THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012
TRADITION
PAGE 5C
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
'Border War' rivalry remains in hearts of fans
Fans in the student section go wild after winning the game, holding up the final running tally of wins and losses against the border rivalry team Missouri.
ELLY GRIMM
egrimm@kansan.com
In the world of college sports, there are several historic rivalries that go back several decades. However, no rivalry quite compares to the one between the University of Kansas and the University of Missouri.
This historic rivalry, which began in 1891, came to an end after the 2011-2012 sports season when the University of Missouri left the Big 12 Conference for the Southeastern Conference (SEC). According to Mike Reid, director of public affairs for the KU Memorial Unions, it was the second-oldest rivalry in football.
"This rivalry was different from other rivalries because of feelings going back to the Civil War," Reid said.
Indeed, the overall rivalry between the states began before Kansas became a state and the University was ever built. Reid said that Missourians would cross over the state border to vote in Kansas territories, upsetting Kansans.
In the sports world, the rivalry was especially prevalent between the football teams. Becky Schulte, a University Archivist, said the Kansas-Missouri football game was a major event for the University, particularly since the Missouri game usually fell on Homecoming.
"There were several activities that the students did, especially the big bonfire the night before the game," Schulte said.
As to be expected, however, there were high tensions between the two teams. One particular controversy stemmed from a football game in 1960 and is highlighted in the book "Border War Football: 1891-2009" by Shawn Buchanan Greene. The controversy centered on the illegal recruiting of star halfback Bert Coan, which caused the jayhawks to be excluded from postseason games.
In fact, tensions escalated to the point that the University student body President Max Eberhart and
Missouri Students' Association President Roger Bridges wrote out and signed a peace pact, the text laid out measures to prevent further escalation and was issued in November 1961 editions of the University Daily Kansan, the Topeka Daily Capital, the Lawrence Journal-World and the Kansas City Times.
The rivalry continued in this fashion for the next several decades. Around 2002, the game series between the two schools was finally coined as the "Border War" by University officials and commercial sponsors for the game.
Jim Marchiony, the associate athletics director, talked about some other particularly memorable events throughout the rivalry, including last season's match-ups in mens basketball, the 2008 football snowed-up upon match-up.
This rivalry will remain in the hearts of the Jayhawk loyal, even with no more regular-season match-ups to look forward to.
- Edited by Brittney Haynes
Jayhawk fans hold up signs, including one of historic Kansas Basketball coaches, prior to tip off.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Brian Duerksen, a third year law student from Wichita, holds up an Orange Bowl and NCAA trophy as a Missouri Tigers fan passes by before last year's Border War at Allen Fieldhouse.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
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