When did you see your first game at WB or Carolina Stadium before it

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

became WB?



Please share with us all of the details, this is one of my favorite threads each year.

My first game at WB was 1971, Dickie Harris was a senior that year and led the nation in punt returns or kick off returns, I can't remember which one. USC played MD and the Gamecocks won the game handily. It was the first year of artificial turf and the first year the West Upper was opened.

I rode down to the game from Greenville with an old friend who passed away several years ago. He and I saw many games at WB before I moved to NC and got married.

Before the game started and when the players were on the field warming up, I just remember looking around the field and the stadium and saying to myself this is the most beautiful stadium I have ever seen. And I haven't seen a prettier stadium before or since.

So, tell us about your first game at WB or Carolina Stadium.

 

[Holy City Cock]

My first game was in 1961 as a seven year old. We were playing Paul Dietzel's LSU Tigers, and we lost 42-0. I remember the stadium was a small bowl and held about 42,000. I think we drove down the field and missed a field goal, and it was all down hill from there. The game that made the most impression on me was my second game at Carolina Stadium. It was in 1967, and I was then 13 years old. I was sitting with my family in the corner of the bowl, where the team now comes out of the dressing room. I remember Dietzel had broken his leg and he came out for warmups in a golf cart, and I just remember the fans going wild and giving him a standing ovation. We were playing UVa, and they took a lead, but we came back to win something like 24-23. It was just a very exciting game, and I remember the state fair was in town, and after we won their was fireworks, it was just a very exciting game and experience. Those two games certainly paved my way, along with the great McGuire basketball teams in becoming a lifelong Gamecock fan.

 

[G-C-Gamecock]

1986 vs. Nebraska. My father's family is from Lincoln and they were able to make it down here for the game. An entire family of Huskers and one Gamecock. Huskers edged us 27-24. Always a big fan of Tom Osborne and glad I got to see him in WB. If I recall, there was some kind of "farm support/aid" going on and the University donated to it at the time.

 

[apacock]

my first time was I think in very early 1970. This was before there was an upper deck in the west stands. I was a child and my grandfather was a professor at USC. I couldn't appreciate how good the seats were and I didn't really care or know about football. I do remember when I went to the bathroom how loud it was with people stomping on the bleachers. I also remember all of the vivid colors as we came through tunnel into the stadium. I have loved live games since. I couldn't tell you anything about the game.

 

[Kitchenlabs]

Late 60's...used to go see the freshmen games with my father also.

 

[section2cock]

Freddie, great thread question. I was 10 and it was 1962 against our late season rival, the mighty demon deacons of Wake Forest ! Dan Reaves was the QB and the only play I remember was him sneaking up the middle for 9 yards. It was the offensive highlight of the game ! I was there as part of the annual Boy Scout Day where the north endzone was packed with 3,000 scouts in uniform. We won of course because we always won that game. I was hooked forever on Carolina football. Regressing a little bit back to when I was 2, we lived on College St immediately across Sumter St and the gates to the Horseshoe. I remember one Wednesday night the students carry a giant tiger tail down Sumter to it's fiery death on campus at the annual tiger burn. Maybe that is when I really became hooked on Carolina football. Why Wednesday ? We played that game on Big Thursday. Great memories man, great memories.

 

[sandlapper59]

1946. My favorite player of that time was Meeks (Roger Meatball Meeks). Most likely because he slipped me into the stadium. I was 15 in 1946, but very small so he just lifted me in. Gamecock for life. Memory fades so that experience might have been a year later.

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

Originally posted by section2cock:
Freddie, great thread question. I was 10 and it was 1962 against our late season rival, the mighty demon deacons of Wake Forest ! Dan Reaves was the QB and the only play I remember was him sneaking up the middle for 9 yards. It was the offensive highlight of the game ! I was there as part of the annual Boy Scout Day where the north endzone was packed with 3,000 scouts in uniform. We won of course because we always won that game. I was hooked forever on Carolina football. Regressing a little bit back to when I was 2, we lived on College St immediately across Sumter St and the gates to the Horseshoe. I remember one Wednesday night the students carry a giant tiger tail down Sumter to it's fiery death on campus at the annual tiger burn. Maybe that is when I really became hooked on Carolina football. Why Wednesday ? We played that game on Big Thursday. Great memories man, great memories.

I remember my best friend talking about Boy Scout Day at Carolina football games and he said they could get into the game for something like 10 cents. Gosh, that was really something.

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

Originally posted by sandlapper59:
1946. My favorite player of that time was Meeks (Roger Meatball Meeks). Most likely because he slipped me into the stadium. I was 15 in 1946, but very small so he just lifted me in. Gamecock for life. Memory fades so that experience might have been a year later.

Gosh, you may be the one person on this board actually older than me. LOL! I bet you have many interesting stories about Carolina football.

 

[4thgengamecock]

The first game I went to was probably in '96 or '97, when I was three or four years old, but the first one I remember clearly (too small to remember the first years, and '98 and '99 were pretty forgettable) was the win over Georgia in 2000, when I was seven. We, me and my parents, sat in the very tip-top of the West Upper, north of the pressbox. My grandparents and my great-grandfather (he was in his late 80s or early 90s) were sitting in the East Upper, at about the fifty. I recall seeing people storming the field to rip down the goalposts and desperately wanting to join them (though we were obviously too far up). I very distinctly remember my dad carrying me down the northwest ramp on his shoulders with the "GAMECOCKS" chant ringing around the stadium. To this day, that trip down the ramp is one of my very favorite memories.

This was not, however, my first Gamecock memory. That would be the '99 game against NC State that was played in a hurricane. I sat through the whole thing and never complained once, though I do remember a flag pole behind us that was rattling around and (it seemed to me) ready to fall over and crush us. Funny the things you worry about when you're six.

This post was edited on 4/15 12:08 AM by 4thgengamecock

This post was edited on 4/15 12:12 AM by 4thgengamecock

 

[cockhornleghorn]

My first game was in 1980 vs. Cincinnati when George Rogers was a senior. We were up 49-0 at halftime and won 56-7.

Another story - I used to work with a much older gentleman and nobody ever knew how old he was. He once told me he started at Carolina the year Branch Bocock became our head football coach. I looked it up and that was in 1926. If they started at 18 like we do now, he was past 90 and still working.

 

[superflyby]

My first game was a very memorable one for most Gamecocks. The 1983 USC vs USC game. I still have the program. It was also the night the famous "If it ain't swaying, we ain't playing" saying was born. I was sitting in the north end zone and had no clue that the upper decks were swaying. We won 38-14 after I believe they tied it up right before halftime. Still one of the loudest crowds I remember. The first one was a great one.

 

[67gamecock]

1963, season opener vs. Maryland. It was played mostly in a pouring down rain. We won.

The thing I remember most about that first time was the vivid green of the playing field - prettiest stretch of grass I'd ever seen.

 

[Cyan-gamecock]

1964 versus the Citadel. Carolina won 17-14. I was 13 had a cast on my arm from breaking it in a football game right before Halloween. I was actually a Citadel fan at the time. there was no upper deck yet. My second game was the next year. Carolina played Citadel at Johnson Hagood. These were Dan Reeves' years.

 

[Rod Dangerfield]

10/10/87

Cocks-40
Virginia Tech-10

Defense was pretty dominating.

Ellis hit a couple of long bombs to Bethea & Sharpe.

One of the most vivid memories was the "we're gonna beat the hell outta you" chant.

 

[67gamecock]

Originally posted by Cyan-gamecock:
1964 versus the Citadel. Carolina won 17-14. I was 13 had a cast on my arm from breaking it in a football game right before Halloween. I was actually a Citadel fan at the time. there was no upper deck yet. My second game was the next year. Carolina played Citadel at Johnson Hagood. These were Dan Reeves' years.

I was at both games. I remember the '64 USC Homecoming game, because I went over to The Citadel side to say 'hello' to my folks (they were Carolina fans, but the Citadel ticket office secretary lived across the street from us). While there, I witnessed the following:

A major tragedy at the game was avoided by a quick-thinking USC male cheerleader. It was customary in those days for USC to roll out the Homecoming floats at half-time and parade them around the perimeter of the field. As the Homecoming Queen's float passed by The Citadel Corps of Cadets (seated in the northeast section of the stadium), a Citadel cheerleader walked up to the float, took out a cigarette lighter and set the float on fire. The crowd went into panic mode as the fire spread quickly to the seating area of the float which contained the queen and her court. A USC male cheerleader emerged from the sideline and put out the fire with an extinguisher! To my recollection, the arson-minded cadet was not punished!

The game at Charleston in '65 was somewhat more tame - USC fans swamped Hagood stadium on a humid hot night in Charleston.

 

[Holy City Cock]

I was at The Citadel game in 65 here in Charleston. I grew up in a house about two blocks from The Citadel, so I grew up a Citadel fan, and was rooting for the Dogs at that game. I don't remember the final score, but it was a pretty close game, I think Carolina won by 10 or so. I just remember the place was packed, still think that game held The Citadel's all time high attendance record until the early 90's.

 

[colacock#]

I'm always surprised that people can remember their first game. I guess I forget that some people were older when they started going. But I was so little when my parents started taking me that I had no idea what was going on. So I certainly don't remember the opponent or year.

 

[67gamecock]

Originally posted by Holy City Cock:

I was at The Citadel game in 65 here in Charleston. I grew up in a house about two blocks from The Citadel, so I grew up a Citadel fan, and was rooting for the Dogs at that game. I don't remember the final score, but it was a pretty close game, I think Carolina won by 10 or so. I just remember the place was packed, still think that game held The Citadel's all time high attendance record until the early 90's.

I grew up 1/2 block from the campus. The final score was 13-3, USC, and the all-time attendance record at Hagood stadium and its predecessors was broken then and, to my knowledge, still stands to this day - 21,000+

 

[Holy City Cock]

I lived at 55 Dunnamann Ave, right on the corner of Tenth and Dunnamann. I think The Citadel broke that record against either Navy or Marshall in 1992.

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

Originally posted by 67gamecock:

The game at Charleston in '65 was somewhat more tame - USC fans swamped Hagood stadium on a humid hot night in Charleston.

Did USC ever play Furman at Sirrine stadium in the late '50s? I remember going to a Furman game with my chruch group one Saturday afternoon but can't remember who Furman was playing. I don't think it was USC but I can't remember for sure.

 

[jon#]

1995 vs Kentucky. I was only 2 years old so I don't have any memory of it honestly. Per my parents I think we lost and it rained like hell, but I could be mixing that up with something else. Started going to every game in 1999 but don't really remember that year too much. First one I vividly remember was 2000 against New Mexico State. Was sick to my stomach I was so nervous

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

Originally posted by cockhornleghorn:
My first game was in 1980 vs. Cincinnati when George Rogers was a senior. We were up 49-0 at halftime and won 56-7.

Another story - I used to work with a much older gentleman and nobody ever knew how old he was. He once told me he started at Carolina the year Branch Bocock became our head football coach. I looked it up and that was in 1926. If they started at 18 like we do now, he was past 90 and still working.

I was at the Cinncinnati game in 1980 and Carolina did something in that game they rarely ever do, and that was block a punt.

 

[VoiceOfTheMustangs]

Tennessee during the Brad Scott era. I believe it was the year after they won the national championship. I was sick of Rocky Top before the game even started and mad at Scott for not trying to score a touchdown right before halftime.

 

[soon2bretyrd]

I went on boy scouts day. we played UVA but we played all game in all the empty seats on the visitors side and end zone.

 

[apacock]

Originally posted by 67gamecock:
1963, season opener vs. Maryland. It was played mostly in a pouring down rain. We won.

The thing I remember most about that first time was the vivid green of the playing field - prettiest stretch of grass I'd ever seen.

It is amazing to me how the color sticks in your mind from some of what I think other people would consider mundane points. I still try to get a glimpse of the grass when I drive by the stadium. I know exactly what your are talking about.

 

[Rock Hill Cock]

November 2, 1963 was scout day and we were playing the worse team in America, Tulane. My neighbor and hero and the reason I'm a Gamecock was a tight end on the team. Troup 365 was sitting about where the band is now located. I stomped on those metal seats. And did all that I could but Tulane walked off the field with a 20 to 7 win. To add salt to the wound, my hero, Billie Nies, was carted off the field. To show how things have changed, Billie had 9 catches for 90 yards. That's for the YEAR. He was second behind J.R. Wilburn's 14 catches.

 

[johngault]

1980 against Stump Mitchel and the Citadel.
Didn't have tickets but paid a security guard to let me and my brother in and pretty cheap as I recall.

 

[chucktowncock]

Originally posted by Freddie.B.Cocky:

Originally posted by cockhornleghorn:
My first game was in 1980 vs. Cincinnati when George Rogers was a senior. We were up 49-0 at halftime and won 56-7.

Another story - I used to work with a much older gentleman and nobody ever knew how old he was. He once told me he started at Carolina the year Branch Bocock became our head football coach. I looked it up and that was in 1926. If they started at 18 like we do now, he was past 90 and still working.

I was at the Cinncinnati game in 1980 and Carolina did something in that game they rarely ever do, and that was block a punt.

in case you missed this one...

2014

 

[yankacock]

The 1965 Citadel game ended 12-0 USC. At halftime of that game it was no score, I think. Marvin Bass appealed to the team to win the game for Soph Center Mike Johnson, who had just been diagnosed with a Brain Tumor, and died shortly thereafter. Mike was presented the game ball at his home in Johnson City Tenn. Mike was a fine young man- so sad.

This post was edited on 4/15 8:04 PM by yankacock

 

[pepsicock]

1968 we beat UNC 32-27

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

Originally posted by chucktowncock:

Originally posted by Freddie.B.Cocky:

Originally posted by cockhornleghorn:
My first game was in 1980 vs. Cincinnati when George Rogers was a senior. We were up 49-0 at halftime and won 56-7.

Another story - I used to work with a much older gentleman and nobody ever knew how old he was. He once told me he started at Carolina the year Branch Bocock became our head football coach. I looked it up and that was in 1926. If they started at 18 like we do now, he was past 90 and still working.

I was at the Cinncinnati game in 1980 and Carolina did something in that game they rarely ever do, and that was block a punt.

in case you missed this one...

Yes, I saw that one but like I said, it's rare we block a punt. For that matter it is rare for any team to block a punt, The block punt from the Cincinnati game sticks in my mind even to this day for some reason.

 

[4thgengamecock]

Originally posted by Freddie.B.Cocky:

Originally posted by chucktowncock:

Originally posted by Freddie.B.Cocky:

Originally posted by cockhornleghorn:
My first game was in 1980 vs. Cincinnati when George Rogers was a senior. We were up 49-0 at halftime and won 56-7.

Another story - I used to work with a much older gentleman and nobody ever knew how old he was. He once told me he started at Carolina the year Branch Bocock became our head football coach. I looked it up and that was in 1926. If they started at 18 like we do now, he was past 90 and still working.

I was at the Cinncinnati game in 1980 and Carolina did something in that game they rarely ever do, and that was block a punt.

in case you missed this one...

Yes, I saw that one but like I said, it's rare we block a punt. For that matter it is rare for any team to block a punt, The block punt from the Cincinnati game sticks in my mind even to this day for some reason.

The one that sticks in my head is the one Eric Norwood had against Mississippi State. We led at the half but game was slowly starting to turn in State's direction during the second half, and the block turned the tide back in our favor. I remember my cousin went with us that game while my brother or sister (can't remember which) stayed at home.

 

[gamecockwells]

Early 1960s against Clemson. Dan Reeves was quarterback. I was eight or nine and don't remember much about the game but Dan Reeves did some good things.
The thing I remember most was that we parked next to the stadium, still grass at the time, and the Clemson radio announcers parked next to us. It was the Greenville TV sports guy before Jim Phillips. I thnk his name was Red something and the TV weather guy Monty Dupuy. We were from the upstate so I saw them everyday when I was growing up.

 

[F-86F]

Originally posted by Rock Hill Cock:
November 2, 1963 was scout day and we were playing the worse team in America, Tulane. My neighbor and hero and the reason I'm a Gamecock was a tight end on the team. Troup 365 was sitting about where the band is now located. I stomped on those metal seats. And did all that I could but Tulane walked off the field with a 20 to 7 win. To add salt to the wound, my hero, Billie Nies, was carted off the field. To show how things have changed, Billie had 9 catches for 90 yards. That's for the YEAR. He was second behind J.R. Wilburn's 14 catches.

That was my first game as well. I was in the tenth grade and had gone to the game with my high school football team. We sat in the north end zone through what turned out to be a long afternoon. My next game was homecoming 1965 against Maryland, we lost that one too.

 

[GatorlandGamecock]

I don't remember who they played but my first game was in 1958, and I was 9 years old. I got in on a Knot Hole ticket that they used to sell for $1.00, for the end zone.

 

[Dutch Cock]

Somewhere around 1965, worked in a concession stand on east side before the game and at halftime. Brother started Carolina in 57, that's how I got my start. We would get to walk out and watch the game after it started.

 

[usc nichols]

My Dad took me to the last Big Thursday game in'59.I was in the 8th grade.Mostly remember all the fights among the cheerleaders before the game.I think Clemsux won that day.

 

[Mr CockStrong]

Great question Freddie. I attended my first game after the stadium received the name WB, so I won't answer since I did not see a game when it was Carolina Stadium.

By the way, what year did it become Williams-Brice Stadium?

 

[TexasCox]

My dad went back to college after the army. It was 1969. I don't remember the first game, I was only 6. But, I do remember sitting in a driving rain at one game that year. We were losing to someone, maybe Georgia. We were sitting in the Rooster Booster seats in the end zone. I wanted to leave. But my dad told me we had to stay until the very end to support our team. It really taught me a lot about sticking with the Cocks (and many other things in life) through thick and thin. Over the past 45 seasons I have had to put that particular lesson to test many times.

Glad to be a Gamecock!