August 3, 1852 – It was the first American intercollegiate sporting event that had ever taken place. The Harvard heavyweight rowing crew competed against their rivals Yale on Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire. Harvard triumphed by 2 lengths in over 2 miles over the Eli rowing group.
This started the competitive athletic rivalry between the two Eastern Universities. Most famously the football rivalry between the schools dates back to 1875 and is the second-oldest rivalry in college football, but as we see these two were rivals long before that.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
December 13, 1947: Get There Early!
With the NFL Western Division title on the line, both the Bears and the
Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears Rivalry of the 1970s
Pro football’s longest-enduring rivalry naturally involves two of its oldest teams, the Green Bay
December 10, 1947: The Big Sneeze
As you may recall from our previous episode in this new mini-series that chronicles
Roll With The “R” – R.I.P. Razor Ramon
This summer I was totally enthralled by the audiobook BLOOD, SWEAT & CHROME by Kyle Buchanan. The
December 7, 1947: The Jekyll and Hyde of the NFL (Chicago Cardinals)
As we kick off our bonus coverage of the 1947 Chicago Cardinals championship run,
Bears vs. Cardinals: The NFL’s Oldest Rivalry Book Preview
In this episode of “When Football Was Football’” Joe Ziemba previews his latest book,
Broadway Joe’s Lasting Impact on the NFL
Does Joe Namath deserve to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? To
Bob Lilly a.k.a. “Mr. Cowboy” – (Mark and Dave’s All-Time Favorite Player)
After an All-American career at Texas Christian University, Bob Lilly was the first-ever draft