I got to thinking about this after hundreds of Miami Heat fans left the arena with :28 to go in Game 6 of the NBA Finals and the Heat down by five… only to come back and win one of the greatest NBA games ever played. Seems security would not let fans back in due to the no-return policy, which is, umm, completely awesome. It reminded me of Kirk Gibson’s dramatic Game 1 homer in the 1988 World Series. As the ball descended into the right field seats, you could see brake lights of cars in the parking lot, missing what is arguably the greatest home run baseball history (yeah, yeah, Mazeroski and Thompson; I said arguably).
So surely we have our own misses, right?
Mine: at a seemingly meaningless – and boring – Dodgers-Mets game in the early '90’s, my buddy wanted a hot dog and asked one of our group to get it for him. I agreed to go with him. The crowd erupted while we were in the concession lines when this happened, probably the most amazing catch in Dodgers history. Still bugs me that I was at the game but didn’t see it. All because Zook wanted a hot dog.
Another time, watching on TV (yes, TV counts), Game 3 of the 1977 NLCS, the Dodgers mounted an amazing 3-run rally with two outs in the 9th to win 6-5. I was in the kitchen when Vic Davallilo started it with a bunt single, so I stayed there throughout the entire rally because I was superstitious. My best friend relayed to me the play-by-play. So all you Dodger fans have me to thank for that game!
I went to the bathroom last night with 2:14 left in the Bruins/Blackhawks game, when the score was 2-1 Bruins. Sue me, I thought they were going to commercial and I really had to go. I came out just in time to see the Blackhawks score, said “Oh shit, another overtime”, to then look up at the score and see that it was now 3-2 Blackhawks.
I remember a Monday Night Football game I was watching back in 1985. I left for about ten minutes to run across the street to the grocery store. When I got back they were showing endless replays of Lawrence Taylor snapping Joe Theismann’s leg like a twig.
I was watching British Open golf some years ago. Some Frenchman I had never heard of before, Jan van de Velde, had a three shot lead with one hole to play. I was hungry and figured that this was over, so I went to get some take out food. I get back and there are three guys about to start a playoff. I was trying to figure out wtf I missed.
A friend of mine from south Florida had a good story about people leaving a game too early. He is originally from Buffalo, and some family members went to a playoff game between the Bills and the old Houston Oilers. They left shortly after halftime, with much of the crowd, when the Oilers were up about 35-3. The Bills, of course, made a historic comeback to eventually win the game. Many who left tried to get back in, but security wouldn’t allow it. To make matters worse, the game was not a sell out, so it was not being shown on local TV. My friend got a number of people asking if he had recorded the game, which he had. So he sent his tape up to his family.
Well, no one should feel sorry for me, because I got to see two great World Series games, but…
In 1978, when I was a high school student, I scraped together just enough money to order World Series tickets at Yankee Stadium.
You HAD to buy a pair of tickets for all 3 games, and I really couldn’t afford them, but I figured I’d recoup part/most of the cost by selling a pair of of tickets for ONE of the games.
The game I sold my tickets for was the game in which Graig Nettles made several spectacular diving catches, to help beat the Dodgers. I got to see the Yanks win two other games, but I’d love to have been there for THAT game.
I have my own misses, 1973 U.S. Open I was watching Arnie or Jack while Johnny Miller was shooting his 63. Missed the seventh game of the 1960 World Series because I was not permitted to miss school, though I got home in time to see Mazeroski’s home run, but the two biggest misses I ever heard about were Bob Prince leaving the press box in game 7 of the 1960 series in order to get to the Yankee dressing room in time for post-game interviews thus missing Maz’s home run and Art Rooney Sr. leaving his box in the 1972 Steeler-Raider playoff game to get to the Steeler dressing room and thus missing Franco’s Immaculate Reception. Can you imagine Mr. Rooney owing the team for 39 years and missing the biggest play in football history?
I missed the Bartman play, because I had turned the game off in disgust, thinking that the Cubs were certain to win, and gone to bed. (I’m a White Sox fan.)
When I was in college, my suitemates and I were watching the World Series, and drinking beer. I really really had to go to the bathroom, and figured , ah hell, no way a gimpy Kirk Gibson’s gonna do anything here…
I bailed on the Bruins in Game 7 vs. Toronto, down 3 goals in the middle of the 3rd, it seemed pretty obvious there wasn’t a point anymore. My son wanted to keep watching, fortunately, because I could hear him yell “It’s tied!” in time to get back to the set. I’d still rather have been through the emotional rollercoaster of a good comeback, though.
I’ve told this story here before, but at my first and only game at Fenway Park, I was looking the wrong way when John Valentin completed this unassisted triple play. Not necessarily the most exciting play in the world, but one of the rarest in the MLB, rarer than a perfect game. There have been a total of 15 unassisted triple plays in the modern era, and at that time, it was the 10th.
I have a similar story, though the even I missed wasn’t quite as rare.
I was at a SF Giants game a number of years ago (they were still playing at Candlestick), when I failed to notice a straight up steal of home. I can’t recall exactly what I was watching at the time, but I know I was looking at the field, just not at the right place.
I comfort myself with the knowledge that I was at least paying every bit as much attention as the pitcher…
Cardinals vs. Giants, August 1982. My wife asked me to get her a beer before they cut off sales. While I was on my way down to the concession stand I missed Lonnie Smith hitting an inside the park home run.
1993 World Series. Stormy night where I lived. Bottom of the 9th power goes out. Next morning read in paper that Joe Carter hit a 3 run homer to win the series.
Not me, but my Dad likes to frequently mention that he missed Adam Ameche scoring the game winning touchdown for his beloved team, the Baltimore Colts, during the “Greatest Game Ever Played,” because Mom went into labor with my oldest brother, their first child.
For me it was the Music City Miracle, which happened while I was taking a leak.
I just missed seeing a Perfect Game three years ago.
I was watching the Tigers playing the Indians. It was around the sixth inning when I realized what was going on (the announcers are never any help in these situations :)). Even got to see the 27th out, only to have it taken away.
Maybe that’s not quite what the OP had in mind, but I don’t care. I’m still bitter.
Down here in Aus, we were just starting to get some overseas sport live. Wimbledon was one of the first. Anyway, Ken Rosewall has a great run and makes the Semi-Final at age 39.
He was playing Stan Smith - and lost the first 2 sets. he was down 4-1 or 5-1 in the 3rd, and I decided I didn’t want to watch the last rites (it was well after midnight in Melbourne).
Anyway, the next morning the back page of the paper said ‘Hail Mighty Muscles’ - (Rosewall’s nickname). Great comeback - and I missed it.
The worst part was the next night, I then had to watch ALL of the final where Jimmy Connors slaughtered him - no comeback this time. At least it was quick.
