Pittsburgh/Cleveland Notes

The cities of Pittsburgh (Penguins)  and Cleveland (Cavaliers) won major sports league titles one Sunday apart in the NHL and NBA respectively.

It is the first time the cities have “titled” together thus each is “happy together” a la “The Happy Together Tour,” which cheered me up a scant 2 days after the (for me), depressing fact the Cavs rode the easy route to get to the finals and then to their credit beat a fine but vastly over rated Golden State Warriors’ team.

Pittsburgh won 12 titles in between the last Cleveland title before the Cavs in 1964 and the referenced one less than a week ago.

The cities have combined to win 13 titles, none at home since the Browns won it all at home in 1964, 4 years after a Pittsburgh team last clinched a title at home in 1960.

It is always nostalgic fun for me to cite Dr. Frank Ryan to Gary Collins for the Cleveland Browns and epic home runs by Hal Smith and Bill Mazeroski for the Pirates. Throw in not as epic but a 2 run clout in game 7 by the Pirates’ Rocky Nelson ain’t chopped liver, which tastes great, by the way.