"The Battle for the Bell"
Decade of the Seventies
1970-1979
"A Turbulent Game for a Turbulent Decade"
"The 1970 Battle for the Bell"
Kannapolis-11 Concord-13
"The 1971 Battle for the Bell"
Kannapolis-10 Concord-7
"The night of The Giant Killers"
"1971 Wonder Seniors"
"1971 Spider Seniors"
The week going into the 1971 Battle for the Bell both teams head coaches boasted of two players that could possibly end up being pivotal participants in the outcome of the contest at Concord High School. A.L. Brown kicker Billy Krimminger, and Concord's linemen/kicker E.Z. Smith III. No one knew just how prophetic one of those coaches would be.
"The Skinny"
Heralded as one of the greatest Wonder victories in the rivalry series, In 1971 the Little Wonders under the direction of coach Will Campagna rolled into Concord with one thing on their mind, and that was to end the decade of humiliation that Concord had been dishing out since 1961. On a bitterly cold night down in the Spider Web, Kannapolis and Concord hooked up for the 41st meeting in the series which turned out to be a defensive slug fest between two heavy weight prize fighters. The Wonders and Spiders would head into halftime knotted up at seven with neither side willing to give an inch defensively. The Wonders Defensive leader of the day was the 6'7 270 lb guard Lacy Brumley while on the other side of the coin was Concord's answer in E.Z Smith III. The game wore on till just under ten minutes left in the 4th quarter.
On a heads up play by Lacy Brumley with just under ten minutes left in the final quarter Wonder lineman Lonnie Isom got pressure on Concord QB Jimmy Steere, and batted a half hearted pass attempt that fell into the outstretched hands of Brumley just inside the Spider 11 yard line. The Wonders were unable to move the ball on three attempts, and with 6:10 left in the game the points needed to seal the Spiders fate were obtained by Billy "The Toe" Krimminger. Krimminer booted a 28 yard field goal that would be all the difference in the game. The Wonder defense would hold the Spiders for the remainder of the game and the drought was broken.
On a heads up play by Lacy Brumley with just under ten minutes left in the final quarter Wonder lineman Lonnie Isom got pressure on Concord QB Jimmy Steere, and batted a half hearted pass attempt that fell into the outstretched hands of Brumley just inside the Spider 11 yard line. The Wonders were unable to move the ball on three attempts, and with 6:10 left in the game the points needed to seal the Spiders fate were obtained by Billy "The Toe" Krimminger. Krimminer booted a 28 yard field goal that would be all the difference in the game. The Wonder defense would hold the Spiders for the remainder of the game and the drought was broken.
(Picture Above) From the 1971 Albrokan
(Picture Left)
A different angle of the infamous "Bird" shot taken as Spider Captain #52 Andy Troxler and company exchange the bell after the Wonders 10-7 victory over the Spiders in 1971.
A different angle of the infamous "Bird" shot taken as Spider Captain #52 Andy Troxler and company exchange the bell after the Wonders 10-7 victory over the Spiders in 1971.
(Picture Above) From the Dailey Independent.
(Picture Right)
Not having touched the bell in ten long years the celebration at midfield was especially sweet for the 1971 squad and for Wonder nation. Here Wonder cheerleaders and Captain Darrell Dillard ring the bell loud and long at Concords's Web field. The 1971 victory is still considered to be one of the greatest bell game victories for the Wonders in it's history.
Not having touched the bell in ten long years the celebration at midfield was especially sweet for the 1971 squad and for Wonder nation. Here Wonder cheerleaders and Captain Darrell Dillard ring the bell loud and long at Concords's Web field. The 1971 victory is still considered to be one of the greatest bell game victories for the Wonders in it's history.
"The 1972 Battle for the Bell"
Kannapolis-30 Concord-13
"The 1973 Battle for the Bell"
Kannapolis-7 Concord-3
"The Calm Before the Four Year Spider Storm"
1973 Wonder Seniors
1973 Spider Seniors
Wonders Clip Spiders 7-3 on Grier's Run
Twenty Two seniors suited up for what would be their final Battle for the Bell game in 1973, and also the final game for head coach Will Capmagna. In this battle the storyline would be defenses as both schools came out determined to hold the other to as little points as possible. The Wonders would get their winning touchdown courtesy of halfback Ronald Grier who took a pitch from Wonder QB Terry Cunningham and bolted 30 yards untouched to the Spider end zone.
The Spiders would kick a field goal as well in the first quarter, but that would be as close as they would get the remainder of the contest as the Wonders held off the Spiders for three quarters to claim a 7-3 victory. The stinginess of the Concord defense should have been an indicator to the Wonders as to what type of team the Wonders may be facing in 1974. The 1973 Spiders introduced a pretty talented FB who the following year would take over as quarterback, and give the Wonders fits through 1975. That Spider was Tracy Andrews. Another Spider was also introduced that year at LB in one Matt Troxler the brother of ex Spider Andy Troxler from 1971. This incoming class would create havoc in the SPC for the next two years
The Spiders would kick a field goal as well in the first quarter, but that would be as close as they would get the remainder of the contest as the Wonders held off the Spiders for three quarters to claim a 7-3 victory. The stinginess of the Concord defense should have been an indicator to the Wonders as to what type of team the Wonders may be facing in 1974. The 1973 Spiders introduced a pretty talented FB who the following year would take over as quarterback, and give the Wonders fits through 1975. That Spider was Tracy Andrews. Another Spider was also introduced that year at LB in one Matt Troxler the brother of ex Spider Andy Troxler from 1971. This incoming class would create havoc in the SPC for the next two years
Pictures from The Daily Independent from 1973. The defensive struggle that happened in 1973 should have been an indicator as to what was coming in 1974
(Piciture Above) Wonder runningback Ronald Grier in action against Concord in 1973
Wonder running back Ronald Grier was the workhorse of the 1973 Wonders as he rushed for a total of 1, 163 yards his senior season. Grier would rush for 154 yards on 25 carries in the 1973 Kannapolis/Concord game. Ronald would be replaced by his brother Vernon Grier in 1974 and would become one of the Wonders leading rushers along with Terry Cunningham or "Top Cat" as he was called.
"Ten Spiders That Would Change the Complexion of the Bell Game from 73 to 75"
Photos Taken from the 1973 Concord Athletic Program
**All 1973 Articles and Photos from the Personal Archives of Mr. John Tuttle Jr.**
"The 1974 Battle for the Bell"
Kannapolis-6 Concord-14
"The Loss That Still Stings Today"
In 1974 A very powerful group of Wonders with only one conference loss to Thomasville hosted the Spiders at Kannapolis Memorial Stadium for the 44th meeting in this heated rivalry. On another bitterly cold November night in K-Town The Wonders who were heavily favored to beat the Spiders ran up on a very determined, and motivated group in Black and Gold who were just one year removed from capturing the SPC Title in 1975. This group of Spiders would boast some very talented athletes who had basically flew under the radar in 1973, but ask any Wonder who knew these guys, and they will tell you this group was putting up astronomical numbers against their opponents in little league football, and they all knew they were coming to Concord High School one day. The Spiders were led by all purpose QB Tracy Andrews who had some very capable help in the backfield with the likes of Barry Cannon, Ray Long, Dale Cline and Maverick Grady. The Spiders rolled up 250 yards of offense on a stunned group of Wonders who had put up rushing numbers like that themselves all year long. The Wonders were held to just 58 total rushing yards, and would drop a heart breaker to the Spiders 14-6.
This defeat at the hands of the Spiders became one of the worse defeats I will ever remember as a Wonder fan. This would be my first home Kannapolis/Concord game and for all practical puposes was a game that was not suppose to be a game in the first place, but how wrong one can be. Not only did the Wonders lose the Bell, but they were effectively eliminated from the playoffs which they were poised to take part in with the defeat of Concord as well as the conference title for 1974.
This defeat at the hands of the Spiders became one of the worse defeats I will ever remember as a Wonder fan. This would be my first home Kannapolis/Concord game and for all practical puposes was a game that was not suppose to be a game in the first place, but how wrong one can be. Not only did the Wonders lose the Bell, but they were effectively eliminated from the playoffs which they were poised to take part in with the defeat of Concord as well as the conference title for 1974.
"Some Infamous Spiders that Created Misery for Kannapolis Fans from 1974-1975"
"The Concord Tribune"
"That pretty much tells the tale of the 1974 loss to Concord"
The Full story below!
"The Daily Independent"
"Baffling to this Day"
"So Much to Lose in just Two Hours"
**1974 Articles and Photos from the Personal Archives of the editor**
"The 1975 Battle for the Bell"
Kannapolis-0 Concord-21
Tracy Andrews and Ray Long Torch Wonders Defense
"The 1976 Battle for the Bell"
Kannapolis-3 Concord-7
A Chance to End on a Positive Note for Wonders Ends in Heartbreak
"Gamble Pays Off for Spiders in 7-3 Heartbreaker"
C Irby's 3rd Period TD Secures Three Straight for Spiders
"The Concord Tribune"
"The 1977 Battle for the Bell"
Kannapolis-7 Concord-18
"The 1978 Battle for the Bell"
Kannapolis-33 Concord-0
"The 1979 Battle for the Bell"
Kannapolis-31 Concord-6
"1979 Concord Spiders"
(Archival Newspaper Clippings Courtesy of the following Contributors)
Keith and Fran Garver, Chip Buckwell, John Tuttle Jr, and Wendy Cope
Keith and Fran Garver, Chip Buckwell, John Tuttle Jr, and Wendy Cope