A Thanksgiving tradition in the Poconos is still going strong after nearly 60 years.
Two Monroe County teams face off on the high school football field over the Little Brown Jug, but before they do, they have a meal together.
It started in 1951, when members of the Stroudsburg Rotary decided to have a Thanksgiving lunch for the football players and coaches of Stroudsburg Area High School and East Stroudsburg South High School a week before they met on the field Thanksgiving Day.
"It's been a tradition since approximately 1951 that we have both coaches, seniors, players, cheerleaders, band members come to the Rotary Club," said David Yarosh, president of the Stroudsburg Rotary Club.
This year's event was Thursday at the Pocono Inn Towne on Main Street.
"The people are great. The Rotary song was priceless. It was a good time. It's a good tradition," said Tom McManus, East Stroudsburg South football player.
"It's a rival thing that we fight over every year on and off and on Thanksgiving and then during the season," said Stroudsburg Area football player Sean Weidner.
Rotary member Warren Mikles joined the club one year before the tradition started.
"Fifty-nine years," Mickles said. "Before East Stroudsburg played football. They used to play soccer, not football."
This year, however, the turkey dinner might be the only face off the two teams will be having as East Stroudsburg South's football team is positioned for a spot in the playoffs which means no game on Thanksgiving Day.
"It might not happen. It might not happen and in our mind that is a very good thing," said East Stroudsburg head coach Ed Christian.
Game or no game, Stroudsburg Rotary members said the turkey lunch is always on.
If East Stroudsburg South wins against Parkland High School in Friday's district play-off game they will not be able to compete on Thanksgiving Day.
That's only happened a handful of times over the years.
Two Monroe County teams face off on the high school football field over the Little Brown Jug, but before they do, they have a meal together.
It started in 1951, when members of the Stroudsburg Rotary decided to have a Thanksgiving lunch for the football players and coaches of Stroudsburg Area High School and East Stroudsburg South High School a week before they met on the field Thanksgiving Day.
"It's been a tradition since approximately 1951 that we have both coaches, seniors, players, cheerleaders, band members come to the Rotary Club," said David Yarosh, president of the Stroudsburg Rotary Club.
This year's event was Thursday at the Pocono Inn Towne on Main Street.
"The people are great. The Rotary song was priceless. It was a good time. It's a good tradition," said Tom McManus, East Stroudsburg South football player.
"It's a rival thing that we fight over every year on and off and on Thanksgiving and then during the season," said Stroudsburg Area football player Sean Weidner.
Rotary member Warren Mikles joined the club one year before the tradition started.
"Fifty-nine years," Mickles said. "Before East Stroudsburg played football. They used to play soccer, not football."
This year, however, the turkey dinner might be the only face off the two teams will be having as East Stroudsburg South's football team is positioned for a spot in the playoffs which means no game on Thanksgiving Day.
"It might not happen. It might not happen and in our mind that is a very good thing," said East Stroudsburg head coach Ed Christian.
Game or no game, Stroudsburg Rotary members said the turkey lunch is always on.
If East Stroudsburg South wins against Parkland High School in Friday's district play-off game they will not be able to compete on Thanksgiving Day.
That's only happened a handful of times over the years.
