Being a former Clevelander,I just had to go see the Browns play the Niners at Kezar.
All I can remember was a near empty stadium,but dang,I sure would take Kezar over Candlestick any day.
Except perhaps for really fanatical fans, watching that "indisputable display of excellence" is, I think, one of the joys of sport. I can remember seeing terrific games of football or baseball in which the best performances were by the opposing team. One I recall was AAA baseball at a wooden stadium in which the opposing team executed a triple play. Our hometown fans stood as one and gave the opposing team an ovation. No cheering, but we appreciated the skill that was involved. The opposing players, somewhat surprised, gave us a nod of acknowledgement. It's not that we didn't have some good players too as our team was a farm team for the Baltimore Orioles and we had Cal Ripken, Jr and Eddie Murray in the lineup. I can still Murray at the plate, that swing that took the ball out of the park.
I remember John Brodie who coined the phrase, ‘make something happen’. He was asked after a game that the 49ers had won, “What does it take to be a quarterback in the NFL?” He answered that it wasn’t about throwing touchdown passes or calling the right plays. It was about, “making things happen”. I had always admired him after hearing him say that.
I watched a less than ready Steve Spurrier step in for a worn out John Brodie at Kezar. Wasn’t pretty to watch.
I used to watch the Bay Area Bombers skate in Kezar Pavillion.
Do you remember when they tore down Seals stadium and built a White Front store?
This brought back some sweet memories (minus the hippies) from our treks to Kezar back in the early sixties!
That’s a great article. Kezar was one of those old, beloved stadiums that were no longer suitable for pro teams, but it did indeed have that neighborhood feel.
GO NINERS!