Sean RABBITT

A group of us were intrigued by the “Tommy’s Ice Machine” sticker in the creamery, and I was able to find additional information about Tommy “Ice Machine” Jones, savior of the 1938 Penn State bowl game against Whatsamatta U.

Tommy’s nickname was created by his fraternity brothers due to his cold, stoic yet generous nature despite having to run the family farm in Centralia, PA following the death of his father in a tragic mining incident.

A reserved yet determined lad normally, it was the Wattsamattians taunts and disrespect from a specially created fight song for the bowl game that set him off.

“Wattsamatta,
Wattsamatta,
Wattsamatta U!
In yer eye,
In yer eye,
In yer eye,
Screw!”

Pennsylvania at the time led the country in industrial accidents due to the lack of mandatory personal protective wear requirements, and Tommy’s youngest brother had become blinded in a tragic mining accident when the fasteners of a passing rail car failed and derailed. 1/2

Jul 22, 2023 at 11:57pmWeb
Show threadSean RABBITTJul 22, 2023

Wattsamata University president Charles Xavier Rookwood II eventually resigned due to the shame after the ‘38 game, and the university eventually folded shortly after the start of World War II, the campus used as a Burbank, CA recruitment center.

Scoring 2 touchdowns himself with a then record 14 yards run, Tommy was exalted in the town with a parade, ice cream, and a “Dutch milk bath” as was the tradition of the time.

As was his family’s tradition, Tommy died in 1943 in a tragic mining accident while serving in the Army during the Battle of Pottsville in southern Austria. He is buried in a plot at his family’s farm in Centralia, PA which was destroyed in a tragic mining accident.

Show threadPaulJul 24, 2023
@rabbitt I thought Wassamatta U was in Frostbite Falls