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).

Game/Item 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

• Seating Location: Enter Gate 3, Section 9, Row 58, Seat 17

• Original Price: $4.80 ($4.00 Price + $0.80 Fed. Tax)

Detailed Condition & Flaw Report

This 74-year-old paper ticket stub is explicitly sold as-is. Please read the structural physical details carefully before purchasing:

• Reverse Side Flaws: The back of the stub shows significant remnants from a historical scrapbook environment. Please Note: The reverse surface exhibits severe cosmetic blemishes, including a significant amount of white paper layer residue covering the central and right areas, causing 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. These mounting flaws are prominent on the back but do not puncture the cardstock or bleed through to impact the beautiful presentation of the front face.

• Front Surface & Graphics: 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 in a deep red-orange ink. The front surface is incredibly clean, free of modern pen ink signatures, water stains, or modern 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.

• 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.

• Creases & Bends: 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.

• Photo Reminder: Please examine all high-resolution listing photos closely to verify the exact edges, front-side crispness, and reverse-side scrapbook glue stains before placing your order.

Shipping & Store Logistics:

• Combined Shipping Savings: Purchasing multiple collectible items, vintage entertainment programs, or pieces of historical ephemera? Add them all to your shopping cart before checking out to automatically receive our flat-rate combined shipping discount on your entire order. Plus, get FREE shipping on most orders with a subtotal over $50 (some exclusions apply)! Browse our store to add more to your collection and save.

• Archival-Safe Protection: Mid-century paper programs are highly prone to edge nicks, rolling, or folding if improperly packaged. To protect your investment, this 1952 Cotton Bowl ticket stub will be safely enclosed in a protective sleeve, placed between heavy cardboard reinforcement panels, and shipped inside a clean, rigid, crush-resistant box to ensure it arrives flat.

• Tracked Delivery: All orders are securely packed and shipped promptly with tracking numbers sent directly to you via email.