Always Remember

     

       Before I dive into today’s topic, I want to send my condolences and prayers to all those that were effected by the tragedy in Boston yesterday.  Truly a sad day and may the lost be remembered, but never forgotten.

       The events that occurred yesterday really had me thinking. Events like these are so upsetting and it takes a sick person to carry out these horrific acts. Is this an act of terror? Probably, but I’m not going to judge, discriminate, or point fingers at any one group of people that could have done this. 

       The Boston Marathon is the biggest and oldest marathon in the world. World class runners come from all over the world for this special day. For many it’s not about winning; it’s about completing a goal or achieving a milestone. After watching the news and continuous coverage of what was happening in Boston, I began thinking of other tragedies in sports. Today I’m writing about these other tragedies, not to compare them to Boston, but so that others can learn and never forget the innocent people that left their houses to enjoy a day at the stadium supporting their team and never returned home. 

Sicilian Derby 2007

Shortly after the Derby in the streets of Catania

       On February 2, 2007 Catania faced Sicilian rivals Palermo in the annual Sicilian derby. Palermo fans began throwing flares and firecrackers on the field and the police retaliated by throwing tear gas at the Palermo supporters. The game was ultimately won 2-1 by Palermo.

       After the match, Catania fans began attacking police. They charged at them and they began to fall because they were so heavily outnumbered. As a result, 40 year old Catania policeman Filippo Raciti was killed. 

       Following this event, Serie A was halted in February. Catania were forced to play their remaining games at neutral sites and there were no fans in attendance for their games. 

Port Said Stadium Disaster

       This riot took place in Port Said, Egypt, on February 1, 2012. The match between Al-Masry and Al Ahly had finished minutes before riot began. Al-Masry supporters rushed the field and began destroying the stadium after their team had won. The Al-Masry supporters began attacking Al-Ahly fans and players. 

       Once the final whistle was blown the attacks began. They had knives, swords (yes you’re reading that correctly), stones, and fireworks.

       This massive attack left 79 people dead, and nearly 1200 people injured. 

       I did not post a picture of this because all of the pictures I researched were too graphic and I did not feel they were appropriate to post on here. 

The Hillsborough Disaster

A picture of the Hillsborough Disaster

       This is one of the worst disasters in soccer history. The Hillsborough disaster took place during an F.A. Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest on April 15, 1989. Before the game was played many felt that the stadium was not big enough to hold the large crowd that was expected and everyone’s worst fear came true. 

       At the beginning of the game Liverpool supporters entered from only two gates on one side of the stadium; this was the first problem. There were so many supporters and not enough turnstiles for them to enter. The police were overwhelmed so they opened the gates and began letting everyone in. This led to a massive crowd of people being crammed into a small space behind the Liverpool goal.

       So many people were crammed together, people tried hopping the fence and invading the field just so they could breathe. Endless people were being trampled and crushed. This led to the death of 96 people. 

       When investigations began the police claimed that Liverpool supporters “rushed the gates”. This was never the case. For years Liverpool supporters have been blamed for the Hillsborough Disaster. It was not until December of 2012 that a court case was re-opened and proved that the “Liverpool 96” were innocent. 

       The Hillsborough Disaster was represented yesterday at the Boston Marathon.  The picture of the man below is the reason I’m writing this blog. The tragedies I talked about today are an unfortunate part of sports history. An event that happened 24 years ago is still remembered by everyone in Liverpool. The tragedy in Boston will never be forgotten and will unite the city like it has in England. 

Rivalries

There is nothing better in sports than a rivalry. Soccer, baseball, hockey, basketball, or football it doesn’t matter the sport, every sport has a rivalry. Sometimes teams share cities. Other teams have a long history of hatred and betrayal. Some rivalries even go beyond the sport and are about Religion and Political standings. There is always something extra in the air when rivals meet.

Milan vs Internazionale

Being a Milan supporter it would be a crime for me not to include this one. Milan and Inter not only share a city but a stadium. The Derby della Madonnina was named after the statue of the Virgin Mary in Milan. These two squads first faced off in 1908 and have played at least once a year ever since. 

Roma vs Lazio

Just like Milan and Inter, Roma and Lazio share a city and a stadium. The Der della Capitale is one of the most violent rivalries in the world. The game that concluded this afternoon involved numerous fights and it was reported that 6 people were stabbed. Roma was supported and directed by Benito Mussolini to challenge clubs like Milan and Juventus. Roma has a history with Fascism, whereas Lazio is more democratic and is said to be “for the people”.

Michigan vs Ohio State

We’ll be talking about a different kind of football here. Michigan vs Ohio State is arguably the greatest rivalry in college sports. I have never seen such hatred between two schools. Their main rivalry is in football where these two teams are powerhouses in the Big Ten conference. The rivalry has hit a bump as both teams were going through tough times, but it is always the biggest game on their schedules. 

Army vs Navy

The United States military academies are the best in the world. They also produce one of the best college football rivalries in the nation. These teams have met annually since 1930 and Navy currently lead the all time series 59-47-7. Today the game is played at a neutral site, usually in Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field. The stadium is packed and all cadets from both schools are in attendance. 

Yankees vs Red Sox

The biggest rivalry in baseball. The trade that sent Babe Ruth from the Sox to the Yanks is what started this great rivalry. A World Series drought ensued for the Sox; 86 years without winning a title. Yankee stadium is one of the toughest places to play in baseball. Yankee fans are as tough as they come, trust me, I know, I’m one of them. Red Sox fans aren’t welcome in Yankee Stadium and Yankees fans aren’t welcome to Fenway Park. These two teams are rich in history and great players. The critics say that this rivalry has lost its edge over the last few years but that is a lie. Ask any Yankee fan what the most important game of the season is and they’ll say any game against the Red Sox. 

Giants vs Dodgers

These teams might be rivals now but the rivalry was much more intense when these teams were still in New York. The Giants and Dodgers were constantly contenders for the National League Pennant over the 40’s and 50’s. Jackie Robinson hated the Giants so much that when he was traded from the Dodgers to the Giants he retired from baseball. Talk about loyalty. 

Celtic FC vs Rangers 

Wrapping up the list of rivalries is one that I feel is the biggest and most controversial in the world. It goes by the name The Old Firm referring to Celtic and Rangers of the Scottish premier league. Rangers are currently in the Scottish 3rd division after declaring bankruptcy, but that’s a story for another day. Rangers were founded and are supported by Protestants in Scotland. Whereas, Celtic represent the Irish Catholic population in Scotland. In 1980 an invasion of the field resulted in multiple deaths, hundreds injured, and the banning of alcohol at Scottish soccer games. Ever since this game, away fans cannot go to games unless they are personally escorted by police to the stadium. The battle in Glasgow, goes far beyond favorite teams, it is a personal hatred fueled by religion and beliefs. This has been deemed the most dangerous rivalry in the world. 

This is just scratching the surface on sports rivalries. Meetings between rivals are always the biggest games of the season and never seem to disappoint. The intensity when rivals meet is unlike other games. Without rivalries sports wouldn’t be what they are today.