OT: Theismann NB Mention On Philly Radio...

[DirtyRU]

Heard Joe on Philly Sports radio on my morning commute. He mentioned at every playing level there was ONE team that he used as a barometer for his own play, meaning if he played well against them, he knew he was playing well. In the pros it was the Cowboys. In college it was USC. In high school? New Brunswick High School, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Thought that was pretty cool. :)

P.S. I didn't realize he was born in New Brunswick. Knew he was an NJ guy but didn't know NB was his birthplace. Oh man, what could have been.

 

[OntheBanks]

He's from South River and so was Drew Pearson.

 

[RUEd]

Heard Joe on Philly Sports radio on my morning commute. He mentioned at every playing level there was ONE team that he used as a barometer for his own play, meaning if he played well against them, he knew he was playing well. In the pros it was the Cowboys. In college it was USC. In high school? New Brunswick High School, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Thought that was pretty cool. :)

P.S. I didn't realize he was born in New Brunswick. Knew he was an NJ guy but didn't know NB was his birthplace. Oh man, what could have been.

Born in New Brunswick. Raised in South River!

 

[OntheBanks]

Born in NB. Of course he was. The only local hospitals at the time he was born.

 

[RU Husky]

I should know better being a resident of Middlesex County for a large part of my life and being a contemporary of Joe ( I'm a few years older), but I remember great South River- Highland Park clashes, less so South River- New Brunswick. NB was a bigger school back then and I don't recall SR playing them in football on a regular basis. Any other old timers with recall?

 

[knightfan7]

Don't look now guys but not only was Olympic Gymnast Laurie Hernandez (Old Bridge) born in New Brunswick but so was 17 year old 400 meter hurdler Sydney Mclaughlin (Union Cath HS) who just qualified for the semi finals. McLaughlin is the youngest member of the US Olympic track team since Carol Lewis (Maplewood) in 1980.

 

[G- RUnit]

South River v New Brunswick was the ultimate game in Middlesex County for years and even played at Rutgers Stadium.

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

HP vs South River was the major small school event every fall. South River played New Brunswick on Thanksgiving day but outside of Don Highsmith NB was known more for hoops than football.

 

[RUfromSoCal?]

yup- another jersey guy who didn't stay home :)

I always found interesting the story re: he pronounced his last name "Theese-man" in h.s.- but, when he got to notre dame, the SID told him "no - it's "Theisman" so it rhymes with Heisman" -- and the rest is history........

 

[G- RUnit]

In the late 60's it was New Brunswick v South River. Both Group 3 schools. New Brunswick had very good football but the best QB/WR combo in NJ high school history, Theismann to Pearson stood in their way. Highland Park SR rivalry reached pinnacle later. SR was amazing for a small school with none of the recruiting nonsense that exists and ruins high school athletics today.

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

Socal, He was not well loved by his fellow river rats but he could play like a bitch and so could Pearson .

 

[herdof3]

Carol Lewis was Willingboro. I graduated with her.

 

[newell138]

Don't look now guys but not only was Olympic Gymnast Laurie Hernandez (Old Bridge) born in New Brunswick but so was 17 year old 400 meter hurdler Sydney Mclaughlin (Union Cath HS) who just qualified for the semi finals. McLaughlin is the youngest member of the US Olympic track team since Carol Lewis (Maplewood) in 1980.

Both of my daughters were born at st Peters as well

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

Unit You have revised history. That's what happens when our personal calenders turn yellow. :smiley:

 

[G- RUnit]

Socal, He was not well loved by his fellow river rats but he could play like a bitch and so could Pearson .

Unit You have revised history. That's what happens when our personal calenders turn yellow. :smiley:

Actually my history is 100 percent accurate!! Go Rams Go!! You'll lose this argument Monk! ;-)

 

[njdirt]

South River v New Brunswick was the ultimate game in Middlesex County for years and even played at Rutgers Stadium.

Yes it was as in the 60's till the 70's went to these games with my mom (SR) and dad (NB) usually on Thanksgiving day at the stadium and a lot of "told you so's" after the game as we got back. There were mixed feelings as who to root for as lived in East Brunswick at the time, Also had many friends from South River as that's where we went to church and in NB were my uncle Peter O'Rourke (former sports writer for the Home News)

 

[Scarlet dollar]

In the late 60's, Thanksgiving meant South River vs New Brunswick at Rutgers Stadium, while Highland Park played Metuchen, at New Brunswick's stadium. Both games would draw huge crowds. I played for Highland Park against Theismann and Pearson. They were unbelievable. At 19-0, we gave them they're closest game of the year. The next year with Pearson playing QB, we beat them. What a rivalry! Doesn't seem like rivalries like this exist anymore. oh, and that year,1967, group2 Highland Park , beat Don Bosco 56-14. I wouldn't want to replay that one now!

 

[NickKnight 1]

I have my own Joe Theisman story, when I came back from
overseas in 1968 I read this story in the paper about Joe having
this great year at South River high. Being away from home
for 4 years, I didn't know much about him, so I saved the
sports section. That Christmas I took the sports page and
put in the box of ornaments. The next year I took it out
and then put it back after the holidays. I did this for 35 years,
reading the article thru his South River, Notre Dame, CFL,
and Washington career. After my wife quit working nights, that
last year, she decided to but away the ornaments. So
the next year I open the box and I saw new papers, so
I asked what happend? She replies very happily, oh
that old paper was all yellow so I threw it out.

 

[G- RUnit]

I have my own Joe Theisman story, when came back from
overseas in 1968 I read this story in the paper about Joe having
this great year at South River high. Being away from home
for 4 years, I didn't know much about him, so I saved the
sports section. That Christmas I took the sports page and
put in the box of ornaments. The next year I took it out
and then put it after the holidays. I did this for 35 years,
reading the article thru his high school, college. the CFL,
and Washington. After my wife quit working nights, that
last year, she decided to but away the ornaments. So
the next year I open the box and I saw new papers, so
I asked what happend? She replies very happily, oh
that old paper was all yellow so I threw it out.

D'oh!

 

[RU Husky]

Thanks all for the reminder of the NB-SR Thanksgiving rivalry. Don't know how I forgot that.

 

[Kbee3]

Thanks all for the reminder of the NB-SR Thanksgiving rivalry. Don't know how I forgot that.

Lived it back in the Sixties. Turkey in the oven and off to Rutgers stadium to kick some Zebra butt on Thanksgiving morning.
BTW,I can still see Drew Pearson overthrowing a wide open Scotty Scarzinski in the corner of the end zone to ruin a perfect season in 1968. SRHS finished the game with a tie and an 8-0-1 record. Back then I remember Highland Park being more of a challenge than New Brunswick.

 

[KnightsofChrome]

Don't look now guys but not only was Olympic Gymnast Laurie Hernandez (Old Bridge) born in New Brunswick but so was 17 year old 400 meter hurdler Sydney Mclaughlin (Union Cath HS) who just qualified for the semi finals. McLaughlin is the youngest member of the US Olympic track team since Carol Lewis (Maplewood) in 1980.

This is only interesting if we can get Sydney to attend Rutgers.

 

[Knight Shift]

Isn't that Joe Theismann?

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Not your Father's South River anymore

 

[DT Hawxhurst]

I went to NBHS back then. Always looked forward to the Thanksgiving Day clashes with South River.

 

[RAA-1]

In the 50's and 60's New Brunswick High School was a Group IV school as students came from New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Franklin and Piscataway.

Piscataway was the first town of that group to leave as they built their first high school in the late 50's. North Brunswick was the last to leave NBHS..

By the way, NB's big games were vs St. Peters, Phillipsburg and South River.

 

[Kbee3]

Not your Father's South River anymore

I hear ya on that one.
The last time I went to a game was a real eye-opener. Back in the day the Rams were Group III....and just about everybody in town was at the games. I can recall them running a bus trip to Philadelphia to see Theismann playing for Notre Dame vs. some school and having a good number of busloads. And on the same day the South River home game was still crowded. Even Pop Warner games were packed back then.
Times have changed.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

I hear ya on that one.
The last time I went to a game was a real eye-opener. Back in the day the Rams were Group III....and just about everybody in town was at the games. I can recall them running a bus trip to Philadelphia to see Theismann playing for Notre Dame vs. some school and having a good number of busloads. And on the same day the South River home game was still crowded. Even Pop Warner games were packed back then.
Times have changed.

The football program is nowhere as strong as it used to be.
It seems to have happened to a lot of smaller towns in NJ.

Maybe less kids are playing football, damn video games.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

I have my own Joe Theisman story, when I came back from
overseas in 1968 I read this story in the paper about Joe having
this great year at South River high. Being away from home
for 4 years, I didn't know much about him, so I saved the
sports section. That Christmas I took the sports page and
put in the box of ornaments. The next year I took it out
and then put it back after the holidays. I did this for 35 years,
reading the article thru his South River, Notre Dame, CFL,
and Washington career. After my wife quit working nights, that
last year, she decided to but away the ornaments. So
the next year I open the box and I saw new papers, so
I asked what happend? She replies very happily, oh
that old paper was all yellow so I threw it out.

This is where the typical female complaint about males not "sharing" comes in. If just one time you had shared that special moment about reading that yellowed story, she probably would have framed it for you and still replaced the rest of the papers in that ornaments box.

 

[G- RUnit]

The football program is nowhere as strong as it used to be.
It seems to have happened to a lot of smaller towns in NJ.

Maybe less kids are playing football, damn video games.

Demographics and soccer. Lot tougher for smaller schools as if you are a player the high school recruiting sharks will circle as well.

 

[Jonny S]

It's coaching. NB was very good with Quinn. You often see good coaches go to nothing programs and turn them around. I think every town by default will have some athletes, although obviously parochials recruit them away, and you have better odds in larger towns that are more working class.

 

[RutgersMO]

Unit You have revised history. That's what happens when our personal calenders turn yellow. :smiley:

I don't know WTF you're arguing about / more often than not, neither do you....but thought I'd give you a like to get to 500!

MO

 

[RUsince52]

In the 50's and 60's New Brunswick High School was a Group IV school as students came from New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Franklin and Piscataway.

Piscataway was the first town of that group to leave as they built their first high school in the late 50's. North Brunswick was the last to leave NBHS..
NBHS was a Group 4 school in the 50's and 60's and part of the Central Jersey Conf. Played St. Peter's on a Friday night as a cross town rival. Phillipsburg was always a night game and they were always good because the wrestlers played football. They played mostly a Pa schedule, but always played us, E. Orange and Somerville.
Pete Clark went to SPHS and also played TE for RU. SR had one of the first HS soccerstyle kickers in the early 60' s and he would almost fall on every kick so his cleats wouldn't get caught. Hungarian as was a lot of SR and I think they might have had a soccer team, but Jamesburg was the real soccer power in C. Jersey.
Played against JT in baseball in the AAABA League and he was very good in that sport too (shortstop).He played for E. Brunswick and we beat them in 1965 to advance to Altoona, Pa in the national tournament.
SR always had good teams because they had great youth leagues (Pop Warner) whereas NB didn't have anything until kids became freshman to really learn the fundamentals. But the Thanksgiving Game was always big because it was at RU and a great atmosphere.
Given the circumstances, no way Joe was coming to RU and don't know if Drew would have qualified gradewise. Billy Thompson was probably the last NBHS guy to play for RU in a meaningful capacity. Had a huge KO return for a TD to help beat Penn at Franklin Field.
Once the regional type High School's started taking kids away from NB, the football program suffered.
By the way, NB's big games were vs St. Peters, Phillipsburg and South River.

In the 50's and 60's New Brunswick High School was a Group IV school as students came from New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Franklin and Piscataway.

Piscataway was the first town of that group to leave as they built their first high school in the late 50's. North Brunswick was the last to leave NBHS..

By the way, NB's big games were vs St. Peters, Phillipsburg and South River.

 

[Cofifa]

I should know better being a resident of Middlesex County for a large part of my life and being a contemporary of Joe ( I'm a few years older), but I remember great South River- Highland Park clashes, less so South River- New Brunswick. NB was a bigger school back then and I don't recall SR playing them in football on a regular basis. Any other old timers with recall?

I recall going to the South River v New Brunswick football games in the Joe T Drew Pierson era on thanksgiving morning at Rutgers Stadium

 

[RUsince52]

NBHS was in the C. Jersey Conf. In the late 50's and early 60' s and played mostly Group 4 schools such as Long Branch, Asbury Park, Plainfield and Trenton. Always played St. Peter's and Phillipsburg at night and SR on Thanksgiving morning at RU. SR usually won, especially with JT. They had the better players because they played youth football and learned early whereas NB didn't have those type programs. Only SPHS had something similar to Pop Warner.
Also, NB wasn't drawing from the same areas as new HS were built for the outlying towns. Pete Clark (SPHS) played TE at RU and Bill Thompson might have been the last NB kid to play and contribute. He returned a KO for a TD against Penn at Franklin Field.
JT was really good especially against us. SR also had the first soccer style kicker I ever remember. He would fall after kicking the XP so his cleats wouldn't get caught.
Played baseball with and against Joe and he was a very good shortstop. He played for EB AA and I played for NB AA in the AAABA League. We beat them to advance to Altoona, PA, but lost our last game to make it to Johnstown, PA. Great competitor and all around nice guy.
No way he was coming here and don't know if Drew would have qualified for RU. Sure put SRHS on the map during his playing days.

 

[Mike from MD]

Great memories of the NB-SR rivalry. Milltown also sent their students to NBHS. Two of my cousins played their through the 1960s and another cousin in the 1970s. Those Thanksgiving day games could draw more fans than most Saturday college games at Rutgers Stadium.

By the 1970s the rivalry had fizzled. The 50th anniversary game was played at Memorial Stadium on Thanksgiving in 1975. There was a parade through NB and College Ave featuring bands and floats. Neither school had won a game that season. NBHS pulled out the victory 6-0 on a busted run play. NBHS only won 3 games in the time I was there from 1972-1976. The enrollment was at Group II level but most of the teams on the schedule were Group III and IV.