Slab of Bacon

The Slab of Bacon was a traveling trophy that passed between the University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers and University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football teams, given annually to the winning team immediately upon the conclusion of the game. It was the first symbol of one of the most heated rivalries in college football and the most-played rivalry in Division I-A football, with 117 editions dating back to 1890.

Creation

The Slab of Bacon was created in 1930 as a way for the universities to commemorate their rivalry. The Slab of Bacon was a piece of black walnut wood carved with a football topped by a letter W or M, depending on which angle one is looking at it. It was carved by Dr. R. B. Fouch of Minneapolis. Scores of each Wisconsin-Minnesota game were printed on the back of the trophy. When the trophy changed hands, it was presented to the winning school by a sorority from the losing school.

Lost & Replaced

After the Gophers' 1943 victory, a ceremonial exchange was supposed to take place, but the officials involved could not find each other on the field. Wisconsin sent the trophy to Minnesota's locker room. The Gopher's coach at the time Dr. George Hauser refused to accept it, stating he believed "such trophies should be out for the duration". [ Minneapolis Sunday Tribune November 21, 1943 Sport section p.2] The trophy disappeared and was replaced by Paul Bunyan's Axe in 1948. [ [http://www1.umn.edu/stadium/trophy.html#axe University of Minnesota Trophy Games] ]

Found

The Slab of Bacon was missing until 1994, when it was discovered in a storage room at the Wisconsin Athletic Department during a renovation of Camp Randall. Although allegedly "lost", it had been maintained for a period - when it was officially "found", the scores of every Wisconsin-Minnesota game from 1930 through 1970 had been printed on the back of the slab.

The Slab of Bacon is currently housed in the Wisconsin football office at Camp Randall. "We took home the bacon," then-head coach Barry Alvarez said, "and kept it."

1930-1943 game results

Between the Slab and the Axe (1944-47)

ee also

*Little Brown Jug (Michigan vs Minnesota)
*Floyd of Rosedale (Iowa vs Minnesota)
*Governor's Victory Bell (Minnesota vs Penn State)
*Heartland Trophy (Iowa vs Wisconsin)
*Paul Bunyan Trophy (Michigan vs Michigan State)
*Paul Bunyan's Axe (replacement for the Slab of Bacon, Wisconsin vs Minnesota)

References

External links

* [http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/fb/headlines/story.html?sportid=111&storyid=9347 UWBadgers.com feature article on the Slab of Bacon]
* [http://www.uwbadgers.com/traditions/notables_120.html#bacon "Slab of Bacon" entry on the Wisconsin Athletics website]
* [http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/bigten/wisconsin/opponents_records.php?teamid=2030 Wisconsin-Minnesota Series History]