Quincy-North Quincy Featured In SI's 'Thanksgiving At Its Best'

QUINCY, MA — The annual crosstown clash between the Quincy and North Quincy football teams was one of the top 10 Thanksgiving Day football games in the country highlighted in Sports Illustrated's "Thanksgiving At Its Best" series. The series included anecdotal stories about some of the best rivalries in the country ahead of Thursday's games.

The Quincy-North Quincy segment centers around the submitted tale of Quincy High alumnus Robert Sylva, who played for the Presidents in the 1970 game that he said drew an estimated 20,000 fans to Veterans Stadium for a contest between undefeated Quincy and one-loss North Quincy.

Sylva's family had just moved to the north side of the city, but on this day he was still a President, and celebrated with his teammates after a 16-6 victory that delivered the first perfect season in program history.

The story turns, however, when he was driving to his new home in North Quincy later that day and he pulled up to a red light next to a car full of players wearing North Quincy red. When they called him out, Sylva said he was preparing himself for a turf war, and he was surprised when the gridiron battle of hours earlier was quickly put in the past as the North Quincy players congratulated Sylva on the win, and welcomed him to the neighborhood.

Let’s Go, Q/NQ! #patriotleague @QHSAthletics @NQRaiders https://t.co/mvirtIgutX
— HinghamHSAthletics (@HarbormenNews) November 27, 2019

Stories from the legendary Massachusetts battles between Needham and Wellesley, and the ancient border clash between Fitchburg and Leominster, were also featured.

The Quincy and North Quincy football teams renew their rivalry once more in the game that kicks off at 10 a.m. Thanksgiving morning at Veterans Stadium.