Leishman Trophy

The Leishman Trophy, which is awarded annually to the champion of the Rose Bowl Game, is named after 1920 Tournament of Roses President William L. Leishman, who was responsible for the construction of the Rose Bowl Stadium, and his son, 1939  Tournament of Roses President Lathrop K. Leishman, who was instrumental in helping establish the Rose Bowl Game as The Granddaddy of Them All.

Tiffany & Co. designed and crafted the Leishman Trophy at the Tiffany’s workshop in Parsippany, New Jersey. The 2014 trophy was specially commissioned for the 100th Rose Bowl Game, where it underwent modifications including adding 24k yellow gold vermeil accents to the approximately twenty-one inches tall trophy. The design features a ¾ size football rendered entirely in sterling silver, with the entire trophy comprised of nearly sixteen pounds of sterling silver. Taking approximately three months to complete, master artisans employed age-old techniques – spinning, silversmithing, chasing, etching, and polishing – to create the trophy. The Tiffany version of the Leishman Trophy was first introduced in the 2005 Rose Bowl Game.

Tiffany & Co. creates trophies for many of the world’s greatest sporting events. These designs include the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the National Football League, the World Series Trophy for Major League Baseball and the U.S. Open Tennis Championship Trophies. Inspired by the transcendent form and energy of competition, these outstanding Tiffany designs are a lasting tribute to the athletes’ dedication and the thrill of victory.

PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD

College football is synonymous with tradition, and few events have as much tradition and history as the Rose Bowl Game. Perhaps no one understood this better than Bill Schroeder. Schroeder dedicated his life to recognizing the achievements of athletes at every level. Through the Helms Athletic Foundation, which he helped found in 1936, Schroeder brought together local newspaper sports editors to select an all-star team in each of the major sports. This program was expanded to include the recognition of individual athletes and the creation of halls of fame. In 1953, the Player of the Game Award was created to recognize the individual whose performance embodied grit, power, finesse and determination and led to a significant difference in the outcome of
the Rose Bowl Game. Selections dating to the first Rose Bowl Game in 1902 were made retroactively. In the tradition of the Schroeder and Helms Athletic Foundation, the Rose Bowl Game now works along with national media covering the game to make the selection. Each year two Players of the Game are added to the history books—one on offense and one on defense—giving recognition to both sides of action on the field.

The most outstanding offensive and defensive players of the Rose Bowl Game receive a spectacular crystal trophy created in cooperation with Tiffany & Co., featuring an etched replica of the Rose Bowl Game Trophy. The Player of the Game trophy’s multifaceted reflective design conveys the numerous contributions of the players who are a part of the rich heritage of the Rose Bowl Game.