For me, it was attending a Detroit Tigers playoff game with my mom and 2 of my sisters in 1984. You see, my mom was the sports nut in the family. She was not only a big sports fan, but basically an athlete herself. Whatever sport my mom "dabbled" in, she tended to do very well at, though golf was really her main sporting hobby. And boy, was she good. So good that my sisters and I never beat her, even into her 70s. Not that we were very good, but sheesh.
But back to the Tiger baseball game...my brother's friend owned season tickets right behind the Tigers dugout. He generously gave them to us. I can't remember which game it was, but I do remember that they won it and how excited my mom was to see her Tigers up close. I remember her waving to Aurelio Lopez. "Hi, Aurelio!", my mom said, as he approached the dugout. He smiled and she giggled like a schoolgirl. What a magical day that was! Sitting with my mom, under the lights, five feet away from some of our biggest sporting heroes.
I really think that had to be one of my mom's biggest sports dreams come true. Well, that, and the Tigers winning the World Series that year. I'm so glad I got to share that dream with her.
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Definitely the US Olympic hockey team beating the Russians at Lake Placid in 1980. The team went on to win the gold medal. That team felt like an extension of UW hockey team (where I was a student then), mainly because of the hype around Madison at the time: both Mark Johnson and Bobby Suter were from Madison and had been star Badger players under head coach Bob Johnson (Mark's father). By sheer coincidence, I was working a part-time job at the time with a guy who went to high school with Mark so there was about one degree of separation.
The legendary game, besides being an outstanding hockey game, was dubbed the Miracle on Ice and was tremendously uplifting at time when the US was going through a bleak portion of the Cold War. Here's a youtube video with some of the highlights: link.
Oh!! Thanks for sharing that. It really was such a fantastic high, that game. I remember it, too. And loved the movie about it. Made me cry!
Looks like it's just me and you, El Pollo. Wanna play tic tac toe? :)
Detroit Tigers
Ace Ntsoelengoe
Greg Lemond, beating Fignon in the 1989 TdF. Thought I had a post about me watching this in a bar and because I was the only one watching it, no one could understand why I was jumping aroud and screaming.
NC State's 1983 victory run through the ACC and NCAA basketball tournaments.
2003 Tour de France is the greatest sporting event I've ever seen. Amazing drama nearly everyday.
Chickenlittle, I was living in Minnesota then and got to hear the game broadcast live on the radio.
I'm going to take a slightly different approach. Maybe it's a function of age but I've seen so many great moments I can't pick one. I've also been fortunate to see many athletes in person due to living in a major league city (Pittsburgh) and also being a volunteer at golf tournaments here in NC. I've got at least 60 autographed golf balls given to me by pros as a "thank you". But I've never felt comfortable with "invading their space" and asking for an autograph -- with one exception. To the day I die I will cherish the golf hat with the signature of --- Arnold Palmer.
Ahhh...so you *were* joking on Twitter, Bill! LOL. Phew. Nice story. And thanks for the links! Awesome.
And that's so cool, BirdieBob. May I just call you Bob? :) What a great guy, and I'd be excited about that, too!
Loved reading about Wockenfuss, Staub, and especially Parrish. I really liked Lance, who looked a lot like my favorite brother at the time.
Ahhh...so you *were* joking on Twitter, Bill! LOL.
guess I missed this.
Was teasing you, Bill. But yeah, I replied to one of your tweets yesterday. :)
"Bob" is just fine. The Birdie part was suggested for me by Blogger when I enrolled since there was already a Bob somewhere (who'd a thunk) and I listed my interest in golf when enrolling. I was just interested in enrolling in order to post a comment on Ruth Anne's blog and just took what they suggested. Here's the reason for the desire to comment (on April 15, 2006). http://optimistmom.blogspot.com/2006/04/o-holy-night.html
Now -- what's this about you being quoted in a tennis magazine?
Wow, Bob. That was quite a touching post at Ruth Anne's blog.
Thanks for sharing that! Bless you.
Oh, the Tennis Mag quote - a writer that I know asked me to tell him in a few words what watching Roger Federer play over the years has meant to me as a fan.
I didn't know if he'd use it, but apparently he did! Haven't seen the issue or the quote myself yet. :)
Now -- what's this about you being quoted in a tennis magazine?
And to think that we read and appreciated Darcy's words and insights before those higher on the food chain figured her out.
@Darcy: Congratulations!
And BirdieBob: good luck with your Pens Friday night-I'll be cheering for the Wings, but may the best team win!
@chickenlittle Thanks. Good luck to the Wings, too. I hope it's a great game and that the winner earns it rather than one team give it away.
My favorite sports memory was when my father took me and my best friend Nicky to see the 1961 Yankees. Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Toney Kubeck, Bobby Richardson, Yogi, and Elston Howard. Johnny Blanchard the third string catcher hit two home runs in that game. Most of the men were wearing white button down shirts, wingtip shoes and fedoras. The kids had blue jeans and PF-flyers and t-shirts. We took the subway up to the Bronx and had hotdogs and soda and the dads had a beer. My dad was a big Mets fan but he took me to see the Yankees because they were my team. It was the begining of my love affair with sports.
Aww...Trooper. Great memory! There is nothing like a real ball park hot dog, is there? I don't know why that is!
And thanks, chickenlittle. :) I also wish Bob well with his team. May the best team win tonight!
Tough question. I remember being 12 and having my growth spurt before the other kids. Then we played tackle football, and none of them could bring me down, lol.
I have some good moments competing, too. And a few I enjoyed watching.
Hey, Bob, it's a good thing you didn't list your interests as bowling, or you might've been TurkeyBob.
That's cool, Blake. My son just had a growth spurt and during the cruise we took it was fun to see him using that height to his advantage playing basketball, so I get that! He's not super tall for his age, but he was up there with the kids that were dominating the pick up games.
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