I can't remember not loving sports. Daddy must have been the genesis of my sports-love affair. He was an avid sports enthusiast. It should come as no surprise that my first Big Sporting Event was a Braves game in 1967 when I was 5-years-old. Although we loved the Braves, Ronald's favorite baseball team in my early years were the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles were a powerhouse in the late 60s and early 70s. So much, that I thought they were our 'State Team,' and the Green Bay Packers were our 'State Football Team.' Of course, the Packers won the first two super bowls in those years.
One of the biggest highlights of watching a sporting event live, was the 1972 All-Star Baseball game held in Atlanta. Daddy and I had great seats. We were Field Level at the First Base Bag. We were probably 30-40 rows up from the field. The National League won the game 4-3 in the bottom of the tenth inning on a Joe Morgan Walk-Off-Hit! Hank Aaron hit a homer! 90% of the fans went home happy, but not Ronald and me. Since "our team," the Baltimore Orioles played in the American League, we were pulling for that league. Give me a break!
Strangely enough, we went to so many Braves' games that I lost count. Somehow, the Orioles faded and the Braves became 'my team.' I loved those games. I can remember thinking, "We have a whole hour before the game starts." It about did me in to have to wait for the first pitch. The great thing about the Braves being a terrible team were the tickets! You could walk up off the street and purchase great tickets for less than $10! It was a different time.
Ronald also instilled in me the love of Vidalia Indian Football. The first game I actually remember was the 1969 State Championship game when Vidalia defeated Lithonia by a score of 7-6. I remember Lithonia had a star on their helmet. As an eight-year-old, the uniforms were more interesting than the game itself. Our family went to most of the VHS football games for years. As a young boy, I loved playing cup football underneath the stands. We would often play the kids that were fans of the opponents' team. I am not really sure when I got old enough to actually watch the games. However, once I began watching, I must have seen hundreds of games. As a younger guy, the games meant so much to me! After all, we were a perennial powerhouse.
My sister played 3 years of VHS Basketball in the early 70s. I really enjoyed those games. Our Boys and Girls had excellent teams during that time period. For the young readers, the High School Girls game was a little different in that day. There were 6 players for each team on the court. There were 2 rovers who could go anywhere on the court. Then, there were 2 forwards who could only play on the offensive half of the court. Finally, there were 2 defenders who could only play on the defensive side of the court. My sister, Nancy, was a guard (or defender).
During the early 70s, all the state playoff games were played in the Macon Coliseum. As a kid, it was an extra-cool experience to be in that vast arena. It seemed like every year Vidalia played in Macon. After my sister graduated and I was in High School, I can remember catching rides with different people to watch the games in Macon. Yes, it was a different time...
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