Thanksgiving football returns to Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson

PATERSON, N.J. (PIX11) - It's bigger than football. It's history.

"This is the biggest thing in many years I've seen happen to Paterson," said PA announcer Skip Van Rensalier. "This is nostalgia for the kids, for Paterson."

For the first time in 26 years, a Thanksgiving football game is being played at Hinchliffe Stadium - the 99th edition of the Eastside Ghosts versus the Kennedy Knights.

Speaking of nostalgia, Jennifer Raneu used to cheer for the old Central High School at this stadium in the 60s.

"To see this happening again is absolutely fantastic," said Raneu. "It's a dream come true."

"Sort of like a Phoenix, things are coming back in Paterson," said fan Charles Walker. 

The Stadium, once home to Negro Leagues Baseball in the 30s, was brought back to life earlier this year after more than two decades of neglect.

Now, the game has changed, and fans of the Knights, the Ghosts, and football generally said it's like a big family reunion.

"This is like an awakening for the City," said fan Mark Fischer. "It's going to be exciting, it's going to be fun, and you'll see a lot of laughter today."

Eastside defeated Kennedy by a score of 24-7, but many say the City of Paterson won the victory.

"We won already, just being here," said Mayor Andre Sayegh. "For 26 years, everybody was saying, 'I hope we can play there again, I hope we can play there again.' we're not hoping anymore. We're playing at Hinchliffe Stadium on Thanksgiving."

"I've been looking forward to this day," said stadium security supervisor Leon Moses, "because this is just the beginning of things to come."