Greatest Pro Games You Were At

Originally Posted by Clyde

I want your ticket guy.

You know the amazing thing - I don't go to very many games. But when there is a big game of some sort, I will go. The Aaron 714 ticket was total luck. A friend of mine was on his way to the game. Somehow he had an extra ticket and asked if I wanted to go. The 1972 playoff game, like I said, plenty of tickets were available for anyone. I bet there weren't 40,000 in Riverfront for that game. For the Rose game, that was irritating. I had to buy tickets to 3 straight games in order to be there for that hit.

It doesn't fit this thread title, but I also was at the Georgetown Villanova NCAA title game in Lexington. Got those tickets through the NCAA lottery process.

I honestly can't really say that I've ever been to any games that could justifiably rank as a "greatest pro game" of any sort. However, the greatest things I've ever seen in person at a pro game were pretty definitely:
1) The Gomes/Janish suicide squeeze called by Reds stand-in manager Chris Speier on 08/14/10 when Dusty Baker was serving a 2-game suspension. The score led to a 5-4 win over the Marlins. I'd maintain that the suicide squeeze is one of the most exciting plays to watch in all of sports.
2) Watching Aroldis Chapman blow past 100mph with a high-and-inside heater against Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates on 4/19/11. The pitch wasn't officially recorded, but the radar in GABP read 106mph. It was incredible!

Originally Posted by formerkywrestler

2008 Ryder Cup, if that counts. If not I may need to think about it.

I'm with you on this one... mostly because it doesn't take me too long to count every professional sporting even I've ever been to.

Originally Posted by WildcatScratchFever

I'm still a youngster, but the greatest pro game I've been to was last year when Jay Bruce hit the walk off homer to clinch the NL Central.

I was at that one too. I am too young to have many pro sports memories, but that was my favorite. I have tons of great college games I have been to.

1977 playoffs, Raiders 37 Colts 31 in double overtime, Stabler to Casper for the game-winner.

1990 World Series Game 2, Reds win in extra innings off Dennis Eckersley with Joe Oliver knocking in Billy Bates.

1992 Indianapolis 500, Al Unser nips Scott Goodyear, pole-sitter Roberto Guerrero crashes on the pace lap.

Originally Posted by mcpapa

1977 playoffs, Raiders 37 Colts 31 in double overtime, Stabler to Casper for the game-winner.

.

I remember it well. Great game. Loved Bert Jones and loved watching games in Memorial Stadium.

Ghost to the Post

http://www.hulu.com/watch/123936/gre...st-to-the-post

Game 2 of the 2009 NBA ECF. "The Shot".

May 15, 1981.

Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

Len Barker throws perfect game vs Toronto Blue Jays.

My brother and dad went to watch Tom Brady and "The tuck rule" game against the Raiders. They were gunna bring me but I had class and was too dedicated to skip. One of my biggest regrets to this day!

Originally Posted by Clyde

I remember it well. Great game. Loved Bert Jones and loved watching games in Memorial Stadium.

Ghost to the Post

http://www.hulu.com/watch/123936/gre...st-to-the-post

I was also at the Colts-Steelers playoff game in 1976 in Memorial Stadium. Some whacko crashed a small plane into the upper deck right after the game ended.

I was on spring break in 1990 in Daytona and one of the guys with us managed to get Celtics/Magic tickets from his cousin that lived in Orlando. I got to see the Celtics at the tail end of their great run beat the Magic 130-127. More importantly Larry Bird scored 46 that night to go along with 8 rebounds and 10 assists.

Originally Posted by CatsCatsCats

Game 2 of the 2009 NBA ECF. "The (Only) Shot".

Had to throw in a good LeBron joke somewhere

Unfortunately, pretty much all of the pro games I've been to were duds. I guess, if there was one that was somewhat memorable, it was seeing Jaromir Jagr in my only NHL game. That, or the Reds game when I was a little kid against Les Expos where there was some drunkard two rows behind us who kept yelling "C'mon Archie" every time Ken Griffey came to bat, mistaking him for Archie Griffin. Wish I'd have been my dad's age then so I could tell that guy how dumb his is/was. The Reds lost, by the way.

^ True story.

The wife and I were at a Padres @ Reds game several years ago. Two guys in the row in front of us were being obnoxious. Not obscene, just real drunk and obnoxious. After about 4 innings, someone told them to tone it down a notch. One of them turned around and, I swear I'm not making this up, asked, "What's the matter - was I being profound?"

We eventually talked them into moving. Good thing; the game went deep into extra innings (13 or 15, something like that); Joe Carter hit a grand slam.

Not a fan of pro sports enough to go to many games live so I have more of a "just missed" history.

Bengals Freezer Bowl-group of us had tickets but gave up my ticket as it was just too darn cold

Pete Rose 4192-turned down a buddy and told him "he isn't going to get it tonight, Marge wants to fill more games"

Michael Jordan's return from retirement(first time) in Indy-we had the tickets but sold them back to our friend. He had season tickets and sold us two floor level seats to one game each year. Obviously it meant more to him than us.

Originally Posted by Voice of Reason

Other great games I was lucky enough to be at:

1972 Playoffs Reds Pirates Game 5 - Bench HR ties it in the ninth. Foster scores on wild pitch to win it. My favorite memory of the game is there was a Pirates fan sitting very close to us that would not shut up the entire game. He just kept rubbing it in especially when it looked as if the Pirates had it won. Looking over at him after that wild pitch and giving it back to him was awesome. Interesting note about this game is that it was really low attendance for a series clinching game. The weather was crappy and it was a day game so attendance was low. My buddies and I decided to go at the last minute, walked up and got tickets no problem.

1990 Playoffs Reds Pirates Game 6 - Braggs robbing Carmelo Martinez of a game tieing HR. Unlike the game above, this game was packed. Our seats were steel folding chairs in that part of Riverfront on the yellow seat level that was supposed to be restaurant. They opened that up and put a bunch of folding chairs in there to sell more tickets. No complaints from me.

Johnny Bench Retirement Game - Bench comes up in what I recall as the 6th or 7th inning and hits a Home Run. Goosebumps. Just totally awesome that he hits his last career HR in his retirement game.

VOR, I sat in that very same section on folding chairs at a Bengals vs Jets playoff game. Freman McNeil ran all over them that day, just can't remember the year.

I wouldn't say this was the greatest pro game I went to but I was at the Reds/Cubs game at Riverfront the night Ken Holtzman pitched a no-hitter against the Reds. I believe Pete Rose K'd for the final out. Fans were actually standing and cheering for Holtzman to get the no-no. Can't remember the year on that one either.

Originally Posted by OlDog75

I wouldn't say this was the greatest pro game I went to but I was at the Reds/Cubs game at Riverfront the night Ken Holtzman pitched a no-hitter against the Reds. I believe Pete Rose K'd for the final out. Fans were actually standing and cheering for Holtzman to get the no-no. Can't remember the year on that one either.

June 3, 1971 -- it was Holtzman's second no-no.

Originally Posted by Jim Schue

June 3, 1971 -- it was Holtzman's second no-no.

Thanks Schue! Wow I feel old.

I was at Daytona 500 when Dale Earnhardt won his only Daytona 500. I was also at the one he died in.
I was at the Bengals/ Bills AFC Championship game.
My only NBA game was when Jordan hit a game tying 3 at the buzzer to go to OT against Detroit in the late 80's when they were still the champions and Chicago had yet to win a title. Me and my friends were the only one's cheering for Chicago.
I was at the first Brickyard Nascar race and several Indy 500's.