No, Lake Placid was 30 years later. The "Miracle on grass" was the U.S. over England in the 1950 World Cup. I doubt many Americans noticed.

Also, the U.S. hockey team didn't beat the Russians for gold. That was in the semis on Friday. The gold medal game was against Finland Sunday morning.

Funny how things said the other day escape us and things that happened decades ago remain in our memories with eerie specificity. I was living in Madison with a girlfriend while looking for a job. (A few weeks later the job came along, in Dallas, and that was the end of us for all practical purposes. I still wonder sometimes about that untaken road). We were having dinner Friday night at Cyndi's mom's house when her uncle Don called and blurted out the news. This was back in the days when there was no internet or other form of 24/7 news other than radio. There were three TV channels and anything of interest was shown in prime time, even if tape delayed. Uncle Don, a big hockey fan who had let us sit in his seats for several Badger games, heard it on the radio and couldn't wait to share the joy. I guess it didn't matter. We watched the game anyway, knowing the outcome, and literally came out of our seats when Madison's own Mark Johnson knocked in what proved to be the game winner. "Do you believe in miracles?!" -- Al Michaels with the call. Goalie Jim Craig scanning the crowd for his father. The team pigpile on the ice. Flags waving. The "U.S.A.!" chant when it was new, not obnoxious. It remains one of my favorite sports memories.




>I doubt it was originally described that way... it is a reference to the U.S. victory over Russia for Olympic gold in ice hockey, dubbed "Miracle on Ice" (and I thought *that* was a martini). From the cbc website:
>
>Thirty years before a bunch of American college hockey players stunned the powerful Russians at Lake Placid, the U.S. soccer team pulled off the greatest upset in World Cup history when it defeated England. Late in the first half, Walter Bahr launched a long-range shot on the English net. Joe Gaetjens dove headlong and made enough contact with the ball to send it past the reach of the goalkeeper and into the back of the net. The U.S. went on to beat England 1-0 in the "Miracle on Grass."
>
>>Ah yes. I'd never heard the expression though.
>>
>>>U.S. over England in the 1950 World Cup. More of a fluke than a miracle, but it still happened. "You could look it up," to quote the noted American philosopher Casey Stengel.
>>>
>>>
>>>>Say what?
>>>>
>>>>>1950 Miracle on Grass?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>>Figure the odds on the U.S. beating England in soccer (I don't think there are many 'Miracles on Grass' in one lifetime)? We stand a better chance at wrestling :0) I think it was meant as a compliment on your debating skills... :o)
>>>>>>
>>...