The Lincoln Log

It’s been a long lasting tradition for the Abraham Lincoln High School Mustangs to play the George Washington High School Eagles in an annual football match known as the “Bell Game,” but how did it all start?

Although we now usually single out Lowell as our rival, Lowell did not open until 1960, and the bell game has been around a lot longer than that. The reason was because Lincoln and Washington were the only two high schools to the west of Twin Peaks around the 1940s, which is when the bell game started. Ever since 1942, the two schools have been battling it through a football game.

However, it wasn’t until 1945 that the two schools decided to create a trophy for the winner of each match. After much debate, it was decided that a bell would be the symbol of championship. It was designed as a brass bell on a walnut stand, where the words “Victory Bell” were engraved.

Winning the bell was (and still is) a glorious thing. It represents the champion school of the West. Everyone agrees that the bell game is great.

“The bell game is great. Rivalry is a positive thing,” said football coach Phillip Ferrigno.

Although Washington has won 31 times and Lincoln has only won 28, things look quite optimistic for Lincoln this year. With a 49-14 victory last year and the AAA Football Championship, it seems like Lincoln will be unstoppable this year.

With the 60th annual Bell Game that took place on Oct. 22, 2006, the bell game is the central topic for many day-to-day Lincoln conversations. Its history has lasted up to now and its legacy will leave traces for future generations.