MU vs. Iowa State: Telephone Trophy Exchange

In 1949, the Missouri football Tigers were playing in Ames, IA vs. Iowa State. Just before the game started, an assistant coach for the Tigers put on his headset and was startled to hear the Iowa State coaches. Somehow the wires had gotten crossed, and each side could hear the other. In honor of this event, Northwestern Bell of Ames donated the telephone trophy, and it is awarded to the winner of the Missouri-Iowa State game.

MU vs. Nebraska: Bell Exchange

The bell exchange started in 1927 after Nebraska fraternity pranksters stole the bell from a local church. The tradition stopped temporarily during WWII, but resumed in 1947.

MU’s QEBH, one of six recognized campus secret societies, and the Innocents Society of Nebraska exchange the bell. The bell has an “M” on one side and an “N” on the other. The bell is issued to the winner of the Missouri-Nebraska football game.

MU vs. kU: Drum Exchange

MU and kU alumni bought an Indian drum in 1935 from a Kansas City pawnshop to create interest in the Missouri-kansas football series. MU and kU alumni autographed both drum heads, and the winner of the annual football game between the two schools would receive the drum as their trophy.

In the 1980s the drum vanished, and the Taos Indians in New Mexico made a replacement. Some years later, the original drum was located in the Read Hall basement under a pile of boxes. The older drum, however, was not an authentic Indian drum and thus was retired. Today the original drum resides in the College Football Hall of Fame.

In 1999, kU Athletics decided to change the look of the drum and the Indian War Drum was replaced with a bass drum. The schools’ athletics and alumni associations’ logos are on opposite ends. The second drum is now the property of the MU Alumni Association.

The bass drum is safeguarded by the MU Alumni Association and Alumni Association Student Board while in Missouri, and when in kansas is kept by members of the kansas Student Alumni Association.

 

The rest of the story behind MU vs. kU

Started in 1891, the rivalry between the University of Missouri and the University of kansas is the oldest college rivalry west of the Mississippi River.

The rivalry between the two states actually started before Civil War. Each state had bands of guerillas with infamous leaders such as Jesse James, William Quantrill, Cole Younger and John Brown. These groups violently attacked their opposite-state enemies in what became known as the Border Wars. The guerillas from kansas were known as “jayhawkers” and name stuck as their university’s mascot. That guerilla rivalry carried over into college sports when the first MU/kU football game was played on October 31, 1891.

Homecoming

First Homecoming - MU vs. kU - 1911

Since 1911 MU has the biggest student-run Homecoming in the world. The first year MU/kU game was played in Columbia instead of Kansas City was in 1911. Athletic Director Chester Brewer asked alumni to “come home” for the rivalry game, which is now Homecoming as we celebrate it today.

Why is the ‘k” in kansas lower case? Because it’s neither a proper noun nor a proper place!