The Rivalry (college football)
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Lafayette College and Lehigh University have one of the most passionate rivalries in college sports. The two well-regarded academic institutions are located 17 miles apart in eastern Pennsylvania. "The Rivalry" is not limited to one sport, but is seen in any meeting of the two schools, whose competitors are closer than many to true college "student-athletes," pursuing significant majors and reaching top twenty NCAA graduation rates.
The football rivalry has been played 142 times since 1884, making it the most played football rivalry in the nation. It is also the longest uninterrupted rivalry, since the teams have met every year since 1897. (Although Harvard and Yale began The Game in 1875, they did not play in 1885, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1899, 1917, 1918, 1943, or 1944). The Rivalry is so old that it predates football trophies; the winning team just gets to keep the game ball. These are painted with the score and displayed in respective halls of fame of both institutions. The evolution of the shape of the football can thus be seen in displays of past game balls.
The football game is always sold out months in advance and has inspired books and a PBS television documentary. Similar to the younger Army-Navy Game series, Lehigh and Lafayette alumni annually meet in locations around the world to watch the telecast of The Rivalry.
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[edit] Rivalry History
[edit] Pre Football
Although they did not meet on the football field until 1884, an anecdote from David Bishop Skillman's history of Lafayette College reveals that bad blood existed between the two places even before Lehigh was founded. When Asa Packer first moved to Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe) as an uneducated carpenter, he joined the congregation of a local Presbyterian Church following his family's footsteps. However, he did not fit in well with the other more straight-laced members of the congregation, and so left and joined an Episcopalian congregration that welcomed him.
One day, after Asa Packer had risen into affluence and before he founded Lehigh University, Ario Pardee, a coal baron from Easton, approached Judge Packer in connection with the addition of an engineering wing to Lafayette College. While eager at first in the proposition, Judge Packer's enthusiasm turned sour when Pardee mentioned that the school would be under the control of the Presbyterian Church. Judge Packer let him know that he would have nothing to do with any school run by the Presbyterians.[1] Asa Packer later enlisted the help of the Episcopal Bishop of Philadephia when founding Lehigh University.
[edit] Early Football
Lafayette began playing football in 1882. The game was closer to rugby back then and even the goals and touchdowns were recorded separately in the scores. After football rules were standardized in 1883, Lafayette's manager Theodore L. Welles approached Lehigh and offered to play them. Lehigh formed its first team in 1884, managed by Richard Harding Davis and gamely played and lost twice to the more experienced Lafayette team.
The Lehigh freshman were dismayed by the lack of support that the administration showed the team. They thought the rickety stands built for the 1887 event in Bethlehem were a disgrace and set them on fire at the end of the game to celebrate Lehigh's first win. Thus the tradition of excess surrounding the game was started.
Since the start in 1884, only in one year (1896) have the teams not met. Because few schools were playing football at the time and travel was more difficult in the horse and buggy era, Lehigh and Lafayette played each other twice in the early years with each school hosting one of the games. This continued until the development of modern football in 1902 when the current annual game was established.
Only once have Lehigh and Lafayette have played other than in Easton or Bethlehem. In 1891 the teams played a third game in Wilkes-Barre, before 3,000 spectators. A newspaper report stated:“... by far the largest crowd that ever witnessed a football game in Wilkes-Barre, and the cheering of the students seemed to startle the natives.” That was one of three Lehigh-Lafayette games that year and Lehigh won all three.
[edit] Modern Era
The Rivalry's football game has been postponed only twice. The first postponement occurred in 1904 because of the death of Dr. Henry S. Drown, president of Lehigh and former faculty member at Lafayette. The only other postponement was in 1963 when the game was moved from November 23 to November 30 following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
During World War II, the war restricted travel to other opponents. Thus to fill out their schedules, the nearby schools played two football games again in 1943 and 1944. The combination of only missing one year of play since 1884 plus 19 years with two games has led to The Rivalry becoming the most played in college football.
Until 1991, when new rules and venues where imposed, it was traditional for the fans to tear down the temporary wooden goalposts erected for the event. Pieces of the goalposts were highly sought as trophies. Eventually this got out of hand with the goalposts often being torn down by the end of the third quarter. Obviously, field goals were impossible to score once the goal posts were down.
In recent years, the regular season ending game has also become a factor in deciding the winner of the Patriot League and post-season playoff berths, further adding to the intensity of the event. As Sports Illustrated said to its readers, seeing it "is something you have to do once in your life."
[edit] Memorable Moments
[edit] No Game In 1896
The only year in which there was no game was 1896, when Lehigh refused to play Lafayette over a dispute about the eligibility of their best player, Charles "Babe" Rinehart. A dominating lineman on Lafayette's national-champion 1896 team (who tied Princeton and beat Penn), Rinehart was a Walter Camp All-American, and is considered one of the finest players of the first half-century. He is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
On this same Lafayette team was halfback George "Rose" Barclay, who in the same year was widely credited for "inventing" the football helmet.
[edit] The Longest Run
In 1918, as recorded by various observers, Lehigh halfback Raymond B. “Snooks” Dowd completed a 115-yard touchdown run. According to the story, Dowd ran the wrong way, circled his own goalposts, and went the right way 100 yards to score.
[edit] The 100th Meeting
The 100th meeting of The Rivalry in 1964 didn't live up to the hype in Fisher Field in Easton, PA. Ending in a 6-6 tie in a mistake-filled game, both kickers missed extra points.
[edit] The Catch
The 131st clash may go down as the most exciting and dramatic of all because it was the first one to go to overtime. The extra sessions were made possible thanks to a Patriot League rule created in the summer of 1995. Following a scoreless first possession of overtime, Lehigh broke the tie when Brian Klingerman caught Bob Aylsworth’s pass with one hand in the back of the end zone as darkness fell on Goodman Stadium. The miraculous catch all but clinched a 37-30 win and the league title for Lehigh, which trailed 30-14 midway through the fourth.
[edit] The Last Possible Play Comeback
In 2005, Lafayette's Jonathan Hurt caught a 37-yard touchdown pass as quarterback Pat Davis was smothered by Lehigh defenders on fourth-and-10 with 38 seconds left to give Lafayette a 23-19 win over Lehigh and a share of its second straight Patriot League championship in the 141st meeting of the nation’s most-played rivalry. Hurt was named MVP of the game after running 18 times for 125 yards and a touchdown, and hauling in the game-winning score.
[edit] Football Record
[edit] Summary
142 Meetings since 1884
- Number of Wins
- Lafayette - 75
- Lehigh - 62
- Ties - 5
[edit] Individual Games
| Game | Year | Site | Winner | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1884 | Easton | Lafayette | 50-0 | First Game - Standardized Football Rules only established previous year |
| 2 | 1884 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 34-4 | |
| 3 | 1885 | Easton | Lafayette | 6-0 | |
| 4 | 1885 | Easton | Tie | 6-6 | |
| 5 | 1886 | Easton | Lafayette | 12-0 | |
| 6 | 1886 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 4-0 | |
| 7 | 1887 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 10-4 | |
| 8 | 1887 | Easton | Lafayette | 6-0 | |
| 9 | 1888 | Easton | Lehigh | 6-4 | |
| 10 | 1888 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 16-0 | |
| 11 | 1889 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 16-10 | |
| 12 | 1889 | Easton | Tie | 6-6 | |
| 13 | 1890 | Easton | Lehigh | 30-0 | |
| 14 | 1890 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 66-6 | |
| 15 | 1891 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 22-4 | |
| 16 | 1891 | Wilkes-Barre | Lehigh | 6-2 | Only Neutral Ground game |
| 17 | 1891 | Easton | Lehigh | 16-2 | |
| 18 | 1892 | Easton | Lafayette | 4-0 | |
| 19 | 1892 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 15-6 | |
| 20 | 1893 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 22-6 | |
| 21 | 1893 | Easton | Lehigh | 10-0 | |
| 22 | 1894 | Easton | Lafayette | 28-0 | |
| 23 | 1894 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 11-8 | |
| 24 | 1895 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 22-12 | |
| 25 | 1895 | Easton | Lafayette | 14-6 | |
| 1896 | Due to an eligibility dispute, only year teams did not play each other | ||||
| 26 | 1897 | Easton | Lafayette | 34-0 | |
| 27 | 1897 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 22-0 | |
| 28 | 1898 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 22-0 | |
| 29 | 1898 | Easton | Lafayette | 11-5 | |
| 30 | 1899 | Easton | Lafayette | 17-0 | |
| 31 | 1899 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 35-0 | |
| 32 | 1900 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 34-0 | |
| 33 | 1900 | Easton | Lafayette | 18-0 | |
| 34 | 1901 | Easton | Lafayette | 29-0 | |
| 35 | 1901 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 41-0 | |
| 36 | 1902 | Easton | Lehigh | 6-0 | Modern era of one game per year |
| 37 | 1903 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 12-6 | Wright Brothers fly |
| 38 | 1904 | Easton | Lafayette | 40-6 | |
| 39 | 1905 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 53-0 | |
| 40 | 1906 | Easton | Lafayette | 33-0 | Forward Pass invented by future Lehigh coach |
| 41 | 1907 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 22-5 | |
| 42 | 1908 | Easton | Lehigh | 11-5 | |
| 43 | 1909 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 21-0 | |
| 44 | 1910 | Easton | Lafayette | 14-0 | NCAA Established |
| 45 | 1911 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 11-0 | |
| 46 | 1912 | Easton | Lehigh | 10-0 | |
| 47 | 1913 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 7-0 | |
| 48 | 1914 | Easton | Lehigh | 17-7 | |
| 49 | 1915 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 35-6 | |
| 50 | 1916 | Easton | Lehigh | 16-0 | |
| 51 | 1917 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 78-0 | |
| 52 | 1918 | Easton | Lehigh | 17-0 | |
| 53 | 1919 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 10-6 | |
| 54 | 1920 | Easton | Lafayette | 27-7 | |
| 55 | 1921 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 28-6 | Lafayette National Champions |
| 56 | 1922 | Easton | Lafayette | 3-0 | |
| 57 | 1923 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 13-3 | |
| 58 | 1924 | Easton | Lafayette | 7-0 | |
| 59 | 1925 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 14-0 | |
| 60 | 1926 | Easton | Lafayette | 35-0 | First Fisher Field Game |
| 61 | 1927 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 43-0 | Lafayette National Champions |
| 62 | 1928 | Easton | Lafayette | 38-14 | |
| 63 | 1929 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 13-12 | |
| 64 | 1930 | Easton | Lafayette | 16-6 | |
| 65 | 1931 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 13-7 | |
| 66 | 1932 | Easton | Lafayette | 25-6 | |
| 67 | 1933 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 54-12 | |
| 68 | 1934 | Easton | Lehigh | 13-7 | |
| 69 | 1935 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 48-0 | |
| 70 | 1936 | Easton | Lehigh | 18-0 | |
| 71 | 1937 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 6-0 | |
| 72 | 1938 | Easton | Lafayette | 6-0 | |
| 73 | 1939 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 29-13 | |
| 74 | 1940 | Easton | Lafayette | 46-0 | |
| 75 | 1941 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 47-7 | |
| 76 | 1942 | Easton | Tie | 7-7 | |
| 77 | 1943 | Easton | Lafayette | 39-7 | Played 2 games due to travel restrictions |
| 78 | 1943 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 58-0 | |
| 79 | 1944 | Easton | Lafayette | 44-0 | Played 2 games due to travel restrictions |
| 80 | 1944 | Easton | Lafayette | 64-0 | |
| 81 | 1945 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 7-0 | |
| 82 | 1946 | Easton | Lafayette | 13-0 | |
| 83 | 1947 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 7-0 | |
| 84 | 1948 | Easton | Lafayette | 23-13 | |
| 85 | 1949 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 21-12 | |
| 86 | 1950 | Easton | Lehigh | 38-0 | Lehigh Undefeated |
| 87 | 1951 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 51-0 | |
| 88 | 1952 | Easton | Lehigh | 14-7 | |
| 89 | 1953 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 33-13 | |
| 90 | 1954 | Easton | Lafayette | 46-0 | |
| 91 | 1955 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 35-6 | |
| 92 | 1956 | Easton | Lehigh | 27-10 | |
| 93 | 1957 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 26-13 | |
| 94 | 1958 | Easton | Tie | 14-14 | |
| 95 | 1959 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 28-6 | |
| 96 | 1960 | Easton | Lehigh | 26-3 | |
| 97 | 1961 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 17-14 | |
| 98 | 1962 | Easton | Lehigh | 13-6 | |
| 99 | 1963 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 15-8 | |
| 100 | 1964 | Easton | Tie | 6-6 | |
| 101 | 1965 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 20-14 | |
| 102 | 1966 | Easton | Lafayette | 16-0 | |
| 103 | 1967 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 6-0 | |
| 104 | 1968 | Easton | Lehigh | 21-6 | |
| 105 | 1969 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 36-19 | |
| 106 | 1970 | Easton | Lafayette | 31-28 | |
| 107 | 1971 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 48-19 | |
| 108 | 1972 | Easton | Lehigh | 14-6 | |
| 109 | 1973 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 45-13 | |
| 110 | 1974 | Easton | Lehigh | 57-7 | |
| 111 | 1975 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 40-14 | |
| 112 | 1976 | Easton | Lafayette | 21-17 | |
| 113 | 1977 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 35-17 | Lehigh National Div II Champions |
| 114 | 1978 | Easton | Lehigh | 23-15 | |
| 115 | 1979 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 24-3 | Lehigh National Div 1-AA Runners-Up |
| 116 | 1980 | Easton | Lehigh | 32-0 | |
| 117 | 1981 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 10-3 | |
| 118 | 1982 | Easton | Lafayette | 34-6 | |
| 119 | 1983 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 22-14 | |
| 120 | 1984 | Easton | Lafayette | 28-7 | |
| 121 | 1985 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 24-19 | |
| 122 | 1986 | Easton | Lafayette | 28-23 | Colonial League Established |
| 123 | 1987 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 17-10 | Last Taylor Stadium Game |
| 124 | 1988 | Easton | Lafayette | 52-45 | |
| 125 | 1989 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 36-21 | First Goodman Stadium Game |
| 126 | 1990 | Easton | Lehigh | 35-14 | Patriot League Established |
| 127 | 1991 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 36-18 | |
| 128 | 1992 | Easton | Lafayette | 32-29 | Lafayette Patriot League Champions |
| 129 | 1993 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 39-14 | Lehigh Patriot League Champions |
| 130 | 1994 | Easton | Lafayette | 54-20 | Lafayette Patriot League Champions |
| 131 | 1995 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 37-30 | Lehigh Patriot League Champions |
| 132 | 1996 | Easton | Lehigh | 23-19 | |
| 133 | 1997 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 43-31 | |
| 134 | 1998 | Easton | Lehigh | 31-7 | Lehigh Patriot League Champions |
| 135 | 1999 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 14-12 | |
| 136 | 2000 | Easton | Lehigh | 31-17 | Lehigh Patriot League Champions |
| 137 | 2001 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 41-6 | Lehigh Patriot League Champions |
| 138 | 2002 | Easton | Lafayette | 14-7 | |
| 139 | 2003 | Bethlehem | Lehigh | 30-10 | |
| 140 | 2004 | Easton | Lafayette | 24-10 | Game decided Patriot League champions (Lafayette & Lehigh) |
| 141 | 2005 | Bethlehem | Lafayette | 23-19 | Game decided Patriot League champions (Lafayette & Colgate) |
| 142 | 2006 | Easton | Lafayette | 49-27 | Game decided Patriot League champions (Lafayette & Lehigh) |
[edit] All Sports Trophy
The Rivalry was further cemented by the creation of the "All Sports Trophy" in 1968. The trophy is held by the school which wins the most varsity sports meetings during a school year. One point is awarded per victory. At the year end, points are totaled to determine the overall champion.
[edit] All Sports Trophy record
- Men's Sports
- Years won by Lehigh - 32
- Years won by Lafayette - 1
- Ties - 6
- Women's Sports
- Years won by Lafayette - 12
- Years won by Lehigh - 8
- Ties - 0
[edit] 2005-2006 Results
Lehigh won the 2005-2006 All Sports Trophy as follows:
[edit] Mens Sports
| Mon | Sport | Winner | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep | Men's Cross Country | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Nov | Men's Soccer | Lafayette | 1 | |
| Nov | Men's Swimming and Diving | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Nov | Football | Lafayette | 1 | |
| Jan | Men's Basketball | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Jan | Men's Indoor Track and Field | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Feb | Men's Basketball | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Men's Tennis | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Men's Lacrosse | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Baseball | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Baseball | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Baseball | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Baseball | Lafayette | 1 | |
| Apr | Men's Outdoor Track and Field | Lehigh | 1 |
2005-2006 Mens Totals:
- Lehigh - 11
- Lafayette - 3
[edit] Womens Sports
| Mon | Sport | Winner | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep | Women's Cross Country | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Sep | Field Hockey | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Oct | Women’s Soccer | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Oct | Volleyball | Lafayette | 1 | |
| Nov | Volleyball | Lafayette | 1 | |
| Nov | Women's Swimming and Diving | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Jan | Women's Basketball | Lafayette | 1 | |
| Jan | Women's Indoor Track and Field | Lafayette | 1 | |
| Feb | Women's Basketball | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Women's Crew | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Softball | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Softball | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Softball | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Softball | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Women's Tennis | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Women's Golf | Lehigh | 1 | |
| Apr | Women’s Lacrosse | Lafayette | 1 | |
| Apr | Women's Outdoor Track and Field | Lafayette | 1 |
2005-2006 Womens Totals:
- Lehigh - 12
- Lafayette - 6
2005-2006 Overall Totals:
- Lehigh - 23
- Lafayette - 9
[edit] References
Lafayette-Lehigh Above All Others
One Hundred and Twenty Years in the Making
I-AA.Org Story and Photos of the 142nd Game
Legends of Lehigh/Lafayette; College Football's Most-played Rivalry by Todd Davidson and Bob Donchez, 1995
The Lehigh/Lafayette Legacy, PBS, 2004
