Notes, We Have Some, Not That Many, Notes

While so much attention has been paid another Will Smith (doubtful the great actress Mildred Dunnock whose “Salesman” character spoke such, would have approved), Texas Rangers’ pitcher, albeit without a great contribution this post-season, has become the first baseball player, likely any major North American sports player, to be a member of 3 straight, different title teams. (the ’21 Braves when he was brilliant in post-season–those “bleeps” who run it, are starting to realize it is essentially the only season, ’22 ‘Stros and now the first time in 62 completed seasons, title winning Texas Rangers).

This was the eighth time in nine seasons that the once “Fall Classic” was clinched by the road team (’14 with Bruce Bochy’s Giants, ’15-’21 with a neutral site (the Texas ballpark in ’20, bridging the fact the World Series had been clinched in the state (Texas) in which ‘they’ killed President Kennedy, nearly 60 years ago, a record four straight seasons (’19-’22).

I believe the only other time (again please do the research, maybe at some point, I will) such occurred was from (’54-’62) with the lone home title clinching win, being Pittsburgh (Pirates) (all-time homers by Hal Smith and Bill Mazeroski) in 1960.

Here’s one: The 1953 clincher was by the team at bat, the New York Yankees, yielding a record fifth straight title (Billy Martin “tuned in” Hank Bauer, the once or say future Texas Rangers’ “MGR’s” then record twelfth hit of that series).

In ’52, the Yankees won it at Brooklyn, one of 4 times they clinched the title there, so it is back to 1951 when before 1963 a home team clinched the crown while in the field.

Alfred Emanuel “Billy” Martin, pictured above also helped save the ’52 W.S. for the Yankees grabbing a bases loaded pop fly hit by the great Jackie Robinson, when nobody else went for it.

Down the “notes” road: 2/3 years and citing Joe Carter’s accomplishments.