Battle On the Bernard A Tugging Success!

March 29, 2010

For immediate release. Please announce the following not-for-profit event results:

Sweeny Mayor Ken Lott’s team, takes the B.O.B. trophy home to roost in Sweeny City Hall for a second year.

The Loose Cannons display the team’s winning trophy. This team was made up of people from West Columbia and Sweeny who had never met before the event in 2009

The Battle On the Bernard (B.O.B.), a friendly tug of war competition held its second annual “tug” on the San Bernard River at the FM 2611 bridge March 27, 2010. It was witnessed by a large, enthusiastic crowd of hundreds of spectators who gathered on both sides of the Sportsman’s Span bridge in the San Bernard River to watch tug teams vie for Battle On the Bernard (B.O.B.) bragging rights and coveted B.O.B. Trophies.

Community pride bubbled up at the beginning of the day with the opening ceremony. To kick off the event, Teri Holder gave the prayer; followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. Flag given by Gary Balderman; and the salute to the Texas flag given by Debbie Pennington. Mary Ruth Rhodenbaugh, Brazoria Co. Commissioner, Pct. 4, was emcee for the day’s festivities. The event warmed up with the first Kid’s Tug, and then, the grudge matches were on. But, by the end of the day, only one team could claim the coveted B.O.B. Community trophy – and only one Mayor’s team would take home the travelling B.O.B. Mayor’s trophy.

The focus of the Community B.O.B. trophy centered on the first and second place winners from last year’s event, the Dudes of Churchill and The Loose Cannons (the first and second place winners, respectively). Both teams were made up of ad hoc members last year, but unified as teams and returned this year for a grudge match. This year, though both teams struggled mightily, things were different - the winning team was Loose Cannons. The Dudes of Churchill had to settle for second place and again both teams said they would be back next year for a re-match.

Competing for the Mayor’s B.O.B. trophy were the cities of Sweeny (Mayor Kenneth Lott), Brazoria (Mayor Ken Corley), and West Columbia (Mayor Laurie Kincannon). The competition between the cities for the right to display the Battle On the Bernard (B.O.B.) trophy was intense, but the winning team was again Sweeny. Earlier in the week, the competition for B.O.B. was so intense, that Mayors Corley and Kincannon had schemed to “steal” him from Sweeny City Hall. So, in accepting the B.O.B. trophy, Mayor Lott first graciously summed up the spirit of the Community event, “Today, the cities pulled against each other in this competition, but the rest of the year, we will all pull together to make the West of the Brazos the jewel of Brazoria County.” And then he added, “Sweeny is taking B.O.B. home to roost at Sweeny City Hall – and don’t you go trying to steal him, Corley, you old bird thief!” Looks like the Mayor’s trophy “grudge” match is on again for next year.

Thanks go out to the members of the community who participated in, rooted their teams on, sold food or goods, and sponsored the annual tug of war across the San Bernard River.

For more information, pictures of the event, and a list of event sponsors visit: www.battleonthebernard.com . B.O.B., the event’s mascot pelican, was heard to exclaim as he accepted a ride back to Sweeny in Mayor Lott’s car, “That was fun! I’ll be back next year!”