Slab of Bacon

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Slab of Bacon
Teams Wisconsin Badgers
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Originated 1930
Ended 1943
Trophy Series Minnesota leads, 11-3
Current Holder Wisconsin
Current Trophy Paul Bunyan's Axe

Wisconsin logo Minnesota logo
Wisconsin (3)
1930 1932 1942
Minnesota (11)
1931 1933 1934
1935 1936 1937
1938 1939 1940
1941 1943

The Slab of Bacon was a traveling trophy that passed between the University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers and University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football teams, given annually to the winning team immediately upon the conclusion of the game. It was the first symbol of one of the most heated rivalries in college football and the most-played rivalry in Division I-A football, with 117 editions dating back to 1890.

Contents

[edit] Creation

The Slab of Bacon was created in 1930 as a way for the universities to commemorate their rivalry. The Slab of Bacon was a piece of black walnut wood carved with a football topped by a letter W or M, depending on which angle one is looking at it. It was carved by Dr. R. B. Fouch of Minneapolis. Scores of each Wisconsin-Minnesota game were printed on the back of the trophy. When the trophy changed hands, it was presented to the winning school by a sorority from the losing school.

[edit] Lost & Replaced

After the Gophers' 1943 victory, a ceremonial exchange was supposed to take place, but the officials involved could not find each other on the field. Wisconsin sent the trophy to Minnesota's locker room. The Gopher's coach at the time Dr. George Hauser refused to accept it, stating he believed "such trophies should be out for the duration". [1] The trophy disappeared and was replaced by Paul Bunyan's Axe in 1948.[2]

[edit] Found

The Slab of Bacon was missing until 1994, when it was discovered in a storage room at the Wisconsin Athletic Department during a renovation of Camp Randall. Although allegedly "lost", it had been maintained for a period - when it was officially "found", the scores of every Wisconsin-Minnesota game from 1930 through 1970 had been printed on the back of the slab.

The Slab of Bacon is currently housed in the Wisconsin football office at Camp Randall. "We took home the bacon," then-head coach Barry Alvarez said, "and kept it."


[edit] 1930-1943 game results

Year Wisconsin Minnesota Location
1930 Wisconsin 14 Minnesota 0 Madison, WI
1931 Wisconsin 0 Minnesota 14 Minneapolis, MN
1932 Wisconsin 20 Minnesota 13 Madison, WI
1933 Wisconsin 3 Minnesota 6 Minneapolis, MN
1934 Wisconsin 0 Minnesota 34 Madison, WI
1935 Wisconsin 7 Minnesota 33 Minneapolis, MN
1936 Wisconsin 0 Minnesota 24 Madison, WI
1937 Wisconsin 6 Minnesota 13 Minneapolis, MN
1938 Wisconsin 0 Minnesota 21 Madison, WI
1939 Wisconsin 6 Minnesota 23 Minneapolis, MN
1940 Wisconsin 13 Minnesota 22 Madison, WI
1941 Wisconsin 6 Minnesota 41 Minneapolis, MN
1942 Wisconsin 20 Minnesota 6 Madison, WI
1943 Wisconsin 13 Minnesota 25 Minneapolis, MN

[edit] Between the Slab and the Axe (1944-47)

Year Wisconsin Minnesota Location
1944 Wisconsin 26 Minnesota 28 Madison, WI
1945 Wisconsin 26 Minnesota 12 Minneapolis, MN
1946 Wisconsin 0 Minnesota 6 Madison, WI
1947 Wisconsin 0 Minnesota 21 Minneapolis, MN

[edit] References

  1. ^ Minneapolis Sunday Tribune November 21, 1943 Sport section p.2
  2. ^ University of Minnesota Trophy Games


[edit] External links

[edit] See also