We were driving over to KTVU when it hit me: I was going to meet Dwight Clark. 49er legend, Dwight Clark. 'The Catch' Dwight Clark. I could barely contain myself.
You might know him from arguably the most famous football play in the history of Bay Area sports: 'The Catch.' He elevated in the endzone to grab the ball and beat the Dallas Cowboys in the 1981 NFC Championship game. The 49ers went on to win 5 superbowls after that and create a dynasty.
The wife and I had a friend who ran a winery and was hosting a group over to the TV station to sit in on an episode of "The Point After" with Mark Ibanez. I don't know how often Dwight Clark sat in, but he was going to be there that night, and I was STOKED!
We arrived at the TV station and were ushered into a room where Dwight met all of us and signed autographs. At 6'4" he was literally larger than life. He shook my hand, handed me a signed pic, and took a quick photo with us. The inner 8-year-old Niner fan inside me was fangirling HARD.
After the meet-and-greet we were led into the TV studio where Mark and Dwight started broadcasting their 49er post-game show. I was still in awe, I mean, he was a childhood HERO. After the broadcast, I walked up to the desk and asked Dwight if I could wear his Superbowl rings. More than happy to oblige, he passed me the box that he kept them in.
It was then that I had an idea: How about you pretend to be doing the show and I'll pretend they caught me on camera swiping your rings?
He loved it and struck a pose.
I will never forget that day, or watching him as a kid on some of the best 49er teams of all time. Rest easy, sir. You are a legend.