Thanksgiving and Football.

It is something that most of us do on Thanksgiving, but is there a reason that this has become such a huge tradition? Watching football on Thanksgiving is something I can remember as long as I can remember celebrating the holiday. We switch the channel between the usual Dallas Cowboys game and whatever holiday movies and parades are on. So, where did this tradition begin?
Playing football on Thanksgiving began as a high school and college tradition but is now only one that the National Football League participates in. The 2 franchise cities associated with this are Detroit and Dallas, who began their legacy in 1966. The story to kick off this tradition is that of George Richards, a local Detroit radio host, who bought the Portsmouth Spartans when they were facing hard financial times and could not survive in the league. After moving them to the Detroit area, Richards arranged for them to play on Thanksgiving as the beginning of their season in Detroit. This tradition has continued every year since and has made a mark on our American holiday.
What started as a promotional tactic for a struggling team has made its way into the household of nearly every American on Thanksgiving.