We each had two flags hooked to our belts, and the defender had to pull out one flag. There were no first downs; you had six plays to score a touchdown. You could punt on sixth down, I guess.
But we couldn't punt. We were being clocked, and we had time for one play. Now, I was the biggest (6-foot, maybe 300) guy out there, but I often went out for passes; slow feet but great hands.
I went about 20 yards over the middle, and a friend fired it toward me. At the goal line, I grabbed the ball with both hands, and, simultaneously, a defender came over my wrists with both hands; violently.
He knocked off my watch (I shouldn't have worn it) and even my glasses. I reached up to hand him the ball as I bent over and picked up my watch and glasses. A referee raised his arms, signaling the touchdown and the victory.
"Sorry," the defensive guy said. "I had to try."
I caught a lot of touchdown passes in that league — including four in one game — and I've made prettier catches. But that was the sweetest.
P.S.: I never wore my watch again when I played sports. I left it in my car.
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