It's the oldest hight school rivalry in New York City, or so they say. I haven't been to the Xavier-Fordham Prep Thanksgiving game in exactly 20 years. I dragged everyone out of bed early this morning to get down to Rose Hill. Good turnout in the stands, and it's still a hard-fought game. Rain threatened, but the temp was around 60 -- very comfortable. We stayed until halftime to see the X-Squad exhibition -- they were sharp. We were in the stands near where the drill team was grouped, and as they were uncrating their weapons I yelled over to one of them "What is the nomenclature of the 1903A3 Springfield?" Without hesitation (and without a breath, it seemed) he spun off the whole thing. I used to know it; to me it is long forgotten. Just as their drill ended, a storm cloud let out a few heavy drops. It was short-lived, but we were heading out anyway. As the sun re-emerged, we made our way to the parking lot. Now we're home and the turkey is in the oven. Lots of memories, not the least of which was the mini-brawl we experienced last time we were there -- with Xavier winning the game and wanting to ring Fordham's victory bell. They didn't like that, but we rang it anyway, causing a good-natured little fistfight that you'd never be able to get away with in this day and age.
Thursday, November 25, 2004
It's the oldest hight school rivalry in New York City, or so they say. I haven't been to the Xavier-Fordham Prep Thanksgiving game in exactly 20 years. I dragged everyone out of bed early this morning to get down to Rose Hill. Good turnout in the stands, and it's still a hard-fought game. Rain threatened, but the temp was around 60 -- very comfortable. We stayed until halftime to see the X-Squad exhibition -- they were sharp. We were in the stands near where the drill team was grouped, and as they were uncrating their weapons I yelled over to one of them "What is the nomenclature of the 1903A3 Springfield?" Without hesitation (and without a breath, it seemed) he spun off the whole thing. I used to know it; to me it is long forgotten. Just as their drill ended, a storm cloud let out a few heavy drops. It was short-lived, but we were heading out anyway. As the sun re-emerged, we made our way to the parking lot. Now we're home and the turkey is in the oven. Lots of memories, not the least of which was the mini-brawl we experienced last time we were there -- with Xavier winning the game and wanting to ring Fordham's victory bell. They didn't like that, but we rang it anyway, causing a good-natured little fistfight that you'd never be able to get away with in this day and age.