In 1929, a University of California football player, Roy Riegels, made Rose Bowl history. In the second quarter, he grabbed a Georgia Tech fumble and headed for the end zone—the wrong end zone. For a moment, the other players froze. Then Benny Lom, a teammate of Roy’s, started chasing him. After making a spectacular 65-yard fumble return, a confused Riegels was tackled by his teammate just before he scored for his opponents. Riegel’s team had to punt with their backs at their own goal line. Georgia Tech blocked the punt and earned a two-point safety (The safety would provide the margin of victory. The final Score was Georgia Tech, 8; University of California, 6).
At the half, the University of California players filed glumly to their dressing room. Spectators and players alike were wondering what Riegel’s fate would be in the hands of the University of California’s Coach Price. In the dressing room, Riegels slumped in a corner, put his face in his hands, and cried uncontrollably. Coach Price was silent and offered no half-time pep talk. What could he say? As they got ready to go out for the second half, his only comment was, “Men, the same team that played the first half will start the second.”
The players started for the door, all but Riegels. Coach Price walked to the corner where Riegels sat and said quietly, “Roy, didn’t you hear me? I said the same team that played the first half will start the second.” Roy replied, “Coach, I can’t do it. I’ve ruined you, the University of California, and myself. I couldn’t face that crowd in the stadium to save my life.” Coach Price put his hand on his player’s shoulder and said, “Roy, get up and go back in the game — the game is only half over.” So, Roy Riegels went out to play again, harder than they had ever seen anyone play before, said the Georgia Tech players afterward.
When I first read this story, I thought, “What a coach!” And then God reminded me of several of the big mistakes I’ve made in my life and how many times I have embarrassed myself to the degree that I wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide from the world. At those times, God comes to me in the person of His Son Jesus Christ and says, “Get up, son, and go back in the game — the game is only half over.” That’s the gospel of the second chance. And sometimes of the 100th chance. And when I think about that, I have to say, “What a God!”
