Bear Down Wildcats

As the crow flies, it’s probably less than 150 yards from the gleaming Football facility. Near the entrance of the Jefferson Basketball/Volleyball practice facility, there is a secluded, quiet memorial. There are park benches arranged in a semi-circle, shaded by trees, surrounding a pyramid structure that honors members of the 1942 Arizona Wildcat Football team, the last team Arizona fielded until after World War II had ended.

Bill Lowell, Dave Lowell’s big brother, played on the 1942 Arizona football team. Bill was also a track and field star, becoming conference champion in the shot put. But after that 1942 season, Bill, along with some teammates, became champions in something else.

Saving the world.

. . .

Their stories are worth telling and remembering. If it were up to me, it would be ingrained in the consciousness of every single scholarship athlete at the University of Arizona, and the fans as well. The sacrifices of the “Greatest Generation,” made possible the peace and prosperity we have enjoyed for seven decades.

. . .

The truncated pyramid memorial at Jefferson is a tribute to three Wildcat heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice to their country. They excelled at something far greater than athletics, something of greater substance than yards gained or points scored. They loved their country more than their own lives. Bear Down, indeed.

In fall 2007, just a semester into his first year at Arizona, Moon told Wildcats coach Andy Lopez he was quitting the team to join the Army. Lopez spent more than an hour trying to talk Moon out of his decision.

. . .

"It was hard to imagine somebody giving up what he had to go serve our country," said Mike Boese, the head athletic trainer at Tucson High and the man spearheading the memorial. "I always tell people, Chris Moon was the high school/college version of Pat Tillman."

To donate to the Chris Moon Memorial, please visit http://legaciesalive.com/chris-moon-memorial/

Those from the school who perished in World War I are honored with the Berger Memorial Fountain in front of the entrance of Old Main.

The list of those honored:

— Alexander Tindolph Berger
— Karl Thomas Hurst
— Morgan Bland McDermott
— William Orville Bloys
— James Preston Jones
— Cornelis Molenbeek
— Hugh Daye Campbell
— Ritchie William Jones
— Leslie Abram Waterbury
— Corlande Brown Curry
— Louis Edward Kengla
— Homer Donald Whipp
— Leonard Low