Raiders fan who went to 1st Coliseum game needs ticket for Oakland finale

Saturday, December 14, 2019
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Sunday will mark the end of an era for the Oakland Raiders. The team plays its last home game as the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Dave Detlefsen says he went to the very first game the team played at the Coliseum.
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He proudly shows off a picture from the Oakland Tribune newspaper from September 18, 1966, of him as a high school student blowing a horn in the stands. The Raiders lost to Kansas City that day.

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Dave's been a Raiders fan for almost six decades. When he was in college, he even worked at the Raiders games selling beer at the stadium. "I had to make a living. I was going to college," explains Detlefsen.

His house in Brentwood is full of Raiders memorabilia such as helmets signed by Raiders legends Fred Biletnikoff and Rich Gannon, loads of bobbleheads and perhaps his prized possession: an autographed jersey.



"I got my famous Freddy Biletnikoff autographed jersey!" has says, as he turns around to show the autograph on the back of the jersey.

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Dave grew up in Oakland. When he retired as a captain from the Oakland Fire Department after 32 years of service, his crew knew how big a fan he was. So, they gave him a Raiders fire helmet.
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But there is one thing Dave doesn't have. "I still need a ticket. I still need a ticket!" he says.

Dave gets emotional thinking about the team leaving Oakland for Las Vegas, reflecting back on that first game. He says even if he doesn't get a ticket to Sunday's last Raiders home game, he'll be there out with his sign, in his Biletnikoff jersey and hat, bleeding silver and black.

"I got to be there. I just got to be there," says Detlefsen as he starts to get emotional. "Yeah. I just got to be there."

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