One of the many setbacks of the Covid-19 pandemic was the curtailing of our ability to attend events such as plays, concerts, sports events or just going to a movie. How refreshing it is to have fully returned to our normal activities with a renewed appreciation for what they add to our quality of life.
Michael Scully, of Williamsville, is a loyal patron of Buffalo theater and sporting events.
It’s enjoyable to watch shows, movies and sports at home, but it’s never quite like the experience of actually going to a game, show or other favorite activity. The shared experience of being with others who share your passion for a beloved musician or sports team like the Bills or Sabres is exhilarating, and there’s nothing like actually being there.
Just the pleasure of going with your spouse or with friends to a show or out to dinner or coffee is vital to the enhancement of our life experience. My own life has been enriched over the years by attending plays and shows at Shea’s, Studio Arena and Irish Classical Theatre, concerts at various venues and countless Bills, Sabres and Bisons games.
A particular treat is taking a road trip to root for your team. I’ve been to numerous Bills and Sabres road games along with University at Buffalo football and basketball games in Ohio.
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The first Major League Baseball game I saw was when my dad took our family to a 1970 doubleheader between the Red Sox and Indians in Cleveland. The nightcap of the doubleheader featured a bench-clearing brawl which certainly added some unexpected spice to the experience.
The following summer, we went to see my favorite team, the Washington Senators, play at Cleveland, and my favorite player, Frank Howard, hit a home run as the Senators beat the Indians handily. And through the years I’ve gone to games in 13 different major league stadiums, most notably Fenway Park and the old Yankee Stadium.
A memorable game was a rainy Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium in 1992, as I watched the Fighting Irish beat Purdue, 49-0. I also experienced the excitement of big-time college football at Boston College in 1984, the year Doug Flutie won the Heisman Trophy, along with football and basketball games at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse.
My wife recalls seeing Billy Joel at Fredonia State when he was a relative unknown for a whopping $2 a ticket. Among the many concerts I’ve attended include cherished evenings with Paul Simon, Dan Fogelberg, The Who, Rush and the Tragically Hip.
I could fill at least three columns with reminiscences of favorite sporting events that I’ve been to, so I’ll just mention some highlights:
• Gil Perreault’s 500th goal;
• The Bills’ miraculous playoff comeback from a 32-point deficit against the Oilers (yes, I was really there);
• The Sabres’ four-overtime win against the Devils in 1994;
• Western Michigan’s seven-overtime win against UB at UB Stadium in 2017;
• The Bills’ 1993 season finale against the Jets, which at the time was the coldest game in Bills history with a wind chill of minus 28 (you don’t forget stuff like that);
• Many evenings with Bob McAdoo, Randy Smith and the Buffalo Braves;
• The opening March Madness rounds downtown in 2004 and again this year.
Love and thanks to my wife, friends and family members who have gone to so many of these events with me and still do. When all is said and done, the expenses incurred for appreciating the amazing talents of gifted athletes and performers while spending precious time with the ones close to you are more than worth it.
