The Bell Game (Football Rivalry)
Encyclopedia
The Bell Game is a yearly contest between two Pueblo
, Colorado
high schools: Central High School
and Centennial High School
. They have been playing each other since 1892 in what is touted as the oldest football
rivalry west of the Mississippi River
, and is tied for the seventeenth oldest in the United States. The rivalry is actually tied for second with the rivalry between Abilene High School
and Chapman High School in terms of being the oldest rivalry on this side of the Mississippi. The rivalry is sometimes referred to as the "One Hundred Year War". Since the mid 1950's the teams have played to gain ownership of the Trophy Bell and get to paint it their respective colors and host in their school for sporting events and school activities.
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
high schools: Central High School
Central High School (Pueblo, Colorado)
Central High School is one of seven public high schools located in Pueblo, Colorado. The high school was the second for the city of Puebloand was founded in 1881. It is the only high school to have two Medal Of Honor recipients, William J. Crawford and Carl L...
and Centennial High School
Centennial High School (Pueblo, Colorado)
Centennial High School is a high school located in Pueblo, Colorado. It serves roughly 1000 students in grades 9 through 12. The school is a part of Pueblo City Schools .-History:...
. They have been playing each other since 1892 in what is touted as the oldest football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
rivalry west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, and is tied for the seventeenth oldest in the United States. The rivalry is actually tied for second with the rivalry between Abilene High School
Abilene High School (Abilene, Kansas)
Abilene High School is a fully accredited public high school located in Abilene, Kansas, USA, serving grades 9-12. The school is a part of Abilene Unified School District 435. The current building serves students from the city itself as well as outlying areas covered by the nearby Chapman district...
and Chapman High School in terms of being the oldest rivalry on this side of the Mississippi. The rivalry is sometimes referred to as the "One Hundred Year War". Since the mid 1950's the teams have played to gain ownership of the Trophy Bell and get to paint it their respective colors and host in their school for sporting events and school activities.