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The Monon Bell (pronounced MOE-non) 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 2006 season, the two teams have played against each other 113 times, and the all time series between the Tigers and the Little Giants stands in Wabash's favor at 53-51-9.

History

The rivalry between Wabash and DePauw began in 1890 and is the oldest college football rivalry west of the Alleghenies where more than 100 games have been played. The Monon Bell was introduced as a travelling trophy in 1932 at the suggestion of a DePauw alumnus, Orien Fifer (Class of 1925), in a letter to the editor of the 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. Since the bell entered the series, DePauw has won 35 games, Wabash 34, and there were 6 ties. Before the introduction of overtime to college football, the rule was that the team with the bell retained it. This rule last held signifigance for the 99th Monon Bell Classic in 1992 where Wabash opted for a field goal to tie the game at 17-17, keep the bell, and set up the 100th game as an evenly split 45-45-9 series.

The teams failed to play each other only 5 years in the entire history. From 1897-1899, the schools failed to schedule each other for an unknown reason. In 1910, the teams didn't play due to the death of Wabash's star halfback, Ralph Wilson, who died from a concussion in a game earlier in the season. The schools have played each other every year since 1911.

Thefts

The Bell has been stolen at least 8 times (1941, 1959, 1965, 1966, 1978, 1979, 1988, 1998). The most famous of which involved (frequently called "Operation Frijoles") a Wabash student posing as a Mexican dignitary interested in establishing an exchange program with DePauw in 1965. During his meeting with the DePauw president, he arranged for a number of scholarships for students from Latin America and convinced him to show him the bell's hiding place. Later, he returned with friends, but could not steal it and was told by the Greencastle police to either find dates or leave the campus. So the students found dates for the evening and had another team come in and steal it. They of course couldn't blame it on the students that had been escorting DePauw co-eds all night.

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 bell was last stolen in 1998 by Wabash students on Halloween.

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 DePauw and Wabash are located in different counties and all the judges in Montgomery County (where Wabash is located) are Wabash graduates, the students from DePauw got 1000 hours of community service.

Tradition

The Monon Bell football game is more than just a rivalry. During the week of the game, both schools have numerous events and shared functions including concerts, debates and a blood drive. In addition, Wabash students guard their 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, 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, and HDNet. Annually, alumni parties are held in about 50 cities across America where loyal fans from both schools gather to watch the game.

Monon Memories

In 2001, utilizing film video and film from DePauw University's archives, the first "Monon Memories" -- short (40 second to 1:30) video summaries of past battles for the Bell -- were produced. There are now more than 40 segments, each for a different game dating back to 1932, and more are planned as archival material is uncovered. The videos, produced and occasionally narrated by DePauw's Director of Media Relations, Ken Owen, are available for viewing at DePauw's Web site and are included in each years's special edition DVD of the Monon Bell Classic.

P.S. DEPAUW SWALLOWS

The Ballad of the Monon Bell

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 has also been made. (See external links below for a MP3 and MOV of the song.)
Long before the cannonball travelled 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 Cavemen 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 Cavemen 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

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 the 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

Year by Year Result

External links

• Monon Bell History
• Roster of "Monon Memories" Highlights
• Monon Ballad Song (MP3)
• Monon Ballad Video (MOV)

• College football rivalry trophies