The Turkey Bowl is an iconic American football tradition where friends, families, and communities come together on Thanksgiving morning for friendly flag football games. Part reunion, part exercise, and all fun, Turkey Bowls encapsulate the spirit of the holiday.
History and Origins
No one knows exactly when or where Turkey Bowls originated, but they’ve been a staple of Thanksgiving for generations. The concept likely began informally sometime in the early-to-mid 20th century as a way to get some fresh air before the big meal. Backyard games between family members, friends, and neighbors grew into an annual tradition.
Some believe Turkey Bowls got their name because the winning team earns the right to eat the turkey thigh, a prize cut of meat. Others think the name comes from “bowling over” opponents in pursuit of Thanksgiving glory.
Turkey Bowls now take place in backyards streets parks, and schools across America each November. They range from casual family games with modified children’s rules to competitive tournaments between intense rival teams.
Traditional Rules and Gameplay
While each Turkey Bowl is unique, most follow similar rules and formats:
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Teams Friends, relatives, neighbors form two teams, often captained by patriarchs. Teams can be shirt-skins or use flags/ribbons.
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Field Games take place on any available green space whether it’s a yard field, or street cleared of cars. End zones are improvised.
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Game Time: Kickoff is usually between 8-10 AM Thanksgiving morning before the meal.
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Scoring: Touchdowns get 6 points. Safeties get 2. No field goals. Games go to a certain score or time limit.
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Format: Two hand touch, flag pulling, or full tackle depending on players’ ages and preferences.
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Weather: Snow, rain, or shine – the game goes on! Inclement weather makes it more memorable.
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Prize: Winners earn a year of bragging rights and the turkey leg trophy.
The fun but competitive nature ensures that rivalries and trash talk emerge even in friendly games. Every team wants to win the Turkey Bowl!
Notable Turkey Bowls
Across America, some Turkey Bowl games have grown into huge community traditions:
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Alexandria Turkey Bowl (VA) – This 50+ year old game draws around 100 players and 500 spectators.
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Turkey Bowl Tournament (New Orleans, LA) – 64 teams compete in a 3-day tournament organized by the city.
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Gobbler Bowl (Houston, TX) – Reliant Stadium has hosted this charity game for 50 years.
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Turkey Bowl Classic (Portsmouth, NH) – Considered one of the nation’s oldest Turkey Bowls dating back to the 1940s.
Even NFL stars like Matt Stafford and Brian Urlacher have been known to organize hometown Turkey Bowls on Thanksgiving.
Why Turkey Bowls Matter
More than just a football game, Turkey Bowls represent cherished American traditions:
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Family – They reunite family members across generations.
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Community – Friends and neighborhoods come together.
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Competition – They satisfy our need for friendly rivalry.
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Camaraderie – Teamwork builds bonds.
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Tradition – Repeating them links the past to the future.
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Exercise – They provide pre-feast activity.
For millions of Americans, Turkey Bowl games are the perfect way to celebrate gratitude, community, and the start of the holiday season. Get out on the field this Thanksgiving – just bring your A-game and a hearty appetite!
Turkey Bowl 100 in the NewsYour web browser does not support the tag.
Fordham Prep leads the overall series 55-41-4. *Note that the two schools did not play each other in November 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fordham Prep was victorious in the first ever Virtual Turkey Bowl.
During the 1800s, Fordham Preparatory School was officially known as the Second Division of St. John’s College, Fordham’s original name. It wasn’t until the early 1900s that the school was officially called Fordham Prep. At first, it was just a nickname. Neither the College nor Prep teams were yet known as the Rams. In fact, the first instance of the word ram in Prep history does not occur until 1906. During the 19th century, the various Second Division teams had a series of colorful names. At first, our varsity squads were known as The Live Oaks. By 1862, Prep varsity would be styled The Invincibles. Maroon, however, was already proudly our school color at the time, and had been since 1874. Go Fordham Prep! Go Rams! Go Invincibles! Go Maroon!.
A Fordham Monthly article from 1887 says, “The Xaviers came up on Sunday, November 27th, and played a good game.” This was the first Turkey Bowl that was written down. It grew dark before either team scored a single point. “The piece was written by David Arellano, Class of 1887, one of our Central American boarding students and a truly fascinating figure in school history. He had also been a pitcher for our baseball team, not a football player.” He was still at Rose Hill, but in St. Johns First Division, or Fordham College, when he wrote the article.
There have been football games between Fordham and Xavier in the past, but they were between college teams, not high school teams. (Xavier originally had a college division, as well. And even though Prep football had been around for a few years before 1887, our boys either played against each other or helped the College team practice. So, Fordham Prep also sees November 27, 1887, as the official start of our district’s first formal high school football game. That is, the famous first “Turkey Bowl,” which was called that because it was dark, was also our first real football game.
The 1887 game was not held on Thanksgiving itself, but rather, as part of the long holiday weekend. Other early “Turkey Bowls” were also not played on Thanksgiving, but rather over the holiday weekend or on other long fall holiday weekends. Let’s remember that even though Thanksgiving has been a part of American history for a long time, President Lincoln officially made it a national holiday many decades ago. So, during these days, other fall holidays, like Election Day, still had parades, bonfires, and other activities we usually associate with Thanksgiving. Some early Prep-Xavier gridiron match-ups would be held on these weekends, as well. Since American-style football was still a new sport, it’s important to note that the Prep team didn’t have correct football uniforms yet. Instead, they were wearing the baseball’s team’s uniforms off-season. The Monthly wrote after football season, “There has been some talk lately of getting real football suits for our eleven.” The game is somewhat wearing on the baseball jerseys. ”.
1887: TIE 0-0 (Called on account of darkness)
1905: Fordham Prep 32- 0
1907: Fordham Prep 61- 0
1908: Fordham Prep 61- 0
1927: Fordham Prep 12- 6
1928: Fordham Prep 19- 6
1929: Xavier 19-13
1930: Xavier 25- 6
1931: Fordham Prep 12- 6
1932: TIE 7- 7
1933: Fordham Prep 13- 0
1934: Fordham Prep 26-13
1935: Xavier 20-13
1936: Xavier 6- 0
1937: Fordham Prep 19-12
1938: Fordham Prep 13-12
1939: Fordham Prep 13- 0
1940: Fordham Prep 7- 0
1941: Xavier 9- 6
1942: Fordham Prep 8- 6
1943: Fordham Prep 19-18
1944: Fordham Prep 12- 0
1945: Xavier 7- 6
1946: Fordham Prep 13- 6
1947: Xavier 13- 8
1948: Xavier 9- 7
1949: Fordham Prep 31-20
1950: Xavier 60- 6
1951: Xavier 32-12
1952: Xavier 6- 0
1953: Xavier 20- 6
1954: Fordham Prep 18-12
1955: Xavier 20- 6
1956: Fordham Prep 14-13
1957: Fordham Prep 14- 6
1958: Fordham Prep 7- 6
1959: Xavier 14- 8
1960: TIE 14-14
1961: Fordham Prep 19-18
1962: Fordham Prep 24- 0
1963: Xavier 14- 0
1964: Xavier 39-20
1965: Xavier 19- 0
1966: Xavier 13- 0
1967: Fordham Prep 19- 0
1968: Xavier 32- 0
1969: Fordham Prep 12- 8
1970: Xavier 22-21
1971: Fordham Prep 21-12
1972: Fordham Prep 29- 0
1973: Fordham Prep 21- 0
1974: Xavier 54- 6
1975: TIE 0- 0
1976: Xavier 40-30
1977: Fordham Prep 12- 6
1978: Fordham Prep 29-20
1979: Fordham Prep 28-12
1980: Xavier 34-12
1981: Xavier 30-22
1982: Fordham Prep 8- 3
1983: Xavier 18- 7
1984: Xavier 12- 7
1985: Xavier 30- 0
1986: Xavier 26-14
1987: Fordham Prep 36-16
1988: Xavier 18-17
1989: Xavier 14-12
1990: Fordham Prep 30-15
1991: Xavier 24-13
1992: Fordham Prep 24-14
1993: Fordham Prep 40-12
1994: Fordham Prep 32-14
1995: Fordham Prep 15-14
1996: Xavier 14-13
1997: Fordham Prep 28- 7
1998: Fordham Prep 12- 6
1999: Xavier 37-16
2000: Fordham Prep 26- 6
2001: Fordham Prep 28- 7
2002: Fordham Prep 34-14
2003: Fordham Prep 28- 0
2004: Fordham Prep 32- 7
2005: Fordham Prep 44-13
2006: Xavier 28-14
2007: Xavier 20-14
2008: Fordham Prep 41-28
2009: Xavier 35-27
2010: Fordham Prep 17- 7
2011: Fordham Prep 15-7
2012: Xavier 38-21
2013: Xavier 33-0
2014: Xavier 35-34
2015: Xavier 15-13
2016: Fordham Prep 21-18
2017: Fordham Prep 28-0
2018: Fordham Prep 21-13
2019: Xavier 40-14
*2020: Fordham Prep 21-14 (First ever “virtual” Turkey Bowl)
2021: Fordham Prep 27-13
2022: Fordham Prep 41-25
2023: Fordham Prep 21-14
First played in 1887 between the then Second Division of St. When Fordham Preps was first called Johns College, they played Xavier High School in the Turkey Bowl. It is one of the oldest high school football rivalries in the United States.
Sports Illustrated and USA Today have highlighted the game as one of the premier Thanksgiving Day games in high school football in the country. The Turkey Bowl is the oldest inter-scholastic athletic rivalry in all of New York City. The New York Post called it one of the “cant miss” events in New York City high school sports.
Turkey Bowl 100: The History of the Game
FAQ
How long does a turkey bowl last?
How do you play turkey bowling?
Why is it called a bowl game?
What is a Thanksgiving football game called?
Unorganized groups have also been known to partake in American football on Thanksgiving. These informal matches are usually known as a Turkey Bowl (not to be confused with some high school football games that also use the name “Turkey Bowl”, see above, and with Turkey Bowling).
How do you set up a Turkey Bowl flag football game?
To set up a Turkey Bowl flag football game, start by establishing a field dimension that makes sense for your game size. A field that is 70 yards long and 30 yards wide with 10 yard end zones is adequate for most games of 7 on 7. However, less space is needed for fewer players. Fourth, establish some rules: let’s face it, you probably won’t hire a ref to officiate your Turkey Bowl flag football game.
What is the benefit of winning a turkey bowl game?
The benefit for the winning team in a friendly Turkey Bowl game is earning bragging rights and the free reign to some friendly banter until next Thanksgiving. Did your uncle catch the game winning TD?
How many turkey bowl games has Loyola won?
There have been 101 Turkey Bowl games between Loyola and Calvert Hall. With that win, Loyola now have 50 wins and 43 losses. There have also been eight ties between the two teams. Because of how close these two schools were, with only a mile separating them, the rivalry and the banter were always present.
What are the rules for a Turkey Bowl?
Read up on the most important Turkey Bowl rules and guidelines, below. 1. Field Selection and Dimensions Locate a field approximately 50 yards long and 25 yards wide. Allot 5 to 7 yards for each end zone. Choose a flat patch of grass with a soft surface for when your clumsy cousin Carl takes out your legs and sends you tumbling to the ground.
How old are Thanksgiving Day football games?
Thanksgiving Day football games in the United States are nearly as old as the game—and the organized holiday—themselves.