Anaheim Stadium AKA The Big A
Anaheim, California

It was the summer of 1969 and a family vacation took me to Anaheim. We did all the normal stuff, bus tour to see a buncha movie star houses that I didn't care about, Disneyland which was dreadful and Knotts Berry Farm which did have a cool cowboy show. However, the ace in this trip was making it to the Big A where I saw my first Major League Baseball game.

Memorable Moments:
The Big A was in the outfield like this card shows.

I got a souvenir Tommy Egan (not Joe Azcue as previously thought) minibat which I still have to this day.

I got a souvenir California Angels plastic batting helmet which was eventually stolen by a neighborhood kid.

Three Rivers Stadium
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Starting in 1970 all the way through its history I prolly saw at least 1 Pirates game every year in this venue. I also sprinkled in about 2 or 3 Steelers games. I picked this card because it shows the walk-in dugouts which were a newfangled thing in 1970.

Memorable Moments:
Seeing Roberto Clemente during pregame warm ups was amazing. That man could throw a strike to home plate from the corner in right field

Bob Robertson became the first right handed batter to homer into the upper deck.

The first night game in the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Civic Arena
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The venue where I have deffo spent the most time. First game was in 1972 Penguins and Kings. Also saw many Pittsburgh Spirit indoor soccer games, loads of concerts, Pro Wrestling and 1 Canada Cup game. I picked this card because it shows those horridly dirty orange seats that I loved so very much.

Memorable Moments:
The greatest hockey fight I ever saw between Bob "Battleship" Kelly of the Penguins and Dave "The Hammer" Schultz of the Flyers

Mario Lemieux scoring 5 goals 5 different ways in the same game against the New Jersey Devils

Jaromir Jagr's OT winner in the 1991 Patrick Division semi-finals against those pesky Devils.

Cambria County War Memorial Arena
Johnstown, Pennsylvania

A grand old barn in downtown Johnstown. I was lucky enough to see hockey here Johnstown Jets, Penguins pre-season, Johnstown Chiefs and some concerts.

Memorable Moments
Jets fans were oldtime hockey fans. I learnt many new words while sitting in the stands as they heckled the visiting team.

Digging out a practice puck from underneath the boards which stated on the side "Made in Czechoslovakia"

Best Metallica show I ever saw.

Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I visited this place once sometime in either 1978 or 1979. Saw a Phillies and Reds match up.

Exhibition Stadium
Toronto, Ontario

A weekend series between Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers was on tap in 1983. I picked this card because it shows that very loooong grandstand that stood in the outfield and Lloyd Moseby was one of my faves at the time.. A visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame also ensued.

Memorable Moments
IT WAS COLD, it was August but it was freezing for the first game.

The Blue Jays 7th inning stretch was the best. OK! BLUE JAYS! LET'S PLAY BALL!

The guys sitting behind us were like having the McKenzie Brothers watching a ball game, beauty, eh.

Oakland Alameda County Coliseum
Oakland, California

By the mid-eighties my sister had moved to San Francisco. I arranged to visit her over Christmas and asked if she could tickets to a Warriors game, it would be my first NBA game.

Memorable Moments
Went to get a beer for me and sis, the nice beer lady asked to see my ID. She looked at it and said, "Pennsylvania?! What you doin' here?" To whit I replied, "Drinkin' some beers, watchin' some basketball."

The coliseum was about half full. We were sat behind one of the baskets. The Warriors fans were great as they continuously harangued Kiki VanDeWeghe of the Trail Blazers.

Fighting Jet Lag near the end of the game was brutal.

Capital Centre
Landover, Maryland

In the 1980s I ventured down to Landover to see a few Penguins-Capitals match ups.

Memorable Moments
Pat Boutette of the Penguins trying to goad Captials into stick fights. I yelled "Carve 'em up Booter!"

The place was DARK. Walking into the Cap Centre was like walking into a Movie Theater.

My friend tripped over a guard rail while walking back to our car and fell down a hill into a drainage ditch. Covered in mud we made fun of him the whole way home.

Stade olympique
Montreal, Quebec

1987 or 1988 a weekend series between the Pirates and Expos was in the offing.

Memorable Moments
The HOT DOGS! Best hot dogs on the planet.

The chicken cartoons on the scoreboard. Never did quite understand what they were all about.

Met some fellers, only a couple could speak a bit of English and I could speak a bit of French. But, they were enamored with Vance Law, who was with the Expos at the time, for some strange reason.

Wheeling Civic Center
Wheeling, West Virginia

Early 90s after the ECHLs Carolina Thunderbirds moved to Wheeling.

Memorable Moments
This trip was one of them trips that was off the cuff. My buddy called me and said let's go to Wheeling. I thought we were going to see a band or something.

The atmosphere was totally minor league hockey which was cool.

Slept in the car that night as my buddy couldn't find us a room.