Incredible scene unfolds at Taylor's 'Silent Night' tradition

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Incredible scene unfolds at Taylor's annual 'Silent Night' tradition

By Tommy Fradenburg | Last updated Dec 9, 2023 11:32 AM ET

Chances are that you can't name too many colleges that compete at the NAIA level; but chances are if you do, the Taylor Trojans are one of them.

That's because every year on the Friday before finals week, the small liberal arts university in Upland, Indiana, sees videos of their "Silent Night" basketball game tradition hit social media.

In a tradition that officially began in 1997, according to the school, students pour into the tiny gym, and once the game begins, they're silent until the Trojans score their 10th point.

Then the silence breaks — with hundreds of costume- or pajama-clad students rushing the court.

The silence has been broken … and that escalated quickly! #TUSilentNight @sctop10 @notthefakeSVP pic.twitter.com/iHtDf7X0Gp
— Taylor Trojans (@taylortrojans) December 8, 2023

After fans return to the stands, the game goes on mostly as normal, until the crowd at Odle Arena breaks out in song with a rendition of the famous Christmas carol the game is named after.

Silent Night finale at Taylor. Very moving experience. Happy Holidays to all! pic.twitter.com/ZKD2jnsIAB
— Brian Tonsoni (@Soni42) December 9, 2023

For the Trojans fans and players as basketball fans everywhere, the tradition is one of the coolest in sports.

The only ones who might not like it too much (other than the Grinches out there) are Taylor's opponents. Taylor is 25-1 in the "Silent Night," games, with the Great Lakes Christian College Crusaders becoming their latest victims.

While this type of celebration is unique — Taylor isn't the only team with special holiday-themed games.

Across all levels of hockey is the tradition of the Teddy Bear toss, where fans bring stuffed animals to the game to throw on the ice after the home team's first goal.

There is simply nothing like it #TeddyBearTossHershey #BearsCares #HBH #DefendTheDen pic.twitter.com/Jgsi2Bw2Mp
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) December 2, 2018

Those stuffed animals are then collected and donated to children in need during the holiday season.

Sure, both the annual "Silent Night," and assorted teddy bear tosses disrupt the flow of the games they're part of. But they're fun and (in the case of the bears) for a worthy cause.

Shouldn't that be what sports are really about?

Tommy Fradenburg

Tommy Fradenburg is a freelance writer and an alumni of UNC Chapel Hill currently based in Charlotte, North Carolina. He religiously follows his favorite teams The New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys (yes, he knows) as well as his alma mater the Tar Heels and West Ham United F. C

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