On Thanksgiving morning, a group of long-time friends (along with a few new ones picked up over the years) will gather at Monessen City Park to continue a long-standing tradition.
They will play the Turkey Bowl.
The Turkey Bowl, a pick-up football game, has been played every Thanksgiving, regardless of weather conditions.
But this Turkey Bowl will be a little more special. It will have a little more (forgive the pun) flavor to it.
It will be the 50th anniversary of the tradition.
And while everyone who participates in this game of touch football will come away with a huge smile, one participant will probably enjoy it a little more than the others.
It's because he is the only person who will have played in all 50 games.
Gary Caruso, a retired Westmoreland County judge, says he looks forward to this game almost like Christmas.
“It's something you anticipate a lot,” Caruso said. “You get up a little earlier than most days. It's a day of community and reunion. It's just a bunch of friends who are genuinely excited to see each other.
“Then you are sore and stiff as heck the rest of the day.”
Caruso remembers the early days of the Turkey Bowl, which started out as tackle football.
“It was full contact with no pads,” said Dan Bergstedt, who came into the tradition early and retired as a player in 1999 before being “elevated” to chairing the MVP committee. “And we played 11-on-11 back then. It was a pretty intense game.”
The first Turkey Bowls were played on the turf of Monessen's Memorial Stadium. That only lasted a couple of years.
“We used to climb over the fence to play on the field,” Bergstedt said. “But then (the school district) frowned upon that so we had to find another venue.”
“The early games at the stadium were a lot of fun,” said Caruso. “We were all friends, a good bunch of guys. After the stadium we moved for a few years to the lower field at City Park and then eventually to the top field, where it has remained ever since.”
Caruso said the game of tackle stopped after a couple of years and a lot of bumps and bruises.
“We went to two-hand tab, then tab and now it's kind of like, ‘I think I got you,'” Caruso said with a chuckle.
Guiding force
Both Caruso and Bergstedt credit the early organization of the Turkey Bowl to the late John Swann, a one-time businessman and later city administrator for Monessen.
“John was the glue to the Turkey Bowl,” said Bergstedt. “If it wasn't for him, I'm not sure it would have grown into what it is now. He used to call everybody up in advance and make sure everybody knew the time and would be there.”
“John was the nuts and bolts, for sure,” said Caruso. “He really enjoyed playing. He used to show up every year in full uniform with no pads. He had this Oakland Raiders uniform he used to wear.
“He was pretty serious about the game.”
“John and that Raiders uniform,” Bergstedt said, laughing. “He wore number 88. It was his thing.”
Bergstedt used to award an MVP for every game. He started out by grabbing old trophies he had stashed away in his attic or basement.
“Sometimes the MVP got a bowling trophy,” he said. “Whatever I could grab.”
In 1996, when Swann passed away, Bergstedt purchased a real trophy to award to the MVP. The trophy is called the John Swann Memorial Trophy, and the MVP is voted on by a committee that Bergstedt overseas.
The trophy is presented to the winner, who gets to keep it for a year. The winner's only responsibility is to make sure his name is inscribed on the plaque along with the year before he turns it in.
“My name is on there twice,” said Caruso proudly. “And my son, P.J., is on there once and so is my son-in-law.
“It's kind of neat to have your son and son-in-law on the same trophy as you. It's something to be proud of.”
For family and friends
The game has become a true melting pot of friends and family as over the years, fathers and sons have played together.
The event is more than just a game. Over the past 15 years, the group started deep frying a turkey to serve after the game. There have been a number of favorite beverages served as well.
John Swann Jr., who is expected to take over the torch from Bergstedt after the 50th anniversary, marks off the field's boundaries with cones.
There usually are anywhere from seven to as many as 10 or 11 players on a team, depending on who shows up. Some of the people playing now are finally old enough after first coming up as tykes and running around while their fathers played the game.
Another longtime player in the series is Gene Belczyk. He and his wife started the tradition of having a cooked turkey at the field in 2001.
That year, they were named co-MVPs of the Turkey Bowl.
The Big 5-0
This year's game will be celebrated as such. The group raised money and purchased a huge tent where a portable bar will be set up.
Two turkeys, along with 10 pounds of french fries, will be deep fried this year. Shirts commemorating the 50th anniversary of the game will be handed out.
“From what I understand, Johnny Swann and his crew really went to work for this one,” said Bergstedt. “And it's fitting that he take it over after this year. The game will be in good hands for years to come.”
Caruso, 67, says he expects to play the whole game, as has been his penchant in past years. But he will do so with a bittersweet feeling.
“I think I'm going to retire from playing after this one,” he said. “Fifty seems like a good number to call it a day, I think.
“Of course, like a lot of other guys do, I will always be here every year. I'm always going to come. This is a great event.”
For those who have been a part of this tradition for so many years, it's not about the game. It's not about the turkey. It's not even about the MVP trophy any more.
It's about fellowship. And keeping alive and passing along a long-standing tradition.
Jeff Oliver is a sports editor for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-684-2666 or joliver@tribweb.com.
