Radnor-Lower Merion Football Scoreboard: 1897-2022

The first game was played on October 26, 1897, on the North Wayne field in Radnor. The field was then used as the Merryvale Country Club grounds. The players did not wear uniforms, and they cut the grass and painted lines before the game. Several hundred spectators watched the game, which Lower Merion won 10-4. This began Lower Merion’s overall winning streak through the entire series.

Crowds grew steadily each year, as did the festivities surrounding the game. Parading to the game down Lancaster Avenue has happened many years. Even before the schools had bands, neighborhood bands from Ardmore and Radnor (even the Anthony Wayne Drum & Bugle Corps) provided music.

Admission to the game was free until 1915, when Lower Merion charged 25 cents admission to the game. Radnor principal Amos Chamberlain protested, but to no avail. Admission has been charged since.

As the crowds grew, the game was moved to the Villanova College Stadium (built 1927) starting in 1930. Beginning in this era elaborate programs were published as game souvenirs.

In 1943, Life magazine published a photograph of forlorn Radnor players watching as the winning Lower Merion touchdown was scored.

Note: Early Radnor-Lower Merion football games were not always well-documented. Evidence of games not previously documented has recently been found, as documented by the Radnor Football History project.

Click here to view a list of the longest running high school football rivalries in the United States, of which Radnor vs. Lower Merion is one.


Sources: “Radnor High School: A Century of Spirit” (1897-1996 scores); later scores obtained from various news sources.

Wins
Radnor Wins Lower Merion Wins Ties
61 56 11


Year Radnor Score Lower Merion Score Game Location Estimated Attendance
1897 4 10 North Wayne Field, Wayne several hundred
1897 (second game) 0 0
1898 0 10
1899 11 10
1900 28 0
1900 (second game) 16 0
1901 NO GAME
1902 16 6
1902 (second game) 12 0
1903 6 0
1903 (second game) 11 5
1904 24 0
1905 NO GAME
1906 0 0 400
1907 10 0
1908 0 5 Radnor
1909 6 3
1910 0 2
1911 0 0
1912 20 0 Radnor
1913 12 7
1914 0 0
1915 16 16
1916 0 6 5,500
1917 14 6 5,000
1918 7 14
1919 50 0
1920 56 0
1921 21 7
1922 0 3
1923 0 23 Lower Merion 10,000
1924 0 6
1925 0 12
1926 27 0
1927 0 0 12,000
1928 0 0 Radnor 9,000+
1929 0 6
1930 12 12 Villanova Stadium
1931 14 0 Villanova Stadium 10,000-15,000
1932 8 12 Villanova Stadium
1933 0 27 Villanova Stadium 10,000
1934 0 18 Villanova Stadium
1935 6 18 Pennypacker Field, Ardmore
1936 0 2
1937 14 6 Villanova Stadium
1938 7 0 Villanova Stadium
1939 0 0
1940 31 0
1941 0 14 Villanova Stadium
1942 0 56
1943 0 6
1944 27 0 Villanova Stadium 9,000
1945 0 27 Villanova Stadium 9,000
1946 7 51
1947 0 27
1948 6 33 Villanova Stadium
1949 14 38 Villanova Stadium
1950 0 24
1951 14 47 Villanova Stadium
1952 6 7
1953 7 26 Arnold Field, LM
1954 7 33 Villanova Stadium
1955 6 27 Arnold Field, LM
1956 12 33 Villanova Stadium
1957 12 0
1958 47 14
1959 10 10
1960 53 0
1961 22 7 Arnold Field, LM
1962 6 7 Villanova Stadium
1963 13 27 Arnold Field, LM (postponed due to JFK shooting, from 11/23 to 11/28 – Thanksgiving)
1964 18 20
1965 7 7 Arnold Field, LM
1966 0 15 Villanova Stadium
1967 7 12 Arnold Field, LM
1968 24 13 Arnold Field, LM
1969 28 19
1970 6 20 Prevost Field, Radnor
1971 0 6 Arnold Field, LM
1972 42 6 Prevost Field, Radnor
1973 23 6
1974 28 0 Prevost Field, Radnor
1975 29 15
1976 21 6 Prevost Field, Radnor
1977 35 15
1978 13 36 Prevost Field, Radnor
1979 7 14 Prevost Field, Radnor
1980 14 26
1981 19 13 Prevost Field, Radnor
1982 7 24
1983 13 20 Villanova Stadium
1984 13 28
1985 0 14
1986 0 42
1987 25 22
1988 0 27
1989 14 0
1990 14 19
1991 0 21 Prevost Field, Radnor
1992 0 27 Arnold Field, LM
1993 12 28 Prevost Field, Radnor
1994 24 14 Arnold Field, LM
1995 7 26 Prevost Field, Radnor
1996 20 27 Arnold Field, LM 6,000
1997 34 7 Prevost Field, Radnor
1998 7 16 Arnold Field, LM
1999 32 14 Prevost Field, Radnor
2000 35 0 Arnold Field, LM
2001 35 0 Prevost Field, Radnor
2002 33 15 Arnold Field, LM
2003 57 21 Prevost Field, Radnor
2004 29 21 Arnold Field, LM
2005 19 0 Prevost Field, Radnor
2006 38 7 Arnold Field, LM
2007 28 0 Prevost Field, Radnor
2008 35 28 Arnold Field, LM
2009 7 20 Prevost Field, Radnor
2010 36 21 Arnold Field, LM
2011 14 21 Prevost Field, Radnor
2012 35 7 Arnold Field, LM
2013 33 14 Prevost Field, Radnor
2014 34 0 Arnold Field, LM
2015 34 0 Prevost Field, Radnor
2016 49 8 Harriton High School
2017 38 25 Prevost Field, Radnor
2018 28 20 Arnold Field, LM
2019 49 6 Prevost Field, Radnor
2020 35 14 Arnold Field, LM
2021 33 14 Arnold Field, LM
2022 14 0 Arnold Field, LM