the bell game
I was fortunate enough to participate in the 63rd annual Bell game played to at Brookfields Burlington field. No matter if it was pouring likes cats and dogs or if the sun were shining like a hot July day the game would be played. The high strung over enthusiastic crowd set the atmosphere with their cowbells, painted faces, and the Blue Pride or Black Rage clothing apparel. The crowd --aging from 0-70 --numbered close to 5 thousand which is half of the population of the two towns combined every one comes out of the woodwork to see this one. It would prove be the most exciting game of the year.The annual "Bell Game", between Brookfield and Marceline, is one of the longest running football rivalries in Missouri High School Competition. The two schools have played football against each other since 1909, but the contest did not become known as the Bell Game until 1937 when Kenneth Duker of Brookfield donated a brass bell to the school. This bell came from a Stutz fire engine used by the Brookfield Fire Department. Mr. Duker, and a group of other sports fans, wished to put the bell up as a trophy, like a bounty for the capture of ruthless outlaws, and presented it to Brookfield High School.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Tigers wasted no time tying the game up with a wide-open 14-yard pass to cap off a 60-yard drive with 7:00 left in the half. I started off this drive scampering from my quarterback position and ended up keeping the ball 5 times racking up 35 yards. Unfortunately Marceline stuffed us on the 24 for yard line and settled for a field goal to take the lead again 10-7 with just 46.3 seconds left in the half. Marceline struck devastating us, like the bombing of pearl harbor, and scored in 31.1 seconds. So we went into the locker room trailing 14-10. To protect their respective bells, so they didn't have to suffer the embarrassment of their bell serving as a hazardous material disposal sight, guys would camp out. Hiding in the darkness, with their hooded sweatshirts, to await their prey. They started out just throwing eggs or the occasional fireworks, but the objects became much harder -- bricks, hedge balls and beer bottles-- this caused more property damage and maybe a hospital visit for these guys. So I had to walk off of my home field my senior year with out the bell in my hands. It was hard to take, watching as Marceline rang the bell off of our field, and the emotions poured out of each and every one us. But as it may of felt like there was no light at the end of the tun
Some common words found in the essay are:
Brookfield Bulldogs, Unfortunately Marceline, Brookfields Burlington, Black Rage, Bell Game, Department Duker, Duker Brookfield, School Competition, bell game, School Parker, Brookfield Marceline, annual bell game, annual bell, bell game 1937, left half, yard line, 63rd annual, 63rd annual bell, game played, game 1937,
Approximate Word count = 917
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
