Long Time McCallie Administrator and Coach Kenny Sholl Discusses Traditions of Baylor-McCallie Rivalry

Chattanooga-(WDEF) McCallie assistant headmaster Kenny Sholl has been at the school for over thirty years, so he has seen plenty of Baylor-McCallie football games.
With the rivalry set to kick Friday night, Sholl spoke with us about some of the traditions and zaniness from the state’s oldest rivalry.
As big as the Baylor-McCallie game has gotten, there was a time where apparently it was too big because the teams quit playing.
Said Sholl-“So we played in everything else but football. Can you imagine? I can’t. Looking at the game now, I can’t imagine McCallie and Baylor not playing football.”
You can tell they’re playing again today with all of the Baylor and McCallie flags around Chattanooga.
Said Sholl-“That is a huge tradition. We actually have a time on Sunday afternoon the week before the game where we come in here and paint the flags to try to make sure that everything on the flags is appropriate.”
Back in the 30’s McCallie students painted Beat Baylor on the the mule of Baylor’s groundskeeper.
Then there was a time when a McCallie student went streaking on the Baylor campus.
Said Sholl-“This kid took off through the quad angle. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t hard to figure out who it was because he was one of the tallest kids in the school at the time, so they got him.”
Maybe that’s why both schools take precautions the night before the game.
Said Sholl-“We both keep the lights on in our stadiums. Our spirituals, and it’s a great group of kids who support McCallie athletics. They’ll camp out on the football field seemingly to keep things safe. Really it’s just something to do.”
Sholl even has his own bit of craziness with the rivalry from his first game as a McCallie coach in 1983.
Said Sholl-“My wife was pregnant with out first child. She went into labor the night before the game. We got to the hospital that morning very quickly. The doctor who was a McCallie graduate said it’s going to be awhile, why don’t you go to the game. My wife delievered our son at halftime, which was in the days before cell phones, so I did not know that. After the game was over, I rushed to the hospital, and I had a son, a 33-0 victory, and a game ball for that boy that he still has to this day.”
Reporter-“Did you name your child Big Blue?”
Said Sholl laughing-“We though about it.”