Ye old Rockpile

[Ceeps]

Went to a number of games with my Dad in the mid sixties. Will never forget the mad scrambles for the football in the west end zone stands after PATs. Saw Joe Willy throw 5 interceptions in one game and Paul Costa make one of the best tight end catches I've ever seen.

[ColoradoBills]

13 minutes ago, purple haze said:

The Bills playing at the rock was before my time.  As a kid, I used to go to some Bison games in the summmertime with my Grandpops. Talk about a no frills building.  I loved being in there though. Every color seemed bright: the field, the uniforms.  

 

I used to go to church on Southampton Street.  Had family on Michigan Ave.  I remember when the Bison did something good you could hear the roar of the crowd from blocks away and you know the joint wasn't full.  Can only imagine the sound when the Bills were playing.

 

LOL, that's an understatement.  I was scared to go to the bathroom alone when I was a kid.  It was like the Black Hole of Calcutta.

[coloradobillsfan]

5 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Of course you know that's where the filmed "The Natural" with Robert Redford?

 

They gave us a hot dog and a coke to sit in the stands next to cardboard cutouts of fans.  Told us to wear black and white clothes.  My friend scored a speaking line in the movie:  (to Roy) "What's it take to be a big leaguer?"  He bought an Apple IIe computer with the money he made IIRC.  

[custcarcen]

4 hours ago, chris heff said:

My brother played there, he was St. Joe’s QB in early 1960s. I think they played Canisius.

 

 

WMS was the home field for Canisius High for a while.

 

Went to many Bills  games as a youth as seats in the baseball box seats-field level behind the dugout-

were $1 for kids 16 and under.

[T master]

Never had the pleasure heard about it & may have seen a game from there on TV . Thanks for the post good read ! 

[PromoTheRobot]

4 minutes ago, T master said:

Never had the pleasure heard about it & may have seen a game from there on TV . Thanks for the post good read ! 

 

It's was a dump. Beloved, but a dump.

[Colorado Mike]

When I was a young lad our dad took my brother and me to a few Bills games there and some Bisons games as well.  Considering that was a long time ago and I was rather young, I could be mis-remembering but I seem to recall some times at the Bisons games a ball would occasionally land in some pool or fountain and the announcer would say "splash".  I also recall being at the last Bills game played there and seeing fans after the game tearing down the goal posts.

[Chandler#81]

7 hours ago, Ceeps said:

Went to a number of games with my Dad in the mid sixties. Will never forget the mad scrambles for the football in the west end zone stands after PATs. Saw Joe Willy throw 5 interceptions in one game and Paul Costa make one of the best tight end catches I've ever seen.

My uncle caught a Jan Stenerud XP and gave it to me. The Duke!

 

8 hours ago, lookylookyherecomescookie said:

Home opener 1969 was against the Jets, who had won the super bowl the previous january.  When the Jets were introduced prior to the kickoff, I remember them getting a standing ovation from the  Bills crowd,  for being the first AFL team to beat the hated NFL. That was when the 2 leagues were still separate, and only shared the draft and the super bowl. That stadium had 'character' 

Yep. There was a banner brought on to the field by the Jill’s congratulating the Jets -and the AFL for being World Champs. They weren’t very nice guests though as they clubbed us...

 

Rockpile pics

 

[John Gianelli]

10 hours ago, Colorado Mike said:

When I was a young lad our dad took my brother and me to a few Bills games there and some Bisons games as well.  Considering that was a long time ago and I was rather young, I could be mis-remembering but I seem to recall some times at the Bisons games a ball would occasionally land in some pool or fountain and the announcer would say "splash".  I also recall being at the last Bills game played there and seeing fans after the game tearing down the goal posts.

 

That's because there was (and still is) a pool adjacent to the stadium. The announcer (Norman Oklahoma, IIRC) would also say that at Bisons games at Hyde Park Stadium in the Falls where they played for a season or two.

 

At the Bills last game, I was sitting in the bleachers in the end zone and the fans were trying to rip up the wooden slats to take as souvenirs. I got a small chunk of one, which was probably worth the splinters. I think it had moss growing on it, or maybe it was mold.

[BritBill]

In geographical terms where was The Rockpile? I'm presuming it wasn't in Orchard Park where New Era is now. 

[John Gianelli]

Going there as a kid and sitting up high along the Dodge Street side, I remember on a frigid day the most creative pitch ever by a beer vendor: "Get your ice cold hot warm Genesee beer here!" Also, there was a guy named Old Sam, who in retrospect was probably only in his forties, who tried to slide down one of the handrails. He fell off, and I still remember the thud his head made against the concrete. His friends just laughed it off. Anyone else remember Old Sam?

 

At the Bison games there was a vendor who was probably in his teens, and his voice would crack. Instead of "cold pop!" it sounded like "cold paaaaaaaaaaaap!"

 

At the Bison games there were a lot fewer people, and a lot of lulls in the action so the vendors were more noticeable than at a Bills game. Pretty much every vendor had a distinct personality. The Earl of Bud and Conehead stand out. I think the Earl of Bud also had a brother who was a vendor, but he wasn't as flamboyant as the Earl.

 

The photo is from an Old Timers Game in 1984. I pretty sure that was Willie Mays at bat.

1 minute ago, BritBill said:

In geographical terms where was The Rockpile? I'm presuming it wasn't in Orchard Park where New Era is now. 

At the corner of Jefferson and Best in Buffalo. It was on higher ground, the site of an earlier reservoir for the city water system I believe. There was also an entrance along Dodge Street.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

2 hours ago, John Gianelli said:

At the corner of Jefferson and Best in Buffalo. It was on higher ground, the site of an earlier reservoir for the city water system I believe. There was also an entrance along Dodge Street.

Google Maps street view shows an excellent image of what is left of War Memorial Stadium, if you go to Dodge St. and Jefferson Ave., and look southwest.  The Wiley building was repurposed from the original WMS.

[ExWNYer]

21 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Google Maps street view shows an excellent image of what is left of War Memorial Stadium, if you go to Dodge St. and Jefferson Ave., and look southwest.  The Wiley building was repurposed from the original WMS.

 

I was only 9 when Rich Stadium opened and I never got the chance to see anything at 'The Rockpile'. It may have been a 'dump' but I would love to have been able to say I was there at some point. I love history. Thanks to everyone here who has painted a vivid image for those of us who were never there. I did get to see the Sabres and Braves at 'The Aud' so I am thankful for that. Here is a cool video of War Memorial Stadium. No shots of the Bills and mostly baseball images but a cool look at a bygone era nonetheless.

 

 

[John Gianelli]

4 hours ago, BritBill said:

In geographical terms where was The Rockpile? I'm presuming it wasn't in Orchard Park where New Era is now. 

At the corner of Jefferson and Best in Buffalo. It was on higher ground, the site of an earlier reservoir for the city water system I believe. There was also an entrance along Dodge Street.

 

It seems hard to believe that in four years, New Era/the Ralph/Rich Stadium will be as old as The Rockpile was when it was torn down!

[purple haze]

4 hours ago, BritBill said:

In geographical terms where was The Rockpile? I'm presuming it wasn't in Orchard Park where New Era is now. 

In the city, on the east side.  Jefferson Avenue between Dodge and Best.   

Edited April 15, 2020 by purple haze

[chaccof]

I feel certain my dad took me to a game or two at the Rockpile but can't recall specifics.  I know he and my mom went to the '64 championship game and my mom got hurt when they ran on the field after the game - she tripped and fell and hurt her ankle.  I don't think my dad took her to too many games after that.....?

[Chandler#81]

4 hours ago, BritBill said:

In geographical terms where was The Rockpile? I'm presuming it wasn't in Orchard Park where New Era is now. 

In America. Turn left at Greenland.

[Chandler#81]

[LAMP] I had season tix from ‘87 thru ‘95, when I moved to Florida. One could say I saw it all and certainly the Home playoff games through that period leave an indelible mark. But, if I’m honest with my self, that ‘68 home game vs. the eventual SB Champs NYJets was my biggest thrill. I grew up a huge Namath fan with the lone exception of playing the Bills. He struck such a daunting presence to AFL fans across the nation. That’s saying something, given the QBs in the League at the time. We lost 4 QBs that season and were already down to rookie Dan Darragh in this September game and this would be our only win of the season -which ‘paid off’ with OJ as the consolation. 

We had no business winning this game.

 

yet..

 

 

 

[Saxum]

7 hours ago, BritBill said:

In geographical terms where was The Rockpile? I'm presuming it wasn't in Orchard Park where New Era is now. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Memorial_Stadium_(Buffalo,_New_York)

Dodge Street and Jefferson Avenue

[Colorado Mike]

On 4/15/2020 at 8:39 AM, John Gianelli said:

 

That's because there was (and still is) a pool adjacent to the stadium. The announcer (Norman Oklahoma, IIRC) would also say that at Bisons games at Hyde Park Stadium in the Falls where they played for a season or two.

 

At the Bills last game, I was sitting in the bleachers in the end zone and the fans were trying to rip up the wooden slats to take as souvenirs. I got a small chunk of one, which was probably worth the splinters. I think it had moss growing on it, or maybe it was mold.

John, thanks for the confirmation about the pool.  That's funny about the bleachers souvenirs.  Sounds like the kind of thing I'd have done if I wasn't so young, though I think dad would not have been amused.