Sunday, February 22, 2009

29 Years Ago Today...

Miracle.

The original live call of the game in Lake Placid, sans irritating sappy music. "Just the call, Ma'am... just the call:"



I remember this game oh-so-well, even though I wasn't a hockey fan at the time (that would come later). NO ONE expected the US to win against Russia the Soviet Union, let alone go on to win against Finland to take the Gold. It was a great, grand, and glorious day for the USA... and for hockey.

10 comments:

  1. Grand and glorious indeed! I remember watching with my family and the whooping and hollering that went on all thru those last few minutes of the game. The country needed it so badly - those boys had such pressure because of that and they responded to beautifully.

    A truly golden moment.

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  2. I wasn't a hockey fan in 1980 either, but I will never forget that day. It was an AMERICAN day ... and we were ALL so proud!!!

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  3. Yep a great time in USA olympic history! I too remember it well and I own the cheesie movie!

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  4. I was sitting in a drive thru at McDonald's in Dodge City, Kansas, when I heard the news that the USA had upset the Soviets...the game was not on live on ABC-TV...so I went and grabbed a 6 pack and went home to my rental to watch the game in full.

    My wife and child were still back in Wisconsin waiting to join me at my new job in Kansas....and the memory is clear and still present. The outstanding weekend was topped off when the USA secured gold by defeating the Fin team.

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  5. I was alone that day too, Pat, watching the game -- my husband was traveling home from a business trip somewhere, and they announced to the passengers on the plane about the USA victory.

    That victory was followed by 8 years of the Reagan presidency and more pride in our country.

    Been a long time now since I felt that way.

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  6. Kris, Sharon, Dale and Pat: Yep... a great day, indeed. Thanks for telling your stories!

    And Dale... the movie (assuming you mean "Miracle") AIN'T cheesy at all. If more movies were like "Miracle" I might actually watch one, once in a while.

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  7. Buck, not a hockey fan either (I roughly conceptualized it at the time, and still do, as "soccer on ice") but I do remember being happier on the day the US team defeated the USSR than I was, e.g., two years later when the UNC men's basketball team won the NCAA Tournament.

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  8. That was one great win. I remember how excited everyone was.

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  9. Saw the USSR game in replay after knowing the score, but watched the Finland game (on a Sunday morning, as I recall) and loved every minute of it. Great stuff.

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