The first Mercy Bowl was played in Los Angeles, California on November 23, 1961 as a special fundraiser in memory of 17 Cal Poly football players killed in a plane crash following a Bowling Green vs. Cal Poly game a year earlier. The game raised $200,000 for the surviving widows and children and to dedicate a memorial in their honor. Fresno State beat Bowling Green 36-6.
A second Mercy Bowl was not played until 10 years later. The 1971 edition was staged in memory of the 14 surviving children of three Fullerton State assistant coaches and a pilot who died in an airplane crash a month earlier. Fullerton State came from behind for a 17-14 victory over Fresno State.
The game was discontinued thereafter.
Ref: Fresno State University athletics website, bowl history (http://gobulldogs.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/120401aad.html)
