OT - Most Memorable Sporting Event that YOU PLAYED IN

Submitted by xtramelanin on

Mates,

Many of you will be home from work or in a nearly-dead office b/c of the storm so here's a topic to chew on if you're bored.  This board is undoubtedly populated with a vast majority of jocks, male and female, even if some of us don't play much in the way of sports anymore (read: fossils like me don't move very fast).   And while some of us might answer the question with something along the lines of 'I remember 3rd grade kickball, kicking the ball into the outfield once', I'm guessing there are some very good stories to share.

So the questions are:

1.  Give the who, what sport, when, and where of your most memorable sport moment that YOU played in.

2.  Tell us why or what made it so memorable.

Be safe in the snow and have fun.

XM

EDIT:  Some great responses, even the ones who relate grade-school stuff.  For those who read further down, you will find that Everybody Murders 'inadventently' revealed he is Charles Woodson.  Who knew?

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

February 25th, 2016 at 10:10 AM ^

OK, worst performance.  Cool Story Bro #2 coming up.

Out of necessity, this has to start with me being awesome.  15 years old and playing Babe Ruth ball, so we were still facing pitching where some kids could throw curves and some couldn't.  Up against one that did, 2 outs, runners on 1st and 2nd, I got into a quick 0-2 count and then worked it up to 3-2.  By now I've seen like ten pitches and I figure out that he's just alternating fastball and curve.  So I look for the curve, get it, and bloop it over the third baseman's head into a sort of no-man's land that lets me stretch it into a double.

So I'm standing on 2nd base feeling like Billy Badass.  I mean, this is real major-league shit, playing chess with the pitcher and winning, guessing the pitch, I can hit the curve, who's the man, this guy is the man right here.  And I notice they're making no effort at all to hold me on second, and my leadoff is like 30 feet on the way to 3rd and getting bigger with each pitch.  I had a perpetual green light, too, true story, not because I'm fast, which I'm not, but because I'm smart and know when is a good time to steal.  So after a couple pitches I take off for third.

That's when Mr. Smart Guy notices for the first time that there was a baserunner there - the guy who I thought scored from first, and didn't.  Who promptly takes off for home, not knowing what else to do, and runs right into the catcher's tag.  Way to go, me.

Blazefire

February 25th, 2016 at 10:27 AM ^

In Teeball, I had a habit of getting tagged out because I would get engrossed chatting with the baseman of whatever base I was on. We'd get to talking, a player from my team would run up behind me and tell me I'm supposed to go to the next base now, while a player from the other team was leisurely walking up to tag me.

Except for the one time I got away and ran all the way to the outfield fence and back to avoid his tag. That was brilliant.

pdgoblue25

February 25th, 2016 at 9:10 AM ^

We played a school that was much bigger than ours, had a lot more money than we did, and had 3 times as many snob parents who just assumed the game was a formality until they had their trophy.

Danny Morrissey played on the opposing team who went on to start a couple years for Penn State.

We won by 2.

Wolverine In Cuse

February 25th, 2016 at 9:14 AM ^

I played in back to back D3 lacrosse national championships in 2008 and 2009.  Unfortunately we lost in 2008 but came back the follwing year and won it.  Winning a national championship is one of the greatest feelings in the world and still something that feels almost surreal at times.

CraigB

February 25th, 2016 at 9:15 AM ^

I played for University of Tampa from 2003-2007 (RS in 2005). We made the World Series and the national championship game three times while I played there. We lost to Central Missouri State my freshman year, but made it back in 2006 and beat Cal St Chico for our first NC. We also won it the following year by beating Columbus State. I was a relief pitcher and never got to pitch in the NC game, but I got to close out the semifinal games. Miss those days.  

WhoopinStick

February 25th, 2016 at 9:15 AM ^

When I think about my most memorable sports moments, three come to mind:

1) Hitting a grand slam in little league that propelled our team to its only victory of the year.

2) Played alot of competitive slow pitch softball in my 20's.  Had some great memories as we won several championships including a district title

3) I now coach my son's baseball team.  Some great memories from that including a huge 2 out come from behind victory in a championship game in which my son hit his first ever over the fence home run. 

Space Coyote

February 25th, 2016 at 9:15 AM ^

Team: winning the conference in basketball; I was really only a part time contributor on that team though.

Personal: I had three game winning shots in high school, despite never really being better than a top 5 player on my team. One was an and-one in which the free throw gave us the lead, another way a tip in put back in OT to win by two, and another was a 17 foot jumper at the buzzer to win by one. The and-one was probably the one that pumped me up the most, and was the biggest win (the tip in win was actually against a terrible team we had no business even being close to, the fact that they pushed us to OT was pretty bad; though to our credit it was a day after we upset the best team in our conference after our best player moved up to varsity)

Combined: not basketball related, but made a relatively remarkable stop to defeat the number one team in the state that otherwise went underfeated. So from a personal and team standpoint, that was really memorable.

First organized football game I ever played in in middle school I made a one handed INT and returned it for a TD; then later in the game, my first carry (I was the backup FB at the time, which I wasn't happy about being a backup) I went D. Smith on the opponent, broke about 5 tackles and then carried some tiny DB about 10 yards for a TD. While the other events were bigger, that may be the most memorable. It was a really exciting way to start playing football.

Mabel Pines

February 25th, 2016 at 9:29 AM ^

swimming 1981 (ish).  They had won three hundred in a row.  We finally beat them.  All the parents were drunk. (obvs.  it was the 80's) We were so excited, and then we had to forfeit 2 days later because some girl on our relay was a Grandkid of a member. 

Now that I'm old, I think who the hell cared about a snooty country club swim meet enough to not only find out who was related to whom, but challenge it??!  

Then my arthritis got terrible, and I used to have my knee drianed every month and so the swimming career was over by age 13; as was every other sporting career.  Never played anything again.  I try a little golf now and then, but it's no good on the wrist. 

Now I'm depressed, thanks OP!

xtramelanin

February 25th, 2016 at 2:34 PM ^

before meeting mr. pines.  besides, the profile isn't some in-depth, probing questioning by some version of the mgogestpo.  it's more like basic family stuff, michigan fan-dom, hobbies and things.  

EDIT:  don't worry, wendy, mogbrewmom, jules and a few others will get their chances too.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

February 25th, 2016 at 12:30 PM ^

Sounds like your average day in the club league.  I used to swim for GP South - never swam in the club league, but I heard plenty of stories about who was swimming for who, that shouldn't have been, and which clubs were thought to be using ringers etc. etc.  I stuck to the city league in the summer and a swim club in Warren in between seasons.

Point of personal pride: in my junior year at South we upset the heavily favored North team at the division meet, which started a streak of MAC Red championships that's still going strong, close to 20 years later.

Flying Dutchman

February 25th, 2016 at 9:25 AM ^

Sr year of high school basketball, playing against a decent GR Central opponent with at least one Div 1 player on their roster. 

I was sick as a dog that day.   While I was a decent all-City player (@13ppg) this was my night.    By halftime, I had five 3's and 19 total.   One of my teammates also poured in 12 in the same 2nd quarter where I had 13 of the 19.     We beat the living hell out of them that night, and I don't think I left the locker room for the 2nd half. 

rschreiber91

February 25th, 2016 at 9:26 AM ^

For personal glory, I played center forward in an IM soccer match against a team composed entirely of British guys.  My team was terrible, but we had a decent goalie.  Virtually the entire game was played in our defensive half of the field, but shockingly there was no score with about a minute left.  Our keeper punted deep all the way to their keeper, who had not faced a single shot.  He rolled one out to his right fullback, who inexplicably tried to cross the ball to the opposite side fullback when I turned my back to the play.  The pass got no air, and I spun around and jumped on it.  Just me and the keeper as time is about to expire.  Feinted left, went right, keeper fell down, tapped it in, and we won 1-0.  Was exhilarating.

For kicks, got to play with Glen Rice at the CCRB in a pick-up game.  Never touched the ball.  Not once.  But, I did set a killer screen for him which resulted in a 3-pointer.  And by "killer" I mean that the guy covering him ran me over like I wasn't even there.  Not my finest moment as an "athlete", but I love the story.

swan flu

February 25th, 2016 at 9:31 AM ^

I do a yearly 24 hour bike race. 5 miles laps on city streets, no closed course, most complete laps wins, etc... Last year I was on a team with three friends. We were in a distant fourth all race long, but really started to make up ground in the last few hours.

With 50 minutes to go the other three guys were beat, but we are within one lap of pulling into third place.

I normally do between 16&18 minutes per lap, but I managed to do two full laps in 30 minutes, the fastest two laps I've ever done on this course, and it was AFTER putting in 60 miles and not sleeping the previous 23 hours.

The last 20 minutes my teammate coasted to one last lap and we got third place. It was a moment I'll remember as I willed my body to shut the fuck up and ride harder than I ever had. Good shit.

skurnie

February 25th, 2016 at 9:34 AM ^

Varsity tennis match against our biggest conference rival...sophomore year of high school. We (doubles) won 7-5, 6-7, 7-5 to clinch a victory (5-3 overall) for our team.

The match was the closest sporting event I've ever played...and maybe the longest. It was about 3.5 hours

3rdGenerationBlue

February 25th, 2016 at 9:35 AM ^

High school basketball playoff game. BJ Armstrong was their point guard and the rest of their starters were 6'5"+. We lost in triple overtime by one. A future ND football player on Rice's team cheated to force the first overtime. Long story but we should have won with free throws at the end of regulation.

Lampuki22

February 25th, 2016 at 9:36 AM ^

....wow I can brag about stuff like this here with out being laughed at....OK...

(1) Won a Class B state playoff game in  as a Sophomore  with ~40 yard field goal as time expired ( for 3-0) win.   Carried off the field, local papers, even free press had a thing.  Had no problems with the ladies after that night. 

(2) As a sofphomore in HS tied my high school's record in the 100 (fishished third in the race LOL).  Didn't even know until the next day when it was announced on the PA.  

(3) As a HS Freshman on JV had a pic six in the end zone ~100 yard TD that was called back. On the next play I took a screen pass 105 yards for another touchdoown.  Was against our biggest rival and we won by a 1 point.   

It's all been downhill since high school.  Al Bundy

 

Blue N Bama

February 25th, 2016 at 9:36 AM ^

I was selected and played on the East squad. At that time the game was played in east landfill. I played LB and led the team in tackles. We won 7-6 over the west squad. Notable teammates that year were Jerome Bettis, Steve Morrison, Jesse Johnson and Shonte Peoples. One the most memoriable experiences of my life. 

Ma1zeandB1ue

February 25th, 2016 at 9:37 AM ^

Senior year of high school my varsity soccer team was up against our rivals, a Maryland powerhouse, in the division championship. I was the starting goalkeeper. They had beaten us soundly earlier in the year 3-0. In the first ten minutes our leading scorer was taken to the hospital with a head injury, and the situation looked bleak. I gathered my defense and said this game now rests on us. If we get it to PKs, I'll whip this opposing keeper.

Sure enough, regulation ends at 0-0 as my defense played out of their minds. Extra time plays out and it's still 0-0. Goes to PKs and we win 4-2, with the biggest upset of the year.

Game. Blouses.




Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

youn2948

February 25th, 2016 at 9:54 AM ^

My first shootout as a keeper was in a work tournament last year.  We scored the first goal, and I blocked the first shot and I got so excited thinking it was over.....

Yeah we lost 2-3 in PK's.

I managed to get a hand on all the shots but didn't matter much when they're rockets from point blank, unfortunately.

1989 UM GRAD

February 25th, 2016 at 9:40 AM ^

Short, slow Jewish guy here. My awful B'nai B'rith bowling team went on an improbable run, mostly due to me bowling out of my mind for the last half of the season. We crashed and burned in the finals however.

Zoltanrules

February 25th, 2016 at 10:26 AM ^

For some reason bowling was huge in my middle school. Scores were posted everywhere, the coolest teacher was the sponsor, it was the cool after school social event... The high score of season was 197 by a girl who was quite frankly was a bitch. My teacher, the sponsor, used to lament to all the boys in class,"How can you let this girl have the season's high score?!". This was during the Bobby Riggs/Billy Jean King chauvinist era (obviously). Anyway, weeks go by with the same old bad results. Then one magical day it all come together. I have a 105 in the 5th and the season record is within reach. Soon crowds are getting bigger and bigger, like Judge Smale in CaddyShack, each time I throw. All the boys are cheering me on, even my teacher is there encouraging me by saying he won't flunk me if I break 197. Shit, I was sweating like crazy just hoping not to throw a gutter ball. Somehow I throw alterating strikes and spares and have a 185 in the ninth with a spare in the 10th on a wobbly conversion. All I need is three pins on my last throw to restore order in the bowling universe. All I remember was the ball slipping out of my hand due to sweat and then somehow it hits the pocket. Next thing I know the pins explode, I get a strike for a 205, and before I turn around I'm being carried off the alley...It was like something from The Wonder Years.. and in true form all the girls I was trying to impress were pissed at me,lol.

kevin holt

February 25th, 2016 at 11:04 AM ^

I never remembered my hockey games after I played them. During the games it was like I was watching a movie through the glass of my visor. I used to ask my mom to describe my goals or good plays so I could remember. It was the weirdest thing but I loved playing until I quit because the hockey kids at my high school were super mean to me when I finally switched from Grand Rapids travel to my local travel team (which was higher competition and they all played together for a long time so I didn't gel...)

I still remember beating the fastest kid on the team in a race (speed was my main asset, especially once I lost my shooting mojo, so I was mostly an assist guy/forechecking/defensive forward, which wasn't great when everyone outgrew me) during one of the first practices. It earned me street cred but that kid was one of the worst offenders at making me feel like shit and quitting. He asked if I was trying out for JV and I said yes, and he immediately said "JV sucks" and I probably wouldn't make it. He later apologized (like years later) at a party, but I still really regret quitting the sport because of those douchebags.

Also JV lacrosse, one game we won 6-5 and I scored all 6 goals. The game winner was literally at the buzzer after the other team started faceguarding me but my team still fed me the ball. and my whole team piled on me.

PrimeChronic

February 25th, 2016 at 9:43 AM ^

I was playing in a summer baseball league when I was about 12/13, we used to play at McKinley school in Flint, I played for bishop construction.

It was the semifinal game of the playoffs that year, we were down 3 in the bottom of the 7th (final inning for summer ball) and I was up with 2 outs. (note: im a tall skinny dude now, I was even more so one then). The bases were loaded and the outfield came wayyy in. I swung at the first pitch as hard as I could, felt a little contact, and took off.

Of course I barely hit the ball, it lazily going between first and second, the 2B picked it up and for some reason didn't tag 2nd base and then rushed the throw to first, sailing it over his head and i started running towards 2nd. Moments later I saw the ball sail over the 2nd baseman's head into the outfield a little and I started running towards third. Again, I watched in disbelief as the ball was thrown over the head of the 3rd baseman and I headed towards home. I slid headfirst as i got close to home and didn't move until I heard the ump say "Safe!"

And there it was thanks to a few errors lol a grand slam bunt! =D

Sam1863

February 25th, 2016 at 9:44 AM ^

I play historic baseball at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, and every summer we hold a tournament. Several years ago, we got Ernie Harwell to make a guest appearance at the tournament, and also to do the play-by-play during one of the games. As luck would have it, he covered the game I played in.

4th inning, I come up with a runner on 2nd, and drill an RBI single up the middle. I'm on 1st with our regular announcer telling the crowd that "The Professor" (my nickname at the Village) just drove home that run.

And then, That Voice, the Georgia drawl that came through every transistor radio in every summer of my childhood, came over the loudspeaker:

"Boy, the Professor really took him to school on that one!"

Holy crap ... Ernie Harwell said my name! (OK, nickname, but still).

Seriously - you could have shot me right then, and I'd have died a happy man.

Wolverine In Iowa 68

February 25th, 2016 at 9:44 AM ^

Not a fantastic story, but it's all I've got.  I was born with a malformed right foot, so I've worn a prosthetic since I was 4 months old.  I wasn't fast or athletic, but I was always a good hitter in baseball.  But after pee-wee, it was starting to show that I couldn't keep up, running-wise, so my parents and I had made the decision that my last year of pee wee would be my last year playing.

In one game that season, when we still had a shot to go to the "playoffs", we were in a close game that was a must-win for us.  We had been down all game, and the winning run was on first when I came up to bat.  I cranked a nice double, but since I wasn't a fast runner, they boxed me between first and second, hoping to get an easy out.  What they  missed is while they were trying to catch me, Shannon rounded third.  By the time they figured it out, he was closing at home.  The first baseman tried to throw him out, which allowed me to slide into second, and Shannon scored, which won us the game.

Coach Bernie ran onto the field yelling "way to go, Free beer!!"

The next game, I jokingly asked him when I would get my free beer, and he replied, "when you're old enough".

Fast forward 13 years to my 21st birthday.  I came out of the student center at the UM-Flint campus where I was taking a night course.  Coach Bernie's son (my best friend at the time) was sitting in the parking lot in the snow in his Grand National.  He rolled down the window and told me to get in.

Once in the car, he handed me a birthday card attached to a bottle of Moose-head (which is Coach's favorite beer).

The bottle is still unopened and sits in a special place in my house.  Took me 13 years to earn it, and IMO it's too special to ever drink.

Wolverine Devotee

February 25th, 2016 at 9:45 AM ^

In 8th grade football, our second stringers scored on the city champions on a hail mary with no time left. They began to jump around like we won the game, as did most of our team on the sidelines.

Only one problem: we lost 60-26.

The very next day we had to run a green bay for that display (10 100s, 8 80s, 6 60s, 4 40s, 10 20s, 10 10s)

I couldn't help but laugh on the bus ride home at how ridiculous we must've looked.

EJG

February 25th, 2016 at 9:49 AM ^

I played in two State Championship games, but my most memorable game was playing Clio in the finals of the Greater Flint High School Baseball Tournament my Senior year.  It was the bottom of the sixth, two out and bases were loaded.  We trailed by one run.  I hit a gound ball up the middle I thought was a sure base hit.  The eighteenth or nineteenth Doyle brother from Clio (it seemed like there was an endless supply) came flying across the field from short, barehanded the ball, and in one motion threw a perfect strike to first base nipping me by a few inches.  We ended up losing 4-3.

Why is this the most memorable?  Because the mutha f'n Channel 12 news team kicked off their sports coverage with that highlight for about six years.  Every time I watched it, I swear that kid was possessed because the play was superhuman. 

Sam1863

February 25th, 2016 at 10:02 AM ^

I also had one from the Greater Flint Tourney. My junior year at Northern we faced Owosso in the semi's, and had to go up against their stud pitcher, Mitch Zwolensky (who played at EMU and also piched in the Rangers and White Sox organizations). This guy was literally untouchable for the first three innings: nine up, nine down, all strikeouts. But our pitcher matched him, and with it tied 1-1 in the sixth, we somehow broke through for three (including my infield single, which I was damn lucky to get), and we beat them 4-1.

I'm still not sure how.

JOHNNAVARREISMYHERO

February 25th, 2016 at 9:49 AM ^

Took first place in a skin flute contest despite being quite raw.

My biggest opponent was myself and I beat the shit out of me.

The other contestants all saluted me.

Not a dry eye that day.

 

youn2948

February 25th, 2016 at 9:51 AM ^

Playing some soccer team away, want to saw New Baltimore but don't remember.

I got new shoes for the first time in a year or two since my old ones were missing most the cleats on the bottom.  I scored a hat trick in the first 3 minutes of the game.  Then got pulled and shadowed their best player the rest of the game.  I had been getting a little excited and I think coach was worried they were going to want to kill me.

Think we won 3-2.

 

Track Indoor states  DMR(800/400/1200/1600 forget the order)

Broke my wrist week before so I had a giant cast on my left arm.  Took over my 400m leg dead last(or 7/8 I forget), finished my leg just behind guy in first, we placed 2nd.  First curve I had passed all but 1-2 runners and had sorta ran through them with my club arm running back/cross country style.

NatedoggGoBlue

February 25th, 2016 at 9:51 AM ^

During my senior year of college, we played the number one team in the country (Division III baseball) at their place. They were undefeated and we were a .500 team. We beat them pretty handily. I went 4 for 5 with 2 RBI's. It may have just been a regular season DIII baseball game, but any time you beat the number one team in the country on their field, it's going to be a memorable experience.