Pumpkin Pie and Football (Not Necessarily in That Order)

Back in 1876, the Intercollegiate Football Association was formed in the Northeast, and the folks in charge determined that their championship game would be contested on Thanksgiving Day. So popular was this idea that, in less than ten years, it was the premier sporting event in the nation. But football on Thanksgiving got a fresh shot in the arm in 1934, when G.A. Richards (pictured at left) - the owner of the first-year Detroit Lions - scheduled a Turkey Day game that has since gone down as a tradition that is as much a part of the day as wearing pants that have an elastic waistband.

My favorite story about Thanksgiving football is the game in 1980, when the Lions took on the Bears. With Chicago trailing 17-10 with seconds left, QB Vince Evans scored on the final play to tie it up. The Bears won the toss, and as they prepared to receive the kickoff, the referee chatted with David Williams (the Bears kick returner). "I hope this overtime period doesn't go on too long, my wife is holding Thanksgiving dinner until I get there," said the ref with a rumbly in his tumbly.

With that, Williams promptly took the kickoff 95 yards to the house, instantly ending the shortest OT period (21 seconds) in NFL history. The speedy return man circled back to find the stunned ref and said, "Was that quick enough for ya?"

Bring on the candied yams!



---JohnnyUnitas