The Erie Bell Game is back where it belongs. As our Christian Farrell tells us, that's the feeling among many people living in Middletown and Port Jervis.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

PORT JERVIS, N.Y. -- Middletown and Port Jervis. Two old blue collar cities that share one particular passion: High school football. Thursday, the two schools renew their rivalry for the 133rd time. The tradition of turkey, stuffing and Middletown-Port is back!

"Being born and raised in Middletown, and I'm sure the same case in Port Jervis, Thanksgiving was always a special day for many reasons. One of those reasons was the Port-Middie game. It hasn't happened in 40 years," said Middletown Mayor Joe DeStefano.

Forty-two years to be exact.

"It didn't matter what the records were coming into this game. Whoever won on Turkey Day, especially, that had a very special meaning," said former Port Jervis radio announcer Phil Dusenbury.

In both communities enthusiasm abounds for the "Erie Bell" game. At the Port Jervis Diner, Antoinette Sacco fondly remembers her family's holiday feast, with a side order of football.

"It was like Thanksgiving dinner waited until everybody got back from the football game," said Sacco of Port Jervis.

In Middletown, it's as if the entire city is behind the Middie Bears.

"I just had a player tell me he said he was talking to an elder Middletown person and they said we'll see you at the game. He said I didn't even know you were a football fan. He says I'm a Middletown-Port fan and we plan on being at the game to support you," said Middletown High School Head Coach Steve Barone.

Glennette Field has been the Red Raiders home field since 1918. And for the Thanksgiving Day game, officials here are expecting a huge crowd.

Port Jervis Athletic Director Jared Kahmar says advance ticket sales have been brisk this week.

"We generally would get between 1,500 and 2,000 at a big ‘Bell Game’ here with nice weather. The fact that it's on Thanksgiving Day with supposedly pretty decent weather, I'm optimistically shooting for something around 3,000," said Kahmar.

Certainly plenty of people who are happy again to have a high school football game to attend before the turkey is on the table.