Some notes, not likely seen elsewhere, after Joe Musgrove of the San Diego Padres, pitched that franchise’s first no-hit game, in this, their 53rd season (1969-2021).
With that no-hitter, in which only a hit by pitch vs Joey Gallo, kept Musgrove from “perfection,” all 30 big league teams have at least one no hit game.
The next to last team to do so, the Mets, also got their first and still only such game, also on a Friday night, when Johan Santana, did so vs the St. Louis Cardinals.
Musgrove’s no-hitter came on the same day the Padres’ biggest rival, the current champion Dodgers, received their title winning rings.
The Musgrove no-hitter, the Dodgers’ title clincher both to win the W.S. and to “quarter” out the Pads, occurred in Arlington, Texas, at the home of the Texas Rangers, the team Musgrove no hit.
A 32 year title drought for the Dodgers and a 56 year one for the Giants, ended with victories in the Rangers’ ballpark.
Another Rangers’ franchise had a notable title drought, that 54 years in duration, which ended in the Rangers “ballpark”/home arena, when the NHL New York Rangers won it all in #7, vs the Vancouver Canucks in 1994.
A strong contender for this year’s NHL crown, the Toronto Maple Leafs, have gone 54 years sans a final round appearance.
When “Tor” last won the Cup, captain George Armstrong carried the Cup for them and Alex Trebek narrated that year’s Stanley Cup playoffs film.
In the past year, both Armstrong and Trebek passed on.
Click below for a very informative article for the fine organization, SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) written by Rory Costello, concerning Pads’ pitcher Clay Kirby, being pinch hit for, B8, vs the Mets and Jim MacAndrew in 1970. Kirby had a no hit game going through 8 innings.
July 21, 1970: Padres’ Clay Kirby lifted in eighth inning during no-hit bid
I have received both vaccines, how about you? (Maybe a tune there.) Of course I still need to wear a mask.
Speaking of masks, in same calendar 1971, the NHL ‘offs (the NBA also) were already underway and on this night exactly 50 years ago, the eventual great, and 2 time Cup winning netminder, then with Toronto, Bernie Parent lost his mask during a big brawl in #2 of the Rangers/Leafs “quarter.”
In another game 2 that night, the eventual champion and third place in the “reg,” Montreal Canadiens rallied from a (5-1) deficit to (7-5) the defending champion and record breaking Boston Bruins squaring a series the Canadiens eventually won in 7 games.
Today marks the 47th anniversary of Henry Aaron’s record breaking 715th career home run, one more than George Herman “Babe” Ruth, and for the first time since, Mr. Aaron is not here with us, on the angst ridden earth.
It comes one day after Mr. Aaron’s grandson answered the neanderthal thinking Kelly Loeffler, regarding the All-Star tilt being moved from Atlanta in response to the exponentially regressive anti voting rights legislation passed in Georgia.
Less important, but Henry’s team for almost all of his career, the Braves, won both ends of a 7 inning doubleheader to raise their record to (2-4).
Again, the legislation passed is an exponential number of steps back, after some forward. Loeffler, as seemingly always is full of it (you thought I would type s–t?) in saying moving the game is an insult to Henry.
I add not so “tongue in cheek” because Manfred, while not a villain like Maddox (Lester, not Gary or the over rated Greg) helped ruin baseball, but why give him much credit for moving the All-Star Game (that game is a joke any way) and I hope the Braves, so close last year, are still “allowed” to possibly win.
Oh we are so far from that great moment when Henry connected, so let’s look back.
Milo Hamilton also called Forrest “Smokey” Burgess’ record breaking pinch hit.
A night after Stanford, under same coach Tara VanDerveer, again survived a potential last shot loss, in a clear no cover win, to claim its first crown since 1992 (on ViSN, the 92 of Pat Boone’s “1492” phone #, then the female voice said phone–each as I typed SAME), Baylor (5-1) vs the spread (they no covered Hartford, as a huge favorite in their first tournie tilt) ripped over rated, previously unbeaten (told you about Jalens, Adam Morrison on Gonzaga network taunted UCLA after Suggs’ lucky shot) Gonzaga, to win their first crown.
As I wrote after the Gonzaga win vs UCLA, it cost me, however, I am proud to say I watched none.
You people may continue to endure the useless, every play rants (this is one also, but I stand by my fervent belief, it is ridiculous, illustrated by Bill Raftery and Grant Hill doing a Steven Bishop going “on and on”), of so called game analysts, however, I will not.
Baylor, which got a game high 22 points from Jared Butler never trailed and under Scott Drew, who dropped rhyming Mark Few to rhyming (0 and TWO) in title tilts, won its first ever crown, a scant 2 weeks after the great Elgin (Baylor) sans a title, but having lived a good life–a lesson to still titles conscious me— died.
Stanford’s Haley Jones, pictured above, was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.
Baylor’s Jared Butler, pictured above, was named Most Outstanding Player in the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.
In the “had to be,” LeBron (does Chase really need a James item, even if the undeserving, sadist to my masochist, and this is far later and severe than a cookie near OTB, Bellman gets his on line price?) in the 2020 NBA Final, however similar name Jimmy Butler was outstanding in defeat.
Yesterday, 7 plus to 1 underdog, Arizona advanced to its first Women’s NCAA Basketball final, toppling Connecticut, a 4th straight “semis” loss for the latter. They won their 11th title in 2016 and have been “semi’d” out since that point.
It is an all Pacific 12 final (couple that with the great success of that conference in the men’s tournament) as Stanford, a 9 point favorite, will be U of A’s opponent. Stanford minus 6 won (66-65) vs South Carolina.
The lone Pac 12 team to make the men’s semis is the once glory program, U.C.L.A. which has the most titles (11) and will be in their 19th semi-final game.
They are (11-2) in title tilts, (10-0) under the great coach John Wooden. Wooden was (10-2) in semis, losing to eventual champions, Cincinnati in 1962 and North Carolina State in 1974. Each was a very close game. Paul Hogue led Cincy to the ’62 crown and the great player, David Thompson led the ’74 Wolfpack crown.
U.C.L.A. is (13-5) in previous semis and only in ’08 when Kansas and Mario Chalmers/poor free toss shooting (ode to Joe Tait) and terrible down the stretch play and Calipari coaching took the title from Memphis, (this year’s NIT winner, in an NIT, not in New York. First time?) did the team that “semi’d” UCLA NOT win the crown.
Top heavy 14 plus point(s) favorite Gonzaga is over a 2 to 1 favorite to make it 5 of 6 times that the team to “semi” U.C.L.A. wins the crown. We shall see. That and of course money is why they play the games.
Yesterday was opening day in baseball and I now realize they have again worsened the once great game, by putting the first batter on second base in extra innings.
Once, on May 14, 1972, “my” Lakers and Bruins had “titled” and Willie Mays, yesterday 5 weeks from his 90th birthday, was playing his first game as a member of the Mets.
I believe “King Kong” Kiner had him in center, the great Lindsey Nelson detailed correctly regarding first baseman, Willie Mays.
The Mets’ team trainer at the time, Tom McKenna had been in the same position, with Willie at Minneapolis of Triple A baseball, 21 years earlier in fateful 1951.
Mays hitting .477, the Giants slumping and McKenna went to the Sioux City, Iowa (I think) movie place, to tell Willie, he was headed to the big leagues.
In the first frame that May Mother’s Day, leadoff man, first sacker, (big ovation), bottom 1, Willie walked vs Sam McDowell.
That bottom 1, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts and in between a grand slam homer by Daniel “Rusty” Staub.
All four “quarters” tilts to be played on Monday and Tuesday nights have favorites of at least 7 plus points (3 of the favorites, favoUrites is the spelling beyond the U.S.) with tomorrow(Tuesday’s) Michigan/UCLA “quarter” a redux of the same calendar/1965 NCAA Final.
In that ’65 final, the great player, Gail Goodrich hit for 42 points while Kenny Washington added 17 as UCLA won its second straight crown in what became the great dynasty run of 10 titles in 12 seasons, under legendary coach, John Wooden.
Michigan a 7 plus point(s) “fave” tomorrow has lost in the NCAA final in 2 other same calendar years, 1976 to an undefeated Indiana team and in ’93 to North Carolina (I certainly do do not like to criticize players for any mistakes, especially those of a physical nature. A mental error such as the extra timeout gaffe by the vastly over rated player, Chris Weber, a key if not the key play in Dean Smith’s second and final title–both his titles in same calendar as 2021 in ’82 and aforementioned ’93, does warrant more criticism. However, what tilts it to an unbearable point and I blame the copy cat producers who run television and ergo a good part of our minds, for allowing the likes of Weber to play G-d/God/the force, in his criticism of players).
There are 3 teams from the Pacific 12 in the “quarters.” Oregon State, on an incredible 6 game win skein, all as “nice” underdogs, again are big “dogs,) (plus 8) vs region second seed, Houston. In addition to UCLA, the other Pac 12 team that is “quartering,” also is L.A. based, namely USC, a 9 point underdog, vs tournie favorite Gonzaga, in the first game tomorrow night.
The now defunct Southwest Conference has three of its “once” teams in the quarters, two in tonight’s second tilt. It matches region top seed, Baylor and that region’s “3,” Arkansas. The other once SWC team is Houston. I liked them until I realized Nantz loves them. (By the way, though I truly dislike Nantz for his exclusivity/right wing politics, he is infinitely more talented than Romo. Each makes an obscene amount of money, thus the ridiculous fact Romo makes so much more than Nantz, is nowhere near as bad as the fact each makes so much. Again this society that rewards Nantz, Romo and S.A. Smith to name three, while denying teachers, nurses and others doing far more important and better work, is already down the drain. It is not likely to escape that position, especially if those 3 and myriad others are rewarded the way they are.)
Other same calendar notes include Baylor making and losing the final (I think that will happen this year, but that is a “chalk” plurality pick as the plurality leader is Gonzaga over Baylor in next week’s title tilt) in 1948, USC making and losing in the national semis in 1954 and that if both favorites, Gonzaga and Michigan prevail tomorrow night, Saturday’s semi (I get my second vaccine just before) will match Michigan with an undefeated team as was the above referenced case in (same calendar) 1976.
Andy B Sports 