A Community Tradition for 109 or More YearsThe Unofficial Games
The Easton-Phillipsburg game (if you are from Easton) or the PhillipsburgEaston game (if you are a Phillipsburg fan) has been a Forks of the Delaware
community football staple for over 100 years. Fans have been trudging up to the
Lafayette College Campus since 1905 to view their favorite team match up against
its interstate rival. A short time after the inaugural clash, people on both sides
of the river realized that a holiday was required to stage this game, and in 1916 it
was first played on Thanksgiving Day. Before 1925 the games were played on
March Field, but since 1926 the battles have taken place on what is now known as
Fisher Field. Easton had the better of it in the earlier years and by 1954 had
rolled out to a 30-15-3 series advantage. Phillipsburg closed the gap with a
21-14-1 run from 1955 to 1990. Since then, Easton has regained an edge with an
18-6-1 record. No matter which team is the favorite, the underdog invariably
brings to the game an effort and an intensity that results in a hard-fought battle,
epitomizing this classic rivalry. Officially, today’s tussle is the 110th renewal of
the game, but unofficially the total is greater.
Research has found that contests between the two high schools originated
not in the 20th century, but actually in the previous century. Area newspapers
reported three games to have taken place as far back as 1889. On a Saturday in
November of that year, boys from both schools got together on the Goodwill
grounds in Phillipsburg to play this fairly new game of football. Phillipsburg won
the contest 20-4. Scoring touchdowns resulted in four points, and “kicking a goal”
after a touchdown added two points.
The text of the record in the Easton Daily Express is as follows:
“The High School foot-ball team (Phillipsburg) played its initiatory game on
Saturday afternoon on the Goodwill grounds with the Easton High School team
and won by a score of 20 to 4. The teams were about evenly matched and played
an interesting and amusing game. The first half ended with the score standing 4
to 0 in favor of Easton. In the last half, however, the Jersey boys had the
advantage of the field and by skillful play and brisk tackling scored 20 points and
thus won the game. About 300 people, including many of the High School girls,
witnessed the game.” (Easton Daily Express, Monday, November 25, 1889)
Almost two years would go by before the rivals would meet again, this time
in Easton on a Saturday afternoon in October on the Hess’s lot on 14th Street. In
this second matchup the Easton boys came out on top 6-4.
The final “unofficial game” took place three years later in 1894. This year
marked the first year that Easton officially recognized football and kept records
of wins, losses, and ties. Phillipsburg did not recognize football as a varsity sport
at that time, and so, this game is not part of its official record. Phillipsburg would
begin their official football history in 1905.
On Friday, November 16, the Easton Daily Express announced that, “The
Easton High School foot-ball team will play a game with the Phillipsburg High
School eleven to-morrow afternoon on the new athletic field of Lafayette College.
The game will be called at 3 o’clock. An admission of 10 cents will be charged. As
the Easton team has thus far been invincible, and as Phillipsburg has a strong
team, a close game is expected.“ Because of the bad condition of the ground of
the new field, it was decided to play the game on another site on the college
campus. Those that had expected a hotly contested game were disappointed.
After the first of two 20-minute halves, Easton led 10-0. In the second half the
lead was extended, and the game ended with a 26-0 Easton victory.
In 1905 the two high schools officially commenced on a football journey that
has produced one of the greatest high school rivalries in the country. Games have
been reported by newspapers, broadcast over the airwaves, telecast by national
cable TV networks, and streamed over the Internet. Most importantly, they are
part of the memories of countless high school football fans, and are an enduring
part of the collective history of the Forks of the Delaware. They make up a
tradition held tight by two communities, a tradition that has been ongoing for 109
years or a few more.
Updated for 2016 E-P Game