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Tampa Resident Finds Way To Attend Every Super Bowl

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By ANWAR S. RICHARDSON

arichardson@tampatrib.com

Published: January 26, 2009

TAMPA - Regina Henschel did not fully grasp her fiance's love for football until the couple began making wedding plans for Oct. 16, 1976.

Tom Henschel proposed to Regina only a few months after they began dating. They both worked as reservation agents for Northwest Airlines in Miami, and were married eight months after their first jai alai date.

As they made honeymoon plans, Henschel convinced Regina to meet the love of his life.

"We got married in Detroit because that's where she's from, and the day after the game, she thought we were headed on our honeymoon to the islands," said Henschel, a Pennsylvania native who now resides in Tampa. "I said, 'We have to go to Pittsburgh to watch the Steelers game.' It was a must-win game. Pittsburgh was playing Cincinnati and we had to win that game."

The Steelers won, 23-6, and Henschel's victory was landing a woman who accepted his love for football, and more importantly, Super Bowls.

Henschel, 67, has managed to secure tickets and attend every Super Bowl, starting with the first when Green Bay defeated Kansas City, 35-10, on Jan. 15, 1967, in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He is eagerly anticipating his 43rd Super Bowl this year in Tampa.

"I had two tickets that were given to me for the first Super Bowl," Henschel said. "I got out to the Coliseum and I called a cousin, who I never saw before that game and I've never seen her since, and we went to that game.

"There were like 35,000 no-shows for that game. It was half-empty. It didn't mean much."

The following game meant so little, Henschel was given tickets again and watched Green Bay defeat Oakland, 33-14, in Super Bowl II. He then spent $12 to watch Joe Namath lead the New York Jets to a 16-7 upset victory against Baltimore the following year.

Henschel was hooked on attending Super Bowls after that game.

"I would just go to the games without a ticket. Many, many years," Henschel said. "It just felt like I had to go. Football has been in my blood since I was a little kid.

"My dad used to take me to all the football games. I lived right next to the high school. I'd go to watch them practice every day after school. I'm just into football for some reason."

His love for Super Bowls was so contagious, his wife eventually became hooked.

When Pittsburgh, Henschel's favorite team, played Dallas in Super Bowl XIII, he had trouble obtaining tickets. Regina noticed a newspaper ad saying the NFL office in New York had a few seats for the Orange Bowl and she sent them this poem:

"Tom Henschel is my name

Football is my game

I have 12 in my frame

13 is my aim."

The NFL promptly sent him four tickets on the 50-yard line.

"I thought writing a request and the secretary seeing a poem, she might say, 'It's different,'" Regina said. "It worked."

Henschel worked so hard to attend every Super Bowl, his wife rewarded him.

He has a room in their home dedicated specifically to Super Bowl memorabilia. Henschel has every Super Bowl program and fan souvenirs, including seat cushions, in his home.

Of course, Henschel keeps his most prized possessions, like his Super Bowl tickets, in a safe deposit box. The couple never had children, making football their prized possession.

"Super Bowl has been the baby," Henschel said.

Henschel has worked his magic to attend every game usually by purchasing tickets from friends or scalpers. The NFL sends him one complimentary ticket a year because of his Super Bowl streak, but Henschel still has to find a ticket for his wife, or any other family members who want to attend.

"The most I paid for a ticket was $1,500 and that is when Dallas and the Steelers were playing in Arizona Super Bowl XXX," Henschel said. "I tell you what, those two teams have more draw than any other team.

"There were about 40,000 fans who couldn't get into the game. It was scary outside of the stadium. You couldn't move. People could not find tickets. ... People just can't believe someone has accomplished this, but to me, I have to go. It's like a drug. I have to go to the game."

Henschel expects to kick his habit soon.

The cross-country travel takes a toll on his 67-year-old body, while the ticket costs, hotel expenses, meal costs and souvenir costs also have become a burden.

His ultimate goal is to flip the coin at Super Bowl L before calling it quits and dispersing all his Super Bowl memorabilia among his nieces and nephews.

"Friends say you're crazy to spend that type of money on a ticket when you can probably go and watch it on TV and see it a little better," Henschel said. "There have been times I've been sitting in nosebleed seats to watch the game, but I have to be inside."

Henschel has to see Super Bowls, the love of his life.

Reporter Anwar S. Richardson can be reached at (813) 259-8425.

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