Arenas/Stadiums/Venues of Your Past

One of my first road trips as a hockey writer was to Minny. Hotel was across the street. Great, a short walk to the game.
Uh .... during the game, a big snowstorm. After the game, that was the longest 500-yard walk ever for a SoCal beach kid.

 

Here, here. I have a brick from the Barn in my office at home, along with one of the blue seat backs. It was always kind of interesting to walk through the concourse as a kid to see if I could see any rats.

 

The Thunderbird?

 

Actually, I think it was. But it was more than 30 years ago and the memory isn't working so good.
I do remember going to a bar called the Left Guard, owned by a Vikings player, who, I guess, played left guard. And the bar was filled with blondes who all looked like they were on the Swedish bikini team. That part was memorable.

 

I've got a brick in my basement, though my wife and kids have no idea what the big deal is about a hockey arena.

When we were early in our marriage, we were on a weekend trip to St. Louis and stopped by a memorabilia shop that had about a dozen full seats from the Arena for sale, the bright yellow Arena Circle seats, with the hardware attached to make them freestanding. I think they were about $130 or so each. My wife talked me out of getting one. Every time I think about that, it makes me mad at her all over again.

 

Just looked at the google maps view of where Tiger Stadium was. So strange.

 

Max McGee owned the Left Guard. He had a few establishments in the Twin Cities.

The Thunderbird had the Pow Wow Lounge. If you had been there you'd remember. You may have been at the hotel across 28th. Can't remember what it was back then. Maybe a Marriot?

 

Rare photo of an A's game with fans.
As a kid, I loved taking BART to the games, even when the team was still owned by Finley and there would be only 2,000 people there and spending a sunny afternoon in the bleachers. Also enjoyed the third deck with the view of the hills (pre-renovation).

 

where I saw my first baseball game, 1955:



Saw the Giants in the 50s and the Mets in '62 here:

 

:'(

 

First professional baseball game I ever saw was at the War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo in the very early 60's

 

I have a vague memory of going to an L.A. Angels game (PCL back in the '50s) at Wrigley Field. And I know we tried to go there in '61 to see the Angels vs. Yankees, but it was sold out and we couldn't get in.
Saw Dodgers games at the Coliseum.
I can remember USC basketball games in the L.A. Sports Arena, maybe a couple thousand fans and the court set atop the ice for the L.A. Sharks games. You didn't feel cold, but about midway through the first half of the basketball game you suddenly realized you couldn't feel your feet anymore.