Texarkana Tradition

Annual Arkansas-Texas game a needed break from turmoil

There’s something special about this time of year in Texarkana. For whatever reason, it stirs something within longtime residents—maybe a bit of nostalgia about a simpler time, or our own school days.

They say you can’t bring back the past, but this Friday evening you can relive some of its excitement. That’s the night of the eagerly awaited “big game,” a football rivalry that stretches back generations.

Arkansas High and Texas High will take to the field at 7:30 p.m. The venue this year is Tiger Stadium at Grim Park. Under the stars and before thousands of fans, the Razorbacks and the Tigers will settle the question of which team is the best—at least until next year.

Through the years, the rivalry has spurred some pretty mischievous, even destructive, behavior by the schools’ partisans.

There are many Texarkana residents old enough to recall—some not too fondly—finding their cars covered in raw eggs as punishment for having the wrong state’s license plate in the wrong part of town.

There are other residents who recall—with somewhat more good humor—being on the other side of those guided egg missiles.

Police and school authorities take a dimmer view of such shenanigans these days, but the rivalry remains. And we say thank goodness for it.

The game is a Twin City tradition. More than that, it’s an American tradition. It’s an event that allows us to step out of the divisive political climate and focus on two schools, two teams of our young people, battling it out on the field. We can cheer them on, celebrate a victory or vow to “win it next year”—the same way it’s been done for years. It’s something of an escape into a nostalgic, simpler time. No matter what side of the stadium you sit on, it’s hard to think of a better feeling than that.

So enjoy the game. And best of luck to both teams.