Iowa — Former University of Iowa All-American quarterback Kenny Ploen passed away earlier this month at the age of 88 Ploen was a first-team All-American in 1956 He led Iowa to the 1956 Big Ten Championship and a 35-19 win over Oregon State in the 1957 Rose Bowl He was named the Big Ten and Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player following his senior campaign He was Iowa’s 1956 team leader in rushing scoring and interceptions (he also played defensive back) He was named to Iowa’s all-time team as a defensive back Ploen served as an honorary captain prior to Iowa’s 2006 Homecoming game against Purdue went on to a distinguished 11-year career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League He led the Blue Bombers to the Grey Cup (equivalent to the NFL’s Super Bowl) six times In 1959 he set a record of 10 interceptions He retired in 1967 as the all-time leading passer completing 1,084 passes for 16,470 yards and 119 touchdowns “Ken Ploen was the face of the Blue Bombers for years and then became a part of the fabric of this community following his playing days,” said Winnipeg Football Club President & CEO Wade Miller in a statement “He was a four-time Grey Cup champion as a player and a great ambassador for our franchise and our city.” He is a member of the CFL’s Hall of Fame the National Iowa Varsity Club Hall of Fame the Quad City Hall of Fame and Clinton High School Hall of Fame A Celebration of Ploen’s life was held on Feb This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Former CFL legend Ken Ploen died in Winnipeg on Tuesday after a lengthy battle with dementia Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Article contentGenerally considered the greatest Blue Bomber of all time the former defensive back and quarterback was a four-time Grey Cup champion one of the leaders of the franchise’s golden era from the late 1950s through the early ’60s Ploen remained in Winnipeg after his playing career working in sales at radio station CJOB for a time and on Blue Bombers broadcasts as a colour analyst Described by those he met as a man with zero ego he may have been as highly regarded off the field as he was on it Ken Ploen & his wife Jan immediately took Daye and I under their wings,” Bob Irving “That’s the kind of generous people they were We will always cherish their kindness & friendship Ken was a great football player but also a great family man & great Winnipeger.” By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of The Winnipeg Sun's Daily Headline News will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Jeff McWhinney, a Winnipegger who serves as the keeper of the Grey Cup, spent time with Ploen at Hall of Fame events and says the man was as humble as they come. “When asked about a significant play… he always spoke of how the men around him made the play happen,” McWhinney said. “A gentleman by definition.” An Iowa native, Ploen led the University of Iowa to a Rose Bowl title in 1957, named the game’s most valuable player. Drafted by the NFL, he instead came to Canada, joining a team led by rookie head coach, the late Bud Grant. “Kenny was a special player,” Grant said during a 2014 visit to Winnipeg. “He put us on the map.” Ploen became a three-time western all-star, twice at quarterback, once at defensive back, intercepting a team-record 10 passes in 1959. But it was his work on the other side of the ball that cemented his legend. Ploen retired in 1967 as the Bombers career passing leader, with 16,470 yards and 119 touchdown passes, playing in six Grey Cup games and winning four. Perhaps his most celebrated play was an overtime touchdown run to win the 1961 Grey Cup game. He was the game MVP. In a run-heavy era, Ploen passed for more than 2,000 yards three times and ran for at least 300 yards in five different seasons, amassing 541 yards on the ground in 1960. “Ken Ploen was the face of the Blue Bombers for years and then became a part of the fabric of this community following his playing days… a great ambassador for our franchise and our city,” Bombers president/CEO Wade Miller said in a statement, Tuesday, offering condolences to the Ploen family and his friends “across Canada and the United States.” Ploen was inducted to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1975, awarded the Order of Manitoba in 2007 and honoured on a Canada Post stamp in 2012, as part of the 100th Grey Cup celebrations. transmission or republication is strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account Notices are posted by 10 am Monday through Saturday Adjust Text Size: A+ A- Winnipeg’s legendary quarterback of the Bombers’ golden era the entire province of Manitoba and football fans and friends throughout North America.Ken liked to sign his autograph with the inscription “Old #11” at least not in the hearts and minds of his fans Particularly those who saw him play with such boyish enthusiasm and an unsurpassed athletic elegance.Ken came to Winnipeg in 1957 following a stellar run with the University of Iowa Hawkeyes He arrived in the Canadian Football League after quarterbacking his college team to victory in the 1957 Rose Bowl (and was named both an All-American and the Rose Bowl MVP that same season) He is one of two football players in history to be named to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and multiple Grey Cup championships (the other being Warren Moon) He chose Winnipeg at a time when the Canadian Football League was often the preferred option over the National Football League for American players years before the NFL achieved its modern-day status Football fans in Winnipeg are forever grateful.Ken’s other achievements included induction into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and naming a Winnipeg street (“Ken Ploen Way”) winning four Grey Cups in six tries during an 11-year career with the Blue Bombers almost entirely with hall-of-fame coach Bud Grant “A good football coach needs a patient wife but not necessarily in that order.” To suggest that Ken was merely a great quarterback kind man who wore his status as an iconic figure in Winnipeg with grace and dignity He attended numerous public events for charity and promotions a genuine smile etched permanently on his face as he watched the next generation compete His friendships were lifelong and as important to him as any victory on the gridiron.Travelling with friends and beside him through it all was the love of his life The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the home care workers and Simkin Centre who were so helpful with compassionate and comforting care.A celebration of Ken’s life will be held at 1:30 p.m February 28 at Celebrations Canad Inns Fort Garry gifts may be made to the Kenny Ploen Fund at the Winnipeg Foundation As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 24 Share your memories and/or express your condolences below Unfortunately with the need to moderate tributes for inappropriate content your comments may take up to 48 hours to appear Home / Sports / Iowa Hawkeyes Sports / Iowa Football Big Ten most valuable player as he led Hawkeyes to Rose Bowl IOWA CITY — Former Iowa quarterback and 1957 Rose Bowl most valuable player Kenny Ploen died earlier this month Ploen was a first-team All-American and finished ninth in Heisman voting in 1956 He also was named the Big Ten most valuable player He later spent 11 seasons as quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League He was inducted to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame after helping the Blue Bombers take home four CFL Grey Cup titles Iowa Hawkeyes football reporter for The Gazette. Sign up for my weekly newsletter The Gazette has been informing Iowans with in-depth local news coverage and insightful analysis for over 140 years independent journalism with a subscription today © 2025 The Gazette | All Rights Reserved – When competing at a USA Archery event you just never know who may be stood alongside you Take the recent Buckeye Classic in Dublin, OH where Justin Huish reached the recurve men’s gold medal match who would ultimately lose to Trenton Cowles in a match for the ages won individual and team gold at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta The double gold medalist finished as the second seed after qualification yet when it was suggested he appeared to be rolling back the years “Even a blind squirrel …,” before smiling and allowing the rest of the saying to be unsaid yet understood he was not a lone figure at the Darree Soccer Fields just north of Columbus Competing in the recurve 50+ men was Glenn Meyers a member of USA archery team at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles Among the coaches overseeing young recurve archers was Jay Barrs Barrs won individual gold and team silver at the 1988 Olympic Games in Korea Even the man zipping around in a golf cart and delivering announcements as the director of scoring has an Olympic history Darrell Pace claimed gold at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal and again in ’84 in LA Many feel he would have stood atop the podium in 1980 were it not for the USA’s boycott of the Games in Moscow The current Paralympic and newly-crowned world champion just days after his success in the Czech Republic And when it is stated that archery is for everyone where else do you find teenagers and a nonagenarian competing in the same sport on the same day and on the same field As well as all the immensely talented youth archers on show in Ohio there was also the veteran who used to be known as Gentleman Jim he defeated a man 20 years his junior in the 1/32nd round of the recurve 50+ men eliminations before losing to the number one seed Jason Pfister But the path now being trod by the current generation has been paved by the many who have gone before and who are still very much active in a variety of roles We’re here, loitering beneath the ornate eaves of the King Rama II Memorial Park, to observe a wai khru, an ancient Thai ritual where students pay respect to their masters, both human and divine, or – in this case – to honour the art of cooking. Because here in Thailand and probably the most democratic thing about the country You’d think the Thais would get cross about politics and corruption The only time there are real riots is when the rice is too expensive Do not get between the Thais and their lunch.” Dishes at Chop Chop Cook ShopChris SchalkxBaan Ploen DeeChris SchalkxThe sides of the room are open which is thick with incense and those lusciously verdant scents of the deep tropical night We’ve been here for a few hours now waiting for the time deemed by soothsayers and astrologers to be most auspicious solemnly spoons a lump of ghee onto the hot metal “Brahmin ceremonies must run like clockwork,” whispers David the course of the heavens and the stars affect the fate that awaits us.” Great Charmgang’s kitchenChris SchalkxMilk is added to the pan “Every ingredient is employed for its symbolic meaning only,” adds David “It actually begins in a few hours.” Right and spend a few days looking around town and eating well.” furious at the nerve of some farang coming in to research long-forgotten historical recipes Over the years, we’ve travelled up and down the land, eating. Up north, to Chiang Mai and what David describes as “gutsy where even the most asbestos-lined of palates can be sorely tested to Bangkok and the Central Plains where the food diversity and many influences of the past.” A seafood feast at ChalsamramChris SchalkxPalm treeChris SchalkxThe next couple of days are spent tearing around town on the back of a taxi scooter the best way to cut through the eternally constipated traffic There are lunches at old Chinatown classics for drunken chicken and rice with salted fish in rooms unchanged for decades “Noodles are Chinese and stir-frying a Chinese technique,” he says The Thais are masters of taking other cultures and making them their own Four SeasonsChris SchalkxWe stop at utilitarian cafés for crab with green beans and bracingly sour lotus-stem orange curry the menu based upon the cookbooks of the 1940s The cooking is less fierce than it was at Nahm and slightly better behaved and we end up on the banks of the Chao Phraya River drinking cold Singha and watching the catfish rise and plop Three days in Bangkok and not a bad bite Seating at the riverside terrace of the Four Seasons hotelChris SchalkxWe spend an afternoon drifting down the klongs Brutalist concrete condos and half-collapsed wooden shacks while the scent of frangipani mixes with diesel “The past is the past here and the Thais are not attached to it,” says David as we stop for dinner at Baan Ploen Dee We pick the sweet flesh from the bones and dunk it in a fierce Thai pop blares from the speaker while football plays on the overhead tellies we whizz back to the palatial comfort of the new Four Seasons hotel and devour som tum: green papaya salad so hot it makes even thinking hurt The next day we crawl through the holiday traffic towards Amphawa The area is famed for the quality of its fish hanging over the Mae Klong River and clad in fairy lights where we feast on river prawns caught mere metres away under the indolent gaze of another huge monitor lizard stretched out in the branches of a banyan tree The food here is astonishing: crab eggs stir-fried with chilli; more soups delicate as a mermaid’s sigh; pungent fish curries with all the leery swagger of a sailor on shore leave “We Thais expect good food,” says Tanongsak BangkokChris SchalkxWaitress at Chop Chop Cook ShopChris SchalkxAnd then on to King Rama II Memorial Park and the ceremony As the sacred rice praline bubbles and reduces I kip for a few hours on a mat beneath a mango tree and offerings are made while the orchestra plays to “attract the gods swooping and swishing in an ancient sword dance moving with super-lative grace to the arcane rhythm Seafood fritters at Baan Ploen DeeChris SchalkxThere are more offerings And although David has explained it all in great detail I give up trying to empirically understand and abandon myself to the primal thump of the drum The Brahmin blows the sacred shell, and the spell is broken. The gods depart, and the wai khru ends. Cooking and life. Brahmin and Buddhist. One world and the next. It all blends into one exquisite, ethereal whole. We sit for a moment, lost in thought, drinking in the silence. “In Thailand food offers more than nourishment alone,” says David The interior at CharmgangChris SchalkxCharmgang Curry Shop Atcharaporn “Aew” Kiatthanawat and Geravich “Mew” Mesaengnilverakul all trained under David Thompson at Nahm and they have a similar obsession with traditional Thai recipes in a resolutely modern setting Curries are the stars – smoked kingfish with Pennywort or Phanaeng curry of braised beef cheek – at once rich But the grills and salads are equally splendid it has the sort of atmosphere that makes you want to linger for hours so this 30-year-old Chinatown food shop is hardly a secret despite being little more than a tiny room off a busy Chinatown backstreet a handful of freshly shucked bivalves are thrown on top and the whole thing is cooked for a few seconds more a five-bite feast to be eaten with a lusty jig of sweet chilli sauce Address: 89 ชั้น 2 Alley, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand Address: 169 Dinso Road, Wat Bowon Niwet, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200 Address: 1266 Charoen Krung Road, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500 One of the last surviving klongside restaurants in the city, this diner has an easy, rambling charm. Locals far outnumber tourists here, sitting under the fans as the boats glide by. There are gloriously sour soups, clear, fragrant and clean. A whole snakehead fish is deep-fried and served covered in toasted rice powder, a take on larb salad. Everything is fresh, clean, lithe and, occasionally, very hot. Address: 113/1 ซอย ริมคลองมอญ ถนน อรุณอัมรินทร์ แขวง วัดอรุณ Bangkok 10600 Tom yum noodles at MaeboonmeeChris SchalkxMaeboonmee Noodles, AmphawaA large, open-sided dining hall with a couple of food shops and some of the best noodles you’ll ever eat. A big bowl costs around £1. Go for the Hot and Sour: pork stock, fresh glass noodles, roast pork, ground pork, liver and prawns. Add a fistful of crackling for extra pork crunch. Address: Amphawa Floating Market, Amphawa, Amphawa District, Samut Songkhram 75110 Sitting on the banks of the Mae Klong River, this handsome wooden restaurant, festooned with fairy lights, has live music and truly splendid seafood. Vast prawns, fresh from the river, covered with deep-fried garlic; stir-fried crab’s egg, chunks of alabaster crab with green beans and yellow chillies; delicate soups to make you weep tears of joy. Simple. Traditional. Sublime. Address: 8CM14 Puang Sombun Road, Tambon Amphawa, Amphoe Amphawa, Chang Wat Samut Songkhram 75110 Ken Ploen wasn’t always bigger than life in this town It’s surely an odd statement to make now about the Winnipeg Blue Bombers legend especially after all these years have passed It feels like he’s been revered in these parts as an icon forever And seemingly no one single adjective has ever been enough to describe him and – after he retired and still chose to make Winnipeg his home – a man this town gleefully adopted as one of its own first arrived to ply his trade with the Blue Bombers in 1957 – after leading the Iowa Hawkeyes to the ’57 Rose Bowl title earning MVP honours along the way – his credentials were not unlike the quarterback who had preceded him here Eagle Day led the Bombers in passing in 1956 just after guiding Ole Miss to a win in the Cotton Bowl was the youngest coach in Canadian Football League history who was one of many Iowa graduates recruited by Grant (including Frank Rigney Sherwyn Thorson and Bill Whisler) was to be his quarterback What happened next is now simply referred to as Blue Bomber folklore Ploen would play in six Grey Cups from 1957-65 He was the CFL’s All-Star QB in 1965 and was a three-time West Division All-Star (1957 that his all-star nod in ’59 came as a defensive back after setting what was then a club record with 10 interceptions had also played defensive back in college for Iowa choosing to stay in his home state and passing on an offer to play basketball at the University of Kentucky Ploen’s place on the Bombers Ring of Honour then (to be officially unveiled at this Thursday’s home game against the Edmonton Eskimos) was as much a sure thing around here as a January cold snap Not surprisingly, Ploen deferred to his teammates while speaking of the honour last week with bluebombers.com This is really a tribute to the team we had back then,” said Ploen “And we had a great team because it was a team in the purest sense of the word It was full of good Canadians and Americans and we got along great together and played well together he was successful when he went down to Minnesota Ploen retired in 1967 as the CFL’s sixth all-time leading passer and fifth on the Bombers all-time rushing list And then the post-career awards and honours really started to pile up for the man He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1975 the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame in 1984 he was named the Bombers offensive player for the first half century Ploen made just as many friends after the game this gifted and humble athlete by way of Iowa liked it here so much he opted to call Manitoba home served as an analyst on CJOB broadcasts for many years my children were all born here and I had job here with MacMillan-Bloedell Packaging “We’ve got a place at the lake and we’ve just enjoyed it every way © 2025 CFL ENTERPRISES LP. All rights reserved. Terms Of Use Privacy Policy They were two of the greatest athletes to ever show their stuff in Winnipeg Article contentTogether they helped build a football dynasty bringing four Grey Cup championships to Manitoba within a five-year period and cementing their place in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame That both their hearts stopped on the same day is either a remarkable coincidence or some sort of fateful destiny They were the type of guys you want your son or your grandson to grow up to be humble individuals … earned their records with grace Sometimes they were embarrassed to be recognized for the great athletes they were Ploen’s passing in Winnipeg on Tuesday quickly became public and by early Wednesday news broke that James had died the same day in B.C Ploen, the quarterback with the elusiveness of a running back, was 88. James, the running back with the versatility to win a Grey Cup and play in a Stanley Cup Final in the same season, was 89. Nobody else was doing that then, and it’s safe to say nobody ever will. Another James record, the 19 touchdowns he scored in 1957, stood for 45 years, finally broken by Milt Stegall in 2002. James’ 62 career majors still ranks fourth in Bombers history. Born in Regina, James attended Kelvin High School and dreamed of playing for his favourite football team in Winnipeg and his favourite hockey team in Toronto. He did both, joining the Bombers at age 17. But that’s not the only thing that stands out for Miller. James was selfless in the community, never saying no to a request for an appearance, even rushing off from practice to deliver Meals on Wheels to shut-ins. “I’ve got a nice bunch of people that I run meals to every day that I can’t let down,” Miller recalled James telling him. Nicknamed Kid Dynamite – his Hall of Famer dad Eddie ‘Dynamite’ James had played for the Bombers – James was the first player to win the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 1954. He won it again, three years later. He not only ran the ball for 5,554 career yards, he kicked field goals and extra points, leading the league in scoring in ’57. Miller says James would have put up far better numbers on the ground if it weren’t for having to share carries with teammates like Ploen and legendary running back Leo Lewis. Winnipeg’s first Grey Cup win of the era came in 1958. The losses of Ploen and James leave Miller, a former linebacker and defensive back, as one of the few remaining members of the only dynasty in franchise history. “As far as I know, there’s myself and Pepe Latourelle,” Miller, 92, said. “That’s from a 1958 player roster of 34. Almost all gone. It’s a bittersweet occasion, in that it brings back memories of these guys and how I really felt about them. Because we were a very close group. “It brings joy to me to talk about these two great guys who unfortunately are no longer with us.” pfriesen@postmedia.com X: @friesensunmedia The Winnipeg Football Club is deeply saddened with the news today of the passing of Blue Bombers legend Ken Ploen at the age of 88 “Ken Ploen was the face of the Blue Bombers for years and then became a part of the fabric of this community following his playing days,” said Winnipeg Football Club President & CEO Wade Miller “He was a four-time Grey Cup champion as a player and a great ambassador for our franchise and our city “The WFC would like to extend our deepest condolences to the Ploen family and to his many friends and family in Winnipeg as well as across Canada and the United States.” not long after being named the MVP in the Rose Bowl after guiding the University of Iowa to a win During his 11 years with the Blue Bombers (1957-67) Ploen was part of four Grey Cup championships in 1958 1961 and 1962 as a two-way star at quarterback and defensive back Ploen was such a gifted athlete he was named an all-star three times twice as a quarterback and once as a defensive back after leading the team in 1959 with what was then a club record 10 interceptions He retired in 1967 as the Blue Bombers all-time leading passer and sixth in the CFL and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1975 and added to the club’s Ring of Honour in 2016 Home / Three eras Only five Iowa quarterbacks have started a Rose Bowl game Each competed at Iowa in about 30-year increments All sealed their place in Hawkeye football annals as Rose Bowl quarterbacks the program ticker on Iowa quarterbacks starting Rose Bowls flips to six Some of Iowa's best quarterbacks never stepped foot inside the iconic stadium on Jan But starting the Rose Bowl is a defining moment for Iowa quarterbacks 'Typically if you have a really good football team you've got a really good quarterback,' said Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz who served as an assistant during Iowa's 1981 and 1985 trips to Pasadena 'And that's been the case with all of the Iowa teams.' three outlets named quarterback Kenny Ploen a first-team All-American Randy Duncan (1958) and Chuck Long (1985) were consensus All-Americans All three earned the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player Award Matt Rodgers (1990) was named the Big Ten's offensive player of the year Beathard was a second-team all-Big Ten selection this year Gordy Bohannon split time with Pete Gales (1981) and paced Iowa to its first winning season in 20 years Kenny Ploen grew up in Clinton and saw action in 1954 behind quarterback Jerry Reichow the Hawkeyes became competitive when Ploen moved into the starting role in 1956 'We had a good nucleus of players that were together for a number of years,' Ploen said Iowa featured two-way lineman Alex Karras and end Jim Gibbons The Hawkeyes peeled off a pair of one-point wins early in the season against eventual Pac-8 champion Oregon State and Purdue before falling 17-14 to Michigan Ohio State and Notre Dame in succession to finish the season the Hawkeyes held off rival Minnesota 7-0 to set up a winner-take-all showdown with Ohio State and Woody Hayes for the Rose Bowl spot Ploen lofted a 17-yard pass to Gibbons for a touchdown that provided the difference in a 6-0 Iowa victory The Hawkeyes finished the trifecta by smashing non-conference foe Notre Dame 48-8 But the win against Ohio State stands out to Ploen 'It's something that's hard to put into words,' Ploen said 'You dream about going to a Rose Bowl and hoping you can ever get there it's quite a celebration from the team standpoint 'We had a number of tight games to begin with that year and it was certainly a highlight when we ended up winning the last one against Ohio State and were able to represent the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl // <navigacdatatag> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-medrec-top'); }); // </navigacdatatag> After Evashevski left the sidelines in 1960 Ohio State and Michigan held the Big Ten in a stranglehold with one or the other earning Rose Bowl bids every season from 1968-1980 Iowa hired Hayden Fry as coach before the 1979 season and played at two different colleges before joining the Hawkeyes as a junior-college transfer in Fry's first year He played some in 1979 then red-shirted in 1980 Bohannon and his teammates had banded together They each shared a different hard scrabble story 'I think what was fun about it was we didn't have any superstars on our team,' Bohannon said 'Coach Fry had only been there a couple of years and he got a lot of us that were maybe overlooked at some other places We had a bunch of people that just came together and we had great chemistry and we just had belief in each other We truly and sincerely cared about helping each other and getting the win regardless of who got all the credit.' The catalyst in 1981 was the season opener Iowa failed to handle its success and lost at Iowa State 'You think about the teams that we beat,' Bohannon said 'What if?' They become possibility thinkers and dreamers and their confidence goes up Iowa stumbled consecutively against Minnesota and Illinois in midseason but had an outside shot at the Rose Bowl entering its home finale An Iowa victory against Michigan State coupled with an Ohio State win against Michigan would send the Hawkeyes to Pasadena The Buckeyes won 14-9 about an hour before the Iowa-MSU game was complete As word matriculated through the Kinnick Stadium stands and roses tumbled into the crowd from the press box 'It was like a déjà vu for a lot of us because we had dreamed about it and thought about it and visualized it so often that when they started throwing roses from the stands and announced that we had won the Big Ten it was like we had already been there before,' Bohannon said Because we had not had a winning season in so long and yet they were so enthusiastic about our year and even though we didn't have much to go on When we started to see that we had a chance That's why it was so special in those days Iowa football enjoyed success under Ferentz The Hawkeyes twice had competed in the Orange Bowl including one time where it leapfrogged past the Rose Bowl in the pecking order Iowa had four top-10 finishes but had notched a pedestrian 34-30 record the previous five years entering 2015 Beathard has come from an esteemed football family likely will earn a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame after building the 1970s Miami Dolphins the 1980s Washington Redskins and 1990s San Diego Chargers into NFL powers served as Illinois' quarterbacks coach when the Illini played in the 2008 Rose Bowl After a divisive 2014 season where he split time with Jake Rudock Beathard was named the Hawkeyes' permanent starter for 2015 only six days after a TaxSlayer Bowl loss and the Hawkeyes rallied around Beathard in the off-season it was just a matter of us translating it on to the field in camp and I think we were much better from camp into our first game of the season Iowa swept through its 2015 non-conference slate for the first time in six years the Hawkeyes recovered a fumble at its 5-yard line to preserve a 10-6 win The Wildcats celebrated the 20th anniversary of their last Rose Bowl squad Iowa's starting offensive tackles and top two running backs were out with injuries Senior wide receiver Tevaun Smith returned early after a knee procedure 'We had a lot of guys hurt that entire game,' Beathard said but we came out and played a really good football game and played a really good team and we played tough and made a statement that game.' Iowa rushed for 294 yards and pounded Northwestern 40-10 The Wildcats finished regular-season play 10-2 the school's first perfect regular season since 1922 The Big Ten West Division champion Hawkeyes faced East Division champ Michigan State in the Big Ten championship game a step Ploen and the other quarterbacks didn't have to endure The Spartans scored the game-winning touchdown with 27 seconds left to beat Iowa 16-13 Gallery: C.J. Beathard's 2015 season Different from the magical moments in 1956 or 1981 this year's Rose Bowl announcement was bittersweet Michigan State qualified for the College Football Playoff and the Rose Bowl became a consolation prize 'But when you get the news you're playing in the Rose Bowl It's the 'Granddaddy of Them All.' It's the best game you can play in We're blessed to have an opportunity to play in this game.' Iowa's 1956 squad arrived in Pasadena about 10 days before the game to get used to the California sunshine The practices were crisp and efficient but not overly physical Evashevski focused on timing and other aspects of his precise offensive attack a team they had beaten 14-13 earlier in the season Ploen scored the first touchdown on a 49-yard run Collins Hagler followed with a 9-yard scamper 'We had a couple of touchdown lead on them before they knew what hit them,' Ploen said ran in from 5 yards and Hagler burst 66 yards for another touchdown Iowa led 28-6 in the third quarter en route to a 35-19 victory He also rushed eight times for 59 and was named the game's MVP 'We had a great team that year,' Ploen said a great bunch of backs and our defense was outstanding To get acclimatized to southern California for the 1982 Rose Bowl With the euphoria of making a bowl game — especially the Rose Bowl — Bohannon admits the team lost focus in California 'We had a little bit of a hard time adjusting to all the hype and all the fun that we had,' Bohannon said Bohannon guided South Pasadena High School to a California state title He grew up in the shadow of the Rose Bowl but never saw a game there He had friends and family in attendance and hoped for a good showing the disrupted routine — all of the above — Iowa played its poorest game of the season Washington running back Jacques Robinson rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-0 rout Bohannon struggled with two lost fumbles and two interceptions He and Gales combined to complete 10 of 21 passes for 84 yards and three picks It was a deflating end to a storybook season we were so frustrated because we knew we didn't prepare like we should have,' Bohannon said But it was hard because we didn't want to stay in California even though it was a beautiful place to hang out We didn't want to go back to Iowa because we were kind of embarrassed It took us a while to think about what we accomplished.' // <navigacdatatag> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-medrec-bottom'); }); // </navigacdatatag> Iowa hasn't won a Rose Bowl since the 1958 season when Randy Duncan guided the Hawkeyes to a 38-12 victory against California the Hawkeyes went to Pasadena twice more under Fry but lost the 1986 game 45-28 to UCLA and five years later to Washington 46-34 who never had left the Midwest before the Rose Bowl who lived next door but never saw the game He watched USC smash Illinois 49-17 on Jan Beathard visualized himself playing on that stage 'I just remember what it was like,' said Beathard it would be awesome to play in this game.' It's actually happening 'Not many Iowa teams have gone to the Rose Bowl and it goes as a result of the good season that we had.' Every Rose Bowl squad carries unique status among Iowa fans lives in Marion and has four sons who either have played or will play college basketball signed a letter of intent to play at Iowa next year Bohannon is best known for his days as a Rose Bowl quarterback it was an experience that we'll never forget,' Bohannon said left Iowa for the Canadian Football League where he spent 11 years as a quarterback and defensive back for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Ploen won four Grey Cups under Coach Bud Grant and was elected to the CFL Hall of Fame in 1975 He considers the Rose Bowl one of his favorite experiences 'The whole works was a big wow,' Ploen said 'when you're going there from the Midwest and you end up at the Rose Bowl beautiful stadium and the facilities that they had there and we got treated like royalty when we were out there Beathard's crew already has cemented its legacy with a school-record 12 wins One more step could elevate this team's status to where only two other Iowa squads reside — Rose Bowl champions 'I think a lot of our guys knew we had something special and obviously we did,' Beathard said 'A 12-0 regular season is something special We've got another opportunity to make it even more special.' Anyone who enters the parking lot at Investors Group Field will now be turning onto Ken Ploen Way. The road that leads into the parking lot and runs north-south on the west side of the new park was officially named after the Bomber legend on Thursday during a ceremony at IGF. “It’s a pretty nice honour, I can tell you that,” Ploen said. “It was definitely unexpected, and it’s something I feel very good about.” Ploen guided the Blue and Gold to four Grey Cups during his 11-year career in Winnipeg in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Four years ago fans voted him the best CFL player of the 1960s. “Ken is one of our all-time greats as a quarterback, and we’re excited, as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers organization, to unveil the street today,” acting CEO Wade Miller said during the ceremony, which was attended by city councillor Justin Swandel, Ploen’s family and some of the Canadian Football Hall of Famer’s teammates from those great Bomber teams of 50 years ago. The 78-year-old Iowa native came to Winnipeg shortly after the 1957 Rose Bowl and never left. He retired in 1967 after leading Winnipeg to six Grey Cup appearances and titles in 1958, 1959, 1961 and 1962. He played his entire career at Winnipeg Stadium, which was levelled earlier this year, and he’s proud to have his name associated with the organization’s new home. “I enjoy the stadium and the games here, and it’s a great spot,” Ploen said. “A big improvement over where I played.” And in a sign of true Ken Ploen humility, he didn’t even joke around when asked if he would start parking on his street during Bomber home games since it’s so close to the front door. “I’m not sure about that one,” he said. “No, I’ll probably park in a normal space.” Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. WinnipegNewsBombers legend Ken Ploen dies at 88By Devon McKendrickPublished: February 13, 2024 at 6:57PM EST Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved been The tourist destination for most visitors to our city the nightly spot’s template has changed little over the decades…until recently For nearly five years now Ploen Ruedee Night Market set in the heart of the Night Bazaar has established itself as a destination drawing not just tourists but locals to its many vendors and attractions Ploen Ruedee is a bustling market which has brought the best of Chiang Mai’s food and beverage vendors together along with quality entertainment under one starry night sky As Ploen Ruedee heads towards its 5th anniversary it has succeeded in being voted by TripAdvisor as one of the top 10 things to do in Chiang Mai mainly for its success in creating a vibrant nightly market Trendy food trucks vie with cute pop-up stalls and classic vendors to sell a great variety of food from some of the city’s best restaurants and chefs Wander from stall to stall and sample an authentic pad Thai or bite into a juicy burger; grab a grilled stick of meat or dig into a big bowl of curry even hale bales dot the grounds so you can sit down with a group of friends and share a selection of Pleon Ruedee’s best or simply grab a bite at a bar counter with a cold drink Each night visitors are greeted with traditional Lanna music and dance as performers showcase the best of Lanna culture But those looking for something more contemporary can also head to the main stage and dance the night away with some great local bands such as Gimmy This means that it meets all the convenience and hygiene standards expected from international visitors plentiful and free with a cleaning person on standby at all times The market also provides a children’s zone where children can play in safety Ploen Ruedee takes pride in being environmentally responsible The past year the market has succeeded with its ‘No Foam’ campaign and is also celebrating its fourth year as a ‘No Plastic Bag’ market The family and casual vibe of the market is felt not just by its visitors many of whom have been here from the beginning together creating a friendly and welcoming environment for all Ploen Chaweng Koh Samui joins Tolani Hotels' umbrella NEWSPAPER SECTION: Guru Thailand-based Tolani Hotels officially signed a new management agreement for Ploen Chaweng by Tolani a funky modern hotel in the heart of Chaweng Tolani is a clever portmanteau between "to" and "lani" the latter of which is Hawaiian for "heaven" or "paradise" The company founders and partners have been responsible for a number of well-known properties including those under the X2 (cross-to) and Away brands "We are really excited to team up with Ploen Chaweng by Tolani to bring our expertise from outside-the-box thinking to this unique location This agreement cements our commitment to providing exceptional experiences for our guests We look forward to working closely with the team at Ploen Chaweng Samui to raise the profile of the hotel and provide unparalleled value to our guests.” Ploen Chaweng by Tolani offers modern facilities with Thai hospitality The modern yet traditionally designed hotel boasts 24 fully equipped rooms and a relaxed atmosphere with two pools and a rooftop bar The hotel is in the heart of Chaweng hotspot on Chaweng Beach Road and isn't far away from the natural beauty of Samui guests can look forward to exciting enhancements to the hotel’s offerings from enhanced restaurants to curated experiences celebrating Koh Samui’s rich culture and natural beauty Ploen Chaweng by Tolani is offering the early bird promotion with room rates starting from B1,285 nett By subscribing, you accept the terms and conditions in our privacy policy Six-year-old Scarlett O’Connor of Omaha says a prayer for Officer Kerrie Orozco outside Central Police Headquarters Friends and family on Thursday recalled slain Officer Kerrie Orozco as a caring and helpful person said she will always remember her friend’s laugh and eagerness to help others Ploen said she hopes Orozco’s death will encourage everyone to care about people like Orozco did Ploen went with her parents to sit with Orozco’s family at the hospital Wednesday night She said she couldn’t even begin to describe how devastated the family is to lose Orozco “Hector — I don’t even know where he begins,” Ploen said Ploen said Orozco’s fellow officers at the hospital told stories about how Orozco treated everyone kindly Her former partner remembered a time she was transporting a man to jail and she asked him to tell her the best joke he knew “Kerrie always did know how to lighten the mood,” Ploen said Orozco’s cousin and principal of Walnut (Iowa) Elementary School “She was a wonderful and caring person who always gave her all.” she would offer to take care of a relative’s toddler so the mom could have a break She would volunteer to help cook or clean up at gatherings McNeil remembers walking through county fairs with Orozco when she was a teenager McNeil said she did the same thing in recent years if she was at a restaurant or in other public place She would extend her arm and give kids a fist bump He said her desire to help others led her into police work She saw the potential in people and carried that attitude with her on the job Orozco was mother to 3-month-old Olivia and stepmother to Natalia They were married in a civil ceremony in 2011 Orozco Lopez works for a local irrigation company McNeil said Natalia and Santiago have lived part-time with their mother and part-time with their father and Kerrie Orozco and was involved in a variety of activities “I never remember seeing her in a bad mood or upset She was always naturally a giving person,” Kock said who teaches kindergarten at Walnut Community Schools said that while she never had Orozco in her class Livengood described Orozco as an “awesome person” who always had a smile for everybody Orozco would help without even being asked “I always had the utmost respect for her and what she did for those kids keeping them from a gang mentality,” Livengood said Orozco kept in touch with many of the girls she played sports with remained friends and referred to themselves as the Wolf Pack Ploen got a text from one of the Wolf Pack friends that said a first-grade teacher in the Millard Public Schools said she didn’t want to believe that she wouldn’t see Orozco again Even though Ploen knew the danger of Orozco’s job it never crossed her mind that someone would try to kill her Ploen began thinking of the people who depended on Orozco Orozco and her husband had planned to take the baby home from the hospital on Thursday Orozco had recently messaged the Wolf Pack to say her baby girl was tiny but a fighter Orozco had been spending a lot of her time at the hospital holding baby Olivia and posting pictures on social media of her growing each and every pound The family told Ploen the baby girl is 8 pounds and healthy now “It is so hard to accept that Kerrie is gone,” Ploen said “I am so happy she got those moments with her daughter.” World-Herald staff writer Michael O'Connor contributed to this report which includes material from the World-Herald News Service Contact the writer: 402-444-1066, alissa.skelton@owh.com • 'A tragic circumstance': Police Chief Schmaderer offers details in shootout that killed Omaha officer • After police officer's fatal shooting, gratitude and grief pour in from across the U.S. • Coach K’s Boys & Girls Club baseball team says she was a special influence • City mourns a mother, a mentor, an officer killed in the line of duty • 'She went above and beyond': Fallen Omaha police officer was devoted to community, family • World-Herald editorial: Officer's death a ‘somber day for the city’ • Fugitive killed in shootout was known gang member with a violent record Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter funeral • Map: Law enforcement agencies attending Kerrie Orozco's funeral Wednesday marks five years since Omaha Police Officer Kerrie Orozco was fatally shot while she and other Omaha police officers were trying to … It’s been nearly two years since Lloyd Marsh and Ron Mahoney sat down together over coffee The shooting death of Omaha Police Officer Kerrie … Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account It is still fondly referred to by Blue Bombers fans as the “Bud Grant Era.” It started in 1957 Grant’s rookie year as a 29-year old head coach and it ended in 1967 when Grant left the Bombers to coach the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL Grant’s 10 years as Bomber head coach produced the finest era in the football club’s rich 79-year tradition as the Bombers went to six Grey Cup games And there is little argument that among the galaxy of star players who wore Bombers jerseys during that Golden Era Ken Ploen and Leo Lewis were two of the greatest Ploen wasn’t the flashiest of players but it was obvious during his final year of college ball Ploen led the Hawkeyes to victories over Ohio State and Notre Dame en route to a berth in the Rose Bowl And he was named the game’s Most Valuable Player when the Hawkeyes defeated Oregon State 35-19 in front of more than one hundred thousand fans in Pasadena Ploen’s throwing abilities weren’t considered of NFL calibre but Bud Grant felt Ploen’s skills fit the Canadian game perfectly and in 1957 Ploen began an 11-year career with the Bombers that would see him play an integral role in those four Grey Cup wins and earn a spot in the Canadian Football Hall of fame Ploen was considered to be a cerebral quarterback.  He didn’t have the big arm he was a great field general and he was the ultimate team player There are two particular plays that Ploen is best remembered for The first one was an overtime touchdown run to beat the Tiger Cats in the 1961 Grey Cup game The second was a 109-yard touchdown pass to Ken Nielsen in a 1965 game against Calgary which will forever be in the CFL record books as the longest touchdown pass in league history which produced 16,470 passing yards during his career Ploen displayed a versatility that few in CFL history have been able to match Ploen was asked to make the switch to defensive back and he responded by intercepting 10 passes and earning all-star honors Ploen remains today one of the most celebrated sports heroes in Winnipeg where he has lived ever since joining the Bombers back in 1957 Leo Lewis came to the Bombers in 1955 from Lincoln University in Missouri It didn’t take long for the Bombers to realize they had landed a very special player in the “Lincoln Locomotive.” Lewis dazzled Bomber fans and mesmerized opponents with his spectacular running abilities Offensive linemen Ed Kotowich and Cornel Piper played in front of Lewis for most of his career so they could be in shape to lead Lewis downfield on his famous sweeps Lewis held the Bombers all-time record for yards rushing until it was broken recently by Charles Roberts Lewis’s 6.6 yard rushing average is the best in CFL history among running backs He still holds the Bomber club record for yards receiving by a running back at 4,251 and his spectacular career kickoff return average of 29.1 yards is second only in league history to the 35.2 yards posted by Edmonton’s Larry Highbaugh Lewis was roundly respected and admired by his teammates Leo Lewis was named the Bombers Most outstanding player and Bud Grant has many times referred to Lewis as “The greatest football player I ever coached.”  Like Ploen Lewis is in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and the most successful era in Bomber history was over.  But what an era it was; an era that produced many star players high class individuals who are still considered football icons in the city of Winnipeg Motocross action from the early 1970s There was always rivalry between the North and South Island A farm paddock in Koputaroa will host motocross royalty as the clock turns back to a special era of New Zealand motorsport this weekend will take the starter's flag for the Paul Ireland Digger Hire NZ VMX Grand Nationals The Tauranga avocado farmer will race the very same RM370A bike that won multiple NZ titles in the 1970s I'm just about to put it on the trailer," he said Ploen was happy to hear a feature of the course was open spaces and rolling paddocks which he said was the secret to good racing Ploen's rise to fame in the early 70s was sudden Opportunity knocked when a former boss broke his collarbone on the eve of the 1970 Australian Grand National Ploen was 19 at the time and took the vacant spot "It had rained and rained when I got there The conditions were just like home," he recalled He remains spectacularly fit and fast for his age Ploen had a front row seat when the sport exploded in New Zealand and bike models went through an era of rapid change from the late 1960s to the early 1980s There was an evolution shift as air-cooled twin-shocked bikes with drum brakes began to give way to water-cooled More and more imported bikes were on the market as Japanese bike manufacturers began to evolve design The NZ VMX was as much a race event as it was a homage to an era and early design of bike Many riders entered were purists and their with classes ranging in stages from pre-1970 to pre-1996 The event alternated between the North and South Island each year and retained an inter-Island rivalry that existed during the sport's heyday while the corresponding event last year was cancelled due to Covid-19 lockdown This weekend Ploen will be joined by more than 100 riders on a dairy farm owned by Wayne Moxham himself an avid rider who had no qualms about opening the gates Moxham had also been a motocross enthusiast his whole life and said he was more than happy to have his farm as a venue "I've been more than happy to rip up someone else's farm .. hopefully everyone's going to enjoy it," he said The acorn hasn't fallen far from the tree with his sons Zac It was during the Covid-19 lockdown that Moxham made the course on his farm to keep the younger boys occupied once they had finished their home schooling "It was part of their school day," he said Moxham said the sport had a strong following in Horowhenua and sponsors were keen to support the event had always had a special relationship with the sport For many years the Johnny Old Memorial motocross event was held at a course owned by Mrs Old There would also be a swap meet area roped off where people could sell or trade in old and new parts a large crowd was expected with good viewing areas to watch the racing There have now been three men charged with murder Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Bangkok straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Bangkok Just two stations from Siam, the Phloen Chit BTS station is steps aways from a selection of charming restaurants and cafes offering cuisines from all the world. Phloen Chit's quiet streets and residential zones are also home to some of the best dining in the city, notably Gaggan number one in the list of Asia’s Best Restaurants for two years running.  Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! instagramtiktokfacebookAbout us Contact us