Geezer Query - Who are most distant past sports legends you've actually seen play in the flesh?

[Blankity Blank]

Oh what the heck. Watched on TV counts too.

My list

• Willie Mays (The 'Say Hey' Kid)
  
• Elgin Baylor
  
• Oscar Robinson
  
• Jerry West (Zeke from Cabin Creek)
  
• Wilt Chamberlain (The Dipper [He hated The Stilt])
  
• Rosey Grier
  
• Pete Maravich
  
• Connie Hawkins
  
• Nate Archibald
  
• Walt Frazier
  
• The Harlem Golbetrotters (Meadow Lark Lemon, Curly Neal vintage)
  
• Calvin Murphy (All 5'9" of him, and Texas State Men's Baton Twirling Champion)
  
• Earl "The Pearl" Monroe [Fall back baby!)
  
• Rollie Fingers
  
• John Havlicek
  
• Kareem Abduhl-Jabbar (nee Lew Alcindor for his first two years with the Milwaukee Bucks)
  
• Len Dawson
  
• Jan Stenerud
  
• Charles Barkley
  
• Magic Johnson
  
• Larry Bird
  
  That's all I can pluck from the fog of time right now :biggrin:

[hal]

I saw Lionel Hampton in concert in 1980

also saw the reds, pirates, dodgers and Giants (and more that I don't remember) in the 60s

I absolutely saw Roberto Clemente more than once - probably my biggest hero before Aaron got the home run record.

also the lakers - I remember being at the Forum and seeing Jerry West take a tip off to open the game vs Milwaukee (and rookie Lew Alcindor) - Wilt was injured. We were big UCLA fans - dad was doing grad school there - saw Jabbar sitting on a small bench and he was taller than my dad while he was standing and Jabbar was seated.

[Lux Interior]

I wasn't much of a sports fan in my youth.

But my HS marching band played at halftime at a Steelers game circa 1980.

I remember the band director saying, "Don't go up to Earl Campbell and say 'Skoal, brother!'"

But I did see him.

Edit to add that the Stillers were playing the Oilers.

He was not a Steeler then nor ever.

[$tevie]

I didn't see him play, but I got Van Lingle Mungo's autograph after his retirement, when he was in the stands in Memorial Stadium some year or other.

[Will Collier]

A buddy and I walked several holes of a Senior Tour event in Austin with Arnold Palmer in '93 or so. We were the only fans around him at that time. Super nice guy, chatted with us between shots.

Saw Bo Jackson play most of his college football games in person.

[pdq]

Not quite on point, but I saw Darryl Strawberry in a minor league game (on a rehab assignment with the Saint Paul Saints) towards the later part of his career.

[srf1957]

On tv. just about everyone in MLB, NFL , and NBA. In person globetrotters. and Harlem clowns. . Trailblazer players frommidtolate 70's . My favorite mediumwasan old am 78 record console player. that I listened to to them call the lakers games on Sunday nights and thecallsforfingerroll from wilt aceossthe lane .

[Rick-o]

my most remembered was Ted Williams. He was in town one night and wanted to tour an auto assembly facility. Arrangements were made and out of the blue, an entourage of shirts started walking down the aisles of my beloved Buick with Ted, taking it all in.

I, and my partner, Elvis, (no, not THAT one!) were talking about our team softball game we played earlier, and here comes Mr. Williams who stopped within 10 feet of us and waved to us. We were unaware he was in the plant and seeing him about gave me a heart attack! We certainly didn't expect someone of his calibre to be in a grimy auto plant. Our day was made!

[MikeF]

Sandy Koufax no-hitter 1965 Dodger Stadium. Ernie Banks 1966-ish -- Blair Field in Long Beach was used by Chicago Cubs, Angels, Indians, and Los Angeles Rams for spring practice. As a kid, it was a short bicycle ride to get there.

[ka jowct]

Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, and the other Lombardi era Packers. Exhibition game at Lambeau, probably 1962ish.