The Play statue unveiled at Memorial Stadium on 40th anniversary; Cal hero Dwight Garner passes away
Congrats to Kevin. RIP Dwight. Go Bears and Beat Stanford.
It will be 40 years since the greatest moment in college football history, and the California Golden Bears are finally memorializing it for good.
On Friday, Cal Athletics unveiled the statue of Kevin Moen, who scored the game-winning touchdown on The Play, in front of California Memorial Stadium.
Here’s the full press conference available below, hosted by Roxy Bernstein, featuring members of the Play, including Kevin Moen, teammate Ahmad Anderson (team member who created the “Bear Territory” chant), announcer Joe Starkey (who had the famous call of The Play is retiring after the season), and Stanford band member Gary Tyrrell, whose trombone lives at the bottom of this statue while his fallen body is spared.
Sadly, one of the members of the Play passed away that same day, as Dwight Garner left us.
Garner was featured in the Big Game E60 feature that came out this week, the Band is On The Field. For any Cal fans, it’s worth a viewing. You can watch it here on ESPN+, and it’s worth checking out this oral history from the Chronicle (published at SI with the Chron’s permission).
RIP Dwight. Go Bears. Beat Stanford.
Garner was same age as me, same high school (Rugbear too), and sat behind me in 11th grade civics/govt class. Had an annoying habit of putting his foot on the back of my desk and shaking his leg, but was a good guy from what I remember.
Cancer is awful. RIP.
DG43 was a great leader and great man. His younger brother Dwayne Garner and I competed against each other in the OAL ( Oakland Athletic League) I’m the 1980’s. Dwayne ended up at USC and I became a Golden Bear. Dwayne and I continued to stay in touch afterwards. I’m May 2021, I had a chance to see Dwight at his sister’s retirement party at his parents home. He looked great. Strong and in great shape like he could play today. He was like my big brother. My condolences to the Garner Family and my brother Dwayne. RIP #43DG, Brian McGhee (OAL-McClymonds/ Cal Bear)