Old Timers banquet brings spirit, memoriesOld Timers banquet brings spirit, memories

“Once a Tomcat, always a Tomcat.”

It seems to be just a simple phrase, but for East Aurora students who wore the red and black on the gridiron during any era, it is far more than that.

It is part of each man’s spirit, and that spirit was again on display at the East Aurora Old Timers banquet on Thursday, October 18, at Aurora’s Gaslite Manor. It was the Association’s 73rd annual meeting, with a special dedication to the Tomcat team of 1993 and its coach, Wendell Jeffries.

An East Aurora player from any past year is welcome at attend the gathering, but only players from 25 or more years ago are officially designated as “Old Timers.”

This seemed to be a special meeting, as the players from the 1993 team kept the crowd thoroughly entertained with their memories of that season, but also of their brotherly dedication to the spirit of East Aurora and to Coach Jeffries.

The 1993 squad was represented at the meeting by Jermaine Turnage, Anthony McDonald, Mike Tosaw, John Robinson, and manager Brian Crow. Each man took his turn at the mic with his memories of a rugged season during which the Cats competed with only 25 players and finished with a 3-6 record.

Regardless of its record, the team carried on the Tomcat spirit, overcoming injuries, penalty laps given by Coach Jeffries, and a game night which saw several of them in an emergency room after a car accident. All made it out by game time, with some running onto the field in the nick of time. McDonald especially had the Old Timers almost rolling out of their chairs with laughter.

The evening’s other highlight was provided by 91 year-old Ed Colton, who was a senior on the 1944 team. He gave his vivid memories of watching the legendary East team of 1938 play West High on Thanksgiving Day. A youngster at the time, he walked to West High from his house near Fifth St. and Hoyles Avenue.

Colton bragged about his great memory, so good that he “remembered the game was on a Thursday!” The Tomcats that year entered the West game undefeated and unscored upon, but allowed a touchdown by West on a blocked punt. Colton remembered that some of the East players were in tears because of the points allowed, but that the team still went on to beat West 19-6 to complete one of the legendary East Aurora campaigns.

Colton’s humorous anecdotes included his talking about using helmets without facemasks, which made the game literally smash-mouth football.
The men of the 1993 team, together with Ed Colton, made the 2018 banquet one of the best during the last few years.

In two years, the Old Timers will celebrate their 75th anniversary, and the Association is seriously looking for help in keep its traditions alive. Steve “Benny” Kenyon and his wife Jan have been doing the lion’s share of the work for quite a while now, and are sincerely asking younger Old Timers to start getting more involved.

The Association is now granting scholarships each year to recent Tomcat football grads, making it as much a service organization (to East Aurora) as a social organization.
Coach Kenyon and the other faithful helpers need you to keep “Once a Tomcat, always a Tomcat” alive and well.

For information on the East High Football Old Timer’s Association, contact Coach Kenyon at eaoldtimersfootball@gmail.com or (630) 553-1631.

Visit the Old Timer’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/EastHighFootballOldTimersAssociation/