Donald Bruce Hall tells his friends there's only one reason why he would miss attending a Ravens game.
It would be to go to a funeral – his own funeral.
"I hope I live to 100 and still don't miss a game," he said.
Hall, 67, has owned Ravens season tickets since the very beginning of the franchise in 1996 and he's never missed a game.
This week, the Ravens showed their appreciation for his fandom by presenting Hall with two tickets and a trip to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, Calif.
It will be Hall's first time on an airplane, but he was on cloud nine when he got the surprise while on a tour of the Under Armour Performance Center. Now he just hopes his Ravens are in it.
"It's going to be hard to do it, but you can never count them out," Hall said. "Maybe they'll get it together and go on a run."
Hall has had one heck of a run as a Baltimore football fan. It traces back to when he was a young kid sitting on his father's lap watching Baltimore Colts games. He was heartbroken when the Colts skipped town in 1984 and, like many fans, swore off football.
But when Baltimore got the Canadian Football League's Stallions in 1994, Hall dove right back in. He went to all their games except for two, when he attended his grandfather's funeral and his cousin's wedding.
When the Ravens were born in Baltimore, Hall immediately purchased permanent seat licenses. He's in the upper concourse – section 513, row 14 in the north end zone. Hall is up there with his binoculars ready and a headphone in one ear so he can listen to the local 98 Rock/WBAL 1090 AM radio broadcast.
"You get to see how the plays develop and all. I like it," Hall said. "I wasn't going to afford the expensive seats."
He rotates who goes to the game with him and has built a community in "The Perch." He could, of course, watch games on TV, but he said there's nothing like being there. He has the same routine of walking down Ravens Walk every game, saying hi to WBAL's Keith Mills along the way, and getting to his seat early to watch warmups.
"I like taking in the whole experience," Hall said. "I'm going to be there. I try not to let the other stuff and things influence me as far as, 'Why did they get rid of this player?' or whatever. That's just part of the business. Whoever's out there, I'm going to be there rooting for them."
Hall's favorite games were the very first one, when the Ravens beat the Oakland Raiders in Memorial Stadium, and their home playoff win against the Broncos that started the 2000 Super Bowl run, when Shannon Sharpe caught a tipped pass and took it 58 yards down the sideline for a touchdown.
Hall said he's never come particularly close to missing a game (including the preseason). One time, he left his tickets at home and had to scramble back. He's been sick a few times.
"I might not have felt 100%, but good enough to go," he said.
What's his favorite part of gameday?
"When we win," he said. "When we beat the Steelers."
Let's hope Hall has a happy gameday this Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.
