Can a pig really be a prize? In my opinion, I would think only if it is something that can be turned into pork chops or ham and thrown on the grill to watch the game. However, this Saturday in Iowa City, there will be two teams fighting over a pig. The Hawkeyes of Iowa will want to keep it on their side of the field while the Golden Gophers of Minnesota want nothing better than to carry it across to their fans and their side of Kinnick Stadium.
The whole tradition dates back to 1935 and the two governors having a bet of a prize hog from their state being given to the governor of the winning state. Minnesota won that year and the Iowa governor personally walked a pig into the Minnesota governor’s office. The pig was affectionately named Floyd in honor of the Minnesota governor. Rosedale was the name of the farm that produced Floyd. Oddly enough, Floyd is not the only famous pig from that farm. The pig BlueBoy from the Will Rodgers movie State Fair also came from Rosedale Farms near Fort Dodge, IA.
I was lucky enough one time to witness the battle for the bronze pig. The Golden Gophers had won three straight games heading into that beautiful November day back in 2001. On this day, it was all Hawkeyes and it was amazing to watch those players run at full speed all the way to the Minnesota bench to haul that statue back home where they felt it belong.
It seems that nearly every game in the Big 10 is for some type of traveling trophy. The Purdue Cannon is given to the winner of Illinois v Purdue. Michigan and Minnesota play for the Little Brown Jug. Indiana and Purdue play for the Old Oaken Bucket. Next to the brass pig, perhaps the strangest one of all though is the Old Brass Spittoon given to the winner of Indiana and Michigan State.
This game is a true rivalry game and it is always played last in the season. Records don’t matter as a season can be salvaged with a win in this game. The fans will be battling each other nearly as much as the players will. This will be a great game. Why not celebrate it with a great pig.
The whole tradition dates back to 1935 and the two governors having a bet of a prize hog from their state being given to the governor of the winning state. Minnesota won that year and the Iowa governor personally walked a pig into the Minnesota governor’s office. The pig was affectionately named Floyd in honor of the Minnesota governor. Rosedale was the name of the farm that produced Floyd. Oddly enough, Floyd is not the only famous pig from that farm. The pig BlueBoy from the Will Rodgers movie State Fair also came from Rosedale Farms near Fort Dodge, IA.
I was lucky enough one time to witness the battle for the bronze pig. The Golden Gophers had won three straight games heading into that beautiful November day back in 2001. On this day, it was all Hawkeyes and it was amazing to watch those players run at full speed all the way to the Minnesota bench to haul that statue back home where they felt it belong.
It seems that nearly every game in the Big 10 is for some type of traveling trophy. The Purdue Cannon is given to the winner of Illinois v Purdue. Michigan and Minnesota play for the Little Brown Jug. Indiana and Purdue play for the Old Oaken Bucket. Next to the brass pig, perhaps the strangest one of all though is the Old Brass Spittoon given to the winner of Indiana and Michigan State.
This game is a true rivalry game and it is always played last in the season. Records don’t matter as a season can be salvaged with a win in this game. The fans will be battling each other nearly as much as the players will. This will be a great game. Why not celebrate it with a great pig.
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