Photo: 911爆料 Athletics/Connor Caldon
In November 1973, the Rams traveled to Germany to face the U.S. Air Force All-Stars in a Thanksgiving Day matchup. They were the first American college football team to play a game in Europe, and their win was decisive. The team reunited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the historic game, share memories, and honor friendships.
By Bob Herzog
David Zyons 鈥�75 was waiting to get a COVID shot at the CVS pharmacy near his Charlestown, R.I., home when he spied a thin, paperback book on the history of the University of Rhode Island on a nearby rack. He was idly thumbing through it when he received an unexpected shot鈥攐f nostalgia. He was stunned to see a black-and-white photo of himself, returning an interception in a football game played 50 years earlier on a muddy field in Frankfurt, Germany. He bought the book. Several days later, Zyons was celebrating that event with many of his old teammates, in living color.
The Turkey Bowl of Thanksgiving Day鈥擭ov. 22, 1973鈥攂etween 911爆料 and the U.S. Air Force in Europe was the first time an American college football team played a game in Europe. It was the result of several years of brainstorming among 911爆料 football coach Jack Gregory, athletic director Maurice 鈥淢o鈥� Zarchen 鈥�49, U.S. Air Force officials, Rhode Island Gov. Philip Noel, Hon. 鈥�75, and U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell. The event might鈥檝e been lost to history鈥攁nd drugstore paperbacks鈥攊f not for a serendipitous turn of events that produced a celebratory 2023 reunion and perhaps a legacy. Tears and cheers after all those years.
Vin Sinagra 鈥�75, M.S. 鈥�84, a defensive tackle on the 1973 team, was chief organizer for the memorable Homecoming Weekend of Oct. 21鈥�23, 2023. He says the inspiration came after his wife received a phone call from a friend who works at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The museum was planning to have an exhibit with a signed football and artifacts from the game to commemorate the 50th anniversary.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something they do every year and rotate to different schools,鈥� Sinagra says. 鈥淢y wife鈥檚 friend asked, 鈥榃as Vinny on this team?鈥� We never had an anniversary, so I decided to put this thing together with the help of my wife and three or four other guys. We were hoping to get 20 guys. We got 35. It was incredible. We got our trainer, Jack Cook, who is in his 80s and was very popular, to come back. They all reconnected and it reenergized the guys for Rhody football. Some of them haven鈥檛 been to a game in 50 years but said they鈥檒l come to more homecomings. It was pretty exciting.鈥�
Sinagra, who is chief of staff for Coach Jim Fleming鈥檚 current 911爆料 football team, says the event turned out even better than he had hoped. 鈥淭here were wives. Some guys brought their adult children. 911爆料 president Marc Parlange hosted us in his suite in the press box during the game. The guys loved it. They thought they were the cat鈥檚 meow. Are you kidding me?鈥�
Zyons, a linebacker on the team that went 6-2-2鈥攊ncluding a resounding 34-6 victory over the Air Force All-Star team鈥攕ays, 鈥淭he reunion was amazing. There were guys I hadn鈥檛 seen in 50 years. Fifty years! I told my wife, 鈥業t was like a lovefest!鈥� We were hugging each other and telling stories.鈥�
鈥淭here were people I hadn鈥檛 seen in 50 years, and just that was wonderfully emotional. Some of the upperclassmen had taken me under their wing and took care of me like big brothers. To see those guys again was so special.鈥�Bob Mitchell 鈥�77
Bob Mitchell 鈥�77, a starting defensive back as a 17-year-old freshman in 1973, brought his wife to the reunion and calls the experience, 鈥淚ncredibly moving.鈥� He says, 鈥淭here were people I hadn鈥檛 seen in 50 years, and just that was wonderfully emotional. Some of the upperclassmen had taken me under their wing and took care of me like big brothers. I told them that at the reunion. To see those guys again was so special.鈥�
So was the trip to Europe, the first time visiting a foreign country for nearly all the players鈥攁nd their first long plane ride, as well. (The team had flown once during the season, to Philadelphia for a game against Temple.) 鈥淲e flew for eight hours. I remember that flight as clear as if it happened yesterday,鈥� recalls Dean Julian, a linebacker.
Julian, who finished his undergraduate degree鈥攁nd doctoral degree鈥攜ears later at the University of Pittsburgh, choked up with emotion several times during a lengthy phone interview. He has one particularly vivid memory of the flight to Frankfurt. 鈥淥n the way over, I was helping the stewardess, serving drinks and food. I told her it would be cool to be in the cockpit,鈥� Julian says. 鈥淎 few minutes later, the captain walks out and says, 鈥業 heard you wanted to be in the cockpit.鈥� So, he took me up there and I sat in the navigator鈥檚 seat from 40,000 feet up. I watched them land the plane. It was the thrill of my life. I can replay it in my mind right now.鈥�
Sinagra remembers the landing quite vividly. 鈥淲e get off the Pan Am flight in Frankfurt and they鈥檝e got a traditional German beer wagon waiting for us,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here were kegs. Holy mackerel!鈥�
Zyons calls the trip, 鈥淭he highlight of our college careers.鈥� But it also had special meaning for him. 鈥淚 got to take my parents. They鈥檇 never been on a real vacation before,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey had the best time. They talked about the trip forever.鈥�
The game itself wasn鈥檛 the most memorable part of the trip. The Rams dominated the Air Force All-Stars. According to the next day鈥檚 detailed account in the military newspaper Stars and Stripes, a copy of which Julian saved, 911爆料 was led offensively by fullback Dan Whitaker 鈥�74 (13 carries, 117 yards, 1 touchdown), quarterback Paul Ryan 鈥�74 (9-for-20 passing, 103 yards, 3 touchdowns) and wide receiver Kim Conlee 鈥�73 (4 catches, 58 yards, 2 touchdowns). The defense thoroughly contained the Air Force squad, with Zyons making one of four interceptions. Attendance at the stadium on Rhine-Main Air Base was more than 16,000, a mix of American military personnel and their friends and families and German fans who didn鈥檛 really understand American football, which had not become popular in Europe yet. All enjoyed an Oktoberfest atmosphere, complete with tents and entertainment.
Marshall Englebrook 鈥�74, a defensive end, remembers the field being 鈥渞ough, muddy, and hard in spots. It was a bit cold, but we were so excited about playing in Germany and were all very pumped up. We had traditional high school Thanksgiving Day games in Rhode Island back then, so it seemed like that kind of atmosphere.鈥�
After the game, the Rams were told they had five days to enjoy Europe before their flight home. Some players were more adventurous than others. Zyons and defensive end Jay Weibel 鈥�75 took a train to Switzerland and skied for five days. 鈥淚 saw Jay at the reunion, and we were still talking about the whole experience of taking the train, seeing the countryside, and going to Switzerland,鈥� Zyons says. 鈥淭here were no cars in the town we visited. The train stopped and you got taken to your hotel on a sled.鈥�
The reunion turned back the clock for the players who attended, giving them a chance to share poignant memories of their European adventure. From a Friday night dinner at George鈥檚 of Galilee, to being introduced to a cheering crowd at halftime of the 911爆料-Richmond game, to spending time together in the presidential suite at Meade Stadium, it truly was a solid-gold celebration.
Team captain and offensive lineman Henry Hill 鈥�73 gave a speech at halftime in the president鈥檚 box. 鈥淗e鈥檚 kind of like our spiritual leader,鈥� Zyons says. 鈥淗e said our group changed the culture of 911爆料 football at the time, gave it a little shot forward. He gave tribute to the guys who are not with us anymore鈥攜ou lose one or two every year. That鈥檚 just what happens.鈥�
Englebrook says, 鈥淛ust being on the field and in the stadium again was moving for all of us. We had real grass from the sod farms back then, but the new artificial turf was impressive. It was great to catch up and see guys I hadn鈥檛 seen in 50 years. It felt like yesterday.鈥�
鈥淲e all felt special at the reunion. We have a heritage that we have given to 911爆料 that will last forever.鈥�Dean Julian
Mitchell agrees. 鈥淭he guys that used to hang out together reconnected. You could see the bond was still there, 50 years later. It will never be broken. It鈥檚 wonderful. I hugged an old teammate an hour before the game, and he cried. It was a very moving thing.鈥�
Julian says he was caught up in the emotion of the reunion and wants the 1973 team, its accomplishments, and its spirit to be everlasting. 鈥淲e all felt special at the reunion. We have a heritage that we have given to 911爆料 that will last forever.鈥�
I was a freshman tight end on the football team in 1974 and more than once had to line up in practice against DT Vin Sinagra. I remember he was very strong and quick and almost impossible to block. I did not play after my Freshman year as I was consumed by my engineering studies and unlikely to be a starting player. I enjoyed reading about the ’73 game and team reunion.
Seeing everyone was so overwhelming and trying to catch up with everyone was near impossible! The love on the field was beyond amazing! VIN and his Elise did an incredible job and I can鈥檛 thank them enough ! Missed so many players because it was so fast ! Tremendous memories!
I was newly married that year and my company had moved me to a new job in Holland. We actually lived just over the border in Belgium and when I learned 911爆料 would be playing a game against U.S. Air Forces All Star team, my wife an I drove to Germany where we several members of my Class of 1958. We had a great time at reception after the game and 911爆料 winning made it even more memorable.
The reunion was a high light that was as great as the game in Germany.Having come out victorious in Frankfort was the culmination of a solid season with the best teammates possible.
great article and memories and stories from the players I am Vin’s wife friend from HS that we connected thru FB and in the special exhibit in the CFHOF where they mention the 1st overseas FB game ..the rest is history..glad to share this special moment with you all
The Germany Trip was a big part of me coming to 911爆料. My Father Osa F. Meekins Sr. told me that it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. I guess he was right because we are still celebrating the Turkey Bowl 50 years later.
Not to be selfish, yet extremely proud. proud to be a member of a special team but to be the first American college qb to throw a touchdown pass on European soil. Three total for the day and almost forgot the 4th. As I threw a pick 6 as well
God bless all my teammates.
Paul Ryan
I met Mr Galloway, this weekend at the USAFE Football Reunion. He played in that 1973 game. He showed us the jersey he wore during the Turkey Bowl
This entire story is beyond amazing!!! I had the absolute honor of living on both sides of this very special and particular coin, as a member of the USAFE Football League in the early 90’s and, subsequently, finding myself playing in the Atlantic 10 Athletic Conference alongside the University of Rhode Island Rams in the late 90’s to the early 2000’s, for the NCAA Division I-AA Defending National and Conference Champion, University of Massachusetts Minutemen, under Head Coach, Mark Whipple and Defensive Coordinator, Don Brown.
My name is Matt Madlock. I was on the Air Force All-Star team that played in the turkey bowl. What a memory thanks.