Donald Crisman has more than a half-century of Super Bowl memories behind him, from taking a 24-hour train ride to Super Bowl II to seeing his beloved New England Patriots win in overtime last year.

But he says the 52nd Super Bowl featuring the Philadelphia Eagles and the Patriots on Sunday just might be his final big game.

The 81-year-old resident of Kennebunk, Maine, is a member of the ever-shrinking sa国际传媒淣ever Miss a Super Bowl Clubsa国际传媒� thatsa国际传媒檚 attended every season finale since its inception in 1967. He has bought his own ticket every year except one.

Crisman was featured in a 2010 Visa commercial along with three friends who had attended every Super Bowl. He is attending this game with a heavy heart because friend Larry Jacobson of San Francisco died last fall. Crisman said attending the game without Larry would be different, and he might not have gone if the Patriots werensa国际传媒檛 in it.

He shared some of his favourite memories with The Associated Press.

Last time in Minneapolis

Crisman prefers the warmer venues for the Super Bowl. But he has fond memories of the last Super Bowl in Minneapolis sa国际传媒� in 1992 at the now-gone Metrodome.

He has a hat from the game bearing the Super Bowl XXVI logo that was signed by Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, quarterback Mark Rypien and wide receiver Gary Clark. He is bringing it with him to this yearsa国际传媒檚 game at U.S. Bank Stadium, built on the site of the old Metrodome, to sa国际传媒渟how and tell it.sa国际传媒�

Super Bowl that almost wasnsa国际传媒檛

Crismansa国际传媒檚 trip to the second Super Bowl in 1968 was an odyssey. He had made arrangements to take a private plane to the game in Miami but an ice storm made it impossible to fly.

Crisman was undaunted and managed to find a train that took 24 hours to get to Miami. sa国际传媒淚 cansa国际传媒檛 believe how many times that train stopped,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚t was agonizing, to say the least.sa国际传媒�

Favourite venues

The Miami area, which will set a record by hosting its 11th Super Bowl in 2020, is Crismansa国际传媒檚 favourite place to see the game. Hesa国际传媒檚 also a fan of San Diego, which has hosted three times.

Crisman is sa国际传媒渘ot a fan of these winter bowls,sa国际传媒� occasionally held at indoor stadiums in Indianapolis, Detroit and Minneapolis. But when asked about his worst experience at a Super Bowl venue, he cannot think of one.

Top plays

The Rhode Island native has been a Patriots fan since the teamsa国际传媒檚 inception in 1960, so his favourite Super Bowl play of all time is fittingly James Whitesa国际传媒檚 overtime, game-winning touchdown last year. Previously, he was the subject of endless teasing because his favourite plays were a pair of field goals.

Specifically, field goals that won Super Bowls for the Patriots in 2002 and 2004.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e been laughed at and kind of ridiculed. sa国际传媒榊ou cansa国际传媒檛 have a field goal be your favourite play,sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淲ell, I do.sa国际传媒�

Will he keep going?

Crismansa国际传媒檚 crew at the Super Bowl included Jacobson and Pittsburgh Steelers fan Tom Henschel and Green Bay Packers fan Bob Cook, who also had attended every game. But the group has dwindled to just him and Henschel after the death of Jacobson last year and Cook, who died in 2011. Hesa国际传媒檚 welcoming Jacobsonsa国际传媒檚 daughter Heather on Sunday and expects to shed a few tears when she sits in what would have been her dadsa国际传媒檚 seat.

His son, Don Jr., called his dad sa国际传媒渢he most consistent force in football.sa国际传媒� He said it will be different when his father no longer goes to the big game. After 51 Super Bowls and counting, the elder Crisman said that day might be coming soon.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 thinking about it,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淏ut this year, Isa国际传媒檓 taking the Patriots.sa国际传媒�

Patrick Whittle, The Associated Press

Like us on and follow us on .