Having grown up in the 1960s and '70s, it truly is a wonder I ever survived to become such a die-hard sports fan.
After all, there was no ESPN, ESPN2 or FoxSports. Living in areas where no more than three stations were ever available on the television - and in Northern Nevada, I can remember when KOLO 8 was it - I generally got my information by picking up a newspaper and reading the sports section the next day.
To me, watching Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese do their Game of the Week on television broadcast on Saturday was a big deal. I remember New Year's Day being so exciting because that was one day when you could actually watch FOUR college football games on television all on the same day.
You can pretty much do that on any given Saturday now. If that isn't enough, turn ESPN gives us college football on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights. Heck, ABC and the NFL are even considering the possibility of two Monday night games.
By the way, has anyone noticed declining attendance at hometown sporting events in recent years? I can't say I blame fans in this area for not going to local events when they can stay home with their remote control and watch sports on the tube for hours.
Growing up in areas where watching professional sports meant getting in the car and driving four or five hours, I remember finding other ways of getting my sports fix. It meant getting out to watch local athletes - kids and adults alike - just because they were worth taking the time to watch. (There may even be some of you out there who may be old enough to remember a few of these):
- Driving to Governor's Field in the early '70s to watch the Frank Roza-coached Carson Giants play a summer game because they had a young pitcher from Winnemucca, Mitch Woods, who had a big Juan Marichal-like kick and he could really throw well.
- Driving to Carson High in the '80s to watch Ron McNutt's Carson Capitols, just because players like Matt Williams and Charley Kerfeld were so good.
- Driving to watch University of Nevada basketball in the '70s because Edgar Jones was such a talent. The (Johnny) High and (Michael) Fly backcourt act was pretty impressive, too. By the way, one of the forwards on those Wolf Pack teams was Carson High grad, Mike Longero.
- In '91, I was at Douglas High the day Shawn Estes pitched his final home game against Reed. After warming up, Estes passed through a sea of scouts and other major league personnel on his way to the Tigers dugout, a scene that almost resembled a parting of the Red Sea (only in Minden).
- Driving to watch a summer fastpitch softball tournament in the '70s because you wanted to see Bob Gregory - who once pitched Reno Toyota to a world championship - or hitters like Bill Penaluna and Jimmy Wilkins. Crowds for some of those games in Northern Nevada used to number in the hundreds.
- Even driving to watch a South Lake Tahoe slow-pitch softball tournament in the '70s because there was a chance you'd see some big guy hit a home run over the left field fence that would land on top of the South Tahoe Intermediate School roof.
- Anyone who has watched baseball at the South Tahoe Intermediate School complex will be able to appreciate the magnitude of 15-year-old Rick Green hitting a home run that landed near the Tartan track facility beyond the right field fence during a Babe Ruth league game. Green would later play at Carson High and sign with the Atlanta Braves organization.
- Speaking of that Tartan track - which was used for the U.S. Olympic Trials at Echo Summit in 1968 - it was not an uncommon sight to see Olympians such as Steve Ovett (gold medal winner for Great Britain in 1980), Tracy Smith, Tom Von Ruden, Domingo Tibaduiza or actor Bruce Dern (who narrowly missed qualifying to run the 800 at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics).
- I even had a chance to see Craig Stadler when he was living at Incline Village and a rising star on his way to the PGA Tour.
So while it may not be Barry, or A-Rod, or C-Webb, or Tiger ... I had a pretty enjoyable time watching sports in this area. And hopefully, this will rekindle some old and happy memories you may have of watching sports at home.
Dave Price is a sports writer for the Nevada Appeal
