Thanksgiving Day Memories – PW Football 1999

Thanksgiving Day Memories

Plymouth Whitemarsh 3,  Norristown 0

By Jack Coll

11-25-13

     It rained all morning, most of us were wet before the game started, Plymouth Whitemarsh was sporting an 8-3 season record, the Norristown Eagles had that same 8-3 record, both teams were better than 8-3, and both teams had something to prove.

It was Thanksgiving Day morning in 1999, and as a photographer I wanted to be home, sipping on a cup of hot chocolate, waiting on a turkey in the oven, hanging around the house, catch a little football on TV, and hey maybe even take a nap.  But this game was too hot to miss, I pulled up to Roosevelt Field in Norristown, (actually about two blocks away to park) and took my position on the field, in a steady rainfall, with my camera wrapped in plastic.

Field conditions were poor at best, and the two teams played to a muddy scoreless first half, the only difference was that the Colonials were moving the ball and the Eagles weren’t.  I walked the muddy sidelines trying in vein to capture a really great shot, my feet were wet, my socks were soaked, my jacket was soaked, but none of that deterred me.   Plymouth Whitemarsh was moving the ball, something had to give, midway thru the fourth quarter, Quarterback Steve Fulmer moved the ball, into Eagles territory, down close to the goal line and the wet conditions caught up to the Colonials as the ball slipped away.  A lot of head hanging was noticeable on the Colonials sideline while the Eagles sideline were rejoicing as thought they had just won the game.

At the end of 48 minutes, the two teams stood on the field, muddy, wet and beat, but both teams had nothing to show on the scoreboard but 0’s.  The game would be decided in overtime, both teams would get the ball on the ten yard line with four downs.  The Colonials were first up with the ball, if they scored, Norristown would have their four downs to tie or win the game.

I took my place behind the end zone, I was ready for the winning touchdown, the ball was snapped, I cheated up into the end zone for a good shot, there was no gain on the play, I worked myself back out of the end zone while checking for dirty looks from the refs, there was no eye contact so I was good to go.  On second down, it was much of the same, the ball was snapped, I cheated up into the end zone, no gain and no dirty looks from the refs, they hadn’t noticed me in the end zone or didn’t care.  With third and ten for the touchdown I was wondering if the ball would go to Justin Pratt, he had a couple of nice runs during the game, no, they would have to throw the ball.

I dropped back about five yards behind the end zone expecting a pass, I changed lenses on the camera, third and ten, and this was it.  “Oh no-no-no what are you doing, NO,” the play resulted in a nine yard loss, now it was fourth and nineteen.  I looked to the Colonials sideline and Coaches Joe Iacovitti, Bob Slagel, and Jerry Conicelli along with the rest of them seemed to be throwing their hands and arms around, signaling to one another.  I’m thinking they must have a really good trick play good for nineteen yards and touchdown.

As I starred at the Colonials sideline from the end zone, I see number 19, popping out from the sea of red and muddy uniforms on the Colonial sideline and come running onto the field.  What’s going on here I thought, this kid doesn’t have a spec of dirt on him, he looks like he just got off the bus.  I quickly pull my program out of my camera bag and scramble up and down the rooster for number 19.  Ben Anderson, a kicker, “Oh-no what’s going on here, I start with the math, “OK the ball is on the 19 yard line, 10 yards to the goal post, that’s 29 yards, another seven or eight for the snap, OK, it’s a 37 yard field goal, it’s still raining, the air is heavy with dampness, it’s cold enough to be snowing, and I’m thinking is Iacovitti out of his mind, most kids can’t kick this on a clear day.”

Everything else was in slow motion for me, I’m not sure if it was Chris Fernes who snapped the ball, but I didn’t really follow the flight of the ball, I heard the pads of Joe Messmer popping off the block, I remember watching Bob Stokley’s eyes raise to the sky following the flight of the ball, and I remember noticing Tim Siropaides finishing pushing his man backwards.  As my eyes started to look upwards towards the ball I think I remember seeing Tim Fleming, Matt Ramey, Bob Travaglini, A. J. Carter, Andrew Piacitelli, and Jermaine Little all cease blocking and looking up to the skies.

I honestly don’t remember seeing the ball go thru the goal post but I remember looking at the refs who quickly raised their hands signaling good.  I was absolutely floored that this kid could come in off the bench clean as a whistle, and put his foot on the soaking wet ball for 35 or 36 yards whatever it was.  I knew Iacovitti knew what he was doing, I’m sure I would have done the same thing if I was coaching.

The game wasn’t over, Norristown had four plays from the ten yard line to tie with a field goal or win with a touchdown.  It was clearly P-W’s day, Norristown failed to score and the boys in the mud covered red jerseys celebrated in the middle of Norristown’s field.

It’s games like this when the turkey really taste good, at least for the winners, and for Norristown, well the ride home seems a lot longer, the thanksgiving day turkey dinner just isn’t as sweet as they might have envisioned, and for the writers and photographers, well we were just glad it was over.

I remember driving back to Conshohocken, thinking I wonder if Ben Anderson would someday tell his children about his dramatic game winning kick on a cold rainy Thanksgiving Day morning at Roosevelt Field in Norristown.  I was sure he would, Ben would be about 31 or 32 years old now, perhaps with a couple of kids.  Maybe someone could give me an up-date on Ben, an e-mail or something.  And if Ben needs someone to explain to his kids just how great a day that was, I’d be happy to tell em’.  I would explain to them that as a photographer standing in the end zone how that’s exactly what I would have done, call on Ben, I never had a doubt that he could ice the kick.

For nearly a century the borough of Conshohocken has enjoyed Thanksgiving Day football.  In the early days of the sport we had the Conshohocken Professionals playing Thanksgiving Day games at the Community Field, later the professional teams of the 1920’ and 1930’s.  Of course we had St. Matthew’s and Conshohocken High schools playing for bragging rights for many years and we had the Conshohocken Steelers play a few turkey day games.  Plymouth Whitemarsh High School and Archbishop Kennedy High School turned in a few Thanksgiving Day games.  But this Thanksgiving Day local football fields will be silent, no loud speakers crying “First Down,” no cheerleaders bouncing around on the sidelines looking like they could use a cup of hot chocolate, and if you close your eyes, and visualize a running back breaking one off down the sideline, Oh how we’ll miss the crowd coming to their feet as the crowd noise goes up.  Is it me or just a warm memory but even a coach arguing with a referee sounded better on Thanksgiving Day.

Whatever Thanksgiving Day memories you have, I hope they’re good ones, Thanks for the memories, hey, Ben Anderson, thanks for the kick, Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

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