Pasadena Man Will Miss 1st Rose Bowl in 74 Years, But Continue His Own Tradition

The upcoming Rose Bowl will be the first since 1947 without Donald Leis cheering from the stands.

Leis, 88, has attended every single game since he was 14 years old. But with the game being moved to Texas this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the streak will be broken.

“I’m really sad about it,” he said. “This would have been my 74th.”

But one aspect of Leis’ annual tradition will continue.

Following the game, Leis said he always heads to three-quarter-mile-long hill next to the clubhouse, where the Senior Olympian would jog over the hill as the crowd huffed and puffed their way to their parking spaces.

Even though [the game] is gone, I’m going to have my wife drive to the clubhouse at the Rose Bowl and I’m going to jog up it,” he said. “I’m going to keep that tradition alive.”

While the pandemic has prevented him from his usual jogs at Pasadena High School’s track three days a week, he continued to jog at the Rose Bowl loop twice a week, he said.

Leis has competed in the Senior Olympics every year since 1997.

“I’m 88 years old. I’ll be 89 [in] May. I’ve been qualified to compete for the world championship in April if it doesn’t get canceled,” he said. “I’m just blessed I can do it.”