Biggest moment as a sports fan
- Thread starter lloyde dobler
- Start date
1. Chambliss home run returning Yankees to relevance.
2. USA over USSR at Lake Placid
3. Giants defeat Patriots to ruin their perfect season.
4. Notre Dame ends UCLA winning streak
5. Secretariat romps at the Belmont
6. Willis Reed steps on the court for game 7
7. Namath leads Jets to victory making the AFC a viable conference
8. Bird vs. Magic at Final Four
9. NC State takes out Phi Slamma Jama
10. Flutie Hail Mary which I missed live because I was getting married.
2. USA over USSR at Lake Placid
3. Giants defeat Patriots to ruin their perfect season.
4. Notre Dame ends UCLA winning streak
5. Secretariat romps at the Belmont
6. Willis Reed steps on the court for game 7
7. Namath leads Jets to victory making the AFC a viable conference
8. Bird vs. Magic at Final Four
9. NC State takes out Phi Slamma Jama
10. Flutie Hail Mary which I missed live because I was getting married.
Most exciting event I ever saw (close-circuit) was the first Ali/Frazier fight. I have never felt that kind of emotion for a sporting event ever. And I wasn't even there in person, just in a movie theater.
If memory serves 2-3 people at MSG that night actually had heart attacks before the fight.
If memory serves 2-3 people at MSG that night actually had heart attacks before the fight.
I could tell you where I watched every one of those events. Giants/Pats 1 would be my 4, with first time Lakers beat cells next. I was at the Chambliss game and ran on the field af r er the game. A friend has t h e back page of the daily news from the next day cause he swears we are in the picture. Sports does define much of the passage of time. My first sports memory is maz's HR in 60.
Close circuit fights were awesome. Saw Ali foreman at symphony hall. A SH pal and I might have been the two whites in the crowd. Frazier Ali 3 at convention hall in ap. And a ton in nyc. No Mas at the paladium, Leonard Hagler at radio city. Awesome events and like Dan says, was so close to being there.
Most exciting game I ever attended in person was the FF season where undefeated SHU upset undefeated and highly ranked Georgetown at a sold out and incredibly loud Continental Arena.
You could not hear yourself think that game. Talk to the person next to you? Not a chance. The crowd noise was deafening.
And I say this having been to Knick and Rangers championship games at the Garden.
I was 5 in 1964 and thought the World Series would always include the Yankees. I waited 11 tough years while the hated Mets ruled the city. The Chambliss home run was just huge. I will always remember that feeling. It did not matter that they then lost the series as they were back.
My brother and I were also at the Chamblis game and ran onto the field. I missed a Poly Sci midterm the next day, and the Professor (Dr. Kennedy) wouldn't let me make up the exam. Oh well.
Too funny. I was at that game as well, but sitting in the upper deck. That is my best in person sporting event. Complete strangers in our section we're jumping up-and-down and hugging each other.
My next six:
1-Knicks/Lakers...Willis
2-Yankees/Dodgers WS....Reggie!!!
3-Ali/Frazier I... Fight exceeded the hype
4-Devils/Wings Cup....the Stevens "hit"
5-Giants/Bills first SB
6-SHU/Duke.... The perfect defensive game
Honorable mention: last game at old Yankee stadium in 1973. I still have my seat and section number plate… LOL
A little younger than the other posters, but:
1. Game 3 2001 World Series (Was in attendance)
2. Yankees 1996 World Series (First vivid sports memory. Can remember exactly where I was and who I was with)
3. Giants 2007 Super Bowl Win
1. Game 3 2001 World Series (Was in attendance)
2. Yankees 1996 World Series (First vivid sports memory. Can remember exactly where I was and who I was with)
3. Giants 2007 Super Bowl Win
The three most memorable sporting events that I was in attendance for were
1. Chambliss Game.
2. Aaron Boone Redsox Game.
3. Rangers Bruins game in the late 70s where a fan grabbed A Bruin's stick causing several Bruins to go into the stands and rough up a couple of fans. It wasn't one of my favorite events but it was certainly memorable.
1. Chambliss Game.
2. Aaron Boone Redsox Game.
3. Rangers Bruins game in the late 70s where a fan grabbed A Bruin's stick causing several Bruins to go into the stands and rough up a couple of fans. It wasn't one of my favorite events but it was certainly memorable.
Was at game 4 of the first Devils' championship in 95, got to see the Cup skated around after so many bad years.
Was at Don Mattingly's last game at Yankee Stadium, also 95, when he hit a home run, and they went up 2-0 on Seattle
Was at MSG in 93 Syracuse in a blizzard. Had to dig my brother's 4x4 out and get a ride to the Newark City Sub
way to get in there.
The last two memories, unfortunately, were followed by grave disappointment!
Was at Don Mattingly's last game at Yankee Stadium, also 95, when he hit a home run, and they went up 2-0 on Seattle
Was at MSG in 93 Syracuse in a blizzard. Had to dig my brother's 4x4 out and get a ride to the Newark City Sub
way to get in there.
The last two memories, unfortunately, were followed by grave disappointment!
85, I was in the last seat on the upper deck in left field. If the ball got within ten feet of the warning track, roy white disappeared. I spilled about five beers all over myself walking up those stairs. But we snuck down behind the dugout as the game went on and when we saw the people jump on the field, we followed them. We missed the night owl to the shore and spent the night in Penn Station.
Best event I went to was pretty much a whole week thing. I was out in Vegas for my honeymoon in 2007 for the Mayweather/De la Hoya fight. Most insane week of events. Stayed at the MGM that week went to every single event for the fight and the fight itself. Incredible atmosphere, and you could just feel the hatred both fighters had for each other and the fanbases had for each other. Saw so many celebrities and athletes that day and was able to talk with a few. Went to the fight, stAyed up all night and then went to the airport for my. 5am flight to Hawaii. Almost went to the mayweather/Pacquaio fight, good thing I didn't.
I'll throw in being a part of history and the personal for my list in no particular order:
Seton vs Georgetown: That win in '89 was like seeing Nirvana (the state, not the band.) Some 19,000+ fans who had been in the desert for years had finally seen the promised land. A little bit of a mixed religious metaphor, but you get the idea, particularly anyone who was there. Can this be Seton Hall?
Listening to the Heidi Game when the Raiders miraculously came back with a couple of scores and beat the Jets in the final minutes. I was a Raiders fan. Radio listeners had no idea NBC had cut away from the game for Disney's Heidi.
Bucky Dent home run vs the Red Sox (Was in the student lounge at American U and the place was all NY and Boston fans. Just electric.)
JC Martin/Al Weis play (infield hit) that won the '69 World Series for the Mets. (Listening on a car radio coming home from Cub Scouts).
Listening to the 60 word AP recap that was allowed after each round in the first Ali-Frazier fight
Watching Al McGuire go out on top at Marquette. It was destiny because it wasn't even his best team in that stretch from the late '60s until he won, maybe his third best. Watching those Marquette teams in that period was even more fun after reading Pete Axthelm's book "The City Game." Al was the brash New Yorker that the NCAA did not like and he thought that was reflected in the officiating during the tourney and the quick Ts he got. He finally won it.
1976 HS Football: Red Bank Regional over Hightstown, 46-44. Lead changes and plays galore and a great game on any level. It made the Ledger's list.
Seton vs Georgetown: That win in '89 was like seeing Nirvana (the state, not the band.) Some 19,000+ fans who had been in the desert for years had finally seen the promised land. A little bit of a mixed religious metaphor, but you get the idea, particularly anyone who was there. Can this be Seton Hall?
Listening to the Heidi Game when the Raiders miraculously came back with a couple of scores and beat the Jets in the final minutes. I was a Raiders fan. Radio listeners had no idea NBC had cut away from the game for Disney's Heidi.
Bucky Dent home run vs the Red Sox (Was in the student lounge at American U and the place was all NY and Boston fans. Just electric.)
JC Martin/Al Weis play (infield hit) that won the '69 World Series for the Mets. (Listening on a car radio coming home from Cub Scouts).
Listening to the 60 word AP recap that was allowed after each round in the first Ali-Frazier fight
Watching Al McGuire go out on top at Marquette. It was destiny because it wasn't even his best team in that stretch from the late '60s until he won, maybe his third best. Watching those Marquette teams in that period was even more fun after reading Pete Axthelm's book "The City Game." Al was the brash New Yorker that the NCAA did not like and he thought that was reflected in the officiating during the tourney and the quick Ts he got. He finally won it.
1976 HS Football: Red Bank Regional over Hightstown, 46-44. Lead changes and plays galore and a great game on any level. It made the Ledger's list.
For me, three stand out:
1. Game 6 of the 1986 World Series bottom of 9th Met rally capped by Buckner play
2. Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS Mets vs. Astros when Mets came from behind to tie and ultimately win
3. The Immaculate Reception by Franco Harris
1. Game 6 of the 1986 World Series bottom of 9th Met rally capped by Buckner play
2. Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS Mets vs. Astros when Mets came from behind to tie and ultimately win
3. The Immaculate Reception by Franco Harris
I also watched that fight in a movie theater, with my brother-in-law. We both thought going in that Ali would win for sure. But watching Frazier warming up in the ring, I turned to my brother-in-law and said "I'll take Frazier. Even money." Frazier was on and amp'd for that fight.
Lots of good stuff already mentioned and most of it striking a chord with me.... anything to do with the '89 season at the top of my list.
How about 1981 NY Giants OT win over Dallas to get into the playoffs for the first time in 18 years?
Sat in the top row in the old Giants stadium and as cold as it was, the game was so intense that I forgot about my frozen toes. An electric crowd exited Giants stadium that day.
Finally got to see the Pirates in person at an NCAA game/s. 2000 NCAA's. Round one & two... best weekend of SHU basketball I have ever witnessed in person. Round 1 an OT win over Oregon and Round 2 an OT win over Temple. Didn't get any better than that. Booster club trip up to Buffalo and enjoyed every minute of it even the snowy trip up and arrival in the nick of time for the Oregon game. Downer against OSU in the next round in Syracuse... but a great SHU BB experience as well.
How about 1981 NY Giants OT win over Dallas to get into the playoffs for the first time in 18 years?
Sat in the top row in the old Giants stadium and as cold as it was, the game was so intense that I forgot about my frozen toes. An electric crowd exited Giants stadium that day.
Finally got to see the Pirates in person at an NCAA game/s. 2000 NCAA's. Round one & two... best weekend of SHU basketball I have ever witnessed in person. Round 1 an OT win over Oregon and Round 2 an OT win over Temple. Didn't get any better than that. Booster club trip up to Buffalo and enjoyed every minute of it even the snowy trip up and arrival in the nick of time for the Oregon game. Downer against OSU in the next round in Syracuse... but a great SHU BB experience as well.
I watched the fight in Patterson with a bunch of my frat brothers. I think I was the only person in the theater who thought Frazier would win.
Ali was coming off a long fight delay because of his military beliefs and I knew he would be rusty.
Great story. I wasn't that far away from you. Upper deck between third-base and the left field foul pole. Had a great view of the Chamblis homerun. Thought about getting down to the field but we just decided to celebrate where we were and headed home. Although I got to sleep in my bed I think you had the better ending… LOL. Actually went to one of the World Series games against the Reds too. Then all the fun ended.
For me the most memorable moment was the landon donovan last minute goal in the world cup to get us thru the group stage. That was the loudest I have ever heard a bar in my entire life. Also, the video of everyones reactions across the country is one of the greatest things ever.
The most exciting sports event I ever went to was the 1994 World Cup match at the Meadowlands. I was hosting several of our foreign clients and saw Ireland upset Italy 1-0 and I don't think any sport I've seen in person tops a World Cup Game for fan excitement as the cheers, chants and Ole's are unforgettable.
The '89 game against Georgetown is still one of most fondest sport experiences. Great game and, yes, it was loud but the arena was literally shaking form those 19,000 fans. It is hard to image today - 19,000 in the seats.
The greatest sporting event I ever attended was the game when The Knicks won NBA championship in 1970. Right behind that was the game where Willis actually went down. Watching Dave DeBusherre, Dave Stalworth and Nate Bowman cover Wilt was inspiring. Believe it or not another great event that I attended was when our buddy Sterling Gibbs hit the shot to beat Nova in 2014. We had some serious smug Nova fans sitting behind us who even after we went ahead by 15 stated that it was only a matter of time before the Nova would take over. BTW they almost did lol.
Here are my four:
#1 for obvious reasons was SHU over Duke in 1989 Final Four
#2, 3 & 4 in no particular order - all major upsets:
1969 Miracle Mets Winning World Series
1969-70 Jets stunning the world & NFL by winning the Super Bowl
Ali - Foreman Rumble in the Jungle (Remember Ali was given no chance to win this fight by the experts).
#1 for obvious reasons was SHU over Duke in 1989 Final Four
#2, 3 & 4 in no particular order - all major upsets:
1969 Miracle Mets Winning World Series
1969-70 Jets stunning the world & NFL by winning the Super Bowl
Ali - Foreman Rumble in the Jungle (Remember Ali was given no chance to win this fight by the experts).
Several here have mentioned the first Ali - Frazier fight, but to me the third Ali- Frazier fight (The Thrilla in Manilla) was the most punishing fight I ever saw. In retrospect both fighters should have retired after that night as neither was ever the same.
Tom K
Tom K
Not a particular incident but hearing the call of a baseball game at the Shore as a kid. While walking to your spot on the beach to sit on a Saturday, and moving in and out of earshot from the unmistakable voice of Bob Murphy or Phil Rizzuto -so uniquely New Jersey. Finding your spot. The guys with the radios would keep the volume high enough so others could listen, but not too loud. It was a communal, shared experience. Hearing the roar of the crowd after a play, the excitement of the voice of the play by play guy, the sun beating down, just enjoying America's National Pastime on a peaceful, carefree day at the beach, waiting for a game of running bases to start somewhere so you could join.
March, 1993. Seton Hall vs St Johns. 20,000 fans showed up at the Meadowlands to watch 2 ranked teams compete for the Big East regular season title. Play was stopped for a long time when Terry Dehere broke the BE scoring record. Play was also stopped when Jerry Walker scored his thousandth point. There were standing ovations throughout the game. St John's never had a chance and SHU won the BE for the second year in a row.
1. Saturday night SHU party in Seattle after whipping Duke. Lyric sheets for SHU fight song were distributed to allow everyone to sing along. Outrageous event.
By far the most exciting sporting event in my lifetime-nothing else even comes close. If we are ever fortunate enough to get to a final 4 again I would take out a 2nd mortgage to finance the trip regardless of cost.
2. Being at Shea for 1986 game 7---but still not nearly exciting as SHU final 4
3. Being there to watch giants take down undefeated pats for super bowl in AZ-another awesome experience but nowhere close to 1989 final 4.
By far the most exciting sporting event in my lifetime-nothing else even comes close. If we are ever fortunate enough to get to a final 4 again I would take out a 2nd mortgage to finance the trip regardless of cost.
2. Being at Shea for 1986 game 7---but still not nearly exciting as SHU final 4
3. Being there to watch giants take down undefeated pats for super bowl in AZ-another awesome experience but nowhere close to 1989 final 4.
1. Meeting Muhamad Ali the day after he Ernie Shavers walking out of the hotel across from the garden.
2. USA / USSR at Lake Placid - it changed the attitude of the entire country
3. SHU in the final four - I have never admitted M won and I never will
4. Spending four hours one on one over breakfast with my Mrs. and Jim Nance - That guy has 10 thousand stories.
5. Cocktails at a charity event in Nantucket and we are sitting between Jim Craig and Dorothy Hamill. My wife fell in love to the left and I fell in love to the right. By the way both of them are funny as hell.
6. Meeting Willis Reed and telling him about sharing the locker room with the Knicks at the garden in 68 on Christmas day as a 17 year old kid. I still have the ticket in my wallet
7. Giants beat NE and we are in a bar in Costa Rica with 300 screaming Giants guys and 5 people from NE and the man makes the helmet catch PANDEMONIUM - Great game - great time
8. Playing one on one with Glenn Mosely for three hours in Walsh after a statistics class.
9 Meeting John Moon - totally class act
10. Inside the ropes at the Barkleys Golf Tournament meeting so many players and learning so much.
11. Watching Jimmy Furyck hit chips at the practice green for 5 hours after his round and starting to understand what it takes to compete at that level.
12 Standing 5 feet from Woods Kuchar and Mickelson and watching them hit drives. Unbelievable differences in style. Woods was an animal. Linebacker with a club in his hand.
2. USA / USSR at Lake Placid - it changed the attitude of the entire country
3. SHU in the final four - I have never admitted M won and I never will
4. Spending four hours one on one over breakfast with my Mrs. and Jim Nance - That guy has 10 thousand stories.
5. Cocktails at a charity event in Nantucket and we are sitting between Jim Craig and Dorothy Hamill. My wife fell in love to the left and I fell in love to the right. By the way both of them are funny as hell.
6. Meeting Willis Reed and telling him about sharing the locker room with the Knicks at the garden in 68 on Christmas day as a 17 year old kid. I still have the ticket in my wallet
7. Giants beat NE and we are in a bar in Costa Rica with 300 screaming Giants guys and 5 people from NE and the man makes the helmet catch PANDEMONIUM - Great game - great time
8. Playing one on one with Glenn Mosely for three hours in Walsh after a statistics class.
9 Meeting John Moon - totally class act
10. Inside the ropes at the Barkleys Golf Tournament meeting so many players and learning so much.
11. Watching Jimmy Furyck hit chips at the practice green for 5 hours after his round and starting to understand what it takes to compete at that level.
12 Standing 5 feet from Woods Kuchar and Mickelson and watching them hit drives. Unbelievable differences in style. Woods was an animal. Linebacker with a club in his hand.
