Submitted Photo
Pictured are participants of the 40th edition of the annual Turkey Bowl game played at Hillis Field in Gowanda on Nov. 22, 2012.
But when he was a senior in high school in 1973, Benton was part of a group to start a tradition that still stands in Gowanda half a century later.
An annual pick-up, two-hand-touch football game called the Turkey Bowl was founded on the morning of Thanksgiving in 1973 by Benton and a group of friends. Now, the 50th edition of the game is set to be played this year.
“I’d be hard pressed to find something like this anywhere that’s gone on this long,” Benton said.
The game is played with a 40-yard field with 5-yard end zones. It began on a beautiful Thanksgiving morning in 1973 and has never strayed from its 10 a.m. start time throughout the years.
OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen
Mark Benton has served as the Dunkirk Marauders varsity football coach for the last two seasons.
As one would expect with a game outside in late November in Western New York, the conditions have varied quite a bit over the last half-century.
“The weather has been so unpredictable. One year it’s sunny, one year it’s snowy and the field is a mess,” Benton said.
But not only did the weather fluctuate, so did the participants. As players from the original group moved away, new players filled the open spots. The turnover has continued throughout the years, but Benton has stayed as the one constant. He is set to play in his 50th straight game this year.
“It’s pretty amazing when you think of it, 50 years of getting out of bed and going to play football,” Benton said. “I just do it because I love the game of football.”
In addition to Benton, some years were better than others in terms of turnout. Some years, players would come in from out of state, from Maryland to Ohio. Other years, it was down to just a 4-on-4 game. “We never knew year to year how many we’d have,” Benton said.
This year, Benton is expecting at least 12 players. One of the players he expects this year is Dana Jolls, who played in each of the first 47 games alongside Benton, before missing the last two years. Mike Sladich has played in roughly 40 of the games.
“It’s much more low-key now … but it’s still competitive. We get after it pretty well,” Benton said.
In all, over 100 different players have played in the Turkey Bowl, including Benton’s sons, Aaron and Carter. Benton wrote about the Turkey Bowl in his latest book, Up Close With The Pros. He alluded to the upcoming 50th game being his last, ending his book with, “and then, most likely, retirement.”
A trophy adorned with photos from throughout the years of the Turkey Bowl is handed out to the winning team each year. But it’s more than just a trophy that motivates the players of the annual game.
“It’s just for the love of the game,” Benton said.
