Robin Williams, Metallica, and why we want to document fan stories from World Cup 94
In the summer of 1994, I was 21, armed with a new college degree, and ready to conquer the world.
But before I did that, there was the World Cup.
For me, USA 94 started at a bar in Birmingham, Michigan, the Detroit suburb where my brother, Alexi, and I grew up. A group of family and friends got together the night before the US team’s opening match vs. Switzerland at the Pontiac Silverdome.
We drank Stroh’s beer, listened to Bob Seger on the jukebox, and hung out late into the night, talking about our excitement for the game the next day and watching the live broadcast of OJ Simpson’s white Bronco chase.
That night kicked off a true summer of soccer. I spent a month criss-crossing the country, watching games, making new soccer friends, and having the experiences that would become my World Cup stories.
The story I remember most took place just after the USMNT’s loss to Brazil in the Round of 16 in Palo Alto. The US Soccer Federation’s afterparty was down the road from the Stanford Stadium, and we were surrounded by singing and dancing Brazilians, including a full maracatu band, as we walked. This was real soccer culture and, despite the disappointment of the loss, we joined in.
When the US team showed up to the party, I wanted to say hi to my brother. He was swarmed nonstop. I finally caught him in the bathroom. I was congratulating him on a great tournament when someone shouted “ALEXI!”
We turned and saw two long-haired men, one very tall and grizzled, the other short and jumpy. James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich from Metallica. I nearly lost it. I was a huge fan and used to cover “Fade to Black” with a band in college. And here was the heart and soul of Metallica standing in front of me. Wearing US national team jerseys. In a bathroom in Palo Alto. How absurd!
But it didn’t end there. While the Metallica guys were talking about the game with Alexi, a small unassuming man and his young son walked in. They, too, stopped to say hi. It was Robin Williams. This was crazy! How many times had I watched Dead Poet’s Society and The Fisher King? And now he was standing in front of me, too. In a bathroom in Palo Alto.
Eventually, we all said our goodbyes, and I seared the memory of those few minutes into my brain. This was an unforgettable World Cup story.
It’s obviously not the only one. I know thousands of fans have their own incredible memories of that touranment.
Which is why we are launching USA 94: Through the Eyes of the Fans — a new project in partnership with CLUBELEVEN. We want to bring those fan stories to life.
We’re looking for videos, photos, or any other media you may have captured around World Cup 94. If you've got an old roll of film, some scattered photos, VHS, DVD or Hi-8 tapes that have been collecting dust, we'd love to see them and bring them into the light of day. We’ll digitize select submissions and share these unforgettable stories with the world.
And, in case you need extra encouragement to be part of this project, we’ve got a special giveaway for one lucky participant: the amazing vintage Jeff Hamilton World Cup 1994 jacket pictured here.
To enter, simply share some information about your story and what media you have by filling out this form.
Thanks for your support of this project. We can’t wait to tell these stories.