Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Happy Turkey Day

This is probably a somewhat recycled post but the pictures aren't recycled.  Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the United States and it is traditionally celebrated by the eating of turkey.  It is loosely based on the Pilgrims in Massachusetts who celebrated a bountiful harvest in 1621 with a huge feast.  Their Native American guides were invited as well.
Up until a proclamation by Abraham Lincoln, Thanksgiving in the United States varied from state to state although it was typically celebrate in November.  He proclaimed it to be the final Thursday in November.  In 1941, Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed a joint resolution of Congress to make it the fourth Thursday of the month.
 As  said above, a big part of Thanksgiving is the turkey.  I'm pretty sure they aren't referring to the Grumman Avenger above which was referred as the Turkey.  I heard that was because it resembled a turkey when flaps were adjusted.
Nor does it refer to the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, where US pilots had an overwhelming advantage over their Japanese adversaries.
 It probably doesn't refer to the F-14 Tomcat which was also sometimes referred as the turkey.  I think the rear wings move and again resemble a turkey.
 Another tradition on Thanksgiving is the Detroit Lions football game.  Sometimes it is said that they play like turkeys.  The football tradition started in 1934, when the new owner of the Lions needed some sort of gimmick.  The first NFL Thanksgiving Game featured the Lions against the Bears which the Bears would win.  Overall, the Lions have a 33-34-2 record on Thanksgiving.
But the turkey likely referred to is the bird.  Sadly, I couldn't get my hands on a real one, so this stuffed one will have to do.  So to my readers...Happy Thanksgiving.

I would also like to give a special thanks to my reader.  Sometime in the last week, I had my 600,000th visit.  So again, thank you.

1 comment:

Pater said...

Lions - Packers was a tradition for a while on Thanksgiving Day until the Lions started winning too many and the Pack back out.