A Story About a Shrimp Bowl — Not a Recipe, But a Football Game!

Down South, we've been playing football since the late 1800's just like the rest of the U.S. However, there's a passion here about the sport — especially high school and college football — that brings large numbers of families together on Friday nights and Saturdays. All ages, from children to grandparents, can be found dancing and cheering before, during and after the games. Tailgates abound from the high school level on up as well. But, what makes football in Biloxi different is that there is no escaping its deep heritage in the shrimp industry, with our yearly "Shrimp Bowl Classic" being considered one of the oldest and most renowned high school football games in the country.

Back in the late 1930's and early 1940's when the Biloxi Knights of Columbus were planning a way to raise money for the doll and toy fund for underprivileged children, they came up with the idea of holding a postseason high school football game called the "Shrimp Bowl Classic." The very first game was held on December 7, 1941, the same day as the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. At first, it was played with Independent All Star teams, but in 1943 it moved to high school competition, and Biloxi High School won! Our Mississippi Home has a great breakdown of games throughout the years!

Check the roster from any year and you'll find them peppered with last names of players whose families were involved in the seafood industry. Most of these names are still heard around the Biloxi area today. Some years, the football programs even had pictures of shrimp boats on them. After 1943, the game brought in high school teams from all over Mississippi for many years, to the point where it's become a great source of pride for everyone in Biloxi: there's even a "Shrimp Bowl Queen" crowned every year! These days, the tradition continues as the first Biloxi High School game of the season.

Just like the rest of the country, we have pep rallies, cheerleaders, dance teams, homecoming parades and great halftime shows by high school bands that contribute to a festive and fun occasion once a week in the fall. Our Biloxi football schedule just has a bit of seafood heritage woven in, and of course, our tailgates have more shrimp!

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