I was at the Kings come back over the Red Wings in game 4 of this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. Down three goals with six minutes to play the Kings came back and won the game in OT and eventually the series.
I was also at the Women’s World Cup final between China and the US at the Rose Bowl. I wasn’t excited to go at first, but the crowd and the game itself turned out to be very exciting and fun.
10/16/69. Game 5, Mets came from 3 runs down to win their first World Series.
Summer of 1999 - San Francisco - X-Games -
Tony Hawk pulls off the 900.
The 1984 Olympics, men’s and women’s bicycle road race in Mission Viejo.
It was the only public event. Most of the course was on the beltway around the communnity with the racers on the inner lane and the outer lane open to pedestrians and bikes. A friend and I rode our bikes around the race course during the women’s race working our way to the start/finish line. As the pack came by near the finish saw that at least two american women were at the front. We couldn’t follow to the finish but spotted someone with a portable TV. We made it just in time to watch Connie Carpenter edge out Rebecca Twigg.
Oct. 22, 1997: Making his first ever World Series appearance, Jaret Wright pitches the Indians to a 10-3 victory over the Marlins in Game 4, evening the Series at two games. It was 15 degrees out (a Series record) and snowing, but it was a great game.
Jan 3, 1993, Houston Oilers at Buffalo Bills. Backup Frank Reich orchestrates the greatest comeback in NFL History after trailing by 25 points at the half, and by 32 points just minutes into the 3rd quarter. Jim Kelly is injured, it is cold as a witches brass brassiere cup, and the big, fat, wind-blocking guys to my left had departed at halftime, along with much of the stadium. I was taught at an early age, “it ain’t over 'till it’s over”. A 32 yard Steve Christie field goal in overtime won it for the Bills, 41-38.
I don’t remember the specific dates, but:
October 1981, Montreal Expos defeat the Philadelphia Phillies to win the five game “divisional” playoff 3 games to 2 in a rather chilly day in Philly. 1981 was the strike year, and the last year I lived in Philadelphia.
June 1998, Detroit defeats Washington in Washington to win their second straight Stanley Cup in a sweep. When they wheeled Vladimir Konstantinov out on the ice in his wheelchair to help him celebrate with his teammates, I started crying. And, I was rooting for the Caps then.
While this is a bit OT, here’s the most exciting sporting event I almost went to:
I went with my wife to Yankee Stadium on April 9, 1996 to watch the Yanks make mincemeat out of my beloved Royals (don’t even recall right now whether or not they actually did). The weather was abysmal…snow and sleet…and the Yankees, as a goodwill gesture, gave free passes for all fans who stuck around till game’s end for one of three near-future games. We chose the May 14 game against the Mariners.
On May 2, my oldest son was born. Suddenly, the likelihood of my wife and I going to Yankee Stadium on the 14th seemed remote indeed. I gave the tickets to two friends of mine…
Who witnessed Dwight Gooden’s no-hitter.
I saw Roger Maris’ 61st home run. That, and the last regular season game in which Sandy Koufax was knocked out of the box.
Not as big as the ones mentioned here but-
I was at the last Winnipeg Jets regular season game. It was excellent, emotional and exciting. The entire arena was packed with fans that were sobbing and cheering and yelling.
It was great, and terribly upsetting at the same time.
pld, I was there too, and you’re right, it was a great game. I lucked into seats in the front row, right field lower deck, right behind the “M” in the “Office Max” sign.
The second most exciting game was late December, 1988, when Don Strock led the Browns over the Oilers 28-23 (I think) in a great 4th quarter comeback at old Cleveland Stadium. The snow was swirling all around as the crowd went nuts. Boy, that was fun. The following week the Oilers beat the Browns in the wildcard playoff game, which wasn’t nearly as fun.
None of the major sports games I’ve been to have been phenominal GAMES TO REMEMBER or anything like that. The most exciting games I’ve been to have all been smaller games… Regardless, here is my list…
A> By far the most exciting game I went to was the HOliday Bowl in San Diego. It wasn’t a great game…I remember it was Oklahoma vs. Somebody (BYU? Hawaii?)… and I remember Barry Sanders was one of the RB’s. I also remember the place was ELECTRIC! Absolutely the most fun I’ve ever had at a football game.
B> I saw the Portland Winterhawks beat the Spokane Chiefs in a Game 7 of a playoff series. This is Canadian Hockey League Major Junior Hockey action. Spokane was hosting the Memorial Cup… We (Portland) were ranked #1 all year long and got quite a fight from Spokane in this series. It was a great game… and a wonderful series. This game was serious excitement! (Portland ended up winning the Memorial Cup later in the year. 
)
C> My High School Football team a few years ater I graduated went undefeated… the final game I decided I’d go to. Because we were playing Kelso… who was also undefeated. I’ve NEVER seen attendance like this at a football game, and I went to every one of my HS’s games when I was there. It was SO much fun! We ended up winning in the last minute. It was a great season… (We were ranked #1 in the state… and proceeded to choke big time in the first round of the state tourny… But that game was awesome!)
Anyhow… wish I had some more known games to share… but not yet. (Some of you CHL fans might know the Winterhawks stuff. )
My one Tampa Bay Lightning game a couple of years ago was pretty darn exciting. They didn’t lose!
Of course, it was pre-season.
The most exciting, for me, was Sept 30, 1989. Not many of you will realize just how bad the Kansas State football team was at that time. We were mired in a 30 game non-winning streak that included powerhouses such as Austin Peay.
So by Sept 30, we were already 0-fer, but we showed a little competitiveness, and North Texas State looked like the last best shot at winning a football game before the Big 8 season started. When we got the ball in the fourth quarter with less than 2:00 left, the crowd of 20,000 (in a 40,000 seat stadium) had dwindled to 12-16,000. Carl Straw drove the team 80 yards and scored on a last second pass.
I can tell you that those 15,000 people made more noise than I’ve ever heard from crowds 3 and 4 times as big.
GES
Even though I am not a huge baseball fan, I have been lucky enough to witness to fairly big milestone events:
Saw Hank Aaron hit home run number 715 while I was a kid in Atlanta. We hardly ever went to Braves games (nobody else did, either), but my dad got tickets for several games when Aaron was nearing the record. It was pretty wild when he jacked it out of the park. I mostly remember wild cheering and everyone booing Bowie Kuhn (Comish at the time) when he tried to insert himself in the moment.
Then while I lived in Baltimore I had 29 game season tickets. I got lucky and one of my tickets happened to fall on the day when Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s record for most consecutive games played. We made a lot of noise.
But the most exciting event that I saw was a Miami vs Florida football game they played in Tampa Stadium. I am a big Gator fan, and unfortunately the 'Canes won, but it was a really thrilling finish. Florida had gone up by scoring a late touchdown and we were sure that they had the game won. Then Bernie Kosar marched the Hurricanes to go ahead. The Gators got the ball back and looked like they might drive down the field and win the game, when some DB for Miami intercepted a pass and ran it back for another TD. Final score UM 32-20. It was the only game the Gators lost that year. Sigh. But great drama.
MicronPC.com Bowl, 1999. Illinois traumatizes Virginia 63-21. Plus, I then got to spend the fake Millennium on Miami Beach. Sweeeeet.
Last fall’s OU-NU game was pretty cool. It was the first time Oklahoma had played with a number one ranking on the line since 1987.
1986 Orange Bowl (Not as cool as last January’s shut-out though)
1983 OU-OSU game (OU came back from from 20-3 with 10:00 left to win 21-20)
Note to self:
I will not miss OU-Texas again!
I will not miss OU-Texas again!
I will not miss OU-Texas again!
I will not miss OU-Texas again!
I will not miss OU-Texas again!
I was in the UGA Redcoat marching band and I was there for the amazing defeat of Tennessee after losing to them for nine years.
I was also supposed to be there for UGA’s victory over Purdue at the ??? bowl game two years ago, (the largest comeback ever in bowl history), but I decided to stay home and earn some money over Christmas break. Silly Me.
I saw “The Dunk” (John Starks over two or three Chicago players with seconds left in the fourth . . . though I hate when it is called that) in the Knicks-Bulls playoff series.
Also, a whole bunch of Islanders-Rangers games. Always good. Going to be great this season.
sewalk,
I hear you brother! I’m going to Dallas this year from Atlanta come October. I’m sure there’s a bar at the West End that has my name on it! I can’t wait!
My most exciting sporting event? Hmmm… Nolan Ryan’s seventh No-Hitter on May 1, 1991, or on August 4th, 1993 the day that Nolan Ryan kicked Robin Ventura’s ass!
E3