The turkey may be the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving feast, but for many families across America, the highlight of the holiday is the Turkey Bowl – the friendly game of touch football played by millions on Thanksgiving morning. This backyard tradition brings together friends and family of all ages for some gridiron fun before the big meal. So what exactly is the Turkey Bowl and how did it become an iconic Thanksgiving pastime?
What is the Turkey Bowl?
The Turkey Bowl is an informal game of American football, typically touch or flag football, played on Thanksgiving Day. It’s an annual tradition for many families and friend groups across the United States. Teams are usually made up of family members and friends of all ages and skill levels. The games are played in backyards, local parks, fields, cul-de-sacs or any other open space available.
The rules are casual – there are no strict regulations, leagues or championships associated with the Turkey Bowl. It’s simply for fun and bragging rights. Touchdowns and interceptions may be followed by creatively choreographed celebration dances The games often start off friendly but quickly escalate into intense rivalries as the competitive spirit kicks in.
While some games are one-offs, many Turkey Bowls have taken place for generations, with stories and legends of victories passed down through the years. For diehard fans, it’s the most anticipated game of the year!
History and Origins
The exact origins of the Turkey Bowl tradition are unclear but it likely emerged in the early 20th century. As football grew into America’s favorite sport, informal games naturally became a Thanksgiving pastime. President Theodore Roosevelt threatened to shut down college football in 1905 unless new rules were adopted to make the game safer. After the new regulations football’s popularity exploded. The NFL was founded in 1920, cementing football as a beloved American tradition.
By the 1950s, references to Turkey Bowl games appeared frequently in local newspaper stories across the country. A 1951 article in the Boston Daily Globe wrote: “College boys who left town last week for home and turkey with the trimmings will complete the holiday today engaging in ‘Turkey Bowl’ contests, touch football games that are as much a part of Thanksgiving as cranberry sauce.”
The term “Turkey Bowl” was cementing itself as a household name for Thanksgiving football, The games provided fun for families and friends while the turkey cooked, The tradition allowed men to avoid kitchen duty and gave restless kids an outlet for energy before the big meal
Why Do People Love Turkey Bowls?
For football fans across America, gathering friends and family for a friendly game before Thanksgiving dinner has become a cherished ritual. Here are some reasons why Turkey Bowls have stood the test of time:
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Tradition – For many families, it’s a nostalgic tradition passed down through generations. Fathers teach sons and daughters the stories and strategies behind epic past Turkey Bowls.
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Friendly Competition – It’s a chance to revel in friendly competition. Teams battle for a full year of bragging rights.
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Family Bonding – It brings together family and friends of all ages for laughter and camaraderie.
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Escape from Cooking – It gets the men out of the kitchen for a few hours while dinner’s prepared!
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Pre-Meal Workout – It provides a chance to burn some calories before the big feast.
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Touch Football Fun – Anyone can play touch football. Minimal equipment and casual rules allow for maximum participation.
Turkey Bowl Traditions and Rituals
Many families have honed Turkey Bowl traditions over decades:
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Signature plays like the wishbone or hook-and-ladder are passed down through generations.
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Teams often sport jerseys in their preferred colors – old t-shirts sometimes list rosters from past decades.
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Awards are given out – often handmade trophies, plaques or framed certificates recognizing achievements or embarrassing moments.
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A trophy game ball may be signed and displayed until the next year’s rematch.
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Hall of Fame boards display memorable players and history.
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Tailgating with hot chocolate, donuts and other treats amp up the fun.
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Some games feature commentary from friends armed with megaphones.
How to Host Your Own Turkey Bowl
If you’ve never held a Turkey Bowl, why not start your own tradition this year? Here are some tips:
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Send evites with a fun flyer to get friends and family excited.
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Print tickets and rosters to make it official.
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Shop for cheap flags, cones and footballs from discount and dollar stores.
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Plan for prizes and awards. Dollar store trophies and medals work great.
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If youth are playing, adjust rules for safety. Use two-hand touch and don’t allow tackling.
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Check local parks to reserve space if you expect a good turnout.
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Prepare some half-time snacks like hot cocoa, cookies and donuts.
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Document the fun with videos and photos to share on social media.
More Than Just a Game
While touchdowns and interceptions create thrilling moments, the Turkey Bowl is about so much more than just a football game. It’s a chance to come together and celebrate the things that matter most – family, friends, fun and making memories. For millions of Americans, it’s as much a Thanksgiving tradition as pumpkin pie. From intense matchups to heartwarming intergenerational bonding, the Turkey Bowl encapsulates the warmth, camaraderie and playful spirit of the holiday season.
Turkey Bowl 100 in the NewsYour web browser does not support the tag.
Fordham Prep leads the overall series 55-41-4. *Note that the two schools did not play each other in November 2020 because of 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. It wasn’t until the early 1900s that the school was officially called Fordham Prep. At first, it was just a nickname. 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!.
A Fordham Monthly article from 1887 says, “The Xaviers came up on Sunday, November 27th, and played a good game.” This was the first Turkey Bowl that was written down. It grew dark before either team scored a single point. “The piece was written by David Arellano, Class of 1887, one of our Central American boarding students and a truly fascinating figure in school history. He had also been a pitcher for our baseball team, not a football player.” He was still at Rose Hill, but in St. Johns First Division, or Fordham College, when he wrote the article.
There have been football games between Fordham and Xavier in the past, but they were between college teams, not high school teams. (Xavier originally had a college division, as well. And even though Prep football had been around for a few years before 1887, our boys either played against each other or helped the College team practice. So, Fordham Prep also sees November 27, 1887, as the official start of our district’s first formal high school football game. That is, the famous first “Turkey Bowl,” which was called that because it was dark, was also our first real 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, but rather over the holiday weekend or on other long fall holiday weekends. Let’s remember that even though Thanksgiving has been a part of American history for a long time, President Lincoln officially made it a national holiday many decades ago. So, during these days, other fall holidays, like Election Day, still had parades, bonfires, and other activities we usually associate with Thanksgiving. Some early Prep-Xavier gridiron match-ups would be held on these weekends, as well. Since American-style football was still a new sport, it’s important to note that the Prep team didn’t have correct football uniforms yet. Instead, they were wearing the baseball’s team’s uniforms off-season. The Monthly wrote after football season, “There has been some talk lately of getting real 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. When Fordham Preps was first called Johns College, they played Xavier High School in the Turkey Bowl. It 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.
Turkey Bowl 100: The History of the Game
FAQ
How long does a turkey bowl last?
How do you play turkey bowling?
Why is it called a bowl game?
What is a Thanksgiving football game called?
Unorganized groups have also been known to partake in American football on Thanksgiving. These informal matches are usually known as a Turkey Bowl (not to be confused with some high school football games that also use the name “Turkey Bowl”, see above, and with Turkey Bowling).
How do you set up a Turkey Bowl flag football game?
To set up a Turkey Bowl flag football game, start by establishing a field dimension that makes sense for your game size. A field that is 70 yards long and 30 yards wide with 10 yard end zones is adequate for most games of 7 on 7. However, less space is needed for fewer players. Fourth, establish some rules: let’s face it, you probably won’t hire a ref to officiate your Turkey Bowl flag football game.
What is the benefit of winning a turkey bowl game?
The benefit for the winning team in a friendly Turkey Bowl game is earning bragging rights and the free reign to some friendly banter until next Thanksgiving. Did your uncle catch the game winning TD?
How many turkey bowl games has Loyola won?
There have been 101 Turkey Bowl games between Loyola and Calvert Hall. With that win, Loyola now have 50 wins and 43 losses. There have also been eight ties between the two teams. Because of how close these two schools were, with only a mile separating them, the rivalry and the banter were always present.
What are the rules for a Turkey Bowl?
Read up on the most important Turkey Bowl rules and guidelines, below. 1. Field Selection and Dimensions Locate a field approximately 50 yards long and 25 yards wide. Allot 5 to 7 yards for each end zone. Choose a flat patch of grass with a soft surface for when your clumsy cousin Carl takes out your legs and sends you tumbling to the ground.
How old are Thanksgiving Day football games?
Thanksgiving Day football games in the United States are nearly as old as the game—and the organized holiday—themselves.