BETHLEHEM, Pa. — During a round of "Scholastic Scrimmage," alumni of PBS39's longest-running show answered a series of questions about the Lehigh Valley.
Among the topics were local historical tidbits, to which the former "Scrimmage" contestants excitedly jotted down their answers.
Sure, there were no camera crews, studio lights or prize money, but former winners of the game show for Lehigh Valley teens demonstrated competitiveness at a gathering in celebration of the Scholastic Scrimmage's 50th anniversary.
The event, which also featured a photo montage and other memorabilia, was held Friday night at Lehigh University's Iacocca Conference Center.
Following Friday's soiree, the alumni were invited to attend the premiere of the "Scholastic Scrimmage" documentary on Saturday at the Univest Public Media Center, where the quiz show is recorded.
Univest Public Media Center is home to Lehigh Valley Public Media, which is comprised of PBS39, LehighValleyNews.com, and 91.3 WLVR radio.
Lightning round
On Friday, "Scholastic Scrimmage" host David Graf, who took over as host in 2019, hosted a quiz for alumni, instructing to crowd to follow the same format used on the game show, including its famous "Lightning Round."
Graf, a former contestant and graduate of Pen Argyl Area High School, competed on the show in 2001.
He took over hosting duties from previous hosts across the 50 years: Josh Berk, Karen Walton, Harry Price and Joseph Pacitti.
At the Iacocca Center, Graf was joined by Walton, Lehigh Valley Public Media board Chairman Michael Keim, and LVPM's new CEO, Hasanna Birdsong.
" 50 years is a long time to be doing something, and I'm so excited to be part of an organization that is about to celebrate its 60th anniversary," Birdsong said of PBS39, which began broadcasting in 1965.
The first 'Scrimmage' winner
Each year, "Scholastic Scrimmage" features more than 130 students from 29 area high schools. It's PBS39's longest-running show and one that other PBS stations have adopted.
At the end of the season, the top two schools win cash prizes for their schools, provided by program partner grants. The first-place school receives $4,000, and the second-place school receives $2,000 for their scholarship funds.
Ron Clever and three of his Dieruff High School peers appeared —and won — the first season of "Scholastic Scrimmage" in 1975.
In its early days, contestants did not receive prize money; instead, they got a trophy shaped like a video reel.
"They took a big videotape reel and spray-painted one side silver and one side gold," said Clever, who also competed on the show with Dieruff in 1976.
His sons, who were not at Friday's celebration, were also contestants of "Scholastic Scrimmage" and represented Emmaus High School.
Though Clever can't recall all the questions he was asked back in '75, he remembers the challenge of it all.
"I was good at the math questions, but as a team, we got to the point where there was some stuff we didn't know," he said.
"There's only so much studying you can do."
"Jack Eagle, our art teacher at Dieruff, spent an hour and a half with us teaching us memory tricks and how to recognize things as a genre, as a category, and it helped out once or twice."
Documentary, recognized achievements
Before Saturday's premiere of the quiz show documentary, State Rep. Steve Samuelson, D-Northampton and a public media supporter, presented a state House citation recognizing “Scholastic Scrimmage” for its emphasis on education and impact in the region.
Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Northampton/Lehigh, who didn't attend the screening, also authorized a citation from the state Senate.
