Published: September 05, 2009 11:54 pm      

WOLCOTT: 49 years of odd memories

LOCKPORT — The Buffalo Bills are celebrating their 50th season so I thought I would recall some of the odd things since their first game against the Boston Patriots in 1960.

Charlie and I went to the game in late July at War Memorial Stadium and tickets were $5. That may seem cheap, but when you are making $1.32 a hour it's a half a day's pay.

I remember all of coach Buster Ramsey's plays, run left, run up the middle, run right and punt.

Still the offense scored more touchdowns (1) than the Bills offense did in the preseason to their 50th year.

Charlie remembers Marion Motley scoring a late touchdown for the Patriots. I didn't recall that and tried to look it up. Couldn't find it. Scott Berchtold, the vice president of the Bills public relations, couldn't find it either. Motley was a tank that was put out of service in 1955. He never played for the Pats. The Hall of Famer can't be found on the Pats' all-time roster.

Sorry, Charlie.

While in the Air Force, my biggest battles were to find a television in New Jersey that had the AFL games. The AFL-NFL war was real the airmen from NFL teams outnumbered airmen from the AFL teams. We had to meet in secret cells for four years.

My sister bought me tickets for the AFL Championship game in 1964 for my birthday when I was home on leave. Fans could hear the thud when Mike Stratton creamed Keith Lincoln of the San Diego Chargers. That was the birth of the Bills. They won the AFL championship.

Jack Kemp holds the AFL all-time record for fumbles. As quarterback, he probably handled the ball more than any non-center in the AFL. Congressman Kemp, R-Heaven, likely set the record for most fumble recoveries.

I bought season tickets for the 1967 season after I graduated from college. Our gang sat about two rows up from the field and couldn't see over the hundreds of freeloaders who ringed the outside of the field.

Then I got a job with the Niagara Gazette and joined the freeloaders in the pressbox and learned “If it isn't catered, it isn't journalism.” There were free hot dogs — and a seat next to Red Smith (good guy) of the New York Times, or the (bad guy) GM of the Oakland Raiders.

War Memorial Stadium (I preferred to call it Depression Memorial Stadium) almost killed the Bills and did kill the Buffalo Bisons in 1970. I would arrive early for games at Jefferson and Best. One sunny Sunday morn, I was at the gate when it was stormed. About 50-75 teens rushed over the hurdles, ticket-takers and security. The Huns were inside within 15 seconds and lost among the 45,000 paying customers.

I had press credentials and could talk to stars like Kemp and O.J. Simpson when the Bills trained at Niagara University. One afternoon I thought it would be democratic to talk to the grunts who make up the offensive line. Afterall, linemen can be important too. The Electric Company was still a glint in Lou Saban’s eye.

I walked towards the field alone and the lineman didn't seem to notice me. All of a sudden, six 350-pounders were charging towards me and it didn't look like they saw me or would stop. I was startled and may have jumped back.

The grunts had a good laugh.

Contact reporter Bill Wolcott

at 439-9222, ext. 6246.