Growing Up Falcon

When the Falcons came to town my dad ordered season tickets, and kept them until the mid-70’s when I was playing high school football and had to attend film sessions on Sunday afternoons. His tickets were high up in the upper deck, but on the 50 yard line. He would buy field level tickets for me and my brother. We’d sit in those seats for a while, then walk halfway around the stadium by ourselves, up the ramps to sit near our parents, usually stopping to check out the wares at the souvenir stands.

I loved getting a game program and read it from cover to cover, memorizing the Falcons’ names and numbers. I’d always check out the rudimentary stats to see if any Falcons ranked among the leaders, as well as the few pictures from previous games. I’d leave through the program all the way back to Macon. We still have a few of those old programs in my parents basement.

I went back and added the games to my list of games I’ve attended. Saw Fran Tarkenton with the Giants, Namath with the Jets (at Grant Field), the Vikings Purple People Eaters, the Rams Fearsome Foursome and Roman Gabriel, Gale Sayers with the Bears, Bart Starr and the Packers, Len Dawson and the Chiefs, my hero Fred Biletnikoff and the Raiders, Billy Kilmer and Archie Manning of the Saints, Johnny Unitas and the Colts, John Brodie and the 49ers, and others. I was there when Dave Hampton cracked the thousand yard mark in the season finale against the Chiefs. The game was stopped to give him the ball. On his next carry Hampton was thrown for a loss, and then the season ended. Also when Harmon Wages caught a long TD pass, ran for a long touchdown, and threw a touchdown pass all in the same game.        

We’d get to the parking lot early and tailgate. My mom would make sandwiches. We’d go inside early to watch the players warm up from the field level seats down near the baseball dugouts, where the players would come out. Since my little brother was younger and had blond hair he was easy to spot, and head coach Norm Van Brocklin would come out, pat him on the head, and ask “How’s my little buddy?”

For three straight summers dad drove the fam up to Furman University for the Falcons fan day at training camp. The first year we arrived during a practice. Van Brocklin recognized my brother and took him out on the field with him. At fan day we’d get our pictures taken with players. We still have them in photo albums. We’d get copies of the Falcons media guides (top), with had even more information for me to pour over. 

I knew the Peach Bowl had bad weather the first few years, but no specifics. I’ve been to a few Peach Bowls plus one Sugar Bowl in New Orleans: Auburn vs Michigan. I think it was a 13-13 tie. Bo Jackson. Pat Dye. Bo Schembechler. Earlier in the day John Lastinger and UGA beat Texas in the Cotton Bowl. 

Driving places must’ve been slow back before the interstate highways were built. Driving on two lane highways that ran through so many small towns, even before many bypasses were built. When I was a boy we would take highway 23 out of Macon and head north past Indian Springs State Park, through Jackson to Locust Grove, then west to Hampton to highway 41, past Atlanta Raceway, Lovejoy, Herman Talmage’s homestead, past a small airport, through Jonesboro and Forest Park. I memorized many of the landmarks: water towers, a Moose Club sign, the restaurant with a ship in front of it. Every now and then I’ll find myself on one of those old roads and see something I remember from over 50 years ago.

Now that I work in the main office on Peachtree Industrial I’m even further away from the Wal-Mart on Pleasant Hill, where Monday a guy went in and cleared out the beauty salon, then shot his girlfriend. When I worked on North Berkeley Lake Road the Wal-Mart was only a mile away, now it’s two.  

Monday: worked past 6:30 trying to finish some things up. Then I had to get gas on the way home. Will and Okie came over, and later Mary-Clayton. Ceil cooked Mexican fixings, both ground beef and grilled chicken, rice, guacamole, homemade salsa, and homemade refried beans. I went to bed late, but not as late as Ceil.

Tuesday: fought traffic over to Perimeter Mall to meet a guy about the Buick. Nice young man with dreadlocks. I rode with him while he took it for a drive, quickly accelerating to put it through its paces. While he was driving it fast I asked the worst thing possible: “Are you going to use it as a getaway car?” I should’ve apologized for saying that. Despite my ignorance he bought the car. Matthew had met me up there, so I took him home then drove back to work.  

Since I had taken a long “lunch” I left work about 5:15. Traffic bad. Crazy drivers. Dropped off a bunch of stuff at Goodwill, so naturally I went inside for a quick look. Paul Johnson or one of his former assistants dropped of a bunch of their Tech gear. Long sleeve pullovers, golf shirts, grey t shirts, navy t shirts. All Russell Athletics. I passed, even though it was senior discount day.

Ceil was taking a 6:30 class at the YMCA, so I stopped by to get a haircut. Nothing much on TV. Was still full from lunch so I didn’t eat much supper. Bed at 10 pm. Brought a bunch for lunch this morning so I warmed up some grilled chicken tenders for breakfast.

Wednesday: hot stove meeting tonight north of Cumming. Nothing exciting, just the local high school coaches giving a season preview.

Speaking of Legos, when I was cleaning out the trunk of the Buick I found a pair of salt and pepper shakers that Matthew had bought – in the shape of Lego blocks. One white and one black. You can stack one on top of the other like real Legos. Ceil is using them.