Marion Co-South Pittsburg Rivalry Inspires New Book ‘Eight Hateful Miles’

South Pittsburg and Marion County renew their rivalry Friday night in South Pittsburg.
This football feud has been going on since the 1920’s, and now it has inspired a new book called, ‘Eight Hateful Miles’. The author is Times Free Press sports editor Stephen Hargis. The book will be released next Friday, and as the title suggests, these two successful programs really don’t like each other.

Said Hargis:”One in 1994 just to kind of tell one on South Pitt. There were some kids who snuck in on the Marion field and pulled down both goal posts for Marion. The South Pittsburg cheerleaders had a sign, their run-through sign before the game, said to be a champion, you must have goals with a picture of the goal posts down, so there was no remorse whatsoever. These two small schools produce more success than anybody else. That’s really kind of what goes back to what sparks the rivalry is they’re just so proud of each of them and rightfully so. Proud of their programs, and they kind of just want to out-do each other.”

The Pirates and Warriors have won multiple state titles, and each team has been to the state championship game three times in this decade alone.