Thanks to my sister for initiating this blog. Our family has always been full of sports fans and enjoyed talking about and/or arguing about what the Aggies are doing wrong at any particular moment So I expect to have fun with this and I wanted to contribute right away, but, what to write about. No football right now. Basketball has been destroyed by the fact they don't enforce the rules any more. Important rules like traveling or moving the pivot foot, or carrying the ball face up like it is a loaf of bread instead of actually dribbling. Just not inspiring stuff. So I decided to get formulaic like"who is best running back ever" etc. That led me to remember the best football game I ever saw.
So I went on google ans sure enough I found a discussion on the "best high school football game you have ever seen" and one of the commenters probably an old guy like me described the same game I would pick: The San Antonio Lee vs San Antonio Brackenridge game for bi district championship in 1963. I saw the game on televisionand it is still clearly the most exciting game I have ever watched. Both teams were undefeated, Warren McVea was the running back for Brackenridge and Linus Baer played for Lee. both of these backs were averaging around 10 yards per carry and were maybe the top two recruits in the nation and boy did they deliver.
As I remember it every kick off in a game that finished 55-48 was an onside kick except for the one to lead off the second half which was run back for a touchdown.
Mcvea started at quarterback to eliminate fumbles on handoffs which were unnecessary since every one in the state knew he was going to get the ball. Once when Lee managed to force a punt Mcvea came out as the punter which he normally was not. Once again everyone knew it was a fake punt, no one could conceivably have been fooled and yet Mcvea ran for a huge gain and probably scored though I don't recall.
Linus Baer was equally brilliant and emerged from the game as my personal favorite. I saw him play in the Texas State High School All Star game later that year during which he he experienced a terrible knee injury. He was never quite the same. He started at runningback for the Longhorns when they were a perennial power and had a good college career, but I sure would have like to see him play college ball without that knee injury because he was a superstar.
David you probably remember that game I believe I was in Lockhart when I watched it but most of you are too young.
What about the rest of you? What is the best game you remember seeing?
As I remember it, each team scored on every possession, but I was only 10 at the time, so I'm sure that I've got the details wrong. I also remember being in Lockhart, but in my memory, we listened to it on the radio. In any event, it was the most exciting game I ever heard, no doubt.
ReplyDeleteI also remember listening to the Dallas-Washington game in which Staubach led the Cowboys to a win in the final minutes. 1977,1978? Charlie Waters was the color announcer that day..."you gotta believe"...can that be right? When did he retire...maybe he was hurt and in the booth. Anyway, that also was an exciting game to hear.
ReplyDeleteThe one i would have liked to see was the Dallas Washington game where the kid came in (Longwell or something? I cannot recall his name) came in to lead them to victory.I was driving to Montgomery, Alabama listening on the radio and it was exciting right to the end which I missed entirely because I los the station and could not find the broadcast again. I had to wait several hours to find the result. dallas won happy ending!
ReplyDeleteIt was Clint Longley, I think. And the was his Cowboy career highlight because later he got into a fistfight with ROGER and was never seen again.
ReplyDeleteyour description of basketball is quite a lot like the way i play with izzy - she runs around holding the ball (major travelling) until I manage to get it away from her. I have to dribble until she inevitably fouls me and gets it away again. There is no net or points, and unfortunately no endorsement deals, but we have fun. I expect this to be my only contribution to this blog unless you suddenly decide to discuss the merits of judging rhythmic gymnastics.
ReplyDeleteGosh darn--you guys are going to make a hard core fan out of me. I'm not sure Rees needs moreways to take up (read waster) time). Jen
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