Location: 10 AM, Delaware Avenue Field, Palmerton
Final Score: Slatington 0 - Palmerton 0
Weather: It was a "White Thanksgiving." After about a 4” snowfall on Tuesday, partly cloudy and moderately cold; Allentown reached 35 degrees.”
Coaches: William Reese (1910-1971) for Slatington and Willard Wilhelm (1906-1981) for Palmerton
1941 Slatington High School yearbook photo of the 1940 football team
Slatington High school opened practice for the football season with candidates reporting for physical exams and equipment on Thursday, 22 August. The first practice was scheduled for 10 am on Monday the 26th at Smith Hall. (The Slatington News, 22 August 1940) This was about a week before school opened, and this was the earliest that football practice had ever started. I am not sure that the early start really helped the team much. Going into the Thanksgiving clash with Palmerton, Slatington was 1-6.
Slatington’s schedule
Lehighton 7 - Slatington 0 (5 October)
Slatington 0 - Emmaus 19 (12 October)
Northampton 25 - Slatington 0 (19 October)
Slatington 0 - Catasauqua 22 (26 October)
Slatington 0 - Whitehall 32 (2 November)
Stroudsburg 25 - Slatington 0 (9 November)
Coplay 6 - Slatington 13 (16 November)
Palmerton High School had a much better football season in 1940. Since the team had to play all games away in 1939 because of work on the Delaware Avenue athletic field, all the 1940 games were played at home. The team achieved a 3-5 record heading into the game with Slatington.
1941 Palmerton High School yearbook photo of the 1940 football team
While it had not been a great season for either football team leading up to the Thanksgiving game, one new tradition had been started at Slatington football games. In late September, the school board gave permission to the senior class to sell refreshments at football games. (The Morning Call, 1 October 1940) This became a long-standing tradition for raising money for the senior class trip and other activities.
In the days leading up to the game, excitement built.
The Slatington High School band, under the direction of Edgar Acker prepared to accompany the team to Palmerton. “Before the game the band will salute the spectators with the formation “Hello.” Then, at intermission an interesting formation, a Horse Head, trademark of the Palmerton Zinc Co., will be presented by the band. (The Slatington News, 28 November 1940) I would be curious to know how much of the band’s presentation took place on the snow covered (and muddy) field.
“Coach Reese makes only one prediction; Palmerton will know that the Slatington squad is going to fight all the way to win this important tilt.” (The Morning Call, 27 November 1940)
Slatington held its annual pep rally on Wednesday when over “five hundred students” gathered in Smith Hall at the close of Wednesday’s classes for a pep rally led by the high school band and cheerleaders. Coach Reese was encouraged by the snowy weather, given the weather conditions. His team has a chance “Our heavy line will prove an advantage on a muddy field.”
The morning newspaper on Thanksgiving noted the snowy conditions in Palmerton, the two teams “will clash this morning on snow-covered Palmer field.”
“The bleachers have been cleared of snow and everything possible has been done for the comfort of the fans.”
| Position | Palmerton | Slatington |
| Left end | C. Hagenbuch | Wotring |
| Left tackle | Yanza | Schertzinger |
| Left guard | Donchez | Roberts |
| Center | Bauer | Hankee |
| Right guard | R. Hagenbuch | Stahley |
| Right tackle | Lipics | C. Yenser |
| Right end | Anewalt | Schleicher |
| Quarterback | Carazo | Williams |
| Left halfback | Derkocz | Carl Hankee |
| Right halfback | Snyder | D. Meagher |
| Fullback | Harduby | W. Yenser |
The Morning Call headline proclaimed the great news, “Underdog Slatington Team Holds Palmerton to Scoreless Deadlock.” The article opened, “More than 3,000 shivering fans crowded Palmer Field yesterday morning to see a fighting Slatington High battle the favored Palmerton Blue Bombers to a 0-0 tie.” (The Morning Call, 29 November 1940) It was the first time that the Thanksgiving game had ended in a tie, and the first time that Palmerton had not beaten Slatington in the game. It was a game of missed opportunities by both teams.
In the second quarter Palmerton’s Bauer intercepted a Yenser pass intended for Wotring. “The Palmerton boys plunged and passed down the field to the SHS two-yard line where the locals dug in. A five-yard penalty for offsides set the Bombers back to the seven and three successive attempts to pass over the goal line gave the locals the ball” back. (The Slatington News, 5 December 1940)
After Palmerton turned over the ball on downs, Slatington failed to move the ball. Then “a high wind caught Yenser’s boot from the fifteen and gave Palmerton the ball on Slatington’s 29.” Working on the short field, once more Palmerton made it to the one-yard-line where a penalty and passes failed to covert. (The Slatington News, 5 December 1940)
Throughout the second half, “Slatington’s grid warriors pushed deep into Palmerton territory…, twice coming within ten yards of the goal line only to be stopped cold. The Slate boro lads came within inches of a touchdown in the fourth quarter when Carl Hankee, ace ball toter for the Slatington club, sliced off left tackle to the Palmerton one-yard stripe [where] he fumbled the ball and Derkocz, husky bomber back, recovered the pigskin behind the goal line.” (The Morning Call, 29 November 1940; The Slatington News, 5 December 1940)
There were no further scoring opportunities in the game.
Given the weather and the field conditions, it was not surprising that the game statistics were not great.
- Palmerton 8 first downs to Slatington’s 5
- 171 Palmerton net yards to 56 net Slatington yards
- Palmerton passing 2-9-1; Slatington passing 3-8-1
“Following the annual football game with Palmerton on Thursday, the Palmerton squad gave the ball to the Slatington High team. The locals played the greatest game of the season against their ancient rivals, and it is the first time that they held the Zinc towners since football was started here.” (The Morning Call, 30 November 1940)
Also, that evening after the game, the annual Thanksgiving dance, sponsored by the Palmerton senior class, took place in the Palmerton high school gym. Music was provided by Ray Marcel and his 10 Men orchestra.
After this game, the Thanksgiving rivalry stood at Palmerton 5 wins, Slatington 0 wins and 1 tie.
Newspaper sources
- The Morning Call
- The Palmerton Press
- The Slatington News