The first time Jackson State met Southern on a football field was on Nov. 30, 1929.
The Jaguars dismantled the Tigers 98-0 that day.
At the time, Walter A. Scott was the mayor of Jackson. Wade Hampton Bynum served as mayor of Baton Rouge.
It is fair to say that neither Scott nor Bynum had any interest in that initial matchup 90 years ago.
But in 2019, mayors of both cities are very engaged in the present-day Boombox Classic. So much so that they’ve traded friendly banter on social media – something that didn’t exist in 1929 – about Saturday’s game.
It all started with Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, who posted a Twitter video touting the exploits of the football team and its famed marching band. “We want to let you know that hospitality ends on the football field,” Lumumba said. ”Being that we’re in Mississippi, home of many holes in the wall, we’ve seen many jukeboxes. But there is only one Sonic Boom of the South.”
“Get ready, @MayorBroome! I’m calling out the mayor of Baton Rouge and all alumni of @SouthernU_BR to let you know you ‘bout to ENTER THE LAND OF THE BOOM, BABY. Challenge is on!” ?? –@ChokweALumumba #JSUvsSUchallenge @WAPT @WJTV @WLBT pic.twitter.com/zS6DVDVX04
— City of Jackson (@CityofJacksonMS) November 13, 2019
Sharon Weston Broome, the current Baton Rouge mayor, had a lively response to the overtures of her Jackson, Mississippi counterpart.
“When the Jaguar Nation shows up, we show out … and we will be showing out on the football field,” Broome said.
Broome then challenged Lumumba to wear Southern apparel when – not if – the Jaguars beat the Tigers Saturday and provide photographic evidence.
Understanding that Southern has won six consecutive games over Jackson State, Lumumba might be donning a different shade of blue come Monday.
