Monon Bell
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The Monon Bell is the trophy awarded to the victor of the annual college football matchup between the DePauw University Tigers (in Greencastle, Indiana) and the Wabash College Little Giants (in Crawfordsville, Indiana) in the United States. The Bell is a 300-pound locomotive bell from the Monon Railroad. As of the end of the 2004 season, the two teams have played against each other 111 times. Since their first game against each other in 1890, the Little Giants and the Tigers have split the rivalry series 51-51-9 overall. Since the Bell was introduced as a trophy in the 1932 game however, DePauw has led the series 35-32-6.
The rivalry between Wabash and DePauw began in 1890 and is the oldest college football rivalry west of the Alleghenies The Monon Bell was introduced as a travelling trophy in 1932 at the suggestion of a DePauw alumnus in a letter to the editor of the Indianapolis News. The Bell has been stolen several times, the most famous of which involved a Wabash student posing as a Mexican dignitary interested in establishing an exchange program with DePauw. During his meeting with the university president, he asked to see the Bell. Later, he returned with friends and stole it.
Another famous heist had DePauw students stealing the bell from themselves. Concerned about the safety of the Bell from Wabash kidnappers, DePauw students stole the bell from its resting place and buried it in the north endzone of their football stadium. Very few students knew of its location. A problem arose on gameday as the ground was frozen. The students were barely able to reclaim the Bell in time for the game.
The Monon Bell football game is more than just a rivalry. During the week of the game, both school have numerous events and shared functions inlcluding concerts, debates and a blood drive. In addition, when in possesion of the bell, Wabash students guard the campus day and night for the entire week.
The game has received national media coverage including articles in Sports Illustrated in 1973 and 1993, a feature on Charles Kuralt's 1979 "Sunday Morning" show, airing of the game on ABC in 1977, 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 alumni from both schools hold gatherings to watch the game.