On Jan. 24, 1982, the Bengals met the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XVI. It was the first time an NFL team from Ohio made it to the big game. It was also the first, and only, time a Super Bowl was held in a cold-weather city - Pontiac, Mich.

But unlike Cincinnati's defeat of the San Diego Chargers in the "Freezer Bowl" in Cincinnati two weeks earlier, this game was not played outdoors. Although the temperature outside was 12 degrees - with a wind-chill of 25 degrees below zero - inside the Silverdome that day it was 72 degrees. The Bengals got off to a slow start and were down 20-0 at halftime. They couldn't overcome the deficit and lost 26-21. Quarterback Ken Anderson set Super Bowl records with 25 completions and a 73.5 completion percentage, and tight end Dan Ross caught a record 11 passes. The Bengals would meet the 49ers again in Super Bowl XXIII in 1989 - and narrowly lose again, 20-16.

Rebecca Goodman

Ohio Moments will appear here daily during 2003. Have a suggestion? Call Rebecca Goodman at rgoodman@enquirer.com or (513) 768-8361.