Congratulations to Margaret Jones first winner of the “Memories of the Aud” comments contest. Enjoy your piece of history!
People who have received their seats are telling us they are thrilled about owning a piece of history. One such person is Nick, from New York. He sent us this picture of his baby daughter in his “Aud” Seat:
Pretty Darn cute, huh? Send us your pictures of your seat and we’ll post them here. Send them to: seatpics@tradingo.com
We here at tradingo.com are very proud to be selling commemorative orange seats from Buffalo’s Memorial Auditorium, one of the most storied hockey and sport venues in North America. Leave your best “orange story” from The Aud in the comments section below. The best orange story will win a commemorative orange seat to be awarded Thanksgiving Day!
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium (also known as The Aud) was an indoor arena in downtown Buffalo, New York. It hosted the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League, the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League, the Buffalo Braves of the National Basketball Association, the Buffalo Stallions of the Major Soccer League, the Buffalo Bandits of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League, the Buffalo Blizzard of the second National Professional Soccer League, and the Buffalo Stampede of Roller Hockey International. It also held a number an NCAA basketball games, as well as numerous entertainment events, such as concerts, the Ringling Brothers circus, Disney on Ice, and other things of that nature.
The Aud opened on October 14, 1940, and was renovated in 1970 and 1990. It was closed in 1996 following the conclusion of the Sabres’, Bandits’, and Blizzard’s seasons, and remained vacant up through its demolition in 2009.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO TRADINGO.COM/THESTADIUM TO PURCHASE AUD SEATS AND OTHER MEMORABILIA
I was a season ticket holder in the oranges during the last season at the Aud. What a great season and so much fun. I remember how awesome it was to watch LaFontaine skate around the rink and put the puck in the net for the last time. Just so emotional!
Comment by John Africano — October 9, 2009 @ 1:22 am
Thanks for the comment! Tradingo.com/thestadium will be selling seats and other memorabilia from the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, known as “The Aud”. Tradingo’s CEO and founder was born and raised in upstate New York and is a huge Sabres fan. We are honored to be the platform for “The Aud” memorabilia. Go to http://www.tradingo.com/thestadium to check it out.
Comment by scott — October 9, 2009 @ 3:21 pm
When I was in 5th or 6th grade at SS Peter & Paul RC School in Jamestown, our basketball team got to play another Buffalo Catholic grade school team at halftime in the Aud. This would have been back in 1962 or 1963. I believe the main event was between either Canisius – St. Bona. or Canisius – Niagara. Most importantly, it was our moment to shine in front of thousands of fans. I remember being very nervous, and also taking a shot at one point. It was a fun time and one that I will always remember – even after 45 years!
Comment by Andrew Jochum — October 22, 2009 @ 10:28 pm
My greatest memory of the Aud was attending a Smashing Pumpkins concert there with my dad. I had a great time enjoying the music with my father and an enjoyable experience at the Aud!
Comment by Sarah — October 22, 2009 @ 10:57 pm
You can probably ask any true Buffalo Sabres fan what the best part of the Aud truly was, and they would probably say, “Sitting in the Orange seats and having the best seat in the house!”
There was just something about going to a Sabres game, on a Friday night, and playing any rival such as Toronto or Montreal… The air was electric, especially in the Orange seats. Any fan who sat there on a regular basis can agree with me that there was NEVER a dull moment! You, quite literally, sat up in the nosebleeds… ask any kid or adult and they will say the same thing, that the seats were “scary” high up! But, they would always follow up by saying, “..the BEST seats in the world!”
My memories, OUR memories, were always great and to actually say, “I sat in the Orange seats at the Aud” will forever be wonderful memories! Thank you for taking the time to bring back such an important memory in our cherished Buffalo Memorial Auditorium history!! The “Aud” will always be in our hearts…
Comment by David Tamutus — October 22, 2009 @ 11:08 pm
I remember going to sabres games with my dad and brother and always worrying about falling out of the seats down to the lower levels, and we always have to get some warm peanuts on the way into the game from the peanut guy. We didn’t have much but the entertainment the sabers gave our family will be remembered forever. I hope my son has the same type of memories from the 300′s at HSBC. I cant show him my memories, but we can make some new ones together!
Comment by Matt Vaillancourt — October 22, 2009 @ 11:26 pm
I was only 16 years old when the Aud closed its doors. On April 11th (my 16th birthday) i travelled down to the Aud to see the Sabres unveil their new jerseys. Upon arriving we noticed that there was more people at this one event than any other event i have ever attended. As i circled the ramps and travelled up the lone escalator that seemed three times as long as the mysterious one that was in the old Hens and Kellys store in Hamburg, we arrived at the familiar orange section. we walked all the way around to the very large sections loacted on the one end and sat in the very last row. Although i had sat in the oranges dozens of times, i never sat in the last row. We seemed to hover on top of the ice as though suspended like the old blue scoreboard. as the Sabres came out to Machinehead by Bush blaring over the old soundsystem, i realized that for the first time in my young life i was saying good-bye to something so familiar that i loved. I walked every inch of that building that night from the top of the oranges to a mistaken elevator ride to the eerie scary basement. Even though i knew i was attending the last game in three days it still felt like i was saying good bye that night. its hard to imagine that it has been 13 years since it closed, and its even harder to see nothing there at all now as i walk past to the HSBC arena. Thanks for the memories.
Comment by Joe — October 22, 2009 @ 11:38 pm
In October 1986, I wanted desperatly to go to the Sabres/ Canucks game on a Friday night. My Grandfather, who took me to my first game in 1980- something he treated me to about twice a year, had already retired from his job as a route driver for Voortman Cookies but worked from time to time for extra money and to keep busy. After coming home clearly exhausted and looking forward to a night of tv on his recliner after dinner, I asked without notice if he would take me and a friend to the Aud for the game and then pick us up afterward. I guess he figured one trip downtown was better than two and decided to just attend the game. Despite my insisting that my buddy and I would pay my own way, he still paid for all 3 of our tickets, plus parking and snacks. Even though he liked the Sabres, the excitment of NHL action didn’t prevent him from dozing off during the second period. Not even a goal scored by the Sabres didnt make him flinch. Good thing the air horn wasn’t there yet. I was also lucky enough to win a years supply of Perry’s Ice Cream that game because the number that was announced matched the one in my game program. Though we lost 7-6, Grandpa still waited patiently as my buddy and I waited for autographs long after the game ended near the locker room area. Grandpa passed away in 1997 but nights like that always made me appreciate what a great mentor he was and doing things that made us kids happy. Also on that night Gilbert Perreault scored what turned out to be his final 2 NHL goals.
Thanks for reading this.
Comment by Jeff Goodridge — October 23, 2009 @ 12:27 am
My greatest memory of the orange seats at the Aud was going to the game with my ancle and getting a SRO ticket for the game, hoping you could get spot on one of the “tall walls” behind the orange seats….much easier to see over everyone when they stood up to cheer on our favorite team!
Comment by Melanie — October 23, 2009 @ 5:39 am
i remember the buffalo braves basketball games i used to share with my uncle. to this day i share my survorner basketball filed with memories to my son. i also remember my late grandfather takrn me to sabres games. we sat in the organge section and we used binicolars to watch the game. when i was in high school i saw ozzy in concert as well as boston and many more concerets. it was a very fun place to go.
Comment by walter l wawrzynek — October 23, 2009 @ 6:43 am
I remember the orange seats very well. My brother took me to a Sabres game when i was about 8 years old,it was my first game. We came out of the aisle and I looked up the stairs and I started crying and ran back in to the tunnel. He brought me back out and I started crying again and I wouldn’t let go of the railing. The stairs were so steep I wouldn’t go up. There was a man and a lady sitting right there and they let us sit in their seat and they took our seats which were up around 12 rows.
Comment by Jim Banas — October 23, 2009 @ 6:47 am
I remember standing in line in the spring of 1970 waiting to order 2 season tickets for the sabres. When I ordered my tickets I had no idea what they would be like. Outside they were raising the roof. All I knew was I was at the one end 2nd row looking down at the net. When the season started and we got to see our seats we were pleasantly surprised at our seats. It took a couple of games to get used to the steep desend.
Comment by robert shaw — October 23, 2009 @ 6:55 am
I remember going to The Aud when I was younger, the Aud Club, upper gold, the steep blues, but my favorite memory would have to be the first time I ever went to The Auditorium. Although I don’t remember how old I was I know I was young… All I really remember was being there with my dad and in between periods seeing the Zambonis driving on the ice. I remember being fascinated by seeing trucks driving on an ice rink and my dad explaining what they were and their purpose for being on the ice.
For years I was hopeful that the city of buffalo would find a use for the old auditorium, when I graduated from highschool in 2000 my senior quote in the yearbook was “Save Buffalo Memorial Auditorium”. Nine years later on June 30th on my dad’s birthday my parents took me down for the opening of the time capsule and to say the final goodbye.
Comment by Anthony Fabbiano — October 23, 2009 @ 7:19 am
When the hockey schedule for the shortened lockout season in 1995 was released, I had to go to the Sabres’ first home game. I bought a pair of tickets in the Oranges, and tried to find just the right person to go. My brother solved the problem — he had invited my Dad but didn’t have an extra ticket for him, so I finally got to take my Dad to a hockey game. We walked my brother Mark to his seats in the Reds, then Dad and I continued our journey upward. “I’ve never been in the Oranges before,” my Dad commented, making me cringe that I couldn’t afford better seats for him. At the escalator, Doug Moss stepped on just behind us. It was his first game as the Sabres’ president, and I only recognised him because he’d just been interviewed on Empire. He chatted with my father and I about the lockout, the Sabres, and hockey in general, all the way up both escalators to the Oranges, where Moss left us to go to the press box. When we got to our seats, Dad said, “Too bad Mark had to sit down there with all the riff-raff, when we get to sit up here with the important people. My Dad died five months later. When we went through his important papers, we found his will and the deeds, and the program I bought him at the last Sabres game he ever went to, the only time he got to watch from the Oranges.
Comment by Suzanne Taylor — October 23, 2009 @ 7:43 am
My father and I used to go watch the Buffalo Braves play. I was very young, but I distinctly remember sitting in the oranges. I remember asking my Dad if I was going to fall of the top deck. We had some great memories over the years. My Dad and I somehow always ended up in the oranges and I will have those memories forever. My father is much older now and not able to get to the games because of his condition. But I will always remember those days. Whether we were cheering on the Sabres or Braves I will always remember those oranges and the aud with my Dad.
I would love to bring an orange home so I could remember our times at the aud together. I will never forget that.
Comment by Greg Litfin — October 23, 2009 @ 8:19 am
My best orange memory was being at the game when they retired the numbers of the French Connection. Watching them skate around the ice in their old uniforms before the banners were raised to the rafters brought back a flood of childhood memories. I remember thinking that Perreault still skated better than half of the players on the Sabres at that time! I’m going to miss the old place…..
Comment by Ted Chmiel — October 23, 2009 @ 8:39 am
Don’t forget the Buffalo Braves! There’s a great coffee-table style book out with dozens of great photos of the Braves games at the Aud. sunbearpress.com
Comment by Chester — October 23, 2009 @ 8:59 am
My best orange story takes me back to April 27, 1994. I was 13 at the time and my Mother had surprised me with two tickets to game 6 of the playoffs against the New Jersey Devils. Who knew at that time, this game was going to be one of the most memorable in Buffalo sports history?
I remember going into the game being worried about having to start our “back up” goalie against Marty Broduer and the Devils. But, this turned out to be a “coming out” party of such for Dominik Hasek. He made 70 saves that night, but there was one that will stay in my memory forever. Devils forward Stephane Richer came on a clean cut breakaway from the left wing and Hasek made a split save that put all Sabres fans in the Aud that night on their feet. That was just one of the 70 stops that put us fans in a frenzy.
I will fast forward to the intermission between the 3rd and 4th OT periods. My Father turned to me and said “It’s getting late, and you have school in the morning.” “If no one scores in this OT, we are going home so you can get enough sleep for school.” I remember thinking to myself how upset I would be if I missed the game winning goal after being at the Aud until well after midnight as it is.
Then, it happened. On my side of the rink as well. Dave Hannan, #14, comes across the front of the net and buried a backhand into the top of the net, while Marty Brodeur was down, 5:43 into the 4th OT period (I had to look up the time of the goal LOL). The goal horn went off, which seemed much louder after 1 AM, but it didn’t matter. The Sabres just forced a game 7 against Marty Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. Everybody hugging, clapping, and screaming. My Father picked me up and gave me a bear hug like I have never received from him. The fact that I was able to see that game, is a memory I will never forget.
Finally, I remember down the long, wide hallways to get out of the Aud. The chant “Oh Ah Sabres on the war path” was being said by all. Random people were coming up to my Father and I to give us high fives and hugs. On a side note, I ended up missing school the next day. But, to have an experience like I did that night (or morning) and to be able to share it with my Dad, will be one experience that will be kept in my memory forever.
Thanks for reading my story and this is just one of many Aud memories that will never be forgotten.
Comment by Jim — October 23, 2009 @ 9:12 am
My greatest aud orange seat memory was the yearly event through our church to thank the acolytes for their service. I looked forward to this every year with enthusiasm and excitement. We would go to the aud to watch our hometown team play and the excitement of the crowd would wash over us and we would get caught up in the frenzied cheering and booing of the other team and the ecstasy of winning a goal and high fiving my friends as we jumped out of our seats. The orange seats weren’t just a section they were an experience. We were all just one sea of energy fueling the sabres to victory.
Comment by Lisa Reiter — October 23, 2009 @ 9:20 am
I remember going to the Aud as a kid and thinking how cool it would be to ride my bike around the ramps that took you to the blue level. I went to my first any only NBA game when I was 9 years old, the Braves v. Lakers and I don’t remember much of the game but I do have a visual in my head of the court with all the smoke floating above the floor.
My last visit for a game was the Dave Hannan 4 OT game in 1994, could there be a better last call??
Comment by Leon Waldo — October 23, 2009 @ 9:27 am
The Aud was where I saw my first hockey game. I can still remember the walk up the ramps to the oranges holding my dad’s hand. I can still smell the smells and hear the sounds just writing about it right now. That building WAS hockey to me. The atmosphere, the personality it had were immeasurable. The newer buildings around the league are nicer, cleaner, and more comfortable but none of them have that charm of the Aud. It was where I first saw Gretzky play. It was where I saw Mogilny tear through 92-93 on his way to 76 goals. And a Rob Ray check always seemed harder at the Aud. That building was where I fell in love with the game and some of my fondest, most vivid childhood memories were forged balancing on the edge of my seat, waaaaaay up in the oranges.
Comment by Steven Wert — October 23, 2009 @ 9:52 am
My favorite memory of the Aud is my first memory of the Aud. My dad took me to a Buffalo Braves playoff game vs. the Boston Celtics. Buffalo won at the very end when Bob McAdoo missed shot and Jim McMillian put the rebound in the hoop for a 104-102 win. My dad, my older brother and I were sitting in the oranges and just went crazy. It was 1974 and I was eight years old. I will never forget that! I have been in love with the aud ever since.
Comment by Gary Helak — October 23, 2009 @ 9:58 am
I remember when I was a kid my parents had season tickets in the orange seats and once in a while my Dad and I would go to a game together. I remember being at the aud and watching Mike Foligno score a goal and do his famous jump. I also remember being there with my dad for the night Clint Malarchuck was injured. Those were the best times with my dad. I was also fortunate enough to be one of the last people to ever skate on the ice at the Aud before they melted it, My uncle was an engineer there and brought us there to skate the night before it closed. It was sad when it closed but I would love a piece of that history.
Comment by Ryan — October 23, 2009 @ 9:58 am
My Grandparents were from Cardiff, Wales, they came over here in the early 60′s. My Grandmother was a sweet white haired,roly-poly old woman who developed a love a hockey even back in her ‘old country’. In the early 70′s, Grandma became a huge Sabres fan, never missing a game on T.V. and an opportunity to scream out loud every time the Sabres scored. Grandfather then made sure she had season tickets every year since 1972 to the day she passed in 1998, if they could afford it that year or not. She would sit in her orange seat at the Aud calling the refs ‘dirty sods’, if she felt they called a play wrong. Never missing a home game, she even showed up 2 days after they put a pacemaker in her chest. Every game Granddad would guide her up and down the stairs to their seats, thier wrinkled, liver spotted hands clutching together so exicted to be at ‘the game’. One night after a game she called me late at night, rousing me from bed and putting the fear of god in me. She told me on the phone, ‘Margaret, as granddad and I were entering the arena at ice level to go up to our seats, the Sabres were skating around practing. I heard a pounding on the plexiglass next to me, and turned to see Rick Martin smiling at me. Mr. Martin then proceed to jump up on his skates and drop a puck over the glass and then looked at me and blew me a kiss’. Grandmother proudly displayed this puck on the mantle on thier fireplace until the end of thier time. A few days before she passed in 1998, she was in the hospital at Kenmore Mercy, and all she cared about was getting out in time to sit in her orange seat for the next game. Thank you to the Buffalo Sabres for giving a white haired old woman with rosey cheeks the happiest moments of her life…
Comment by Margaret M. Jones — October 23, 2009 @ 10:01 am
I remember as a kid going to the Aud for the Sabres playoff run in 74-75. I was in awe of the game and what has now become the legendary Fog Game. As a kid it was an overwhelming experience. I have been a hockey fan and Sabres backer since.
Goodbye old friend.
Comment by steven murawski — October 23, 2009 @ 10:02 am
I will never forget going to my first game at the Aud with my Dad and walking up so many ramps to finally make it to the “nose bleeds”. As a little kid it seemed like a mountain. Then getting to the top and walking down the stairs to our seats I was holding on to my dad for life so scared that I would fall over that “cliff” onto the blue seats. I screemed everytime we scored, but would not jump unless I had a firm hold of Dad. To this day it amazes me that nobody went over that orange edge.
Comment by Todd — October 23, 2009 @ 10:09 am
I think the fact that the fans have the opportunity to bring home Aud memories is great!! It would be cool to have a little piece of Buffalo sports history in my home.
Comment by Marni — October 23, 2009 @ 10:12 am
I went to a lot of games in the Aud but the last game there was the most memorable. I was 14, walking in from Pearl St side with my dad for the last time. All the old timers that had been going the past 25 years to Sabres games talking and sharing memories. Watching the Earl of Bud dance one last time. We sat in the blues, up under the awning, so when the banners started to come down, we couldn’t really see them until they were half way to the ice. I was surrounded by grown men crying as alumni and current players took them down and skated off the ice with them. It was great seeing everyone coming out for the final skate and when LaFontaine stopped and waved good bye before sliding the puck into the net, it cemented my love for the team and the Aud.
Comment by Jon — October 23, 2009 @ 10:16 am
My greatest memories of the oranges were not hockey games. It was the many concerts I attended at the Aud.
Although the oranges were the furthest away from the stage the atmosphere was awesome. You could see and smell everything from the oranges before, during and after the show.
Some of my favorite concerts in the Aud sitting in the oranges: Genesis, The Police, Rush, Chicago, Jethro-Tull, Phil Collins (only $10), Robert Plant,
Yes, Triumph. All in the 1980′s. Good times!
Comment by Bob — October 23, 2009 @ 10:20 am
Ahhh, the oranges. The memories are too numerous to mention but I remember when the banner contests were going strong – it always seemed as though the wall in front of the oranges was always decorated with home made signs of every size and message. My son and I spent a Sunday afternoon making a sign that said “A Perrault deek beats a Nordique everytime”. We won 2 seats in the Blues for our effort but still sat in the oranges ’cause that’s where the fun was.
Comment by Ginny Boniface — October 23, 2009 @ 10:42 am
I remember sitting in the orange seats (front row) for the second Bandits championship game, banging on the tops of the signs that were hanging there making as much noise as possible. I remember watching a replay of the game a few days later and hearing the noise that I and the others were makning by banging on those signs.
Comment by Nathan — October 23, 2009 @ 10:54 am
I remember in the 1978 and 1979 season when the buffalo sabres were in the playoffs when it was a best of three series. i remember the game like it was yesterday the game was vs pittsburg me and my cousin left are seats to go get something to drink and the overtime period was just starting so we hurried up and got back to our seats, the series was tied and it was in overtime what a nail biter so not even a minute later the penguins scored and won the game. Even though the sabres lost it was still a great time in the Aud. I dont think that anyone could ever leave the Aud with a frown.
Comment by Andrew Hartzell — October 23, 2009 @ 11:28 am
I have fond memories of the “Aud” as a child. Whenever I knew we were going to a game i would get so excited. I couldn’t wait to get there. We would buy are peanuts from the guy outside cause my parents would say “This is were the best ones are”. Upon entering, I was always impressed with the grandeur of the “Aud”. I loved running up the hallways that lead to the orange seats. I always remember thinking “it would be awesome if I had a skateboard with me!” After finally making it all the way up there, I would soak in the view as we made it our aisle. Once there I would always have to go first, as my mother would hold the back of my shirt so I wouldn’t fall over. She was always worried I would cause she thought was too steep of a decline. Now were in our seats and excited for the game to start. I love Hockey, but it wasn’t about the game. It was about the atmosphere. I would spend more time staring at the rafters and making glasses out of my popcorn box. And once the game was over I could run down those ramps! Goodbye “Aud” you will truely be missed. They don’t build them like that anymore.
Comment by Christian Wojciechowski — October 23, 2009 @ 11:29 am
My Dad and I had a 20-game plan in the oranges, 2nd row behind the net, seats 1 and 2, for 4 seasons (ending in 1992) while we lived in Buffalo. Going up the ramps to get to the oranges was a big deal for 10 year old kid. The best memories of my childhood are from sitting up in the oranges watching LaFontaine, Mogilny, Ray, and the rest of the Sabres. We wished we could have been at the final game, but couldn’t make it as we no longer lived in the area. Seeing it get torn down was truly a sad day.
Comment by Eric Halsten — October 23, 2009 @ 11:38 am
I was a young sports fan when the Aud closed its doors. However there were many fond memories I had about the building its self rather than the games or events. I miss the ramps you took to get up to the orange level (as a little kid I always seemed to enjoy that). I also remember that the orange level seemed so steep. My father had fallen off of the roof of our house, and when he took me to games he had to stand behind the wall at the top of the oranges because walking down the steep steps made him nervous. I also remember trying to count all of the sound cylinders at the top of the Aud. I have a lot of found childhood memories of that building and I am glad to remember it as a place of family, friends, and fun!
Comment by Mike — October 23, 2009 @ 11:40 am
I saw REO Speedwagon from the Orange Seats..had the best time with the people sitting up there. You couldn’t see the stage very well..but the sound was awesome! Great memories!!
Comment by Jim — October 23, 2009 @ 11:56 am
There are so many memories….I used to go to the Bison
hockey games in the Aud before The Sabres. I have been a
huge fan since the beginning. I would have to say my best memory was in 1980. I was living in California and came home for my sisters wedding in October. I was 7 months pregnant and very big. My sister had season tickets in the very last row of the oranges (really nose-bleeds). I tried to fit everything in one very cold and snowy Sunday. Went to the Bills game and right from there went to the Aud for the Sabres game. Everytime I would stand up and scream or cheer I would get dizzy. I thought for sure I was going to go tumbling down. It was a very long and cold day but I enjoyed every minute of it. Go Sabres…….
Comment by Elaine LoTempio — October 23, 2009 @ 12:04 pm
I spent many times in the “oranges” in the Aud during the 1980′s, for Sabres games as well as other events. I fondly remember the surprising steepness of the stairs as well as the great sightlines they gave to the fans. I shared Sabres season tickets for a couple of years that were first row orange… the best seats in the house. The memories I had during those years are too many to isolate just one event (Gil Perreault’s 500th goal, Clint Malarchuk’s neck injury, the fog game and the flying bat), but the memories of the Aud will stay with me forever.
As the song goes…”Thanks for the memories”.
Comment by Bob Link — October 23, 2009 @ 1:03 pm
I must have been around 9 years old when I attended a Sabres game in which I sat in the oranges for the first and only time. Seated with my father and older cousin, the game was horrible. It was one of those real snoozers where looking up at the waving sound cones that dotted the ceiling was more exciting. Anyways, while the grown ups were in the midst of discussing whether Reagan was going to win the presidency, and me being transfixed on the cigarette butt looking things on the ceiling; I cracked a shell from one of the peanuts I was eating. A portion of it flew and landed in the hair of a man seated in front of me unbeknownst to him and stuck right in the middle of his perm. My father, cousin, and a few others in my row erupted with laughter. It is a memory that to this day still makes us laugh.
Comment by Damian M — October 23, 2009 @ 1:07 pm
The French Connection years will live forever in the hearts of every Sabres fan. The Aud holds so many memories for me … with my husband when we were just dating, with our son, when he was small enough to sit on our laps, but mostly with my dad when I was 10 years old and we went to see a Bisons game. A lot of bonds were formed within those walls. I will treasure every memory.
Comment by Cheryl Martin — October 23, 2009 @ 1:46 pm
In 1977, when I was 8, my Uncle Bud had season tickets in the second to last row of Oranges in the corner next to the luxury boxes. I was deathly afraid of heights, and the steepness of the aisle’s would scare the bejesus out of me when we had to take our seats.
On one such occasion, my Uncle Bud was kind enough to get me a large coke and a box of popcorn before we sat. We were running late, probably because the wait to get me my coke and popcorn, and the section was filled already with people watching the game. (I can’t recall who the Sabres were playing, however.) My Uncle led the way down the row of seats, where people had to stand up in order for you to be able to sit. Our seats were located in the middle of the row, and we were shuffling along on the very narrow ledge, with me freaking out because I was sure that I was going to fall right out onto the ice, hundreds of feet below. Usually I held my Uncle’s hand, for security, but this time, with the coke and popcorn, I couldn’t. I remember swaying slightly back, bumping someone, and reeling forward. My foot went out and got caught between the seats and the concrete wall below me. I must’ve panicked, as my arms went out to catch my balance I sent my coke out into the air, closely followed by the popcorn (which I had opened on the way to the seats). I’m sure I screamed because I thought I was going to die. I didn’t die, but my one leg was pinned between the gap between the seats and the wall of the row below while the rest of my body was on the row where our seats were. My soda and popcorn, however, we over the ENTIRE section of people below me, all of which had turned around to make sure that the perpetrator followed over the ledge to the ice below.
Between me crying in fear and my Uncle’s apologizing, they took pity on me. And after a minute or two to pull my leg out from between the seats below, I was in my seat, without my popcorn and coke (which most of the section was now wearing), and I did not move until the game ended.
As I said, I don’t remember who the Sabres were playing, but I’m sure they won as I never saw the Sabres lose when I sat in the Oranges trying to overcome my fear of heights.
Comment by Brian Townsell — October 23, 2009 @ 2:05 pm
Too many to post in one place. Sabres Open Practice with my sister..taking the Metro Bus downtown and getting to sit in the Oranges while the team played a scrimmage..and Gare and Schoney would do a mock fight..the goalies would join in. Then they’d have a breakaway showdown home jerseys vs away sweaters..each side of the Aud was told to cheer for one squad or the other. Then months later got to go see Peggy Fleming, left our seats from the Oranges at intermission to go “touch the line of ice” that Peggy would glide down onto the ice floor. Well, while holding my Dad’s hand and touching the tube of ice…Who taps me on the head but Peggy herself..”excuse me young man but some people are waiting for me” WOW, we hurried back up to the oranges to tell our story to my mother..and to see the show. Then years later from the Oranges I saw the story of freedom #89 Alexander Mogilny score his first goal a mere 89 seconds into his first shift as a Sabre. Also saw a valiant effort fall short from the oranges when the Flyers lifted the cup..Ah the oranges I saw so much history from those oranges perches..the best seats in the house..best seats in the City of Buffalo.
Comment by Tim T. — October 23, 2009 @ 2:07 pm
My whole childhood was spent at the Aud. My father use to get tickets from his boss at Grease Monkeys all the time, and he use to surprize me with them when he came home. The seats were in Section 8, way up in the corner. Being about 6 years old at the time, it wasn’t easy for me to see from that high up. However, it was still a fun time because I was seeing my beloved Sabres play in person. I went every year to at least 10 games. I loved going. Two years before the Aud was closing, my father was released from his job, and we couldn’t afford to go to anymore games. I was crushed. In 1996, the final year of the Aud, I worked as a paperboy, and saved my money to go to as many games as I could. It was kind of ironic that for the final game at the Aud, I got tickets in section 8. I had fun, even though I was upset that the building I grew up in wasn’t going to be around anymore. I bought a program, and took a lot of pictures of the old building. I was emotional when the Alumni, and LaFontaine, May, and Wilson skated around the ice for that last time. My friend and I were the last few hundred that left that building. Feelings are not the same at the HSBC as they were at the Aud. May she rest in peace, and I will always remember my times there.
Comment by Tony Lewis — October 23, 2009 @ 2:21 pm
My favorite had to be my very first circus! Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey. I had never been to the Aud prior to that day in the late 80s. The incline seemed so steep from my seats in the nosebleeds that I was pretty sure I would fall if I didn’t lean back. It was amazing to see all those people in one place, waving their fiber optic light wands (the ones that had the long hair like strands that lit up at the ends?? Fantastic) and cheering for trapeeze artists, prancing horses, and of course the elephants. From ringmaster introduction to curtain call, I was spellbound. Best day ever for a 8 year old!
Comment by Camille — October 23, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
The Oranges weren’t just about seats: there was Standing Room Only. Some of us, me and friend included, chose to stand. We were among the Standers.
“Standers” would be at the Aud at least 30 minutes before the puck dropped. You’d buy your ticket from the box office and then run: up the ramps, up the stairs, more ramps, more stairs, until you reached the oranges. The best place to be was on the Main Street side, around the blue line closest to Terrace St. There was a wall there, chest high, where you could lean and put your beer, almost as if you were at a bar. The whole ice was right there in front of you. You almost felt like you were hovering above the rink. If you were at the Wall first, other regular Standers would be jealous and have to find another spot.
The unlucky few had obstructed views. I’ll never forget when four Stander friends and I arrived late for one game in the early 90s. The wall was taken. A friend had an obstructed view and couldn’t see the ice between the blue lines. After a couple of beers he started to complain. Another buddy, put it all in perfect perspective, as only a dedicated Orange dweller could, when he said: “Don’t worry about it Moose, neutral zone play is overrated.” As long as you were in the building, the Sabres were playing, you had a beer, Norm Wollen was playing the organ, tenor Joe Byron was singing and Milt Ellis was on the P.A., what else did you need?
My best memory has to be Dave Hannan’s quadruple overtime goal in Game 6 of the 1994 playoffs, beating Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils 1-0 to force Game 7. By the time that game ended, there were plenty of Orange seats for the Standers!
Comment by Mike — October 23, 2009 @ 2:35 pm
We weren’t the richest people in the place, but Dad always found a way to pick up some orange section seats for the playoff games back when my brother and I were little. So on April 23rd, 1993 when Buffalo was poised to sweep the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs, Dad found a way to get us tickets. For an eight year old and an eleven year old this was incredible. We were in the second row of the oranges, but I don’t think we could have been happier if we were sitting on the bench. It was so loud in there that I was seriously scared the whole place was going to come down, and I distracted my fears by running to the bathroom or snack bar every five minutes. Anyway, between the second and third periods we were sitting in our seats with Dad, and a woman, who had just bough some snacks and beer, was walking across the first row right in front of us. Maybe she was drunk, or maybe she was just carrying too many snacks, but she tripped on something, threw all the things she was carrying into the air and started to topple over the railing, which, as anyone who used to sit in the oranges will recall, was not very high. As quick as can be my Dad jumped up and grabbed her arm at the last second, steadying her and pulling her back into the row. She was a little stunned, and had probably lost 20 bucks worth of beer, but she was ok. As we all know that game went on to become one of the greats in Sabres history with Brad May deftly skating past the greatest defenseman in history to win it in overtime. But although Dad has never mentioned this incident again, I think it’s the one thing I remember about that game the most.
Comment by Jay Price — October 23, 2009 @ 2:35 pm
I was a playoff game against the hated Bruins and the first game back in the Aud after fans at the Garden had dumped beer on the player’s bench. The game was rough with the Aud crowd equally boisterous and loud from the moment the anthems had been sung. My friend’s wife picked the only quiet moment of the night to scream at the top of her lungs “Ruff sucks”. We were high up in the oranges so her criticism was well hear by the entire section of fans in front of us. As they all turned to stare her down, she stared right back and justified her rant with the comment “well he does”. They all looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders as if to say “I can’t argue with that” and went back to letting the Bruins have it.
Comment by Dave Forster — October 23, 2009 @ 2:44 pm
Looking to enter the contest for a free seat – don’t see what we are supposed to do.
My most lasting memory from the aud was not a pleasant one – was there the night Malarchuk almost didn’t make it. Watched it all from the blues.
Comment by Adam — October 23, 2009 @ 2:47 pm
Back in the early 80′s and the Boston Bruins were our TOP rival. They had a goalie named Pete Peters. The game I am refering to happened at this time, although I cannot remember the exact date. It was regular season and not the playoffs. I was 11 or 12 years old and I went to the game with my father. We had season tickets then and still do today. The Bruins took the lead early on by as much as
7-1. But as time went on, the Sabres were persistent. The Sabres scored SEVEN unanswered goals by the end of regulation.(Back then, there was no overtime.) The crowed geered “Pete, Pete, Pete!!!!” at every goal scored. Dave Andreychuk may have had a hat trick that night. And I believe, that the winning goal was scored with a minute or two remaining in regulation. Final score 8-7 Sabres. I cannot remember a time, besides our trip to the Stanley Cup finals(I was at those games with my father as well) against the Stars, that I heard an arena so loud.
e-mail: jacquiemwd@yahoo.com
Comment by Jacquelyn Dougherty — October 23, 2009 @ 2:49 pm
I took my 9 year old nephew to his first Sabres game at the Aud… we had really good orange seats it was an exciting game vs the orange team, Philadelphia Flyers! Boy, what excitement that was generated by these teams, so much that a bench clearing brawl occurred in the third period. The goalies were dancing, the crowd was on their feet for most of that period waiting for what was next. I really got into Hockey after that game and took in several practices at Sabreland where it was great to meet so many greats of the game. My nephew is grown up now and serving in the US Air Force, and he still loves hockey and goes to games when he can.
Comment by Jim U — October 23, 2009 @ 3:04 pm
My memory at the aud involves stitches and the orange section.
My Brownie girl scout troop was there for the circus. And I had a front row seat( in the orange). We had arrived a little early, we were passing out snacks. Boy, back then what you could bring in! I was so excited. I was bouncing around handing things out. And the next thing I know, I am being carried backstage over someone’s shoulder. Past all the clowns and everything else I had come to see. I had tripped I was told. My face hurt bad. I looked down and saw blood trailing.
We were driven over to sheehan for stitches. Got over 15. And my face has never been quite the same.Meet back up with the rest of the girls at Wendy’s. And lets just say I didn’t get to keep my dinner.
I had been to the aud before that day and have returned for a few shows later on. But every time I returned, I remember the piece of me left behind. All I have to do is touch my face to remember the aud. And the circus I didn’t get to see. I have no memory of what really happened. What they tell me is I could have been lost that day.Right over the edge of the orange section.
So a pair of seats to the orange section would be very dear to me. Indeed.
Comment by Sharon — October 23, 2009 @ 3:25 pm
It has to be the Mayday game, doesn’t it? My brother and I were seated in the Oranges in my parents’ season tickets. Says a lot about my parents that they’d be generous enough to let their sons attend the deciding and historic Game Four. I remember that when Fuhr got hurt in the first period, all the Sabres fans were horrified because Hasek was unproven and quite eratic this early in his NHL career. More than anything else, I just remember the happiness and euphoria that filled the building for minutes (which felt like hours) after Brad May’s legendary goal. A near-decade’s worth of pent up frustration had finally been forgotten. And I just remember being there with my little brother, thinking about how cool this moment was. There were a lot of brooms and a lot of hugging among complete strangers, and it was just one of those times you just wish could go on forever. I was happy that I was there with my brother, overjoyed that our parents had let us go in their place, and over the moon with the Sabres’ victory. Absolutely one of the great singular moments of my life, still.
Comment by Jeff — October 23, 2009 @ 3:46 pm
When I was in high school, back in the early 70′s, there were four of us at Kenmore West who loved to go down and see the Braves. We each started out with $10.00 in our pockets. To help defray the cost, we would catch the bus at Kenmore and Starin and ride it right down to front of the Aud on Terrace. (I don’t remember what line it was, but it was probably a Main Street bus.)
We couldn’t afford any high price tickets, so for $3.50, we could purchase a mid-court Orange seat. It was always a walk up those ramps, but we were young and didn’t really care.
Once we got up to the “sky”, we would spend a little more of our “cash-stash” and get a dog and a soda. We settled in to our seats, but could see that the crowd was kind of sparse for that game. “Wanna try?” “Sure.”
And, so it began; our winding, stealth adventure to “other” seats. We had to be careful not to arouse the suspicion of the ushers.
So, one-by-one, and sometimes two-by-two, we started our journey. On down to the Blues, top row…..down a few and over….lower Blues, alone…..move to the corner and upper Reds……slide around again and mid-court……out at the end of the first quarter and….”back” to our seats in the Golds.
Everything was fine until “SOMEONE” had to go to the john. And, HE tried to get back, the usher asked for his ticket……And, then all of our tickets……
The view from the Oranges wasn’t that bad. But, having your own private usher for the rest of the night kinda stunk.
Comment by Phil Bobrowski — October 23, 2009 @ 4:02 pm
Our seats for every single home game I have ever been to at the Aud were always in the Orange “nosebleed” seats. However, my best memory for the Orange seats, was at the very last game played at Memorial Auditorium, the game was sold out however my friend and I managed to get 2 of the last seats available in the “Obstructed row”. I still have the ticket that is stamped “Obstructed” right across the front of the ticket!
I have had a lot of fun times at the Aud!
Comment by Michelle — October 23, 2009 @ 4:29 pm
I used to take my 3 yr old and my 5 yr old with me to the games during the “French Connection”-Jimmy Schoenfeld era….both girls were avid hockey fans. We had a friend with seats in the last row of the oranges in the end opposite the boxes. During the ‘warm ups’ we would sit closer to the ice for better views….and as my youngest told her father, “When the ‘cold-ups’ came we had to go way upstairs!” There will never be another Aud from the finals with the flyers, to skating around with sheets to make the fog go away, to Jim Lorentz killing the bat, it was the best.
Comment by Betty Francis Flemming — October 23, 2009 @ 4:32 pm
My brother, who is 12 years older than me, and I shared a love of the Buffalo Sabres. Since there was such a difference in our age, I was always thrilled to death when he would ask me, his little sister, to go to a game with him. I still have the ticket stubs, section 34, row 0, seat 3. My brother lives out out of state now, but what an awesome thing it would be to have one of those orange seats we used to share, to bring back all of those memories!
Comment by Julie Cooper — October 23, 2009 @ 5:20 pm
My fondest memory in the oranges is the first year the Bandits played the title game in 1993 there, John Travaras scored the game winning goal, coming across the net leaping in the air putting the ball behind him over his shoulder. That was the first date for my wife and me and 16 years later we still talk about. But my fondest memory of the Aud was back in the late 60′s i was 8 yrs old and would go to every Buffalo Bisons game with my Uncle. One game i went down to the players tunnel (our seat were right next to it ) while i was standing there Buffalo’s most loved Referee (Bruce Hood ) came down the tunnel and handed me a puck. my Uncle thought i stole it from behind the bench as there accessible from the seats! From day forward I NEVER once yelled Hood is a bum!!!!!
Comment by Army Leonetti — October 23, 2009 @ 6:06 pm
MY best memory of the Aud was going to a game when I was 10, December 8, 1991. It was the famous Flames-Sabres brawl. I remember watching the game from the lower golds, getting a super pretzel and wondering why I wasnt sitting between the benches. Obviously at the time I had no idea how buying tickets worked… It was chaos, Colin Patterson, Grant Ledyard, Mike Ramsey, Tony Tanti, Brad Miller throwing punches into the Calgary Bench, Doug Bodger, Rob Ray with his jersey off, and who could forget Donald Audette fighting Gary Suter with Ray jumping in halfway. This was all payback for the Macown incident on LaFontaine in Calgary little less than a month before. Buffalo lost the game 4-2 but I don’t think I will ever see a game like that ever again….It was the best
Comment by Joe C — October 23, 2009 @ 6:24 pm
Our first born son, was just 23 days old the day we took him for his first trip to the Aud. My husband and I had been ten pack season ticket holders since we started datting, so we were invited to “visit” the aud in 1994, we got to see the plans for the new building and the options for the new logo….
, and we named our son Dominic, due to our love of hockey… and the sabres. This is truly one of our favorite pictures of him as a new born 
He is now 15 years old… the aud is gone, but
The best part of being at this “open-house” was walking throught the players locker room. We have a framed picture of our 23 day old son, in my arm, while sitting at Dominik Hassek’s locker…
It would have been second to none of his all time pics, but… he started playing hockey himself, and there was the day, durring an intermission skate, that he at 5 years old, would play in Dominik Hassek’s net!!!! That does trump the locker…
i still see him as that tiny baby, sitting in my arms with Hassek’s name above us….. how time does fly! All three of our sons love attending Sabres games, although they are few and far between, they each hold a special memory for our family!
Comment by Regina — October 23, 2009 @ 6:30 pm
Back in the 1970′s my dad and I would go to the Aud for any event we could afford tickets for. Of course, orange seats were our financial limit.
We would attend hockey, basketball (somewhere I still have my Harlem Globetrotters program!), and best of all, wrestling!
My hero was Dominic DeNucci. He was (in my opinion) the best wrestler to watch, just amazing.
We used to stand at the gate where the wrestlers entered and exited the floor area (coming in and out of the locker room) of the Aud hoping for a nod or a handshake.
DeNucci, came through and it was the moment of truth, I stuck my hand through the gate, tried to ask for a handshake and my tongue got stuck and I couldn’t mumble a sound. He looked at me and grabbed my puny hand and ARGH! I still had my big huge winter mitten on… What a disappointment.
We went up to our orange seats and sat through the remainder of the matches. Well, by then I had gotten my sweaty stuck on 1970′s mittens off of my hands. The event was over, we stood up, turned around and there was DeNucci just walking around the place hanging with kids, way up in the oranges. I stuck out my hand and he immediatley knew, oh, the kid with the mitten. He took an extra few minutes and at that moment in time, those few minutes made an eight years olds life complete. And yes, I got my sweaty little hand shook with the mitten off.
My dad and I hooted all the way down the tunnels and I can still hear the echoes.
I’ll never forget the Aud, I’ll never forget all the amazing events we attended but most of all I’ll never forget the day I hung with Dominic DeNucci in the orange seats!
Comment by Ron Kalnitz — October 23, 2009 @ 6:42 pm
One of my earliest recollections of going to the Aud involved sitting in the oranges with my Nana (who passed away two years ago.) Her boyfriend at the time (this was the late 70′s) had turned her on to watching hockey. She became an avid Sabres fan and always watched them on cable. So naturally I became a fan as well. She took me to my first game (against the Oilers I believe.) I remember seeing Gretzky but was more interested in seeing my favorite Sabres (Korab and Perreault). Sadly, the night ended shortly after the puck drop during the 2nd period. She had a “bathroom accident” (too embarrassing for details) and we had to go home early. Needless to say, I was hooked and have been a Sabres for for life since then. Thanks Nana, I miss you!!!!
Comment by Tim — October 23, 2009 @ 6:43 pm
Just one comment one memory can not be done
. The Buffalo Bisons games with my brother and taking my Dad to his first ever hockey game. My sons playing club hockey and taking them to games even seeing them get to skate at halftime once when they were little. The rest of the fans up there paid little but cheered loud and were pretty funny sometimes. Lots of nice memories evn when we could only get standing room only it was the best deal in town.
Comment by Anita Dyson — October 23, 2009 @ 6:51 pm
My best orange seat story was in April 1972.I was 9 months pregnant with my first child and was NOT going to miss the chance to see ELVIS even if it was in “nose bleed heaven”So I waddled up there and felt like I was going to tumble head first down at any minute.But I got to see Elvis Presley for the first time(none of my friends were jealous I was the only one who loved him!)My husband of 1 year told me I could not scream or yell or he was leaving me there.So I was good but the next time I saw Elvis I let loose and so did he!!!
Comment by Mary Van Dixon — October 23, 2009 @ 6:51 pm
What i remember the most about the aud was Braves basketball games. We used to sit in the oranges for a Braves game for $ 2.50 ( I still have the ticket stubs). One year in 1973, the Braves had a promotion at halftime, wher a fan would go onto the court and if he (or she) would make a half-court shot, the would win a new Dodge Colt. Well at one game, a fan from Sanborn NY ( i still remember his name, Clay Schroeder made the shot and won the car ! I can’t believe after all thses years, I still remember that guys name !
Comment by fred foels — October 23, 2009 @ 7:26 pm
My parents went on their first date together to a Sabres game back on March 4, 1973 when they played against the Montreal Canadians. Their seats were in the west area in section 31c seats 1 & 2. It is funny to look at the tickets from that game, which my parents still have (my mom even carrys her’s on her every day since that night). The ticket price for that game was $3.50. You can not even park for that price down there anymore. My parents dated for 2 years until they got married in October of 1975. To this day my parents are still married. Next year will be their 35th wedding annivesary. I was hoping that by the time that this annivesary came along, that the aud would still be standing and that people could walk through it and then I would of taken them down there so that they could sit in those seats again. They have been to the HSBC arena many times now, but they both say that it is nothing like when they were sitting up in the oranges on their first date. I was so excited when I read in the Buffalo News today that some of the seats in the oranges were available for purchase. I would like to find out if those 2 seats are still available so that I can look into buying them for my parents for their annivesary. I figured that would help them to never forget that first date they had together.
Comment by Donald Abbott — October 23, 2009 @ 7:49 pm
I was 16 when I got my season tickets. My Dad had a friend who worked security inside the Aud and was able to get tickets for us the 2nd year of the balcony. Section 27, Row J seats 5 and 7–last row! The deal was that he would pay for one seat and I had to pay for the other with my Courier-Express money. $140.00 per season ticket–$3.50 per game. Best money I ever spent.
Dad worked 4-12 and in those days the Sabres played mostly Sundays and Thursdays at home. Sunday nights we went together–often taking the 3-Grant or the 5-Niagara bus down to Shelton Square. On the weeknight games I got to take a friend. This did wonders for my popularity.
The Aud was a magical place in those days–the French Connection was in full flight and I was a teenager-it doesn’t get better than that!
I have great memories of the ’75 finals, the fog game (Robert’s goal was scored at my end!) and the ’78 All-Star game, but my fondest memories are of a young guy going to hockey games with his Dad==a tradition I continue today with my son–yes I still have season tickets–hope springs eternal!
Comment by Harold Christie — October 23, 2009 @ 10:21 pm
There isn’t really one greatest moment from the Aud. There are just too many of them. From concerts from Garth Brooks, Bob Seeger, SuperTramp, etc.. College games. The Buffalo Braves with Randy Smith and Bob McAdoo to name a few. The Blizzards, Bandits, WWE, Circuses, Ice Capades, and everything. And of course the Sabres with way too many great moments. Not to mention Bison hockey. Then of coures when the kids get to play there with there minor teams.
It was just one hell of a venue that will be remembered.
Comment by Bob — October 23, 2009 @ 10:26 pm
Took my husband at the time to a Garth Brooks concert as he was a huge fan. You guessed it! We were in the absolute top row of the Aud in the oranges! I’m terrified of heights and I just froze in my seat and refused to move. Two gals came along wanting to chat about Garth and I just pointed to my husband and said talk to him. Frankly I had no idea who Garth was at the time. The best part was that they gave my husband two tickets and we ended up in the second row from the stage for the concert!
Comment by Patricia — October 23, 2009 @ 10:37 pm
I am posting this on behalf of my husband who loved the oranges more than anyone. While in at Bishop Timon, he would skip the last class, take a bus and hide in the bathroom until the game started. When he had a few bucks at the age of 19, he purchased season tickets in the first row of the oranges where whe sat for almost 20 years. On our first date, his had me call seat #2 and tell him that he was taking me to the game. We pulled up in front of the house to p/u the tix and here comes a guy w/ a broken leg and an orange tix in his hand. I then learned that my future husband had broken this guys leg in a mosh pit at the Continental. He was determined to show me a Sabres game. For our 15th anniversary, my husband bought me two blue seats because we heard the oranges weren’t going to sell. Now he will be getting an orange seat for xmas. Currently he is on a Sabres road trip from Buffalo to Ft Lauderdale to Tampa – GO SABRES
Comment by Jim (Ace) Wojtanik — October 23, 2009 @ 11:40 pm
My experience started about 5 years before the Sabres were born. I watched the Bisons play in the American Hockey League under the Chicago Black Hawks with my favorite Alain (Boom Boom) Caron score 50 goals for a team that could not make the playoffs. then the Rangers stocked us up for a Calder Cup championship our last year in the minors. I was their for the opening face-off between Floyd Smith and Jean Believou on opening night. Going to college that year I could not afford many games but we would hang out in the front lobby until late in the game and sometimes they would let us in with 6 or 8 mins. left to see the end. That summer I sat in my ’62 Impala in front of the Aud and watched them raise the roof. Although still in school 7 of us scrapped together all we had to buy Orange season tickets, Section 24 Row F.
There is not enough space to tell you about the good times we experienced watching the Sabres over the next 14 yrs. Being there for Gilbert undressing 5 Canandians in one rush before stuffing it, Gerry Meehan scoring the half-ice goal to knock the Fliers out of the playoffs, Shoeny punching out Cashman in the Zamboni entrance, Renes’ shot from the boards in the fog against the Fliers, the games against the Soviets. Thank you for reminding me of the memories.
Comment by Larry Komendat — October 23, 2009 @ 11:41 pm
My best orange memory I can laugh at now, but I wasn’t laughing then. My best friend and I were about 15 at the time and wanted to double date these 2 young men. Because of our age, we relied on our parents to take us pretty much everwhere. We loved the Stallions and decided we would go “dutch” on the tickets. Arriving early because our dates had to take the bus, we bought the tickets and were excited because we were on the end where the Stallions would score twice. It was getting close to game time and no sign of our dates. We went into the Aud only to find our seats were in section 35, behind the pole, almost in the bathroom! Luckily, we had the 2 extra tickets (where we would have put our dates, behind the pole, had they shown up). We had people commenting to us all night that they couldn’t believe we were sitting where we were, but the view wasn’t bad. The Stallions won the game and I think my friend and I had more fun talking to the people commenting to us, than we would have had on our date!
Comment by Maria — October 23, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
My favorite memory of sitting in the Oranges was back in April, 1994… one of the longest games in Sabres history. My twin brother and I were at that game and what made it that much more special was that our mother was there to share in the excitement with us as well. At the age we were (19), it wasn’t “cool” to take your mother out, let alone to a hockey game..but, that just wasn’t our style! Our mother just loved sharing anything she could with us and to be a part of anything we did was what made her life! To me, that night there was something special in the air, not just with the fact that it was the playoffs and the Sabres were a team destined to win, but the fact that our mother was there with us, sharing in all of our excitement she could possibly absorb. We sat there, what seemed like an eternity, just cheering as much as we all could. The three of us sat in the Orange corner, to the left of the infamous “luxury boxes” in the 4th row. At one moment I remember looking over at my mom, it was VERY late in the overtimes, and thinking how I would never trade this night for anything in the world.. and (quite simply) would never forget this moment for the rest of my life.
Here it is, over 15 years later.. my brother living in Sweden with his finacee and my mother doing as well as she can be. I think back to 15 years ago and wonder where the time has gone… I see these Orange seats again and it immediately takes me back to a time that was so wonderful; where life seemed to be just a little bit easier and wishing how I would give anything to be sitting in those Orange seats again, my brother on my left, and my mom on my right… back on the same night where I remember thinking, “I would never forget this moment for the rest of my life…”
Comment by David Tamutus — October 24, 2009 @ 12:02 am
My first memories of the Aud were Buffalo Braves games with my dad, & grandfather, growing up watching the french connection,all the concerts, & the circus.All in the orange seats! The first time I remember getting lower than an orange was to see “Hulkamania”. It sounds stupid now, but for a 13yr old & his little brother, Hulkamania was an event of a lifetime!! Now, here I am at 40yrs old, trying to explain to my wife ,from tennessee,how freakin awesome it was to watch ANY event at the Aud,& she will never get it because she was never there.I bought an orange seat today, & I hope it’s one I’ve sat in before. For my wife, I hope she wins one of the seats that are being givin away, so she can at least sit in one of the seats that did so much to make me who I am today!!
Comment by david williamso — October 24, 2009 @ 3:28 am
I miss the AUD.
Comment by Mike Provino — October 24, 2009 @ 6:42 am
My most prominent memory of the Aud was the 1st time I walked in. I went to a Sabres game and couldn’t have been much older than 6 or 7. When I found out I was “finally” going to a Sabres game I can remember counting the days for the game to finally get here! I don’t remember anything about the game itself but I do remember walking into the Lower Terrace entrance for the 1st time and seeing those big disks over the ticket-takers heads that showed the sports teams that played in the Aud. I can remember my Father letting me walk into an entrance in the Gold’s for my 1st look at the bowl and just stopping and thinking the place was HUGE. I have a vivid memory of looking up at that big blue scoreboard hanging over the ice and just thinking, “WOW”!
I remember our trip up to the Oranges with my father holding my hand the whole way thinking we were never going to get there. I can remember begging him to stop at a souvenir stand, which he finally did and “let me” buy a Sabres Puck. If I looked hard enough I bet I still have that puck. I probably drove my father nuts asking him all sorts of questions like, “How does the scoreboard work” or “What are those round things hanging from the ceiling”? For whatever reason, every time I see a picture of that blue, 4-sided scoreboard it brings back memories of being a kid and going to the Aud.
In later memories I remember how excited we used to get as kids because we’d make my father leave our seats in the Oranges 5 minutes before the end of the game so we could run downstairs and be the 1st to get to the penalty box. The penalty box is where they kept the broken hockey sticks and you could get them after the game. I can still remember being at the games and getting excited when a player broke their stick! The sticks had the players names printed on the shaft. We’d cut them down and put plastic “street hockey” blades on them to play in the neighborhood. Neighborhood kids would get real jealous if you had a Martin or Perreault stick!!!!
The new arena isn’t the same as the Aud for me but when I go to games today I look around and hope the kids today will walk away with the same life-long memories of this arena as I did of the Aud 30 years from now.
Comment by Warren — October 24, 2009 @ 8:01 am
I had two orange seats, first row, four seats in from the isle. I took a friend who was very afraid of heights. We had to go to the top and walk down the stairs to get to the seats. He was a wreck walking down the stairs with a death grip on me. We had to get past four buxum women to get to the seats. My friend was so scared, he turned away from the ice and faced the girls as we inched to our seats, making bodily contact with each of them. When we were finally settled he looked back at the four women and stated,”nice seats”
Comment by Nick DiPirro — October 24, 2009 @ 8:45 am
I remember thinking to myself after seeing the oranges for the first time and seeing how steep they were, “I can’t believe no one has ever fallen”. Well, later that game I was sitting about half way up the oranges and some guy trips and starts rolling down the section, over the people sitting in the oranges. I saw him coming and caught him and kind of just dropped him on the people in the row in front of me. He was so thankful. If anyone ever said thanks too many times it was him. I think that’s the only time in my life that I have saved someones life.
Comment by Norman Ventura — October 24, 2009 @ 8:53 am
My greatest orange seat memory is the first Sabres game I took my two sons to. We sat in the orange seats on the end behind one of the goals. They were not the best seats in the house but we remember the great time we had at the game. We have gone to many games since in the Aud and Arena but the one we talk about the most was our first game in the nose bleed section of the Aud.
Comment by Richard Ball — October 24, 2009 @ 9:09 am
My Aud memories always started with a stop at Beef N’ Sirloin (now, sadly a Greek restaurant) just before getting to the airport and heading down the 33 to the Aud. The menu on the wall and the choice was usually a “Beef 52″ monster sandwich (yeah, 52 oz of roast beef on a bar stool sized roll) washed down with a vanilla milkshake or loganberry. Once I was fueled and ready to go, it was off to the Aud and my uncle’s seats in Row 1 of the orange corner. My first memory was, holy s@#t! Those stairs were really steep (and I was a little edgy about heights when I was younger), but once I white knuckled it down holding the rail tight, the seats were the best. I felt like I was on top of the ice with some legroom and good regular company to boot. I never got to see the French Connection or Gare, Luce and Ramsay going end to end or filling the net with short handed goals in person like my father did, but I did get to see LaFontaine and Mogilny on the rush bring the crowd to their feet, Dave Andreychuk back that wide body up (we refer to him as BFI because there was no stopping him from collecting the garbage/rebounds and burying them in the net) and saw “Rayzor” Rob Ray passed the torch from Kevin Maguire electrifying the crowd with the most thunderous battles the Aud had seen since Rick Dudley and Jim Schoenfeld fired up their pistons or knocked the Bruins through the zamboni doors, all the while Rick Jeanneret working himself into a frenzy with the blow by blow in my left ear from the transistor radio. Buffalo Memorial Auditorium was a magical building for hockey (lacrosse and wrestling as well, but those memories weren’t from the oranges), and the final season in the Aud saw the start of the passionate Ted Nolan era – what a way to go out. My family gathers at my grandmother’s house to watch hockey, a longstanding family tradition, and we’ve always joked about knocking out the front picture window wall and adding about 4 feet, to even off the front of the house, so that a riser can be added for stadium seating and filed with a row of orange seats from the Aud (we all graced those seats for a game or more) as the family grows, we need the space. Maybe you can help us realize that dream…
Comment by Dan Ball — October 24, 2009 @ 9:14 am
Back in the early eighty’s the Boston Bruins were our biggest rival. I was at this particular game with my father, and we still have season tickets today. Our seats were first row oranges on the blue line. There wasn’t a better seat in the house. Their goalie was Pete Peters. In this game the Sabres at one point were down 7-1. But the Sabres were persistent. They scored 7 unanswered goals. Dave Andreychuk may have had a hat-trick that night. The crowd geered “Pete,Pete,Pete” every time we scored. I believe that the winning goal was scored in the last minute or two of the game.(this was when there was NO overtime) Besides our trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1999, I have never heard an arena so loud.
Comment by Jacquelyn Dougherty — October 24, 2009 @ 9:36 am
There was never a better place to watch the Sabres than from the Oranges! The Aud was a special place, and the Oranges were the best! My first game as a young boy, I was terrified to get up for fear of falling. It was such a steep overhang. I was afraid to get up to go to the bathroom. But that’s what made the sightlines the best for viewing hockey! The next time I was fortunate to attend was some years later during highschool. My Dad was given tickets in the Oranges for the Sabres vs Calgary Flames in Nov ’83. The Sabres beat the Flames 11-2. My two favorite players Gilbert Perreault and Mike Foligno both had hat-tricks that night. It was almost as if the Sabres knew that I didn’t get to see many games in person and had put on a extra special performance. What a night! After the game concluded, my Dad and I walked down the ramps from the Oranges to ice level for the Sabres Turkey Shoot promotion. TOPS Markets was giving free turkeys to anyone who could shoot a puck through the hole. I took aim and made the shot. I jumped off the ice in my best Mike Foligno jump with my sticked raised as the Sabre’s organist played Sabre Dance. You would have thought I won the Stanley Cup. But times were a little tough for my family at that time and winning that turkey was special. There was so many great games played in the Aud over the years, but for me, that early season game in 1984 with my Dad, sitting up in the Oranges, was my best memory.
Comment by Bill Gourlay — October 24, 2009 @ 10:44 am
My father is a diehard Sabres fan. In the 70′s while putting himself through school he worked as a beer vendor in the Orange Seats at the Aud. When he was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars he left the area for a few years. When he came back though, he bought season tickets in the Orange section. Every Sabres game at the Aud I ever went to see was always in the Oranges. I can think of no greater gift I could give to him this christmas than a little bit of those fond memories he constantly talks about. If chosen you will make me and my father very very happy.
Comment by Kris — October 24, 2009 @ 11:31 am
My story won’t touch you emotionally, but will never be forgotten for it’s humility. My father took me to a game when I was around 10 yrs old and we sat up in the orange section near the standing area. The game went on just like any other although we happened to notice a group of guys who were putting away some beers in the standing section. As the game progressed, so did the beer consumption. These guys were getting rowdy and could barely stand up, typical of a Buffalo sporting event, right? Well, this guy among the three lost his dinner near a corner making it difficult to see for those coming around. This is where the fun began. One kid came running around and went air borne, feet up in the air, landing on his back in some drunk guy’s dinner! At this point, I didn’t know what was going on in the game. People looked like they were learning how to ice skate for the first time when they walked through. Talk about laughing. My father and I still laugh out loud when we talk about it. We were waiting for the beer guy to walk through who had four trays high of beer. Fortunately, he didn’t, but the anticipation was hilarious. That’s what you got up in the oranges. That IS the oranges. I’ve been to some great games there, but I’ll never forget this moment.
Comment by Scott Rusin — October 24, 2009 @ 12:13 pm
I have so many memories at the aud sitting in the orange seats. but my biggest memory of all was taking my daughter amanda to see Disneys on ice little mermaid. walking out to our seats and seeing her face was something you just don’t forget. Then watching the excitment and glow in her eyes as the show went on is pricless. On january 17th 2009 my daughter passed away at age 16 from carbon monoxide poisoing .So I will never have a chance at any more memories with my baby but that memory I will have forever.
Comment by ken hansen — October 24, 2009 @ 1:29 pm
I actually don’t have any ‘one’ story to tell, I have so many memories of the Aud and I treasure them all. I’ve sat in the Oranges with the scarily steep stairs, the Blues, the Reds, Upper Golds, Lower Golds and yes, even the Floors. I still have almost every ticket stub from every concert I ever went to at the Aud starting with my first concert in 1981 – REO Speedwagon. It cost me a whole $10.50! From 1981 to 1985 I saw 15 concerts, the most expensive show was $12.50! I spent a good chunk of my teenage years growing up at the Aud. I remember catching the 5 Niagara bus with a bunch of friends from Black Rock to go down to the Aud and scrambling after the show to catch the last bus back home. One time we missed the last bus and had a very long walk home to Niagara & Amherst St.’s! Unforgettable! So much fun and many, many good times! It was a sad time watching the Aud come down.
Comment by Tracy Weiler — October 24, 2009 @ 6:03 pm
MY greatest moment was 12/23/1985. My parents were season ticket holders in orange, section 2 row b, seats 3 & 4. On 12/23/85, a nice looking, personable guy sat in the wrong seat, our row, seat 5. We began chatting, exchanged phone numbers and went to Tux and Pucks 12/31/05, and dated for six months, including he going with me to my senior prom. Better yet, our friendship has endured, and I ended up marrying one of his good friends. We have been married for 13 years this July. And, due to my being friends with Jim and his brother, my sister met her mate, who was friends with Jim’s brother. She and him have been married 15 years and have a beautiful 8 year old daughter………….all due to one mistake in seating one night at a hockey game.
Comment by Nadine — October 24, 2009 @ 6:33 pm
My most cherished memory of the Aud is when my Dad took me to the wresling matches on a friday night. Seeing Bobo Brazil, Fritz Von Eric, the Beast and last but not least, Illio DiPaolo, to name a few, were my heroes to dream about that night. My Dad and I enjoyed the show, and I thank him, God rest his soul, for taking me to the Aud.On October 21st, 2008, I was cordially invited by Senior Correspondent, Rich Kellman and his crew to visit the Aud for one last time. I could almost vision the crowds, smell the popcorn, and feel the excitment for another event to unfold at my beloved Aud. Many other memories came to my mind, of when I shared the Aud with my own children. They are all just memories now, and so is the Aud. We’ll never forget you.
Comment by Thomas J. Sionkiewicz — October 24, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
I remember going to many events at ”the aud”, especially sabres games! i always used to go to the sabres games and sit in the oranges or better known as the nosebleeds! They were sooooooooooooooooooooooooo steep! You would always feel like you were goin to fall. But the Greatest memory of all for me is when i took my girlfriend to a sabres game on january 27, 1995 when the sabres took on the nordiques. My girlfriend and I sat in the first row in the oranges my girlfriend sat in seat #7 and i was in #8. it was during the 2nd intermission when i proposed to her, of course everyone was watching and when she said yes and gave me a kiss the section began to clap and soon almost the whole arena started 2 clap aswell! it was a moment i’ll never ever forget and im still with my wonderful wife debbie and plan to be with her forever! Having an orange seat from where we decided to get married would be a piece i would always cherish the rest of my life!
Comment by Santo Mesi — October 25, 2009 @ 1:13 am
I began going to the Aud in 1961 at the age of 9 years old to see the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League. My father and I were season ticket holders for the Bisons from 1961 until 1970 when the Sabres joined the NHL. Who can forget the great AHL players of that era–Ian Cushenan, Ed Van Impe, Art Stratton, John McKenzie, Doug Robinson, Larry Smith, Billy Dea, and Denis DeJordy of the Bisons, Fred Glover of the Barons, Ed Chadwick of the Hershey Bears, and Red Armstrong of the Rochester Americans among others. There are so many memories of the Aud but I’ll start with the Calder Cup Finals in 1962-63 versus the Hershey Bears. In the fifth game of the series at the Aud, the series was tied 2 games apiece and Buffalo was trailing 1-0 in the game. With ONE second left in the game Doug Robinson shot the puck out of the air past Bear goaltender Ed Chadwick to tie the game. The fans in the Aud went crazy. The game was delayed for several minutes to clear the ice from the debris thrown by the fans. I remember hugging my brother and father in delirium. Then in overtime, Art Stratton of the Bisons scored on breakaway to win the game. After Hershey won the sixth game to tie the series, Buffalo hosted the 7th and deciding game at the Aud. Buffalo crushed the Bears (5-2 or 6-2) and the memories of seeing the players carry the Calder Cup around the ice and hanging around the dressing room after the game as players came out to celebrate with the fans still brings chills to me. And when the Sabres win the Stanley Cup, even though I now live in North Carolina, you can be sure I’ll be back in Buffalo to watch them make history.
Ken Papaj………..
Comment by Ken Papaj — October 25, 2009 @ 8:58 pm
Section 15, row H, seats 1,2,3, and 4. That’s where I grew up. I felt like I owned seat 4. It was almost like assigned seating. Every Thursday and Sunday I would be there, doing homework between the periods. Sitting in the oranges was like going to a family party twice a week. You got to know the people around you. You even knew when the lady behind you was going to yell “hit him with your purse Joyce!”.
Although I have more memories of hockey games when I was young than any other part of my life, the 1978 All Star game was the best. Sitting in the Odd numbered sections in the Oranges, gave you a birdseye view into the press box. You could always see the players that were hurt or scratched for a game making their way into the press box. If you were in the right place at the right time, you might even luck out by getting an autograph.
Comment by Tina Hayes — October 26, 2009 @ 9:58 am
Section 15, row H, seats 1,2,3, and 4. That’s where I grew up. I felt like I owned seat 4. It was almost like assigned seating. Every Thursday and Sunday I would be there, doing homework between the periods. Sitting in the oranges was like going to a family party twice a week. You got to know the people around you. You even knew when the lady behind you was going to yell “hit him with your purse Joyce!”.
Although I have more memories of hockey games when I was young than any other part of my life, the 1978 All Star game was the best. Sitting in the Odd numbered sections in the Oranges, gave you a birdseye view into the press box. You could always see the players that were hurt or scratched for a game making their way into the press box. If you were in the right place at the right time, you might even luck out by getting an autograph.
As luck would have it, Bobby Orr did not play in the All star game in Buffalo, but he was in attendance. Between the periods, he was asked to do an interview in the bird’s nest hanging in front of section 13. He must have decided that it would take too long to get through the throngs of people in the hallway, so he decided to cut through the seats.
As he was cutting through our row, I looked up from my homework, and there he was….trying to get by. He looked at me a little funny, like he couldn’t believe I was doing homework, then he said ” keep up the good work”. I pulled myself together enough to grab my souvenier program and ask him for his autograph. He very graciously obliged and signed the cover. Of course, it was his picture that was on the cover that year. I have since given that autograph to my nephew, whose love of hockey is as great as mine, but the memory stays fresh some 31 years later. Just as all of my memeories from my childhood at the Aud stay fresh in my mind. It’s ok that the Aud is gone, things change. Besides, for those of us that grew up there…you can’t take the memories away.
Comment by Tina Hayes — October 26, 2009 @ 10:06 am
My wife and I attended several Sabres games at the Aud during the 1988/1989 season and had seats in the upper blues and at one game a pair of golds from a friend who couldn’t make the game. But for one game between the Leafs and Sabres, we could only get Orange seats. When my wife saw how high the seasts were and how steep the steps were she couldn’t go down to her seat and went down two levels and stood by the wall watching the game that night. Now I would like to win this seat so she can finally sit in the orange seat she couldn’t sit in back in 1989
Comment by Bill Callahan — October 26, 2009 @ 11:48 am
Best memory at the AUD–April 2, 1972 I was eleven years old sitting in the first row of the Oranges (AA) Section 1 directly behind the net the Sabres shot at in the first and third periods. Third period, the Sabres and Flyers are tied 2-2. If the Flyers tie or win, they are in the playoffs. Gerry Meehan skates up the ice with less than 15 seconds to go and beats the Flyers’Doug Favell. To this day I can still see it happening right in front of me. Sabres win 3-2 and knock the Flyers out of playoff contention. This was probably the first “big” game in Sabres lore as they got to be spoilers to the (eventually) despised Flyers. Many great memories followed: Soviet Wings game, Stanley Cup finals…
Best memory of the AUD–the “Thank You Sabres” playoff game.
Comment by Terry — October 26, 2009 @ 4:53 pm
I met my wife at a Sabres game. A friend of mine couldn’t go to the game so he gave the ticket to a friend’s sister. She sat next to me and we ended up getting married. We bought a couple of seats from the Aud for the TV room. Can’t wait till they get here. By the way, a special thanks goes out to Scott at tradingo.com. I guess they have the contract to sell the seats. Anyway, he helped me fix the shipping address and happily answered my questions even though I bugged the three times with different questions. GO SABRES!
Comment by Lance Gergowitz — October 27, 2009 @ 8:49 pm
My husband Don and I were attending a concert in August, 1978 and I went into labor during it. Our first child was born almost a day later. Fortunately our other two didn’t take quite so long…
Comment by Connie Kowalski — October 28, 2009 @ 8:56 pm
I believe it was a Bandits game I was at, sitting up in the “nosebleeds”. My friend Dave decided he would see if he could get a paper airplane (that he made out of a page from the program he bought) to make it across the aud to the other side – he figured since we were so high it had a chance. As soon as it left his hand, the security guard in our section was there by his side ready to reprimand. But soon the whole section and those around us were buzzing and cheering the airplane along and waiting to see if it made it. Amazingly it did! Everyone cheered and the security guard patted Dave on the back and said “now don’t ever do that again!” Good times!
Comment by Maria — October 29, 2009 @ 10:19 am
I took my friend’s 10 year old son to a Sabres playoff game in the early 90′s. Tickets were extremely hard to get, so we got the tickets from a scalper on the side of the Aud. They were in the orange. We got to our seats and the kid looked shell-shocked. I figured he was so excited to see the Sabres live and in person. During the game he had to go the bathroom, and seeing as I couldnt go in the Mens Room, I waited outside the door. And I waited and I waited. He wasnt coming out and I was getting very nervous, especially because there were two doors to it…did I miss him coming out? Was he abducted?!! I asked a man to see if a little boy was in there. He came out and said he is in there, sick. I was just about ready to storm the place, female or not and go get him when he walked out. He had diarhhea was white as a sheet and had been puking. He neglected to tell me he was afriad of heights!!!!!
Comment by AM Sac — October 29, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
Wow, I have so many great memories of the Aud, but my favorite and most memorable was taking my father and little brother to the Spaghetti Warehouse (just weeks before it closed) before the game with the Toronto Maple Leafs and then to our comfortable orange seats (pretty sure it was in the 4th row on the end corner that the Sabres shoot on twice). I remember Dave Hannan scoring a short handed goal to take the lead in the second period of the game, then shortly there after the Leaf’s fans started their “Go Leafs Go” chant. Of course being the goofball that I am I let out with a “Leafs Go Home” right after they finished to the ire of the Leafs fans that happened to surround us….me and my powers of astute observation for noticing our rival’s fans enveloping us. LOL.
Good times for such a great place! Go Sabres!
Comment by David Terian — November 9, 2009 @ 6:10 pm
I was born the year before the Sabres joined the NHL so I am truely a life long Sabres fan. My Dad used to take me to Sabres games and we always sat in the Oranges. I remember how steep the stairs were and feeling like I was going to fall down to the ice. We were at the game a man did fall from the Oranges down to the Blues! My father committed suicide in 1985 when I was 16 years old and my memories of sitting in those Orange seats at the Aud with him are one of the best memories I have of him! Having my own seat would really mean a lot.
Comment by Dan Gestwick — November 10, 2009 @ 10:04 am
“Bruuuuuce !!!!!” Deafening thunder in the echo of the Aud.
The Event: Bruce Springsteen concert
The Place: Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
The Date: Mid 1980′s
The Seats: Orange (and Blue Seats under the Orange Seats overhang)
Watching Bruce Springsteen perform is always an unforgettable event. However, watching Bruce in the Aud that day was shocking! Seated in the upper blues (under the overhang of the orange seats), although they were good seats for watching a concert, I couldn’t resist going up to the orange seats to see what was happening up there. It was not surprising to find everyone on their feet dancing to the music. What was surprising was the reason I went up there in the first place. You see, the upper blues had television monitors anchored to the orange section overhang. During THIS concert the monitors were bobbing up and down wildly as if they would snap from their hinges like twigs in a hurricane! Upon closer inspection, I could actually see the entire overhang bobbing up and down. Thinking that the orange section might actually collapse, I watched the rest of the concert from the safety of the concession area behind the blue seats! I should have realized that this grand old structure was built with long-lasting stability. I guess Bruce knew what to sing, the days of the Aud certainly were “Glory Days”.
Comment by Lisa F. — November 10, 2009 @ 11:40 am
as a true sabre fan living here in niagara falls canada.my greatest memory truly comes from the orange seats. my friend and i at the young age of sixteen years were lucky enough to put our money together to buy 6 game packages at a local sports store. well one of the games was against those maple leafs and as you know the aud always had alot of leaf fans there. well this game was the best, there we were on sabre fan versus my friend the leaf fan and the entire section we were in was surrounded by those leaf fans. first period was alright with buffalo leading 1-0 at the end of the first but the second period was the best as gilbert perreault and andre savard each scored a hat trick and at the end of the second the score was 10-2 fro the sabres. when we got back to our seats for the third the section only had 10 people left in it, myself and friend and 8 buffalo fans, anyways it was hilarious and the final was 14-2 for the beloved buffalo sabres and i laughed all the way home…miss you aud
Comment by Ted Jadwiszczak — November 10, 2009 @ 10:36 pm
I had many great memories of the Aud and saw great events while sitting in the oranges. Hockey, basketball, soccer, concerts, wrestling, and boxing. My favorite memory of the aud was when I was 16 the day after Christmas 1983 and being dropped of with my friends for an afternoon Stallions game and staying for the Sabres game and then waiting to get Sabres autographs after the game.
Comment by Michael Buono — November 11, 2009 @ 11:36 pm
I didn’t get to go to many Sabres games growing up but my first one was in the oranges back row in the end they shoot twice. The Sabres played the great Oilers it was a close game with the oilers tieing the game with around 30 seconds to go. I remember my Dad mumbling great overtime. Then at the center ice faceoff Dave Anderchuck took the pass skated into the zone and ripped the game wining goal into the net right in our end! the famous aud horn went off, as a kid I thought there was a train coming through the wall, the place went wild and I was hooked life long Sabres fan!!
Comment by Shawn Howard — November 12, 2009 @ 9:42 am
My favorite Orange seats memory is the following:
Growing up, our next door neighbor had season tickets in the first row of the oranges center ice. Fairly often he would call over to our house..almost always on game day and usually a few hours before the game to ask if we wanted his 2 seats. Now I was 9 years old…my older brother was 15. When our neighbors would call, they would always ask to speak to my brother…who also happened to shovel their driveway during the winter. Well needless to say..guess who would ALWAYS get the tickets and take his friend…Right…I can remember asking…probably even begging for him to take me…but I was just the little brother who was always in the way…so at times I would cry that I couldn’t go.
One day the phone rang and I answered. It was our neighbors asking for my brother who I told him was not home at the time…well they offered me the tickets…I was soo excited. So me and my mom took the bus to the game…had a great time. I remember it like it was yesterday…walking in the front entrance…buying peanuts…getting my first game program (still have)..watching the Sabres in pre game warm-ups as they crossed in front of me as they went onto the ice (they always put up those metal scissor gates)..next was the cool walk up the ramps then to the escalator…the steep walk down the stairs on the oranges…holding on for dear life…thinking I was gonna fall straight down (how did the drunks manage to negotiate those things..haha) and finally to the seats…that I swear were hanging over the ice. My poor mom…she wasn’t much for hockey, sports in general…but at age 9, I couldn’t go by myself so she went..just so I could finally go…(probably so I wouldn’t complain and whine anymore)…what a mom.
That day I learned a very important lesson…lesson 101…how to score Sabres tickets. Over the next few years if I was lucky enough to answer the phone when they called, rather than going to find my brother for the phone, conveniently I would say that he was not around…perhaps stretching the truth just a little…hoping that they would offer me the tickets. Well…B-I-N-G-O…they did…SCORE!! Now I didn’t always manage to get the phone when he called but I did enough times over the years that I went to quite a few number of Sabres games…center Ice first row…and to this day neither my brother or mother know how I managed to get offered tickets to so many games…haha…that is…unless they read this…Great memories.
Comment by Eric Klaffka — November 13, 2009 @ 10:55 am
My father had season tickets in the 80′s and I would go all the time. The one game that sticks out in my mind is when my Father and I went to see the Sabres play the hated Islanders with Billy Smith in goal. The game was going along pretty will, then in happened. I think it was in the second period with the game tied 1 – 1 (Foligno scored), all of a sudden the power goes out in the building. The emergency lights kicked on giving some light but enery thing els was out. I remember ther was about a 20 – 30 minute delay and they decided that there was enough light comming from the emergency light to play on. I remember how cool it was watching the game w/o and sounds or scoreboard. The Sabres won 3 – 1 with Foligno scoring the hat trick. What an experence it was as my father and I still talk about that game to this day.
Comment by Tim — November 13, 2009 @ 11:06 am
In 1978, the Diocese of Buffalo made the heartbreaking decision to close St. John Neumann High School in Williamsville. This was a decision that did not go well with students, their parents, alumni and many supporters of this terrific Catholic High School. I was a sophomore that year and the entire student body along with family members, faculty and school supporters petitioned the Diocese of Buffalo as well as Most Reverend Bishop Edward Head to reconsider their decision. A massive campaign was started to save the school from closing. One of the parents who owned a printing company had thousands of bumper stickers made that said “Save Neumann!”
A bunch of my buddies and me commandeered about a thousand of these stickers and we put them on just about everything we could all over the Village of Williamsville.
In the spring of 1979, St. John Neumann’s Varsity Basketball Team was a finalist in the Monsignor Martin League Champion Game versus St. Joes Colligate Institute. The game was played at the Aud. Since we had about 500 or so of these bumper stickers left, my buddies and I decided it would be a great idea to bring them with us and paste them all over the Aud, just like we did in Williamsville.
Fast forward to 1984. I was on my third date with my future wife and we decided to go to a Sabres game. Its was a great Adams Division rivalry, against the Quebec Nordiques. Just being out on my own for a short time, I did not have much money, so I bought 2 tickets in the Orange Section, Section 21 in the corner, near the chimney. Before the game, we went to Chef’s Restaurant. During the meal, I told her this story on how we tried to save our high school from closing and that we saturated the inside of the Aud with these “Save Neumann” bumpers stickers.
So we make our way to our seats in the Orange Section. As we are just about to sit down, my future wife lets out this very unusual, very loud laughter. I look at her very puzzled as well as all the other fans near to us. She points to the chimney. About 15 feet above the seats stuck on the chimney was this faded white and green bumper sticker…”Save Neumann!”
Comment by Howie Argyle — November 13, 2009 @ 9:33 pm
Six years old (24 years ago)…I went to my FIRST game with my Dad. Parked at UB. Took the Metro in and was dropped off in front of the Aud. It was bigger than life. During the pre-game warm-ups, I went down low to watch and caught a puck over the glass. Up in the oranges, I thought I was on top of a mountain it seemed so high but was so exciting. Sabres won!! Greatest night ever! Towards the end of the third my Dad brought me back down so I could high five the players and as they were walking out and Foligno tossed me a puck!! Two pucks at my first game!!! Still have them today on my desk. Sabres fan for life.
Comment by Anthony Hans — November 15, 2009 @ 11:05 am
I was 10 tears old and we had seats in the last row, right next to the brick “chimney” as I called it. My father and I went to the game that saw Wayne Gretzky break Phil Esposito’s goal record. I remember Gil Perrault had a hat trick, and the score was tied 3-3. Gretzky came down the left wing and blew a slapshot past the Sabres net-minder ( I can’t recall if it was Sauve or Edwards). There was a man sitting in front of us with a camera taking pictures who screamed “I got it! I got it!” as the Great One scored. Gretzky went on to complete the hat trick that night, and even at my young age I realized I had witnessed something truly great.
Comment by scott Glinski — November 15, 2009 @ 1:13 pm
My love for orange seats began when I was 13 years old. I cleaned houses, picked apples, and babysat brats to save enough money for Alice Cooper, New Years Eve., 1973! I was rockin at the Aud!!!! This was just the beginning of many years, and many shows to come. From concerts to the Sabres. I had Aud. fever. And I could afford orange seats!
Comment by Michele Messina — November 15, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
I was fortunate enough to attend Sabres games and a few concerts at the Aud. Those are truly amazing memories. My first concert there was Journey and Glass Tiger! I quickly had to overcome my fear of heights as I walked up to my orange seats. Did I dare look down? I also remember that the hallways didn’t always connect or go all the way around the building, so you had to work your way through the seats to get to the next tunnel! Good times.
I appreciate this website for keeping the memories alive!
Comment by Ann Hondzinski — November 16, 2009 @ 3:47 pm
I have to say the sweep of Boston is mine. Me and some friends sat in the first row of the 300 behind the Boston net and saw the “May Day” goal. The place was shaking from us all jumping up and down, and I have never been to another game that was so loud.
Comment by Jason Biber — November 16, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
AAAGGGHH the Orange seats. My parents would take my brother and I for the big game, through the dim lighted ramps and hallways to our prime seats. You could hear the excitement in the crunching of the old waxed cups that were left on the floor from all of the other fans. The good ole orange seats, we were sooo small that 2 seats were good enough for 4( so we had our parents for seatbelts) I remember my dad being soo excited when the Sabres scored, that when he would jump up (For Every Goal!!), I would fly into the air afraid of ending up on the ice. Alot of the time he could only grab me my the closest piece clothing!! WE loved those seats! That is where we sat at every game. It was not only the rush of being at the game, but the memories of our family night out. There is not one night that stood out the most, it was the view!
Comment by Bremer — November 17, 2009 @ 12:50 am
My best “orange story” from The Aud also happens to be about my first Sabres game during the historic ’74-’75 season when my grandfather received tickets to a Sabres/Minnesota North Stars game.
The anticipation of attending my first Sabres game, and the excitement of possibly catching a puck in the stands resulted in a move to bring my baseball mitt to the hockey game. As a seven year old with no comprehension of The Aud’s scale or seating, I could not understand how my grandfather’s two tickets, center ice, first row Orange would have any affect on my chances of catching a puck and insisted that the glove not be left behind.
To this day, I am sure many fans snickered at the site of that seven year old and his grandfather making their way up the ramps and escalators of The Aud to “the oranges” while wearing a baseball glove on one hand – hoping to catch a souvenir and be identified by Ted Darling as “a lucky fan from Orchard Park”.
Some 30 years later, new players, a new building, two tickets in the 300 level and my seven year old that wants to bring his glove to a hockey game… how could I say no.
Comment by Rick Galas — November 17, 2009 @ 11:20 pm
As a member of the “Phantom Signmakers,” the guys who put up (3) signs at every home game on the face of the balcony and a season ticket holder from the very first season, there are many great stories from the “nose bleed” sections. We Phamtoms kept Punch Imlach’s mythical draft choice, Taro Tsujimoto, “alive” by quoting him on our signs. Classics like “Taro says: Goodenough Isn’t” (referring to Philly defenseman Larry Goodenough) or “Taro says: Playfair Doesn’t” (referring to Buffalo Sabres defenseman Larry Playfair) or “Taro says: The Blues ain’t gotty Lou for coach no more” (referring to Blues coach Lou Angotti) and the list goes on for almost 15 years. We were as much a “Fixture” in the balcony as the seats themselves, so it would be nice to be recognized by being awarded a seat to remember the place we posted our humor for all to enjoy.
Comment by William Hill — November 19, 2009 @ 11:21 am
I remember my first game at the Aud, it was a sabres game and our seats were section 9 row A seats 7 and 8, they were my uncles season ticket seats. I was only 8 years old and was so amazed by the Aud and so scared walking down those stairs. The game that it happened to be was the famous Clint Malarchuk game where he had almost died. My dad thought i would never want to go to a game again after that fond memory of a pool of blood and the ambulance on the ice taking clint away. I will tell you what though, when they started to play again and the fans going nuts and yelling and the fights that came after, it was like i never wanted to leave the Aud. Ever since that game i have loved the sabres go to every game that i can and even got to be at the May day game which would was right up there with my first game ever.
Comment by JUSTIN QUACKENBUSH — November 20, 2009 @ 6:34 pm
My best memory of the Aud Orange seats started in October 1991. It was the home opener and my cousin from Maryland was here for our grandmother’s funeral. We needed a change of pace so we decided to go to the hockey game. My family had 2 season tickets in the oranges, Section 11, Row B, seats 3 & 4. Always anxious for both the season to start and to see what season ticket holders renewed their seats from the previous year. Seats 1 & 2 always seemed to have a big turnover every year. At the start of the game, seats 1 & 2 were still empty. During the National Anthem, in walked the new season ticket holders. A beautiful girl and her boyfriend. My cousin nudged me and whispered, “it could be a long season!” I knew what he was referring to. As the season progressed, so did my friendship with the couple in seats 1 & 2. It was early December and with the holidays quickly approaching, the girl in seat 2 asked me what I was doing on New Years Eve. The boyfriend had decided to bartend and she didn’t feel like spending New Years Eve at home. As much as I wanted to take her up on the offer, I told her I already had plans. As Christmas drew near, I noticed that the girl in seat 2 wasn’t coming to any games. The boyfriend told me that she wouldn’t be around for a while. I was bummed but it really wasn’t any of my business.
The holidays came and went. My buddy and I went to a Friday night game in early January. After the game we stopped at a popular local establishment. Checking out the scenery, I spotted her, the girl from seat 2. We talked for a while and she ended up giving me her phone number. It took me a while to build up the nerve, but I finally called her. We started dating, even went to a few hockey games. That was a little tricky as we didn’t want to run into the “old” boyfriend. We would trade our orange tickets with the scalpers for other orange seats away from Section 11. It has been 18 years since we met in the Oranges, section 11, row B, seats 2 & 3. We are married with 3 beautiful children. Our daughter is 13 and the boys are 9 and 10. We are now proud hockey parents and our boys were completely obsessed with the demolition of the Aud. Whenever there would be a picture in the newspaper of the Aud, they would always try to pick out where section 11, row B, seats 2 & 3 in the Oranges might be and where Mom and Dad first met!!
Comment by Jim Smolka — November 20, 2009 @ 11:22 pm
The Buffalo Sabres were playing the Montreal Canadines in the stanley cup playoffs. Buffalo won the first game at the Aud and game two was also at the Aud. I didn’t have tickets for game two, but I went to the Aud at the start of the game, as I was planning on sleeping in my car in order to buy tickets the following day for game five. I listened to game two on a portable raido while standing in the lobby of the Aud. After the game, (Buffalo won) we were allowed to sleep in the lobby of the Aud until tickets went on sale the following day. During the night we were allowed to use the bathroom on the main floor. When I went to the bathroom I just kept walking around the Aud. I ended up walking down by the Sabres’ bench and I climbed over and sat on the bench for a few minutes. I was sixteen year old and I remember just looking around in awe. I was able to get ornage tickets for game number five. The series was 2 to 2 and Bufflao was down 3 to 2 in game five with about five minutes left. However, Ramsey took a pass from Lorentz and scored on a back hander. Before the goal Ramsey took a hard shot along the boards which knocked off his helmet, however he got up and went to the front of the net, where he scored. The game went into overtime and Robert scored on a one timer after Perreault won the face off. The score was on the end where I was sitting and the puck was in the net before anyone knew what happened. I can still see Robert jumping up and down and Dryden just skating off the ice. It was 27 years ago, however it seems like yesterday.
Comment by Richard J. Troyer — February 15, 2010 @ 1:41 pm
It was a rare treat this particular night to go see the Sabres vs the Islanders in the Aud (especially on a school night!). During the second period of the game while perched into our nosebleed orange seats, I felt this cold sensation all the way from my head down my back!! I turned around and some guy with a mullet whom was walking behind me accidently spilled a whole beer on me. I was so cold and shocked that I didnt know what to say. He looked at me and slurred, “Ha ha, all the kids at school tomorrow are gonna be jealous when the smell you…” (I was TEN remember)…Oh, those were the days of the Aud!
Comment by David Van Patten — March 25, 2011 @ 3:11 pm