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Retro RFH Thanksgiving Homecoming Touchdown

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RFH Thanksgiving Day football game
Photo/George Day

If some old RFHers had a pre-Thanksgiving turkey wishbone to yank on, they may be hoping to pull the bigger end to make a wish to revisit their own RFH Thanksgiving Day Homecoming game. Any other may just do, too.

Back in the day, the RFH football season used to peak with what then was the classic rivalry homecoming/Thanksgiving Day game between Red Bank Catholic and RFH.

Nowadays and for quite some time, it’s nevermore to the big before-turkey Thanksgiving Day game and the traditional homecoming festivities, kings and queens included, on the field that day. Never mind the reuniting dance the night before that set off the whole shebang of sports competition laced with slightly innocent teen debauchery (OK, that’s a bit of an oxymoron).

Though dates and traditions have certainly changed, to the chagrin of the old tradition diehards, one thing has remained a constant — the classic RFH/RBC football rivalry. 

The memories of that Thanksgiving game and homecoming festivities are so indelibly etched into the minds of many an RFH grad of long ago that some end up missing the big game nowadays because they’re waiting for Thanksgiving.

The replacement October carnival on a Friday night with another game, no dance, has gotten a nice crowd, but it has a different feel. It has a new place in RFH tradition. Still, it’s just not that Thanksgiving daze (or days and nights) of football, festivity and reconnecting. It was the day when, family feast preparations be damned, all good current RFHers and grads gathered together to watch the game either on RFH turf or RBC — even if they didn’t understand football or care about it much. It was a must. It was all about being thankful for that camaraderie and school spirit that would last a lifetime.

It was understood … and something to give thanks for at the table to which many may have been a bit late.

And it was usually the first time the most recent grads came home from college (if they were far away). It didn’t matter whether or not you were a sports fan, it was all about coming home, reuniting and giving a good few hours worth of cheering for your alma mater.

Oh, and then there was the actual crowning of the homecoming queen and king on the field at halftime.

Yes, both traditions have been done away with for various reasons. There is no longer even a homecoming court, which ended up parading a king and queen around the track perched in a car or walking the field, freezing in their camel hair coats with their court.

So, the Retro Pic of the (George) Day is an ode to that Thanksgiving Day game tradition that may have died, but is not forgotten by old alum. This photo take us back to the 1970s and the game between the RFH Bulldogs and the RBC Caseys.

Though, most are still thankful they graduated from RFH and are still cheering for the game and a good homecoming now and then.

Here’s to coming home, RFH and the game!

Recognize any star players on the team? Your favorite Thanksgiving Day game memory? Homecoming?

Thanks to George Day for yet another RFH classic pic!

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