Origin of the use of the term Bedlam

[PennyQuilts]

I apologize if this topic has been discussed, before, but I didn't see it when I ran a search. Someone asked the history of the use of the term bedlam as related to the OU/OSU rivalry. Does someone know anything about this? Thanks.

[Martin]

st. mary's of bethlehem was an insane asylum in london. the word 'bedlam' derives from a corruption of the word 'bethlehem.' 'bedlam' came to be a descriptor of chaos and insanity similar to what was rampant in that asylum.

fast forward to oklahoma territory in 1904 (i think) which was the first football game between ou and oklahoma a&m. the story i've heard was that the ball went into a creek at one point and players from each team dove in to recover it. it was chaos. hence the game was dubbed bedlam. the name stuck.

-M

[John]

The name Bedlam originally referred to the wrestling duels between OU and OSU.

It later became used for other sports between the two schools.

[MadMonk]

They mentioned something about this during ABC broadcast of the game. Like John said above, it is related to wrestling between OU/OSU. They stated that afterward a reporter used the term to describe the match and the term stuck, later being applied to other sports.

[Martin]

yeah... after looking it up, i think you guys are right. while the two institutions first met on the football field in 1904, it was from wrestling that the word 'bedlam' was applied to the rivalry.

-M