Arena/Checkerdome memories

[Harry York 37]

Speaking of hip checks...

This is what was going on outside in the backyards and streets of St Louis.

- On the mound, throw up the trailing leg up like Gibson.
- Walk to the plate like Lou Brock,
- Bat left-handed and swing and drag-bunt like Brock,
- and anytime you needed to add roughness to whatever game, throw a hip-check like Bob Plager.

My kid brother at 11 years old could do a DEAD ON imitation of Brock's incredibly sweet and rhythmic walk up to the plate

[seattleblue]

Steamers for sure. Lotta big games with Arrows and Comets. I see the Tacoma Dome all the time. I have seen many "Tacoma Stars" shirts in the here and there.

[netboy65]

Steamers for sure. Lotta big games with Arrows and Comets. I see the Tacoma Dome all the time. I have seen many "Tacoma Stars" shirts in the here and there.

Don’t forget the Wichita team. Another huge rival.

[a smell of green grass]

Speaking of hip checks...

This is what was going on outside in the backyards and streets of St Louis.

- On the mound, throw up the trailing leg up like Gibson.
- Walk to the plate like Lou Brock,
- Bat left-handed and swing and drag-bunt like Brock,
- and anytime you needed to add roughness to whatever game, throw a hip-check like Bob Plager.

My kid brother at 11 years old could do a DEAD ON imitation of Brock's incredibly sweet and rhythmic walk up to the plate

Ha ha. Wish I could see that video and compare it with my routine. . Some kids tried to do the pop-up slide, but I never saw anybody do that successfully.

[PM_123]

I have a memory of being at a Blues game in the 80’s and Brian fought one of his brothers (maybe Darryl). I tried looking this up and the only brothers that fought were Darryl and Brent. So maybe it was a false memory?

[PM_123]

In the 70’s, my Dad got tickets from work for the Blues in a “luxury” box (the boxes in the upper ring of the arena). I remember it being the greatest thing in the world. Only made better when we got to talk with Tim VanGelder who was sitting in the box next to us!

[dhsux]

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 (drat) 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.

Was there as well.....must have been late in the year I remember Clarence doing Santa Clause is Coming.......I went to SIU to see his next show.

So many great times there.....it was just a fantastic venue and that Lamella roof was incredible. Pretty sure that roof gave the place it's great sound.

[Absolut]

DawgDad, you undid years of therapy by resurrecting this memory!
"the Islanders game in 81 where Michelletti tripped over the blue line"

Ugghhhhhhh!!!!!

Correct me if necessary, but I remember some of the bathroom's lacked urinals. Instead they simply had long troughs with a trickle of water. Ah the smell! And the bathrooms had those awful cloth towels on the roller, drenched with who knows what.

And, for a short time, Like Cola!

Went to an old timers game there the next season and a blue is skating down the ice and falls. Ref blows the whistle and called “two minutes for tripping on the blue line”.

[11WSChamps]

The "Monday Night Miracle", Saturday night games vs the Blackhawks, watching Bobby Gassoff fight, the sticky concrete steps leading up to your seats.

The acoustics of the venue with a packed house.

Also was a great place to bring a first date.

You cant duplicate those things with Enterprise which is indeed a beautiful place but it just seems so antiseptic in comparison.

[Cahokanut]

I've seen more games then I can remember. Even a couple of nba games. Saw Aerosmith, Guns n' Roses, Bruce Springsteen, Bon jovi, Easy e, mchammer and others I can't still remember.
I can't remember many of the games/concerts. But can remember the times with friends and family while at, going to, or after events.

Some of the bestest funnest memories. Was the times hanging outside, getting drunk and waiting for a exit door to open. Funnest groups of people, I've never known.

[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 (drat) 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.

Was there as well.....must have been late in the year I remember Clarence doing Santa Clause is Coming.......I went to SIU to see his next show.

So many great times there.....it was just a fantastic venue and that Lamella roof was incredible. Pretty sure that roof gave the place it's great sound.

I looked up the set list after I made my post. 30 songs. Standard for Bruce. Santa Claus is Coming to Town closed the show.

[BrummerStealsHome]

December 30, 1988

The night they retired Sutter's number 11 against the North Stars. They had two ice blocks in the shape of '1's on the ice to form an 11, turned off the arena lights and lit them on fire. It was cool to see. What they didn't count on was the melting ice blocks refroze and fused to the playing surface. The game start was delayed for half an hour why they chipped the remaining blocks off and repaired the ice. Then things got worse. The North Stars jumped all over the Blues. A shorthanded goal at 11:32 of the first period put Minnesota up 4-0. Yikes . The Blues fought back, scoring 3 unanswered in the 2nd period. The 3rd period was scoreless until 33 seconds left in the game, when the North Stars scored an empty-netter to to up 5-3. Fans started streaming out of the Arena, my party among them. We were just about to exit to the concourses when I turned around and saw Todd Ewen put one in to make it 5-4 with 17 seconds left. The flow of the crowd took us into the concourses where we stepped aside to decide whether we wanted to keep going with the crowd out to the parking lot or squeeze back in and catch the remaining few seconds of the game. The guy driving said let's go, so we walked out into the cold night. Just then, we heard a commotion from the inside and a guy walking in front of us, with a radio, yelled "Holy [shirt]! Hull just tied it!" Which he did, with 4 seconds left. Everyone was then running back in. We found some seats on the corner near the ice and watched an uneventful OT (5-on-5 for 5 minutes, no SO back then). Still, it was an exciting evening. Whenever someone tries to tell me that ties are boring I think of that game.

https://www.hockey-reference.com/boxsco ... 00STL.html

[BrummerStealsHome]

Favorite non-Blues memory:

Went to a Steamers game in the early 80s. They routinely sold out then as did this game against Baltimore. The Steamers built up a 1-goal lead, but with about 5 minutes left to play the Blast were awarded a power play, then a second one in succession. That's nearly 2 minutes of 5-on3 indoor soccer. Baltimore blasted shot after shot at Slobo Ilijevski but he was up for the challenge. Baltimore didn't score and the Steamers won by a goal.

I attended a lot of Blues games in the Checkerdome/Arena, but I don't know if I ever heard the old barn as loud as that sequence when Slobo was fighting off the entire Baltimore team. Bob Burns said in the paper the next day that Slobo could run for mayor of St. Louis and win.

[Barney Fife Lives]

Led Zepplin - Song Remains The Same tour

Probably the best concert I went to as a kid. My mom took this 15 y/o and two friends and for some reason, we came out smelling like pot smoke!!!

[Aesa]

Led Zepplin - Song Remains The Same tour

Probably the best concert I went to as a kid. My mom took this 15 y/o and two friends and for some reason, we came out smelling like pot smoke!!!

Pot at a rock concert in the 70's? Shocked, simply shocked.

[Barney Fife Lives]

A great memory was the small concession stand that was under the stands behind the penalty boxes where we had seats. You could grab a beer and be back at your seat before the next puck drop!!