Old Techsters

[chewybaka]

I turned 75 in August. Got my BS in '66 and my MS in '67. The only college football games I had been to prior to my freshman year at Tech were a few Furman games, since my dad graduated from there. The only Tech tie I had was a Tech student my older sister dated in the mid 50s. He turned me into a Tech fan forever, and I can remember listening to the games after then with Jack Hurst announcing. While at Tech I never missed a game. The single most amazing game I saw there was the Bama game in '62. Possibly the most disappointing loss during that time was the LSU game in that same year. Since then, there have been many amazing games that I have attended, capped I guess by the Nebraska Citrus Bowl game. But also high on the list was the '74 Georgia game to which I took my dad (his only COFH game) in the pouring rain. At half-time, with a good lead, I suggested we leave because it was so miserable, but my dad refused, saying he was having too much fun. That was the closest I ever felt to my dad. My sister didn't marry that Tech student she had dated; she married a mutt grad, but he was a life-long Tech fan, as was his entire family. And their kids became BIG Tech fans also, with my nephew graduating from Tech. I never married, so I have no "legacy" fans to leave behind, but that's ok, because my Tech life has been FULL. I sat in the same seats (Sec 225, Row 26, Seats 1, 2) every year until this year, when I moved down 10 rows because of the increasingly difficult climb up to the top. I also went to every basketball game while I was in school, and had season tickets there for several of the Hewitt years, fortunately being able to go to his Final Four. Ahhhh, all the memories. What a Tech life for me !!!

Thx for sharing ... enjoyed your comments.

Graduated '79

- Best game attended, Citrus Bowl beat Nebraska
- Worst Game attended Notre Dame 69-14...I'm still angry

 

[MWBATL]

Well, I'm 68 years young now (so I guess I can't claim to be an Old Techster )

I remember attending my first GT football games, and since I was not from Georgia, had no idea why anyone cared about UGa one way or the other. I learned during my first visit to Athens for a football game (I think it was 1970). Never had seen people act that way at a football game before.

I had Navy ROTC...I had my first registration in the Old Gym. I have an 8 AM Chem Lab on Saturday morning right next to Grant Field. As I recall it was a 3 hour lab, and the games kicked off at 1 PM back then (pre-TV), so we actually were trying to work while people were beginning to get ready for the ball game right outside our windows. That may be why I transferred out of Chemistry after my first year.

I had attended an all boys boarding school in high school, and recall that my freshman year at GT was in fact merely more of the same. I made Dean's List. Then, lordie, I found me a girlfriend in my sophomore year. My GPA plummeted to a 1.3 and academic probation. My Father was not pleased.

I know I ran into a Math class in my junior year that was so complicated I took it twice, dropped it twice, and never had a clue what it was even about. But since it was a requirement for graduation in Math, that determined my transfer out of the Math major.

Managed to achieve one personal goal by scoring a 4.0 for one quarter in my senior year. By then, I was married to that girl I met in sophomore year and had one kid and lived in Married Student Housing on 10th Street. Oh, where did my youth go!

We were decent in 1969., but lost some fairly close games to the likes of Tennessee and Auburn. But we made a lot of noise, as I recall, in the student section in the Lower West Stands.

Ups and downs...we had Rock Perdoni and in 1970 w played #1 ranked Notre Dame toe to toe in South Bend. iirc, the game was not televised, so all we had was Al's radio call. We scored on a long pass to Brent Cunningham to go up 7-3, and then spent the rest of the game holding on for dear life. Notre Dame kept driving on us, but it seemed like we always stopped them on 3rd and 2 or 4th and 1 deep in our territory. Rock was GREAT in that game. They finally scored with about 2 minutes left to win 10-7, but that was a heckuva game.

I remember the 36-36 tie with Rice in 1972. Weird game. Eddie McAshan and the controversy about race. Bud Carson was coach initially ("When You Say Bud" started back then). Bud did not seem to care much about offense. It looks like his goal was to win every game 6-3. Didn't work out for him or us.

Rich Yunkus and Jim Thorne in basketball. Playing Jacksonville with their twin towers (two 7' guys)...one I remember was Artis Gilmore, I cannot recall the other guy. Yunkus scored at will on them, but we lost the game. They were an NCAA team, while we were in NIT team. Back then, that mattered and meant something. Not many fans at the basketball games as I recall.

I also liked baseball. We were generally lousy. Not much of a program. We had a few wooden bleachers that might have held a couple of hundred fans, and cement dugouts (as I recall). All I can remember is one year we were playing someone (Georgia Southern?) and they were much better than us. When the score got to be around 18-0, some of our guys came out of the dugout waving white towels and everyone began laughing hysterically. But it was still a very pleasant way to soak up some sunshine on a spring afternoon.

"Got out" in 1973. Been a season ticket holder for over 35 years. Have only lived back in the Atlanta area for the last 20 years after living all over the world during my corporate career. Had those season tickets anyway, even when I did not live nearby.

Not quite sure why I love the Jackets, but doggone it, I guess I really do.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

We were decent in 1969., but lost some fairly close games to the likes of Tennessee and Auburn. But we made a lot of noise, as I recall, in the student section in the Lower EAST Stands.

FIFY. Students never sat anywhere in the west stands. We sat in the temporary bleachers and lower levels of the east stands.

Regarding basketball, thanks for adding another name I had forgotten -- Jim Thorne. Yet another example of how we DID have basketball before Cremins, although never to the peaks he took us to.

 

[RabidJacket]

---Dave Denton, Jim Caldwell, Bobby Dews, Terry Randall and Buddy Blemker---pre Cremins stars.--and of course Roger Kaiser!

 

[Animal02]

FIFY. Students never sat anywhere in the west stands. We sat in the temporary bleachers and lower levels of the east stands.

Regarding basketball, thanks for adding another name I had forgotten -- Jim Thorne. Yet another example of how we DID have basketball before Cremins, although never to the peaks he took us to.

Rats sat in the wooden portable bleachers on the track. Students filled in the lower East from the north end to somewhere around the 30 plus the flash card section. Also the upper east north end for a couple of section. ( I can remember being in the top row of the upper east on a very cold windy early November . Another game....think it was 80, sitting in the upper east when storms moved in with lightning. The stopped the game and everyone moved toward the concourse. I made it to the ramp before it was too crowded move. I was under cover by about 5 feet. A friend of mine was ten feet behind......got drenched in the monsoon. The stands were like a massive waterfall.

 

[MWBATL]

FIFY. Students never sat anywhere in the west stands. We sat in the temporary bleachers and lower levels of the east stands.

Regarding basketball, thanks for adding another name I had forgotten -- Jim Thorne. Yet another example of how we DID have basketball before Cremins, although never to the peaks he took us to.

You're right. Brain fart (east vs west stands). Maybe I AM an Old Techster after all!

 

[LongforDodd]

54 here... I transferred in from UGA (pre-law) in '85 and felt like I was always behind in courses - thanks to my advisor (Summerfeld). I ran out of money and had to press pause and get my hands dirty for a few years - finally got out in '92 (ChE). Unfortunately, I never attended a game as a student. I was always scrambling to catch up on the weekends. Junior's and PJ Haley's were some of my go-tos.

I have had season tickets for the last 7 yrs now (Sect 107, row 27, 9-12).

I, too, transferred in from ugag but ended up graduating 5 years after I should have graduated college ('83...I'm 63) due to "our family starting" while we were both in Athens. I ended up having to only be a mostly part time student so that I could work some. Also like you, my time in the class room being mostly a waste of time as very few hours transferred. It was mostly a rehash of high school...nothing new.
I had a football scholarship to Furman out of HS but left after one semester due to mostly an injury. So I transferred to Athens where all of my friends were. I walked-on there for the spring before 1977 season and left after spring of '78. Took two quarters of Calculus and Chemistry at old DeKalb College to get the stink off my academic record before GT would let me step foot on campus.
Dad was an Arch grad, my mother's two brothers graduated (one played FB for Dodd), and my youngest finished 3 years ago. Sold Cokes and programs at Grant Field early 70's (maybe in '69, also.

I've had a good life!

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

---Dave Denton, Jim Caldwell, Bobby Dews, Terry Randall and Buddy Blemker---pre Cremins stars.--and of course Roger Kaiser!

Jim Caldwell --- another pre-Cremins player I had forgotten.

 

[jojatk]

Will become a grandpa in December.....which reminds me....need to order some newborn GT gear.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

 

[jojatk]

We appreciate your fandom. Every one counts in our world.

THIS!!! Well said!!!!

 

[GTChE92]

Another one. I am in 107 row 24 seats 9-12. I will be there for Pitt and UGA

My daughter and I will both be there. I live near Savannah, Ga. and make all home games - hurricanes permitting. (the weather pattern, not the thugs at duh U)

 

[GSOJacket]

I'm a Class of '62 grad and the second generation of three generations of Tech men. But I think the most memorable Tech game for me was one I saw on TV well before I arrived at Tech. It was the 1952 Tech-Alabama game that ultimately led to our '52 team's national championship. The key play happened with Tech trailing 0-3 in the second half. If memory serves, the Tide, after having a first and goal on our 5-yard line, ran a fourth-down sweep that was stopped spectacularly by the only Tech player with a shot, little Jakie Rudolph. He turned the Alabama back upside down and was knocked out cold. The picture adorned Dean Griffin's entire office wall behind his desk when I arrived at Tech years later. Tech went on to win the game 7-3. Remembering the man:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/atlanta/obituary.aspx?n=jake-rudolph&pid=113026148

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

I'm a Class of '62 grad and the second generation of three generations of Tech men. But I think the most memorable Tech game for me was one I saw on TV well before I arrived at Tech. It was the 1952 Tech-Alabama game that ultimately led to our '52 team's national championship. The key play happened with Tech trailing 0-3 in the second half. If memory serves, the Tide, after having a first and goal on our 5-yard line, ran a fourth-down sweep that was stopped spectacularly by the only Tech player with a shot, little Jakie Rudolph. He turned the Alabama back upside down and was knocked out cold. The picture adorned Dean Griffin's entire office wall behind his desk when I arrived at Tech years later. Tech went on to win the game 7-3. Remembering the man:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/atlanta/obituary.aspx?n=jake-rudolph&pid=113026148

That play was dubbed the "million dollar tackle".

 

[gtpi]

i just turned 71. i started out at tosu and dropped out. i worked as machinist ... draftsman... surveying... telephone field eng... civil eng tech... before i went back to school. i was smarter than the clumpsin eng who got a promotion over me at dorchester county water an sewer. so i went back to school.

i worked full time and carried a full time load over 5 years. worked at a structural engineer firm in decatur. the owners were both gt grads and let me work on the weekends.

graduated in 81 or 82 with a bme. doh. i cant remember the year. had 10 job offers. decided on bendix aerospace in sydney ny / jacksonville fl.

i was a huge tosu fan. was there when we won the nc in 68. saw all the games. gt wasn't even on my radar back then. gt who????? only thing i remember then about gt was kaiser of gt scoring a ton of points against tosu in bb. early 60s. grrrrrr.

it wasnt until i was looking at schools to attend in the mid 70s while living in decatur that i actually realized how special gt was. i have no regrets choosing gt over auburn clemson uga an others.

having worked before i went back to school gave me a different perspective of going to college than most of my school friends. i loved it.

go jackets
go tosu

 

[gtpi]

When I enrolled at Tech the Alexander Memorial Coliseum had just been built and we had defeated UGA in football seven years in a row. My freshman year Tech beat the Dwags 35-0 and had won eight in a row. That same year we lost only one game...to Johnny Majors and Tennessee, 6-0. We should've beat them, could've beat them, would've beat them...

The Asphalt Jungle has changed a whole lot over the decades, and Tech has had its ups and downs athletically. Football wise, we were number 7 in the nation just 5 short years ago; now we are rebuilding under a new coach and new system. I've seen that happen a number of times at Tech over the years. And basketball...who remembers BC...Before Cremins...when only a handful of students attended the games and some wore sacks over their heads? Shortly after Bobby arrived, Mark Price and company won the ACC tournament. 1990 was the best year, IMHO, in Tech football/basketball during my lifetime. I credit Homer Rice, Kim King, and many others of the old guard that kept Tech athletics alive and well during some very difficult years.

i was there for the sacks at bb games. i met bobby during his first few months at gt. he was kind enough to chat bb with me right in front of the student union. i met him 2 more times. i even sat on the bench at one of the games. i now live in charleston sc. bobby must have liked me so much he followed me here.

 

[gtpi]

i went to the gt bama game back at bds. i dont remember the game so much because of a group of bama fans i got tickets for. talk about obnoxious f's.

during the game one of the bama fans snuck in a gal of brown liquor. got drunk as a skunk and sucker punched a young tech fan in the side of the face and knocked him out. ruined the game for me and the others that were in my group.

between that incident and a spitting drunk uga fan i had to deal with at another time and ive despised ua uga and the sec ever since.

 

[Animal02]

i was there for the sacks at bb games. i met bobby during his first few months at gt. he was kind enough to chat bb with me right in front of the student union. i met him 2 more times. i even sat on the bench at one of the games. i now live in charleston sc. bobby must have liked me so much he followed me here.

I cannot remember if it was Cremins first year.....but Tech beat MD in one of their only ACC wins. Lefty said in a paper that it was teams like Tech that have killed college basketball. When MD came to Tech the Tech band was waving around deflated basketballs at Lefty.

 

[LongforDodd]

...said Lefty as Lin Bias was partying like it was 1999.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Remember we all were waving empty Dominoes boxes at Lorenzo Charles, after it was reported that he had stolen 2 pizzas at NC State.

 

[Essobee]

---Dave Denton, Jim Caldwell, Bobby Dews, Terry Randall and Buddy Blemker---pre Cremins stars.--and of course Roger Kaiser!

Denton could dribble so well that he could freeze the ball and no one could get it away. I saw him out-dribble two players who double-teamed to take the ball away from him. Dave put both players flat on the floor. Blemker had his famous "fade away jumper" which Ciraldo loved. And of course Kaiser could drain baskets as well from deep outside as from inside. And in one game, Kaiser in-bounded from under the basket by throwing several real long strikes to Dews who raced the floor for easy layups. Roger and Bobby looked like a QB/wider receiver touchdown duo. All these guys were really fun to watch. Sweet memories.