Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary students play football against the students of the Seminary of the Southwest every year in the Polity Bowl. APTS and SSW fans and players look forward to the football game for its spirit of both competition and fellowship.
Although there have been reports of the game being played as far back as the 1950's, our photographic records in the APTS Archives have proof of the game only back to the early 1980s. Since that time at least, the game has been a fairly consistent part of the fall schedule. A series of practices (for both the players and the cheerleaders) and pep rallies culminate in the final, exciting event. Two teams bring their all to the gridiron, but only one gets to take the Polity Bowl trophy home.
"California has the Rose Bowl. Texas has the Cotton Bowl. Yet, surpassing them all is a bowl game filled with honor, tradition, and pride. Each year, two teams battle for glory, for honor, and bragging rights.
We are speaking, of course, of Polity Bowl." -Kairos Newsletter, November 16, 2007
Credits
Mandy Sutton, APTS Archives Assistant