What’s your earliest memory of the Buffalo Bills?

[SoCal Deek]

First memory was sitting on the family room sofa listening to the home games at the Rockpile on a little transistor radio. I’m still not sure why I got so into the experience but I did. Then you’d have to wait until the next Saturday late afternoon to watch Buffalo Bills Highlights on Channel 7 so you could see actual images of what you’d heard the Sunday before. No internet or ESPN back then fellas! 

Edited March 13, 2021 by SoCal Deek

[BillsPride12]

Some of my earliest life memories are from the Bills Super Bowl years.  I was in elementary school during the runs and it was pretty nuts, the hallways would just be decked out in Bills posters and stuff, huge pep rallies before the Super Bowls.  We even had a guidance counselor that was also a Buffalo Jill so that was kind of a big deal.  Also at that time in my neighborhood there would be huge parties every Sunday for the games, someone different would take a turn hosting it each week.  I didn't really grasp it at the time what it all meant but it's pretty cool to look back on it now.  I always joke around but it's true that no matter what happened with the Bills after the glory years there was a time in my life where I only knew the Bills as a dominant powerhouse going to the Super Bowl year after year after year...and nobody can ever take that away from me! 

[nevadabillsfan22]

60s at the rockpile don't remember the game but had to look around the pillars to see the field worst stadium I have every been to ya I'm old.

[Niagara Bill]

Do not have a visual memory, just remember radio broadcasts, Cookie Gilchrist, who I saw play live in Canada, Pete Gogolak, Golden Wheels Elbert D,.

I especially remember the big trade with Raiders, Lamonica, Bass, Flores, with Powell. 

[freddyjj]

I was 6 years old for the 1966 season when Joe Collier took over coaching Bills after Lou Saban had led the Bills to back to back AFC Championships.  Like many fans, my first memory of a Bills games was not a pleasant one.  It was listening to them lose to the Kansas City Chiefs on New Years Day 1967.  The game was radio only as I distinctly remember listening to the call on the radio in our kitchen.  We were home against a team we had split the season series with - both teams had prevailed on the road.  The winner of this game was going to the 1st World Championship game of AFL winner versus NFL winner.  The Chiefs went instead and lost to the Packers.

 

[BillsFan619]

21 minutes ago, NoHuddleKelly12 said:

I didn’t grow up in a sports-following family, but in 1989, the East Brady Pa “Home of Jim Kelly” huge sign left quite an impression on 10 yr old me while we drove past on a random early Summer day and it’s been all Buffalo ever since lol...

 

 

It wasn’t random. It was destiny, bro!

Edited March 13, 2021 by BillsFan619

[BBills83]

1963 - My Dad took me to my 1st game. Bills-Jets when Cookie ran over, around and through the jets for 243 yds, a pro record at the time. My Dad was a Buffalo cop and his partner and son were there with us. The son was Pat Dobson who was pitching in the Tiger farm system at the time. That spring he sent me a used mitt and ball from training camp. It was the 1st of many Bills memories and I am still expecting many more. The Milano and Williams signings have me even more excited for this season to get started.

[Buffalo03]

Earliest memory for me was a very brief moment of Super Bowl 25. I was 4 years old going on 5. I don't remember much of the game itself except being at my Grandfather's house watching my parents and people at the Super Bowl party we had all holding hands and saying "Norwood...Norwood" when he was about to kick the field goal. 

 

The first actual game I remember actually watching and being focused on in its entirety, was the 49ers "no punt" game in '92. I was 6 years old and that was really when my Bills fandom started

[bobobonators]

Wide right

[Don Otreply]

3 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

I remember buying a season ticket in 1971 and my father calling me a stupid kid

 

 

I’m thinking your father must have been talking with my father, cause I heard that phrase  at least twice in my life... 

[Trust The Process]

My earliest memory of the Bills took place when I was 8 years old at my uncles house listening to the 1980 version of Buffalo Bills 12 Days of Christmas 

[BillsFan619]

1 minute ago, Trust The Process said:

My earliest memory of the Bills took place when I was 8 years old at my uncles house listening to the 1980 version of Buffalo Bills 12 Days of Christmas 

That’s cool, I didn’t know that there was a Bills version of that song.

[LewPort71]

1 hour ago, stevens273 said:

My dad took me to my first game at the Rockpile. 12/13/70. I was 8. It was cold and we lost to Johnny Unitas but I was hooked. 

I was at that  game. Lots of snowball battles in the stands.

 

[LewPort71]

My earliest memory was in the 62 or 63 season.  My dad and coworkers shared season tickets and I was able to go to a few games.

One memory is that after a field goal or a extra point was kicked, the ball would go into the stands and security would chase down the 

ball. One kid who caught the ball was really fast.  Somebody in the stands yelled, "Sign him up now we need a half back"

Then the idea of nets to catch the ball was developed.  We used to go to

Chin's Chinese restaurant in downtown before the game and even though I was 8, I really liked Chinese food.

 

In 65 their group tickets were 2nd row behind the visitors bench.  Horrible idea as players would stand on the benches

blocking the view of those in the front rows.

 

[lookylookyherecomescookie]

1960- at the Rockpile. Don't remember who we played, or who won.   James Sullivan, the father of a good friend from school (we were 10) was the team physician  and he took both of us.  A fan ever since.  

[Chandler#81]

As most know, I’m older than the Bills by 5 years. So pretty much from the getgo. My earliest memory though was when we stole Jackie Kemp from Sid Gilman’s Chargers when he tried a midnight finagle to slip him through waivers in ‘62. (Whoever it was that caught the midnight transaction, we KNOW it wasn’t Buddy Nix!) The next afternoon, 4 neighbor men were at the house swilling Shlitz with my Dad and raving about our good fortune. 

They were right. We won 3 of our last 4 games once he returned from injury, giving us our 1st winning season and made the playoffs the following 4 seasons. Saw about 10 games at the Rockpile, then the Redskins preseason opener and Jets home game in ‘73 at brand new Rich Stadium. In short, I am the history of the Buffalo Bills (and Braves and yes, even the Sabres...🤦‍♂️)

[Eddiegoofball]

There were little bits and pieces in the season or two before this but the first clear Bills memory was the wild card game in 81 against the Jets where Bill Simpson picked off Richard Todd at the end to save it. The Bills had a good team that year and actually gave the eventual AFC champion Bengals a better game the next week than the Chargers did in the AFC Championship the week after.

[Clark Rotary]

Nov 30 1969 at War Memorial vs. Cincinnati, my dad got tickets from a friend who didn't want to go in the snow

They couldn't get the tarps up so the field was marked with orange dye and there was a lot of snow 

Whole game was in slow motion and there were 10 turnovers.  Booked Edgerson returned a fumble for the win and I was hooked for life

[Jamie Mueller]

My first memory was an exhibition game during the 1969 preseason... OJ Simpson's rookie year. Though I can remember OJ playing at USC fairly clearly, I don't think that he played very much at all during my first Bills game... most of the carries went to Mini Max Anderson and Bill "Earthquake" Enyart. Jack Kemp was still the starting quarterback at that time... but I think that James Harris took most of the snaps in this one.

[WhoTom]

2003.

 

Not the year ... the yardage.