South Boston forfeits Thanksgiving football game against East Boston due to lack of players
BOSTON - A century-old Thanksgiving tradition in Boston is canceled this year. The East Boston vs. South Boston High School football game isn't happening because Southie doesn't have enough players.
"It kind of stinks, I feel bad for the kids," said parent Steven Chiappa.
And one of those kids is his son Steven, a fullback and outside linebacker for East Boston High, who learned just Wednesday that Southie has forfeited the 106th edition of their annual Thanksgiving Day game.
"It's a big deal in Eastie, everyone takes this game seriously," said son Steven. "It's like our championship."
The two teams played a few years back at Fenway Park before Southie began struggling with numbers. The team started pooling players with Burke High in a co-op deal but wound up only playing one game this fall. Southie insisted, however, it would be able to field a team for the Turkey Day tilt until Wednesday.
"You're talking hours before Thanksgiving and you find out you're not playing," Chiappa said. "It should have been like Monday or Tuesday or even last Friday, 'hey we don't have enough guys.'"
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The Eastie headmaster informed his troops that an intra-squad scrimmage would replace the holiday classic, but noted, "I am deeply saddened for our school, players, cheerleaders, coaches, and especially our seniors."
"We just had a pep rally today," Steven said. "At least give us a week or two in advance to let us know that you're going to cancel it. Like the day of, it just stinks."
Indeed, scrimmaging each other is not the same as competing in a longstanding football tradition, but junior Steven Chiappa feels worse for his senior buddies, some of whom broke down in tears.
"The seniors I mean they played their hearts out all year and they've been looking forward to their last game but now they can't play," Steven said.
While acknowledging the disappointment, the Eastie headmaster is urging everyone to turn out for Thursday's scrimmage like it's the real deal, as a tribute to those seniors.
