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The Kingdome crowd, a full house, expected their team to mount their chargers, gloriously do battle with an experienced team, and miraculously win. Well, they didn’t.
At half-time the 49ers were ahead 17—0. Strangely some of the crowd offered the new Hawks
a subdued chorus of boos for their effort. Cheers met the new team when they appeared for the second half of combat.
But the miracle still wasn’t happening. San Francisco pushed the score 24—0 before the hawks were able to score. With 11:47 left in the third quarter the score (24—0) and the crowd (0—0) were dismayed, unhappy, and wondering if this is what pro football in Seattle would be. Coach Patera, whose birthday the team wanted to celebrate with a win, was concerned, too.
Two and a half minutes later the clouds cleared, the sun shone through, and optimism soared to the roof of the Dome.
Neil Graff, who had started the game at quarterback was replaced by Jim Zorn, whose previous professional experience included being in one game with the Dallas Cowboys in 1975. So much for Zorn’s previous playing.
A 48-yard pass play to Sam McCullum was the result of Jim Zorn’s first magical touch of the ball. No more boos now, the new Hawks really could move the ball, and they did it by flying high—half the length of a football field in one play.
Zorn’s second play at quarterback was another pass to McCullum for 15 yards. He is now throwing for a 100% completion record. Sixty-seven yards in two plays is fine playing especially when you are now only twelve yards from a goal line that seemed to be the impossible dream for nearly three quarters.
Not wanting to ruin a good thing, Zorn passed to Sam again. Again McCullum caught the ball for 12 yards and the first ever Seahawk touchdown. Zorn to McCullum, three for three, six points, first touchdown, and 60,825 fans screamed and hollered in delightful ecstasy. Trumpets and rockets red glare exploded and soared through the Kingdome.
The Seahawks were maidens no more. Now aggressive and now expectant sons of destiny, the defense put pressure on the 49er defense and defensive end Dave Tipton recovered a fumble on the 49ers 29 yard line. It was happening, the good guys were coming back.
Almost. After a 15 yard pass to the opponent’s 15 yard line, another touchdown seemed likely. Oops. A holding penalty ruined that opportunity. The quarter ended with a 27—7 score.
The Seahawks recover two fumbles. The second one put them on the 49er five yard line. Zorn passed to Ron Howard for another touchdown and another blast of cheering from the crowd. Score 27—13.
Thirty-nine seconds later the Hawks had the ball back again and ended an 80 yard touchdown drive with a four yard spurt into the end zone by Mr. Quarterback himself, Jim Zorn.
The score is now 27—20; there are 117 seconds left in the game, and the fans are yelling, pleading, begging for another
touchdown. A badly centered San Francisco ball ended up on their own 15 yard line the Seahawks in possession. Eight seconds remain.
Zorn’s first pass fell short. There is time for one more play, one more chance to score, one more glorious opportunity to become heros in their first game in front of almost 61,000 local football fanatics.
The ball is hiked. As time runs out a running lane suddenly appeared and Zorn, who had decided to risk it all, ran hard and quickly down the avenue of traffic. He made it to one yard line, the gun went off, and Seatte lost, just barely, 27—20.
It was close, it was exciting, it was jubilation time in the Kingdome. Surprise, surprise, first half dissidents—the brand new Seahawks can score. And everyone went home happy and satisfied that the best was yet to come. It truly was exciting and left the coming season open for the wildest of optimistic speculation.
Happy birthday, Jack. We know how much close counts, but in this case it counted a lot. Hundreds of thousands of fans in Northwest were counting on the expansion team called Seahawks to entertain them well, perhaps forever with the same kind of excitement that they had just experienced.
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