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Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium

(Redirected from Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Chase Regatta)

The Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium (CBB) is an athletic conference and academic consortium between three private liberal arts colleges in the U.S. state of Maine. The group consists of Colby College in Waterville, Bates College in Lewiston, and Bowdoin College in Brunswick. In allusion to the Big Three of the Ivy League, they are collectively known the "Maine Big Three",[1][2] a play on words with the words "Maine" and "main". The school names are ordered by their geographical organization in Maine (north to south).

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Colby
Bowdoin
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Locations of Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin

The colleges contest a variety of college sports between themselves, primarily in football and rowing. On the former, they compete for a CBB Championship Trophy in three-way football games in the Fall of their respective academic years. As of the 2023–24 season, Bowdoin leads the conference in wins, with 20; Colby has 17 and Bates has won 13. There have been eight three-way-ties: 1965, 1979, 1993, 1995, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2022. For rowing, the schools contest the CBB Chase Regatta, an annual up-and-down river tourney for the President's Cup. The all-time leader of the Chase Regatta is Bates with a total of 18 composite wins, followed by Colby's 5 wins, concluding with Bowdoin's 1 win.

History

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Colby playing Bates at their homecoming game, 2012

From its inception, Bates College served as an alternative to a more traditional and historically conservative Bowdoin College.[3][4] There is a long tradition of rivalry and competitiveness between the two colleges, revolving around socioeconomic class, academic quality, and collegiate athletics.[5][6][7] The two colleges have competed against each other athletically since the 1870s, and subsequently share one of the ten oldest NCAA Division III football rivalries, in the United States.[8][5] The Bates-Bowdoin Game is the most attended football game every academic year at both colleges. Bowdoin developed a "football fight song" entitled, "Forward the White" in 1913.[9] All football games between the two occurred on Bowdoin's Whittier Field, until the development of Bates' Garcelon Field.

Colby remained isolated from neighboring Bates, and the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium because of its location in Waterville as well as socioeconomic and political differences.[8] The CBB Games was created for the 1965 college football season. Previously, Bates and Bowdoin have competed since 1870s against the University of Maine in the Maine State Series or Maine State Championship. When the University of Maine moved to a higher division in 1965, Colby joined and the rivalry took its current name.[5][10] In the 1940s, Colby began competing with the two colleges and in the first game, had a three-way tie. In 1988, Bates president Thomas Hedley Reynolds began the Chase Regatta, a rowing competition, which features the President's Cup, which is contested annually.[11] Since August 3, 1997, when Reynolds instated the President's Cup to be contested by all three for rowing.[12] Rowing is the most active boat sport of Bates and Colby, with Bowdoin being more active in Sailing. Bowdoin is the only college in the CBB to maintain a Club Rowing team, and suspended its varsity team at its founding.

Football

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Series results

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Season Result Colby–Bates Score Bates–Bowdoin Score Bowdoin–Colby Score
1965 3-way tie Colby, 39–20 Bates, 10–0 Bowdoin, 28–21
1966 Bates Bates, 28–7 Bates, 35–13 Bowdoin, 15–6
1967 Bates Bates, 38–14 Bates, 38–24 Bowdoin, 7–0
1968 Bowdoin Bates, 28–12 Bowdoin, 41–14 Bowdoin, 17–0
1969 Bowdoin Colby, 14–13 Bowdoin, 13–10 Bowdoin, 38–14
1970 Bowdoin Bates, 14–7 Bowdoin, 21–3 Bowdoin, 31–17
1971 Bowdoin Colby, 17–8 Bowdoin, 42–15 Bowdoin, 30–27
1972 Colby Colby, 35–21 Bowdoin, 37–10 Colby, 28–22
1973 Bowdoin Colby, 14–0 Bowdoin, 20–12 Bowdoin, 28–20
1974 Bates Bates, 16–14 Bates, 18–7 Bowdoin, 27–6
1975 Bowdoin Colby, 21–12 Bowdoin, 19–6 Bowdoin, 41–13
1976 Bowdoin Bates, 38–16 Bowdoin, 20–14 Bowdoin, 37–19
1977 Bowdoin Bates, 25–14 Bowdoin, 21–17 Bowdoin, 15–14
1978 Bates Bates, 27–20 Bates, 24–14 Bowdoin, 27–10
1979 3-way tie Bates, 20–7 Bowdoin, 14–0 Colby, 21–20
1980 Bowdoin Bates, 14–13 Bowdoin, 13–0 Bowdoin, 8–0
1981 Bates Bates, 10–6 Bates, 23–13 Colby, 17–13
1982 Bowdoin Colby, 28–21 Bowdoin, 33–14 Bowdoin, 18–0
1983 Colby Colby, 20–13 Bates, 33–15 Colby, 15–14
1984 Bowdoin Bates, 31–21 Bowdoin, 28–23 Bowdoin, 20–14
1985 Bowdoin Bates, 51–0 Bowdoin, 24–21 Bowdoin, 24–0
1986 Bates Bates, 21–6 Bates, 36–0 Bowdoin, 21–14
1987 Bowdoin Bates, 46–28 Bowdoin, 20–19 Bowdoin, 14–10
1988 Colby Colby, 19–3 Bowdoin, 10–6 Colby, 24–0
1989 Colby Colby, 30–0 Bates, 10–0 Colby, 38–20
1990 Colby Colby, 9–3 Bates, 19–14 Colby, 23–20
1991 Colby Colby, 41–7 Bowdoin, 34–13 Colby, 28–13
1992 Colby Colby, 50–0 Bowdoin, 35–14 Colby, 26–18
1993 2-way tie: Colby and Bowdoin Colby, 53–14 Bowdoin, 34–6 Tie, 21–21
1994 Colby Colby, 28–6 Bates, 33–14 Colby, 34–13
1995 3-way tie Colby, 26–6 Bates, 33–29 Bowdoin, 24–3
1996 Colby Colby, 28–21 Bowdoin, 35–16 Colby, 39–15
1997 Bowdoin Bates, 22–21 Bowdoin, 28–19 Bowdoin, 27–19
1998 Bowdoin Bates, 13–7 Bowdoin, 49–14 Bowdoin, 10–7
1999 Bates Bates, 20–17 (OT) Bates, 38–7 Colby, 20–0
2000 Colby Colby, 14–0 Bates, 44–13 Colby, 34–7
2001 Colby Colby, 42–0 Bates, 38–35 (OT) Colby, 41–13
2002 Bates Bates, 19–14 Bates, 48–28 Colby, 32–27
2003 Colby Colby, 27–14 Bates, 20–17 Colby, 7–6
2004 Colby Colby, 17–16 Bowdoin, 21–0 Colby, 23–0
2005 Colby Colby, 24–17 Bowdoin, 21–14 Colby, 28–3
2006 Bowdoin Colby, 10–7 (4OT) Bowdoin, 23–14 Bowdoin, 13–10
2007 Bowdoin Colby, 20–13 Bowdoin, 31–7 Bowdoin, 20–17
2008 Bowdoin Bates, 31–21 Bowdoin, 55–14 Bowdoin, 20–6
2009 3-way tie Colby, 34–27 Bates, 28–24 Bowdoin, 32–27
2010 Bowdoin Colby, 10–6 Bowdoin, 21–20 Bowdoin, 26–21
2011 3-way tie Colby, 37–13 Bates, 24–2 Bowdoin, 20–10
2012 Bates Bates, 31–6 Bates, 14–6 Colby, 17–0
2013 3-way tie Colby, 21–3 Bates, 17–10 Bowdoin, 32–22
2014 Bates Bates, 34–28 (OT) Bates, 10–7 Colby, 14–7
2015 Bates Bates, 10–9 Bates, 31–0 Bowdoin, 35–13
2016 Bates Bates, 21–19 Bates, 24–7 Colby, 32–16
2017 Bates Bates, 27–24 Bates, 24–17 Colby, 31–20
2018 Colby Colby, 21–6 Bowdoin, 31–14 Colby, 30–14
2019 Colby Colby, 23–20 Bates, 30–5 Colby, 47–34
2021 Colby Colby, 10–2 Bates, 25–24 Colby, 21–10
2022 3-way tie Colby, 38–17 Bates, 21–14 Bowdoin, 21–14
2023 Bowdoin Colby, 30–24 Bowdoin, 35–20 Bowdoin, 35–14
2024 Colby Colby, 28–26 Bowdoin, 35–24 Colby, 34–10
2025 Colby Colby, 13–6 Bowdoin, 17–9 Colby, 16–6
Season Winner Colby – Bates score Bates – Bowdoin score Bowdoin – Colby score

Note: Source of wins and losses: games between 1966 and 1978,[13] games between 1979 and 1998,[14] and for all other games not specified in aforementioned years:[15][16][17][18] The highest scoring game was the 1987 Colby-Bates with a total of 74 points. The lowest scoring game was the 1967 Bowdoin-Colby game with a total of 7 points. The biggest shutout was Bates' 51–0 game against Colby in 1985. The longest consecutive streak of games won is Colby with 5 championships in a row (1988–1992). There have been 7 three-way-ties, 1 two-way tie, and 4 uses of overtime, (the 2006 Colby-Bates game required overtime to be issued four times for a winner to be determined).

Statistics

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Statistic Colby Bates Bowdoin
Games played 114
Series Wins 17 13 20
Highest series streak 5 4 4
Current series streak L1 L1 W1
Total points scored in the series 2294 2105 2285
Most points scored in a winning game 53 51 55
Most points scored in a losing game 28 27 35
Fewest points scored in a winning game 10 10 7
Most points scored in a shutout win 50 51 24
Overtime wins 1 3 0
Largest margin of victory 50 51 41
Smallest margin of victory 1 1 1

Rowing

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Series results

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No. Date Site Overall winner President's Cup Composite time Bates total Bowdoin total Colby total Cite
1 1997 Kennebec River Bowdoin Colby — — 1 — [19]
2 1998 Messalonskee Stream Colby Colby — — — 1 [19]
3 1999 Messalonskee Stream Colby Colby — — — 2 [19]
4 2000 Kennebec River Bates Bates — 1 — — [19]
5 2001 Messalonskee River Colby Colby — — — 3 [19]
6 2002 Kennebec River Colby Colby — — — 4 [19]
7 2003 Messalonskee River Bates Colby — 2 — — [19]
8 2004 Messalonskee River Bates Colby — 3 — — [19]
9 2005 Kennebec River Colby Colby — — — 5 [19]
10 2006 Kennebec River Bates Bates — 4 — — [19]
11 2007 Messalonskee Stream Bates Colby — 5 — — [19]
12 2008 Messalonskee Stream Bates Bates — 6 — — [19]
13 2009 Kennebec River Bates Bates — 7 — — [19]
14 2010 Messalonskee Stream Bates Bowdoin MV8 (10:11.1)

WV8 (11:43.0)

 8 — — [20]
15 2011 Androscoggin River Bates Bates MV8 (6:41.1)

WV8 (7:26.3)

 9 — — [21]
16 2012 Messalonskee Stream Bates Cancelled MV8 (8:57.7)

WV8 (9:41.9)

 10 — — [22]
17 2013 Messalonskee Stream Bates Bates MV8 (6:45.6)

WV8 (7:27.3)

 11 — — [23]
18 2014 Androscoggin River Bates Bates MV8 (6:18.9)

WV8 (7:02.3)

 12 — — [24]
19 2015 Kennebec River Bates Bates MV8 (5:30.1)

WV8 (5:53.0)

 13 — — [25]
20 2016 Kennebec River Bates Bates MV8 (5:53.0)

WV8 (6:39.0)

 14 — — [26]
21 2017 Androscoggin River Bates Bates MV8 (7:17.2)

WV8 (8:16.2)

 15 — — [27]
22 2018 Androscoggin River Bates Bates MV8 (6:37.2)

WV8 (7:35.7)

 16 — — [28]
23 2019 Androscoggin River Bates Bates MV8 (6:38.6)

WV8 (7:32.1)

 17 — — [29]
24 2022 Androscoggin River Bates Bates MV8 (6:28.1)

WV8 (7:16.0)

 18 — — [30]
25 2023 Androscoggin River Bates Bates MV8 (6:02.5)

WV8 (6:57.2)

 19 — — [31]
26 2024 Androscoggin River Bates Bates MV8 (5:41.5)

WV8 (6:39.9)

 20 — — [32]
27 2025 Androscoggin River Bates Bates MV8 (5:59.4)

WV8 (7:01.0)

 21 — — [33]

Note: The President's Cup is given to the team that has won the most overall heats and races, while the overall winner is determined by who won the most varsity and heavyweight competitions in the regatta.[12]

The all-time leader of the Chase Regatta is Bates with a total of 18 composite wins, followed by Colby's 5 wins, concluding with Bowdoin's 1 win. The regatta has been held on various waters, and is hosted by all three of the colleges; the most frequent waters occupied are: the Androscoggin River (Bates and Bowdoin), the Kennebec River (Colby), and Messalonskee River (Colby).[12][30]

Records

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  • Number of wins: (Bates) — 18 composite wins
  • Most consecutive victories: (Bates, 2006 - 2022 — overall winner), (Bates, 2011-2022)
  • Smallest winning margin: (Bowdoin, 1997) — .9-second margin over Colby
  • Largest winning margin: (Bates, 2013) — 59-second margin ahead of runner-up Colby.[34]

Trophies

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The President's Cup — instated to be contested by all three of the schools in rowing.[12]

In fiction

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In 1999, all three colleges were prominently featured in The Sopranos. In the episode entitled, "College", Tony Soprano takes his daughter, Meadow on a trip to Maine to tour the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium.[35][36]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Staff, Maine Public (March 20, 2020). "Two of the Maine Big Three colleges have reported positive cases of COVID-19". www.mainepublic.org. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  2. ↑ Snyder, Kayla (April 12, 2019). "A look into the art museums of the Maine Big Three". The Bowdoin Orient. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  3. ↑ Calhoun, Charles C (1993). A Small College in Maine. Hubbard Hall, Bowdoin College: Bowdoin College. p. 163.
  4. ↑ Eaton, Mabel (1930). General Catalogue of Bates College and Cobb Divinity School. Coram Library, Bates College, Lewiston, Maine.: Bates College. pp. 34, 36, 42.
  5. 1 2 3 Nevin, David (1970). Muskie of Maine. Ladd Library, Bates College: Random House, New York. p. 99.
  6. ↑ Larson, Timothy (2005). Faith by Their Works: The Progressive Tradition at Bates College from 1855 to 1877. Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections, Bates College, Lewiston, Maine: Bates College Publishing. pp. Multi–source.
  7. ↑ "Chapter 4 | 150 Years | Bates College". www.bates.edu. 22 March 2010. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
  8. 1 2 Woz, Markus (2002). Traditionally Unconventional. Ladd Library, Bates College, Lewiston, Maine: Bates College. p. 6.
  9. ↑ "Bowdoin Football – "Forward the White" – Bowdoin". athletics.bowdoin.edu. Archived from the original on 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
  10. ↑ Clark, Charles E. (2005). Bates Through the Years: an Illustrated History. Edmund Muskie Archives: Bates College, Lewiston, Maine. p. 37.
  11. ↑ "Athletics | Bates College" (PDF). athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Athletics | Bates College" (PDF). athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  13. ↑ "Football vs. Bowdoin, Nov. 7, 2015 (Josh Kuckens and Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College) | Athletics | Bates College". athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  14. ↑ "Football vs. Bowdoin, Nov. 7, 2015 (Josh Kuckens and Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College) | Athletics | Bates College". athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  15. ↑ "Football Begins CBB Chase Saturday at Bates". Bowdoin. 2017-11-03. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  16. ↑ "Bowdoin Football Opens CBB Chase Saturday at Bates". Bowdoin. 2015-11-05. Archived from the original on 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  17. ↑ "Postgame Reaction from 17-10 win over Bowdoin | Athletics | Bates College". athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  18. ↑ "Football preview: CBB series offers a new start for Bates (0-6) and Colby (0-6) | Athletics | Bates College". athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Athletics | Bates College" (PDF). athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  20. ↑ "Bates rowing wins men's and women's races at CBB Chase | Athletics | Bates College". athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
  21. ↑ "Bates rowing teams win CBB President's Cup | Athletics | Bates College". athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
  22. ↑ "Bates crews sweep CBB Chase at Colby | Athletics | Bates College". athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
  23. ↑ "Men's rowing sweeps eights races at Presidents Cup | Athletics | Bates College". athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
  24. ↑ "Women's rowing finishes 14-1, retains President Cup | Athletics | Bates College". athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
  25. ↑ "Collegiate Men: 20th Presidents Cup, April 17, 2016". www.row2k.com. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
  26. ↑ "2015-16 Bates Rowing Schedule | Athletics | Bates College". athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
  27. ↑ Horton, Lee (2017-04-24). "College rowing: Bates sweeps races, claims President's Cup". Lewiston Sun Journal. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  28. ↑ "Rowing wins Presidents Cup for seventh straight year". Bates College. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  29. ↑ Andree KehnSun Journal (2019-04-28). "PHOTOS: Bates hosts, wins Presidents Cup Regatta". Lewiston Sun Journal. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  30. 1 2 "Rowing wins ninth consecutive President's Cup over rivals Bowdoin and Colby". Bates College. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  31. ↑ "Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium", Wikipedia, 2026-03-20, retrieved 2026-04-23
  32. ↑ "Rowing wins 11th consecutive President's Cup over rivals Bowdoin and Colby". Bates College. 2024-04-28. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  33. ↑ "Rowing wins President's Cup for 12th straight year over rivals Colby and Bowdoin". Bates College. 2025-04-27. Retrieved 2026-04-23.
  34. ↑ "Men's rowing beats Colby, Bowdoin at CBB Chase | Athletics | Bates College". athletics.bates.edu. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  35. ↑ "Season One, Episode 2, Script". Springfield! Springfield!. Archived from the original on August 13, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  36. ↑ "Looking back at Maine's most notorious college applicant". WCSH. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 2020-04-08.
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