What’s your earliest memory of the Buffalo Bills?

[BillsFan619]

32 minutes ago, inaugural balls said:

Too old to remember. 

 

I wish someone would start thread "What's your LATEST memory of the Buffalo Bills"

 

Even then......

🤣 Well, what’s your latest memory then?

[oldmanfan]

I went to the first game in 1960 but was only 4 years old so no memory of that.  First memories include seeing guys carry cases of Genny into the stadium and put them at their feet.  I remember autograph day and Cookie putting me on his shoulder. And of course The Hit Heard Round The World.

[stinky finger]

2 minutes ago, BillsFan619 said:

🤣 Well, what’s your latest memory then?

 

Hmm - it seems I can't remember. 

 

 

[Pbomb]

Ronnie Harmon dropping the pass in the endzone and my older brother going crazy 

Edited March 13, 2021 by Pbomb

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Not exactly my first Bills

memory. But I vividly remember the 1988 pre-season American Bowl between the Dolphins and Niners in London. 
 

I remember really watching that game closely on TD, and a bunch of basic football rules really clicked in a way that was such an “aha” moment. I think that really ignited my interest in football, because both teams were exciting and I finally sort of figured out the rules and strategy. 
 

Of course, right around this same time, the Bills started getting good, and living in Bills country, it was perfect timing to get into the Bills. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

I would have to say the Bills losing the conference championship to the KC Chiefs.

 

So that they didn't get to play in the first Superbowl

 

I'd like to say I remember the two AFL championships the years before but I really think that I just remember my Grandpa talking about them.

[27yanks]

Jack Kemp and the gang! They sent Lamonica to the Raiders and I was hooked on Raiders for years. Dang I remember OJ torching Jets to go over 2000. Monday night against Cincy when he ran all over Bengals but had to limit him due to being behind and throwing it everywhere. Lifetime of sports memories from the 716!!!

[Bobby Hooks]

I don’t really remember a first memory. It was just something that always seemed to be on in the background. 

 

I do remember when I first started watching and kind of caring I hated Defense. I would go to a friends house and we would just watch the offense and then go outside and play football or whatever and when the offense came back out his family would yell for us to come back in.

Edited March 13, 2021 by Bobby Hooks

[BillsFan619]

39 minutes ago, Bill Lewes said:

Training camp at Niagara, OJ standing high jumping a 4'+ security fence to sign autographs

 

37 minutes ago, BornAgainBillsFan said:

OJ running wild on every team in '73, when I was 7. His limbs were that of a superior species in those days. And I was hooked from then on.

Since I became a fan in the late 80s, I didn’t watch OJ.

 

Since you guys were fans in the OJ days, in your opinion, what were the big differences between him and TT?

 

if you feel that he was way better than TT, what are the reasons that stand out to you?

 

 

37 minutes ago, NewEra said:

@ SUNY Fredonia 1980, Joe Cribbs carrying me around on on his shoulders for 15 mins or so while he was signing autographs for the mob of fans.  I was hooked

Wow, that’s really cool!

[27yanks]

1 minute ago, BillsFan619 said:

 

Since I became a fan in the late 80s, I didn’t watch OJ.

 

Since you guys were fans in the OJ days, in your opinion, what were the big differences between him and TT?

 

if you feel that he was way better than TT, what are the reasons that stand out to you?

 

 

I'd have to go with Thurman, can do it all, but OJ can catch it out the backfield also. Thurman never had a Braxton to lead the way. Jimmy B was a bulldozer!!

[BillsFan619]

35 minutes ago, stevens273 said:

My dad took me to my first game at the Rockpile. 12/13/70. I was 8. It was cold and we lost to Johnny Unitas but I was hooked. 

That’s an awesome memory to have with your dad.

36 minutes ago, inaugural balls said:

'70 Baltimore comes to the Rock. I was 6. With my dad, uncle and 2 brothers. I don't actually remember the game, more so just being there.......and freezing my tukus off.

 

Colts won. 

That’s a cool family memory to have.

[Bobby Hooks]

7 minutes ago, 27yanks said:

I'd have to go with Thurman, can do it all, but OJ can catch it out the backfield also. Thurman never had a Braxton to lead the way. Jimmy B was a bulldozer!!

I grew up with Thurman and never watched OJ play, but I do know Oj was our offense back then, he was getting 100+ games when opposing teams knew he was getting the ball, he was that special. 

 

Thurman will always have a place in Bills fandom but he’s not widely considered one of the very best. Oj is and for good reason. Oj may have had Jimmy B, but Thurman had 101 hall of famers to share the field with. That opens some thing ups. 

Edited March 13, 2021 by Bobby Hooks

[BillsFan619]

35 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Sad to say it's wide right. I wasn't even a Bills fan yet. Very young. I became a Bills fan after going to training camp maybe in 1993? Sometime around then. 

 

35 minutes ago, Virgil said:

Same. I was 10

Huge props to you both! What a hard first memory. Since I became a fan in the late 80s, that memory is a part of my early year memories as well.

 

if I’m not mistaken, I believe I called my Dad after the game crying that they lost. I must’ve passed this gene on to my kids. They both got teary-eyed as they watched the Bills lose the AFC championship game this year.

 

What a fun year last season was. Go Bills!

36 minutes ago, DCbillsfan said:

October 1972 Bills played Steelers at War Memorial.  OJ ran a sweep to the right for a 94 yard touchdown.  Went to the game with my dad.  I was 8.

 

Does anyone else remember the fan in the stands in the late 70s who led the " Oh Sh*t" cheer? 

 

For those who don't or are too young, this guy was in the corner end zone lower bowl pretty high up.  He had an aisle seat and anytime the Bills had a bad play - bad penalty or a turnover - he would stand up and put his hands in the air and it seemed the entire crowd would yell a drawn out "Oooooooooohhhhhhhhh" for a few seconds and then the fan would drop his hands and everyone would yell "Sh*t".  It was so loud.  80k seats back then.

I never knew about that cheer.

[NoHuddleKelly12]

I didn’t grow up in a sports-following family, but in 1989, the East Brady Pa “Home of Jim Kelly” huge sign left quite an impression on 10 yr old me while we drove past on a random early Summer day and it’s been all Buffalo ever since lol...

 

 

[BillsFan619]

42 minutes ago, jwolf02 said:

I'm not sure of the timing, but it's one of three things:

 

-Ronnie Harmon's drop against the Browns is definitely the first memory I have from a game...

-I played against Darryl Talley's son in Little Loop and he signed my game program,but that would have been a year right around the Harmon catch. I was definitely in awe, the largest human I had ever met at that point. He was really nice to all the kids.

-Getting Jim Kelly's autograph in the back corner of a Toys R Us (it was a scheduled signing). I remember him wearing a canadian tuxedo.  Still have that ball on display in my kids room with a few other training camp autographs through the years.

Cool memories! I remember getting a JK autograph as well.

41 minutes ago, Wacka said:

All youngsters. First time I saw a color TV outside of a store. 1965 Bills at SD winning their 2nd AFL  Championship. Uncle (worked at Chevy had $) and bought one and invited  every one over to watch,

What a great story and memory. Wow, one of your first color TV experiences. Nice!

Edited March 13, 2021 by BillsFan619

[Augie]

31 minutes ago, Wacka said:

All youngsters. First time I saw a color TV outside of a store. 1965 Bills at SD winning their 2nd AFL  Championship. Uncle (worked at Chevy had $) and bought one and invited  every one over to watch,

 

Youngsters, indeed! The first time I saw a color TV was at Jack Kemp’s house. I went to 3rd grade with his son and we’d walk to his house after school. That would have been around 1967. 

 

I was a fan before that, however. I remember walking up to the gates of the Rockpile for the first time. It seemed so enormous, and the crowd was unlike anything I had ever seen before! On a trip back a few years ago I went by that old site and saw the gates still standing. It was hard to believe that was the same place I had been as a kid. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

20 minutes ago, 27yanks said:

Jack Kemp and the gang! They sent Lamonica to the Raiders and I was hooked on Raiders for years. Dang I remember OJ torching Jets to go over 2000. Monday night against Cincy when he ran all over Bengals but had to limit him due to being behind and throwing it everywhere. Lifetime of sports memories from the 716!!!

 

We should never have traded Lamonica.  Our FO sucks!

[BillsFan619]

42 minutes ago, Beast said:

 

Same here.

 

My eatliest memory was listening to rhe opening kickoff at Rich Stadium and my Dad saying he bet the Tedskins would run it all the way back for a TD.

 

Herb Mul-Key did just that.

Did your Dad ever get lucky and guess winning lottery numbers? 🤣

 

Cool Dad memory. It’s cool to see all the family memories on here.

[klos63]

19 minutes ago, BillsFan619 said:

 

Since I became a fan in the late 80s, I didn’t watch OJ.

 

Since you guys were fans in the OJ days, in your opinion, what were the big differences between him and TT?

 

if you feel that he was way better than TT, what are the reasons that stand out to you?

 

 

Wow, that’s really cool!

OJ's stride was a thing of beauty, it was like he was gliding, but nobody could catch him. Still the most enjoyable back to watch, to this day.

I was at War Memorial for a game against the Boston Patriots in 1970, in 1971, i was at the Houston game,the fans were chanting good bye Harvey. I had to have my father explain that to me. I was 8 at the time.

[aristocrat]

7 years old being at the raiders afc title game. Just one of those snapshot memories of the scoreboard