Published December 3, 2020
The following is a game recap of the 1960 North Reading vs. Lynnfield Thanksgiving Day game published in the Dec. 1, 1960 edition of the North Reading Transcript. The two teams entered the second annual Turkey Day Classic with undefeated records.
By WALTER BAKOIAN
LYNNFIELD — North Reading’s first venture toward an unbeaten season was hampered by a well-drilled Pioneer team from Lynnfield before a crowd estimated close to 7,000 on Thanksgiving Day in the nearby community.
Using long gainers through the air to offset the highly regarded North Reading defensive line, Lynnfield, with our pre-game predicted combination of Meeker and DeBella, combined to set up and score the first Pioneer TD in three quick plays after the opening kickoff.
A Murdock to Ross pass frosted with a neat lateral to Meeker was good for 60 yards to the North Reading 15-yard line with DeBella scoring after two tries from 5 yards out and a 6-0 lead with the game hardly a minute old.
Lady luck made her debut in the opening quarter and set the pattern of the game when she refused two North Reading attempts to even the count.
The Hornets had moved the ball daringly on fourth and 11 on the Pioneer 44-yard line. The brother combine, Manny to Nick, clicked on a beautiful 16-yard pass play for a first down on the Pioneer 28, but a fumble on the next play gave the ball to Lynnfield on their own 24-yard line.
Two plays later Nick Martinho recovered a Murdock fumble on the Lynnfield 36. There again, North Reading lost the ball to the Pioneers on the 20 when a Manny to Bill McLean pass was just short of a first down.
Four plays later into the second period, Richie Correlle, playing all out, recovered a Berardino fumble on the Lynnfield 29-yard line, but two tries at the line and two incompleted passes gave the ball to Lynnfield on their own 24-yard line.
At the five minute mark of the second quarter, Lynnfield moved 86 yards in seven plays for their second score via a Murdock to Meeker 26-yard pass play and a DeBella PA rush for a 14-0 halftime lead.
The Hornets, without their usual second-half spirited surge, could do nothing until the halfway mark of the third quarter when they moved the ball 65 yards to the Lynnfield 8-yard line and lost the ball on downs. How many chances can a team get and still not score?
In this last set of downs, Billy McLean had scampered 40-yards to the Lynnfield 22-yard line with a host of blockers, all looking in the wrong direction, when Meeker sneaked in the back door to bring Billy down on what looked like a sure 60-yard TD run.
Again Lynnfield moved the ball, this time from their own 4, after a back-in-motion penalty, 96 yards in six plays for their icing third TD and a comfortable 22-0 lead. This set of downs featured the profitable short passes in the flat to DeBella and the longies to Meeker with the last one, a 19-yarder for the score.
The Hornets finally scored at the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter when they moved 85 yards in eleven time-consuming plays with the deserving Billy McLean scoring from five yards out.
The game ended with no further scoring threats.
Statistically, North Reading held their own but were outclassed in the scoring phases where it counted. They gained 9 firsts to 11. They rushed for 237 (105 for Cotter and 1,293 for the season in 161 tries) to 147 but only 57 yards airwise to 224. Completed 5 of 19 to Lynnfield’s 10 for 13 tries. Each fumbled and lost 2. North Reading only punted 1 for 37-yard average to 3 punts by Lynnfield for a 20-yard average.
North Reading’s opportunities were many: fumbled inside the 25; lost ball twice on downs inside 25 and 8; Cotter, overanxious, dropped a pass on the 4-yard line alone; Martinho dropped a pass inside the 10. Anyone of these could have made for a different game. Answers to the Friday Morning QB’s —
No, the team wasn’t out until all hours. They had been driven home after practice and all awoke and went to church before dressing for the game.
North Reading did not display their best football but had no excuses. Bill Driscoll’s changes in tactics were not the cause of losing.
In answer to the North Reading hecklers yelling at Driscoll for no blocking — we can only say we knew you when you played football once and got a bloody nose on the first play and quit. What did you take up after that, knitting? Be careful, you might stab yourself.
However, it was good to see the turnout in support of the team.
This reporter’s only thrill was asking the police officer to leave the privacy of the North Reading locker room at halftime after having been given a ticket not loo long ago by the same officer. He left reluctantly with threats but no action. I guess I’ll have to bypass Lynnfield from now on.
After a quiet, tears-and-sniffles ride home, the team elected two worthy leaders for next year — Jack Williamson and Porky Carucci.
It’s been fun writing these games and more fun associating with kids who have heart and never squawk.
Bill Driscoll and Dave Castine are to be commended for their efforts in putting North Reading on the map sportswise and bringing to the Hornets their first all-scholastic entry in the capable Billy Cotter, who will be publicized in the Boston Traveler’s all-scholastic team this Friday. Order your edition early–ahem! I work there.
See you Sundays at the gym starting this week.
