The rivalry between the two high schools is the second oldest in the United States. The first football game played between the two teams was in 1906. Every year, a half dozen major newspapers write about the rivalry between the Pumas and the Bulldogs. Last Friday night we—er, they—celebrated the 100th anniversary of our rivalry with a thrilling, hard-fought football game. If you’re from either city, the feud is deep in your blood. The football teams have played 137 times because some years they played each other twice. Even the bands play their fiercest during halftime. Why, you can hear them all over Cochise County and 50 miles down into Mexico.
Since the early 40s, the winning team keeps The Copper Pick, a beautiful trophy cast many years ago just for The Big Game between the two schools. A high school career is a success if your school won the Big Game the year you graduated. Otherwise, why even bother?
As the years passed since I graduated from high school, my admiration for Bisbee has warmed. (Notice how I courteously mentioned Bisbee first.) It wasn’t always that way. Read all about the rivalry and how I felt about it.
Anyway, we who graduated from those great Southern Arizona schools have something special. That special love-hate rivalry will never die. Not even for another 100 years.
Aw shucks! Department: Bisbee eked out a squeaker victory last weekend, 20–19. The Bums. They get to keep The Pick till Douglas tromps 'em next year.
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