One more thing to cross off my to do list

[wilson]

Yesterday, in one of the thrills of my life, I saw a game at Yankee Stadium. I am visiting a couple of good friends here in NYC, and even when this trip's planning was in but the embryonic stages, I knew I had to get there. It was pretty cool to know that this would be the one and only time I'd ever get to go there (what with the stadium's impending '08 demise), and it was everything I could ever have wanted: Beautiful day (a somewhat odd 30-minute rain dely notwithstanding), packed house, even a rivalry game. As a Braves fan, I even had the added joy of rooting against the mets. I wouldn't have dreamed of walking into that stadium and rooting for the visitors, but seeing the Yanks take on the mets made it really easy. I sat with one of my best friends, a fellow Braves fan and Duke grad. We both wore our Braves hats, rooted like hell for the Yankees, and topped it all off by (perhaps a bit obnoxiously) saluting each good Yanks play with the tomahawk chop.
I've now covered some pretty hallowed sporting grounds: I've watched the Braves clinch the NL pennant twice, been to two World Series games, and attended NBA and NFL playoff games and the Masters. Cameron Indoor is of course on my list of sporting cathedrals visited, but I've also now visited baseball's big three (Wrigley, Fenway, Yankee).
Sorry to talk about how great my life is; it was just really a treat and I wanted to share with some folks I figured could share in my excitement.

[Bob Green]

Congratulations! I think it is great you've watched games in those great stadiums. Personally, I watched the 1978 Kentucky Derby live. It was an awesome experience and the last year a horse won the Triple Crown (Affirmed). Every year, I am happy when the Triple Crown doesn't happen so I can still say, "I was at the Kentucky Derby the last time a horse won and went on to take the Triple Crown."

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

[Windsor]

I grew up near New York and spent a lot of time in Yankee Stadium in my youth...have also been to Fenway and Wrigley (and 11 other major league parks - I'll be hitting Jacobs Field in Cleveland on Tuesday), all three triple crown races (different years), the Indy 500 (I think there was a race going on...) a Super bowl, world series, final four and of course Cameron. Left on my sports list...a Michigan - Ohio State game...in Michigan Stadium (my aunt was a huge Michigan football fan),a Packers game in Lambeau (frozen tundra and all), walk across Swilken Bridge on the old course at St. Andrews, and I would love to be able to see a round at the Masters (and my husband would immediately file for divorce if he didn't go to).

Certain sporting events and/or venues are just special. It is always a great thrill to check one of your list!

Loni

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Title is not a knock against repeating our feats! Not at all.

I grew up in NY and went to many games at The Stadium, first time in 1961.
I saw Mickey Mantle, still my idol, hit his 536th and last home run.
I went to the 4th game of the 1976 World Series (Yanks lost in 4 to the Reds )
I went to the Belmont Stakes in 1977 and saw Secretariat win the Triple Crown (still my only horse race).
I've been to two Final Fours - 1978 in St. Louis and 1999 in Tampa.
I've been to 2 Super Bowls - 1971 in Miami (Colts vs. Cowboys) and 1972 in New Orleans (my Dolphins vs. Cowboys, played in the very old Sugar Bowl stadium)
I have been to 2 Masters tourney's, 3rd and 4th rounds at each (1993 and 1994)
I have been to the 1999 and 2005 US Opens at Pinehurst.
I have permanent residence in Cameron during bball season and Wallace Wade ruing fball season.

[DevilAlumna]

Sounds like a great game, on many many levels.

Thanks, also, for reminding me about my first and only trip to Yankee Stadium -- it was on a Father/Daughter trip to NYC, and I must have been about 13. My dad taught me how to score a baseball game (I was already pretty good w/ the basketball stats.) We sat next to this OCD season-ticket holder who repeated the same cheers over and over so much, we still quote them to this day. I don't remember who the Yankees played, or the outcome of the game, but it was a day I'll never forget.


EDIT: Nearly forgot, but also worth mentioning -- I got to see the inaugural game of the now defunct WUSA, at DC's RFK stadium. That was fun, just for the novelty of it; I never went to another WUSA game, though. (Apparently, no one else did, either.)

[mapei]

Congrats, Wilson! And good stories from others. Oh, let's see:

Yankee Stadium once (but I'm not a baseball fan so it was sorta wasted on me).
World Series in Baltimore (that was cool)
Cameron (only twice so far, but wow)
Tour de France two years (4 stages altogether)
Cycling World Championships
Wimbledon
Davis Cup semis
early-round NFL and NBA playoffs, ACC tourney, minor bowl games . . .

I really, really should have gone to some World Cup matches when it was in DC (1994, was it?), but somehow I didn't get it together.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I was at Fenway Park watching the O's play the Sox on the afternoon of July 20, 1969, a date I will never forget. Are you old enough to remember? Where were you when the Eagle landed?

[rthomas]

I saw Jimi Hendrix at Charlotte along witht the Monkees.
I saww the original Allman Bros. at Clemson in 73.
I saw the Grateful Dead at Charlotte and at Cameron.

I saw Shaq (LSU) play against Laettner (Duke) and many Duke games. And I'd rather see Duke than the Yankees any day.

[Bostondevil]

I went to the 4th game of the 1976 World Series (Yanks lost in 4 to the Dodgers )
I went to the Belmont Stakes in 1977 and saw Secretariat win the Triple Crown (still my only horse race).

First, jealous about the Belmont, I fell in love with Secretariat that day.

Second, I believe you were at that World Series game but I hate to tell you, the Yanks lost to the Reds in 4 in 1976, the heyday of the Big Red Machine. I grew up a Reds fan thanks to dear old dad, the Red Sox didn't get me until my early twenties.

I saw Bob Horner hit 4 home runs in one game against the Montreal Expos at Fulton County Stadium on July 5th, 1986.
I've been to one Final Four - 1986.
I've been to one ALCS game - 2003 Sox/Yankees, the only Sox victory at Fenway that year.
I've been to a Ryder Cup.
Besides Cameron, that's about it for sports.
I did see Larry Bird play in the Boston Garden and Michael Jordan play in the 1981 NC High School Basketball Tournament.
I've seen Barishnikov dance.
I saw the Red Hot Chilli Peppers before the original member died of a heroin overdose.
I saw REM when they were still a club band, the Indigo Girls too.
Those are just right place/right time mostly. I'm not really sure what's on my to do list. I should think about it.

[Windsor]

I am also jealous about Secretariat. I loved that horse!

I did see Mickey Mantle's last homer in Yankee Stadium....during an 'old timers' game. It was a 100 in the shade...DiMaggio was there (didn't play but still brought the house down) Whitey Ford was pitching and he looked at Mantle at the plate and kind of nodded and then just laid in a lazy fast ball letters high and Mantle knocked it into the bleachers. What a thrill!

[Bob Green]

I was at Fenway Park watching the O's play the Sox on the afternoon of July 20, 1969, a date I will never forget. Are you old enough to remember? Where were you when the Eagle landed?

I am old enough to remember and I was in Fayetteville, NC when the Eagle landed.

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Second, I believe you were at that World Series game but I hate to tell you, the Yanks lost to the Reds in 4 in 1976, the heyday of the Big Red Machine. I grew up a Reds fan thanks to dear old dad, the Red Sox didn't get me until my early twenties.

Thanks for pointing out the error. I have corrected my original post. As noted as the reason for editing, I sometimes suffer from CRS disease...

[mr. synellinden]

Of all my sports experiences, one will always be at the top of the list and I can't see it ever being topped:

The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA, March 28, 1992.

Although being in Cameron to watch Duke beat Kansas in 1991 is right there with it.

[Windsor]

Of all my sports experiences, one will always be at the top of the list and I can't see it ever being topped:

The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA, March 28, 1992.

Although being in Cameron to watch Duke beat Kansas in 1991 is right there with it.

if there was one sporting event I could go back in history and attend that would be the one

[mr. synellinden]

If you could go back in time and attend one sporting event that you missed live, what would it be?

The first thought that came to me was the 1980 Lake Placid game against the USSR. Hmm ... I have to give this additional thought.

[Windsor]

besides being in the spectrum...Maris' 61st home run, Lake Placid 1980 US vs USSR, Secretariat running the Belmont...Don Larson's perfect game in the World Series...Reggie hitting 4 HRs in the playoffs...the one game playoff Boston v. NY in '78 ... I'm sure I could think of lots more...but my flight is boarding!

[mapei]

I don't dare start on music, since that has been a pretty major part of my life.

But what's especially cool, if I understand Wilson's original post correctly, is the *first* time you encounter something in person that has long been a passion of yours. For me, a tennis player since junior HS, that might have been going to Wimbledon, the hallowed ground. That was a huge deal to me, and I can still remember the excitement walking into the grounds. Likewise my first time in Cameron, to be honest. It's not the eventual length of the list that matters.

[hurleyfor3]

Every year, I am happy when the Triple Crown doesn't happen so I can still say, "I was at the Kentucky Derby the last time a horse won and went on to take the Triple Crown."

I was at the last World Series game played in Chicago. I should be able to make this statement for quite some time.

Also, I attended the last ever true ACC basketball game before the conference was whored out to the football schools, the 2004 ACC Championship. (If you think this happened with the addition of FSU, I was at the 1991 championship game as well.)

[Rich]

I was at the last game played by Michael Jordan as a Chicago Bull (in Utah, against the Jazz, hitting the shot at the buzzer to win the championship). Not many people outside of Salt Lake City can say that and I should be able to say that for quite awhile.

I must say, however, that I was peaved when he un-retired to play with the Wizards. I used to be able to say that I was at the last NBA game played by Michael Jordan, period.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

If you could go back in time and attend one sporting event that you missed live, what would it be?

The Duke - Kentucky game in 1992.

No, wait, the Duke - UNLV game in 1991.

I can't choose just one! I want both, but can't have either