As the leaves turn and November arrives, a new energy buzzes in the brisk autumn air. It’s not just the smell of roast turkey or the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot. For football fans across America, the season ushers in one of our most beloved traditions – the Turkey Bowl. This classic amateur football game brings family and friends together on Thanksgiving for some friendly competition and enduring memories.
A Storied History
The Turkey Bowl’s origin is difficult to pinpoint, but the concept likely began in 1920s New England As the NFL was gaining popularity, fans organized informal games to enjoy America’s new favorite sport. The Thanksgiving tradition quickly spread nationwide Schools hosted Turkey Day games,while families and friends opted for modified backyard contests.
The Turkey Bowl was a way to add festive football fun to the holiday. The name Turkey Bowl first appeared in print in a 1950s Pennsylvania newspaper, describing a charity game. By the 1970s, Turkey Bowl was the household term for any Thanksgiving football face-off.
Thanksgiving Day Rivalries
While anyone can arrange a Turkey Bowl, some of the most epic matchups happen between longtime rivals. High schools often host alumni games pitting graduates against their alma maters. Neighboring small towns relish the chance to battle local bragging rights. Colleges have also joined the tradition, scheduling marquee games on Thanksgiving to big crowds.
The NFL has featured Thanksgiving games since the league’s early days. Memorable rivalries like the Lions vs. Packers generate as much excitement as the holiday meal itself. No matter the age or skill level of the players, anyone can share in the Turkey Bowl camaraderie.
Backyard Rules and Traditions
Part of the charm of the Turkey Bowl is that every host family invents their own rules and rituals Touch football is preferred over tackle for safety reasons, often banning excessive contact. Games typically last until a certain score is reached, a time limit expires, or energy fizzles. estoppages for injuries, arguments, or meals are common
Other traditions include T-shirts or uniforms, awards for the MVP or most ridiculous play, and pomp like a coin toss or National Anthem performance. Sideline bonding, trash talk, and homemade playbooks keep the fun flowing. The game is less about serious competition than creating shared memories.
Something for Everyone
While the football itself draws the adults, creative touches make Turkey Bowl inclusive for all ages. Kids delight in being team mascots, cheerleaders, ball runners, or halftime show stars. Those less interested in sports might be announcers, referees, videographers, or trophy makers.
Turkey Bowl unites communities in a common purpose. Teens are welcome additions for even sides, while grandparents make enthusiastic fans. Reward good sportsmanship and go easy on penalties – Turkey Bowl should be 100% fun for all.
Rain or Shine
Turkey Bowl is played whatever the weather – snow, sleet, wind or rain -so attendees should dress accordingly. Bring extra balls in case of bounce outs. Designate towel dryers and medic stations in case of slips and tumbles. Embrace the elements as part of the nostalgic atmosphere.
Some families wait until after dinner when bellies are full and temperatures drop. A brisk late afternoon game keeps adrenaline pumping into the evening. Whenever you play, balance competitive spirit with common sense and safety based on conditions.
Carrying on Tradition
For children raised attending the family Turkey Bowl, the event creates fond nostalgia they’ll want to recreate as adults. The games connect generations through shared interests and values. As families spread out across the country, gathering to play becomes even more meaningful.
Even those who can’t physically attend can feel part of the fun through video calls, photos, and recaps of play by plays. Keep the family informed on planning and get their input on rules or ideas. Maintaining Turkey Bowl tradition is about more than just football – it’s celebrating unity.
This Thanksgiving as you enjoy your feast and quality time, give thanks for the cherished rituals like Turkey Bowl that feed the soul. Huddle up with your crew and make more memories rooted in the spirit of the day – family, friendship, and football!
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Fordham Prep leads the overall series 55-41-4. *Note that in November 2020, the two schools did not meet on the field due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fordham Prep was victorious in the first ever Virtual Turkey Bowl.
During the 1800s, Fordham Preparatory School was officially known as the Second Division of St. John’s College, Fordham’s original name. The school would only begin to be called Fordham Prep in the early 1900s — first as a nickname, and ultimately as our official title. Neither the College nor Prep teams were yet known as the Rams. In fact, the first instance of the word ram in Prep history does not occur until 1906. During the 19th century, the various Second Division teams had a series of colorful names. At first, our varsity squads were known as The Live Oaks. By 1862, Prep varsity would be styled The Invincibles. Maroon, however, was already proudly our school color at the time, and had been since 1874. Go Fordham Prep! Go Rams! Go Invincibles! Go Maroon!
The first recorded Turkey Bowl took place on November 27, 1887, as chronicled in a Fordham Monthly article: “The Xaviers came up on Sunday, November 27th, and played a good game. It grew dark before either team scored a single point.” The author of the piece was David Arellano, Class of 1887, one of our Central American boarding students and a truly fascinating figure in school history, who, incidentally, had been a pitcher for our baseball team – not a footballer. He was still at Rose Hill, but in St. Johns First Division, or Fordham College, when he wrote the article.
While there are earlier Fordham-Xavier football games on record, those games were between the college-level teams, not the high schoolers. (Xavier originally had a college division, as well.) And while Prep football had existed embryonically for a few seasons before 1887, our boys either played against each other, or served as practice squads for the College’s team. Therefore, Fordham Prep also looks to November 27, 1887 as the official launch of our district formal interscholastic football program. In other words, that first legendary “Turkey Bowl” — called on account of darkness — was also our first official football game.
The 1887 game was not held on Thanksgiving itself, but rather, as part of the long holiday weekend. Other early “Turkey Bowls” were also not played on Thanksgiving proper, but at some point over the holiday weekend, or on other long fall holiday weekends. Recall that while Thanksgiving had long been part of the American story, the holiday in its modern iteration as a national observance had only been ushered in by President Lincoln some decades earlier. And so, during these days, other fall celebrations, like Election Day, for instance, were still marked by parades, bonfires, and other festivities that we would associate with Thanksgiving. Some early Prep-Xavier gridiron match-ups would be held on these weekends, as well. As American-style football was still a new sport, it is worth noting that the Prep team did not have official football uniforms, yet. Instead, they were wearing the baseball’s team’s uniforms off-season. As reported after football season in the Monthly, “There has been some talk lately of getting genuine football suits for our eleven. The game is somewhat wearing on the baseball jerseys.”
1887: TIE 0-0 (Called on account of darkness)
1905: Fordham Prep 32- 0
1907: Fordham Prep 61- 0
1908: Fordham Prep 61- 0
1927: Fordham Prep 12- 6
1928: Fordham Prep 19- 6
1929: Xavier 19-13
1930: Xavier 25- 6
1931: Fordham Prep 12- 6
1932: TIE 7- 7
1933: Fordham Prep 13- 0
1934: Fordham Prep 26-13
1935: Xavier 20-13
1936: Xavier 6- 0
1937: Fordham Prep 19-12
1938: Fordham Prep 13-12
1939: Fordham Prep 13- 0
1940: Fordham Prep 7- 0
1941: Xavier 9- 6
1942: Fordham Prep 8- 6
1943: Fordham Prep 19-18
1944: Fordham Prep 12- 0
1945: Xavier 7- 6
1946: Fordham Prep 13- 6
1947: Xavier 13- 8
1948: Xavier 9- 7
1949: Fordham Prep 31-20
1950: Xavier 60- 6
1951: Xavier 32-12
1952: Xavier 6- 0
1953: Xavier 20- 6
1954: Fordham Prep 18-12
1955: Xavier 20- 6
1956: Fordham Prep 14-13
1957: Fordham Prep 14- 6
1958: Fordham Prep 7- 6
1959: Xavier 14- 8
1960: TIE 14-14
1961: Fordham Prep 19-18
1962: Fordham Prep 24- 0
1963: Xavier 14- 0
1964: Xavier 39-20
1965: Xavier 19- 0
1966: Xavier 13- 0
1967: Fordham Prep 19- 0
1968: Xavier 32- 0
1969: Fordham Prep 12- 8
1970: Xavier 22-21
1971: Fordham Prep 21-12
1972: Fordham Prep 29- 0
1973: Fordham Prep 21- 0
1974: Xavier 54- 6
1975: TIE 0- 0
1976: Xavier 40-30
1977: Fordham Prep 12- 6
1978: Fordham Prep 29-20
1979: Fordham Prep 28-12
1980: Xavier 34-12
1981: Xavier 30-22
1982: Fordham Prep 8- 3
1983: Xavier 18- 7
1984: Xavier 12- 7
1985: Xavier 30- 0
1986: Xavier 26-14
1987: Fordham Prep 36-16
1988: Xavier 18-17
1989: Xavier 14-12
1990: Fordham Prep 30-15
1991: Xavier 24-13
1992: Fordham Prep 24-14
1993: Fordham Prep 40-12
1994: Fordham Prep 32-14
1995: Fordham Prep 15-14
1996: Xavier 14-13
1997: Fordham Prep 28- 7
1998: Fordham Prep 12- 6
1999: Xavier 37-16
2000: Fordham Prep 26- 6
2001: Fordham Prep 28- 7
2002: Fordham Prep 34-14
2003: Fordham Prep 28- 0
2004: Fordham Prep 32- 7
2005: Fordham Prep 44-13
2006: Xavier 28-14
2007: Xavier 20-14
2008: Fordham Prep 41-28
2009: Xavier 35-27
2010: Fordham Prep 17- 7
2011: Fordham Prep 15-7
2012: Xavier 38-21
2013: Xavier 33-0
2014: Xavier 35-34
2015: Xavier 15-13
2016: Fordham Prep 21-18
2017: Fordham Prep 28-0
2018: Fordham Prep 21-13
2019: Xavier 40-14
*2020: Fordham Prep 21-14 (First ever “virtual” Turkey Bowl)
2021: Fordham Prep 27-13
2022: Fordham Prep 41-25
2023: Fordham Prep 21-14
First played in 1887 between the then Second Division of St. Johns College (Fordham Preps original name) and Xavier High School, the Turkey Bowl is one of the oldest high school football rivalries in the United States.
Sports Illustrated and USA Today have highlighted the game as one of the premier Thanksgiving Day games in high school football in the country. The Turkey Bowl is the oldest inter-scholastic athletic rivalry in all of New York City. The New York Post called it one of the “cant miss” events in New York City high school sports.
The Madden TURKEY BOWL (K-City Family Battle)
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