Volume 8, Issue 4 – Bryant

Salt Bowl 2015

While visiting London in 1909, W. D. Boyce, a Chicago Publisher, was lost on a foggy street when an unknown “scout” came to his aid, guiding him to his destination.  The boy later refused Boyce’s financial tip, explaining that he was a Boy Scout and was merely doing his daily good deed.  This act of kindness sparked Boyce’s interest in the Boy Scouts.  He later met with the staff of the British Boy Scout Association and after returning to the United States, founded the Boy Scouts of America.  It is now one of the largest youth organizations with over 2.7 million youth members and over 1 million adult volunteers.

The BSA’s goal is to train youth in responsible citizenship, character development, and self-reliance through a wide rage of outdoor activities and educational programs.  Participants receive merit badges as they advance through the program by meeting rank requirements.  Knot tying is one of the first steps in becoming a well-rounded, successful Boy Scout.  Several ranks have tying knots as part of their required activities.  Scouts practice tying a variety of knots including: the square knot, bowline, hitching tie, trucker’s knot, and many more.

Knots and Boy Scouts go together like campfires and s’mores.  But one place that knots and ties are unacceptable is in the world of sports!  Sporting events are built on competition, and sports fans love a winner.   This is the reason for the various tiebreakers used in so many types of sporting events.  In professional football, teams can play up to two 15-minute periods in sudden death overtime.  If a baseball game is tied at the end of nine innings, the game goes into extra innings until an inning ends with one team in the lead.  In basketball, as many extra periods as necessary are played until one team has a higher score.  Even in water polo, if the score is tied at the end of regulation play, the game goes to penalty shootouts!

The 2014 Salt Bowl game between the Bryant Hornets and Benton Panthers ended in a surprising and unfulfilling 14-14 tie; leaving players, coaches, and fans with the desperate need to settle the score!  The anticipation and excitement for this year’s game is at an all time high!  With the game all knotted up and the coveted Salt Bowl Trophy and bragging rights on the line, the Boy Scout motto, “Be Prepared!” will certainly apply to this year’s tiebreaker. In this Saline County Lifestyles – 8th Annual Salt Bowl Special Edition, we’ll get you hyped for the all out war that is about to ensue come September. You don’t want to miss it! Your town. Your life. Your magazine.

See the Benton Panther side of this issue.

Click on the cover to see the virtual edition.

Salt Bowl 2015