Tudor’s 1971 College Electric Football 600 game.

Electric football, as we know it, was pretty much defined by Tudor’s relationship with the NFL. In contrast, electric football’s relationship with college football, at least up until Miggle went to college licensing in its last few years, has been indifferent at best.

1971 Cotton Bowl – Notre Dame upset undefeated and No. 1-ranked Texas 24-11

So with the biggest college game of the year on tap tonight, the BCS Championship game between Alabama and Notre Dame, the time seems right to highlight Tudor’s one serious effort with college football. It took place back in 1971, a time when New Year’s Day was the unquestioned highlight of the college football season.

The game was the Lee Payne-designed College Electric Football No. 600 model. It was a beautiful game, based on the  Tudor’s Sears No. 613 model, with a frame size of 32” x 18”. The frame also borrowed from Tudor’s Ward NFL electric football games, having college names displayed on the sides.

Tudor did not have licensing agreement with NCAA, which meant the frame could only list UCLA, not “Bruins.” And there were no Tudor-painted college teams. The players in the game came unpainted. By far, the end zones were the coolest feature, having the unique checkerboard design favored by a number of prominent college teams.

Tudor’s College model was only available in 1971 and 1972. But it’s definitely a landmark electric football game that takes you back to a time when New Year’s Day college football was truly special, and something we all looked forward to.

Earl & Roddy