Former Tilghman players have plenty of Mayfield memories

One of the reasons that makes this game so special is that it involves everyone...not just the coaches and players. Some of the traditions have ended...like, painting the downtown store windows on the Sunday before Tilghman week...I loved doing that when I was in school. I was on the cross country team, and on game day, we were excused from school on that day so that we could physically run the game ball from Paducah back to Mayfield...about 25-30 miles depending on where we would begin the run in Paducah.

One year, before we started running, we drove over to Paducah Tilghman high school. Now, we were in the back of Coach Leahy's pick-up with our red warmups on. We drove right to the front of the school, and laid down on the horn. We were shouting "Go Big Red" and it caused the Tilghman students to run to the windows. They were hanging out of the windows all across the front of the school...we stirred them up to the point that we had to get out of there...it was all in good fun and school spirit.

I remember meeting the bicyclers on old 45 (now its 1241) and we stopped traffic in both directions while we all threw the football around while yelling "Beat Tilghman". Paducah, at one time, also had students riding bikes from Paducah to Mayfield, and runners that ran the football from Mayfield back to Paducah...all of that has ended except that I think Mayfield still has students that ride bicycles on that day....sooooo much fun...such great memories.

Can anyone briefly explain why this is a rivalry? Looks like the schools are about 25 miles apart and isn't Tilghman currently much larger than Mayfield? Is it just 2 teams with a long history of good football programs within close proximity to one another? Do they not have a traditional rival that is closer and same size? Discussion reminds me a bit of the Bardstown v. Nelson Co. rivalries, but both of them are in the same city.

Can anyone briefly explain why this is a rivalry? Looks like the schools are about 25 miles apart and isn't Tilghman currently much larger than Mayfield? Is it just 2 teams with a long history of good football programs within close proximity to one another? Do they not have a traditional rival that is closer and same size? Discussion reminds me a bit of the Bardstown v. Nelson Co. rivalries, but both of them are in the same city.

 

Mayfield beats up on A and once AA schools. PT is a school that gives a good game on a yearly basis. This has been a back and forth series and both have great programs.

Poll please Mods

Poll please Mods

Blame snakesnot. Poll added.

Can anyone briefly explain why this is a rivalry? Looks like the schools are about 25 miles apart and isn't Tilghman currently much larger than Mayfield? Is it just 2 teams with a long history of good football programs within close proximity to one another? Do they not have a traditional rival that is closer and same size? Discussion reminds me a bit of the Bardstown v. Nelson Co. rivalries, but both of them are in the same city.

Less than 30 minutes separate these schools. For decades, they have been the class of western Kentucky football. Some programs have risen but they soon fall and don't sustain the success that Mayfield and Tilghman have year after year after year. There are no metropolitan areas in western Kentucky so there are no cities that have 6 or 7 or 10 schools that play football. For years, Mayfield was the only school in Graves County that offered football and Tilghman was the only school in McCracken County that did until Heath came along. Later, Lone Oak and Reidland offered football.

 

These two were it. The baddest boys on the block. Never in the same class so the only way bragging rights as to who was the best in WKY was settled was in their annual game.

Blame snakesnot. Poll added.

 

Noted and agree

 

 

Of course we blame him for everything anyway

Mayfield and Tilghman were in the same class until 1975...1974 was the last game Mayfield and PT played that had post season implications on the line. By the way, the Cardinals won that game 17-2.

If you grew up in Western Kentucky you already know what this game means to these two communities, begining in 1911 it has evolved into the states second oldest and one of the nations oldest. Here are a few of the excerts I found about not only the game but the week of the game.

 

 

Mayfield/Tilghman, The Rivalry

Lanny Lancaster, Longtime Mayfield Statistician

 

The annual battle between the Blue Tornado of Paducah Tilghman and the Cardinals of Mayfield is considered the outstanding game in Western Kentucky and one of the longest and best rivalries in the state. There is and always will be a keen, sometimes bitter, rivalry between the towns of Mayfield and Paducah when it comes to their football.

 

The Mayfield-Paducah series began in 1911, with the first game being a 0-0 tie. In 1921 the game became a Thanksgiving affair, and “Turkey Day” became the most important day of the year for the two schools. The game remained on “Turkey Day” until 1959 when the Kentucky State High School Playoffs began. The game is not played in the middle of the schools’ season but the intensity of the competition has not changed. To many, on both sides, this is still THE game of the year, and the rest of the schedule is secondary in importance.

 

From the Mayfield–Tilghman series:

 

*Tilghman records show the 1911 game a 0-0 TIE, Mayfield’s records show a 22-0 Mayfield victory.

 

*Tilghman records show the 1912 game a 26-0 Tornado victory. Mayfield records show a 22-0 Cardinal victory.

 

*In 1925 one player accounted for all five points in Mayfield’s 3-2 win. Weldon “Nappy” Yates booted a field goal and took a saftey to preserve Mayfield’s win.

 

*Mayfield won by the most lopsided margin 85-6 in 1919. There was no game in 1920 because Paducah “suggested the teams not play since there could be no doubt as to the result”.

 

*Tilghman’s longest winning streak is 6, Mayfield’s is 7 and currently active.

 

 

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Mayfield Traditions Continue During Tilghman Week

 

Kim Hamby, Mayfield Independent Schools

 

As the Mayfield High School Football team prepares to meet the Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado for the 100th time on the field, students and fans are showing their support through events planned leading up to the historic game. This year, Tilghman hosts the game at McRight Stadium on Saturday at 7 pm.

Students at Mayfield High School will be gearing up for the storied game with Spirit Days. Wednesday was “Pajama Day”, Thursday will be “Mourn the Blue”, and the week will wrap up with the traditional “Red and Black Day”.

The tradition continues on Friday, starting with the student bicycle riders that bike from MHS to Paducah Tilghman High School. The school day will conclude with the Beat Tilghman Pep Rally. Mayfield Middle School will join the High School for the fun. The community is invited to the Mayfield High School Sport Arena for the 2 pm event, which includes the return of the bike riders.

 

Friday night will be a night of tradition and celebration with the annual Powder Puff Football game, sponsored by the MHS Cheerleaders. Following the games will be the return of the Beat Tilghman Bonfire. The bonfire will be lit in the Century Club parking lot on the west side of War Memorial Stadium.

 

Mayfield-Tilghman Rivalry Series

Year Winner Score

1911 Tie 0-0

1912 Mayfield 22-0

1913 No Game

1914 Tilghman 19-0

1915 Tilghman 27-0

1916 No Game

1917 Mayfield 39-0

1917 Tie 6-6

1918 No Game

1919 Mayfield 85-6

1920 No Game

1921 Tie 0-0

1922 Tilghman 24-7

1923 Tie 0-0

1924 Tilghman 22-7

1925 Mayfield 3-2

1926 Mayfield 10-0

1927 Tilghman 13-6

1928 Tie 0-0

1929 Mayfield 7-0

1930 Mayfield 25-6

1931 Mayfield 14-0

1932 Tilghman 38-0

1933 Tie 7-7

1934 Tie 6-6

1935 Tilghman 25-7

1936 Tilghman 7-0

1937 Tilghman 21-6

1938 Tilghman 19-0

1939 Mayfield 6-0

1940 Tilghman 33-0

1941 Tie 0-0

1942 Tilghman 19-0

1943 Tilghman 41-25

1944 Tilghman 14-0

1945 Tilghman 18-12

1946 Tilghman 14-0

1947 Tilghman 54-6

1948 Mayfield 33-12

1949 Tilghman 39-6

1950 Tilghman 14-12

1951 Mayfield 12-0

1952 Mayfield 20-12

1953 Tilghman 19-7

1954 Mayfield 18-6

1955 Tilghman 53-7

1956 Tilghman 26-7

1957 Tilghman 33-7

1958 Tie 12-12

1959 Mayfield 18-6

1960 Tilghman 20-14

1961 Tilghman 35-19

1962 Tilghman 33-7

1963 Tilghman 13-7

1964 Tie 14-14

1965 Mayfield 27-7

1966 Mayfield 14-6

1967 Mayfield 13-7

1968 Tilghman 21-7

1969 Mayfield 14-6

1970 Mayfield 54-13

1971 Tilghman 7-3

1972 Tilghman 21-20

1973 Tilghman 53-0

1974 Mayfield 17-2

1975 Mayfield 7-6

1976 Mayfield 30-21

1977 Mayfield 14-7

1978 Mayfield 35-6

1979 Tilghman 14-7

1980 Tilghman 15-14

1981 Mayfield 7-0

1982 Mayfield 16-7

1983 Mayfield 13-7

1984 Tilghman 7-6

1985 Tilghman 14-0

1986 Mayfield 17-10

1987 Tilghman 22-10

1988 Tilghman 34-14

1989 Tilghman 16-7

1990 Mayfield 20-17

1991 Tilghman 28-14

1992 Tilghman 28-0

1993 Tilghman 10-9

1994 Tilghman 21-14

1995 Mayfield 28-0

1996 Mayfield 13-0

1997 Mayfield 14-7

1998 Mayfield 14-6

1999 Mayfield 24-21

2000 Mayfield 25-0

2001 Tilghman 17-21

2002 Mayfield 28-22

2003 Tilghman 42-7

2004 Tilghman 27-15

2005 Tilghman 18-15

2006 Mayfield 14-7

2007 Mayfield 16-6

2008 Mayfield 21-12

2009 Mayfield 21-12

2010 Mayfield 23-20 OT

2011 Mayfield 24-6

2012 Mayfield 42-21

I love the history of the game. Great to see.

Here's a pic of Mayfield's 1911 team.

 

https://twitter.com/AKAJeffBidwell/status/375631827072851970/photo/1

Is there any other rivalry in the nation that has 100 meetings?

 

I have enjoyed reading the posts in this thread with the history of the series. Good luck to the Cardinals.

Wikipedia has a list of the oldest rivalries in the land...which, by my count, puts the Mayfield/Tilghman rivalry as the 84th oldest rivalry in the nation.

I always enjoyed the meal and church service for the game for the players, I miss the window painting that no longer takes place in the store windowsin the downtown court square area. I understand the cheer leaders from each school still have a brunch the day of the game. What other traditions am I forgetting?

 

The old timers crack me up prefering to beat Tilghman over a state title, guess that is becasuse they didn't have state title games bck in their day.

 

100 games and just over a 100 years is alot of games and a very long time