The Turkey Day Game – 50 Years Ago (1971)

Fifty years ago, the Turkey Day Game changed venues to Francis Field, the football field on the campus of Washington University. Francis Field is, historically, the third most played upon field in the Kirkwood-Webster Groves football tradition. It was last played upon in 1920 in a County League contest. The reason for the move was to see if the increased size of the stadium might allow more spectators at the game and, by extension, increase the revenues for the schools, who had begun limiting ticket sales at Lyons Field and Moss Field to 10,000 spectators, which also had to include those in the band and cheerleaders. In 1971, there were only 8,500 spectators so travelling to Clayton did seem to have an impact on attendance.

Coaching the team for Kirkwood was Bill Lenich who had taken the job in 1949, after the retirement of Ernie Lyons. Coach Lenich was coming to the end of his career and on the other side of the field was Jack Jones, who had been coaching the Webster Statesmen since 1965, after the retirement of Ray Moss. Both coaches were anything but new to the tradition of the Turkey Day Game.

There was no scoring in the first quarter but, in the second, Kirkwood quarterback John Lenich scored on a sneak and Mike Wood caught a pass from Lenich to get the two-point conversion. The quarterback for Webster all season had been Mike Southworth but Coach Jones moved him to running back a couple of weeks before the Turkey Day Game and brought Bob Miller, the junior varsity quarterback, to the varsity role. Initially, Southworth was not keen on the move but, after
the second practice, he loved the role change. In the second quarter, Miller passed nine yards to Southworth in the end zone for a touchdown but Webster's own attempt on a two-point conversion failed on a run. The score at the half was 8-6, Kirkwood leading.

There was no scoring in the third quarter but in the fourth, Kirkwood met its demise on three fumbles in four minutes. The first fumble was recovered by Webster and eventually led to a 27-yard field goal by Dave Kruse. The field goal was at first missed but was called for delay of game just before the kick. On the second attempt, he got the ball through the uprights. This
brought the score to 9-8, with Webster now in the lead. After kick-off, Kirkwood had the ball near the end zone and on a fumble in the end zone, Webster's Ricky Belle fell on the ball for a touchdown and Dave Kruse kicked the extra point. The score was now 16-8. After the third kick-off, and a third fumble, Webster recovered on the Kirkwood one-yard line. Mike Southworth ran the ball into the end zone on the first play and again Dave Kruse kicked the point
after, the game ending in 1971, 23-8.

This year celebrates the 112th varsity contest between the 123rd football teams of both schools. In varsity meetings at the Turkey Day Game, Kirkwood leads the series 43-38-5. In the record of all
varsity games ever played, Webster leads that series 54-50-7 – which, at four games, has not been that close since a hundred and one years ago in 1920. This is the seventh, out of the past eight years, in which the varsity teams will have presented themselves to the field on Thanksgiving Day – last year's contest having been cancelled due to COVID-19. You may listen to all of the action as game broadcast regulars and Webster alumni Jim Grillo and Damon A.
Patterson bring you all of the action and the best interviews on WOodland 1 Sports at www.mixlr.com/WOodland1 or watch the video on Facebook at Woodland 1 LIVE.

May the Frisco Bell ring for you this Turkey Day!

By
Shawn Buchanan Greene

Webster Alumnus 1987