Was anyone there 40 years ago today,,,

[jaybee]

Neat thread. Thanks everybody. Love the history aspect of all of this !

[RuffMuff]

I was there, I was 13, I think... I sort of remember it. One thing I remember at halftime there was a punt pass and kick competition. I also remember that there was a kid from Pennsylvania that won after throwing a 70 yard pass. I want to know if any of that is my true recollection? Was that kid Jim Kelly? I have been wondering about it for years.

I think the final score was Wash 34 Bflo 17, is that right? I used to have the coin. 40 years, long time. Hope we get a SuperBowl win before I pass.

Great story! "throw to score and run to win.‘’!

[Chef Jim]

RWS is now the 9th oldest stadium in the NFL.

 

List of older stadiums:

Gator Bowl, JAX

Soldier Field, CHI

Lambeau, GB

Mile High, DEN

Arrowhead, KC

Oakland Coliseum, OAK

Quallcom, SD

Candlestick, SF

 

(thanks to billsfanmiami(oh) for the correction)

 

PTR

 

And you can cross The Stick off that list at the end of this year.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

BTW Promo, the stadium in Jacksonville is not older than The Ralph.

 

Also Mile High (Sports Authority Field) in Denver is practically brand new.

[bowery4]

Great story! "throw to score and run to win.‘’!

Thanks, I just wish I could remember all the details.... no one else seems to even mention the PP&K thing (maybe the 70s and all the fun I had at Rich and the Aud back then at concerts erased some stuff, I know I forget a bunch of HS and at least the first 2 years of college).

[JohninMinn.]

I was 17. me and my late dad never missed a kickoff. Mulkey's return got a wtf out of my dad. Still got the coin and a whammie weeny in a box somewhere. Time flys ;-)

[ExWNYer]

They gave out a commemorative coin to everyone in attendance.

Yep, I still have the Coin that they gave away that night.

My parents were at the game and somewhere I still have the commemorative coin they handed out.

 

I was 9 years old at the time, living in Grand Island, but wasn't lucky enough to have attended the game; however, a neighbor across the street went and gave me the commemorative coin. To this day, it's still one of my most cherished pieces of Bills memorabilia. All these years I've I wondered if he ever regretted giving it to me. lol Like many others, I listened to that game on the radio.

 

Thats the one where the Redskin RB (Duane Thomas?) got into it with some fans and threw a thermos into the stands if I recall correctly.

my recollection is sometimes hazy, but i am not quite sure that was the game thomas went into the stands. i was there for both(opening game and thomas altercation), just not sure if it was the same game, but chances are it could have been.

 

That was the Duane Thomas game.

 

http://www.profootba...king--football/

 

I was there, I was 13, I think... I sort of remember it. One thing I remember at halftime there was a punt pass and kick competition. I also remember that there was a kid from Pennsylvania that won after throwing a 70 yard pass. I want to know if any of that is my true recollection? Was that kid Jim Kelly? I have been wondering about it for years.I think the final score was Wash 34 Bflo 17, is that right? I used to have the coin. 40 years, long time. Hope we get a SuperBowl win before I pass.

 

Apparently, not. Kelly reached the national semifinals at San Diego in 1970 and won his local competition in 1971.

 

http://www.isledegra...elly1-13-05.htm

 

That was nothing. I used to pedal my way to Crystal Beach on my 20" banana bike. (Anyone remember those?) Back then the customs agents thought nothing of letting me in. Can you imagine an unaccompanied 13 year old on a bike trying to get into Canada now?

 

PTR

With sissy bar?GO BILLS!!!

 

Yes, I had both.

 

http://www.bicyclehe....org/page6.html

 

Neat thread. Thanks everybody. Love the history aspect of all of this !

Ditto.

Edited August 18, 2013 by ExWNYer

[maddenboy]

RWS is now the 9th oldest stadium in the NFL.

 

List of older stadiums:

Gator Bowl, JAX

Soldier Field, CHI

Lambeau, GB

Mile High, DEN

Arrowhead, KC

Oakland Coliseum, OAK

Quallcom, SD

Candlestick, SF

 

(thanks to billsfanmiami(oh) for the correction)

 

PTR

 

I live in Cali now. I remember about 3 years ago something I heard on sports radio and couldnt believe. Until I thought about it.

 

The 3 oldest stadia in the NFL are all in California. I guess because there's no weather, they dont deteriorate nearly as quickly.

 

And fans in SD are crying so much about a new stadium. And fans in SF finally broke down.

 

And if you count the Colliseum when the Rams / Raiders were here, I think that would be the top 4 oldest.

Edited August 18, 2013 by maddenboy

[Bills Fan since '64]

...when the Bills inaugurated Rich Stadium in a preseason loss to the Redskins? Though I missed that one (was in Montreal watching Henry Aaron hit homer 703 in Jarry Park), I was lucky to see a few of O.J.'s big games that year. It was a very, very different feel from the Old Rockpile, much as I liked that place.

 

I was there, although it wasn't the inauguration of "Rich Stadium," it was the inauguration of the "Home of the Buffalo Bills." Ralph was still fighting with Erie County over the name.

 

Opening kickoff - Bills kicked off and Washington ran it back for a TD.

 

The traffic was so bad that many people didn't arrive until halftime. Coming from Rochester, the heavy traffic started at Depew. My buddies and I got the smart idea of bypassing Exit 55 and getting off at Exit 56 instead, probably the only reason we got there before the game started.

[Speedy G]

I was there..it was on my 13th Birthday ... Have the coin and the game day mag too! Remember that kick off return vividly, we sat in the end zone he caught it and he kept running and running...crazy! I'll never forget it!!!

[John Gianelli]

I was there, although it wasn't the inauguration of "Rich Stadium," it was the inauguration of the "Home of the Buffalo Bills." Ralph was still fighting with Erie County over the name.

 

Opening kickoff - Bills kicked off and Washington ran it back for a TD.

 

The traffic was so bad that many people didn't arrive until halftime. Coming from Rochester, the heavy traffic started at Depew. My buddies and I got the smart idea of bypassing Exit 55 and getting off at Exit 56 instead, probably the only reason we got there before the game started.

 

Thanks for the correction. Someone on Facebook said it was called "Erie County Stadium." I don't remember that.

[dib]

My parents were at the game and somewhere I still have the commemorative coin they handed out.

 

I have the coin, card and ticket. Cost me 7$ to see Herb Mul-Key return the inaugural kick off for a TD

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

Also Mile High (Sports Authority Field) in Denver is practically brand new.

I know both Mile High and the Gator Bowl were refurbished, but they aren't completely new stadiums, are they? Most of those stadiums received refurbs including Soldier Field. I only counted stadiums originally built before 1973.

 

PTR

[bowery4]

http://www.bicyclehe...product846.html

 

Apparently, not. Kelly reached the national semifinals at San Diego in 1970 and won his local competition in 1971.

 

http://www.isledegra...elly1-13-05.htm

 

 

[/size]

 

Yes, I had both.

 

http://www.bicyclehe....org/page6.html

 

 

Ditto.

Thanks for the Kelly info, since he is 53 (I am almost 4 months older than him) he must have been 10 when he did the PPandK I think, like his nephew. I thought they had 13 year olds at Rich that day, I remember because I was 13 as well (and I was in awe!).

Banana bikes,

I had this one http://www.nemusclebikes.com/bc23.php (bottom of the page, but the rims were chrome and it had the sissy bar)I got it when I was five and had til I was 20. I owned about 5 bikes and some mini bike when I was a teen loved working on them. I loved that bike, gave it to my nephew and he gave it to his as far as I know, it is still around in the family somewhere. I hope. I might look into that if I ever get back to WNY.

Edited August 18, 2013 by bowery4

[San Jose Bills Fan]

I know both Mile High and the Gator Bowl were refurbished, but they aren't completely new stadiums, are they? Most of those stadiums received refurbs including Soldier Field. I only counted stadiums originally built before 1973.

 

PTR

 

The original Gator Bowl Stadium was demo'd in 1994 and the new stadium in Jax was built in 1995 from the ground up.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gator_Bowl#Venues

 

The original Mile High Stadium was demolished in 2001 after the Broncos moved into the new stadium the same year.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_High_Stadium

[ronnieroscoe]

I was seven, it was my first game ever attending. Dad thought transit road was best route, but traffic tie ups cost us entire first half. So we were listening on radio as herb mul-key ran back kickoff for touchdown then finally walking into stadium then getting to our aisle and seeing shiny green turf, bright lights and marching band--its all still vivid in my mind forty years later..hard to believe its been forty years. I went to nearly every home game from 1973 to 1983 before graduating high school. I will always remember August 17, 1973. instant die hard fan from that moment on.

[Never NEVER Give-up]

Listened to it on the radio. When the opening kick was returned for the TD by the 'Skins, I turned off the radio and went outside to play some football with my friends!

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

Yep I was there. My memories:

 

1) Duane Thomas climbing up into the stands to go after somebody who threw a thermos at him during the national anthem

2) Herb Mul-Key running back the opening kickoff for a TD

3) the stands being more than half empty at kickoff due to traffic issues and huge lines at the gates.

 

I recently came across my program from this game. Wonder if it's worth anything...

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

The original Gator Bowl Stadium was demo'd in 1994 and the new stadium in Jax was built in 1995 from the ground up.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gator_Bowl#Venues

 

The original Mile High Stadium was demolished in 2001 after the Broncos moved into the new stadium the same year.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_High_Stadium

RWS is now #6, I guess. Would you consider the refurbs of Lambeau and Soldier Fields as new stadiums?

 

PTR

Edited August 20, 2013 by PromoTheRobot

[phxbacker]

I went with my dad at age 5. Remember it like it was yesterday ... we'll not really. But, I have my coin