Choosing Sides in Annual Haddonfield, Haddon Heights Thanksgiving Football Game

The Thanksgiving Day Football Game between Haddonfield and Haddon Heights has been a high point for my family spanning, now, two centuries. (Thursday's game kicks off at 11 a.m. at Haddon Heights)

My grandfather was a football coach in Haddon Heights back in the 1930s and 40s and my father was a star football player for Haddon Heights in the late 1940s. He played tight end and stood 6-foot,  4-inches and 285 lbs. He received a full scholarship to play for Lehigh University, a top nationally ranked football team back then.

In his senior year, on Thanksgiving Day, my father’s team beat Haddonfield 27-0. In my senior year playing for Haddon Heights in 1975, we beat Haddonfield 27-0. And in my first year as superintendent for Haddonfield, we beat Haddon Heights 27-0.

Oh, and my football number? Number 27. I played running back and defensive back.

A few years ago, when I called my father to let him know that I was offered the superintendent’s position for Haddonfield, I said, "Dad. I have good news and bad news." He said, "What’s the bad news." I replied, "I have to root for Haddonfield on Thanksgiving Day." He replied back. "So, what’s the good news." I said, "They just offered me the superintendent’s position for Haddonfield School District." There was then a long pause. My father finally asked, "Can you change sides during half time?"

The Thanksgiving Game even had significance when my father proposed to my mother, a graduate of HMHS. He said to her, "I have a way for you to cheer for Haddon Heights on Thanksgiving Day." She asked, "How?" He replied, "Marry me." From there, with half the family being from Haddon Heights and the other half from Haddonfield, every Thanksgiving Day was met with emotional debate over the dinner table about who has the best football team that year. Currently, Haddonfield leads the series 56-42-6.

Now that I have been in Haddonfield a few years, my blood bleeds Red and Black.

And yes, my sister’s friends who have sons who play for Haddon Heights have called me a traitor at times under their breaths. But I have to admit, when I see the Garnet and Gold playing on Thanksgiving Day a part of me still reaches back to that time in the past when I stood in my father’s shadow, playing football, trying to make him proud of me, becoming a star football player on Thanksgiving Day just like him.

#27