Location: 10 AM, Delaware Ave. Field, Palmerton
Final Score: Slatington 20 - Palmerton 8
Weather: Partly cloudy and cold, perfect weather for a football game. According to The Morning Call, the temperature was about 38 degrees at a 10 o'clock kickoff in Allentown. It was probably a bit colder in Palmerton.
Coaches: Michael "Mike" Burcin (1920-1998) for Slatington and John C. Young (1906-1981) for Palmerton.
1950 Slatington High School yearbook photo of the 1949 football team
Slatington's schedule before the Thanksgiving game with Palmerton
Slatington 6 – East Stroudsburg 0 (17 September)
Slatington 25 - Nazareth 21 (24 September)
Slatington 26 - Lehighton 7 (1 October)
Emmaus 13 – Slatington 7 (8 October) The Morning Call headline – "Emmaus Whips Slatington by 13 to 7 Score"
Slatington 7 - Northampton 26 (15 October)
Catasauqua 7 – Slatington 7 (22 October)
Whitehall 20 – Slatington 0 (29 October)
Slatington 14 - Stroudsburg 7 (Friday night game at Stroudsburg, 4 November) The Morning Call headline – "Slatington Rips Stroudsburg by 14-7 Score."
Slatington had a record of 4-3-1 heading into the Thanksgiving game with Palmerton. The team had managed a winning record despite being outscored 92 to 103.
1950 Palmerton High School yearbook photo of the 1949 football team
Palmerton's schedule before the Thanksgiving game with Slatington
Palmerton 0 – Carlisle 21 (Friday night, game 16 September)
Whitehall 12 – Palmerton 0 (24 September)
Stroudsburg 15 – Palmerton 6 (1 October)
Palmerton 0 - Catasauqua 0 (8 October)
Palmerton 0 – Bangor 6 (Friday night game at Bangor, 14 October)
Northampton 25 – Palmerton 7 (22 October)
Palmerton 0 – Emmaus 14 (29 October)
Palmerton 6 – Wilson 20 (5 November)
Lehighton 6 – Palmerton 20 (12 November)
Palmerton had a record of 1-7-1 heading into the Thanksgiving game with Slatington and had been outscored by a large margin, 39 to 119.
Both teams launched their football seasons in August 1949. Slatington boys reported on Monday, 22 August for the start of two weeks of practice before school opened. There were 49 boys who had daily practices at 9 and 130. Palmerton also started the same week with 53 boys reporting for the team.
This was the first year that Slatington had a formal junior varsity (JV) team. Organized and coached by LeRoy Schleicher, the team played 4 games that year finishing 0-3-1.
In the week leading up to the game, it was reported that "Coach Johnny Young has his Blue Bombers in top running order for the big Thanksgiving morning game with Slatington High school." (The Morning Call, 21 November 1949) In the junior varsity game played on the Monday afternoon before the Thanksgiving game, "Palmerton Jay Vees get 19 to 7 Win over Slatington J.V.".at Slatington. Fullback Doug Shiner scored Palmerton's first TD on a 15 yd run. Slatington scored its touchdown on a blocked kick that was returned for a score. (The Morning Call, 22 November 1949) The Morning Call on the day before the big game predicted a 7-0 Palmerton victory. Another headline read, "Interest High as Palmerton Prepares to Meet Slatington … Once again pregame chatter and pep rallies have wildly spirited the interests of the Palmerton High school football team, its coaches and followers preceding the traditional turkey day clash with neighboring Slatington High School."
The headline told the story in The Morning Call on Friday, 25 November 1949, "Slatington Upsets Dope by Defeating Palmerton, 20 to 8." The Palmerton Press, 1 December 1949, captured the atmosphere of the spectators at the game with Slatington "before 4500 stunned Lehigh Valley league fans." That was the first time that "the Slatington boys [were] able to upset the Bombers on their home soil."
The statistics showed a rather lopsided game in Slatington’s favor.
| Palmerton | Slatington | |
| first downs | 4 | 9 |
| yards rushing | 107 | 228 |
| passing | 3/7 | 0/3 |
| yards passing | 54 | 0 |
| interceptions | 2 | 2 |
| fumbles | 3 | 2 |
| fumbles recovered | 1 | 4 |
| yards lost | 45 | 26 |
| yards penalties | 0 | 25 |
There was a lot of action in the game, beginning with the opening kickoff, when Palmerton tackled Slatington's Reds Follweiler in the end zone to give Palmerton a quick 2-0 lead.
Later in the quarter, Follweiler fielded a put on his 45 and raced to the PHS 18 to put Slatington in prime scoring position, but Palmerton's Wasilowski intercepted a pass to end the quarter 0-0.
"Follweiler, who played brilliant ball throughout the morning contest, started the local offensive move in the next period by racing 35 yards to Palmerton's 25. Papay, captain and fullback of the Slaters, slashed off tackle for 10 more to the home club's 10. A back in motion penalty set the ball back on the Palmerton 15. Tom Babyak sliced off tackle to cross the goal line for the Slaters, but fumbled as he reached the end zone. Captain Papay hopped on the ball to give the Mike Burcin coached team its first touchdown. Dick House missed his placement for the extra point try."
"On the following kickoff Earl Mooney, Bomber halfback, fumbled and Neff of the Slaters recovered on the Palmerton 30. Papay went through center for 20 yards to score after Follweiler picked up the first 10. House converted to give the Slaters a 13-2 edge."
"Tom Babyak provided the visitors with their longest run, a 50-yard dash for the final Slaters' touchdown after Coffin, substitute center for Slatington, intercepted Doug Shiner's pass on the midfield stripe."
Just before the half ended, Tom Lewis, co-captain of the Bombers returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown.
The half ended 20-8.
There was no further scoring in the game. (The Morning Call, 25 November 1949, The Slatington News, 1 December 1949)
| Position | Palmerton | Slatington |
| Ends | Waring Hartford Kelchner Radvon |
Sheffler Snyder Garrity |
| Tackles | Bobita Rehrig Shupp |
Neff Weaver Ross Weiner |
| Guards | Semmel Stemler Picos |
Beers Kemmerer Reitz |
| Center | Nemecke Werkheiser Naritil |
House Coffin |
| Backs | Mooney Shiner Lutz Blose Wasilowski Lewis |
Cunfer Babyak Roth Rehrig Kemmerer Freda Follweiler Papay |
Palmerton backfield, left to right: Tom Lewis, Earl Mooney, Earl Lutz and Doug Shiner, Photo credit: The Morning Call, 23 November 1949
After this game, the Thanksgiving rivalry stood at Palmerton 12 wins, Slatington 2 wins, and 1 tie. This was only Slatington's 2nd win, but it was the first at Palmerton!
Newspaper sources
- The Morning Call
- The Palmerton Press
- The Slatington News
- Service Star Press (Palmerton)