Ned Flanders Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 My brother and I had the kid-sized full 'replica' uniforms...not just jerseys - helmets, shoulder pads, pants with the removable thigh pads...ridiculous. You mean like This? And This.
BillZerk Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 Somewhere 'round '63 or '64 - used to watch the Sun. nite games at my uncle's house 'cause he had 'color-TV'. (He had a colour-TV set with a remote that 'tripped' some sort of electro-mechanical relay and caused the VHF channel dial (Ch. 2-13) to rotate! ) My brother and I had the kid-sized full 'replica' uniforms...not just jerseys - helmets, shoulder pads, pants with the removable thigh pads...ridiculous. Anyway, my most vivid early memory was when the team appeared at the old Thruway Plaza to greet the fans after the '64 championship - they were giving out those small souvenir footballs and I nearly got crushed by the mob 'til my dad hoisted me on his shoulders. Got my souvenir football though! Those were the days... 18 and 1 baby!!! GO BILLSSS!!!! PosLUSZny!!!!! I live in Houston now but lived in Arcade till I was 17. I was fortunate to be able to go to a couple games at the Ralph. I remember standing by the tunnel and being so elated when several of the Bills Players gave me a high five. At half time me and my brother would run down the concourse as fast as we could through traffic, bobbing and weeving like we were running backs cutting through the line of scrimmage and getting to the second level. Annoying behavior to adults but much fun as kids. Good times!! Me and my brother would watch the games on TV and at half time go out and play tackle football we were so pumped up. Of course, these were the old days before TIVO and the Direct TV NFL package.
Haven Moses Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 I wonder what ever happened to Mini Max Anderson?
The Senator Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 You mean like This? And This. OMFG, that's me, #44!!!! JK - ours were similar, but looked more like the real thing. I think we must have had the 'deluxe' version - I seem to remember having both white and blue jerseys, and the pants had a red stripe down the side.
plenzmd1 Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 You mean like This? And This. Those are freaking awesome pictures. Anybody else remember the worst day in terms of hurts of pickup football was the day everybody wore a helmet like that?
Steely Dan Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 My earliest memory is of OJ slashing and knifing his way thru opposing defenses. Not now, not here. Why were so many of the fans here born in 1955.
Steely Dan Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 My favorite memory is the Indianapolis game that I attended with two friends, my dad and stepmom. It was the game where they were down a lot at halftime and came back to win. Kelly had been on a bad streak that ended in that second half. But a big part of the enjoyment was that my roommate had been out all night partying and came back about an hour before we left. He thought he'd be able to sleep a few hours. He didn't realize how early you have to leave to get to a game. He was really tired and hung over and a marching band came out in the second half with loud drums and clanging cymbals and he put his head in hands and started yelling make it stop, make it stop!! My other friend thought this was hysterical and my stepmother was aghast. Good times!
VJ91 Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 Born in '55, I don't recall a time I wasn't aware of the Bills. But my earliest memory comes from '63 and the buzz around the house -my Dad and his buddies/co-workers killin' a case of Schlitz- about how we stole San Diego's QB. Jackie Kemp would become a household name in WNY in short order and the team starting winning. During the season, Prez. JFK was assasinated -I was in 3rd grade- and we ended up losing a 1 game playoff to the Pats* pretty bad. 2 months later, the Beatles played Sullivan and Cassius Clay whooped the Big Bear. That fall, I was old enough to play TYRO football and was bummed when I learned the Bills changed their uni's from the shoulder stripes as my team had similar jerseys. '64 is still pretty much in focus with the long winning streak, the DEFENSE and the beginning of the Kemp/Lamonica battle. But I'd have to say Kemp coming to Buffalo started my Bills addiction which continues through today. Please chime in! I was born the same official year Ralph brought the AFL to Buffalo - 1959. My Dad was a Bills nut and loved the upstart AFL. I remember watching some games growing up on TV, but my official love affair with the Bills began on a gorgeous fall day in 1968. The Bills were terrible and I was 9. That was the day I went to my first Bills game at the Rock Pile. Joe Namouth and the Jets were in town, and he threw 5 interceptions, two or three of wich the Bills ran back for touchdowns. The Bills won the game something like 38-35, which I think ended up being their only win that season with a tie to go along with 12 losses. I could be wrong. One thing I do remember is Joe Willie bounced back pretty well from that ugly performance in that ugly old stadium. I loved watching him and the Jets upset the Colts in that same year's Super Bowl to shock the NFL into realizing the AFL was here to stay, and merger was just around the corner. Those two games - one in person and the other on TV, cemented my passion for the Bills and pro football forever. And rooting for the Jets like they were my team against the rival NFL big bad Colts, guaranteed I would always root for the AFL - AFC team in every Super Bowl - it's automatic, I can't help myself. I will always be an AFL - AFC fan first.
The Senator Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 Not now, not here. Why were so many of the fans here born in 1955. Um....a whole lot of soldiers returned from Korea in '53 & '54???
macdaddy Posted October 8, 2008 Posted October 8, 2008 Came back from college on a fall break -must have been Thanksgiving since it was cold-and took my high school age brother to a game. 1982-1983??? Drove my mother's Dasher and while in the parking lot I set a joint on the dashboard. It rolled down the dash into the defroster vent never to be seen again. We initially tried to dig it out but could see or find it. Crossed our fingers unyil it was traded many years later.
manateefan Posted October 9, 2008 Posted October 9, 2008 I vaguely remember watching games because Dad was a sports nut. Then when my parents split, my brother was the sports nut. But my first real memory of the Buffalo Bills was the year O.J. was drafted. We lived in Tonawanda then and believe it or not, they came on school buses to practice on a local football field just kitty corner from where we lived. This was around Thanksgiving. The field was plowed off and a fence put around it. There were such high hopes for the Heisman Trophy winner that it took O.J. almost a half an hour to get from the bus to the field. Though I watched games on TV after that and became an avid fan, I did not see a game live (believe it or not) until the day the Bills finally beat Miami after 20 losses in 1980 at Rich Stadium. My husband and I got season tickets as soon as Kelly signed with the Bills. We did 4 road games to Miami, one to Indianapolis, New England, Indianapolis and Cleaveland. We gave them up in 1993 just before we sold my husband's business and moved to Florida in late 1994. After moving wee did go to one Buffalo-Miami game down here. We don't have the NFL package (because we don't like the price just for one game a week), but we do get to sports bars to watch the games. There are plenty around.
Steely Dan Posted October 9, 2008 Posted October 9, 2008 Um....a whole lot of soldiers returned from Korea in '53 & '54??? Didn't think about that you er!
manateefan Posted October 9, 2008 Posted October 9, 2008 Another good memory. My brother and I were watching the game at the local bar (early '80s) and decided at the last minute to go to the game which wasn't a sell out, so we went and watched the second half in person at Rich Stadium. I don't remember the team we were playing.
manateefan Posted October 9, 2008 Posted October 9, 2008 Another good memory. My brother and I were watching the game at the local bar (early '80s) and decided at the last minute to go to the game which wasn't a sell out, so we went and watched the second half in person at Rich Stadium. I don't remember the team we were playing. But we had one heck of a good itme!
manateefan Posted October 9, 2008 Posted October 9, 2008 Another good memory. My brother and I were watching the game at the local bar (early '80s) and decided at the last minute to go to the game which wasn't a sell out, so we went and watched the second half in person at Rich Stadium. I don't remember the team we were playing. But we had one heck of a good time!
Steely Dan Posted October 9, 2008 Posted October 9, 2008 Another good memory. My brother and I were watching the game at the local bar (early '80s) and decided at the last minute to go to the game which wasn't a sell out, so we went and watched the second half in person at Rich Stadium. I don't remember the team we were playing. Cool! Another good memory. My brother and I were watching the game at the local bar (early '80s) and decided at the last minute to go to the game which wasn't a sell out, so we went and watched the second half in person at Rich Stadium. I don't remember the team we were playing. But we had one heck of a good itme! Cool! Another good memory. My brother and I were watching the game at the local bar (early '80s) and decided at the last minute to go to the game which wasn't a sell out, so we went and watched the second half in person at Rich Stadium. I don't remember the team we were playing. But we had one heck of a good time! Cool!
Guffalo Posted October 9, 2008 Posted October 9, 2008 We lived in Tonawanda then and believe it or not, they came on school buses to practice on a local football field just kitty corner from where we lived. This was around Thanksgiving. The field was plowed off and a fence put around it. There were such high hopes for the Heisman Trophy winner that it took O.J. almost a half an hour to get from the bus to the field. That was Sheridan park!!
bowery4 Posted October 9, 2008 Posted October 9, 2008 I was born in 59 too, my Dad "loves his Bills" is how my Mom put it. I went to games at the rockpile a lot until it closed. I was also at the first game against the Redskins at rich. The first Bills memory I have is in 64 or 5, I got Cookies autograph at TwinFair (at Central Plazza) on a mini football, my Dad sprayed clear enamel on it to preserve it and I played with the damm thing so much it peeled. I also got someone elses but can't remember who it was. My first game memory was the the championship game in 65 against the Chargers. I don't really remember the game much but I remember we won and everyone was saying we should play the Packers and shut the NFL up. I also remember Golden Wheels injury catch but can't remember if I saw it live or on tv. Tom Day was also the drum teacher at my grammer school (PS61) and he scared the sh-- outta me.
Spirit of '66 Posted October 9, 2008 Posted October 9, 2008 Born in '62. My dad and grandfather went to the Bills-Pats game the night I was born. 40 years later, to the day, my dad and I went to see the Bills-Pats game. Growing up we went to a church that was one block from the Rockpile. I remember once a season my dad and I would pack a lunch and walk over to the game. I vaguely remember seeing Johnny Unitas play there. Does anyone remember the coordinated effort fans had to catch extra point kicks and relay the ball out the top of the stands?
Chandler#81 Posted October 9, 2008 Author Posted October 9, 2008 We lived in Tonawanda then and believe it or not, they came on school buses to practice on a local football field just kitty corner from where we lived. I'm from NT and I was enamored by this girl in my 5th grade class. She lived a street behind me and I'd walk her home from school. One day I saw a blue station wagon in her driveway with 'Buffalo Bills' decaled all over it. I said 'Wow', your Dad must really love the Bills!" She said 'He does, he's the head coach! He's downstairs, watching Bills movies..' I can't remember her first name, but her last name was Collier
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