Happy Thanksgiving
Let's just stipulate right here that we're all most thankful for our friends, family and the people who defend our safety and liberty at home and abroad. That way, I can get back to making wry observations that occasionally cause a huge political backlash on the blog. Fortunately for you, I'm going to try to stick to sports (and a little history) today.
The other thing I'm most thankful for today is that the Founding Fathers had the foresight to create a special football holiday in the middle of the week. Don't know how they knew, since football wouldn't be created for another century or so and television wouldn't be invented for another half-century after that, but that's the beauty of the American system. Somehow, they seemed to have everything figured out in advance..
Thanksgiving as a legal national holiday only dates to the Franklin Roosevelt administration, but Americans have been replaying the Pilgrims' first thanksgiving feast since that early colonial period. George Washington even declared a one-time official Thanksgiving holiday, though the timing wasn't really settled until Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday of November as the official day of thanksgiving for the nation.
It became an official football holiday nearly 20 years before it became an official national holiday. The founding fathers of what would eventually become the NFL played their first Thanksgiving games -- six of them -- in 1920. The first game listed on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Web site pitted the Akron Pros against the Canton Bulldogs. The only two current NFL cities represented were Chicago (the Tigers and Boosters) and Detroit (the Heralds).
Fourteen years later, the Detroit Lions made their first appearance on Thanksgiving Day and the Motor City would become the traditional site of the NFL's annual Thanksgiving game until the Dallas Cowboys became the second traditional Thanksgiving host team in 1966 (though the Cowboys have been off the Thanksgiving schedule a few times since then).
During the 1960s, the American Football League also started playing games on Thanksgiving Day, but the NFL returned to a two-game schedule after the merger. The NFL scheduled two games every year after that until 2006, when the Thursday night game was added.
Now, aren't you thankful for that history lesson?
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Comments
Peter, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. I hope everyone remembers the sacrifices of our military during this holiday. Without them, there wouldn't be any sports to write about. God bless them all and keep them save. To those who gave up their lives fighting for our freedoms, thank you. Your sacrifice will NEVER be forgotten. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Posted by: My2Cents | November 26, 2009 12:19 PM
Thanks Schmuckster for all the info and politics you bring to the blog, hope you and all the commentors here have a great Thanksgiving.
Posted by: bms | November 26, 2009 1:29 PM
Hey Pete, do you think sending a letter entitled "Daniel's way to improve Major League baseball" to Bud Selig would make a difference? Happy Thanksgiving.
Posted by: Daniel | November 26, 2009 2:40 PM
Pete, Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family and readers. Thanks for your lively and informative blog.
The Lions' game each year assures us of two turkeys every Thanksgiving!
Posted by: Ken Francis | November 26, 2009 6:13 PM
In 1965, the first color television broadcast of an NFL game occurred when the game between the Detroit Lions and the Baltimore Colts on Thanksgiving day was broadcasted. The game ended in a 24-24 tie.
Posted by: BobbyWoontz | November 26, 2009 7:55 PM
Hey Pete,
Quality stuff as always. Among other things this Thanksgiving, I'm grateful to be able to take a few minutes every day to take my mind off of things and read this blog (even if the comments do get a little ridiculous at times). Keep up the good work and know that your loyal readers appreciate this little spot in cyberspace that always feels like home.
Best wishes to you and your family.
-mvb
Posted by: Enzo in Brooklyn | November 26, 2009 8:29 PM
Happy Thanksgiving Pete, to you and your family, and don't sweat the narrow minded. We may not all agree on politics or sports, but we can always be civil.
Posted by: punk flamingo | November 26, 2009 9:02 PM
Happy Turkey Day Peter.
Thank goodness that Texas/Teaxs A&M was on tonight. The NFL games were not entertaining.
Posted by: EC | November 26, 2009 10:54 PM
Happy Thanksgiving, Pete!! Thanks for bring your insight, analysis (and wry humor) to me far, far away....
Posted by: Stephen in Singapore | November 27, 2009 12:50 AM
I'm not one who frequently yells "the NFL is out to get Baltimore", but I was disappointed the Colts didn't play the Lions on Thanksgiving in 1980. From 1973-79, Detroit would play an AFC team in even years ('74, '76, '78) and an NFC team in odd years ('73, '75, '77, '79). In 1980 the Colts were the only AFC team on Detroit's home schedule, but instead the League scheduled a Lions-Bears game on the holiday. The Colts instead visited Detroit a couple of Sundays earlier. Thus, the 1965 game that BobbyWoontz mentions remains Baltimore's only NFL Thanksgiving Day appearance.
Posted by: Flagtown '71 | November 27, 2009 10:58 AM
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Posted by: Graigslist | December 20, 2010 10:56 PM