It's definitely not clear. I just used known points (hand on the wall) to try to figure out where people were. After doing that, I'm pretty confident that the fans were in the field of play.
It will be one of those forever sports arguments, like the immaculate reception (Did Franco Harris catch the ball before it hit the turf?).
I welcome this opportunity to clear up what seems to a point of contention here. Franco Harris caught that ball. If he hadn't, it would not have been called the immaculate reception. The reception part means it was a catch. Mr Art Rooney ,Sr , the owner of the Steelers, was a devout Roman Catholic ( and a ward boss, and an inveterate gambler) and hence the Immaculate part. I was not at that game, didn't get my season tickets until 1974, but absolutely everyone in the stadium said he caught it. As a matter of fact, over the years I met many people in bars around Pittsburgh who were not there, and they even said he caught it. I have evidence of people who were not even born yet that swear he caught it. If today we were to go to Primanti Brothers or some other Pittsburgh landmark, everyone there would say he caught it. Frenchy Fuqua, he of the goldfish in his platform heels ,was the intended target; however Jack Tatum collided with Frenchy and the rest is history. And of course Tatum claims the ball hit Fuqua making it an illegal catch, but Tatum went to Ohio State and played for Woody Hayes so no one on earth could possibly believe him. Surely, in the face of such overwhelming evidence, we can all put this to rest and get on with something nowhere near as important to fuss about! I rest my case, ladies and gentleman of the Boneyard.
I have a good friend I've known for many years by the name of Phil Villapiano. He's adamant that the ball hit the ground. In addition he swears he was clipped on the play by a Pittsburgh player, or he would have made the tackle. I believe there's an NFL film on the Immaculate Reception, with Franco, Phil and a bunch of other Steelers and Raiders who played in that game. Great entertainment if you ever have the opportunity to watch it.
I have seen it. And I respect Villapiano as a player. Man ,he was fast! And I would never question his veracity. I do not know about the clipping , and it did not get called so... The real controversy was if the ball hit Tatum or Fuqua , and whether or not it was a legal catch. As I said, no one believes Tatum, the whole Buckeye/Woody Hayes moral dilemma tainting anything from that rural area just west of Pennsylvania. (Do you know how flat that place is ,sheesh ) But Franco caught that ball. My guess is that Villapiano, having flown in from California to play, was most likely suffering from jet lag causing his perception to be misguided. I was taught that the punishment for heresy was eternal damnation, and I will never waver in my belief in the Immaculate Reception.
I respect Phil as a player. But quite frankly I would definitely question his veracity.
Nuff said. This issue has been settled. And now for something completely different.I respect Phil as a player. But quite frankly I would definitely question his veracity.
