A Great Gopher Fan Now Looking Down From Above

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indygopher

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In 1971, a recruiter convinced my Dad to take a new job and move our family to Minnesota from southern California. He took me to my first Gopher BB game at Williams Arena during the 1971-2 season with tickets his company provided (I was 12). The following year we watched some games on black and white closed circuit tv in the hockey side of Williams Arena since the basketball side was sold out. With a down year in 1973-4, Dad was able to purchase season tickets for the whole family - Mom, Dad, me and my two brothers. He wanted to make sure he would have access to tickets in future championship seasons. Dad continued to buy 5 season tickets through the 1984-5 season and reduced to 4 tickets in 1985-6 when I moved to Indiana. In 2016 Mom was diagnosed with a brain tumor. We watched the Gophers beat Maryland from her intensive care room at the Mayo Clinic hours after surgery to remove the tumor. Mom died in December of that year, but Dad continued to buy 4 tickets. This was to be Dad's 45th year as a season ticket holder and he was looking forward to this season knowing the potential of this year's team. Sadly, Dad passed away Wednesday morning and I lost my favorite Gopher fan in section 108.:cry:

I share Dad's optimism for this year's team and wish them much success!

Go Gophers!
 

Very sorry for your loss indygopher fan.
 

Prayers to you and your family. Nothing like the love/bond between a parent and child. Here’s hoping the Gophers give your dad a memorable season from (his) best upper deck seat in the house.
 

I am very sorry to hear this indygopher, may your memories together be a lifelong blessing. All the best to you and your family.
 

That has to be tough. He will have the best seat in the house though if that is any consolation.
 



Thanks for sharing your memories. Definitely made me misty. Sorry for you and your family's loss. Glad you were able to share so many memories together!
 

I'm sorry for your loss. Sports are an incredible bond between people. Heres to hoping your dad gets to watch this team be great again someday
 





Thanks for sharing that Indy. Hats off to your Dad! Sorry for your loss.
 


Very sorry for your loss. It's never easy.

FWIW it sounds like you got into Gopher basketball about the same time I did. The '70s were a great time to become a fan. Glad you have years of memories of attending games with your folks, and I imagine of lively discussions with your father regarding the team.

JTG
 



I'm sorry for your loss indygopher. My dad and I were attending the Williams Arena tour a couple Sundays back, and we were talking with the tour guide for quite some time after. Right before we left, we were jokingly telling him that after 41 years of having season tickets, my dad's never been the fan of the game! My dad is the reason my entire family (and extended family) bleeds maroon and gold basketball. I also share your dad's optimism about this year's team. My condolences to your family during this tough time.
 

gopherguy15 said:
I'm sorry for your loss indygopher. My dad and I were attending the Williams Arena tour a couple Sundays back, and we were talking with the tour guide for quite some time after. Right before we left, we were jokingly telling him that after 41 years of having season tickets, my dad's never been the fan of the game! My dad is the reason my entire family (and extended family) bleeds maroon and gold basketball. I also share your dad's optimism about this year's team. My condolences to your family during this tough time.
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My Dad got me hooked on Gopher FB and BB. It's painful to lose our Dad's and I am sure you will really miss him this year. I hope your family is finding comfort with family and friends
 

Sorry for your loss - so hard to lose both parents. I'm still grieving my dad who passed last December. Always total optimist Gopher fan, I grabbed an extra program with this years team names and pictures for him before I remembered.
 

Thanks everyone for the condolences and kind words!

Some additional background on my Dad. He was the son of a Methodist minister. He grew up in Indiana and naturally was a good basketball player. He started as a guard for his high school team. He studied Chemical Engineering at Vanderbilt on a Navy ROTC scholarship and played briefly on their freshman basketball team before concentrating on his studies. After graduation Dad was a jet fighter pilot in the Navy. He met my Mom while stationed in Jacksonville, Florida (she was from Kentucky). After completing his time in the Navy, he married Mom and began his career, and my life;), in Louisville, KY (where he took me to my first college basketball game to see U of Louisville and Wes Unseld play at Freedom Hall) then to Princeton, IN for a year and on to Los Angeles, CA before his recruitment to MN. Mom passed away just a couple weeks before their 59th anniversary. My brothers and I feel very blessed to have had them as our parents.
 

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