Not many individuals are in a position to say they have been to 1 Tremendous Bowl sport, not to mention all of them. However this trio has achieved simply that.
For Tom Henschel, 80, Don Crisman, 85, and Gregory Eaton, 82, going to the massive sport has develop into a practice. This yr will probably be their 56th Tremendous Bowl.
Henschel stated he hopes to maintain going, relying on what the subsequent few years carry. “I do not know if I can nonetheless make it, I am 80-years-old ya know?” he stated.
The primary massive sport — which was technically known as the First World Championship Sport between the American Soccer League and Nationwide Soccer League — was held on the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in California in 1967.
All three males had been there to look at the Inexperienced Bay Packers beat the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. They’ve made their means again to the Metropolis of Angels this yr for Tremendous Bowl LVI.
Henschel stated he and Crisman will probably be cheering for the Cincinnati Bengals to take dwelling the title, however Eaton is rooting for the LA Rams.
A die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan who lives part-time in Tampa, Florida, Henschel advised CNN he is been a soccer fanatic since his youthful years. Nevertheless it wasn’t till Tremendous Bowl IV in 1970 that Henschel determined he was going to make the massive sport a practice.
“When Kansas Metropolis was a 14-point underdog towards Minnesota and so they gained, I stated I’ll go to each sport,” Henschel advised CNN Wednesday.
In 1983, earlier than Tremendous Bowl XVII, Henschel stated he met Crisman, who lives in Maine. The 2 occurred to face subsequent to one another in line to see Johnny Carson.
“I overheard him point out the Tremendous Bowl and the way it could be his seventeenth time,” Henschel stated. “I stated ‘You guys have gone to each sport? So have I!’ I believed I could have been the one man left.”
And so, the By no means Miss a Tremendous Bowl Membership was fashioned. The membership gained members all through the years as different followers realized there have been others who had attended each sport.
That is how Henschel and Crisman met Eaton, who lives in Michigan, in 2017.
The trio are the one remaining members of the membership and have been to 5 video games collectively.
A historical past of soccer frenzy
Henschel scored tickets to his first few Tremendous Bowls by way of work: He befriended sports activities gamers at a bar.
When Henschel moved to Chicago in 1965 from Pittsburgh, he picked up a part-time job at a bar typically frequented by Chicago Cubs and Bears gamers.
After these fortunate preliminary years, he needed to pay his personal means, however costs again then, he stated, the place considerably cheaper.
And he nonetheless has these tickets to at the present time. “I’ve collected all the pieces,” Henschel advised CNN, “I’ve all my ticket stubs, all my packages.”
Between the twelfth and thirteenth video games, Henschel obtained married. After seeing Henschel’s assortment, his new spouse determined to put in writing a letter to the NFL on his behalf, saying: “Tom Henschel is my identify, soccer is my sport, 12 is in my body, 13 is my intention.”
A couple of weeks later he obtained 4 tickets to the sport in Miami, the place his beloved Steelers took on the Dallas Cowboys. The household sat on the 50-yard line, Henschel stated. “It in all probability goes down in historical past as my favourite sport with my spouse and my mother and pa,” he added.
Years later, when it was time for Tremendous Bowl 50, Henschel obtained a particular name. The Commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell, was providing him tickets, airfare and a lodge keep, in honor of his good attendance.
He, and others who had attended all 50 video games, additionally obtained a commemorative Tremendous Bowl 50 coin.
Trying again forward of his 56th sport on Sunday, Henschel stated: “I by no means thought I might get this far.”
“Once I hit 25 I knew I may hit perhaps 40. And I hit 40 and I stated ‘I actually must hit 50’,” he stated. “Now my purpose is 60.”
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