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It is somewhat traditional ahead of major sporting events for the mayors of the two cities competing to wager something representative of their towns with each other.
So while Evanston, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, and Knoxville, Tenn., seem to be complete mismatches as cities, the two mayors agreed to a friendly wager for the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl. And Tennessee decidedly has a bit more to give up.
On a conference call ahead of the game, the two mayors agreed to wager a bottle of whiskey on the outcome of the game. Evanston mayor Elisabeth Tisdahl wagered a bottle of FEW Bourbon Whiskey from Evanston’s FEW Spirits while Knoxville mayor Madeline Rogero wagered Old City Heirloom Corn Whiskey from Knox Whiskey Works on the game’s outcome.
“I appreciate Mayor Rogero’s good sportsmanship in putting up authentic Tennessee whiskey against the world’s best bourbon. It will be my pleasure to toast the Wildcats with some of Tennessee’s finest after Northwestern hands it to the Volunteers,” Tisdahl said in the release. “The silver lining for Mayor Rogero is that she won’t have to travel too far to pick up a bottle of our city’s handcrafted, award-winning spirit, as it’s now distributed throughout the country and the world, including Knoxville. One thing is for sure, the Outback Bowl has picked two excellent football teams to compete in Tampa this year.”
“I look forward to enjoying some of Evanston’s world-class bourbon after the Vols’ big win on New Year’s Day. It will just make the victory that much sweeter,” Rogero said in the release. “But any time Mayor Tisdahl is passing through Knoxville, I will be happy to treat her to a sampling of Knox Whiskey Works’ fine local libations. May the best team — and whiskey — win!”
Obviously Tennessee is known for its whiskey and bourbon. So this matchup is a bit lopsided.
Then you consider Evanston is well known as the hometown of Frances Willard, one of the key figures of the temperance and prohibition movement in the 19th Century.
The game is certainly on between the two teams with only two weeks remaining before the big game.
