24 Things New Yorkers Will Never Forget

Source: Youtube user Gordon Cole David Blaine stunts may come and go, but to date, there has been nothing that has been able to trump when Phillipe Petit walked from Tower 1 to Tower 2 of the World Trade Center with nothing between them but a wire. His unauthorized stunt took place an astonishing 1350 feet above ground where he spent 45 minutes performing for spectators, making a gutsy eight passes along the cable. Petit was arrested for his boldness, but all charges were dismissed in exchange for performing for children in Central Park, which he did.

5. Walking Home On The Brooklyn Bridge During The Northeast Blackout

Where were you when the lights went out in 2003? New Yorkers were in the dark, that’s where. In all fairness, so was pretty much everyone else in the Northeast, as the blackout reached from the coast of Delaware through Canada. But it was just after 4 p.m. in New York, which meant an early end to the business day. But with no lights or electricity, the only way for a city full of commuters to get home was to walk. The Brooklyn Bridge and city streets were crammed with pedestrians trying to make their way home on foot as one of the world’s busiest cities was at a complete shutdown. Luckily, everyone is used to walking here.

6. Ground Zero Of Beatlemania

In what was perhaps the most iconic of all pivotal moments in music history, The Beatles’ landing on American soil at JFK Airport on February 7, 1964 is burned in the memories of almost every music lover, whether they were there or not. And if they were there, chances are, their hearing has been impaired ever since. Never before that day had an American band seen such a large and manic display of fandom, and a British band at that. And their arrival only set the stage for what was to come.

7. That Unwavering New Yorker Response

New Yorkers, especially the ones in and around NYC, get a pretty bad reputation for having big attitudes. But they also have a reputation for coming together at the times when it’s most needed. And they’re unfortunately getting really good at it. In the wake of 9/11, there was no stronger bond than that of a New Yorker. After the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, they proved it again. Pictured is one of the few shop owners from around NYC who still had power after Hurricane Sandy and set up charging stations for people to come and charge their electronics so they could stay in touch with family and make important calls for free.

8. The Fact That NYC Trumps Chicago… In Pizza And Tallest Buildings

The new World Trade Center has been a long time in the remaking. Finally in the home stretch of construction, New Yorkers were thrilled to discover that the antenna placed on top of the tower officially ranked it as the tallest building in the world, narrowly edging out the Willis tower in Chicago, staging a rivalry that would make it all the way to the Daily Show and take some low blows in the ongoing pizza debate.

9. The Day The Rangers Ended The Curse

A legend surrounding a long-believed curse hanging over the Rangers started somewhere around 1940 and is thought by New Yorkers to be the reason why they couldn’t win a championship game. One version says it originated during the ’39-’40 season when the Rangers paid off the mortgage on the home arena (the third Madison Square garden) and symbolically burned the paperwork of the mortgage in the bowl of their last Cup, thereby “desecrating” the Cup and making the “hockey gods” very angry. And you won’t like them when they’re angry. But that curse was broken 54 years after it began when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup in Game 7 against the Canucks in 1994 and, hence, lifting the curse.

10. Murderer’s Row

You’d have to be pretty old to be lucky enough to have witnessed the greatness of Babe Ruth first hand. But there is absolutely no doubt that he reigns supreme as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, athlete to ever grace New York. But he wasn’t the only one. The 1927 Yankees was comprised of a lineup including Earle Combs, Mark Koening and Lou Gehrig, earning them the nickname Murderer’s Row. Their then-record of 110 games solidified them as what is largely received as the best team in the history of baseball.

11. The Subway Series Shutout

When it comes to baseball in New York, you’re either a die-hard Mets fan or a rabid Yankees fan. And there is no greater rivalry than when the two teams go up against each other in what is known as the Subway Series. It’s a rivalry that has lasted so long, it dates back to when it was even referred to as the Trolley Series in the early 1900s. On the first modern day Subway Series game on June 16, 1997, the Mets shut out the Yankees 6-0 at Yankees Stadium. The Mets might not win as much as the Yankees do, but they will never let them live that one down.

12. When Frazier Stole The Belt

Who doesn’t love a good underdog story? New Yorkers sure do. That’s why they’ll never forget when Joe Frazier dethroned Muhammad Ali on New York turf. The heavyweights jabbed for a full 15 rounds in which is known as one of the most intense boxing matches in history, as Ali lost his first professional fight. And New Yorkers were there to see it live at Madison Square Garden.

13. Winning The Playbook Of Eli

What are the chances of getting the number one pick in the draft when you’ve got fourth pick? If you’re the Giants, they’re pretty damn good. That’s exactly how the Eli Manning pick went over in one of the most unexpected draft upsets in years. Manning revealed that he didn’t want to go to the San Diego Chargers who did have the first pick, so they were able to work out a trade that scored them the quarterback with whom they’ve had a love/hate relationship with ever since as he’s taken them to the Super Bowl on more than one occasion.

14. The Catch Heard ‘Round The World

Speaking of Eli Manning, no list of New York moments would be complete with perhaps one of the most memorable Super Bowl wins in history. The Super Bowl XLII featuring the NY Giants against the New England Patriots may have happened over six years ago, but it’s still talked about today, especially among New York Giants fans. Everyone was glued to their sets as they watched Manning somehow avoid going down in a massive heap while seamlessly hurling the ball down the field to David Tyree to win the Super Bowl. Every Giants fan in New York (and there are a lot of them) still agree that February 3, 2008 was a damn good day.

15. When The Bronx Burned

The images of the Bronx burning are, too, burned in the memory banks of every New Yorker, especially those from the boroughs. On October 12, 1977 while the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers battled out game 2 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium. But just down the street, a fire raged out of control at an abandoned elementary school, prompting sportscaster Howard Cosell to interrupt the game’s broadcast with the infamous words over images of the raging fires around the stadium, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Bronx is burning.”

16. The Original Coney Island

No New Yorker will forget their first trip to the wonderfully weird world that used to be Coney Island. And they’ll never forget watching it get torn down, piece by piece. In 2013, one of the few remaining symbols of the amusement park’s iconic heyday, Coney’s Astrotower, was torn down. Plans to breathe “new life” into the park were not received well among the locals who grew up frequenting the Coney Island they remember.

17. Seeing David Byrd Walk Again

New York is filled with football purists who watch the games in hopes of seeing their team win, not to watch something tragic unfold. But in 1992, Jets fans sat in horror as they watched Dennis Byrd lay still, visibly injured seriously. When news broke that Byrd was partially paralyzed, many believed it was permanent. But everyone here knew that New Yorkers don’t give up that fast and were proved right when Byrd eventually was able to walk again.

18. Anticipating The Future At The 1964 World’s Fair

New York played host to the World’s Fair two times before, but 1964 was the last and most recent. With a theme of “Peace Through Understanding,” and an emphasis on science during the age when space exploration was still considered to be something to which humanity should aspire, it was an extremely positive and hopeful time to look forward to the future as a New Yorker.

19. The Carousel Built Like A New Yorker

One of the many things to take a major hit from Hurricane Sandy was Jane’s Carousel in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Even though it’s set on a three-foot high pavilion 30 feet back from the river, the flooding waters of the storm engulfed it. But somehow, the lights stayed on and it survived. As the waves crashed against it and the city was all but dark, residents in surrounding apartments took photos of the illuminated carousel that refused to quit in the face of danger from up high and spread them around social media, showing the resilience of a true New Yorker.

20. That Time Bobcat Goldthwait Got a Salt Potato Tattoo

Bobcat Goldthwait has always been a true blue Central New Yorker, something that locals have always loved him for. But in perhaps the boldest of all Upstate New York pride moments, he went and got himself a tattoo of a regionally beloved salt potato, solidifying his spot in CNY royalty forever.

21. They Ate How Many Wings?

Wings are a New York staple and the true pride of Buffalo. But no one will forget when Joey Chestnut took the crown as the National Buffalo Wings Festival Champion on September 2, 2012 when he consumed a total of 191 wings (that’s 7.61 pounds of chicken!) in 12 minutes, scoring the trophy and become the reigning champion. No matter how much anyone around here likes them, they all agree – that had to result in a serious wingover.

22. That First Trip To Wegmans

Convenience store and supermarket loyalty runs stronger than just about anything throughout New York. Depending on where you fall on the map will determine what brand you stick with. But there is no denying that Wegmans love is just about as loyal and true as it gets. No one in CNY will ever forget the first time they stepped foot in their favorite place on earth. And yes, that includes Disney World.

23. Billy Fuccillo And His HUGE Sales

You might love the commercials, you might hate them. But one thing is for sure – you will never forget Billy Fuccillo screaming “It’s HUUUUUGGGGEEEE!” on your TV screen. This car dealer turned himself into somewhat of a localized celebrity in Rochester and quickly spread around the area through the years with his over-the-top and often ridiculous commercial spots. He’s the earworm that will never seem to go away.

24. That Time Philip Seymour Hoffman Hit The Red Carpet In… Rochester?

Movie premieres are nothing new for New York City. But, just like this list, NYC tends to hog up a lot of Upstate’s spotlight. So, when the premiere of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s film Flawless premiered in his hometown of Rochester at The Little Theater in 1999, it was a pretty big deal. The Little Theater has continued to pay their respects to Hoffman and his work. What’s something you’ll never forget about living in New York? Tell us in the comments below!