The Whisperer Remembers ... Eric Ball.

In 1986, back when it was “mandatory” for the Big Ten and Pac Ten to face off in the Rose Bowl … (man, those were the days), the Iowa Hawkeyes came strutting loud and proud into the City of Angels, looking to claim their 11^th victory of the season. Standing at 10-1, the Hawkeyes had just completed a rather impressive run in the Big Ten and were thought by many to be the easy favorite against the young Bruins of UCLA … but this man, this young man… had other ideas.

For the balance of that sunny California afternoon, split down the middle with Hawkeyes on one side and Bruins on the other, the youngster out of Cleveland, Ohio had his way with the boys in gold and yellow … to the tune of four rushing touchdowns. This performance was just a hint of what was to come as for the next three years, he thrilled fans with his unique mix of power, speed, and elusiveness.

He was a sight to see in that distinct powder blue jersey and gold trousers … unless you were on the other side of the field. If you were on the other side, there was nothing you could do but stand in awe of his immense talent. Today, Whisperer Nation, let’s do just that …stand in awe and marvel, admire, and ponder the wonderous talents of former UCLA running back supreme … Mr. Eric Ball.