In this the third week of “Pro Pig,” there are three clashes involving cities/areas with likely or certain, upcoming baseball tournament teams.
The highlight football game also matches last year’s World Series opponent cities as L.A. (victorious in a 6 game World Series that culminated a “season” of only 10 times that many games) (Rams) meet the defending Supe champion, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay houses the repeat NHL champion, Lightning while the L.A. Lakers, who titled for an NBA record tying (if you count their 5 George Mikan and Jim Pollard led Minneapolis crowns) with the Lightning in “bubble” 2020, were eliminated in the first round of the most recent NBA ‘offs.
Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays (0-2) in previous World Series, (the Bucs are (2-0) in Supes/NFL final round entities), will be the A.L. one seed while the L.A. Dodgers, at the moment, despite baseball’s second best record, could end up an N.L. “4” seed, as they trail the San Francisco Giants by one game in the 1 or 4 seed battle.
Joe Buck “presides” on Fox at 4:25 Eastern for Bucs (-2) at the Rams.
At night “Alfalfa” Michaels, who “presided” in 3 straight Tom Brady/New England Supes, in which Tom’s team only won 1, but with the “rotation” broken, enabling Mr. Michaels to call a Supe as his last tilt, is on Green Bay (plus 3 and a fraction) at San Francisco. Michaels should have been on the ’20 season Brady Tampa Bay win Supe, instead he gets a Supe, (Brady and T.B. are plurality “faves” but nearly 3 to 1 underdogs to be participants, at this point) in his last year.
In baseball, S.F. has the current (100-54) Giants (the Giants, still in New York won it all in “same calendar” 1954 beating the Indians, who last “titled” in “same calendar” 1948. The (99-55) Dodgers still in Brooklyn won the title in ’55 and also “titled” in “same calendar” 1965) while Green Bay/Milwaukee has the N.L. “2” seed Brewers.
“Plug,” as if they need it. The tilt is Sunday night on NBC, commencing at say 8:20 Eastern Time. I will opt for “American Rust” on Showtime.
The third “pig” clash between cities/areas with baseball ‘offs contenders/ in their cases current 2 game loss column leaders to be participants, is the “ho hum” (0-2) Atlanta Falcons at the (0-2) New York Giants, beginning at 1 P.M. Eastern Time, on a Fox regional ‘cast.
Atlanta’s baseball Braves are (81-72) one and a fraction up on the (80-74) Philadelphia Phillies in a bid to win the one eighth N.L. East/N.L. “3” seed.
Meanwhile the New York Yankees, 20 games over “break even,” at (87-67) lead both ’77 expansion teams, the losers of 4 out of 5, Toronto Blue Jays and the winners of 6 straight, Seattle Mariners by 2 games for ‘offs qualification.
There will be more updates as the eventual 10 team baseball “tournament” approaches. Please do not confuse it with the epic, no safety net/bogus wild card PENNANT (to be 1 of 2) races between the teams (Giants and Dodgers) in ’51 and ’62 or the one quarter division race of “same calendar” 1971. Even the “one team is the spoiler” events of 1934 and 1982 exceeds this Giants/Dodgers race to be the N.L. one seed, as the “reg” runner-up gets into the tournament, as the four seed.
Subsequently, said 4 seed, if it wins a 10 to 8 teams left, one game ‘off, a big if, vs historical rival St. Louis (Cardinals), who have won 11 straight games and have a 4 plus games lead for qualification, would play the other, for the first time ever in a scheduled post-season entity. More on it, as the season plays out over the final 11 days. Right now the Giants lead L.A. (the Dodgers) by 2 games and the teams have baseball’s two best records.
Butlers was a 5 and 10 store on Tuckahoe Road and in years, multiples of 5 from this one (2021), the Cards have great history, as yet again I realized too late, at least, a bogus wild card spot was “in the Cards.”
“St. Loo” made and won all 5 of its World Series appearances in the “multiples of 5 and 10 years” from 2021, doing so in 1926, 1931, 1946 and in two with lead broadcaster, Mike Shannon (2006 and 2011-we need the “20” in front of each, as there were World Series in 1906 and 1911) (Shannon in his 49th and final season as Cards’ broadcaster, is not a very good one, however he played ball in a great National League and is tolerable in a way, Ralph “King Kong” Kiner was–he really can not play by play that well, an actual downgrade from the extremely over rated Jack Buck, his mentor of sorts).
Of course there is Yankees’ presence in the “multiples” history, They won World Series in 1936, 1941, 1951,1956,1961 and 1996. All those teams were great, the ’36 and ’61 versions, among the greatest ever.
In five other “multiples” years, the Yankees won pennants, but lost the Fall Classic. (1921,1926,1976,1981 and 2001).
Two other “glory” franchises, the aforementioned Giants and Dodgers have “multiples of 5 and 10” history, the Giants with pennants in 1911,1921, 1936 and 1951 while the Dodgers took the N.L. crown in 1916,1941,1956,1966 and 1981.
Neither team fared well in those year’s subsequent World Series, as only in 1921 and 1981 did either team “title.”
The four teams cited above have accounted for 25 of the 46 World Series appearances in the 23 previous “multiples 5/10 from 2021” years.
Among others, the Red Sox, who lead by 3 games for qualification this year, have that many “multiples” W.S. appearances, winning with Babe Ruth and Smoky” Joe Wood (they traded the great Tris Speaker in April) and others in 1916 and losing 7 game World Series in both ’46 and ’86.
Five teams have 2 such appearances, the A’s (won in 1911, lost in ’31), Reds (won in ’76, lost in ’61), Cubs (won in 2016, lost in 1906), Orioles (won in ’66, lost in ’71) and Braves (lost both, doing so in ’91 and ’96). Among the five, only the Braves (up 3 in the div, 4 in the loss column) figure to be in the 2021 “tournament.”
Eight teams have one such appearance, the White Sox, an almost certain A.L. three seed in 2021, Pirates, Mets, Twins, Diamondbacks, winning while the Tigers, Rangers and Indians all appearing subsequent to the 5 one time winners, lost.
Also the 7 teams other than the Chi-Sox, all will fail to make this year’s playoffs/tournament.
In the “Twilight Zone” episode, “Cavender is Coming,” the great Carol Burnett is “Agnes Grep,” being “helped” by angel, “Cavender” played by Jesse White.
Ms. Grep, again played by Carol Burnett, has a job at a theatre, names are called for assignments and one of the names is “Burnett.”
Last night, (of course no football and put me down in the latter category as strong, strong dislike as “Awful Announcing” stated it is love or hate, regarding (my words) the abrasive, Gus Johnson.
What in my opinion was even worse than his ridiculous call of the Joseph “muff” FG, (spelling out FOX in his offensive, ridiculous, ABRASIVE way) was his narration on the 50 year anniversary of the Nebby/Oklahoma classic.
Again n opinion, that he, along with Trump and S.A. Smith are in my top 3, as to why or at least a strong indication of this crumbling society/exponentially lowered standards. Also not that more than a handful of the men announcers are good, but, and I am a feminist, who thinks women would have done far better than us men, running the world, does every broadcast or most, have to contain a woman?!! I emphatically opine, no and the fact they do is also absurd/offensive. Those women in almost every case, if not all, did not “live and breathe” sports, the way many men did, most of all, forever to be denied, me.)
Speaking of women, flipping channels and on to “The L Word/ Generation Q” on Showtime.
There is a character named “Pippa.” Quickly to the Twilight Zone on MeTV, and the great Jack Klugman’s character has a son named “Pip” in the episode “In Praise of Pip.”
I was watching “The Express,” about Ernie Davis and while learning eventual Browns’ player John Brown was portrayed, the internet/”informer of death” “told” me, the great offensive lineman, Dick Schafrath had died weeks back.
Thoughts and emotions flooded, recalling how my parents and grandmother told me about Ernie Davis dying, that the great Jim Brown, whose home I visited twice, so admired and liked Dick Schafrath and that on one glorious late December day in ’64 (no, unlike in “The Four Seasons” seminal “December 1963, which also evokes Bill Wade, ’twas not first time sex), nine year old me sat on an upholstered chair with my parents (Dad was a New York Giants fan) and grandmother, watching “my” Cleveland Browns win the 1964 NFL crown vs the great John Unitas and the Baltimore Colts.
Schafrath was a many time Pro Bowl and all league offensive tackle, who blocked for 3 Hall of Fame running backs, Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell and Leroy Kelly.
In a highly emotional and beautiful moment cited here, those 3 greats wheeled another such, guard Gene Hickerson on stage, when Gene was inducted into the Pro Hall.
At the time, Jim Brown talked of Dick Schafrath being next. It did not happen while Dick walked the earth, a disgrace.
However, in reality, Dick’s greatness need not be affirmed by many who never saw him play and clearly a symptom of this greatly wounded society, know NOT what is good and what is NOT.
Rounding out that great offensive line, in addition to Dick and Gene, there were 3 Johns, the aforementioned Brown, (still with us and the Jack Buckley character, played by Omar Benson Miller in “The Express,” is based on him as he played at Syracuse with Ernie Davis), Wooten a superb guard also alive and center Morrow, whom we lost in 2017.
What a group, what a team. “Stone” and things said sometimes do hurt, but without him, add John Brewer, Gary Collins, Paul Warfield, Dr. Frank Ryan, an Ernie with Jim, named Green and of course #32, also the # address where I saw Dick Schafrath and the Browns win that title, now so long ago.
Of course the defense “bent but never broke” and that December 27th day, shutout the Baltimore Colts. I named only the offensive unit.
The superb player, Dick Schafrath, pictured above.
Today, in a “no matter what,” poor, poor imitation, television controlled, 11 or so start in Norman, Oklahoma, 23 point underdog Nebraska, visits Oklahoma, nearly 50 years after what my friend, college football expert, the late Beano Cook, called football’s greatest game ever (a same locale, 35-31 “Nebby” win, en route to a repeat, mythical, but clearly deserved, national crown), which was played on “Turkey Day” 1971, also the last time people came here on that day.
Jeff Kinney carried the ball 31 times for 171 yards, that day in ’71, and scored 4 touchdowns in that famed tilt, the last with about 90 seconds to play, putting Nebraska ahead to stay.
Apparently, there will be a reunion involving players from both teams at the half of tomorrow’s tilt, which I predict will be an Oklahoma win/no cover. Sooners 34 Huskers 21
An excellent article by Sam McKewon in The Omaha World-Herald follows.
Nebraska-Oklahoma provides irresistible memories and an intriguing opportunity
It is nostalgia, not my additions today. Click below to view the great Johnny Rodgers punt return touchdown, which opened the scoring (Nebby 7-0). Lyell Bremser, then the Huskers’ broadcaster makes the iconic “call.”
Mr. Rodgers, not Rogers, also had a punt return touchdown, as Nebraska claimed the title in a rout, Orange Bowl win vs Alabama, on New Year’s Night 1972.
Day after day goes and within them loss, such as the terrible news that Sherman Drusin, a truly good man wed to my glorious teacher and friend June for nearly 60 years had died unexpectedly.
I am so glad that I met him, each of us going on and on about and showing collectibles while June looked on in their beautiful Florida home just before the “still here” pandemic moved in full force in late February, 2020.
Sherman was also my friend, a truly good classy man, always willing to listen, advise and help. What a loss, however the still young and beautiful inside and out, June will go on just as Sherman would have wanted.
As a slight tribute, I reveal that in a game at Oakland Coliseum on Bat Day before 45,000 plus fans on June’s birthday in 1970, the father of a future multi time title winning manager pinch hit for the fine player, Dick Green.
The replacement at second base for the “lifted” Mr. Green was a 3 time title winning manager, who incredibly at age 78 has essentially already guided the Chicago White Sox to a one eighth/ A.L. Central crown currently leading the aforementioned son of the pinch hitter’s team by a wide margin.
Can you name the father and son while I have all but named the 3 time title winning manager.
I read in “my” Boston Globe headlines/come on/ad that the great Minnesota Vikings’ center Mick Tingelhoff had died at age 81 and yesterday Fred Stanfield, a center on two Boston Bruins’ title teams (’70 and ’72) and eventually traded to Minnesota (North Stars) had died.
Stanfield was the center on a Bruins’ line with Johnny’s, “Pie” McKenzie and the great “Chief” Johnny Bucyk (The Bruins had a “Chief and two titles with Mr. Bucyk before the Celtics won 3 with Robert “The Chief” Parish on its starting five).
He came to the Bruins along with the great Phil Esposito (a 5th title, 3 as a commentator on Lightning tilts and the two with the Bruins but since brother Tony, great rival Rod Gilbert and teammate Stanfield have passed on) and Ken Hodge in a famed 6 player deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Mr. Tingelhoff was an all pro center on some excellent, memorable Minnesota Vikings’ teams that were so consistently in the playoffs, albeit without a crown or even a Supe lead.
It was great to watch that team and Tingelhoff leading them as they scored memorable Saturday afternoon, home playoffs wins vs the powerful Rams in ’69 and veteran George Allen coached Washington teams in ’73 and ’76.
In ’74, Brad and I brought my portable television to his and Alan’s father, Kenny in the hospital, and he and others watched the Vikings “slot 1” the St. Louis Cardinals.
Scotty Bowman, on the left had just coached his record breaking 9th Stanley Cup winning team with the ’02 Detroit Red Wings, passing his mentor Hector “Toe” Blake.
Fred Stanfield, whose Buffalo Sabres denied Scotty’s Canadiens in the ’75 semis, before losing in 6 to the second and to this point, last Philadelphia Flyers’ team, is on the right.
I have a vivid “radio only” memory of Fred scoring on a break away in #4 vs the eventual champion, Montreal Canadiens, fifty years ago.
Al McNeil coached that title team but was replaced by Bowman before the next season. Scotty coached 5 Canadiens’ title teams.
The great center, Mick Tingelhoff, who in 17 seasons, all with the Vikings, never missed a game, is pictured above.
After Emma Raducanu, (as stated here Saturday), in an “all under 20,” U.S. Open final match, defeated Leylah Fernandez in straight sets to complete a mind blowing (the VSiN host said “blowout” as I typed and speaking of VSiN, Gill Alexander on it was “all over it,” (the U.S. Open and the hardcourt tennis season, having a great percentage, numerous wins on Raducanu and a plus 575 “future” that also cashed) “Open” performance, in which she did NOT lose a set, yesterday Daniil Medvedev made Novak Djokovic’s calendar grand slam hopes, “so far away,” winning (6-4) in all 3 sets.
Thus only Don Budge in 1938 and Rod Laver in both ’62 and ’69 have won “calendar men’s grand slams” on the men’s circuit. (Noting that in those 3 years a New York team, the Yankees in ’38 and ’62 and the Mets in 100 win but “miracle” ’69, won the title. The teams clashed over the past weekend and each currently hovering just out of playoffs qualification, while a “dangerous” (who is not in baseball if it gets in the prostituted 10 teams ‘offs field?!) team if it gets in, but a long shot to “title” at this point.)
Emma Raducanu winning and holding a trophy. Leylah Fernandez, the “Open” second place finisher, also was/is a nice story.
Daniil Medvedev, pictured above.
There are a pair of very intriguing U.S. Open Tennis Final Round matches upcoming.
Today, beginning at 4 P.M. Eastern Time, a pair of unseeded women players, still in their teens, 17 year old Leylah Fernandez and 19 year old Emma Raducanu, will meet for the title.
Tomorrow, also beginning at 4 or so and “bucking” (for me sound off with the tennis (Fowler/McEnroe) and football with Buck, if it were into N.Y. which the “Emperor’s” GB/New Orleans in Jacksonville due to Hurricane Ida, is not. Sound off for Nantz and especially Romo, for “piped into N.Y. market,” K.C./Cleveland), NFL action in the ratings “prostitution game,” Novak Djokovic with the great Rod Laver in attendance, will seek to become the first men’s calendar “Grand Slam” winner since Mr. Laver did so in 1969, when he faces the formidable Daniil Medvedev, in the title match.
Mr. Laver, now 82 years old, also accomplished the feat in 1962. Don Budge, referenced in the 1982 film, “Annie,” with such as Albert Finney, Aileen Quinn and Carol Burnett in the stellar cast, is the only other man, to accomplish the ” Calendar Grand Slam” feat, having done so in 1938.
The legendary Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly (1953), Margaret Smith Court (1970) and Stef Graf in 1988 are the only women to do so. (Opinion: Mrs. Smith Court, (I will not “Ms” her), however, her truly backward, I believe homophobic views that she has aired publicly, do diminish her “full picture,” in my book.
Alas, per Archie Bunker’s Place, certainly paraphrasing, “maybe we will not be judged at all, so why judge now?!”).
On another Thursday, now incredibly, inexorably and on this day after Rosh Hashanah, it is 56 years since Sandy Koufax pitched a perfect game vs the Chicago Cubs, on Thursday night September 9, 1965 at Dodger Stadium.
Cubs’ hurler Bob Hendley pitched a great game as well, yielding but one hit, that to eventual “#7 World Series “open the scoring,” home run hitting,” Lou Johnson, that did not figure in the game’s lone run being scored.
In a post from the day of this memorable game’s 50th anniversary, (below) there is more on the tilt and photos of Sandy and Bob Hendley (ADD moment–watching “The Graduate,” it from 1967 and with “more gas father?” when Dustin Hoffman’s “Benjamin pretended to be a Reverend, his character says Elaine Robinson, adding the last name, much as Mr. Hoffman, who narrated “Jews in Baseball,” which certainly highlighted Sandy and his perfect game, did in “Rain Man,” some 21 years later).
Essentially, as one who does not formally “observe” the Jewish High Holy Days, I do note or “observe,” that later in 1965, Sandy did not pitch the opener of the World Series vs the Harmon Killebrew led Minnesota Twins. He did not pitch in that game as it fell on Yom Kippur.
Minnesota beat both Sandy in #2 the next day and another great, Don Drysdale (one day, my interviews, Amy McQuillin recorded with Sandy, Don and another Don, (Sutton) will get “out there”) in the aforementioned Series opener.
However, L.A. rallied to win the World Series behind Sandy’s 3 hit shutout in game 7, evoking a great and classy line, from Twins’ manager Sam Mele.
Asked by reporters what the key to the World Series was, Sam replied “not enough Jewish holidays.”
50 Years Since Sandy Koufax Pitched a Perfect Game on September 9, 2015
Andy B Sports 