1952 Cotton Bowl Ticket Stub Kentucky Wildcats vs TCU Horned Frogs Vintage

Description: This is an authentic, original 1952 Cotton Bowl game ticket stub from the historic 16th annual New Year's Day classic, played on Tuesday, January 1, 1952, at the Dallas Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. This legendary postseason matchup featured legendary coach Bear Bryant’s No. 15 ranked Kentucky Wildcats squaring off against coach Dutch Meyer’s Southwest Conference champion TCU Horned Frogs. In a hard-fought gridiron battle, Kentucky emerged victorious with a 20-7 win, powered by a stellar performance from quarterback Babe Parilli. This genuine piece of mid-century college football memorabilia features a vibrant yellow-and-green background layout, a detailed multi-color cotton boll branch illustration, and original pricing ($4.80 total admission for a reserved seat).

Product Specifications:

• Event: 16th Annual Cotton Bowl Classic (1952)

• Matchup: Kentucky Wildcats vs. TCU Horned Frogs

• Date: Tuesday, January 1, 1952

• Kickoff Time: 1:00 P.M.

• Venue: Dallas Cotton Bowl (Dallas, TX)

• Item Type: Genuine Game Ticket Stub / Reserved Seat Admission

Detailed Condition & Flaw Report: This item is explicitly sold as-is. please read the following structural details carefully before purchasing:

• Overall Condition: This 74-year-old paper ticket stub is in good Used Condition, offering excellent structural integrity and brilliant front-facing color vibrancy.

• Creases: The cardstock body sits completely flat and rigid. It is entirely free from heavy center folds, pocket wrinkling, or deep intersecting creases across the front text fields.

• Edges & Corners: The right margin features a rough, hand-torn edge where the main admission coupon was separated by the gate attendant at the stadium entrance, displaying expected edge fraying and natural paper fibers along that boundary. The top, bottom, and left edges are remarkably clean and straight. The corners show mild vintage softening but remain well-defined.

• Surface & Markings: The front face features a bold yellow background framed by green border bands and a crisp, multi-color illustration of cotton bolls on a branch. The printed typography is exceptionally clear and legible, showing stamped seating details for Enter Gate 3, Section 9, Row 58, and Seat 17 in a deep red-orange ink. The front surface is incredibly clean, free of modern pen ink signatures, water stains, or pencil notations. A tiny pinhole or minor dot blemish is present at the absolute top edge border above the "E" in "ENTER". The manufacturer mark "Exline-Lowdon Co. Dallas" is fully visible in the bottom-left border.

• Reverse Side Flaws: Please Note: The back of the stub exhibits severe cosmetic blemishes from historical scrapbook mounting. A significant amount of white paper layer residue covers the central and right areas of the back, creating heavy paper skinning and obscuring the majority of the printed stadium map layout. Additionally, backward text from a newspaper or program page has transferred onto the paper residue, and the number "17" is handwritten in pencil on the right margin. While these mounting flaws are prominent on the reverse side, they do not puncture the thick cardstock or bleed through to impact the presentation of the front face.

• Photo Reminder: Please examine all high-resolution listing photos closely to verify the exact torn edges, pristine front colors, and extensive reverse-side scrapbook mounting residue before placing your order.

Shipping & Store Logistics:

• Rigid Boxed Shipping: To prevent further bending, creasing, or edge damage during transit, this vintage ticket stub is enclosed in a protective sleeve, placed between heavy cardboard reinforcement panels, and shipped inside a rigid, crush-resistant shipping box.

• Combined Shipping: Purchasing multiple collectible items or pieces of vintage ephemera? Add them all to your shopping cart to receive bundled shipping rates automatically.

• Tracked Delivery: All orders are packed securely and shipped quickly with tracking numbers Sent directly to you Via Email.