As a player at any level what was the highlight of your playing career

[Phillymoose]

SU Intramural floor hockey championships - We won the dormitory championship and went on to play the independent champion. I stripped one of the d-men, and scored a last second game-winning goal on a backhand deke. Team pig-piled me in the middle of the gym. Never bought another drink at SU while any of my teammates were around. It helps when you are (self proclaimed) one of the greatest street hockey players to ever live.

Law School intramural basketball. Not championship. Just some random game - missed four FT's in a row at the end of the game down by 1. First set I was fouled on a layup. Second pair came after a dramatic steal of the inbound pass and was again hammered and sent to the line. 4 straight misses. I had to buy my teammates drinks for that one.

HS Soccer - scored my one and only goal my Sr. year against Upper Darby. My good friend helped me up from the ground in the after-math and said 'that's the 2nd greatest feeling you are ever going to have'. Still use that line to this day.

I once stripped Earl Duncan during pickup at Archbold.

And... once parred the 12th on Torrey Pines South.

 

[jncuse]

University Intramural floor hockey brings back memories. I had a fairly hard shot in ice hockey, and I really seemed to strike down and choke the ball so that it resulted in a hard and big sudden break on my shot that would result in quite a few goals from long distance.

But my biggest memory is not a goal.

It is a when i came around the net and tried to score from my own end (lined her up about 25 feet off line). Problem was there was a guy about 40 feet away from me, which is about when the ball started to break. Perfect nut shot.

It was so perfect, that the ball actually lodged in between his leg and that area, and stayed there as he fell to the ground. About 30 seconds later the tried to get up and puked near mid court. Halftime was called early and apologized to the kid. I felt bad at the time but every few years when some of us from university get together it almost always comes up.

 

[two3zone]

Maybe not of my entire life, but recent, hit a 400 foot homerun in softball last September.

 

[phillydad]

This is just a fun topic just meant for a little board levity if you will. I'm going to show my age on this one as well as my tremendous leaping ability. In my high school days we didn't have 3 point and dunking was not allowed not even in warm ups before the game. We were playing a team from Candor NY and they had this guy who came in and in warm ups you didn't dunk but you ran out and jumped as high as you could near the rim. A guy they had could jump and put his elbow above the rim . He was about 6' 6 . It was amazing to see someone jump like that.

Well any way during the game which we did not win and he scored like 35 points he got a pass in the lane as I was playing guard . He turned to shoot but with my cat quick reflexes and amazing jumping ability I gave him a Rosie reject those who are old and listened to Syracuse games know what I'm talking about. I totally stuffed him from behind lol. I was so proud of myself lol. Well as to basketball careers he had a slightly higher ceiling than me . I played at townball after high school. He signed a scholarship offer at Syracuse . His name was Cliff Warwell .

What is your claim to fame or best basketball moment ?

Pitching for Cheltenham HS, approximately 50 years to the day, beat archrival Abington 2-1 going 11 IP 2BB 4K.

 

[CA Monk]

This is just a fun topic just meant for a little board levity if you will. I'm going to show my age on this one as well as my tremendous leaping ability. In my high school days we didn't have 3 point and dunking was not allowed not even in warm ups before the game. We were playing a team from Candor NY and they had this guy who came in and in warm ups you didn't dunk but you ran out and jumped as high as you could near the rim. A guy they had could jump and put his elbow above the rim . He was about 6' 6 . It was amazing to see someone jump like that.

Well any way during the game which we did not win and he scored like 35 points he got a pass in the lane as I was playing guard . He turned to shoot but with my cat quick reflexes and amazing jumping ability I gave him a Rosie reject those who are old and listened to Syracuse games know what I'm talking about. I totally stuffed him from behind lol. I was so proud of myself lol. Well as to basketball careers he had a slightly higher ceiling than me . I played at townball after high school. He signed a scholarship offer at Syracuse . His name was Cliff Warwell .

What is your claim to fame or best basketball moment ?

Thanks Don. Fun post. Much needed.

 

[Teamdud]

Hit a walk off grand slam to win the league championship my only year playing little league at Elmwood little league.

My proudest moment was when I made the varsity baseball team at St Anthony’s in the old Parochial league my sophomore year. During the second practice I was hit in the face with a line drive. I broke my nose, my cheek and shattered my eye socket, I missed half the year but was able to return and beat out the starter in right field.

We made it to the first round of the playoffs and played the undefeated Most Holy Rosary team. The game was played at McArther Stadium. I singled my first at bat, stole 2nd base and scored on a single. With the game tied and runners on 1st and 2nd I laid down a perfect bunt down the 3rd base line and the next batter hit a 2run single to win the game. It was the first game my father ever watched me play.

 

[IthacaMatt]

This is just a fun topic just meant for a little board levity if you will. I'm going to show my age on this one as well as my tremendous leaping ability. In my high school days we didn't have 3 point and dunking was not allowed not even in warm ups before the game. We were playing a team from Candor NY and they had this guy who came in and in warm ups you didn't dunk but you ran out and jumped as high as you could near the rim. A guy they had could jump and put his elbow above the rim . He was about 6' 6 . It was amazing to see someone jump like that.

Well any way during the game which we did not win and he scored like 35 points he got a pass in the lane as I was playing guard . He turned to shoot but with my cat quick reflexes and amazing jumping ability I gave him a Rosie reject those who are old and listened to Syracuse games know what I'm talking about. I totally stuffed him from behind lol. I was so proud of myself lol. Well as to basketball careers he had a slightly higher ceiling than me . I played at townball after high school. He signed a scholarship offer at Syracuse . His name was Cliff Warwell .

What is your claim to fame or best basketball moment ?

My best basketball moment was playing in the seniors vs. faculty game my senior year at OCS. I was the leading scorer at halftime with 8 points. I scored at the end of a fast break, hit a corner jumper, and then had a tip-steal at the top of the zone and took it in for another bucket. I also hit 2 FT's before the half. The guys on the basketball team mostly played in the fourth quarter, but I got some rebounds and played some good defense when I was in there.

Winning the state championship in cross country my senior year at Bear Mountain was a top highlight, though. I got knocked down in the initial sprint from the starting line, where the whole field had to pass through a bottle neck. Tried to get up and somebody stepped on my back, so I curled up in a ball until the field had passed. I was literally in last place after 200 yards. Came back to have a decent finish personally, with blood flowing down my legs and splattering on to my glasses, and it was enough for our team to get the win.

Individually, my senior year in spring track, I was in the lane next to a guy from Westhill who was a 49 second quarter man. I think he name was Dave Hall. My coach was teasing me at the starting line - "Just stay with this guy." I did place 5th, which was pretty good. Also took a 6th place at Manley for the indoor 600 in Sectionals.

At Baldwinsville's Turkey Day Run, I took 5th place my senior HS year in 15:25 for 3 miles in probably my best race ever. I also beat the Olympian Don Paige in a 20K race on the 4th of July at Fort Stanwix in Oriskany, out near Utica-Rome. I did nearly a half-marathon (12.4 miles vs. 13.1 for a half marathon) in only 77 minutes. That was the only time I ever got sick after a race.

In football, I once returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and I had a 65 yard touchdown run against Oswego on a naked bootleg that I didn't even tell my teammates I was going to do in the huddle. I called a pitch left, but kept the ball and went around the right end undetected and then went all the way. I spiked the ball and came out of the end zone with both arms raised, and got a 15 yard penalty for excessive celebration. Totally worth it.

So there are my sports brags, all gathered up in one place for your amusement.

 

[JOC44]

Here's two (one sort of athletic):

1. As a high school junior (fall 1982) my cross country team (Fulton) won the OHSL North, going undefeated in the league. We had a miserable sectionals but then came in 5th in the state in the final race after states. I can't remember what the race was called, but it was all size schools in the state, 34 teams got invites, and it was at Van Cortlandt Park in NYC (where Cyrus got shot in The Warriors).

2. At Marine Corps Officer Candidate School, I maxed out on the Endurance Course, which is very difficult to do.

 

[orange79]

I was a digger on our dorm intramural volleyball team (Brewster 12 - Penthouse baby!). We had a great team because we had several Korean guys on our floor who were INTO IT (they subscribed to Volleyball magazine and were constantly playing - 'nuff said). No matter where we were in our rotation, they always rotated to the front line on the serve, while I and a couple others rotated to the back line to dig. We won the living center championship and then faced off with the fraternity champions. Amazingly, we beat them in 5 sets. Then we played the independent champs, where we lost in 4 sets, so we ended as runners-up in SU intramural volleyball.

Not bad for a bunch of volleyball nerds.

 

[LarryC44]

1. Triple double in a high school basketball game. 30 points, 16 rebounds and 10 blocked shots

2. Went for 46 points in a mens league basketball game once

 

[IthacaMatt]

Here's two (one sort of athletic):

1. As a high school junior (fall 1982) my cross country team (Fulton) won the OHSL North, going undefeated in the league. We had a miserable sectionals but then came in 5th in the state in the final race after states. I can't remember what the race was called, but it was all size schools in the state, 34 teams got invites, and it was at Van Cortlandt Park in NYC (where Cyrus got shot in The Warriors).

2. At Marine Corps Officer Candidate School, I maxed out on the Endurance Course, which is very difficult to do.

It's called the Federation Meet. It's public schools, parochial schools and NYC schools all together.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

This is just a fun topic just meant for a little board levity if you will. I'm going to show my age on this one as well as my tremendous leaping ability. In my high school days we didn't have 3 point and dunking was not allowed not even in warm ups before the game. We were playing a team from Candor NY and they had this guy who came in and in warm ups you didn't dunk but you ran out and jumped as high as you could near the rim. A guy they had could jump and put his elbow above the rim . He was about 6' 6 . It was amazing to see someone jump like that.

Well any way during the game which we did not win and he scored like 35 points he got a pass in the lane as I was playing guard . He turned to shoot but with my cat quick reflexes and amazing jumping ability I gave him a Rosie reject those who are old and listened to Syracuse games know what I'm talking about. I totally stuffed him from behind lol. I was so proud of myself lol. Well as to basketball careers he had a slightly higher ceiling than me . I played at townball after high school. He signed a scholarship offer at Syracuse . His name was Cliff Warwell .

What is your claim to fame or best basketball moment ?

Great thread.

Leaving absolutely no doubt, however, that those who can...play the game

Those who cannot, alas, post about it...

 

[JOC44]

It's called the Federation Meet. It's public schools, parochial schools and NYC schools all together.

Yep. FWIW, OCS finished in the top 2-3 that year. You guys had quite the program. Joe Thedford was their big gun. The coach ended up in a bit of trouble a few years later.

 

[EnviroSciGuy]

Six straight threes in gym class.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Yep. FWIW, OCS finished in the top 2-3 that year. You guys had quite the program. Joe Thedford was their big gun. The coach ended up in a bit of trouble a few years later.

My team was the first of our state champs. We won Class C something like 7 or 8 years in a row before he ran into trouble.

 

[Hogtowncuse]

I played a tiny bit of college BBall in Canada. I actually only appeared in 2 games because I was the 12th guy on a 10 man rotation. In one of the 2 games, I got fouled in mop up time and actually made one of the 2 free throws so my total college scoring total is 1 point!!. I have frequently bragged that I hold a scoring record in Canadian college basketball...that being LOWEST SCORER...since I did actually score to edge out the hundreds (or thousands) of guys who never scored at all.

However, all was not lost...I once scored 43 points in a beer league game and won the league scoring title at 22.6 per game. Btw, those exploits were 55 years ago.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I never played any sports through my school district ironically enough which blows people's minds now as I am the sports guy at work and quite competitive (either did not make the teams, did not try out early enough ie 7th grade which makes it harder to go through the ranks up through 12th grade, or didn't try out at all (hindsite- regret)). But, I did play tons of rec basketball and then CYO basketball from 10-12th grade (which was a blast btw). Also played tons of baseball growing up, like many.

Was probably 14-16 (edit...maybe 13 even, who knows), can't remember specific age, but I was playing third base and we were getting rocked by a team and our pitchers were completely erratic for most of the game. Finally, after one of the last pitchers hit multiple kids in a row, our coach told me to go in and just throw a strike to get the game over with. I had pitched a lot when I was younger and was pretty good for my age. Unfortunately I was too quiet/shy to really buckle down and keep up with it as I got a bit older, i.e. through puberty etc, so I eventually ended up playing 1st/3rd. I also just didn't have a strong arm which eventually catches up with kids. Anyway, the point is I had pitched before so I was capable of throwing the ball to the catcher.

So our coach puts me in, bases are loaded. I step to the mound and throw a perfect strike down the middle of the plate, which the opposing player absolutely ropes to right field (lefty) for a grand slam. Game over. Mercy rule. I just walk back to the dugout, clearly somewhat dejected. Coach comes up and pats me on the back with an honest to god thankful look on his face. I, quite literally, did exactly what I was supposed to do.

In fact, the kid who ripped it turned out to be one of my buddies in high school and I still see him now and again around the holidays. He's absolutely lost a step (multiple..) but back in high school he was the starting first basemen for our baseball team and starting center for our basketball team.

Last pitch of my baseball career. Oh, was this supposed to be a positive highlight?