of Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys (in Arlington). But the Classic will leave behind a long trail of memories that has seen some of Texas'  - and the nation's - best athletes compete in the familar arena.

But the move, say Classic board members, is necessary to preserve and grow the integrity of the annual game. While some are not happy about the change, preferring tradition to progress, board members, who voted in Feb. last year to move the game location, say support for the move has mostly been favorable.

"The bowl business is very competitive. Our most important issue has been the weather," Baker said. "I know the knowledgeable people at the State Fair and the city and college football fans in general understood that and have been very supportive of our decision."

But City of Dallas officials say the tradition of bowl games at the Fairgrounds may not be over. While losing the Cotton Bowl Classic represents somewhat of a setback, city officials say they are contemplating a new Bowl game at the 80,000-plus seat facility.

Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway says with all the improvements happening at Fair Park, it seems natural the city would try to secure another boig bowl classic to fill the shoes of the departing Cotton Bowl game.

"It's sad to say goodbye to the Cotton Bowl game,"  says Caraway, who also says he is optimistic that new and coming upgrades to the Dallas Fairgrounds will keep the stadium in the spotlight. He says the stadium is still a great facility, and that a lot more games are played there than just the Cotton Bowl Classic - like the annual Texas-OU game during the State Fair.

BRIEF HISTORY
The first Cotton Bowl was actually a post-season game between two high school teams on New Years Day of 1936. The following year, college teams replaced the high school teams. The game was originally played in Dallas's Fair Park Stadium. In 1938, it moved into its own stadium, which is named for the game.

Mobil Corporation sponsored the Cotton Bowl from 1988 through 1995. Since 1996, Southwestern Bell has been the sponsor.

The Cotton Bowl was played on Dec. 31 following the 1966 season. In all other years, it has taken place on Jan. 1. From the 1942 season through the 1994 season, the game matched the SWC champion against an at-large opponent. Currently, teams from the Big 12 and the SEC participate in the Cotton Bowl.

In the 1890s unsuccessful attempts were made to build a wooden stadium there to host a world-championship prizefight. In 1921 the first stadium, with a seating capacity of 15,000, was constructed on the site of the future Cotton Bowl and named Fair Park Football Stadium. It was used for community events and football games, and was never filled until it sold out for the 1923 football game between Baylor and Southern Methodist University. In 1930 ground was broken for the construction of the Fair Park Bowl on the site of the Fair Park Football Stadium. The 46,000-seat stadium was completed in time for a football game on October 26, 1930.

Year
Result
1937
TCU 16, Marquette 6
1938
Rice 28, Colorado 14
1939
St. Mary's 20, Texas Tech 13
1940
Clemson 6, Boston College 3
1941
Texas A&M 13, Fordham 12
1942
Alabama 29, Texas A&M 21
1943
Texas 14, Georgia Tech 7
1944
Texas 7, Randolph Field 7
1945
Oklahoma A&M 34, TCU 0
1946
Texas 40, Missouri 27
1947
0-0, Arkansas vs LSU
1948
SMU 13, Penn St. 13
1949
SMU 21, Oregon 13
1950
Rice 27, N. Carolina 13
1951
Tennessee 20, Texas 14
1952
Kentucky 20, TCU 7
1953
Texas 16, Tennessee 0
1954
Rice 28, Alabama 6
1955
Georgia Tech 14, Arkansas 6
1956
Mississippi 14, TCU 13
1957
TCU 28, Syracuse 27
1958
Navy 20, Rice 7
1959
0-0, TCU vs Air Force
1960
Syracuse 23, Texas 14
1961
Duke 7, Arkansas 6
1962
Texas 12, Mississippi 7
1963
LSU 13, Texas 0
1964
Texas 28, Navy 6
1965
Arkansas 10, Nebraska 7
1966
LSU 14, Arkansas 7
1966
Georgia 24, SMU 9
1968
Texas A&M 20, Alabama 16
1969
Texas 36, Tennessee 13
1970
Texas 21, Notre Dame 17
1971
Notre Dame 24, Texas 11
1972
Penn St. 30, Texas 6
1973
Texas 17, Alabama 13
1974
Nebraska 19, Texas 3
1975
Penn St. 41, Baylor 20
1976
Arkansas 31, Georgia 10
1977
Houston 30, Maryland 21
1978
Notre Dame 38, Texas 10
1979
Notre Dame 35, Houston 34
1980
Houston 17, Nebraska 14
1981
Alabama 30, Baylor 2
1982
Texas 14, Alabama 12
1983
SMU 7, Pittsburgh 3
1984
Georgia 10, Texas 9
1985
Boston College 45, Houston 28
1986
Texas A&M 36, Auburn 16
1987
Ohio St. 28, Texas A&M 12
1988
Texas A&M 35, Notre Dame 10
1989
UCLA 17, Arkansas 3
1990
Tennessee 31, Arkansas 27
1991
Miami (FL) 46, Texas 3
1992
Florida St. 10, Texas A&M 2
1993
Notre Dame 28, Texas A&M 3
1994
Notre Dame 24, Texas A&M 21
1995
USC 55, Texas Tech 14
1996
Colorado 38, Oregon 6
1997
BYU 19, Kansas St. 15
1998
UCLA 29, Texas A&M 23
1999
Texas 38, Mississippi St. 11
2000
Arkansas 27, Texas 6
2001
Kansas St. 35, Tennessee 21
2002
Oklahoma 10, Arkansas 3
2003
Texas 35, LSU 20
2004
Mississippi 31, Oklahoma St. 28
2005
Tennessee 38, Texas A&M 7
2006
Alabama 13, Texas Tech 10
2007
Auburn 17, Nebraska 14
2008
Missouri 38, Arkansas 7
2009
Texas Tech     Ole Miss