tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post206564921383823575..comments2024-03-11T16:39:12.344-05:00Comments on Once A Knight ...: 'Same Way Turkey Day'Nico Van Thynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-70153569137050755472023-07-13T11:58:46.594-05:002023-07-13T11:58:46.594-05:00Late to the dance for this, but finally saw it and...Late to the dance for this, but finally saw it and thankfully (Thanksgiving of course) read this just now. A beautiful article Nico. Such great memories you brought to my mind... going to these games with my Mom and Dad in the late 40s and 50s until I started C E Byrd High School in 60. Eating meals with our family and my aunt and uncle Jane and Jack Abney, getting into my Dad's new car and 🗣️ mg to the game. The excitement was insane. Byrd's side singing We Never Stagger, etc and others I don't remember. Such great halftime entertainment. I loved every minute of it! I remember Fair Park stole Jack and our football guys had to head to Fair Park to get the Indian.<br />Jim and I were playing Basketball at that time, so kind of lost the pure thrill and excitement, but it was still there.<br />Thank you for putting this out there, Nico.<br />Sydney Boone<br />CIY OF BYRD<br />'63<br />Vbpepperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09202090078514877556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-32924930736668026932013-12-04T09:31:14.304-06:002013-12-04T09:31:14.304-06:00From Pat Davis: Excellent article. That football t... From Pat Davis: Excellent article. That football tradition was part of my life for my entire childhood. It was the reason we always celebrated Thanksgiving with our dinner at night ... after the game. We all went to that game. Girls in corsages, both sides, is the way I remember. <br /> Later as a senior at Jesuit (fall of '65) we were scheduled to play our first playoff game against Jonesboro-Hodge on Thanksgiving Day. I was excited about it. It would have conjured up a little bit of the old Byrd-Fair Park tradition. However, J-H asked if we would consider moving the game to that night. It had something to do with work shift schedules at the paper plant in Jonesboro. It was a papermill town, and everyone's lives were affected by the plant. So our coach, C.O. Brocato, accommodated them by moving the game to that night.<br /> But the Byrd-Fair Park rivalry on Thanksgiving Day will always hold a bright spot in my mind and heart.Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-51663313004562595262013-12-02T15:31:15.056-06:002013-12-02T15:31:15.056-06:00From Greg Falk: I have told people over the years ...From Greg Falk: I have told people over the years that Byrd and Fair Park played on Thanksgiving Day with 25,000 to 30,000 people in attendance, but they never believe me. Now I have some proof. Thanks for posting this.Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-90264812378537449082013-12-02T12:42:23.462-06:002013-12-02T12:42:23.462-06:00From John W. Marshall III: Good reading, and very ...From John W. Marshall III: Good reading, and very nostalgic. OUR special years. The final game must have been the one I have the memory of attending. Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-87786091098583515662013-11-30T21:21:37.598-06:002013-11-30T21:21:37.598-06:00From Jim Pruett: I thoroughly enjoyed the piece. T...From Jim Pruett: I thoroughly enjoyed the piece. Thanks for writing about it. Grateful to have been a part of the proceedings of those days. The truth is for me that the FP-Byrd football Turkey Day game was bigger than anything on TV and -- for me -- bigger than the turkey and dressing. I would get very excited as we got ready and headed for the game. Was always (in my mind) chilly and we bundled up. May forget the scores, but will never forget the "feeling" of it all.Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-76919168702421531382013-11-30T21:20:21.695-06:002013-11-30T21:20:21.695-06:00From Allan M. Lazarus (1944 Fair Park grad): I cov...From Allan M. Lazarus (1944 Fair Park grad): I covered the 1945 Fair Park-Byrd game for The Shreveport Times and only later did I realize I had forgot to say that the 21-0 Tribe win was the biggest ever against Byrd. Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-45767090386816377942013-11-30T09:38:48.907-06:002013-11-30T09:38:48.907-06:00From Jesse Carrigan: I played (for Fair Park) in t...From Jesse Carrigan: I played (for Fair Park) in the last "Turkey Day" game and have fond memories of that tradition. Funny thing about "Same Way Turkey Day" ... all our students would chant it at pep rallies in the gym as if we beat 'em every Thanksgiving. Oh, well.<br />Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-5567976107886838972013-11-29T11:09:41.403-06:002013-11-29T11:09:41.403-06:00From Ernie Roberson: What great memories this brou...From Ernie Roberson: What great memories this brought back. I was on the field as Fair Park's Big Indian mascot in the fall of 1967. The last-moment toss from Fair Park's quarterback (Richard Cain, I think) to Jerry Gill set up the go-ahead score and win by the Tribe, 13-7 over Byrd. Who came by to congratulate the team and shake my hand , too ... that long skinny kid from Woodlawn, Joe Ferguson and his star lineman, Roger Poole. Great rivalries and great friendships, too, in Shreveport in the 1960s. That was my final time to dance the rallly song by the band as the Big Indian. Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-48610525557185736402013-11-29T10:48:03.991-06:002013-11-29T10:48:03.991-06:00From Pam Summerlin: Butch and I were JUST talking ...From Pam Summerlin: Butch and I were JUST talking about this!! Thanks for another great story. ... I remember that bunch doing the Jack-napping!Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-38491439397031624282013-11-29T10:45:22.958-06:002013-11-29T10:45:22.958-06:00From Roger Braniff: Nico…. Another OH WOW for you....From Roger Braniff: Nico…. Another OH WOW for you. I got so excited when I saw this. I grew up in Queensboro on Jackson Street, the block directly behind Fair Park HS. I spent many days of my grade-school years running around the campus and the sports fields of that place of history often, so I have some memorable ties to it. I would walk up the hill through the woods that were directly behind the school and go watch “Coach Bull Wilson” run the Indians' practice sessions all the time. My four-year- older brother attended Fair Park in his sophomore year prior to us moving to the Woodlawn side of town the summer of 1960. I used to be one of those annoying tag-along little brothers so I felt I was supposed to be included with all his stuff. <br />I remember getting to actually attend one of these Turkey Day games; I think it may have been 1959. Huge crowds, as you said, I remember the fans "dressed" for the day -- suits, ties, some homecoming-type corsages on the ladies' outfits, it WAS a special day. One of the items I remember being sold up to the game day by Fair Park students was what they labeled as a “Byrd Hunting License,” that would making anything legal of course. I remember the Indian mascot, dressed in full costume, feathered headdress and all, doing his ceremonial dance along the sidelines and end zone when FP scored (might be where Michael Jackson got some of his moves). The excitement seemed to just radiate the atmosphere prior to the game day and until the last second ticked off the game clock. For Shreveport this was the Super Bowl of High School Football! Thank you for bringing this day back to mind for those of us that were part of this historic event at one time.Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-68788879805023575542013-11-29T10:41:05.106-06:002013-11-29T10:41:05.106-06:00From Rod Chandler: Wow! Those were some great days...From Rod Chandler: Wow! Those were some great days. Today, school begins the second week of August and the quarters and semifinals are played the day after Thanksgiving. Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-27315181028802396772013-11-29T10:27:46.791-06:002013-11-29T10:27:46.791-06:00From Raleigh Whitehead: The day that Lee Hedges wa...From Raleigh Whitehead: The day that Lee Hedges was running that ball was the day that I was born. I was a Thanksgiving Day baby born earlier that day. Small world.Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-8828840706130396642013-11-28T12:34:58.265-06:002013-11-28T12:34:58.265-06:00From Dr. Bob Haley: I was please to see that you m...From Dr. Bob Haley: I was please to see that you mentioned the oldest (and best) Thanksgiving game -- Haynesville vs Homer. This matchup continues to be the game of the year, even though the Golden Tornado has had the upper hand in recent years. ... In my opinion, Thanksgiving is the great American Holiday. We should pause, and as the song says, count your blessings one by one and see what the Lord has done. Happy Holiday to all.Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-62263772290789686042013-11-28T12:28:24.172-06:002013-11-28T12:28:24.172-06:00From Karen Ann Bryant Dye: Wow, I haven't thou...From Karen Ann Bryant Dye: Wow, I haven't thought of this in years! I was at that last Thanksgiving Day game, too, and I think I knew someone involved in that "Jack the Jacket" incident, but I'm not talking. This also made me think of my daddy who grew up in Ingleside and went to Fair Park. Thanks for these wonderful memories, Nico! (This is off the subject, but a few years later, my future hubby was on the other side of the field at the WHS-Byrd game yelling, "Good night, Knights" when we introduced our Knight in a darkened stadium in that lone spotlight. There was plenty of rivalry to go around back then for sure.)Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5125402567351329247.post-21804064786797400962013-11-28T12:18:02.538-06:002013-11-28T12:18:02.538-06:00From Richard Ashford: I was just a little guy, but...From Richard Ashford: I was just a little guy, but I remember mom and dad taking us kids to the Byrd-Fair Park Thanksgiving Day game. That was a BIG thing in Shreveport back in those days. I remember the fierce rivalry and heard stories of the Fair Park kids stealing "Jack the Jacket" and tearing him up in one end zone, while the Byrd kids had stolen the headress off the Indian and were destroying it in the opposite end zone.Nico Van Thynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072351355184106484noreply@blogger.com