Last week, we had another of Mike Chamernik’s “Question of the Week” series, the response was great, and Mike is back again with his next question.
Question of the Week
by Mike Chamernik
It will go down as just a 14-yard catch in the stat sheet, but Eagles RB Saquon Barkley made one of the best plays of the season yesterday. He caught a pass in the flat, juked one defender, spun around a second, and then reverse no-look hurdled a third, before getting tackled. Pure video game moves.
I regret that I missed it live; I was watching Packers-Lions. On Thursday, though, I was tuned in to see another top play of the season: Jets WR Garrett Wilson’s one-handed TD grab against the Texans. I exclaimed “Whoa!” even though I was watching alone.
What is the most impressive athletic play you saw live, either on TV or in person? What did you do after it happened? How did others around you react? The more obscure, the better.
During a trip to Fenway, I saw Miguel Sano hit a 495-foot home run. The farthest hit ball I’ve ever seen. I think about this home run every few weeks or so, and I laugh to myself. It was that incredible.
Thanks, Mike.
Great question! I gotta admit Garrett Wilson’s catch was amazing, but THE catch that inspired it — and many WR’s have now made several one-handed catches — was the original: Odell Beckham, Jr’s catch against Dallas! Wilson’s catch immediately prompted comparison’s to OBJs. And when I was but a wee lad, I once saw Rusty Staub hit a grand slam that went over the Shea Stadium right field scoreboard and I’m pretty sure broke a car windshield in the parking lot beyond. For the OBJ catch, I simply exclaimed “WOW” even though no one was around. I saw the Rusty dinger with my pop and I remember all the fans around us saying they’d never seen a home run hit that far. We were deliriously delighted.
But the greatest play I ever saw live (at the game) was, unfortunately, Ender Inciarte’s incredible game-saving catch against the Mets at CitiField. I was at that game with Todd Radom and Paul (although Paul had left an inning earlier to catch a train). The Mets were fighting for a Wild Card that season, and I remember saying to Todd, “I hope that wasn’t a season ender“.
Can’t wait to hear the readers’ responses! OK guys…fire away!
Best play I saw live – Jose Canseco put one into the 5th deck in Skydome during the ALCS
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I think the greatest play I saw live was when Bill Granville Jr. (a player with 58 games in the NFL) was playing lacrosse in high school. He played long-pole defense with The Lawrenceville School.
He was helping his team clear the ball from the defensive to the offensive side of the field (no shot clock back then), and he was being herded towards the sideline by the opposing team right as he was about to cross the midfield stripe. As two opposing defenders closed on him for a hit, he jumped OVER the onrushing defense (holding a five-ounce ball in a longpole), landed inbounds, and finished the clear.
Best play I’ve seen live.
I’ve been lucky and have seen a lot of spectacular plays in person over the years. A couple off the top of my head…
A run Earl Campbell made against the Rams in the Astrodome in (I think) 1978. It seemed like he blasted every LA defender on the field and circled back to hit them again. I’m exaggerating but it was a memorable run. I was also sitting in Rice Stadium when Campbell played for Texas against my Houston Cougars. Earl blew through the Endzone for a TD and ran into the side of Bevo, the Texas Longhorn mascot, and knocked that steer sideways. Bevo was not happy.
One that sticks out for me because of the situation was Frank Robinson’s catch of a Roy White near-homer in 1966 at Yankee Stadium. Robby made the catch with two outs in the bottom of the 9th to end the game and save the Orioles’ win. He went over the railing and into the lower seats and held the ball (allegedly). It was the first game of a twilight doubleheader and Ralph Houk had a fit arguing with the umps. Houk continued his argument with the umps during the card exchange for Game Two and was ejected from that home plate meeting. LOL Here’s a link to the story:
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The first great sporting event I remember being at live was at Dodger Stadium, watching Willie Mays hit a HR to left center field off Sandy Koufax. My first real memory of watching football on TV was watching the 1967 “Game of the Century” between USC & UCLA, with OJ Simpson’s amazing 64 yard TD run.
It wasn’t necessarily a great goal, but I have to go with Brayden Schenn’s goal for the Blues in Game 7 against the Bruins (2019 Stanley Cup Final). It was halfway through the third, and it put the Blues up 3 -0. For a nervous watcher like myself, it was the point in which I could finally relax. My brother and I were super pumped.
I saw Mankind get thrown 22 feet off Hell In A Cell through a table by The Undertaker.
Is this a Shittymorph cameo on Uni Watch?
??
shittymorph is a redditor who famously would make very longwinded comments that eventually end in “and then Mankind got thrown 22 feet off Hell In A Cell through a table by The Undertaker”
Sorta like the text version of Rickrolling somebody.
The LaVar Leap is up there – saw that in the stands.
There are several Saquon highlights that come to mind, like that Rose Bowl run.
Ivan Majesky’s goal against Pittsburgh circa 2005 was right below me.
Glenallen Hill – Wrigley Field Home Run on to the roof of the building across the street. I don’t care what anyone says, or what was the estimated measurement….. That is the longest/farthest home run ever hit. It sounded like a canon going off when it connected with his bat.
(I also saw a Ron Kittle roofshot when I was like 10 years old at Old Comiskey Park. That was cool too.)
Agreed Glenallen Hill hit some moster shots. link
That Hill HR was insane
In Person: June 14, 2015; Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres — Tie game with two on and two outs in the bottom of the 9th. Justin Upton hits what looks like a walk off hit over Joc Pederson’s head in CF. It looked like Pederson had no chance to get to the ball. But Pederson caught the ball running full speed into the wall and falling on his back.
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In Person: September 11, 2018; New York Yankees at Minnesota Twins — I went to this game last minute to see hometown hero Joe Mauer play one last time before retiring at the end of the season. Mauer hit a grand slam to dead center. It ended up being the final home run of his career.
On TV: The Minneapolis Miracle.
CJ Spiller vs Georgia Tech in 2007. Made two guys completely whiff in 3 yards, then runs off and leaves everyone else. link
Seen a lot of great plays, but off the top of my head, the one that comes to mind is from the one MLS game I ever attended. We were visiting my brother in law in San Jose and I convinced everyone to go see the Earthquakes play DC United. We ended up being treated to the Goal of the Year.
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Wow, that was sweet!
For me it was a game where the center snapped the ball over Romo’s head and it went back at least 20 yards and he ended up running for the first down. It was against the Rams when they were in St Louis.
That was a good one
In person: Senior year of HS, my team down by 2 with :05 remaining. Other team’s star missed the free throw, rebound, outlet pass, and nearly half-court shot at the buzzer in the old MECCA for a girls state basketball title. (1988)
Close seconds: Desmond Howard’s return in SB31, Antonio Freeman’s “he did what” against the Vikings on MNF
Freeman catch was ridiculous. Great presence of mind to know the ball didn’t hit the ground. Props to the refs for not blowing the play dead.
October 1, 1985 – Mets vs. Cards.
Pennant race coming down the the wire.
Mets coming needing to sweep to catch the Cards.
Darling and Tudor throwing shutouts for 9 and 10 innings respectively.
The game where Strawberry hit a hanging curve ball for a home run in the top of the 10th that had to have travelled 500 feet as it hit the clock at the old Busch stadium while it was still rising off of Ken Dayley. It was a gut punch. Cards lost an epic game, but held on to win the pennant.
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I was at the Eagles’ game yesterday. That Saquon run may have been his best ever-even the Rose Bowl TD didn’t involve multiple maneuvers like he made yesterday. And Devonte’s TD catch was ridiculous too; second best catch of the week after Wilson’s on Thursday.
During Charles Woodson’s Heisman Trophy season, he was playing at Michigan State. The MSU quarterback I think was just looking to throw the ball away, but Woodson rose up about ten feet and snagged the interception. The crowd was in awe, including myself as a Spartan fan.
Sergio Aguero’s 94th minute goal to win the Premier League for Manchester City against Queen’s Park Rangers in the last match of the 2011-12 season. From the lowest of lows to the most unimaginable high in the space of a few seconds, it’s not just the greatest sporting moment I’ve ever witnessed, it’s easily one of the best moments of my entire life.
In Person: Either Prince Fielder hitting three home runs in a game on Sept. 27, 2011 vs. the Pirates, or later that year Nyjer Morgan hitting a walk-off single in the 10th inning of game 5 of the NLDS against the Diamondbacks. I would put Pete Alonso’s home run in NLWC game 3 from last month on the list, but the wound is still too fresh.
On TV: Too many to name. For starters, Aaron Rodgers’ Motor City Miracle hail mary on a Thursday night in late November (woke my wife up with the celebration), Antonio Freeman’s “He Did What?!?” catch on Monday night against the Vikings, Desmond Howard’s kickoff return for a TD in Super Bowl XXXI… but my favorite might be Armando Galarraga’s 28-out “perfect” game.
I’m a Lions fan and the Motor City Miracle continues to be pure pain.
November 23rd, 1984; Doug Flutie 48-yard Hail Mary pass to Gerard Phalen, as Boston College beats Miami.
I attended a Royals-Red Sox game at Fenway Park in the late 80s while attending college in Western Mass. Two feats stood out from that game: Bo Jackson hit a titanic homer over the Monster (still lacking seats then, of course) that was still going up when it hit the screen. (Otherwise it might have landed in Maine.) OH, and Bob Boone stole third base.
Even with his career(s) cut short, there probably aren’t many players with more of these moments than Bo Jackson.
Good answers, everyone!
Earlier this year, Aaron Gordon made the sickest putback dunk I’ve seen live. link
July 1, 2004: I witnessed Derek Jeter’s dive into the stands at the old Yankee Stadium against the hated Red Sox. Was sitting high in the upper deck and Jeter fell partially out of view. It was quite the moment in a game Michael Kay called “one of the greatest games you will ever see.”
Live:
I was helping officiate the pole vault at the Father Judge (Phila.Pa, my alma mater) Relays in ‘22, where I was able to witness 2 new meet records.
Veronica Vacca’s (Mt St Joseph) mark of 12’ set a new mark for the girls, and while Penncrest’s Dan Munro bested the boys record which had stood for 46 years (established by FJ’s own John Dornisch) a height of 15’1”. The crowd cheered them on…and so did I.
TV:
Also from 2022, Ross Chastain’s last-lap high gear wall ride at Martinsville to get into the Cup Final Four…both good and stupid! I still can’t believe he did that.
Otis Nixon snagging one from Andy Van Slyke.
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I watched that right now and said “Whoa!”
Live live, probably a homer I saw McGwire hit over the left field stands and off the Coke sign at Coors Field. The fact that it was in batting practice doesn’t lessen the memory.
TV live, this is the first one that came to my mind, a Jim Edmonds catch. (No, not the one you’re thinking of, I didn’t see that one live. This one was for the Cards vs. the Reds. The announcers had to see the replay to believe it.)
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Certainly not the greatest play ever, but one that was burned into my adolescent mind: a play at the Metrodome against the Broncos, just before halftime, where Daunte Culpepper launched a deep pass to Randy Moss, and as he’s getting tackled, he casually flips it over his shoulder to Mo Williams who could basically walk it in for a TD.
Yes!!! I was watching live, too. It was our regional CBS game that week.
And Burger King made a commercial out of it link
I don’t know if this is necessarily the “best” play I’ve seen but it may the one that excited the crowd the most. I was at a Las Vegas Thunder minor league hockey game in the late 90s. One of the opposing team’s defensemen had been obviously trying to goad the Thunder’s top scorer into a fight for multiple shifts with cheap shot after cheap shot. Finally as the puck is leaving the Thunder’s defensive zone he turns to face the defenseman – dman throws his gloves off and the thunder player promptly races up the ice, takes a pass without slowing down, and scores a goal while the dman is meekly picking up his gear. Crowd went crazy.
Live: once witnessed Barry Bonds hit three homers in three consecutive at-bats at Coors Field
Live: forget the name of the kicker but saw a 67 yard field goal kicked in Denver at end of the half of a preseason game
On TV: the Miracle at Michigan- craziest Hail Mary play ever at the time that I’d seen
On TV: GAME 163 2007 Padres at Rockies-probably woke up my neighbors when Matt Holiday came home and didn’t touch home plate lol
Live–saw the Giants turn a 5-4-3 triple play at (then) AT&T Park: link
Citrus Bowl January 1, 2020. The Gophers’ Tyler Johnson’s 1 handed TD catch link
As a kid:
Franco Harris “immaculate reception” seen on tv. I jumped up and shouted “no way!!!”
I wanted to watch that over & over to see how it possibly even happened!
OR
Watching cliff divers on ABC Wide World of Sports (before ESPN, when sports on tv were sometimes scarce).
As an adult:
Pick 1 of these two… Michael Phelps or Katie Ledecky DOMINATING the pool in consecutive Olympics! Rowdy Gains announcing… unbelievable!
There have been a few races where Ledecky was so far ahead of the pack they weren’t even on screen with her.
A.k.a. “Ledeckying the field.”
I could list any number of Roger Federer’s miraculous shots, but I’m going to go in a totally different direction and say one of the greatest plays I ever saw live (not in-person, unfortunately) was Braden Holtby’s save in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
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LIVE – Vikings game at “the dome” in 2002. It was overtime versus the Falcons and from my end zone seat I saw Michael Vick start to take off on a scramble. I jumped up, completely spilling beer all over my lap, and witnessed that man run away from me – and the whole Vikings defense – for a walk-off touchdown. You can watch a video of the play, it’s all over YouTube, but I’m telling it doesn’t do it justice. After the score, I think he actually ran straight to the locker room, we all looked at each other and said… he’s not human. He was moving so effortlessly fast and cutting so smoothly it looked like he was floating. I’ve seen a lot of fast/quick players in-person, Randy Moss was on the field too, but nothing like Mike Vick on that day in 2024.
2015 Colts at Dolphins: Jarvis Landry’s one-handed leaping grab along the Colts’ sideline for a 1st down.
We were sitting directly behind home plate at Busch Stadium on May 16, 1998 when Mark McGuire hit a 545 ft home run to straightaway center field. The ball hit the top balcony and dropped directly below on the blank green space below. When contact was made, there was no question that ball was going a long long way. He hit it off Livan Hernandez, who was a strong pitcher at the time.
I was in the house to witness that Saquon play live. first Eagles game I’ve ever attended. Not terrible from an aesthetics standpoint, either….almost like I planned it that way…..
65 foot shot made to win Class B Michigan State Basketball Championship in 1986. Final score was 33-32 in a slow down game. Team that ended up winning was without their star player due to injury (future NBA player Mark Macon). Crowd was mostly neutral but a quarter of the arena totally exploded.
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On television, that one save made by Fred Brathwaite of the Calgary Flames.
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Better resolution here. Made #2 on this TSN list of saves (at 16:12)
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These are all just too fun!
In person, two by Barry Sanders, the Heisman year. First, in football: The annual Bedlam game, November 1988, a battle of top-12 teams that lured ESPN coverage and moved back to 3:30 to accommodate. I was a senior in college and a stringer for the Shawnee, OK newspaper. The sports editor asked me on the prior Tuesday night if I could go to Stillwater on Saturday and do the Sooners’ locker room story. The other reporter, assigned the O-State locker room piece, and I (along with my newlywed wife, whose sister
lived there) rode to the game together. Ray and I sat together in the front row of the press box; a who’s who of Oklahoma media were there. To the point: Sanders had 215 yards and two TDs that day, but in the 3rd quarter on a short gainer he rolled left, about 9 yards behind the line, stopped on his toe tips, cut straight and left three would-be OU tacklers still rolling to their rights. He only gained 4 or 5 yards on the midfield play, but ray and I looked at each other with our jaws on the desk. We knew that we had seen just the beginning of the Barry Sanders lore. OU won the game 31-28, led by Mike Gaddis’ 213-yard, two-TD output, but the Heisman winner may have been decided that day.
Now, Barry in basketball: Shawnee’s school for the handicapped had an annual hoops game between OU and OSU football players, and the 5-foot-8 Sanders was the main attraction, about two weeks before the NFL Draft. And he stole the show when in the second half, he grabbed a loose ball in OSU’s back court, drove to the basket — and dunked it! And it was an effortless stuff at that. The fans were either roaring or were picking up their jaws — either way, we all knew we were seeing a special talent.
My favorite TV moment: February 22, 1980. “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” Our ABC station out of Wichita, at about 6:40 before the Olympics came on at 7 Central time and showed the game on tape delay, posted a crawl with the final score, “USA 4, USSR 3.” Even knowing the result as those final 10 minutes of action just grinded away seemed impossible that the Soviets wouldn’t come back. But Jim Craig was blocking every game-tying threat. And indeed it was as miraculously as sports could be.
The one that will always stand out in person is 1990 (December 2, 1990) Eagles at Bills in than Rich Stadium. Randall Cunningham ducks in endzone and avoids Bruce Smith flying over his back, launches it and hits Fred Barnett for a 95 yard TD. I was in row 3 direct site on the goal line, will never forget. Amazing play. Bills hung on for dear life for win after 24-0 first quarter lead. Final 30-23.
Addition comment to Cunningham TD pass, crowd was in awe, and appriciated the spectacle of the moment. Bills opponent or not, just once in a lifetime epic play to witness right in front of you.