Early childhood memories of the Tiges ...

[hopper]

This being a non-game week and all, I thought I'd lighten the conversation a little.  So, take a little journey in time with Uncle HopHop.

I was watching FoxFooty the other night and my almost 6yo daughter was watching with me.  They played the brief footage of Richo's mark against Port last year.  She nearly jumped out of the chair with "Whoa!  Did you see what Richo did then, Dad?!"  Now, she's never even seen a Tiges game live as we live in Darwin.  But she was amazed.

It got me thinking of the earliest memories I have implanted on me of Richmond games, players and experience.  I was born in 1972 so these were what I could remember ...
* Getting lost at a Richmond v Pies game around 1980. Well, Dad never should have left me babysat by 50,000 people so he could hide downstairs in standing room having a beer with his mates.
* Kicking the footy behind the goals at the City End of the G and trying to mark goals as they were kicked.
* Meeting Dad at Bay 19 under the Southern Stand after the game. Thus my signature, he'd say "I'll be standing between Merv Keane & Jim Jess". Geez, he must have been paranoid about me getting lost for some reason.
* Seeing Terry Smith kick the ball sideways when trying to seal a tight game against the Pies. He missed from 10m, the ball was swept downfield and Rene Kink kicked the sealer. I was shattered.
* Seeing Michael Roach kick a drop punt about 70m from the sthn flank, Punt Rd end and watching spear through at post height.
* Seeing Jim Jess run the length of the ground to king hit Stephen Newport after Newport bowled Dale Weightman over. Hardly anyone saw it and The Ghost was never even reported. Would have got 12 weeks these days.

Anyway, feel free to add to the sepia toned sentiments I've supplied.  Hey, it makes a nice break from dud accusations, Pettifer arguments, ACLs and calls for Stafford's retirement.

Cheers.

 

[tigersnake]

Very early ones blurry.  Rememer kicking footy under the old Southern stand with my brother and watching lunatics in the crowd.  Going into the rooms.

Earliest clear memory was the day Dad drove us 4 kids to the elimation final at Waverley against North from Ballarat in the Valiant.  Dad was very angry after the loss and then got angrier when he hit 2 cars on the way out of the car park inluding a Dairy Queen van.  Us kids didn't say boo.

Remember the ice cream van the most, and being scared to talk.  Was that 78?

 

[skybeau]

Stafford will NEVER retire, as long as I'm a member, and btoz doesn't assasinate him... :hihi :hihi :hihi nah, I like the big lug, hope he gets 200.

My first memory of the footy is a terrible one. We were at Waverly Park, what year it was I have no idea, but my father and I were seated on the bottom level. I couldn't see much of the action, as I recall, but just enough to have some idea about what was going on. The match was Richmond vs Fitzroy, I think, and it was terrible for the Tigers, we got flogged and Jeff Hogg got stretchered off. I've got this great memory of looking at the scoreboard when he was going off, I don't know why, it just stuck in my head. Of course, I was devastated about this, but it got better when the siren went and dad and I hopped onto the ground for a kick to kick. It was hard enough to see dad amidst everyone running around the ground and my kicking skills sucked a bit...well, a lot.

I was born in 1984, so I'm used to Tiger mediocrity...

 

[felix]

Watching my p.e. teacher play for the tigers at the g he was the reason i followed the tigers, his name was Don Davenport and i believe he is still in the teaching caper

 

[clown]

My first game was at the G about 1984-85 against Melbourne I joined the cheer squad for a dollar and got to sit with them and wave a flag.I remember there as a big fight during the game and two players fighting along the fence and some spectators trying to get involved.I've been hooked ever since.

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

* Seeing Terry Smith kick the ball sideways when trying to seal a tight game against the Pies.  He missed from 10m, the ball was swept downfield and Rene Kink kicked the sealer.  I was shattered.

Awful memory, '81 and the 5-point loss cost us a spot in the finals.

First game: MCG 1977 v Collingwood, crowd was 90,000+ & queues stretched back to the footbridge; read my first (20 cent) footy record while I was waiting. When we got in the game had started and I wanted to know why there weren't any commentators to tell people what was happening. Geoff Raines (wearing no. 40) took a screamer, there was a fight in the crowd & we lost.

 

[tigachick36]

I'll never forget the two big Hawthorn comebacks recently.
*The first one, i was about 11 my brother had his only RDO for the week and i pleaded and pleaded for him to take me to the footy and he eventually said yes. We were up in the 3rd level and were getting flogged by 51pts and my brother was indeed having a go at me ("my only RDO and i take you to watch this sh!t!) Well,as you can probably remember we came back and ended up winning by 20-odd points. Bloody incredible.

*Second was last year, Sunday August 21 2005 at the G, my 15th birthday. All i wanted was for richmond to win. I was in the cheer sqaud with my dad and brother and we were losing by about 40pts. i was very very upset. we started coming back but i want gonna let myself get excited even when we were 4pts behind with 4mins to go! i just sat patiently. Then, we got in front, 2pts, i was CRAZY! The siren went and i was on my brothers shoulders, felt like i was on the top of the world.
To top off a great day, my parents had got RICHO to sign a huge richmond towel for me. Brilliant.

 

[Rosy]

The Blast From the Past board has similar threads to this if anyone cares to check them out some time when things are quiet.

 

[Anduril]

Watching my p.e. teacher play for the tigers at the g he was the reason i followed the tigers, his name was Don Davenport  and i believe he is still in the teaching caper 

Hey he taught me too!

 

[Ruthless Tigers ?]

Don Davenport taught me also at Knox Tech in Boronia!

My earliest memroies of Richmond were 1967. Watching a grainy replay on our old Astor TV of "that mark" in the Grand Final. My first game that I went to was at the G against Melbourne. I can clearly remember the half forward line of Dean Hart and Northey creating havoc. As I child I remember going to the G to watch training before the finals. Jumping on the train from Bayswater and walking form RIchmond Station to watch the boys train. I had a broken arm at the time and my idol Royce Hart noticed and came to me. He signed my cast then took me to the group and had them sign it also. It lasted a few yrs.

I can also recall Max Walker playing against Richmond and Mike Green all over him in class.

I can remember the outcry when Barrot left and we got that bloke form StKilda and when Rex was sent down the Geelong Road and we got Gareth Andrews. Can still remember Teasdales first game on Ray Ball at the Lake Oval and kicking 6 in his first game.

Ahh memories!

 

[felix]

Don is still teaching at scotch college, pm me pls i went to knox tech as well

 

[Bunnerz85]

first tiger match i ever went to was when i was 4 vs cats.

we got smashed and one G Ablett kicked 14

 

[tigerdave]

I can remember the Tige's playing Port Adelaide in an exhibition match in our little town (Broken Hill) in 1973.All the great players from that era were there, including a local boy (Steve Hywood) who also played.I've been a mad Tiger fan ever since.

 

[rensman]

have earlier memories, but the one clear one was as a 9 yr old 82 GF vs Carlton.
streaker comes on and the bloke next to me, who i'd never met, just about choking me by grabbing my binoculors (we were in the very back row of the Ponsford stand) with the strap still around my neck.

also remember crying after losing to Essendon around the same year.
still crying to this day!!

 

[nitrotiger]

Earliest childhood memories of my beloved tigers........

HEAPS OF FLAGS AND BASHING EVERYONE UP AND KICKING BALLS 80 METERS AND TAKING HANGERS SO HIGH,THE RICHMOND FOOTBALL CLUB HAD TO GET AN AVIATION LICENCE TO FLY........... ;D ;D :hihi :hihi

 

[LeighW]

My earliest memory of the tiges is sitting at my pops house and learning a few new words that a boy of 5 should never hear.

 

[RemoteTiger]

Being born in '54 I have too many great memories of my teenage years Tigers ('67 to '73) - and thats one of the reasons I love 'em.

My great uncle Harry is the main reason I love the Tigers - but those formative teenage years - simply unforgettable............too many memories to go into here.........

 

[feisty tige]

being a relative new comer to football, one of my first memories of the Tigers was "that" game against the Bulldogs with Libba and Knighter....


although I am relatively new to footy, I think there is some symbiotic thing that happens and you quickly do begin to hate other teams, with a passion...