First, Trish Hoffman and I want to give thanks to everyone that spend time with us through High School Football America. We’re grateful for everything we have because of our readers.
To celebrate Thanksgiving, we flashback ten years ago to a story I wrote on November 26, 2009 when Trish and I attended the Norwich Free Academy/New London Turkey Day game in Connecticut. These two played America’s first-ever high school football in 1875.
Related: Norwich Free Academy/New London game moved to Wednesday afternoon
Unfortunately, this year’s game isn’t being played Thanksgiving morning. Instead, the game was played Wednesday with Norwich Free Academy winning the 158th meeting 49-12. Below is part of a story on on NBCConnecticut.com on why the game was moved to Wednesday.
Norwich police said Norwich Police, New London Department and Norwich Free Academy met last week in “regards to citizen and student safety during the proposed Thanksgiving Day football game” and “New London and Norwich Police recommended to Norwich Free Academy officials to change the date of the game due to recent conflict between citizens from both cities.”
From NBCConnecticut.com
Below is the 2009 story, plus two videos we produced during our visit to the two communities.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Jeff & Trish
November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Lots of fog in Mystic, Connecticut, but it’s warm…48 degrees!!
Energy levels are high as Trish and I get ready to travel about twenty miles to Norwich for the 148th meeting of Norwich Free Academy and New London. This IS America’s oldest high school football game!
While more schools have bigger Thanksgiving Day traditions, as we were informed last night at the bar inside the Hilton hotel we’re staying at. NFA and NL only began playing on Turkey Day in 2000, but it’s hard to look past the fact that these two played America‘s first ever high school football game on May 12, 1875.
The point is…there’s nothing better than attending a Thanksgiving morning high school football game!
Yesterday’s pep rally and Powder Puff game at New London High School were awesome and we can’t wait to get to the field around nine o’clock to start sending pics and reports on Twitter.
After the game, we’re heading to spend the weekend in Newport, Rhode Island with a turkey day dinner at the White Horse Tavern, which was built in 1652!
America’s oldest football game followed by dinner at America’s oldest tavern…talk about things we are thankful for!!
Have a great day everyone, let’s not forget to think of those who are homeless or without family today, plus those serving in the military .
Jeff & Trish
