Page 6 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, November 22, 2024 ~ Malden Musings ~ Dave O’Brien Thanksgiving Day 1977 Revisited By Peter Levine I t’s never too early to start getting hyped for Malden vs. Medford on Thanksgiving Day! This isn’t just any high school rivalry, it’s one of the oldest in the country, going strong since 1889. That’s the same year Malden’s own Erle Stanley Gardner, famed author of the Perry Mason series, was born. Gardner’s roots run deep here: He even took inspiration from Malden for his character Della Street, named after Malden’s own Dell Street by Roosevelt Park. A piece of Malden is immortalized every time Perry Mason airs on MeTV, but this football game brings it all to life. If you’re from Malden – or Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 Cedar impression half rounds even if you’ve just arrived – you’ve probably experienced the electric Thanksgiving tradition: cheering on friends, neighbors and family from the stands. And while today’s crowds may not hit the epic 18,500 who turned out in 1929, the passion is as fi erce as ever. This game is about so much more than a score; it’s a yearly chapter in a living legacy. No one captured that spirit better than Matthew Washington Bullock, Malden High School’s fi rst African American head coach and a Harvard Law School graduate. Bullock, who left the South in 1889 with his family – formerly enslaved parents and seven siblings with only $10 between them – understood the gravity of this tradition. He once said, “The season does not begin until Thanksgiving Day, and should we lose that game, my work for the season will be a rank failure.” His words capture what this game has always meant to Malden: heart, grit and an unwavering sense of pride. Thanksgiving Day isn’t just a game; it’s a celebration of Malden’s resilience, history and community. So, whether you’re a longtime fan or gearing up for your fi rst match, get ready to be part of something historic. Here is Malden High School Class of 1977 Dave O’Brien relating his football/Thanksgiving Day experience as only Obie can: “We tend to focus on, and recall more often, the endings of our experiences. Journeys fi nd their meaning in the outcome. It’s called The Grand Finale for a reason. “Perhaps unsurprisingly, it turns out that seniors who lose more than half of their games but win the Thanksgiving Game often report higher levels of satisfaction with their fi nal season in particular and better memories of their entire boyhood football experience in general than seniors who win more than half of their games but lose the Thanksgiving Game. “Endings are more eventful. But beginnings are where we start. THE FUTURE IS NOW: Pictured from left to right are MHS Football Captains Earl Fevrier, Kevin Exilhomme, Matt Brito, James Hyppolite and Aidan Brett. (Dorothy Levine photo) “Before I even hear of Pop Warner, I play one-on-one tackle with Anthony Pasquale on the lawn of the haunted house on Auburn Street. He is younger, but bigger. He moves to Medford. “1970. I am eleven. And I’m a troubled kid. My brother Danny has died that summer after getting hit by a car. I don’t cry at the memorial service. Not even when they play Bridge Over Troubled Water. But stay tuned. “Coach Marsinelli makes me a captain of Malden’s fi rst C-Squad. We lose every game and have fun doing it. I am thrown out of four games for fi ghting. But Mars gets me. And he doesn’t give up on me. And he goes to bat for me when a referee tries to ban me from playing. “At the banquet he gives me a trophy and tells everyone I play the game the way it is meant to be played. “1971. I move up to A-Squad and start at left guard. I don’t wash my practice uniform. I mean, ever. I have to leave it on the back porch. It turns from white to brown and smells like a MUSINGS| SEE PAGE 16 Monogram D4 Double siding Harvey Vinyl 66 Replacement Windows Custom Aluminum Trim work Windows & Doors Top quality Vinyl Siding! •Vinyl Siding •Carpentry Work •Decks •Roofing •Free Estimates •Replacement Windows •Fully Licensed •Fully Insured
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