Page "Wartburg College" Paragraph 7

The longstanding rivalry between Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and Wartburg College has produced colorful moments over several years.

The origins of the rivalry are vague.

Stories of pranks date back to the 1940s.

The rivalry has, for the most part, been characterized by fun and good sportsmanship.

The rivalry rose to new heights in October 1996, when two clever Wartburg cross-country runners rented a light plane, flew to Decorah, and dropped leaflets on the Luther campus.

The incident was reported in every major newspaper in Iowa, got national mention on the Fox network and made Rolling Stone magazine's list of the most memorable college pranks of the 1996-1997 year.

The creativity in the rivalry continued when student staff members of the college radio station, KWAR, secretly entered a float in the Luther College Homecoming Parade.

The staff members decorated the float as an environmental club-the Organization of Nature Enthusiasts-from Luther College.

In front of judges stand, the float quickly changed colors from blue and white to orange and black.

The float continued all the way through town and onto Luther's campus, with numerous Wartburg students joining the procession from the crowd as the parade passed them.