Top 10: Sporting Events I’ve Seen In Person
Pete Rose breaks Ty Cobb’s all-time hits record. My dad and I drove from Carmel, IN to Riverfront three consecutive nights in anticipation of seeing history. Third night was the charm.
The Freezer Bowl: Bengals beat Chargers in 1981 AFC Championship Game. I painted my face with orange and black stripes. The stripes froze and cracked. I spilled hot chocolate and it froze dribbling down the snowsuit I was wearing. Despite the tears and cries to leave in the final two minutes, my dad and I forced by sister to stick it out....."We are two minutes from going to the Super Bowl. We are not leaving!"
Butler beats Michigan State in their first ever Final Four appearance (2010). What a weekend with Casey at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Still hard to believe my school of 4,000 students in the Horizon League went to back-to-back Final Fours. I could not attend the national title game vs Duke, due to having to work Reds Opening Day.
Roy Halladay no-hits Reds in 2010 NLDS. I watched while standing behind Marty and Jim Kelch in the broadcast booth at Citizens Bank Park. I sensed history by the fourth inning. With the game decided, I rooted for history from the 7th inning on. Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz made a heck of a play on the Brandon Phillips chopper in front of the plate for the final out. I hosted Extra Innings from the radio booth. By midnight, the light in the booth was the only one on in the empty stadium.
Game 4 1975 World Series: Luis Tiant beat the Reds with a 163 pitch complete game. 9-year old me was so bummed.
Villanova stuns Georgetown to win 1985 National Championship at Rupp Arena. The 'Perfect Game'. The Wildcats shot 78.6% (22 of 29) from the field, including 90% in the second half. Go back and check out the talent on those two rosters.
Indiana HS basketball legend Damon Bailey rallies Bedford North Lawrence to 1990 state championship win over Elkhart Concord before 42,000 fans in Hoosier Dome. I was courtside and calling the game for WSBT-Radio in South Bend. He scored 30 points, including his team's final 11 points to erased a six-point deficit in the final 2:38. You could see it in his eyes as he dribbled up the court. The perfect culmination of a storybook career. He climbed into the stands to hug his mom and dad. People cried.
Scooter Gennett hits 4 HR with 10 RBI: I watched each homer from a different spot at GABP. I went from the pressbox to radio booth, to behind the scout seats and finally along the first base concourse. What a random, historic, performance. He entered the game 0 for his last 20.
Gordon Johncock beats Rick Mears by 0.160 seconds in 1982 Indy 500. At the time, it was the closest finish in Indy 500 history. 10 years later, Al Unser Jr. beat Scott Goodyear by 0.043 seconds.
Team USA beats Cuba in 1987 Pan Am Baseball at Bush Stadium in Indianapolis: Ty Griffin hit a 2-out, 2-run game winning homer, snapping Cuba’s 20-year winning streak in Pan Am Games. I'll never forget the chants of 'USA! USA!"