Back in September 1999, this group of distinguished Shockers had this photo snapped at a social gathering the evening before Dr. Vincent Gott '51 (second from left) presented a WSU Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series lecture about his career as a heart surgeon and member of the team that developed the first artificial heart unit.
Since Gott's fellow Shocker graduate Dr. Cramer Reed '37 (d. 2007) stands next to him, one might suppose the dominant conversation on this occasion was physician-related. But it wasn't.
Shocker football was. Completing the group of five, right to left, are James Trimble (d. 2006), Ralph Graham (d. 2005) and standout player Linwood Sexton '48.
"When I started as a freshman at WU in 1946," says Gott, who was himself a member of the team, "Ralph was the head football coach, and Jim, his associate coach." On Jan. 1, 1948, the Shockers played in the Raisin Bowl, but lost 26-14. The game was Graham's last at WU. Trimble became head coach and led the team to a second bowl game in 1948, the Dec. 31 Camellia Bowl. WU lost 49-12.
