* Lions Memories
I was introduced to spectator sports at the hands of the Detroit Lions. Yes, the first professional sports game I witnessed was a Friday night pre-season game against the Baltimore Colts at Tiger Stadium. I attended the game with my father, an uncle, and my brother, Dan.
I remember the awe I was in, as we walked towards our seats on the first-base side... the lights blaring on the lush green grass, the vast light towers, and my first glimpse at a pro athlete. At the end of the lower-deck approach to the field was Johnny Unitas tossing warm-up balls in front of the visitors dugout. It was unreal! I was only about 10 years old, but I knew about Johnny Unitas; and his black hightops looked even more awesome, from about 10 yards away.
I don't recall whether the Lions won that game; it didn't matter to me. It was all about being there, and the seeds were planted to becoming a sports fan. I remember the Lion quartebacks were Jim Ninowski and Earl Morrall; George wilson was the head coach. Terry Barr and Gail Caudill were the recievers, Yale Lary comes to mind, along with Joe Schmidt, Alex Karras, Dick La Beau, Wayne Walker, Jim Martin. I was proud being a Detroit Lions fan, and a few years later, I began going to games on a regular basis. When I began driving, I used to get up at 6 a.m. on Mondays, to go down to the ticket office to get bleacher seats. Occasionally, I'd call my Uncle Hal, who was a sports writer for the Free Press, to ask him if I could use his seats... he was always up in the rafters during the games, and was pleased to hear from you. I went to my first Thanksgiving Day game in 1962 compliments of Hal Schram, and was hooked; the Lions sacked Bart Starr SEVEN times that afternoon. Beginning with 1968, I went to 28 straight after that. I was there when the Raiders had them down 28-0, and Detroit came back to win. I was there the day Chuck Hughes died on the field... Butkus jumping up and down waving towards the Lions bench, the collective gasp of over 54,000 in unison, then so quiet you could have heard a pin drop, with the sirens wailing from the ambulance outside the stadium, the first time Nick Eddy touched the ball for a 75 yard TD return, the blizzard against the Vikings, with Milt Plum's interception late in a scoreless game... the snowballs thrown at Harry Gilmer, Van Patrick in my ear calling the play, while I shivered in the bleachers, watching Mel Farr riping up the sidelines, the game against the Jets, where Barry reached 2000 yards, and Mike Utley paralyzed. I've been a season ticket holder in the past at the Silverdome, until it couldn't stand it anymore... giving them up one season before the move back downtown. Two years ago, I quit going to the Thanksgiving Day game, after making to 30 of 33; it was the biggest part of the day for me, but it just didn't matter anymore, when you care more than the front office.
Today, I feel totally betrayed by the Detroit Lions, and I'm ready to completely throw in the towell. I use to organize fantasy football leagues, but I don't care anymore. I don't care about going to games, and think more about how indoor football isn't really football anyway. After this pre-season, I'll be disappointed in myself, if I even waste any time watching a game on the tube, or get annoyed listening to them on the radio. Even writing about them is a waste of time, but the needed therapy to put this circus time to rest.
Enjoy the season, Lion fans, and may God have mercy on you all. Amen.
garold
I remember the awe I was in, as we walked towards our seats on the first-base side... the lights blaring on the lush green grass, the vast light towers, and my first glimpse at a pro athlete. At the end of the lower-deck approach to the field was Johnny Unitas tossing warm-up balls in front of the visitors dugout. It was unreal! I was only about 10 years old, but I knew about Johnny Unitas; and his black hightops looked even more awesome, from about 10 yards away.
I don't recall whether the Lions won that game; it didn't matter to me. It was all about being there, and the seeds were planted to becoming a sports fan. I remember the Lion quartebacks were Jim Ninowski and Earl Morrall; George wilson was the head coach. Terry Barr and Gail Caudill were the recievers, Yale Lary comes to mind, along with Joe Schmidt, Alex Karras, Dick La Beau, Wayne Walker, Jim Martin. I was proud being a Detroit Lions fan, and a few years later, I began going to games on a regular basis. When I began driving, I used to get up at 6 a.m. on Mondays, to go down to the ticket office to get bleacher seats. Occasionally, I'd call my Uncle Hal, who was a sports writer for the Free Press, to ask him if I could use his seats... he was always up in the rafters during the games, and was pleased to hear from you. I went to my first Thanksgiving Day game in 1962 compliments of Hal Schram, and was hooked; the Lions sacked Bart Starr SEVEN times that afternoon. Beginning with 1968, I went to 28 straight after that. I was there when the Raiders had them down 28-0, and Detroit came back to win. I was there the day Chuck Hughes died on the field... Butkus jumping up and down waving towards the Lions bench, the collective gasp of over 54,000 in unison, then so quiet you could have heard a pin drop, with the sirens wailing from the ambulance outside the stadium, the first time Nick Eddy touched the ball for a 75 yard TD return, the blizzard against the Vikings, with Milt Plum's interception late in a scoreless game... the snowballs thrown at Harry Gilmer, Van Patrick in my ear calling the play, while I shivered in the bleachers, watching Mel Farr riping up the sidelines, the game against the Jets, where Barry reached 2000 yards, and Mike Utley paralyzed. I've been a season ticket holder in the past at the Silverdome, until it couldn't stand it anymore... giving them up one season before the move back downtown. Two years ago, I quit going to the Thanksgiving Day game, after making to 30 of 33; it was the biggest part of the day for me, but it just didn't matter anymore, when you care more than the front office.
Today, I feel totally betrayed by the Detroit Lions, and I'm ready to completely throw in the towell. I use to organize fantasy football leagues, but I don't care anymore. I don't care about going to games, and think more about how indoor football isn't really football anyway. After this pre-season, I'll be disappointed in myself, if I even waste any time watching a game on the tube, or get annoyed listening to them on the radio. Even writing about them is a waste of time, but the needed therapy to put this circus time to rest.
Enjoy the season, Lion fans, and may God have mercy on you all. Amen.
garold
posted by garold at 1:04 PM
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