Happy Thanksgiving! "Strong legs will run that weak legs may walk."

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Nov 20, 2011 12:06 AM EST

Fran Tarkenton, u(sic)GA Frosh QB in 1960, obviously NOT during the Scottish Rite Game!

This is from Bill King's "Junkyard Blog" from 2006.

"Back in the days before freshmen were eligible to play on the varsity, this game held every year at Grant Field was a really big deal, drawing national attention. In its heyday, it regularly drew crowds of 40,000 people willing to postpone Thanksgiving dinner in order to preview the stars of tomorrow. (More than a few probably spoiled their appetites with a post-game visit to the Varsity.) The game was even broadcast on the radio!"

My earliest memory of CFB was the '66 or '67 game on Thanksgiving Day. As a 3 or 4 year old, I was awestruck by the size of the players, especially when viewed from field level in the OLD North Stands.

A great Thanksgiving memory, sadly no more, however I knew some of the guys who walked on for the early 1980's games, most were good High School Players who wanted to strap it on one more time!

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"back in the day..."

Better to have died a small boy than to drop this football - John Heisman FromTheRumbleSeat

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by Winfield Featherston on Nov 20, 2011 11:43 PM EST reply actions

For me this memory is like watching "A Christmas Story"

Here was our family routine:

A joint Thanksgiving Worship Service at the Temple with Jews and Methodists singing and praying together. The Shriner Tech-Ga Freshman football game at Grant Field. Will always remember when the fat guy with the jewel in his naval would gyrate onto the filed swinging a giant scimitar. The football players always wore metallic helmets making them look like bullets on the filed -Ga’s were kind of silver-pewter and Tech’s were kind of gold-brass looking. Family Thanksgiving Dinner followed the game. Lighting of the Great Tree on the bridge of Rich’s Department store was next. Window shopping the Christmas displays in the store windows downtown finished the night. Sleep would overtake me on the short drive home.

by Atlanta's original team on Nov 21, 2011 7:54 AM EST reply actions