Calling the 50yr + fans..need help

[JMF2006]

3 hours ago, Gugny said:

1986 ... music trade show in Albany.  I met Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick) and Tommy Aldridge (drummer for Ozzy and Whitesnake).

 

Rick Nielsen could not have been a bigger dick.  I was 15 years old.  Loved Cheap Trick.  Finally met him and all he had to say was "Yo."  That's it.  Hey Rick, I've been a fan for a long time.  Yo.  Would you mind giving me an autograph?  Yo.  Wow!  Thanks a lot!!  Yo.  A-hole.

 

Tommy Aldridge was the exact opposite.  He was there representing Yamaha drums.  Put on a sweet show.  Gave a tutorial.  Took questions from the crowd.  Spoke about his experiences with Randy Rhoads.  I remember someone asking him something about Neil Peart and he went on and on about how he respected him.

 

 And every person who waited to get his autograph ... he thanked them for coming and expressed true appreciation.

 

I threw Rick Nielsen's autograph in the garbage about 30 seconds after I got it.  Over the years, I lost Tommy Aldridge's autograph, but I'll never forget how cool he was.

 

And almost 35 years later, that bastard is STILL drumming for Whitesnake.  He deserves it.

 

Gug back in 1980 I was renting a house in St Catharines  on Mary St in the Port Dalhousie area near the lake and just around the corner about 3 doors down was Neil Pearts house.

 

I only seen him once he was getting into a car with their tour manager he said he really had to go they were already late for a meeting.

[Utah John]

11 hours ago, scuba guy said:

I met the Bermuda triangle at the buffalo

 

airport. Let's see how many of you know who they are no google

 

Funny thing is 2 days later we were eating dinner next to them ( boy could they eat)

Fs looked at me and said good things come in small packages

 

 

Haslett, Nelson, Smerlas

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

9 hours ago, BringBackFergy said:

Phil Villapiano. 1983 - 1986. Somewhere in there. I delivered the Buffalo News to his house in EA. I sucked at billing so I’d knock on the door every 5 or 6 weeks to say they had money owing. His wife was a smoke show. I was about 14-16. I hoped she’d invite me in for a “refreshing” drink. * Bom chicka wow wow *. No such luck. Not sure I ever even collected the damn subscription. 

I think you spent too much of your paperboy earnings on 'Penthouse Forum' magazines.  ?

[machine gun kelly]

I’ve met a lot of athletes over the years, but the person that comes to mind was my wrestling coach, Al Bemiller.  He was my coach freshmen and sophomore year before he went onto other things.  He was such a nice guy, and a decent coach.

[Chandler#81]

1 hour ago, machine gun kelly said:

I’ve met a lot of athletes over the years, but the person that comes to mind was my wrestling coach, Al Bemiller.  He was my coach freshmen and sophomore year before he went onto other things.  He was such a nice guy, and a decent coach.

Had a great chat with him a dozen years ago at a Bills reunion silent auction in NF. Truly great guy. He’s a Georgia alum and it was Florida Georgia day in the Swamp. ‘My’ Gators won but he knew everything about the Dawgs team that day.

 

10 hours ago, Augie said:

 

To be straight, just because someone else might remember this does NOT mean you are NOT crazy! You don’t get off that easy! 

 

I think it was 1968 when Butch Byrd was at the door talking to my dad. He lived in a community with us and my parents worked for the developer. I tried to show them an amazing trick. If you apply equal pressure to all sides of an egg, it will not break. Apparently, my pressure was not quite equal enough, and I blasted him and his suit with a large grade A egg. I don’t care if he went all OJ later in life, I love that man for surviving that day! 

 

 

P.S. - That man belongs on The Wall! 

YOU belong on a Wall! Great story, ya nimrod!?

5 hours ago, Gugny said:

1986 ... music trade show in Albany.  I met Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick) and Tommy Aldridge (drummer for Ozzy and Whitesnake).

 

Rick Nielsen could not have been a bigger dick.  I was 15 years old.  Loved Cheap Trick.  Finally met him and all he had to say was "Yo."  That's it.  Hey Rick, I've been a fan for a long time.  Yo.  Would you mind giving me an autograph?  Yo.  Wow!  Thanks a lot!!  Yo.  A-hole.

 

Tommy Aldridge was the exact opposite.  He was there representing Yamaha drums.  Put on a sweet show.  Gave a tutorial.  Took questions from the crowd.  Spoke about his experiences with Randy Rhoads.  I remember someone asking him something about Neil Peart and he went on and on about how he respected him.

 

 And every person who waited to get his autograph ... he thanked them for coming and expressed true appreciation.

 

I threw Rick Nielsen's autograph in the garbage about 30 seconds after I got it.  Over the years, I lost Tommy Aldridge's autograph, but I'll never forget how cool he was.

 

And almost 35 years later, that bastard is STILL drumming for Whitesnake.  He deserves it.

Yo!

[machine gun kelly]

I think this thread is about first athletes, not celebrities.  Anyway, the biggest loser I’ve ever me on a professional sports team was Warren Sapp. That bastage (kept it cleans mods) when a 7 year old boy came up to him at an open practice and politely asked him for a pic with his dad.  He flippantly states “I don’t flick *itch”.  What a douche.  Then when his baby mama, eventually wife was having a baby at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa, he was absolutely brutal to the entire nursing staff for a couple of days.  My ex was the nurse manager at the time.  She had to repeatedly try talking to him to be more polite, and then he was a jerk to her.

 

I’ve never seen another athlete so rude to everyone he came in contact with including waitresses, bartenders, etc.  It didn’t surprise me at all when he was nailed with solicitation during SB week and was fired from NFLN.  My advice is keep walking if you ever see this guy.

[Niagara Bill]

I was in grade 7. We were playing basketball on an outside court at school. Our teacher/coach was with us when his very good friend Carl Brewer  defenseman with the Leafs came to visit and played some bball with us.

[Gugny]

30 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

I think this thread is about first athletes, not celebrities.  Anyway, the biggest loser I’ve ever me on a professional sports team was Warren Sapp. That bastage (kept it cleans mods) when a 7 year old boy came up to him at an open practice and politely asked him for a pic with his dad.  He flippantly states “I don’t flick *itch”.  What a douche.  Then when his baby mama, eventually wife was having a baby at St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa, he was absolutely brutal to the entire nursing staff for a couple of days.  My ex was the nurse manager at the time.  She had to repeatedly try talking to him to be more polite, and then he was a jerk to her.

 

I’ve never seen another athlete so rude to everyone he came in contact with including waitresses, bartenders, etc.  It didn’t surprise me at all when he was nailed with solicitation during SB week and was fired from NFLN.  My advice is keep walking if you ever see this guy.

 

No surprise.  He's always been, and still is, nothing but a thug.

 

And this thread isn't about first anythings.  Not affaletes.  Not drummers.  Not guitarists.  Not thugs.  He created it to get the answer to a question.  Anyway ... Lighten up, Francis.

 

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by Gugny

[flaz]

The only  NFL player I ever met played for the Bears. It was in 2005 or so and he was 84ish.  For the life of me I cannot remember his name but he must have played for the bears around 1955. I believe he played linebacker. 

 We played in a golf league together one summer here in Florida. He was actually a very good golfer at age 84. The cool thing was he carried a copy of the hand written contract that he and George  Halas signed. If I recall, he was playing for $150 per game.

Edited May 29, 2020 by fl az fan

[Wacka]

For some reason, Bill "Earthquake " Enyhart (Fullback 69-70) came to a Cheektowaga Central football game  in 1970. Got his autograph on a napkin.

 

Danny Gare, Tony Greene and Randy Smith all lived in the Williamstowne Apartments in Cheektowaga at the same time. Never met them  (wasn't old enough to  drink) but they used to fo to the IVr Stallions bar  next door. to the apartments.  

Edited May 29, 2020 by Wacka

[Marv's Neighbor]

Met OJ at BUF airport when he was a rookie.  He was not running then.  Magic Johnson at Chicago O'Hare in 80 or 81.

[T master]

17 hours ago, WorstTEever81 said:

I met Shaq, Jonathan Ogden, Michael Jordan, Robert Horry(spell check), Roger Craig, Donte Witner(with James Hardy), Steven Jackson, Floyd Mayweather(many times), Jimmy Johnson, Dana White, Tito Ortiz, Sam Bradford, Jason Hanson and Jenna Jameson all within my first couple years at my initial job in Vegas... but the first big time athlete I met was Mike Eruzione when I was a little kid at some Victors Awards thing in Vegas. I believe Stan Musial said hello also. 

 

Name dropper - over achiever !! ?

[JackKemp]

First Bill I met was Wray Carlton in 1963 at PS29 in South Buffalo. It was some type of meet a Bill night. They showed a highlight reel in the assembly. Somebody from the Bills organization talked a bit and introduced Wray who then made a few remarks. He then did a meet and greet as we left to go back home. So I got to meet him as we left. They used to have those every year for a few years.

[Mcdermott]

18 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

Hey all, Richard Deitsch had a twitter question today about the first professional athlete you met, and where you met them. Mine was meeting Tom Dempsey at a sports banquet at the Niagara Falls Ramada Inn..maybe 71 or 72...and he was receiving some kind of sports award that always seemed to be presented in Buffalo. I cannot for the life of me remember what that award was!!!

 

does anyone else recollect this or am i just going crazy?

Someone already answered the award specific to Tom Dempsey but there also was some kind of national sports award dinner show in Buffalo back then. They always covered it on channel 17. I’m pretty sure Dunlop sponsored it and they always gave a pro and amateur award out.

[sherpa]

Billy Shaw at the 1964 training camp.

We parked our car and started walking to the field, and he was right beside us. I asked him a lot of stupid questions, as I was very young, but he was quite a gent.

The better story of "what might have been...."

We had two late flights from LA to Chicago.

One was a 10PM flight on a 757, the other a "clean up the rest"  MD80 flight at 11PM.

I flew the 757 trip the night before OJ took the 11.

If I had been one night later, and he one hour earlier, I would have had him on.

I would have definitely gone back and talked to him, as a lifelong Bills fan.

 

It is very likely I would have noticed any "scratches."  

Could have changed history, or at least I think.

[plenzmd1]

8 minutes ago, Mcdermott said:

Someone already answered the award specific to Tom Dempsey but there also was some kind of national sports award dinner show in Buffalo back then. They always covered it on channel 17. I’m pretty sure Dunlop sponsored it and they always gave a pro and amateur award out.

That’s it! Thank you. Awesome memory!

 

Now have to google what that was. I originally thought Sullivan Award, but that was the AAU award

[Bob in STL]

14 hours ago, Ra-cha-cha said:

I met Elbert 'Golden Wheels' Dubenion  (sp?), Mike Stratton & Jack Kemp at the Super Duper supermarket in the early 1960s.  I was probably 7 years old.  I remember Elbert shaking my hand - his hand reached the inside of my elbow.

Was that the Super Duper on the West Side?  Grant and Ferry? 

[Nihilarian]

Jim Haslett and Jerry Butler were signing autos at a local JC Penny. Got a Johnny Unitas auto in person. 

 

Got Cal Ripkin Jr's auto at red wing stadium when he was a pup in 1981... he had hair back then. 

[RoyBatty is alive]

14 hours ago, Bob in STL said:

First professional athletes that I met were Bills players Al BeMiller (C) and Joe O’Donnell (G), both at our church Holy Name Fund Raiser breakfast back in 1966 or 67.  They both spoke and signed autographs.   It was awesome as I was just a young school boy.  My father was the President of the Holy Name, I heard him tell others that they did it for free which was amazing.  
 

Most of you probably never heard of these guys but they were inspiring and engaging gentlemen.  
 

I did see a Ernie Warlick at Henry’s and that was fun but this was different.  

 

I recall Bemillers steak house, go by it all the time  on my way to school, somewhere near new era field is now.

[Mcdermott]

3 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

That’s it! Thank you. Awesome memory!

 

Now have to google what that was. I originally thought Sullivan Award, but that was the AAU award

Hope this helps, event ran from 1973 through 1996 and was held at Statler.