Cigar Bowl

[1][2] Its name was inspired by the local cigar industry, which had been the main driver of Tampa's growth from an isolated village to a prosperous city around the turn of the 20th century.

[4] In some years, the Cigar Bowl was part of a month-long "sports circus" in Tampa, with college basketball, golf, and tennis tournaments scheduled around the area along with horse racing and boxing.

[5] From its inception, the Cigar Bowl was sponsored by the local chapter of the Egypt Temple Shrine as a fundraising event.

[6] However, the primitive amenities and limited capacity of Phillips Field (20,000 with temporary bleachers) along with rising costs made it increasingly ineffective as a money maker for the organization.

After the December 1954 game drew a "disappointing" attendance of 6,500 despite featuring the hometown Tampa Spartans, the Shriners decided to end their involvement.