Arena/Checkerdome memories

[blues2112]

Let's hear them!

[Aesa]

Led Zepplin - Song Remains The Same tour

[Phil Roberto fan]

Led Zepplin - Song Remains The Same tour

Beat me to it. Led Zeppelin 1975 and 1977. Been a long time since I rock and rolled,,,,,

[DawgDad]

OK. I started dating my future wife in early 1980. Believing it's best to lay all my cards on the table our first date was a Blues game. She seemed cool with that, we parked in the lot behind the barn. When we came out after the game it had snowed 6 inches!

We used to use the $5 coupons in those big coupon books. I remember sitting in those seats suspended high up in the rafters, they swayed quite noticeably when the action got going! As absurdly high up as those seats were they hung out over the seats below and actually provided a real good perspective on the action. It felt a lot like being on a ski lift, though.

Most memorable games were my first, back in 1972 or 73, seeing Gordie Howe play at the end of his career, and the Islanders game in 81 where Michelletti tripped over the blue line.

Loved the Old Barn, men's rooms with an inch or more of water(?) on the floor, cheap seats, great sight lines, easy access. I still have a brick in my man cave.

[sdaltons]

Unfortunately I'm of the age where the strongest memory I have of the place was watching it get leveled on TV.

[a smell of green grass]

Free parking in Forest Park. Cold walk across the 40 bridge and parking lot. Sitting on the absolute edge of the grand canyon watching the game. Wishing I was hearing Dan Kelly and Gus Kyle call the game. Hoping for a barnburner, followed by fighting, first on the ice, then in the stands.

[maninthemiddle]

My Dad managed a grocery store and got plenty of good seats, including in some of the boxes. However, the most memorable was when I was on the College radio station and was able to get a press pass. We sat in the press box right behind and down from Dan Kelly and Gus Kyle. We never got to meet them, but they had free beer and food. I overheard a TV media person, complaining about the beer tasting like {insert liquid taste here}. Busch stadium was much better because they have Bud in their press box.

[bud white]

Blues - Penguins 1981 first round.

Balcony seats with the family. As the game went on it was getting just insane as the it went back and forth - especially during OT where it was often wide open. Whenever there was a break in the action, Ernie Hayes played "Here Comes the King" - the Budweiser theme. Greg Millen - then playing for the Pens would bounce around earning the the nickname "The Dancing Penguin". Well, the crowd would clap along. And the balcony, would sway up and down. My mom thought the thing was coming down. And still remembers to this day how utterly petrified she was.

We were at the end where Mike Crombeen score the game - and series winner - in the OT.

[Aesa]

Led Zepplin - Song Remains The Same tour

Beat me to it. Led Zeppelin 1975 and 1977. Been a long time since I rock and rolled,,,,,

Great minds and rock fans think alike.

[Bubble4427]

Seeing my first concert, Journey “Raised on Radio Tour”
I was at the Miracle on Monday Night Game….. it is still the most exciting game I’ve ever witnessed in person.
I was also at the playoff clinching game where Balfour went nuts and slammed his stick against his goal post because he thought he was interfered with. That game was awesome too.
Also, meeting at Schmiezing’s before and after the game…when I was too young to drive, my parents would pick us up after the game at the Pizza Hut on the corner.

God, I’m old.

[Absolut]

Free parking in Forest Park. Cold walk across the 40 bridge and parking lot. Sitting on the absolute edge of the grand canyon watching the game. Wishing I was hearing Dan Kelly and Gus Kyle call the game. Hoping for a barnburner, followed by fighting, first on the ice, then in the stands.

Hah same. Cold post game walk.
Watched a blues hawks preseason game filled with fights.

Saw Def Leppard there too

[George Zipp]

So many memories from that place.

Music-Springsteen played a 3.5 hr show during the height of Born in the USA in 1984. I was just discovering live music and (bleep) what a ride.

Tennis-I played competitively growing up. The Davis Cup was played at the arena in the early 80s. One of the most legendary tennis matches ever. McEnroe v Wilander. US v Sweden. Match was 6 plus hours. No tiebreakers then. Alas I wasnt old enough to drive and my dad refused to stay and after the third set, which Mac lost 17-15 we left. Never leave early.

Hockey-the Belfour breaks his stick and refused the handshake was my all time favorite in person game. The building was so freaking loud.

[93]

Blues games
Bragging' Rights games
Various other events over those years...

You could always count on the bathrooms overflowing by the third period...

[seattleblue]

my freshman year of high school I told my parents I was going to the library but got on a bus in downtown Clayton and went to see Game 1 of the 1986 Maple Leafs series where they won 6-0. got a single ticket high in those incredible nosebleeds, watched the game, got on the bus and went back home, never told them. later I was an usher during the 1991 Wings-Blues series. I will never forget the smoke saturated, mung, urine filled down low bowels of that building in the 70s, it was a frathouse basement. the mens rooms were full of smoking, drinking, yelling men, jammed to the gills, you stood in long lines, the floors were nasty. it was Blues hockey and there was nothing better. we got Dan Kelly throughout all this too. yes parking at Schmie Zings or nearby and walking down in the frigid cold

[JR1]

I had standing room only tickets for the Blues Boston SCF. My mother waited in line for hours to get them. I remember sitting on steps in the aisle. It was warm outside and the playing surface fogged up. They had the players from both teams skating around the perimeter to clear the fog. It was a combination of fog and cigarette smoke back then. The bathrooms were horrendous with urinals overflowing with not much choice but to stand in it. Those were the good old days! I also remember Chicago and the Blues big rivalry. If there weren’t 100’s of penalty minutes something wasn’t right. Tony Esposito Stan Mikita. Brian Sutter, Bernie Federko. I’m showing my age..

[a smell of green grass]

Free parking in Forest Park. Cold walk across the 40 bridge and parking lot. Sitting on the absolute edge of the grand canyon watching the game. Wishing I was hearing Dan Kelly and Gus Kyle call the game. Hoping for a barnburner, followed by fighting, first on the ice, then in the stands.

Hah same. Cold post game walk.
Watched a blues hawks preseason game filled with fights.

Saw Def Leppard there too

The Hawk games were great. It felt like 1/2 the crowd would be very happy to mix it up with somebody/anybody in a Hawks jersey. They talk about the players not having the toughness like they used to, but I believe that the fight in the fans has vanished even more. My sense was that the players fed off the fans, not the other way around.