The citizenry of Irvington, N.J. once asked author Washington Irving, the man for whom the town was named, to come by for a visit. They were turned down. Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris won't follow Irving's lead.
Morris, who just may be Irvington's most famous native son, will return today to his hometown, where plans call for him to be honored at a luncheon, a dinner and a ceremony in which he will receive the key to the city.
"Everything that's happened to me since Jan. 16 has been flattering, but you have to remain humble, too, and there are a lot of people in Irvington that helped me get to where I am right now," Morris said.
"Those people deserve some kudos, too, and so getting a chance to go back home and be around those guys and see those guys is awesome. I know I'll have some family there, too, so I'm real excited."
Morris attended Irvington High School, where a pep rally in his honor will be held this morning. Later, Morris will attend a dinner designed to raise funds for the school's track and football field.
Irvington is a town of about 60,000 that lies near Newark, and has a storied history that includes a name change sparked by its inclusion in a famous song title.
Originally known as Camptown because it served as a tent city for traveling workers, the burgh became the basis for the lyrics in song writer Stephen Foster's song "Camptown Races."
Concerned that people would get the wrong impression of the town as a result of the song's lyrics, citizens voted in 1850 to re-name the town Irvingtown in honor of Irving. The town later dropped the w from its name.
Though small, Irvington boasts of being the hometown of several famous people including comedian Jerry Lewis, entertainer Queen Latifah and 2008 Olympic gold medal swimmer Cullen Jones.
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