Why Am I an Oakland Raiders Fan?

1970/1972 – My mother has arthritis to the extent she is on crutches, and after experimental knee surgeries… she is 34 years old and can hardly walk

Jan 22, 1973 – my parents divorce… for the 2nd time

Feb/Mar 1973 – my mom, sister & I move from Carrollton to Chillicothe MO… I’m in the 4th grade… ¾ of the way thru the school year; my dad moves to Mississippi with his new wife; at the age of 10 I’m told I’m now the “man of the house”

Jun/Jul 1973 – I’m at the Grand Oaks Baptist Assembly church camp… I’m pulled out from the group. My mother and sister were involved in a car wreck. My sister breaks her jaw, she’s transported to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. My mother breaks both her legs… she never walks again

Summer of 1973 – my mom is in the hospital for weeks… she HATES daytime TV, soap operas and crap… I’m not sure, maybe the content? Anyway… nothing on television and for some reason she gets hooked on baseball

July 24, 1973 – MLB All-Star Game at Royals Stadium, Kansas City MO… the Oakland A’s players are announced and the crowd boos even though the Royals and A’s are teammates for this game (A's moved from KC to Oakland in 1968) – my mom always supported the underdog or the looked-down-upon and became an A’s fan

A's win the World Series in 1973, just as they did the year before (1972) and the year after (1974) lead by players like a guy that ended up having a candy bar named after him, Reggie Jackson

Sept 30, 1973 – Oakland comes to Kansas City… the Raiders are booed. My mom becomes an Oakland transplant in the Midwest, having never been to Oakland, and now a Raiders fan

1973 Raiders lose the AFC Championship Game

1974 Raiders lose the AFC Championship Game (ice on the field somehow?)

1975 Raiders lose the AFC Championship Game on the Immaculate Deception play

1976 Raiders 13 - 1; Win Super Bowl XI over the Vikings 32 - 14 lead by John Madden

1977 Raiders lose the AFC Championship Game – the Rob Lytle didn’t fumble… yea right! (where was instant reply then?)

1980 First wildcard team to not only go to the Super Bowl but win it on January 25, 1981… Raiders win the Super Bowl! - I don't recall much of this as my dad died on January 17, 1981

Ironically… the Raiders are lead by Jim Plunkett - a washed-up, has-been – son of disabled parents (both legally blind)

1983 season comes around and the day before the season opens (September 3, 1983), my mother dies

September 4, 1983 – Raiders open the season beating the Bengals 20 – 10. They continue through the season and finish 12 – 4 and dominate the playoffs on their way to the January 22, 1984, Raiders win Super Bowl XVIII over the Washington Redskins 38 – 9

That season solidified that I am a Raiders fan for life... for my mom

Created: 01-January-2006 Revised: 01-January-2008