Location: 10 AM, Palmerton Field, Palmerton
Final Score: Slatington 0 - Palmerton 7
Weather: There were heavy rains day and night before, but clear weather for Thursday with a high of 56 degrees in Allentown at 630 in the morning; a nice day for everyone.
Coaches: Louis DeRosa (1915-2007) for Slatington and Joseph Matuska (1910-1985) for Palmerton
Activities leading up to the game:
1946 Slatington High School yearbook photo of the 1945 football team
Slatington lost fifteen regulars through graduation, and by a few days before the first game of the season with Coplay, the team numbered less than forty candidates.
Slatington's Schedule before the Thanksgiving game with Palmerton
Coplay 0 – Slatington 19 (22 September)
Slatington 12 – Lehighton 26 (29 September)
Emmaus 12 – Slatington 6 (8 October)
Slatington 0 – Northampton 47 (13 October)
Catasauqua 0 – Slatington 6 (20 October)
Whitehall 13 – Slatington 6 (27 October)
Slatington 6 – Stroudsburg 7 (3 November)
2-5 heading into the Thanksgiving game
1946 Palmerton High School yearbook photo of the 1945 football team
Once practices began after Labor Day, Palmerton, like Slatington, also did not have much of a veteran team, as only 9 lettermen were returning.
Palmerton's Schedule before the Thanksgiving game with Slatington
Whitehall 6 – Palmerton 6 (22 September)
Stroudsburg 6 – Palmerton 27 (29 September)
Palmerton 7 – Catasauqua 0 (6 October)
Palmerton 7 – Bangor 25 (13 October)
Northampton 7 – Palmerton 0 (20 October)
Palmerton 27 – Emmaus 18 (27 October)
Palmerton 0 – Wilson 20 (3 November)
Lehighton 12 – Palmerton 26 (10 November)
4-3-1 heading into the Thanksgiving game
Let me note that this was the first year that I came across mention of JV football games, but there does not yet seem to have been any formal scheduling of JV games.
Another interesting tidbit, The Morning Call (Friday, 5 October 1945) mentioned that "For the first time in the history of the school, the Palmerton High school band will accompany the team" for the game at Catasauqua on Saturday.
Since games were traditionally played at 2 or 2:30 on a Saturday afternoon, it was probably pretty hot for players, especially given the heavy, woolen uniforms. Even though the season did not start until third week of September, game time temperatures could be a bit toasty. For example, the forecast high temperature in Allentown for the games on 22 September – 80 degrees; 29 September – 83 degrees; 6 October – 65 degrees.
"Although no Lehigh Valley Championship will be at stake with the game at Palmerton, the Slatington boys are going to the Zinc town for the Annual Classic determined to defeat the favorites. Coach DeRosa's boys are entering this contest almost under identical conditions of those of last year, when Palmerton was considered a sure winner." (The Slatington News, 22 November 1944)
A win was not to be in the cards for Slatington, as Palmerton eked out a 7-0 win "on a rain-soaked turf before 3,500 fans" (The Slatington News, 29 November 1945). Slatington fumbled away several scoring chances, but the most striking commentary that I came upon in reading accounts of the game was:
"Palmerton played cautious football with its 7-0 lead frequently kicking on second down."
That's just another reminder that football played in the 1940s was entirely different from today's game.
"Palmerton took the opening kickoff back to the 40-yard line" and then marched down the field with Sebo, the Palmerton fullback, going around end on the 1-yard line for the score. The extra point by Romanisko provided the final score of the game.
Later in the first quarter, Slatington reached Palmerton's 3-yard line, but a Kester fumble near the goal line was recovered by Palmerton's Frantz in the end zone for a touchback.
In the second half, Slatington got to Palmerton's 20-yard line once, only to turn the ball over on downs.
| Position | Slatington | Palmerton |
| Left end | J. Hoffman | Marciw |
| Left tackle | Weinman | Butz |
| Left guard | Reitz | Snyder |
| Center | Eschbach | Sirsky |
| Right guard | Foilweiler | Wertman |
| Right tackle | Leibold | Pocalyko |
| Right end | Farber | R. Serfass |
| Quarterback | Bisko | Franz |
| Left halfback | Sessa | Romig |
| Right halfback | Kern | Kuhla |
| Fullback | Kester | Sebo |
After this game, the Thanksgiving rivalry stood at Palmerton 9 wins, Slatington 1 win and 1 tie.
Newspaper sources
- The Morning Call
- The Palmerton Press
- The Slatington News
- Service Star Press (Palmerton)