Who wants the Peace Pipe?
Who needs the Iron Bowl? Toledo will host Bowling Green tonight at the Glass Bowl in a matchup with a multi-sport history stretching back to 1919. The winner of each year's game earns possession of the Peace Pipe and bragging rights in the "Battle of I-75."
We know Coach GQ will be rooting for his sister's Falcons, and Coach Rob will be pulling for his former-draft-pick Rockets. Since both teams are 4-7 and ending their seasons tonight, this one will linger for awhile, at least in northwest Ohio. Here's a little history on the rivalry from Wikipedia:
The rivalry between UT and BGSU goes back to 1919. The games were (and to an extent still are) marked by a passionate fan following and a hatred for the respective opponent. In 1935, fans rioted following a 63-0 blowout win by UT and as a result, BGSU removed the Rockets from their athletic schedule until 1947. That year, the smoking of a six-foot peace pipe was instated as a gesture of goodwill between the two teams at half-time of their annual basketball match. The peace pipe would be kept by the winning university until the teams played again the following season.Am I the only one who sees a little irony in fighting over a peace pipe each year? Regardless, if you are desperate for something to watch on TV tonight, check out ESPN2 at 6 p.m.The tradition came to an abrupt and unpleasant end in 1969 when the pipe was stolen from the UT offices. It was never recovered and the thief never caught. In 1980, the Peace Pipe trophy was reinstated when a scale-down replica was fashioned and placed on top of a trophy created by former UT football player Frank Kralik.
2 comments:
Oh, I will have this on. Don't worry. My sister will be at the game too. I'd be interested to know what they put in the peace pipe. Thanks for the history, Rob.
Plus, come December 17, look for photos of me at the BGSU football field posted to the blog. Rebecca graduates on the 16th, and we're heading up there for it.
You're welcome. I had no idea that this game had as much history behind it as it does. It was fun finding out.
Nice! That will be fun to see.
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