Teams | |
---|---|
First meeting | November 22, 1890 DePauw 34, Wabash 5 |
Latest meeting | November 16, 2024 DePauw 42, Wabash 21 |
Next meeting | 2025 |
Trophy | Monon Bell |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 130 |
All-time series | Wabash leads, 63–58–9 |
Trophy series | Wabash leads, 44–42–6 |
Largest victory | Wabash, 62–0 (1912) |
Longest win streak | Wabash, 7 (1921–1927, 2009–2015) |
Current win streak | DePauw, 3 (2022–present) |
The Monon Bell (pronounced MOE-non) is the trophy awarded to the victor of the annual college football matchup between the Wabash College Little Giants (in Crawfordsville, Indiana) and the DePauw University Tigers (in Greencastle, Indiana) in the United States. The Bell is a 300-pound locomotive bell from the Monon Railroad. As of the end of the 2024 regular season, the two teams have played against each other 130 times. Wabash leads the all-time series, 63-58-9, and also has a slight advantage since the Bell was introduced as the victor's trophy in 1932, 44-42-6.
The rivalry game between Wabash and DePauw began in 1890 and is among the oldest college football rivalries. The hit 1904 play The College Widow , and its subsequent film adaptations, were loosely based on the rivalry. [1]
The Monon Bell was introduced as a traveling trophy in 1932 at the suggestion of a DePauw alumnus, Orien Fifer (Class of 1925), in a letter to the editor of The Indianapolis News. Since the schools are only 27 miles apart, the adversaries in the game are often brothers, cousins, high school classmates or good friends, adding to the rivalry's intensity. Before the introduction of overtime to college football, nine ties were logged in the series. By rule, in the event of a tie, the Bell was awarded to the previous owner. In the 1960 matchup, DePauw held the Bell and scored a last-minute touchdown to cut Wabash's lead to 13–12. DePauw coach Tommy Mont turned to the stands and spread out his hands. The DePauw fans shouted "Go!" DePauw scored on the conversion and won 14–13. This rule also held significance for the 99th Monon Bell Classic in 1992 in which from the 8 yard line Wabash opted for a field goal to tie the game at 17-17 (the kick hit the right upright, but still went through) and retained ownership of the Bell. This tie set up the 100th game as an evenly split 45-45-9 series, in which Wabash won, 40–26.
The teams failed to play each other only six years in the entire history. From 1897 to 1899, the schools did not schedule each other for an unknown reason. In 1910, the teams didn't play due to the death of Wabash's star halfback, Ralph Lee Wilson, who died from a concussion in a game earlier in the season. The schools have played each other every year since 1911. The 2020 game was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Category | Wabash | DePauw | |
---|---|---|---|
Location | Crawfordsville | Greencastle | |
Team Name | Little Giants | Tigers | |
Students | 950 | 2,350 | |
School Colors | Scarlet | Black & Old Gold | |
Mascot | Wally Wabash | Tyler T. Tiger | |
Conference | NCAC | NCAC | |
Home Field | Little Giant Stadium [2] | Blackstock Stadium | |
Student Body | All-Male | Co-Ed |
The Monon Bell Classic is an American college football rivalry game played by Wabash College and DePauw University. Named for the Monon Bell, the trophy awarded to the winner, it is the sixth most-played Division III rivalry and equals the 12th-most played in college football. [3] To date, there have been 130 total games played between the two teams, resulting in a lead for Wabash at 63-58-9. [4]
Since the Bell was introduced as the rivalry's prize in 1932, Wabash holds a slimmer 44-42-6 advantage.
The game has received national media coverage including articles in Sports Illustrated in 1973 and 1993, a feature on Charles Kuralt's 1979 "CBS Sunday Morning" show, articles in USA Today in 1987 and the Wall Street Journal in 1999 and a feature on Fox Sports Net's show The Slant in 1999.
The game is regularly televised and past battles have been seen on ABC, ESPN2, AXS TV, and Fox Sports.
Annually, alumni parties are held in more than 50 cities across America where loyal fans from both schools gather to watch the game. Professionally replicated DVDs have been produced of 22 complete contests—the 2000 through 2017 games, as well as the 1977, 1984, 1993 and 1994 Monon Bell Classics.
In 2008, Ken Owen '82, executive director of media relations at DePauw, completed the task of compiling a "Monon Memory" for each and every game in the rivalry series. The clips utilize video/film from the DePauw and Wabash archives, as well as vintage photographs, and are available online and on Monon Bell DVDs. The "Memories" project was the subject of coverage in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Indiana Business, and other media outlets. Owen has since re-cut several of the segments after locating additional archival materials.
Listed below are the all-time Monon Bell Classic results, with Wabash victories shaded in scarlet and DePauw victories are shaded in old gold. [4]
This article needs additional citations for verification .(November 2016) |
The Bell has been stolen at least nine times (1941, 1959, 1965, 1966, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1988, 1998). The most famous theft is known as "Operation Frijoles," which was ranked by Sports Illustrated as one of the five greatest all-time rivalry pranks. [5] "Operation Frijoles" is still the favorite story shared by Wabash fans regarding the "reappropriation" of the 300-pound trophy claimed each November by either Wabash College or DePauw University in the annual football meeting.
Prior to the 1965 meeting between the two teams, Wabash student Jim Shanks '67 scheduled a meeting with DePauw University President William H. Kerstetter, claiming to be representative from the US Information Service in Mexico City. During the meeting with Kerstetter, Shanks was able to convince the president to offer two full scholarships for Mexican students. To "seal the deal" Shanks asked to take photos of various points of interest on campus to show the "prospective" Mexican students more about DePauw University.
One item Shanks asked to photograph was the Monon Bell, in the Tigers' possession after a 22–21 victory in 1964. The dean of the college was the only person on campus who knew the location of the Bell, but was reluctant to tell Shanks of its location. "I don't know whether I should show this to you or not," he said with a laugh. "The last time I showed it to someone, they stole it."
Taken to the second floor of a Quonset hut near the football field, Shanks took careful notes that were reviewed by Wabash students upon his return. The Wabash students decided they would have two groups attempt to retrieve The Bell. The first group that arrived on campus was quickly discovered before attempting the heist and were ordered to either "leave campus or find dates." The Wabash students chose the latter. The second group of students arrived on campus undetected, entered the building, and took the Bell back to Crawfordsville. Depauw's security, upon realizing The Bell was gone, found the first group of Wabash students still on campus. Security questioned the students about the heist but their dates vouched that they had been together the entire night. The Bell was eventually "found" by the Wabash administration and returned to DePauw the day before the 1965 game.
Saturday afternoon the Little Giant football team made certain it was a short visit. Wabash defeated DePauw 16–6. After every Wabash touchdown, the Wabash fans cheered "Ole!" At the conclusion of the game Wabash fans stormed the field, many wearing sombreros and ponchos, throwing tortillas onto the field and wielding posters congratulating President Kerstetter for the loss of the Bell and the two scholarship offers.
Another famous heist saw DePauw students stealing the bell from themselves. In 1967, concerned about the safety of the Bell from Wabash kidnappers, a group of DePauw students stole the bell from its resting place and buried it in the north end zone of DePauw's Blackstock Stadium. Very few students knew of its location, and many mistakenly believed it had been kidnapped by Wabash students. Shortly after the heist, the temperature dropped well below freezing and there was concern The Bell would inaccessible for the game. Luckily, the ground thawed and The Bell was unearthed on game day. Wabash wound up leaving with the trophy after a 7–0 victory on the muddy turf.
The Bell was last stolen in 1998 by Wabash students on Halloween.
In 1998, after DePauw had secured the Bell, a fracas broke out on the field of Wabash's Byron P. Hollett Little Giant Stadium and DePauw students pulled down one of the Little Giants' goal posts. The Little Giant student body retaliated by charging the field. The melee was broken up by the local police, which used pepper spray to restrain the visiting crowd. As a result, following Monon Bell Classics have been played with added security and segregated fan sections along with transferring The Bell midway through the 4th quarter to a neutral location if the result of the game is still in doubt.
One other failed heist occurred by DePauw students. They had succeeded in stealing the bell and had the bell loaded into their car when their car wouldn't start. They were caught red-handed with the bell. They assumed that they would only get a slap on the wrist for the attempted heist. However, because the crime occurred in Montgomery County, where nearly all the judges are Wabash alumni, the students from DePauw got 1000 hours of community service.
In 2012, DePauw students nearly snatched the bell when several members of the Wabash fraternity Sigma Chi fell asleep guarding it, however they woke up when the bell accidentally rang. In the resulting melee, the handle to the bell was broken, but Wabash was able to retain it.
In October 2017, three Wabash students wearing masks of Barack Obama and Donald Trump attempted to steal the bell from its display case at DePauw's Lilly Center in what is now known as the Failed Bipartisanship Heist. The students were intercepted on their way to a getaway truck after a DePauw police officer noticed the vehicle with its engine running during fall break; the would-be bandits also triggered a hidden pressure sensor, which alerted the DePauw and Greencastle City Police. [6] Out of concern for the students' future employment prospects, the police, the schools, and the students agreed the students only punishment would be cleaning Blackstock Stadium after the game. Many Wabash alumni and other students assisted the clean-up following the game to lighten the burden on the apprehended students.
The Ballad of the Monon Bell was introduced the week of the 1985 game at DePauw. The music is by Nancy Ford Charles (DePauw 1957), and the lyrics are by Darel Lindquist (DePauw 1968). The concept of the ballad originated with Patrick Aikman (DePauw 1957). The ballad has been recorded by Jim Ibbotson (of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) (DePauw 1969). A video, originally created in 1985, was recut in 2007 after tape was found containing a stereo version of the song, and another new version was created in August 2012. A 1985 demo of the song was also found in 2009. (See external links below for an MP3 and MOV of the song.)
Long before the cannonball traveled through her towns
The state of Indiana owned the jewel of the crown
The train, they called the Monon, the stories they still tell
The Giants and the Tigers playing for her bell
It rode like a masthead on engine ninety-nine
Crawfordsville to Greencastle, then further down the line
The Giants came from Wabash, the Tigers from DePauw
Since eighteen-ninety they have played the last game ev’ry fall
Many years they played for pride, oh the stories they could tell
Then in thirty-two the Monon train gave up her precious bell
They said, "Here take this symbol of smoke and fire and grit
And give it to the winner, a symbol not to quit."
Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw
Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev’ry fall
Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw
Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev’ry fall
Suddenly the boys of autumn had fire in their eyes
Blood and spit, but never quit, fighting for the prize
The medal to the victor, the symbol to the school
Wabash and DePauw became a yearly duel
Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw
Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev’ry fall
Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw
Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev’ry fall
Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw
Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev’ry fall
Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw
Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev’ry fall
Now history has recorded the players and their games
And to this day they still play for the Bell in Monon’s name
Those who’ve gone before return each November day
Swapping stories and legends for those who did not play
Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw
Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev’ry fall
Ring the Bell for Wabash, ring for old DePauw
Ring the bell for victory in the last game ev’ry fall
©DePauw University, 1985
DePauw victories | Wabash victories | Tie games |
|
Wabash College is a private liberal arts men's college in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Founded in 1832 by several Dartmouth College graduates and Midwestern leaders, it enrolls nearly 900 students. The college offers an undergraduate liberal arts curriculum in three academic divisions with 39 majors. As of 2020, it is one of only three non-religious, all-male, four-year colleges in the United States.
Crawfordsville is a city in Montgomery County in west central Indiana, United States, 49 miles (79 km) west by northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 16,306. The city is the county seat of Montgomery County, the only chartered city and the largest populated place in the county. It is the principal city of the Crawfordsville, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Montgomery County. The city is also part of the Indianapolis–Carmel–Muncie, IN Combined Statistical Area.
Greencastle is a city in Greencastle Township, Putnam County, Indiana, United States, and the county seat of Putnam County. It is located near Interstate 70 approximately halfway between Terre Haute and Indianapolis in the west-central portion of the state. The city is the home of DePauw University. The population was 9,820 at the 2020 census.
DePauw University is a private liberal arts college in Greencastle, Indiana. It was founded in 1837 as Indiana Asbury College and changed its name to DePauw University in 1884. The college has a Methodist heritage and was founded to be an ecumenical institution of national stature, "conducted on the most liberal principles, accessible to all religious denominations and designed for the benefit of our citizens in general".
The Monon Railroad, also known as the Chicago, Indianapolis, and Louisville Railway from 1897 to 1971, was an American railroad that operated almost entirely within the state of Indiana. The Monon was merged into the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in 1971, and much of the former Monon right of way is owned today by CSX Transportation. In 1970, it operated 540 miles (870 km) of road on 792 miles (1,275 km) of track; that year it reported 1320 million ton-miles of revenue freight and zero passenger-miles.
Monon may refer to:
Thomas Allison Mont was an American educator, university administrator, college football coach, and National Football League (NFL) player. He played quarterback for the Washington Redskins as a back-up behind Sammy Baugh for three seasons. Mont served as the head football coach for three years at the University of Maryland and eighteen years at DePauw University. He also served as the DePauw athletic director for fifteen years.
The Victory Bell is the traveling trophy given to the winner of the annual football game between the Duke University Blue Devils and the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. The game was worth two points in the now-defunct, yearlong Carlyle Cup between the two schools.
The Tiger Pep Band at DePauw University (TPB) is a student-led, -organized, and -funded ensemble at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. The band has been recognized several times among the best in collegiate sports, promoting sportsmanship and civility, and has been hailed as "best pep band in Division III athletics ".
Raymond Robert "Gaumey" Neal was an American football coach and player. He served as the head coach for the DePauw Tigers at DePauw University for 16 seasons. Prior to that, he played four seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Akron Pros and the Hammond Pros.
The Wabash Little Giants are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent Wabash College, a small private school for men in Crawfordsville, Indiana, United States. The college belongs to the National Collegiate Athletic Association and participates in Division III sports. The Little Giants compete as members of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). Despite the college's small enrollment and that it is "not a jock school", the Little Giants have had success in several sports. The most popular among Wabash fans are football and swimming. The Little Giants also have a well-respected cross-country team. In football, Wabash has an important rivalry with DePauw University, and each season they meet for the Monon Bell Classic. Wabash and DePauw compete annually to win the trophy, the Monon Bell, and as of 2015 the two teams have played 122 games in the series with Wabash holding a 60-53-9 advantage.
The Wabash Little Giants football team represents Wabash College in the sport of college football at the NCAA Division III level. The Little Giants have competed as a member of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) since 2000. Wabash plays home games at Hollett Little Giant Stadium in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Don Morel has served as the team's head coach since 2016.
The DePauw Tigers are the athletic teams that represent DePauw University, a small liberal arts school in Greencastle, Indiana. The university's teams play in the NCAA Division III and currently belong to the North Coast Athletic Conference.
Clinton Larue Hare was an American college football manager, organizer, and coach, and a lawyer and grocer. He served as the head football coach at Butler University for two seasons, in 1887 and 1889, at Purdue University for one season in 1890, and at DePauw University for one season in 1891, compiling a career coaching record of 10–5.
The DePauw Tigers football team is the American football program for DePauw University, which began in 1884. DePauw has the 20th most victories in Division III history. The Tigers have been the co-champions of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference four times. In addition, they won two championships during their membership in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference and five titles in the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference.
James Arvey Ibbotson is an American musician who is best known as a longtime member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. He has also released albums as a solo artist, as a member of the Wild Jimbos, and with John McEuen.
The 1891 Purdue football team was an American football team that represented Purdue University during the 1891 college football season. The team compiled a 4–0 record in the university's fourth season fielding an intercollegiate football team. For the 1891 season, Purdue hired Knowlton Ames as its football coach. Ames played for Princeton from 1886 to 1889 and was considered one of the greatest players ever to play college football, after scoring 730 points for Princeton. The 1891 Purdue team shut out all four opponents, outscoring Wabash, DePauw,Indiana, and |Butler by a total of 194 to 0. Purdue's 60–0 victory over Indiana was the first installment in a rivalry which later became noted for the award of the Old Oaken Bucket trophy.
The 1893 Butler Christians football team represented Butler University during the 1893 college football season. The team compiled a record of 4–2. Alfred H. Somerville was the team captain. The team began the season with 23 players.
Herbert Jerome McIntire was an American college football coach in the late 19th century. He served as the head football coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for one season, in 1897, and at Depauw University in Greencastle, Indiana for to seasons, from 1899 to 1900, compiling a career college football coaching record of 9–12–3.
The 1946 Indiana Intercollegiate Conference football season was the season of college football played by the 15 member schools of the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference (IIC) as part of the 1946 college football season.