Friends Who Visited Every Super Bowl Meet for One Last Game

Friends Who Visited Every Super Bowl Meet for One Last Game

Three friends are hoping for a great Super Bowl game this year, because it is likely to be their last as a group.

Don Crisman, Gregory Eaton, and Tom Henschel have gone to the National Football League championship game for 55 years. The first game they visited was in 1967.

Crisman, who is 85, lives in Maine. He said this year's game in Los Angeles will be his last. Eaton, 82, lives in Michigan. He wants to keep going, but he worries about his health. Henschel is 80. He lives in Florida. He said his last game will be in 2026.

Henschel said the group uses the Super Bowl as a way to meet up and spend time together. They talk about old memories.

But in recent years, they understood the tradition might come to an end one day.

"Old age is catching¹ up to all of us," Henschel said.

Crisman and Henschel met at the Super Bowl in 1983. Eaton met them in the 2010s.

They are among the very few members of a group of fans who have been to every Super Bowl. Each year, some people die or cannot travel because of poor health.

This year, they will be able to sit next to each other. Last year, they went to the game, but could not sit close to each other because of COVID-19 restrictions².

Eaton said he is excited for a large crowd this year. Last year, in Florida, only 22,000 fans were permitted³ to watch the game.

Eaton is also looking forward to seeing Matthew Stafford play quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams⁴. Stafford used to play for Eaton's favorite team, the Detroit Lions. The quarterback is the most important position on the team.

"We just love football," Eaton said. He said he paid about $2,500 for his ticket, which is about 400 times the price he paid 55 years ago.

Crisman said he is moving slower than he was during the first game. He said this year's game will be his last unless his favorite team, the New England Patriots⁵, makes it to the Super Bowl next year.

"One year at time," he said. "But I'm feeling we're very near the end."

Words in This Story

excited – adj. enthusiastic and eager about something

ticket – n. a piece of paper that allows entry to an event or travel on a vehicle

1 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 permitted   

允许( permit的过去式和过去分词 )； 许可； 许用

参考例句：

• Radios are not permitted in the library. 图书馆内不许使用收音机。
• Entrance is permitted only on production of a ticket. 出示门票才可进入。

4 rams   

n.公羊( ram的名词复数 )；(R-)白羊（星）座；夯；攻城槌v.夯实（土等）( ram的第三人称单数 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输

参考例句：

• A couple of rams are butting at each other. 两只羊正在用角互相抵触。 来自辞典例句
• More than anything the rams helped to break what should have been on interminable marriage. 那些牡羊比任何东西都更严重地加速了他们那本该天长地久的婚姻的破裂。 来自辞典例句

5 patriots   

爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Abraham Lincoln was a fine type of the American patriots. 亚伯拉罕·林肯是美国爱国者的优秀典型。
• These patriots would fight to death before they surrendered. 这些爱国者宁愿战斗到死，也不愿投降。