When it comes to the Backyard Football League, it has been said that the Tigers had a intense rivalry with the Lions since the 1930's. 68 Regular season meetings, 13 Playoff meetings, 1 big game. The Tigers have only won 9 Rivalry Games, these wins were in 1935, 1939, 1941, 1956, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1974, and 1997. Despite their hatred on the field being kept on the field, tempers has boiled off the field as well. The rivalry ran deep in the state of Texas.
It all started during the Depression Era in the 1930's. It was Thanksgiving, the week of the first ever Bradley/Milton game, which was the season finale. After the game, which the 8-1 Lions won by 22 points, the Milton Boarding Elementary School students taunted the Bradley Elementary School Team and their 3-6 team. This escalated to a fight at the playground. The Tigers and Lions famed rivalry was born.
The Tigers would soon get their first 3 wins of the rivalry in 1935 (7-6), 1939 (22-21), and during the Bardock era in 1941 (13-7).
The more popular the rivalry got, the more attention it got. The stands were packed to the brim. Eventually, the school district considered moving the game to a different site, everyone considered moving the game to Meadowbrook's own Roger Staubach Stadium at Meadowbrook Community college.
And the Rivalry became so popular, it found its way into national television, such on being aired on CBS, ESPN or even Fox sports.
There were more than bragging rights on the line, such as a trip to state. Like in 1988, when the Tigers faced off with the Lions at the Astrodome in the semis, and the Tigers came up short, 29-30.
And in 1997, there was the biggest game in the history of the Rivalry, the battle of the unbeatens, the Tigers prevailed in their rivalry game, all thanks to Charlie Brown kicking the Game-Winning Field goal, and the Tigers would go onto the playoffs and become the first BFL team to go a perfect 14-0 season.
Now, it's 1998, the Tigers played the Lions for the 1st Tiger homecoming game at R. Staubach Stadium on September 25th, and the Tigers won, 35-23.
The Tigers and Lions made it to the playoffs, and were prepared for a Semifinal Playoff Rematch. Winner gets to go to State on Christmas Night.
