Random Thoughts On October 8, 1972 In Sports, Then and Now

On October 8, 1972, both the New York Giants and New York Jets played at home at the same time. This was after the common schedule, AFC/NFC format started in 1970 and all these years later, a surprise to me.

Neither game was televised in the New York area but luckily each team had a superb radio broadcaster: the Giants with Marty Glickman, and the Jets with Merle Harmon. We are nowhere near that fortunate today.

The Dolphins on their way to a perfect season defeated the Jets that day.

The Giants on their way to mediocrity that season, which was an improvement, routed the New Orleans Saints. An obscure Giants’ running back named Charlie Evans scored 3 touchdowns for the Giants.

Archie Manning, a somewhat known Saints’ quarterback, threw three touchdowns, none of them with the score close.

Two fine receivers, Dave Parks and Dan Abromowitz, each of whom led the NFL in receiving at one point in their career, gathered in those touchdown passes.

The venues for those games were the original Yankee Stadium for Giants/Saints and Shea Stadium for Dolphins/Jets.

Later that day in Baseball, the eventual World Champion Oakland A’s took a (2-0) ALCS lead at home vs the Detroit Tigers in a game televised nationally.

The Cincinnati Reds’ NLCS squaring game 2 victory vs the Pirates at Pittsburgh, was not televised.

Years later I reflect and say I guess it is good that the games are televised but so often I must shut the sound off to avoid the horrible announcing.

The teams play in antiseptic, corporate named stadium now. Yankee Stadium was ideal for football and Shea Stadium, even with its swirling winds was a far better place than the one now.

Alas, it is a good thing to complain but would be a “far, far better thing,” if something could be done about it.