The Sing-Out South Football Game/Cast vs. Crew

Other than New Year's Day with all its bowl games, I can't think of an American holiday more identified with football than Thanksgiving.

I guess that's why as the holiday approached this year, I was reminded of the SOS football game between the male members of the cast and the stage crew. We held it in a vacant lot near Vanderbilt just off Natchez Trace (I think either the Student Recreation Center or one of the tennis facilities are there today). I can't remember when we played, but it was probably in the summer of 1968.

Of course, we played touch football.

And the Crew killed us.

I think they may have practiced and developed some plays, including some deep reverses in the backfield that always had us chasing the wrong guy (the one without the ball) while the other player scored.

Except for one play which remains one of my favorite Sing-Out and overall personal sports memories.

For some reason, we required any team that scored to attempt the extra point. Since no one on either side was a kicker (and we had no goal posts anyway), we had to run a play from scrimmage for the conversion.

On this particular extra point attempt, I broke into the backfield while the Crew tried to execute another reverse. This time, I figured out what was coming, intercepted the lateral and took off running for the other end zone.

For the first (and only) time in my life, I outran everyone (including my cousin, Gene) all the way down the field....only to be told that it didn't count. While the defense can return an extra point for two points now, in those days you couldn't, so my dash went for absolutely nothing!

I was exhausted....and not very happy!

Jimmy Wilson, one of my Father Ryan classmates, was the referee that day, and he did remark on what I did when he wrote in my senior yearbook. "That's the way it goes," he said. Which pretty well sums up my athletic career after being blessed with the four Ss, that being short, small, slow and skinny (at least back then).

I don't have any particular Thanksgiving memories surrounding Sing-Out South. Much like the photo above of Norman Rockwell's famous SATURDAY EVENING POST Magazine cover, Thanksgiving is a time for family, so we didn't perform any shows or hold any practices during the holday weekend.

But the warm memories of the people I met and became friends with in Sing-Out are still very important to me. And that's why I am looking forward to planning our 45th reunion to be held sometime in 2011. if you'd like to help or have a memory to share, let me know.

In the meantime....Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!