Lasting legacy: Annual Lin Price Memorial Rugby Match honors a Cal Poly icon
Teammates and family reflect on the life, humor, and athletic prowess of Lin Price
– The quiet determination of Linden "Lin" Price, a towering 6-foot-5 figure who left an indelible mark on Cal Poly's rugby program , is remembered each year in the match that bears his name.
On Saturday, the annual Lin Price Memorial Match will once again unite Cal Poly's Mustangs and the San Luis Obispo Rugby Club at the lower sports complex, celebrating not just a game, but the legacy of a man who continues to inspire decades after his untimely death.
Price's rugby journey was far from typical. Originally aiming for a spot on Cal Poly's varsity football team, he found himself at a crossroads when he didn't make the team. It was then, in his junior year, that Price found rugby – a sport that would become his passion and where he would ultimately leave a lasting impact.
Doug "Bubba" Smith, Price's former roommate and teammate, remembers the transformation: "He was certainly, from day one, one of the leaders of the team," Smith said.
"People looked up to him, even though he hadn't played very long, because he was a physical presence. He really was the push to get our team in the physical shape that we ended up being in."
While his size and athleticism commanded respect on the field, it was Price's personality that endeared him to his teammates off the pitch. Known for his subtle humor and antics, Price was a source of joy and camaraderie.
Price was quiet, but his sense of humor was unforgettable, Smith said. He was the guy who'd dress up in costumes that only he could pull off. He loved to drive his Willys Jeep around town.
Norm Allendorph, another close friend and teammate, said Price was, "the center of our friend group." Price had this quiet charm about him, but once you got to know him, he was hilarious. "You meet him, and you just go... 'this guy's special'," Allendorph said.
Bridging two teams and healing a rift
In the mid-1970s, Cal Poly's rugby team underwent a significant shift, transitioning to a roster composed solely of enrolled students. The change left many former players in limbo, sparking the formation of the San Luis Obispo Rugby Club. Though the split initially created tension, it was players like Price who helped mend the divide.
When Price graduated, he chose to stay in town and play for the SLO Rugby Club. Price helped bridge the gap between the two teams, restoring the friendly rivalry we see today, Smith said.
As a member of the San Luis Obispo Rugby Club, Price was a standout player. He helped lead the team to the Southern California Rugby Football Union Division II Championship in 1978. He was also selected for the Southern California Griffins, an all-star team, from 1977 to 1979.
Allendorph vividly remembers convincing Price to attend the Griffins' tryouts in Los Angeles. Price didn't think he was good enough. "I said we're going to go down there, you have to play," Allendorph said.
"My girlfriend had a Volkswagen Beetle... So I drove him down there to LA and we laughed all the way down there, and all the way back."
A life cut short, but not forgotten
In 1980, tragedy struck when Price was killed in a car accident while returning from a game in Kern County. He was just 26 years old. News of his passing shook the community, leaving his family and friends devastated.
"All of us were stunned when he died," Allendorph said. "I mean, we were just kids, and we're trying to deal with the loss of a dear friend. But I think it was just total denial. You know, we just didn't even want to admit that this guy was gone," he said.
Smith, who had been Price's first friend at Cal Poly, struggled with the grief. "Lin was my roommate in the dorms," Smith said. "We had a lot of good times together. It was tragic... A young life taken way too early."
The idea for the memorial match came from Price's parents, John and Rose, who wanted to honor their son's legacy.
Given Lin's role in reconnecting Cal Poly and the SLO Rugby Club, it was fitting that the annual game between the two teams would carry his name.
Geoff Price, Lin's younger brother, was just 10 years old when his brother passed away. He grew up with Lin at their family's home in Whittier, Calif.
Geoff recalls attending the first memorial match in 1981. "I remember going up for that first game," Geoff said. "I was young, and I was still wrestling with losing my brother."
"My mother was extremely broken up by the whole thing. My father was a little more stoic, but I know they were both broken up terribly by it," Geoff said.
A legacy enshrined
In 2017, Lin Price was posthumously inducted into the Cal Poly Mustang Rugby Founder's Club, a hall of fame recognizing those who made significant contributions to Cal Poly sports.
Terry Conner, a former opponent, spoke of Price's enduring impact. "He was respected for the style of his play, his tenacity, his good humor as a player, and his camaraderie as a friend," Conner said.
The annual Lin Price Memorial Match draws former teammates, friends, and family members who come together to honor a life cut short but not forgotten. The game is more than a contest – it is a celebration of Price's spirit, a reminder of his passion for the sport, and a tribute to the friendships he forged.
"He was always larger than life for me," Geoff Price said. "The stories I've heard, the laughter he brought, the way he played—it all lives on through this game. It's a special way to remember him, and I think he'd be proud of what it's become."
San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly's Rugby Clubs are set to play each other in the Lin Price Memorial Match on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 11 a.m. at Cal Poly's Lower Sports Complex .
