OT: Flashback: Roof of the Hartford Civic Center Collapsed, January 19, 1978

[Ricker]

I'm betting the people on this board that go back to attending games in the 70's and have remained loyal fans for decades, are exactly the people who showed up in the snow that day. And went to our famous NIT St John's loss at MSG, and went to Big East Tournaments before MSG, and went to games at the field house, and went to opening day at Gampel Pavilion, and went to our NIT win at MSG, and have attended final fours, .... The 1978 fans predated most uconn tv coverage unless it was 'the game of the week' and lived by the radio broadcasts. It would shock me if we didn't have 25 boneyarders that were there for the UMass game, but I must confess I didn't recall it as part of a double header with Hartford and Amherst. Wasn't Mark Noon also St Pauls in Bristol or am I misremembering that.

 

[Waquoit]

I remember that night like it was yesterday. WWF event. Superstar Billy Graham and Bruno Sammartino headlined the card. What a day!!!

That reminds me that when the HCC reopened one of the first events was the WWWE in a Hartford arena for the first time. I was always puzzled that the headline match was Bruno v Stan "The Lariat" Hansen. Bob Backlund, the then current champ, lived in Glastonbury and wasn't even on the card. I figured out later it was because Bruno probably never wrestled in Hartford, Hartford folks had to go Springfield or New Haven to see him. Anyway, the build-up to the match gave us one of the best interview questions of all time, from Vince, no less. "Bruno, what are you going to do if he breaks your neck again?"

 

[microfich]

I'm betting the people on this board that go back to attending games in the 70's and have remained loyal fans for decades, are exactly the people who showed up in the snow that day. And went to our famous NIT St John's loss at MSG, and went to Big East Tournaments before MSG, and went to games at the field house, and went to opening day at Gampel Pavilion, and went to our NIT win at MSG, and have attended final fours, .... The 1978 fans predated most uconn tv coverage unless it was 'the game of the week' and lived by the radio broadcasts. It would shock me if we didn't have 25 boneyarders that were there for the UMass game, but I must confess I didn't recall it as part of a double header with Hartford and Amherst. Wasn't Mark Noon also St Pauls in Bristol or am I misremembering that.

You win!

 

[Lafayette]

I remember hearing about this and reading it in my local paper as a kid. Pre-dated my time in CT by a few years, but it reached most major newspapers ironically in California where there was no snow.

 

[ucjoet]

I'm betting the people on this board that go back to attending games in the 70's and have remained loyal fans for decades, are exactly the people who showed up in the snow that day. And went to our famous NIT St John's loss at MSG, and went to Big East Tournaments before MSG, and went to games at the field house, and went to opening day at Gampel Pavilion, and went to our NIT win at MSG, and have attended final fours, .... The 1978 fans predated most uconn tv coverage unless it was 'the game of the week' and lived by the radio broadcasts. It would shock me if we didn't have 25 boneyarders that were there for the UMass game, but I must confess I didn't recall it as part of a double header with Hartford and Amherst. Wasn't Mark Noon also St Pauls in Bristol or am I misremembering

I was 18 years old when I attended the game ( now 66). I was a freshman and sophomore on the St Paul team when Mark Noon led us to back to back state Championships. We were also friends of the Palladino family. My Dad and Gary’s brother (Al) were partners in a Masonary business for about 10 years.

I got tickets with a neighborhood friend. His brother was the scorekeeper at UConn games. We needed to wait for him before leaving the Civic Center, so we were some of the last people to leave.

 

[GampelPBA]

Loved that the engineer brought in to investigate was named "Lev Zetlin"...

 

[GampelPBA]

Actually liked going to Springfield with my dad, eating at Lido's before the game...

 

[Ewekon]

I had come up to Connecticut to visit and was supposed to go to the game with some of my old college friends. Our plans fell through and we never made it there that night.

Fell through?

 

[Chin Diesel]

That reminds me that when the HCC reopened one of the first events was the WWWE in a Hartford arena for the first time. I was always puzzled that the headline match was Bruno v Stan "The Lariat" Hansen. Bob Backlund, the then current champ, lived in Glastonbury and wasn't even on the card. I figured out later it was because Bruno probably never wrestled in Hartford, Hartford folks had to go Springfield or New Haven to see him. Anyway, the build-up to the match gave us one of the best interview questions of all time, from Vince, no less. "Bruno, what are you going to do if he breaks your neck again?"

The things I learned as a kid around 10 years old going to wrestling events at Springfield and HCC with my dad and some other dads.
The cheap seats were filled with interesting characters.

 

[Leebo]

Gonna need to see some ticket stubs.

 

[Waquoit]

The things I learned as a kid around 10 years old going to wrestling events at Springfield and HCC with my dad and some other dads.
The cheap seats were filled with interesting characters.

I was in the cheap seats with a buddy in the HCC. An unannounced match was Dusty Rhodes v The Masked Executioner. It was basically 4 minutes of Dusty beating the snot out of some poor slob. After the pin, guy in front of us whips around and says, "You know why Dusty just won?" My non-kayfabe friend says "Because it's fixed?" then starts chugging his beer. Guy says, "No man, because he uses his brain!" then starts tapping his temple. To this day, I have never seen more beer come out of one nose in my life.

 

[jdb50]

I went to the UMass game. Al Lewis had multiple dunks which we rarely had in a game from any player back then. At halftime we went and sat at the press table on the court as there were empty seats there and we were college guys. No one bothered us. We actually got a halftime stat sheet too. It was snowing as we drove in and the cars were covered ( 6 plus) when we came out. We parked in the lot that is now the Yardgoats stadium. My mother woke me up early the next day to tell me what happened. Surreal.

 

[Wasn’t me]

Gonna need to see some ticket stubs.

The game was part of a doubleheader - played on 1/17 - the collapse happened after the Hartford Courant was printed on 1/18 - so it didn’t appear on the front page until 1/19/78.

 

[Wasn’t me]

Sorry if the pictures are too large for posting - I’m not the most proficient at using this functionality.

If the previous photos can’t be viewed due to size - the size has been reduced

 

[Wasn’t me]

The game was part of a doubleheader - played on 1/17 - the collapse happened after the Hartford Courant was printed on 1/18 - so it didn’t appear on the front page until 1/19/78.

Also the article indicates there were approximately 5000 in attendance

 

[huskyharry]

I was there as well. Ended up studying the collapse as a Civil Engineering student at UConn 6-7 years later.

 

[Wasn’t me]

Also the article indicates there were approximately 5000 in attendance

Some additional tidbits - it was absolutely a horrendous snow ice storm that game night - Mark Noon did play for University of Hartford (played that night) which was only Division II at the time - he did play at St. Paul’s HS in Bristol (where I have lived all my life - 75 yrs in April)

Started getting season tickets in 1975 or 1976 - had them for over 40 yrs- had to stop due to health (MS) and price

In response to another post: I attended the following:

• Beat St. John’s in NIT Jimmy Foster was outstanding but loss to Boston College Dee Rowe tried a slow down after getting a lead
• had season tickets at Field House
• attended game at Gampel opening day
• went to 1999 final 4 - first national championship
• attended BE tournament at HCC in early 80s
• I didn’t attend NIT championship
• one of the best games I attended was in 1st round of 1976 NCAA tournament against Hofstra in Providence - down double figures in second half - tied in regulation and won in OT. Put them in sweet 16 (only 32 teams in tournament).
• Favorite UConn teams/seasons were the dream season 19?89-90 and 2023-2024 seasons

Another NCAA tournament fun fact is there were 2 undefeated teams in 1976 final 4 - Rutgers (beat UC in sweet 16) and eventual undefeated winner Indiana. Also Maya Moore’s father played for Rutgers - Mike Dabney