This night was an experience of a lifetime for all that attended, including my dad and his friends. Instead of summarizing what happened, I thought it would be fun to get first hand accounts of what was going on that night.
I asked Mr.Mort and his friend Steve to answer a few questions regarding that insane night.
How did you hear about the game
and the stunt?
Steve- Like many people, we heard it advertised on The Loop, 97.9 FM. We listened to it all the time, especially Steve Dahl and his partner Gerry Meier. They played some great rock music, and we attended many events prior to this. One time they tried to take over a disco and play rock instead. They got so many people it was actually classified as a riot.
Tim- I didn't go to that one. The cops roped that event off because it got so crazy. But that's where I learned about the demolition of disco and the Insane Koho Lips, Dahl's anti-disco fan club.
Tim- I didn't go to that one. The cops roped that event off because it got so crazy. But that's where I learned about the demolition of disco and the Insane Koho Lips, Dahl's anti-disco fan club.
Why did you decide to go? What made you want to be there?
S- I really, really hated disco. It was an insult to music, and the people who listened to it were fake. I grew up listening to rock and metal, and I still love it today. All I wanted to see was the explosion. I also thought it would be a fun time to spend it there with my best friends.
T- I wasn't too fond of it either. My friends were pretty set on going, so I went along with them. I wanted to see how this whole thing would play out.
Who were you with?
S- My best firends; Tim, Mike Vinciguerra, Rick Mason, Mike Eller, Jim Bjork, and Stan Pedroza.
Did you bring any records to blow up?
S- Hell yea we did! We stole them from our friend Nancy Volstad and Mike's sister . They weren't too happy about that. We grabbed some Donna Summer, a Taveras Brothers album, and the icing on the cake- the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever by the Bee Gees.
T- You had to bring the record to get in for 98 cents. Right at the gates, you threw them all in a big bin. They planned ahead a little bit at least-trying to take the records out of our hands was a smart move.
Where did you sit?
T- The right field bleachers. That's where everyone with the 98 cent tickets sat.
What was the atmosphere like, and how did it change during the game?
T- Well, it was festive at first. Throught the course of the first game, it became hysteria. The crowd got larger and larger as the game went on. People in the aisles and standing wherever there was space. You could tell the games were secondary based on the type of people that showed up and how they all acted.
When did you realize things were getting out of hand?
T- The first time I really noticed was the 7th inning, when people were throwing firecrackers right behind the center fielder. He went in to the umpire to see if he could get any help, but he just sent him back out there. At the same time, people were cheering for every out, even the Sox. These were not baseball fans at all; they just wanted to get the game over with as fast as possible.
S- It really went over the top when the fans started to go out on the field. They started throwing the broken records like frisbees into the seats! That was so dangerous...believe me, those things were flying. I remember [Tim] saying "Never again...nothing like this will happen ever again" over and over.
What were you thinking as the situation got worse?
S- My main focus was making sure none of us got hurt. Beyond that, I really didn't feel like getting beat with a billy-club, arrested, or trampled that night.
T- It was borderline madness. The anticipation was growing as the game was ending and the demolition was being set up. I never felt like I was in any real danger, but it was still mayhem.
Did any of you run out onto the field?
S- Rick was the only one brave enough. He wasn't the most level headed. I blame that on the Robitussin he used to guzzle to get a buzz. He told us he wanted to take second base, but never succeeded in his quest.
T- We were just watching, and he finally said "That's it, I gotta go out there". We tried to stop him, we knew the cops were coming soon and they would beat his ass if he didn't get out in time. We didn't see him for two whole days after that.
What will you remember most about that night?
S- The enormous crowds. The rumor got around to us that people were climbing through the back wall, so we went to see it for ourselves. We couldn't believe how this happened and it still wasn't under control. But most of all, I'm going to remember the joy I got out of seeing those records get destroyed. I was almost just as happy when the Sox forfeited the second game. I'm very proud to have helped the Sox lose a game. And my good times with friends, we still talk about times like this today.
T- I suppose the disorganization and the things that happened due to not being prepared for this. Also the second game being cancelled, only the second forfeit of all time.
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