Rivalries
By Battle of the Bricks | February 16, 2009Dan KuklaBattle of the BricksThe Battle of the Bricks is an annual all-sports series between the Ohio University Bobcats and the Miami University RedHawks. Founded in 1804 and 1809, Ohio and Miami are well known for their beautiful red brick campuses as well as their competition in both the classroom and on the athletic field. The first athletic meeting between the two schools was a men's basketball game during the 1907-08 season, a contest Miami won 27-8. Later in 1908, OU and Miami battled for the first time on the football gridiron with Miami coming away with a 5-0 victory.The modern rivalry began in 1947 when Miami joined OU in the Mid-American Conference. Since then, OU and Miami have been meeting several times a year in both Athens and Oxford to battle in athletic competition. The Official Battle of the Bricks Series started in 2002-03 as a means to further strengthen and promote the historic and competitive rivalry between the two schools. A trophy is given to the school that performs best in head-to-head competition throughout the entire year. Miami won the trophy in the first four years of its existence.Battle of the BellEvery year when Miami University takes the field against the University of Cincinnati, the two teams play for more than just a win or pride-they play for the Victory Bell. The original Victory Bell hung in Miami's Harrison Hall (Old Main) and rung at the end of every Miami football victory. In the 1890s, Cincinnati fans took the bell and it has gone to the winning team of their annual rivalry game from that point on. The Victory Bell mysteriously disappeared in the 1930s but reappeared in 1946. It is now on display in the lobby of Miami's Murstein Alumni Center. The current trophy is a replica of the original Victory Bell. One side is painted white with red letters displaying every Miami series triumph while the other side is painted black with red letters highlighting each Cincinnati win in the series.