15 Years Ago-Farewell to Kingdome

http://www.seahawks.com/news/articles/a ... c590d81f84


Clare Farnsworth
Seahawks.com Writer
03/26/15

2000: The Kingdome, the Seahawks’ home since their inaugural season in 1976, is imploded to make way for the team’s new stadium that would open in 2002. The Seahawks played at Husky Stadium on the University of Washington campus for two seasons before moving into their new state-of-the-art stadium that now goes by CenturyLink Field.


Oh how this memory breaks my heart...all my childhood memories came crashing down that day. Bittersweet.

I was at the #1 moment (listed on the right), the 31-7 beat down of the Broncos in the Seahawks first ever playoff game.

Lots of good memories of the Kingdome (for Seahawks, M's, Sonics and Sounders fans). Played soccer on the field before a couple Sounder games. And there were many a M's game where you could pick your seat. Saw everyone from Easley, Largent, Zorn, to Gaylord Perry, Al Davis, Sikma, Gus Johnson, Mark Peterson (Sounders) and Pele, Griffey, Edgar, Buhner, A-Rod, saw Randy strike out like 15 Blue Jays one time.

Still remember as a kid the MNF crew having the decibel meter read how loud it was. Place was just a giant concrete closet.

Playground for a little kid

I remember it most fondly for the first time I ever saw Bill the Beerman in person.

He rocked.

Unfortunately, the first time I saw the 'Hawks play live, it was at Husky stadium. However, I have many great memories of watching the M's play in the Kingdome. My dad and I used to go to at least one game a year. I think I went to the second to last game they played there in '99.

I went to so many events there, even Supercross. Too many Hawk games to count and M's.

Saw RJ pitch his no-hitter and also the single playoff game vs. the Angels (Langston).

Largent80":11sguixw said:

I went to so many events there, even Supercross. Too many Hawk games to count and M's.

Saw RJ pitch his no-hitter and also the single playoff game vs. the Angels (Langston).

Click to expand...

Langston... guy was so pissed that night... not too many broken bat, one hop Grand Slams


Forgot about Supercross...

for some damned reason it is etched in my mind how upset i was at like 8 or 9 years old that Mike Bell rolled his bike and Shultz? won..

I was 7.. had never been on a motorcycle, knew nothing about motorcycles, the riders or any of it. But man, i was pissed enough to remember Mike Bell's name, 35 years late.

I loved that place. Feels like I spent most of my childhood there, mostly for Mariners games. Seahawks games were thrown in, but I just didn't get to as many as I did with the M's. Some of my favorite memories:

1) Nolan Ryan's last game, M's blew him up
2) Game 3 and Game 5 of the 95 NLDS
3) First Seahawks game I ever went to in 88 or so against the Steelers, I witnessed a fight after a Steeler fan relentlessly taunted our section for the better part of a quarter.
4) The final Mariners game in the stadium, and the streaker who ran out to 2nd base.
5) Multiple Buhner Buzz Nights

Seahawks1983":3t187wr6 said:

I loved that place. Feels like I spent most of my childhood there, mostly for Mariners games. Seahawks games were thrown in, but I just didn't get to as many as I did with the M's. Some of my favorite memories:

1) Nolan Ryan's last game, M's blew him up

Click to expand...

Never got an out

Didn't Dan "the Shark" Howitt take him deep on his last pitch?

Spent a lot of time in that dump. Went to so many supercrosses when I was a kid I now wonder if some of my health issues aren't from sitting in the smoke at the 300 level for so many hours. At the end of the night the smoke layer would be down to the 100 level.

You could basically see M's games for free until August of 95, Hawks games were the same from early 90's through Ken B getting kicked to the curb by the NFL for moving the Hawks without league permission. Watched the Sonics play a playoff game from the 300 level ( Key Arena was being renovated, Sonics played at the T Dome until the playoffs came around), attended the first game against the Yankees in 95 (100 level seats, last row, so far under the 200 level in left field you couldn't see home plate, everybody was packed in and the BO fog was nasty), last game of the 95 season was the classiest sporting event I have ever been to. The standing ovation, simply the best playing, none of the fans left after the M's lost, most fans crying including myself. Watching the team come back out with the WTF look on their faces was awesome. Every fan knew baseball would stay in Seattle because of what that team and the players did.

Another memory of the Kindome was when I was like 6 years old. The line to the men's restrooms would stretch 50 yards past the entrance at any intermission. Watched a drunk guy pee his pants in line, then sit down and cry. Remember people peeing in the galvanized circular sinks because they couldn't hold it any longer.

I don't miss that dump one bit but cherish the sports memories that took place in it.

Me and my Boeing league team played against another Boeing league team at the Kingdome, prior to the Sonics vs Rockets as some type of exhibition thing (we played 10 minute halves with a running clock).

This was around the time Ralph Sampson was there (may have been his 2nd season). Robert Reid (??) and other Rocket players were starting to come onto the floor as we were finishing up. They were talking smack because none of us were dunking.

Anyway, the floor was weird. It was in sections and when you ran on it you could tell it was in sections and it didn't feel right. Had a hollow feel where you thought your foot might step through the section.

I also remember watching the Sonics vs Bulls, sitting in the top of the Kingdome, You were so far away the only way to know something good happened was the delayed cheer that reached you. It was insane. Mariners and Seahawks games, though none of a memorable type.

Saw the very first game in there mariners and Seahawks was looking around what a palace at the time , yes I do remember when you could walk in there pick any seat for a mariners game and how all the cement in there rock like a earthquake when the Hawks were in there, Also do you all remember when the M's were there and the earthquake happened. ? So sad.

Went to Band competition there. Stayed in a school gymnasium in sleeping bags for the evening. I think it was called Kingbowl. Sophomore year I think second year of the team there. Winner marching band of the competition plays their song at halftime for the Sunday afternoon game. We went home Saturday evening.

Also saw a weekend of baseball games with my Grandparents. The Yankees came to town and we stayed in the parking lot in their Boles Aero trailer pulled by an old 77 International pickup truck. Learned a tiny bit about vacuum as Gpa put a vacuum guage in and pumped the gas a few times. Gpa and Gma were able to get in on a pair of tickets for seniors and I went in as an under 8 or so kid for one of the 3 game set. I was small and looked young. I think we were down the right hand side for that one game. This was in 1979 I think.

The dome was cool and such a piece of garbage all mixed into one pile of smelly BO. I am surprised, I did not fall to my demise being drunk and disorderly in the top level. If only YouTube existed back in the day. It was a like a bad movie with Monster Trucks, lousy food, and crappy beer. So much fun!! My office was across the street from the dome and had to listen for months, as Turner Construction prepared for the demo. I can still hear the jackhammers to this day. Messed me up. It holds a special place in my heart and some great memories in that beauty. I just miss the $16 ticket prices.

Still have a picture of my car parked on the 100 level ramp from when I was doing work there prior to a game.