Adding to my list of dates that I would like to visit in the past:

2. May 13, 1975 – Game 7 – Flyers vs. Islanders

The Broad Street Bullies were terrorizing the NHL on the way to their second Stanley Cup Championship. The Flyers were up 3-0 against the New York Islanders in the best of seven series. Remarkably, the Islanders won the next 3 games to force a game 7 at the Spectrum. Starting in 1969, the music director or whatever he is called of the Spectrum asked if he could play “God Bless America” instead of the National Anthem before the Flyers home games because he felt fans were ignoring the National Anthem. You see, the Vietnam War was raging on and Americans were dissatisfied with the country and he hoped to jolt some patriotism into the building and played Kate Smith’s God Bless America. Well the Flyers won that night and continued to win just about every game the song was played and a good luck charm was born. Kate Smith performed live before the games just a few times in her career and the one I want to see is the one before Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Semi-finals.

In the previous round the Islanders had battled back from down 3-0 and won the series and the Flyers were not about to let that happen again. They flew Kate Smith in and wheeled the organ out as she belted out the song in front of a raucous crowd. I don’t know where I read or heard this but the entire performance lasted just about 10 minutes and many Islanders thought the game was over before it began. The Flyers went on to win the game and then go on to beat Buffalo and capture their second consecutive Stanley cup. I cannot imagine the atmosphere in the building as the organ was wheeled out and she made her grand entrance. I listen to the song now as it is still played before big Flyers game and her voice is remarkable and I want to see her live.

Not to mention I would see the entire cast of the Broad Street Bullies in person. My dad and the entire city of Philadelphia fell in love with hockey watching this rough and tough band of brothers play a foreign sport. When hockey came to Philadelphia in 1967 a parade was held and just about 2 people showed up. Seven years later after the first cup was won, over 2 million people flocked to Broad Street to watch the Bullies on parade. I believe it is still the largest victory parade in the city to this day. As you can probably tell I am a huge Flyers fan and you might be wondering why I didn’t pick a date when they actually won the Stanley Cup and the answer is simple, I want to witness that live for the first time not knowing the outcome. There is nothing like playoff hockey and there is nothing like Kate Smith and the Broad Street Bullies.

Disclaimer: The video is not from the date I want. Apparently that video doesn’t exist on YouTube, more reason I want to see it live.