As always, it’s good to hear from the men on the topic at hand. On any topic, it’s good to go to the collective wisdom of the men and see what is to be shared and revealed. This month we hear from the men posting on social media, in answer to this question: “What is your favorite sports memory?”
Sandy Peisner: My favorite sports memory was in 1996 . University of Florida had finally won the SEC title. Then in the Sugar Bowl they demolished Florida State to win its first National Championship ever in football. While the Gators would win two more National Titles. There is nothing like your first.
David Wainwright: I watched a championship game in Buffalo, where the Bills played against the Boston Patriots. It had snowed the night before the game in the days prior to tarps. Due to the fact the field was not only covered with snow, but it was a wet snow, it froze into ice. So they played anyway with the white field. The lines were painted with red dye so they could tell where the field started and ended. Needless to say, it was more of a hockey game with players slipping and sliding. Fun to watch except Boston won, 26-8.
Todd Sorbo: Padre Steve Garvey’s home run in the playoffs. I was there and also experienced the celebration in the street of Pacific Beach afterwards.
Willy Holt: Game five of the 1984 National League Championship series. We rode Steve Garvey all the way to the World Series.
Richard Herrera: My favorite sports memory is watching the sons play in the AYSO soccer all-star game. Another was attending the two World Series Baseball games when the Padres played the Yankees. Even though the Padres lost.
Eric Louie: The Catch.
Chris Wolf: First patriots Super Bowl victory over the Rams.
John Kunkle: I was at a Steelers game in the ’60’s being played at the University of Pittsburgh football field. Jim Brown tore up the field for the Browns.
Tom Mac: G Men beating the Pats, not once but twice
Illya Fee: Early 80, 49ers winning their first Super Bowl. The streets went wild.
Stan Snow: Pats beat Atlanta in Super Bowl after never leading once during the whole game.
John Kunkle: My grandfather took me to a Yankees game when I was litle. Whitey Ford was pitching and picked off a White Sox player on second base. I watched Bill Mazeroski, playing second base for the Pirates, make a play I’ve never seen since. The Pirates were playing the Houston Colt 45’s – the precursor to the Astros. Houston had men on first and third and put on a double steal. Mazeroski ran behind the pitcher with the catcher’s throw on its way to second base. He grabbed the ball leaping into the air and threw out the runner at home while still in the air. Maz is best known for hitting a walk-off home run in the 1960’s World Series in the 9th inning of the seventh game of the series, winning it for the Pirates. However, he finally made it into the Hall of Fame. He was the Brooks Robinson of second base. He hit around .270 and had 15 home runs each year, but I have never seen a second baseman play better defensively.
Jeff Franklin: Yep, I remember Charlie O (donkey) from Municipal Stadium in Kansas City where I lived in the 60’s.
John Kunkle: The A’s originated in Philadelphia. They had a successful team. Connie Mack, the manager and owner, sold off the team, who had some great players in the early ’30’s. The team moved to Kansas City, which primarily acted as a farm club for the New York Yankees. The Yankees were always buying the best players from Kansas City to join the Yankees. Charlie O. moved them from Kansas City to Oakland in the late 1960’s. Unfortunately the A’s may be on the move again. The County of Alameda has not approved a new stadium for the A’s. The A’s can’t move to San Jose or the Peninsula as that is considered “Giant’s territory.” They may end up going to Las Vegas like the Raiders. The Golden State Warriors moved from the same site in Oakland to San Francisco when San Francisco built them a new stadium a few years ago. It’s a shame. The A’s have remained competitive despite having a limited payroll – thanks to Billy Beane.
Pete Hymans: Having a swig of bourbon with my dad, my uncle and Alvin Dark, the Giants’ manager – after a night game at Candlestick Park, California! I was way underage but WTF – it was the Giants’ manager and they offered. I still feel the burnnnn.
Scott Roserunner Baldwin: Seeing Willie Mays run in from deep center field to snag a bouncer and without breaking stride throw it to the catcher who tagged the runner from second base out.
Keith Raskin: Sept 4, 2002 A’s against the Royals. I was there to see the A’s almost blow a 11 run lead to 20 game winning streak. They won by a lone walk-off homer in the 9th inning. The game is depicted in-the movie Moneyball.
Jeff Franklin: Kirk Gibson beating the A’s! I hate the Dodgers almost as much as I do the A’s … Awesome moment in sports history.
Jeff Lawrence: The 100th Grey Cup game was a big deal. In Toronto against my Calgary Stampeders in the CFL football. We were so confident we were going to win the game that I personally hand delivered some cigars to the running back before the game started and asked if he would smoke them in the dressing room at the end of the game. He was so confident he not only agreed but offered to bring me in to the dressing room with the guys after the game. And as you guessed, they lost that game. The cigars were never smoked and they returned them to me about a week later. The whole team believed I jinxed them, and that running back never spoke to me again.
Geoff Tomlinson: I started going to the Grey Cup ame (Canadian Football League Championship game) when I was about 11 with my father. I’ll never forget the 15 or so Grey Cups we attended in at least five cities across Canada. It was a great experience for both of us. Later in life I met Jeff Lawrence from Calgary at an MDI convention in Las Vegas. We became friends. A couple of years later the Grey Cup was hosted in Toronto, and Lawrence came to see the game and attend the days of festivities. I went along with him. That started a new tradition of Lawrence and I travelling across the country attending every Grey Cup game together. A distant friend, almost an acquaintance, has become one of my best friends in the world as a result of that shared experience. Lawrence has become more like the brother I never had than a friend over the years. I wouldn’t want life any other way than with him in mine. I owe that to our shared love of the Canadian Football League and MDI.
