Perhaps the best way to remember Tony Esposito, a superb goaltender, who died last week at age 78 and also unlike in other obituaries from far more read sources, cite his big bad play in a “slightly important,” game 7 of the ’71 final, is to imagine Tony’s “heaven meeting” with Bill Buckner.
Before that, again Tony was a superb goaltender, I recall best, being brilliant, “radio only” at New York, vs the Rangers in #’s 3 and 4 of Tony’s Chicago Blackhawks’ team “semi” in ’73.
Buckner greets Tony and cites the amount of “ink” on his error in #6/’86 W.S. juxtaposed with seemingly, no mention of Tony not only losing despite a (2-0) lead in #7/’71 final vs Montreal (Canadiens), but allowing a long goal from center ice or so, from the great Jacques Lemaire, that cut the Habs’ deficit to (2-1).
Tony laughs and it is on to other things.
Tony Esposito, a marvelous goaltender, pictured and by all known standards, headed above.
Robert Dubac’s insightful, humorous, mind opening show, “Book Of Moron,” playing at Soho Playhouse (15 Vandam Street in New York City) is simply fantastic!
It was well worth my harrowing, poor directions/ mucho traffic/not good GPS, experience, that mercifully, did not keep me from seeing this superb talent and show.
Mr. Dubac took us in and “out of the box,” dropping quips, one liners and also insight, that may just help us circumvent the utterly disappointing, hypocritical, “how did this happen” world of 2021 and seemingly beyond.
Most of all, “Book Of Moron,” originally directed by the late great Garry Shandling and evoking memories of the legendary George Carlin, is truly hilarious.
In addition to the rapid fire, truly plentiful great satire, Mr. Dubac, also known as Bob (I talked with him and he is quite friendly and insightful, a tonic for today’s stress) displays some really good sleight of hand in the 90 minute. beautifully paced and poised performance.
Click below for more information and an easy way to purchase tickets.
The Book of Moron | SoHo Playhouse | Theater in New York
A brilliant talent and performer, Robert Dubac, pictured above.
You can take my word for it, currently ESPN.com in its standings with current win or loss streaks, lists the Washington Nationals (by the way, they will rank as an all-time value team–see both the NY and SF Giants–having won it all 2 years back in the last real baseball/whoreball season and now are a give up, 15 games under .500 team) as having lost 3 straight games.
Sorry. Monolith, the fact is they have lost 4 straight games.
I could watch the Alfred Hitchcock directed film, “Strangers on a Train,” over and over, as its great cast, led by “villain” Robert Walker and “supporting sister,” Pat Hitchcock, the daughter of Mr. Hitchcock and film editor Alma Reville, who died days back at age 92, leaves an indelible, great impression.
Pat Hitchcock, who later would appear in 10 “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” episodes and “hit it out” with her “he probably noticed my wedding ring” line in “Psycho,” showed great versatility within her “Barbara Morton” character, the sister of Ruth Roman’s Anne (Farley Granger played Anne’s lover and “Hitch’s” cameo was carrying a large musical instrument onto a bus) in “Strangers on a Train.”
Ms. Hitchcock, who later was executive producer of the documentary, “The Man on Lincoln’s Nose,” about Robert F. Boyle’s great career, did much to preserve and promote her father’s immortal works, truly had “acting chops.”
At the end of her first episode on “Presents,” which aired in October/1955, Mr. Hitchcock peaks through the curtain after walking off the screen and says “I though the little leading lady was very good.”
Hopefully, in line with what Patricia’s upbringing taught, she is hearing praise for her wonderful “earth life,” in a better place now.
Patricia “Pat” Hitchcock pictured above.
Somehow I recall it being “a day after” Tuesday, when I first heard, that despite pitching 10 and one third innings of no hit baseball, the excellent, hard throwing Cincinnati Reds’ pitcher, Jim Maloney, had lost the game (1-0) to the New York Mets, 56 years ago (Monday night June 14, 1965 at (as Lindsey Nelson intoned) “Crosley Field in Cincinnati–I guess in some ways Lindsey and other greats are “still living on the air in/from Cincinnati) , in same calendar 1965.
There is so much to this tilt, not the least of which is a fond reminder of why baseball WAS so great and despite all its leaders have done in diminishing its greatness, perhaps and clearly, in at least some aspects, still is.
Let’s go negative, a largely futile, veritable “Ethiopia spears against Mussolini’s bombing.” (In the end, I believe Selig, Manfred and all the bottom line whores will have to answer).
Yes, the negative derived from the game involves a Reds’ third year second baseman, who pointed out by Bob Murphy, runs to first base after drawing a walk, named Pete Rose is still and likely always will be denied entry to a so cheapened, (but again baseball oh baseball–how I once loved thee)–Baseball Hall of Fame.
Pete goes out, R-Fielder “F. Robi” (Frank Robinson) comes in, catches the ball for an out.
When Pete joined the Cincinnati team in 1963, a year Reverend Dr. King gathered “a start” to a better situation at the (need I say Abraham, I hope not, but fear I do) Lincoln Memorial, for people so long denied basic rights in this hypocritical, money is all, but still hope for it, me and potential, he was shunned by many players, who resented his bidding for the fine player, but no Pete Rose, Don Blasingame’s second base job.
Leaving out the end, when Frank, who I truly loved as a player and was at least cordial, the couple of times I met him, was against Pete, how great it was that Pete, Frank and Vada Pinson “hung out” a bit, transcending racial barriers, that despite what you see in commercials, are still quite prevalent, these 58 years later.
OK baseball. Maloney is facing Frank Lary. Neither pitcher allows a run for 8 innings. In an ultimate Lary/Larry (tip of the hat to another Larry and all of Jesse and Arlene’s wonderful family) 11 inning shutout win, it is Larry Bearnarth, who relieves Frank Lary.
Meanwhile Maloney, which rhymes with Toney (see Hippo Vaughn vs Fred Toney, in baseball’s only no-hitter by each team’s pitcher, also almost by definition, not decided in 9 innings. Imagine, if Manfred was involved and put a runner on second to start an inning!!), hurled 10 and a third, no hit innings, eventually tying Warren Spahn (at 44 years old Spahn was the next night’s Mets’ pitcher), N.L. (Tom Cheney still holds the major league record with 21, continuing the link to civil rights, but perhaps doing so in annoying and certainly highly tangential fashion, James Chaney was a civil rights worker slain), record 18 strikeouts in an extra inning game, set on the same date, 13 years earlier.
I can go on with the coincidences and facts culled from this game. Perhaps I will some day.
Earlier, the great civil rights leader, M.L. King was cited, now another, one John Lewis.
Another with that name, going by Johnny, made at least one night history, as it was Johnny Lewis, cited as being in a slump, as was the team with 10 straight losses, (the current Mets have lost 7 of 8 and last week went from 3 and a half ahead to two and a half out and in third place, in their “one eighth” division), whose 1 out home run handed Maloney, an eventual crushing defeat.
More on this game and time with perspective and yes opinions (you know what they say about opinions and a specific part of the body, however, I add that I feel as a caring person, entitlement to at least some portion of the moral “higher ground.”)
Cue Stevie Wonder and maybe we can, each of us/U.S./ (I have to get off at the exit, citing it and see the General Grant Memorial), SEE a bit better.
Johnny Lewis, born 82 years ago on this date and one year before John Lewis, is pictured above.
When I chose to “post” regarding the Mets/Reds June 14, 1965 game, I had no idea today is the anniversary of Lewis’ birth.
A bit disturbing, the all powerful, in this case, I believe Yahoo, lists a same name department store before the great civil rights activist, John Lewis.
This despite a current book, which I will “link” (is that the term?) below.
There were three repeat matchups from August 5-August 8, 44 years later.
In 1977, August 7th was a Sunday, in 2021 it was a Saturday.
The Reds, reeling under .500, having lost “Doggy,” (the great Tony Perez) and Don Gullett from their awesome 2 straight title teams, after losing the opener vs Pittsburgh on Friday August 5, 1977 won the next two.
These 44 years later, Cincy won all 3 from the Pirates (Friday August 6-Sunday August 8) and have a realistic shot at playoffs qualification.
In 1977, the eventual World Champion, New York Yankees began an incredible run of 40 wins in 50 games (the Reds did similar, if not the same in ’75 and also won it all while one of the full season non title winning Dodgers team may have won 41 of 50 in the last 5 or so years) with a Sunday August 7th win at Seattle vs the Mariners.
44 years later, the Yankees made it 10 of 12 after three home wins vs “Sea,” before losing yesterday (Sunday August 8th), 44 years to the day after the surge starting win on August 7, 1977.
Finally the Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos were each completely out of the then much better “one quarter” division race when the Braves won 3 of 4 from August 4-August 7, 1977.
“Henry Aaron”/44 years later, in this first ever Atlanta Braves season with Henry not on this angst ridden earth (yesterday despite sitting in traffic with bathroom need and the card saying “come in and get one, having filled out a survey” I was denied a 20 dollar Visa card plus 24 years later, the “Baba,” who wed 44 years ago on August 7th and had an (11-3) pro Yankees and probably telling, vs the Mets, week after his “not even appeasing regarding paying” call), Atlanta took the Washington Nationals (the Expos became the Nationals), winning on Thursday, Friday and Sunday and trail the Philadelphia Phillies by 2 games, (the Mets, who started the week 3 and a half games ahead are two and a half game out) in the relatively weak, one eighth N.L. East.
Ward Bond had a prolific movie and television career which included “The Searchers,” in the former category and “Wagon Train” in the latter one.
Mr. Bond died far too young in Dallas, Texas on November 5, 1960.
Three days later, John F. Kennedy was elected president.
Tragically, 3 years and 17 days later, Mr. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.
Ward Bond, pictured above.
In remembering the superb pitcher, J.R. Richard, who died today at age 71 and had suffered a horrible stroke years back, that for at least a veritable second shut up the doubting media, I choose a positive story relayed to me in 1988 by then aspiring manager, Dusty Baker.
Eleven years earlier, on the last day of that ’77 season, Dusty still needed one home run to join teammates Steve Garvey, Ron Cey and Reggie Smith with 30 or more home runs, making that eventual baseball runner up team, the first to have 4 such homer hitters.
As Mr. Baker tells the story, he was glad that his manager Lasorda had confidence in him to do so but worried that his proclamation he would do so (hit #30), would give J.R. Richard, already a superb pitcher, more incentive.
Richard did yield the homer #30 to Dusty and also struck out 300 or more batters the next two seasons.
Sadly his career was cut short by a stroke he suffered in 1980. The media speculation criticizing J.R. without knowing the facts is a sad reminder of the event and a portent of even worse such media “speculation” that permeates today’s airwaves and print outlets.
On a positive note, it is the tremendous respect Baker had for one of his peers/opponents, J.R. Richard that resonated then and to this day.
Go easy, throw hard, J.R. Richard.
At his best, J.R. Richard, pictured and headed above, was one of the best pitchers in the last 50 or so years.
While I still opt for the 1980 NLCS as the best such entity, by a decent margin, the 1972 ALCS between the A’s and Detroit Tigers was not only not “chopped liver,” (I do not know why chopped liver is demeaned, as prepared right, is delicious), but an all-time great one.
Twice in the best of 5 series, eventually won by the Oakland Athletics, en route to the first of three straight titles, a home team, the A’s in inning 11 of #1 (Gonzalo Marquez’ hit and the great Al Kaline’s throwing error, after Al had hit a solo homer in the top half of the frame, ended the tilt) and the “Tigs” in #4, to set up a great #5, (2-1) Oakland win, overcame last at bat deficits to win.
Detroit down (2-0) in the series and by 2 runs in game 4, scored 3 runs in their last at bat, game 4 win.
In a future post, more on game 5, in which “Blues,” John “Blue Moon” Odom and Vida Blue combined for great 1 run allowed pitching, to (2-1) Detroit, and advance to an eventual 7 game W.S. triumph vs the Cincinnati Reds.
Vida Blue, pictured above, is a Rivkah favorite and friend.
He pitched brilliantly, in a 4 inning relief stint, in game 5 of the A’s pennant clinching win in 1972.
It was their pennant in 41years, a span of time that included years in Philadelphia, Kansas City and Oakland.
They went on to capture their first World Series wins in 42 years.
Today is a good day for ViSN, as after a pretty long absence Pauly Howard returned and after a two week vacation, Gill Alexander comes back.
Thus far, there has been no discussion of why Howard missed so much time.
Concerning both talented individuals, Alexander and Howard, I would like to hear a “review” of the playoffs from each one.
Andy B Sports 