Page 15 - aruba-today-20231103

SPORTS Friday 3 November 2023
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Frankfurt finally sees a return of NFL after years of supporting

American football

By KEN MAGUIRE Wieczorek said. “It was a
AP Sports Writer big party in the stadium.”
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) A helicopter landed on the
— Tears flowed among field and league President
Frankfurt Galaxy fans when Mike Lynn emerged to de-
NFL Europa shut down after liver the game ball.
the 2007 season. Dolphins special teams co-
The NFL was losing tens of ordinator Danny Crossman
millions on its European ad- remembers it well. He was
venture. For the Frankfurt a defensive back for the
faithful, it was heartbreak. Monarchs.
“We had a meeting with “It was very different from
the owner in the stadium what I was accustomed
with some fans, and a lot to,” Crossman said Thurs-
of tears ran out of the eyes day before practice in
of the fans,” said Joachim Frankfurt. “It wasn’t col-
Wieczorek, one of the Gal- lege football the pag-
axy’s first supporters. “We eantry of college football
knew we would miss it.” it wasn’t the National Foot-
Frankfurt has always ball League, it was a party.
backed American football. There were fireworks and it
The Galaxy was the only was all kinds of stuff going
team that played in every into pregame.”
season of the NFL’s Euro- Mike Pinkard of the Hamburg Sea Devils celebrates after the American Football World Bowl Final The atmosphere in the Eu-
pean league. It had strong between Frankfurt Galaxy and Hamburg Sea Devils in the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt, ropean stadiums was “fab-
fan support and won four central Germany, Saturday, June 23, 2007. ulous,” Crossman said.
“World Bowl” titles. Associated Press “The passion that you see in
Now, the NFL is back in rugby and football and ev-
Frankfurt with two-regular “Golden Book” an honor came back to Germany military members stationed erything else they brought
season games starting reserved for dignitaries. last year when the Tampa nearby American troops it to American football and
Sunday when the Kansas Frankfurt hosts a second Bay Buccaneers beat the had staged unofficial it was very fun,” he said.
City Chiefs face the Miami game next week when the Seattle Seahawks 21-16 at games in the 1970s. The league lasted just two
Dolphins at Deutsche Bank New England Patriots play Allianz Arena in Munich. The very first game of the seasons in its original form
Park. the Indianapolis Colts. Germany proved to be the NFL-backed World League and later returned as NFL
Pubs are preparing for an The NFL ditched the league backbone of NFL Europe in of American Football in Europe.
influx of traveling fans, the approach in favor of stag- its final season in 2007, five 1991 featured the London Frankfurt also hosted the
Chiefs have docked a ing regular-season games of the six teams were Ger- Monarchs against the Gal- last game, losing in the
yacht on the Main River, abroad, with London as the man. Fans held “power par- axy at Waldstadion, now 2007 World Bowl to the
and league Commissioner anchor. The league started ties” the German version of called Deutsche Bank Park. Hamburg Sea Devils 37-28
Roger Goodell has been holding games in the Eng- tailgating before games. “The stadium was full and on a muddy field in front of
asked to sign the city’s lish capital in 2007 but only The fan base included U.S. nobody knew the rules,” 48,125 fans.q

Security prevents Rangers from celebrating in Chase Field pool

after winning World Series

PHOENIX (AP) — There was Arizona Diamondbacks in ries after clinching a play-
no pool party for the Texas Game 5 on Wednesday off spot and after beating
Rangers after winning the night. Despite a clear path the Los Angeles Dodgers in
World Series. to the pool, where a few their NL Division Series.
A raucous celebration after fans lingered on the deck, Arizona players also took
the franchise’s first cham- the players were more in- a festive dip after securing
pionship remained on dry terested in hugging each the 2011 NL West title at
land as about a dozen se- other, family and friends on home, but were blocked
curity officers guarded the the field. by security following a 2017
pool behind the right-cen- Once fans were cleared playoff clinching. The 2001
ter wall at Chase Field. out and a few players World Series championship
“Are they going over headed down the steps remained dry as well.
there?” pitcher Nathan Eo- to the clubhouse, security The Dodgers had the most
valdi said during an inter- filled the area in front of the controversial splash party
view with Fox. “No, I don’t pool, spaced out every 20 after beating Arizona in
think they are.” to 30 feet. 2013, rankling the Dia-
Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy celebrates with the The Rangers could’ve The Diamondbacks had mondbacks and their fans
trophy after winning Game 5 of the baseball World Series
against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, made a run for the water two splashy celebrations particularly after reports
in Phoenix. as they initially celebrat- during their improbable surfaced of a player pee-
Associated Press ed their 5-0 win over the run to this year’s World Se- ing in the pool.q