Here we go across the Red River by the thousands once again — Beat Texas!
In 1931 the Oklahoma governor called out the Oklahoma National Guard and declared martial law over the Red River bridge between the two states when Texas barricaded a new free bridge and forced traffic to take an older toll bridge.
The Oklahoma guardsmen took control of the south end of the bridge held by armed Texas Rangers and allowed traffic to pass without forking over any toll money.
It was Texas’ third defeat in its history. The first being to the Mexicans at the Alamo, then to the U.S. Army during the Civil War, and then to the Oklahoma National Guard.
The Oklahoma-Texas game had been played 25 times before the Red River Bridge War was declared in 1931. Oklahoma had won only eight of them and tied one. Most of the games were close. All were well attended. But only six of the games had been played in Oklahoma.
The Red River Bridge War really stung those Texans. After that the Longhorns refused to cross the bridge. It was too embarrassing of a reminder that their beloved Texas Rangers had been losers yet again. And this time to a bunch of Okies.
And so, the Oklahoma-Texas game has been played in Dallas ever since. It’s the only way the Sooners could get the poor Texans to play ball with them.