The tradition of high school football being played on Thanksgiving Day may have ended decades ago but pick-up games of football continue to be played in neighborhood fields all over Greater Pittston.
Turkey Bowl games, as they are called, have been played since the stoppage of high school games in the late 70s.
Initially, locally Turkey Bowl games were played between rival schools Pittston Area and Wyoming Area. Those pick-up games were just as fierce and rough as the official school game, except without pads.
For years and to this day, Lou “Bikes” Ciampi has held the Turkey Bowl game near and dear to his heart. He and friends still get involved but have stepped aside for the next generation to take over.
Lou is very happy to pass the baton on to his children and the children of his buddies. They gather at 9:30 a.m. in the end zone of the Jake Sobeski Field in West Pittston and usually bring coffee, donuts and other goodies for parents, players and bystanders to enjoy.
Across the running track in the practice field is another game led by the DeLuca and Braccini families and others. The history of their Turkey Bowl started over 10 years ago when parents of kindergarten students wanted to get the children out in the morning before the big meal.
West Pittston resident Ree Ree DeLuca laughed as she explained why the game was started.
“We just wanted to wear them out.” DeLuca said, explained she and her husband, Carl, wanted the children tired so they wouldn’t be rambunctious for the rest of the day.
A few blocks away at the Wyoming Area field hockey field, nearly 30 former workers of Cooper’s Seafood Restaurant gather to play in what they tab Cooper’s Classic which began six years ago.
“The original starters (of the game) worked at Cooper’s,” Kevin Thompson said. “We started it about six years ago and it’s running bigger than ever.”
Thursday’s Cooper’s Classic game began around 9:30 a.m. as participants started to gather.
Wyoming Area grad and football standout Nick Bartoli believes Cooper’s Classic began seven or eight years go to his recollection.
“We’ve been coming here since my junior year in high school, so this would be our seventh or eighth year,” he said. “Honestly, it’s a blessing, it’s great to be here to see all the guys. I live in Connecticut so to come here, be able to do that for the game is just awesome.”
Across the river at the Spring Street Park in Jenkins Twp., not one, but three different games of football were being played. Anthony Marranca has participated in the annual event, off and on, for about 25 years.
“This is pretty much a neighborhood game between Market, Pine and LaGrange Streets (Pittston) that play,” Marranca said. “My friend Wayne is here and I haven’t seen him in 25 years, so it’s a good way for everyone to get together.”
According to Marranca, the game used to be played at the site of the Pittston pool but that is now a private residence so a new location had to be utilized.
All games in the area were facing sleet and freezing rain, but that didn’t deter anyone from playing.
