It is said that former USC and then Pats running back, Sam “Bam” (last Bam) Cunningham, who died yesterday, too young at age 71, did more to integrate Alabama in 60 minutes than Martin Luther King did in 60 years. (Of course Dr. King died at age 39). Apparently the quote was “in 20 years.”
However, this no slight to Dr. King and a realization of what makes people tick, which is so sick, that when USC came to Legion Field in Alabama and doubled the home team (42-21) with Sam scoring 2 touchdowns and gaining significant rushing yardage, Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, NOT a racist, accelerated the long overdue process and brought in Black players.
In 1972 a year freshman became eligible to play (Archie Griffin was one such player) and perhaps the year a Black player was on the Alabama roster, Cunningham scored 4 touchdowns, surely most if not all in close, as USC pounded Ohio State in the Rose Bowl (no playoffs then) to complete one of the greatest title seasons ever.
In reality, the game meant little to the victorious Milwaukee Brewers, as they likely will be one eighth “div” winners and the N.L. “2” seed, however, I cite the “Crew’s” (same calendar as ’82, when “The Brew Crew” went to the World Series, losing in 7 to the Cards, the team they victimized yesterday. By the way, (so help me, literally as I typed it, Mitch Moss on ViSN, said “by the way,” it was a second straight Sunday, the Cards lost when the opposition home team scored 3 or more in the bottom of the ninth) 5 run in the 9th, (6-5) win OVER (a “slam” by pinch batter, Daniel Vogelbach, put it over) the Cardinals.
If the Labor Day/today’s “div” lead of the Braves (by 2 over the Phils and 3 plus over the back in it? Mets) holds, it will be another post-season clash between the cities of Milwaukee and Atlanta, however, a first between the second and third cities to “house” the Brewers and Braves. Before Milwaukee and their current Atlanta home, the Braves played in Boston.
Only the great Ed Mathews played for the Braves in all 3 cities. Henry Aaron, an all-time great started his big league career in 1954, the Braves’ first season in Milwaukee.
Perhaps it is inappropriate on levels, however, David Patten (not Patton, not glorification of war or even the military, which respectively make me very sick and a bit sick, the latter because it is jammed down our collective throats), who died tragically in a motorcycle accident, brings back sad 2001, in a good way, as he was a major contributor to the first of 6 Pats’ NFL crowns and now 7 for the young quarterback, not that great then, he helped so much with key catches, most notably on the Supe winning drive. (Note as I am in “rant” form, the “overblown parody of himself, highly over rated coach and especially commentator John Madden, called for the Pats to play for overtime. That was a ridiculous assertion, one “marked as evidence,” vs (Andy B vs Madden, alas he achieved and has mucho dinero, fame and a game that further deteriorates our crumbling football, video games, gambling society) Madden.
Alas this is supposed to be about Patten, a more than adequate receiver, who played on 3 Pats’ title teams as the franchise won 3 in 4 seasons (’01,’03 and ’04).
I believe it was Patten, who dove to the ground for a Brady pass that got N.E. closer for the eventual title winning field goal, kicked by Adam Vinatieri.
Certainly David gathered in touchdown passes from both Drew Bledsoe (remember he reversed what was and became so much more NFL history, by replacing Brady in the road, at Pittsburgh (Cowher is another over rated coaching “not so hot,” witness his HOME playoffs losses) AFC title game/”semis” N.E. win) and Mr. Brad, the latter’s first Supe touchdown pass.
In the movie, “Hard Times,” an excellent one with Charles Bronson, James Coburn and Jill Ireland heading the cast, I note Michael McGuire, still with us at age 87, is excellent as “Chick Gandil.”
This “Gandil” character and the real life player, a truly good one, are unsavory to say the least.
Chick Gandil, the player, was involved in the so called “Black Sox scandal.” I note that the superb player, Ed Roush went to his grave insisting his 1919 Cincinnati Reds team (that franchise was disgracefully called the Redlegs and NOT the Reds, during the anti- Communist frenzy in the 1950’s (cue “The Godfather” I am NOT a Communist, but the blacklist and such were horrible and face it anti-Semitic!!) would have won that Fall Classic, “dump” or no “dump.”
Now to “an only me” fact. Earlier this season (Paul Stone said “season” as I typed it), the Yankees’ Corey Kluber hurled the franchise’s 12th no hit game.
Eight of the previous “such” occurred in Yankees’ title seasons. The other three were in years the Chicago White Sox made post-season play, winning it all in 1917 (Sam Jones had the Yankees’ no hitter that year) and being one quarter “div” winners in ’83 (that was also under Tony La Russa, who is guiding them to a one eighth “div,” somewhat incredibly, these 38 years later. Dave Righetti had the Yankees’ no hitter that season), and ’93 (Jim Abbott/Yankees).
The note will be 12 of 12, either a Yankees title or a Chi Sox ‘offs appearance after a Yankees’ no hit game.
One was a Yankees’ crown, “claimed” 2 games later with a #7 ’56 W.S. win, after Don Larsen’s perfect game in #5 of that last Yankees/Brooklyn Dodgers World Series.
Edd Roush, pictured above, started his big league career with the White Sox, the team his Reds beat in 8 games in the best of 9, 1919 World Series.
Mary (Tyler Moore) as Mary Richards is being interviewed for a great job possibility and the superb actor, Ed Asner, who died days back at age 91, so memorably assesses the Richards character thusly: “You have spunk, (Mary brightens) I hate spunk!!”
It began a great relationship between Ed as “Lou Grant” (Mary’s often “Mister GRAAAANT) and Mary/Mary Richards on the seminal “Mary Tyler Moore Show,” which has lost stellar performers Gavin MacLeod, the great Cloris Leachman and now Asner all within a year.
Perhaps you know awards, especially “competitive” ones in acting are apples/oranges, however it is truly impressive that Mr. Asner racked up more such Emmys in television than any other male performer.
Asner was involved in so many worthy causes, so often speaking his mind, excoriating some who deserved it and minimum opened our minds with his advanced thinking.
He surprised and perhaps disappointed me (not really, as it is an indelible memory) the one time after his fine last show appearance in “Grace.”
First of all, I attempted with an at best mediocre German accent, his classic role as Axel Jordache in the great, great mini series, Rich Man Poor Man based on Irwin Shaw’s prescient, brilliant book.
I chose the “do not feel so sorry for yourself, you have food in your belly and a roof over your head,” and Mr. Asner liked it but chose “there are 2 saints in this bed, (he shared it with Dorothy McGuire as his wife, a religious woman) that is one too many for me.” Next Axel gets up and out of the bed.
Subsequently in Asner/Andy B. I am pretty positive regarding then U.S. President Barack H. Obama (I still am) but to my surprise, Mr. Asner does not feel that way. He walked away.
So what, as I think it is funny (we can always do better, but you know my politics is based on we can do so much worse, which sorry to some of you, was never better illustrated by the next president) and now Ed walks away to hopefully a better place. He deserves it for all he did as a performer, activist and family man.
He had the right (left) kind of spunk and so much more!!
The magnificent Ed Asner, pictured above.
The great pitcher, Bob Gibson was on the mound for the Cards, vs Roger Craig, who the very next year (1964) would help the Cards win it all, his second title (’55 Brooklyn Dodgers) in a 10 year span. Twenty years after that, Craig was the pitching coach for the “wire to wire” (35-5) start, George “Sparky” Anderson managed 1984 title winning Detroit Tigers.
In what the great Bob Murphy calls one of the best games of ’62, Al Jackson won (1-0) for the Mets vs Gibson and the Cards.
In aforementioned 1964, Jackson again won (1-0) vs Gibson and the Cards on the final Friday in the third to last game. Gibson came on in relief on the final Sunday and with help from Dick Allen’s 2 homers vs the Reds, St. Louis gained a game, a 3 way tie was avoided and it was the first pennant, eventually a first World Series win for the Cards since 1946 (64 are the reverse digits).
Bob “4 Count” Murphy greets us from St. Louis, Missouri (I love that he added Missouri) and the hindsight facts flow.
The day before, Gene Oliver hit a home run (Mitch “Futures” Moss said solo homer as I typed this early morning) to lift the Cards (1-0) vs the Cubs, behind Ernie Broglio. (I will let you research Broglio and the Cubs).
On the final day of the 1962 season, Oliver’s homer lifted the spoiler Cards (1-0) at L.A. yielding the second unscheduled playoff between baseball’s greatest rivals (do not look now or maybe do look, but there is an excellent chance of a “scheduled” playoff series between the teams and in fairness, either a one game or even a series behind another pair of great rivals, the Yankees and Red Sox) the Giants and Dodgers, won in dramatic fashion exactly 11 years after Bobby Thomson’s game ending clout, also on a Wednesday October 3rd.
Tomorrow I will add to these notes, you are very unlikely to find anywhere else. Yet I have nada, others have millions and one I respect breaks my heart and not only “allows” my failure but lies with fleas ….
It is rare that “the after death accolades” apply toward the good, the way they do, regarding the superb player and person, Rod Gilbert, who died days back, at age 80.
I received a number of calls and something called texts (oh for the 6 team league, when even the perennial non ‘offs teams such as the Rangers, with Rod Gilbert and Andy Bathgate, among others, had stars) from Rangers’ fans praising and commemorating the classy Gilbert, who starred on excellent, albeit non title winning teams from (’70-’74), in an 18 year career, spent entirely with the New York Rangers.
More telling in my opinion, two anything but Rangers’ fans, “The MLW Guy” and me both recall meeting Rod, one of the most friendly celebrated people, I have ever encountered.
He was part of a brilliant line called the “Goal A Game” line with Jean Ratelle and Vic Hadfield in 1971-1972 and was part of the Canada team, that won a classic “Summit Series,” vs The Soviets, later in 1972.
My fondest memory is meeting Rod, as I sat with “Ent,” known to many for other, but a true hockey fan, at an event celebrating the return of NHL ‘offs in ’06.
He sat with us, talking hockey and loving it. He truly was a great ambassador for the game.
Among his gems that night, the rather obvious citing of Bobby Orr’s greatness (I add that Mr. Orr is also a classy, friendly person), his love for his encouraging childhood friend and future NHL player, (Noel was a fine one and is best remembered regarding Bobby Orr) Noel Piccard and the importance of Mike Richter in the Rangers’ ’94 title. (He cited the the myriad Devils’ 2 on 1’s, Richter stopped with the Devils already up (2-0) in #6/semis and (3-2) in the series).
I will always cherish that talk with the great player/person, Rod Gilbert.
Rod Gilbert, pictured above.
An object goes up, it must come down–we live/we die, as sadly, Bill Freehan, who grabbed an object that came down, to clinch the ’68 World Series, did at age 79, having suffered with dementia.
I hope Bill had many years to recall the fabulous moment for the “Tigs” and Detroit, the latter torn by riots the year before, but united with the Tigers’ glory.
Freehan was an 11 time All-Star (when the All Star tilt meant something!), who famously blocked the plate in notable big game moments, getting the great Brock (yesterday I watched “Saw of Grass” with a character named Brock) in #5 of the ’68 W.S. but Reggie (Jackson) and Hendrick (George) were safe, despite Bill’s efforts in the decisive 5th game of the ’72 ALCS.
What a group those Tigers were and the memories last.
Bill was also the go between when Denny McLain, on his way to his 31st, 1968 “reg” win decided to groove one to the great Mickey Mantle.
Mickey having been told by Freehan, still took the first pitch, but subsequently hit #535 to pass another immortal, Jimmy Foxx.
Rest in peace, Bill Freehan, a tremendous player and part of a great time in baseball!
Bill Freehan, pictured above.
Andy B Sports 