Moulton Clan Grows Thanksgiving Football Tradition
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The tide of green and white moved across the field, struggling for the ball.
"First down!" yelled referee Jeff Meehan, as the crowd huddled along the edges and music blared from the announcer's box.
It was first game of the night, and the first time under the lights on Wednesday at the impromptu stadium on Massachusetts Avenue.
And it wasn't so much about who would win this annual Turkey Bowl between the North Adams Drumsticks and the West End Wings, but how it brings a family together.
It all started at least 25 years ago, when the late Robert Moulton liked to play a game of football with this growing brood before Thanksgiving dinner. After the deacon's sudden death in 2010, his son John made it his mission to keep the tradition going.
"My father told my brother Johnny, he's responsible for keeping it going ... to always continue the family tradition," said Robert R. Moulton Jr., of Moulton's Spectacle Shoppe. "He's kept it up for my father. He's put weeks of work into this."
That included fencing off the back yard behind his mother's house, putting up goal posts and banners, creating an announcer's box, bleachers, a concession stand, first aid area, gate and bonfire, installing lights and setting up for trophy presentations with the help of friends and family.
The team colors of green and white are inspired by McCann Technical School, where Moulton has been a custodian, and there a two games, giving both younger and older a chance to score.
It's big change from those childhood "magical" Thanksgiving morning games, as John Moulton described them, but the atmosphere with the lights and music certainly lent an air of magic to Wednesday night.
The first game participants pose for a photo on Wednesday night.
"This all began when I was about 10 years old, we'd go out in the back yard to play football and it's sort of evolved and evolved," said John Moulton, after handing out trophies to participants in the junior game, with some of the prizes made at McCann.
"Every year he does something bigger and better and dad would be very proud of you," said sister Mary Ann Meaney.
There's no lack of participants in the Moulton clan: Robert and Carolyn Moulton had 10 children, nine of whom are still living in the area, and 36 grandchildren. Add to that numerous cousins, in-laws and sporting friends. There's plenty of people to take to the field and cheer from the sidelines.
John Leclair was the evening's announcer, saying it wasn't much different than working games at McCann.
"What he does for us game days, on Saturdays, the help he gives us ... he's a great guy and we'll help out however we can," he said. Leclair missed last year's game, played in 2 inches of snow Thanksgiving morning, but was there two years ago. "It was great and a told him every year I'll come back ...
"I just have to remember it's the Drumsticks and the Wings, not the Hornets," he laughed. "It's a great time, it's a family event and that's the best part of it."
The senior Moulton's spirit lives on in the game — the gate to "Robert R. Moulton Stadium" is topped by a rainbow, a sign his family saw after his passing.
"When they had the wake for him, there was a huge, huge rainbow that came over the church," said Carolyn "Supermom" Moulton. Three more rainbows appeared over family homes. "There were rainbows four days in a row."
John Moulton figures his mother will be sad when the stadium comes down ("She really loves this.") but plans are set for the next game. This will be a new tradition, under the lights, on Thanksgiving Eve, giving everyone time to relax on Thanksgiving morning.
Still, there was likely be a pickup game in the stadium in the morning.
"What drives me to do this, I remember growing up with my dad and my 10 brothers and sisters, I just remember dad doing things that just seemed magical when we were little," Moulton said. "I know it's fun but I hope when someone like Andrew and Abby and these little guys show up, it's like magic."
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