Foxboro stadium farewell... in the middle of a Northeaster

[NoCal Patriot]

So very very true, season ticket base back in the leanest years was maybe 18,000 and I swear, some of the very very cold & rainy games, when the team was 2-9 or something -- about 8,000 of us would show up.

I lived 10 miles away in Randolph & Stoughton (before moving to foxboro in 2001) back in those days. I could leave my house at 12:30 and be in my seats for 1:00 PM kickoff. Coming home was also a breeze.

Yup...we'll find a game to do just that No Cal.

When our buddy Italian Pats fans comes to town -DONE deal., I'll have a ticket for both of you guys...count on it.

Thank You Amigo.That is one day that I look forward to with great anticipation. Italian pat Patriot might not even know who Jumpin Joe Gerlac is !

 

[italian pat patriot]

Italian pat Patriot might not even know who Jumpin Joe Gerlac is !

you are right... who is ?

 

[Michael]

There's actually a full 30 minute NFL Films program (which that video is an excerpt of) about Foxboro Stadium which I saw on ESPN/2 about four years ago (and never since) but hopefully that'll be aired again one day.

Interesting bit of trivia is that the town is spelled Foxborough and only the stadium is spelled Foxboro. Anyone know the history as to how that happened?

I think either is accepted. I worked in Marlborough and half the things you see (official or otherwise) are spelt Marlborough and half are spelt Marlboro

 

[Patti37]

So very very true, season ticket base back in the leanest years was maybe 18,000 and I swear, some of the very very cold & rainy games, when the team was 2-9 or something -- about 8,000 of us would show up.

I lived 10 miles away in Randolph & Stoughton (before moving to foxboro in 2001) back in those days. I could leave my house at 12:30 and be in my seats for 1:00 PM kickoff. Coming home was also a breeze.

Yup...we'll find a game to do just that No Cal.

When our buddy Italian Pats fans comes to town -DONE deal., I'll have a ticket for both of you guys...count on it.

And when it was raining, you could be sure it would be raining under the stadium complete with floods. There was never any place to keep drive except maybe the ladies room. Funny how it is all so nostalgic now.

 

[NoCal Patriot]

you are right... who is ?

I knew that would catch your attention ! Jumpin Joe Gerlac was a guy who used to be a Half Time entertainer who would jump out of a Hot Air balloon on to a very small mat .In the early 1970's the Patriots under The Sullivan Family hyped his appearance for a few weeks so everyone was looking forward to seeing Him.Remember these were the days when the Team really stunk so that any entertainment was good entertainment! Jumpin Joe went out the night before the show and got drunk with then Patriots General Manager Upton Bell and the son of the Patriots Owner Billy Sullivan ,Pat Sullivan.He was so hung over the next morning Jumpin Joe refused to jump.You add to that the fact the wind was blowing that day around 45 miles per hour and the fact that on that day a BIG Crowd for those days was on hand.The Sullivans refused to pay Him unless he jumped even though He had a contract that said He got paid even if He didn't. Joe relented and jumped barely hitting the mat.As He was rising to jump the then rowdy Foxboro crowd was chanting,"Miss,Miss, Miss" ! When He almosted missed the mat the crowd roared ! It was a tough crowd back then !

 

[italian pat patriot]

i think on those years probably the 'opposite' fans were not very wellcome too...

am i right ?

 

[italian pat patriot]

And when it was raining, you could be sure it would be raining under the stadium complete with floods. There was never any place to keep drive except maybe the ladies room. Funny how it is all so nostalgic now.

what a difference between the 'past' and the 'present'

probably the 12th men home field advantage was much more evident in the past then now


i think that on those wild years onle the TRUE fans were there

100% i would have been there too, no doubt at all !

what could have happened if on those years we woould have won too ?

i can not imagine i.e if we would have been Super Bowl Champions on 1976...delirium probably ?

 

[italian pat patriot]

I knew that would catch your attention ! Jumpin Joe Gerlac was a guy who used to be a Half Time entertainer who would jump out of a Hot Air balloon on to a very small mat .In the early 1970's the Patriots under The Sullivan Family hyped his appearance for a few weeks so everyone was looking forward to seeing Him.Remember these were the days when the Team really stunk so that any entertainment was good entertainment! Jumpin Joe went out the night before the show and got drunk with then Patriots General Manager Upton Bell and the son of the Patriots Owner Billy Sullivan ,Pat Sullivan.He was so hung over the next morning Jumpin Joe refused to jump.You add to that the fact the wind was blowing that day around 45 miles per hour and the fact that on that day a BIG Crowd for those days was on hand.The Sullivans refused to pay Him unless he jumped even though He had a contract that said He got paid even if He didn't. Joe relented and jumped barely hitting the mat.As He was rising to jump the then rowdy Foxboro crowd was chanting,"Miss,Miss, Miss" ! When He almosted missed the mat the crowd roared ! It was a tough crowd back then !

great ! as usual !

 

[NoCal Patriot]

what a difference between the 'past' and the 'present'

probably the 12th men home field advantage was much more evident in the past then now


i think that on those wild years onle the TRUE fans were there

100% i would have been there too, no doubt at all !

what could have happened if on those years we woould have won too ?

i can not imagine i.e if we would have been Super Bowl Champions on 1976...delirium probably ?

My Italian Friend if The Patriot had won the Super Bowl back in 1976 all I will tell You is that The Celebtration Party would either still be going on now or everyone in attendance would be DEAD ! There would be no other alternative!

 

[NoCal Patriot]

i think on those years probably the 'opposite' fans were not very wellcome too...

am i right ?

Not many opposing Fans traveled in those days.A few from Buffalo and several from New York were about it. I remember my friend Kurt tore a kid's Buffalo Bills pennant to shreads and then went down an bought the kid a Patriots Pennant.That gives you a flavor of how opponent fans were treated.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

My Italian Friend if The Patriot had won the Super Bowl back in 1976 all I will tell You is that The Celebtration Party would either still be going on now or everyone in attendance would be DEAD ! There would be no other alternative!

I got to within a short lateral back to Maroney distance to the ticket window in Oakland for tickets to the infamous Ben Dreith game when they lowered a sold out sign. I was never so disappointed in my life. I kicked the dirt, or the asphalt, and drove back to San Jose. After the game, and probably during, I drank far too much, and I think my wife kicked me out of the house (to the backyard anyway). After that, I think we were all disbelievers until the 2001 post season. Since then I'm a believer (that they can and will beat anybody).

 

[italian pat patriot]

My Italian Friend if The Patriot had won the Super Bowl back in 1976 all I will tell You is that The Celebtration Party would either still be going on now or everyone in attendance would be DEAD ! There would be no other alternative!

i imagined a reply like that ! fantastic !

 

[italian pat patriot]

I kicked the dirt, or the asphalt, and drove back to San Jose. After the game, and probably during, I drank far too much, and I think my wife kicked me out of the house (to the backyard anyway).

what a day must have been...

 

[Fanfrom1960]

what a day must have been...

Maybe it's a good thing I wasn't at the game. I was young and crazy then. :bricks:

 

[fgssand]

I knew that would catch your attention ! Jumpin Joe Gerlac was a guy who used to be a Half Time entertainer who would jump out of a Hot Air balloon on to a very small mat .In the early 1970's the Patriots under The Sullivan Family hyped his appearance for a few weeks so everyone was looking forward to seeing Him.Remember these were the days when the Team really stunk so that any entertainment was good entertainment! Jumpin Joe went out the night before the show and got drunk with then Patriots General Manager Upton Bell and the son of the Patriots Owner Billy Sullivan ,Pat Sullivan.He was so hung over the next morning Jumpin Joe refused to jump.You add to that the fact the wind was blowing that day around 45 miles per hour and the fact that on that day a BIG Crowd for those days was on hand.The Sullivans refused to pay Him unless he jumped even though He had a contract that said He got paid even if He didn't. Joe relented and jumped barely hitting the mat.As He was rising to jump the then rowdy Foxboro crowd was chanting,"Miss,Miss, Miss" ! When He almosted missed the mat the crowd roared ! It was a tough crowd back then !

FRISBEE DOG.....now that was awesome halftime entertainment!!!! They need to bring back frisbee dog and get rid of the stupid current joke of 1/2 blind guys chasing the big Pepsi bottle or the idiots throwing a football through Dunkin bagels.

Bring back Frisbee dog!!!!!!!!11