As soon as the final gun sounded, Chester walked to mid-field and shook hands with Viking head coach and old friend Norm Van Brocklin, who advised Chester to keep his chin up. The 49er team hustled off the field to avoid the derision and possible refuse being hurled in their direction. They were also mindful of the seagull flocks circling and depositing their own brand of debris while impatiently waiting to have at the litter.

Chester removed his hat, squared his shoulders and advanced slowly across the field. Sensing this might be the final time he coached in Kezar Stadium, he was going to walk out of there like a man. The deliberate pace only fueled the wrath of the profoundly inebriated patrons. As Chester approached the tunnel that led to the locker room, several men reached over the guardrail and poured full cups of beer onto the bald and reddening bull’s-eye of his head. Chester kept walking and never acknowledged the violations, but the raucous crowd was at last content and a strange victory for everyone concerned was achieved from the day.