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What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

Kepler

Kepler

Si certus es dubita
Deadspin asked this, and I think it's a wonderful question.

My earliest in-person sports memory is going to Shea with my father and brother to see the Mets lose to the Dodgers on 7/7/72. I remember making a joke that the Mets were winning because we'd scored in the first so the linescore evaluated as a single number showed us ahead.

My first TV sports memory is watching the Mets beat the Giants on 5/14/72. The first three Mets hitters walked and Rusty Staub followed with a grand slam.

In each case I was 9.
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

It is an interesting question, but I'm not sure I can be 100% accurate with it.

I have a very detailed and clear recollection of my first major league baseball game that I attended. August 24, 1967, in Chicago. My father and I went to see Mickey Mantle play. Having lived my entire life, to that point, in the middle of North Dakota, Comiskey Park and Chicago in general were an eyeopener to say the least. But maybe my most vivid memory was when Mantle struck out and tossed his batting helmet 20 feet back to the dugout. I was informed that was not proper sportsmanship.

But I'm not sure that was the earliest memory. My grandfather bred, raised and raced Standardbred racehorses. I used to spend summers at his farm and would travel with him to Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg to watch him race. I just have a feeling I would have seen him race before that 1967 ballgame, but I don't have a specific date in mind.
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

Old Tiger Stadium, 1993 or 1994. They were playing the Orioles. I do not remember the score.
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

On TV - 1962 World Series from SF. They showed a picture of the SF Navy Yard in the background with an aircraft carrier.

That would make me 7. I went to game 2 of the 1963 WS and Game 4 of the 1964 WS (& game 4 of the 1969 WS).
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

Watching the Twins in the World Series in 1987. Very vague memories, I remember cheering for specific players, during the series, but don't remember any plays or outcomes (other than from follow-up viewings). After that, my next memory was probably the 1991 World Series, which I have much more vivid memories of. Don't really remember anything in between, but I'm sure those 2 events have stuck in my memory because they're both World Series...pretty significant sporting event.

I was 3 in 1987, 7 in 1991.
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

hank aaron night at three rivers stadium. freezing cold and hank didn't play. may 3 1974 (so mookie was 6)
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

My dad called me in to his bedroom. He had the TV on. Hank Aaron hit his 715th.

April 8, 1974
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

In person Gopers hockey as early as 5 y.o. but memory fails most details. But I remember being in awe of the spectacle, Goldy's perch, the crazy concourses of Williams Arene, the smell of popcorn, the windows and being allowed to reach my hand through holes in the glass to shake hands with players during warm ups.

The Drew Pearson game at Met Stadium.

Rod Carew jersey day at the same.

Can't recall if my first pro hockey experience was North Stars or Saints.

At home my mom jumping up and down on the couch in excitement when Rashad caught the Hail Mary pass against Cleveland.
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

In person: Tiger Stadium in 1987 against the A's in McGwire's rookie year. I was 7. TV: Isiah Thomas' 25 point quarter in the 88 NBA Finals.
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

as a "fan": listening to a professional football championship game on the radio when I was six or so.

In person: Wrigley Field.


for participatory sports: playing catch with my father.
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

Staying home sick from school, and watching the Red Sox play the A's in an afternoon game. Was probably 9 or 10, and all I remember was Vida Blue was pitching. Was an A's fan ever since.

In person was probably as a Little Leaguer, making the trip to Fenway to see a game. All I remember of it was my parents arguing in front of a car full of Little League kids, I think for missing the turn for the way home.
 
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Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

You don't get professional sports in Orono Maine, my first memories would be Umaine or high school related, Football and Basketball. First pro game was with my Dad in Baltimore, memorial stadium, Orioles. Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, Dave Mcnally, Paul Blair, Donnie Buford, Jim Palmer etc. That would have been 71 maybe. Earliest memories would be watching my brother play Football or BBall in High School, He graduated in 64. I'm freakin' old
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

Walking from public school (4th grade) to Hebrew school in 1956 and finding out that Don Larsen had pitched a perfect game. I was 8. That is my first clear memory. I have a vague memory earlier that year of being at a game when Mickey Mantle hit a home run.

As a three-year old, I was sitting on my mother's lap while she was watching the playoff game between the Giants and the Dodgers. She often told me later that she told me at that time that I should remember Bobby Thompson's home run -- but I don't.
 
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Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

Toronto Maple Leafs baseball at Maple Leafs Stadium with Sparky Anderson playing second base around 1960
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

Roger Maris, 61 Home runs. All season long I hoped he wouldn't get it. I think mantle had 51 that year as well. It's a travesty Maris is not in the hall of fame.
The first sporting event I ever went to was the Washington Senators. Camillo Pascual Pitched, the Senators lost, but I can't remember the year. Maybe 1960.Other members of the team included Bob Allison, Harmon Killebrew, Clint Courtney.
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

This game.

Why such a mundane game to remember (Well, I remembered the situation, had to look up the game)? Six year old me didn't remember who won. Just that they told everyone to stick around for a few hours after the game as they were going to film some quick crowd shots of County Stadium for use in some movie to be released the next spring.

But, my father was hungry and cranky, he just wanted to get to the Pizza Hut near the hotel and then go to sleep. So we left after the game.

*sigh* Six year old me could have been an extra in Major League.

I think it was around when I was five or six that my family started taking me to one baseball game a year.


Also remember celebrating my birthday in 1990 with 23,425 other people in Minneapolis. Somehow my mother found a concession stand or someone that had a cupcake for sale, and the usher had a lighter to light a candle on it.

Also at the Brewers/Tigers game in mid-September 1991 where Cecil Fielder hit a HR that cleared the outfield bleachers at County Stadium.
 
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Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

Little league baseball, I was 5 or 6 years old. After reaching base, the next batter popped out. I didn't understand the rules regarding advancing runners after a pop fly was caught. It caused a pause to the game.

As to my first professional memory, it was attending a Twins game. I remember the experience, but not much about the game itself.
 
Re: What Is Your Earliest Sports Memory?

rufus said:
Staying home sick from school, and watching the Red Sox play the A's in an afternoon game.
Click to expand...

On a similar note - although I didn't stay home from school but I remember that I couldn't wait to get home to watch the 1-game playoff - was being able to see Bucky "***king" Dent crush Red Sox nation. Weird thing is that as a Twins fan I had no dog in the hunt but from afar I so respected/admired so many players on both teams - Rivers, Munson, Piniella, Jackson, Nettles, Chambliss, Stanley, Guidry, Gossage, Burleson, Remy, Rice, Yaz, Fisk, Lynn, Evans, Torrez, Stanley...
 
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