Your Most Memorable Spectrum Experience?

With the news that the Spectrum may have seen its last days, I thought it'd be interesting to reminisce about our favorite memories at the old building.  Feel free to share your favorite memories in the comments.

Those who've been reading this site for a while, or know me well in person, may easily guess my favorite Spectrum memory:

When it comes to sporting events, it's not very often you remember the date of a historic game but when it comes to Phishheads, dates are as easy to remember as your birthday.  In December of '96 I was a 16 year old sophomore in high school and I went to see Phish for the first time ever.  It smelled interesting.

12/29/96, CoreStates Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA - Setlist via Phantasy Tour 

Set I: Poor Heart, Caravan, Cavern1, Taste, Guelah Papyrus, Train Song, Rift, Free, Squirming Coil, La Grange
Set II: David Bowie, A Day in the Life, Bathtub Gin, The Lizards, You Enjoy Myself> Rotation Jam> Sixteen Candles2> You Enjoy Myself3, Harpua4> Champagne Supernova> Harpua Encore: Rocky Top

1 First since 12/2/94 or 160 shows
2 Performed by Mike, solo, on piano
3 Vocal jam
4 With Tom Marshall

I have other memories of seeing many games and players at the Spectrum but don't remember distinct facts real well.  I remember watching M.J., Kareem, Sir Charles and many others.

I remember playing with one of those cheap lights with the antennas on the top at the circus.

When it comes to great sports memories, I vividly remember being at one of Dr. J's final games and walking up the steps to the Spectrum to find an unattended poster stand with life-sized posters of Julius Erving.  My grandfather still has one hanging in his basement.

As far as Flyers memories go, it has to be a flat out ruckus against the Rangers.  No idea when it was but it was the most glorious of bloody, bench clearing brawls I have ever seen.

Comments

[TJ]

Feb 1st in 95-96 season with Flyers vs. Candiens. The game was when Petr Svoboda got blind sided by I believe Marc Bureau. They had to bring an ambulence on to the ice to take Svoboda off. The rest of the game was so emotional between the players and the fans. I had nuns sitting next to me screaming at the fights that went on. The game ended with Desjardins scoring with 30 seconds left in OT.

That place was so easy to sneak into. I still to this day want the flyers and sixers to move back there.

[gootman]

My first Phish show was also my most memorable Spectrum experience.

12/02/97 CoreStates Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
Set I: Buried Alive, Down With Disease, Makisupa Policeman, Chalkdust Torture, Ghost, The Divided Sky, Dirt, Taste, The Star Spangled Banner
Set II: Mike's Song> Simple> Dog Faced Boy> Ya Mar> Weekapaug Groove, Bouncing Around the Room, Character Zero
Encore: Ginseng Sullivan, Sample in a Jar

Sports-wise it would have to be seeing Michael Jordan putting up 52 against the Sir Charles and the Sixers as a 10 year old(11/16/88).

[TJ]

Also, there was a Flyers vs. Rangers play-off game around the same time. Don't remember details, but the game was insane with the players brawling constantly. The game ended with an OT goal by the Flyers and the ice was shortly covered with the plastic flyers play-off cups.

I missed Mike Richter by a foot.

[Not a fan of five]

i totally forget all circumstance surrounding the play, but the Flyers lost the puck in the offensive zone, but for some reason, no one in the crowd was following the puck. All eyes were on #22, and the defender who cleared the puck was skating towards the boards, and Rick Tocchet just blazes towards him and gives him the hardest, loudest check I have ever witnessed

[themajor]

there are so many good memories there. Everytime I used to go down to flyers games with my dad he used to always tell me how hung the curtains in the places years earlier. my best sports memory there is definately either seeing any wings game there and watching the girl singing the national anthem get booed for a cracking a note. it will be a shame to lose teams like the wings, kixx, and phantoms if they can't play in the wachovia center.

[Josh]

Easily Duke v Kentucky with the Laetner shot...

[Snarf from the Thundercats]

My first Flyers game was at the Spectrum. I won a Bernie Perent jersey.

It was awesome.

[Al Cummings]

One of my favorite memories was leaving a terrific Traffic concert in '72 and being greeted by a snowfall. It was a pretty mellow (stoned) night and everyone started throwing snowballs. It was more a game of catch than a snowball fight, people laughing and running through the snowflakes.

Some years later I was transplanted to San Francisco, and whenever I heard Brent Musberger or Mike Emerick intone, "From the Spectrum in Philadelphia..." I could've run through walls it was such a rush.

[theKrisheim]

my favorite memories and stuff i was in the building for...

1. Duke Vs. Kentucky
2. Hextall's goal vs. Bruins
3. 1990 or 1991 playoffs against the Bulls where Hersey Hawkins went for like 30, but Jordan hit a late three to put them ahead for good
4. Barkley's return to Philly as a Sun

[Ashe]

My first Flyers game as a kid was there, which was one of the best experiences of my life. I also had one of those tiger lights from the circus. I remember once my dad told me the story of how his first band was named Spectrum and they had a rainbow pinwheel flag, but never disclosed where it came from.

[J.P.]

Dana Barros remember him hitting like 26 3 point shots in a row in warm-ups

[Clare]

My memories of the Spectrum aren't quite as cool as some of yours. I too had one of the tiger head lights from the circus. As a little girl, I went with my mom and her co-workers to a number of ice skating exhibitions. And the first and only time I saw Dave Matthews Band was at the Spectrum. Hippies, ew.

Nowadays, I go to a lot of shows, and I saw one of the best shows I've ever been to in October 2005; Nine Inch Nails, with Death From Above 1979 and Queens of the Stone Age opening. Earlier that year I'd seen DFA1979 at the Unitarian Church with about 50 other people, and it was cool to see them in a (relatively) giant arena.

[AlCantHang]

My greatest memory was Dr. J hitting 30,000 points in his last home game. It was a crazy night and I was there with a couple dozen friends.

I think I even remember the Round Mound of Rebound being in streets clothes that day.

My concert memories are way to fuzzy to try and remember.

[Frank G]

May 13 1975: Seeing Kate Smith in person sing "God Bless America" before the Flyers went on to beat the Islanders.

[johndewar]

Lots of memories from the Spectrum. Not all of them good.

1.) Flyers playoff game in '96 against TB. On the glass as they destroyed the 'Ning 7 - 3.

2.) As an eighth grader, I saw one of my best friends growing up play a CYO all-star basketball game there before a Sixers-Bulls (pre-Jordan) game.

3.) Seeing Springsteen play his 50th birthday there in 1999. I was 5th row and he played a ton of old stuff, like "The Fever" and "Does this Bus stop at 82nd st?".

4.) Went with my cousin to see Motley Crue play there during that one tour when Tommy Lee had the drum kit that rotated. The only reason he asked me to go was that his car was dead and he needed someone to drive. I was not really a metal sort of guy, but there was a ton of hot, slutty girls at that show, which I thoroughly enjoyed as a puberty-driven 16 year old.

5.) Saw U2 at the Spectrum while in high school, but some of the details are hazy after drinking like 10 milwaukee's best before the show. I told some girl who we hung around with that I loved her. Ugh. Went over about as well as you could expect when you're drunk and slurring your words and she just doesn't feel the same way about you.

6.) Saw Shawn Bradley kick the Sixers butts in his first game back after he had been traded. I went there specifically to boo him and instead, he went and had a good game.

[Matt P.]

12/28/96 (first Phish show), incidentally the day before the one Enrico listed in his post. we didn't know each other yet). 2 nights later I saw DMB there in their prime. Great three-night run of my life. phish set list:

12/28/96 CoreStates Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA
Set I: Runaway Jim, NICU, Wolfman's Brother1, It's Ice, Billy Breathes, Ginseng Sullivan, Split Open and Melt, The Mango Song, Frankenstein
Set II: Makisupa Policeman> Maze, Bouncing Around the Room, Digital Delay Loop Jam> The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday> Avenu Malkenu> Mike's Song> Strange Design> Weekapaug Groove, The Star Spangled Banner
Encore: Johnny B Goode
1 Believed to be the first "jammed-out" Wolfman's

sports-wise: I saw a Flyers game with my dad, who hated hockey and never understood my interest, until he saw his first game live. we were in the front row behind the net, and it was unbelievable. Best Flyers game I saw there was a playoff game between the Orange & Black and the Lightning. it was brutal on the ice, and in the stands. we were all the way up top, and i remember a nasty fight breaking out, resulting in a flyers fan smashing a lightning fan's head against the arm rest right across from me.

sixers: same game gootman mentioned.

[enrico]

ha, me and rainsford were both at that DMB show as well.

[theKrisheim]

holy shit!

all of you guys were at the same PHISH concert and same DMB concert!!!??!

unheard of! what a coincidence?!!?! i can't believe there's crossover there.

did you make the DMB video they filmed at the spectrum too?

[enrico]

ROFL! Krishem, you are so witty it hurts!

No, but I am visible in the NYE show in Bittersweet Motel.

[Lenny]

1. When I went with my Dad and bro to see the Harlem Globetrotters. Somewhere between 1997-1999.

2. When my bro and I got to play a short roller hockey game before a Philadelphia Bulldogs game. 1997?

[JB]

New Years Eve show with Barenaked Ladies, think it was '99? And back when BNL was a lot cooler.

[Mike]

JB, I was at that show as well, and while it was good, I more enjoyed the DMB concerts I saw there.

[Jason]

My first Flyers game at the Spectrum was in the mid-80s and it was against the L.A. Kings (when they still sported the yellow and purple jersies).

There was a bloody fight near the end of the second period, and there was so much blood on the ice that the refs decided to re-surface the rink and add three minutes onto the third period.

I remember leaving the game and holding onto my dad's hand (I was seven) in the middle of a crowd of people in the concourse.

Was just back at the Spectrum for a Phantoms game a few weeks ago and it brought back great memories!

[Clare]

Damn. The DMB concert I mentioned is the same one you guys were at, AND I was at the New Year's Eve Barenaked Ladies show JB's talking about.

Freaky!

(Also, ew, you guys are a bunch of goddamn hippies :) )

[ill]

saw Billy Joel at the Spectrum back in 98, it was my first concert. I was in 8th grade and didn't have much of a choice of who I was going to see.

Sportswise: Saw the Phantoms play the Binghampton Senators where there was a big bench clearing brawl to end the game. The goalies got into it and everything. The Phantoms goalie jumped ontop of a dogpile and started throwing haymakers. It was a great time, my voice was gone after that game, which never finished because everyone got ejected.

I never saw DMB at the Spectrum, only at the Tweeter Center and that one time at the Vet. Sounds like i didn't miss much.

[asimon]

it looks like im a little bit younger then some of the other people who have posted and so i only have 10 years or so of spectrum memories since I was born in '87

at halftimes or intermissions you would go downstairs and pee.
going back stage for sesame street live
rex walters and bj tyler in the back court for the sixers in what, 94?
roller blading on the floor when the bulldogs played
a10 championship when that bastard lamar odom beat st. joes
wwf events

[Ashe]

haha asimon, I'm about the same age and I always thought it was so shady that the bathrooms were in the basement.

[CaliEagleFan]

By far, my most memorable Spectrum moment came at Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against Buffalo in 1975. I won't bore you with the details of how I got the tickets, but they were pretty good. As a matter of fact, I was sitting center ice, right next to Clarence Campbell and then head of officials in the NHL Ron Ziegler.

As you may recall, the Broad Street Bullies were uniformly hated across the NHL, and particularly by the league, who saw their fisticuffs and goon tactics as a stain on the history of the game. So as you might imagine, there was much glee in NHL offices when the finals pitted Buffalo's offensive juggernaut against the goon squad from Philly.

But first, I digress... I remember they played Kate Smith singing God Bless America before that game. To that point in my young life (I was 16), that was the loudest I had ever heard any sporting event as the entire crowd roared along with Kate. But I was in for much more.

So after the puck drops... I'm going to say just a few moments into the game if I recall correctly, the Flyers were called with a bullshit 2 man major penalty... meaning the Sabres were going to have a 2 man advantage for 5 minutes no matter how many times they scored. Out came their number one power play unit... but there was only one problem: Bernie Parent was in goal.

They peppered Bernie with shot after shot, and he turned them all away. About a minute or so into the power play, the Bernie chant started. It got louder. And Louder. AND LOUDER... so loud in fact, that I thought the entrie roof was going to come off the Spectrum (again). The place was actually vibrating.

Needless to say, the Flyers killed off that double major. The glee upon the faces of Campbell and Ziegler turned, as the minutes ticked off the power play, to rage. By the end of the 5 minutes I thought Campbell was gonna bust a blood vessel. He was RED. Livid. It was obvious, even to them, that Buffalo had NO SHOT at the cup that year. As soon as that power play was over, the two got up and left... never to be seen the rest of the game.

So... not only is this my greatest Spectrum moment, but I'd have to say it's my greatest Philly sports moment as well.

[TheCoz]

Already said, but definitely Barkey's first game back with the Suns. I remember the one fan who ran out onto the court while Chuck was taking a free throw. I'm pretty sure he got arrested.

I also remember my mom saying how good looking Dan Majerle was (she pronounced it MAGERLY), which was odd since my dad was with us.

[j13]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/198704050PHI.html

Thanks to the internets, I could find the exact date of mine as well. God, what a game...and the crowd was just insane. I was 9, and it sealed it for me. I LOVED that building. The last time the Doctor played Bird at the Spectrum, we win by 2. I remember it like it was yesterday...wow. The most excitement I'd had at a game until this year, actually, when I was at the Phils game where they beat the Braves to tie the Mets for the east. Electric.

Worst moment at the spectrum:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1989.html

Playoff series vs. the Knicks. Watching Barkley throw up a brick at the buzzer and then watching the Knicks fans carrying brooms through the parking lot. Awful.

[caro]

i just told you this. But being 14 + a band called Caribou Nation + kind bud + my first Phish show = good times and a long nap

[Joe Manning]

So many great memories from the Spectrum. Countless shows, countless sporting events.

Saw my first concert there: Billy Joel in 93. I was 11.

My dad would sometimes get his company's sixers tickets - which were on the floor, three rows behind the basket. Nothing will blow your 8-year-old mind like seeing a basketball game from there.

And nothing will blow your 17 year old mind like seeing Phish there. The best one I ever saw (with MattP) was 12-11-99.

Set I: Harry Hood, Mike's Song -> Simple > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, When the Circus Comes, Scent of a Mule, Cavern

Set II: Boogie On Reggae Woman > Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley# -> Ghost -> Also Sprach Zarathustra > Down with Disease

E: Possum

[Snatch]

So many memories at the Specturm, mainly for Flyers games, and ya that stupid wavey things from the circus. 2 memories come to mind not sure of dates
1. Eric Lindros, when he was the man, a Red Wings game, he cracked the glass with a slapper,and gave another guy a concussion. The guy tried to get up and fell over, and the Philly faithful went nuts. Still have an LOD plaque in my room.
2. Rangers vs Flyers playoff game, I was real young (Under 10) and not only were there fights on the ice but in the stands as well. Why this game is burned into my memory is because during a fan brawl right by me, a lady flashed her tits, first pair I ever saw in person. I became more than a boy that day.

[will]

i have never been to the spectrum. but i take it that it is a good if not great place to get stoned to the bejesus and listen to a jam session.

[NYC Dave]

I may post two or three times to get it all out...Non-sports:
Dec 8 1980 - Bruce Springsteen, the night Lennon was shot. Coming out into the parking lot, after an amazing show, to sit in our car - turning on WCAU-AM to hear the traffic report and instead hearing Beatles music. Realizing something was up, we turned to other stations, and there was nothing but Lennon and Beatles music on. We rolled down our windows and started talking to others in their cars - sharing the news. People got out of their cars, even as they were lined up to snake out of the gates. People were in a daze, some crying. The immediate contrast between an unbelievable musical moment with Bruce, to such a somber time. It was crushing...

I also remember my first show at the Spectrum, winter 1978, to see the Grateful Dead. First Dead show, didn't get wrecked, but was definitely feeling second-hand something. The girl I was with was cute and wore these outrageous mukluk boots (I was way out of my league-even in 10th grade.)
Left the show to discover it had snowed while we were inside. Thousands of wasted Dead Heads and everyone's ride was covered in white. What a funny, crazy scene.

Nobody has mentioned the bathrooms at the Spectrum! What a mess. Good (great!) times.

[Tkmycall]

I saw a guy get stabbed in the bathroom at a WWF event in 1982 - I was 15. Good times.

I'd be happy to push the button to implode that dump.

[Kell]

A few stand out for me: seeing my first circus in 1969 when I was 4 years old;

Getting caught in a crowd that bum rushed the doors at a RunDMC concert in the early '80's;

Getting Sixers playoffs tickets to see them against the Lakers in '83;

Seeing Jordan from the nosebleed seats before his first retirement

[chaz]

I wish I had a great concert memory to share, but seriously? I saw Vanilla Ice do a short set after a sixers game--I'm guessing 1991. This is anonymous, right?

[Frank]

Our grade school would get to play at the Spectrum before a 76ers game each year and it was something I looked forward to from 5th-8th grade and then I finally got the start in 8th grade and got my chance.

I ended up with 14pts and shot 7-9 from the field (all jumpers!), we won and then we would get seats up on the roof and hang out with all my friends and classmates to watch the 76ers game. It was a fun night and it is cool to say that I played there.

[ajeqsuire]

Springsteen at the beginning of his Born in the USA tour, before he fucking exploded in popularity and wouldn't be seen in a venue the size of the Spectrum for years.

In fact, he returned later in that Tour to play the VET, which sucked as a concert venue.

[BK]

Flyers v. Soviets, 1/11/76 -- full writeup at The Weekly Meat: http://www.theweeklymeat.com/the_weekly_meat/2008/01/the-coldest-war.html

[Sanganoski]

WAY too many memories at the Spectrum to just single one out, but I remember a give-away night with mini hockey sticks being the item and it was the Flyers against the "hated" St Louis Blues with the Plager brothers and Garry Unger. The game had a bench-clearing brawl, which "spilled over" into the stands and the fans started beating the Blues players with their give-away mini hockey sticks!!! I was in the other end of the ice, but those Blues players that went into the stands got a real good "ass-whupping" by the fans.

[SteveJ]

Here are two of my favorite Spectrum memories:
* When I was 5 in 1989 I got to be one of the Mites on Ice (the little kids who play hockey between periods) and am reminded to this day that I was terrible at skating and kept falling down (my dad has video). Regardless it was great and I got a signed puck from one of the Flyers.
* Phantoms vs. the Hershey Bears with my friends in 2001. There was a fight a few seconds after the puck dropped which led to another great Phantoms/Bears game.

[Henry Holland]

Damn all you people that got to see Phish in the 90's, damn. you. to. hell.*

My dad was stationed at McGuire AFB in New Jersey in the early 70's (1970-74) and he was cool enough to take us kids to some Flyers games. There was a game against the Canucks that had two separate fights that lasted about 1/2 hour each. I'm really, really, really glad they brought in the second-man in rule, that shit was boring. I just wanted to watch Bernie Parent play.

* I'm a post-hiatus nOOb.

[dz]

Saw Eric Lindros' first home fight. He destroyed Lee Norwood (St. Louis). Not a spectrum memory but I got to see the Flyers play the Leafs at Maple Leaf Gardens in '76 when I was 9 and I also got to go down to the dressing room and meet them...still have the pennant with autographs like Parent, Clarke, Shero, Bladon etc on it. Clarke was in a hurry and left but Bernie stayed and talked to me but I was so awestruck by him that I could barely reply to his questions. I cried when I missed getting Leach's autograph (him and Bernie were my favourite players) and some one who worked for the team ran after Reggie and brought me back his autograph.

[Drew]

Plenty of Spectrum memories...

FLYERS
- Playoff games vs Sabres and Rangers in 1995, 1996, 1997. Lots of Rangers fans in the stands, fights everywhere on and off the ice. True hatred for Messier and Beukeboom.
- When they used to come out to "Lets Get Rocked" by Def Leppard...a lame song, but somehow it worked.
- Constantly watching #21 Dave Brown and #17 Craig Berube circle the fight until they would get in a fight
- Brian Propp guffaws
- Seeing players hang out postgame at "Ovations"
- Every once in a while, going to a game with someone who had a pass to "Ovations"

SIXERS
- Going to games with my aunt in the mid 80s. She had season tix right next to Turquoise Erving, which I thought was pretty cool.
- Going to almost every game of the 1991 postseason - beating the Cavs, incredible deafening team intros, watching Jordan right in his prime, Hawkins almost singlehandedly beating him, Thump and Bump.

WINGS
- Being a season ticketholded for 1995 season, my senior year in high school.
- Got incredibly baked in FDR park before one game. Our seats were behind one of the goals. In the 2nd quarter, when the Knighthawks scored on our end, I leapt out of my seat and screamed, the only one out of 17,320. I was too stoned to notice that they had switched ends.
- Paul Gait Championship winning goal in OT
- Brawl vs Turbos where they had to stop the game in the 3rd quarter. Literally fights everywhere, fans tearing down the glass and throwing anything they could find on the field. Possibly the craziest - and coolest - sporting event I have ever been to.

CONCERTS
- 1st concert I ever went to, 1987 Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet with Cinderella opening. Went with my parents...yep.
- Eric Clapton 1992