For generations, Thanksgiving Day has meant more than turkey, family and football. In Michigan, plenty of families still plan their holiday around the Detroit Lions, gathering around the television for the game, building traditions around kickoff and making football part of the day’s rhythm.
More than six decades ago, Mount Clemens had its own Thanksgiving football tradition.
On Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1960, Mount Clemens High School alumni faced St. Mary’s High School alumni in their annual football game. The program preserved by the Mount Clemens Public Library gives us a wonderful glimpse into a holiday tradition that brought former classmates, school supporters and the community together.
The game was more than a friendly rivalry. According to the program, all profits were designated for scholarship funds for both schools. Ernest Olivaries served as the Mount Clemens scholarship chairman, while H. J. Van Hollenbeck held the same role for St. Mary’s. The program also lists George Moseman as chairman and Homer Van Hollenbeck as co-chairman, along with alumni association officers and the many volunteers who helped make the event happen.
And what a community event it was.
The rosters featured dozens of alumni returning to the field, with Bud Moore serving as head coach for Mount Clemens and H. J. Van Hollenbeck leading St. Mary’s. The program captures the names of players, coaches and organizers who were part of the local school community—and for some families, those names may still be familiar today.
The pages also reveal a snapshot of Mount Clemens business life in 1960. Local advertisers included Priehs Department Store, Krause Cleaners, Bowl-O-Drome, Rosso Sporting Goods, Mount Clemens Lumber Co. and Blacktop Asphalt Paving Co. Coca-Cola advertising fills portions of the program, complete with colorful football illustrations and vintage typography. The program even included diagrams explaining the referees’ signals, making it a keepsake as well as a game-day guide.
There was music, too. The Mount Clemens AmVets National Champion Drum and Bugle Corps provided entertainment, while Anton’s, Lee Printing Co. and House of Diamonds donated the trophy. The organizers also extended special thanks to Mount Clemens and St. Mary’s High Schools for their cooperation and use of equipment, as well as local physicians who provided medical assistance to support safer sports.
Looking at this 1960 program today, it is easy to recognize something familiar: Thanksgiving traditions have a way of bringing generations together. The teams may have changed, the televisions may be bigger, and the game may look different, but the idea of gathering on Thanksgiving to share a little football, a little rivalry and a lot of community spirit remains.
It reminds us that traditions become meaningful stories we inherit, share, and proudly pass along together.
Want to see more? Visit mtclib.org and search the Local History Digital Collection. You’ll find treasures like this program—and countless other pieces of Mount Clemens history waiting to be discovered. What local story will you uncover next?