The rivalry renews this weekend at Fisher Stadium in Easton. Yeah, I said "the" Rivalry, nevermind Harvard v. Yale, you can keep your Ohio State v. Michigan, I'll grant you some merit to Army v. Navy, but this is "the" Rivalry!
The most played rivalry in all of college football, started in Lehigh Valley on October 25, 1884. Yeah, it's been around a while. Lehigh is currently on a streak having won the last four, but Lafayette owns the series record 76-66-5.
Here's a fun fact: the only year in which there was no game was 1896, when Lehigh refused to play Lafayette over a dispute about the eligibility of their best player, Charles "Babe" Rinehart. Apparently, Rinehart may have played professional baseball the previous summer, which would have made him ineligible for a college football game. Even in the 1890s sports had their controversies!
In recent memory, or at least in my lifetime, the Rivalry has become the kickoff to the holiday season.
It's the Saturday before Thanksgiving and there's a nip in the air And Lehigh and Lafayette to the end-zone will tear
So whether you say it's Lehigh v. Lafayette or Lafayette v. Lehigh the game as always will be entertaining. Although, this year I can guarantee there will not be anything like "The Catch" made in the 2nd Overtime in 1995 by Brian Klingerman, that's because Fisher Stadium has lights, so they'll be no worry of the game going too long!
Below is the PBS Channel 39 Special on The Lehigh - Lafayette Rivalry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsHRdIX038w