When was the first time you ever attended a game at WB?

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

I try to post this thread every year right after the baseball season ends for the Gamecocks. This is one of my favorite threads because so many people have such fond memories of the very first time they attended a game at WB. It may have been with their father, brother/sister, or their first love or a friend.

The first time I attended a game at WB was in 1971, the Gamecocks were playing Maryland. I don't remember the exact score but the Gamecocks won handedly. Dicky Harris was a senior and was the nations leading punt returner or kick-off returner, I can't remember which. He also had a lot of interceptions that year. It was also the first year the West Upper Deck was opened and the first year of Astro Turf at WB. I just remember sitting in the South End Zone corner and looking around the stadium and saying to myself this is the prettiest stadium I have ever seen.

I rode down to that game with a friend that has since pasted away, sadly to say. But that first time I visited WB will always be at the top of the list in my memory bank of all the games and good times I have enjoyed at WB.

So please share with us your experience (s) relative to the first game you ever attended at WB.

I look forward to reading all of them.

 

[memphis cock#]

September 6, 1980 was my first game at WB.... a 37-0 win vs. Pacific. It was my freshman year and my first time watching Big George toting the rock. Been hooked ever since.

 

[mavcock]

September 16, 1978. We tied Kentucky 14-14. I should've known that it was a harbinger of things to come as a Gamecock fan.

 

[Art__Vandelay]

1995 vs Kentucky. Was 2. Have no recollection of it.

First game I really remember was 2000 vs New Mexico State

 

[gamecocks94]

1988 vs Navy. Don't really remember much, but I was there.

 

[pettyw]

Sept. 1958. I believe we played NC State and Roman Gabriel was QB or it was Wake Forrest with Norman Snead at QB. Names and dates run together sometimes because that was many many beers ago.

 

[coolcock2001]

1995 vs Kent State. Sat with dad and uncle was sitting in different part of stadium. They agreed beforehand that if we were ahead by a certain amount at the end of the 3rd Q, we would leave.

We left at the end of the 3rd.

 

[Carolina4]

September 5th, 1987 in the home opener against Appalachian State. I don’t remember much about it at all other than being there at the game. I was 5 years old.

 

[Carolina4]

1995 vs Kent State. Sat with dad and uncle was sitting in different part of stadium. They agreed beforehand that if we were ahead by a certain amount at the end of the 3rd Q, we would leave.

We left at the end of the 3rd.

I bet your Dad and Uncle told you numerous times that we don’t always score that many points in games.

 

[Horseshoe 04]

1981 versus Dook, I was 5. I would get to go to a game early in the year each year during my childhood, and I didn't have a concept of us losing. By the time I became a pre-teen I knew we lost some, but I would not cheer for other schools

 

[coolcock2001]

I bet your Dad and Uncle told you numerous times that we don’t always score that many points in games.

Maybe that explains why to this day I fall into the "sunshine pumper" category on here

 

[wtbryig]

November 18, 1978. Clemson was playing Maryland for the conference championship in Maryland. Not certain who you guys were playing, but my parents made me go because it was band day and my brother was in the Carolina band. I had a radio and kept a fellow Clemson fan 8 rows in front of me up to date with the score.

 

[AlphaChino]

1985 vs the Duke Blue Devils. I was 11 years old. Sterling Sharpe was electric. My big brother took me to the game and gave me a set of binoculars.

I got the binoculars ready and zoomed into the football on the tee for Duke to kickoff. I followed the ball through the air all the way in Sterlings hands. Can you believe I watched him all the way to the endzone. I had such a good time

 

[Kitchenlabs]

My parents took me in the late 60's/early 70's.

 

[m'cock]

I think it was 1985. We lost to NC State, but I remember seeing bumper stickers that said "You can't lick our Cocks." I was very immature at the time, as opposed to now when I am only moderately immature, so I thought the bumper stickers were cool. I adopted USC as my new team and later attended grad school at USC. I sat in a "swayin'" section that day in 1985. I was a little unnerved by all of the swaying and shaking, so I promised myself I would not go back to that section. It wasn't long before I broke that promise.

 

[coolcock2001]

I think it was 1985. We lost to NC State, but I remember seeing bumper stickers that said "You can't lick our Cocks." I was very immature at the time, as opposed to now when I am only moderately immature, so I thought the bumper stickers were cool. I adopted USC as my new team and later attended grad school at USC. I sat in a "swayin'" section that day in 1985. I was a little unnerved by all of the swaying and shaking, so I promised myself I would not go back to that section. It wasn't long before I broke that promise.

Had that "can't lick" bumper sticker on my car in college and was real proud of it til the day I was standing next to my grandmother in the yard and she read it aloud slowly like she was trying to puzzle out the meaning

 

[gr8spur]

The first one I can remember was probably a game in 1982. Richard Bell was coach, and I think we lost to a small school. Anyhow, I really got going the following year when USC hired Joe Morrison. My Dad was a huge fan and took us to many games at WB (out of town ones too). He was a diehard Gamecock fan! He was also a great Dad! He passed away a couple of months ago. And I really miss him. Watching the Cocks will never be quite the same without him. But I'll be watching...and thinking about him.

 

[pecock1]

1967 I believe it was Duke

 

[king ward]

Opening game, 1968 - Duke. Suggs was QB. Muir was fullback. Ziegler was wide receiver. We lost that one.

 

[Mr CockStrong]

September 13, 1980: South Carolina 73 Wichita St 0.

Storylines: Willie Jeffries returns to SC as the first Black coach of a Div 1A program. George Rogers reaches 100+ yards in the 1st half. PA announcer calls JV players from the stands to get dressed and play in the 3rd quarter.

 

[ClemDent]

1986 Summerville vs Gaffney. Afraid I have never been back.

 

[rockdalerooster]

1957. We lost to NC State. Alex Hawkins, King Dixon and Bobby Bunch were our stars.

 

[jonesz21]

The first one I can remember was probably a game in 1982. Richard Bell was coach, and I think we lost to a small school. Anyhow, I really got going the following year when USC hired Joe Morrison. My Dad was a huge fan and took us to many games at WB (out of town ones too). He was a diehard Gamecock fan! He was also a great Dad! He passed away a couple of months ago. And I really miss him. Watching the Cocks will never be quite the same without him. But I'll be watching...and thinking about him.

I recall fans chanting “Bell, Bell, go to ___

 

[pisgah]

The year Brian Picollo was a senior at Wake Forest leading the nation in rushing, 1963 or 1964. We won that game.

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

September 16, 1978. We tied Kentucky 14-14. I should've known that it was a harbinger of things to come as a Gamecock fan.

I was personally at that game along with a few friends.

 

[gr8spur]

I recall fans chanting “Bell, Bell, go to ___[/QUOTE
I didn't remember that until you said it. Now I remember. Was the opponent Richmond?

 

[atl-cock]

I try to post this thread every year right after the baseball season ends for the Gamecocks. This is one of my favorite threads because so many people have such fond memories of the very first time they attended a game at WB. It may have been with their father, brother/sister, or their first love or a friend.

The first time I attended a game at WB was in 1971, the Gamecocks were playing Maryland. I don't remember the exact score but the Gamecocks won handedly. Dicky Harris was a senior and was the nations leading punt returner or kick-off returner, I can't remember which. He also had a lot of interceptions that year. It was also the first year the West Upper Deck was opened and the first year of Astro Turf at WB. I just remember sitting in the South End Zone corner and looking around the stadium and saying to myself this is the prettiest stadium I have ever seen.

I rode down to that game with a friend that has since pasted away, sadly to say. But that first time I visited WB will always be at the top of the list in my memory bank of all the games and good times I have enjoyed at WB.

So please share with us your experience (s) relative to the first game you ever attended at WB.

I look forward to reading all of them.

And that was the last time we have faced Maryland on the gridiron. There was such bad blood between the schools at that point, that apparently the Terps didn't want to come down to Columbia, but the ACC Commissioner asked all conference members to honor their ACC football contracts with us that fall.

My first game in that locale (wasn't renamed WB until 1972) was the 1968 opener vs Dook which we lost.

The following spring, we went to a Ringling Brothers Circus performance at the Carolina Coliseum (my first visit to the Coliseum). What I remember most about the Circus was wishing I was at a Carolina basketball game in that facility . I was age 9 that spring.

 

[Judson1]

87 I believe. We smoked Virginia. Had 50 something points.

 

[impeachO]

1975 Carolina Clemson 56-20 hooked for life.

 

[CockofEarle]

September 16, 1978. We tied Kentucky 14-14. I should've known that it was a harbinger of things to come as a Gamecock fan.

fran curci's team was coming off somethin' like a 10-1 yr......given where we were i felt pretty good

 

[Cocky_11]

I remember Georgia game back in the day, might have been before fat brad but they beat the piss out of us.

 

[jbouton]

1967 I believe. Was in the Cub scouts, played FSU I believe.

 

[Jon Snow]

1995 vs Kentucky. Was 2. Have no recollection of it.

First game I really remember was 2000 vs New Mexico State

Be glad you don't remember it. It drizzled all day and Mo Williams ran like a truck against our sorry defense. 299 yards I think.

 

[atl-cock]

Opening game, 1968 - Duke. Suggs was QB. Muir was fullback. Ziegler was wide receiver. We lost that one.

As stated, my first game too! My father took me. He had season tickets (for decades!) in the west stands near the south 30 yard line maybe 2/3 the way up. Were you sitting next to us?

 

[gamecox4982]

1974

 

[cottontoe]

I try to post this thread every year right after the baseball season ends for the Gamecocks. This is one of my favorite threads because so many people have such fond memories of the very first time they attended a game at WB. It may have been with their father, brother/sister, or their first love or a friend.

The first time I attended a game at WB was in 1971, the Gamecocks were playing Maryland. I don't remember the exact score but the Gamecocks won handedly. Dicky Harris was a senior and was the nations leading punt returner or kick-off returner, I can't remember which. He also had a lot of interceptions that year. It was also the first year the West Upper Deck was opened and the first year of Astro Turf at WB. I just remember sitting in the South End Zone corner and looking around the stadium and saying to myself this is the prettiest stadium I have ever seen.

I rode down to that game with a friend that has since pasted away, sadly to say. But that first time I visited WB will always be at the top of the list in my memory bank of all the games and good times I have enjoyed at WB.

So please share with us your experience (s) relative to the first game you ever attended at WB.

I look forward to reading all of them.

 

[cottontoe]

1955 or '56. Wednesday nite game between Carolina and Clemson - with my dad. Back then, Freshmen weren't eligible, so the freshman teams played each year the nite before the Big Thursday game.

To bad that all the Carolina Clemson
games aren't played in Columbia - the way they were back then.

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

1975 Carolina Clemson 56-20 hooked for life.

I live in WNC and I had to work that day. It was also the first year I was married. Boy, would I have loved to seen that game.

 

[cockhornleghorn]

1980; Carolina 56 Cincinnati 7.

 

[king ward]

As stated, my first game too! My father took me. He had season tickets (for decades!) in the west stands near the south 30 yard line maybe 2/3 the way up. Were you sitting next to us?

I was in the student section, which was in the corner between the South end zone and the West stands. It sort of wrapped around that corner. I was high enough in the stands to see well. You remember, the stadium seated about 42,000 then and it was basically a rectangle with all four sides the height of our North end zone now. It was dinky, but we didn't know it at the time.