Amidst all the trouble in the world, country and especially with all the bigotry and exclusion associated with The Masters Golf Tournament, Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, won the event, his first victory, in a major golf tournament.
It was a great performance by Matsuyama and normally I would not “stretch” it into anything bigger, such as a message for unity.
People are people and maybe some day cops will stop freely (often going free) killing young Black men and the idiots who persecute people, such as the horrible persecution of Asian PEOPLE going on now, will cease.
Until then, events such as Matsuyama winning, will have to suffice. That is sobering reality.
Hideki Matsuyama, pictured above.
On their side, which clearly is not my side, as in addition to the rage I feel vs them killing Black people, I have been victimized by their “ball breaking” attitude over the years and cringe in fear and strong dislike every time I see them, they do face danger and once long ago, before I knew better based on bitter experience, I admired them.
This is not right on my part, to paint with such a broad brush, and oh have I tried, with limited success, to curtail my anti-cops feelings.
Leaving my woes and tough luck involving them and other matters, I am pretty sure I have a couple or three suggestions in attitude and law change, that just might help. Maybe some good can come out of all this unnecessary tragedy.
This was so wrong, regarding Mr. Wright’s death. Registration?!! That yielded death!! When they “ball broke” me, I got a traffic ticket or a parking ticket or “just” their stinking, superior, attitude!!
You out there on the fence with your some to mucho degree of bigotry, imagine having a son who could easily LOSE HIS LIFE any time he has an encounter, with these supposed trusted officials.
Next is their “shoot first, take your chances in court attitude.” Backed up by a sickening grand jury system, so stacked vs the petty offender and in violence protection, step with them, they get away with it.
Finally check their attitudes. I know how so many feel and the abuse goes way back. This is awful and ongoing!
So I say to you-stop “ball breaking,” Stop thinking you are so great, (anyone can wear sunglasses), change the shoot first thing and change the laws that favor it.
A la the great Robert F. Kennedy, a man like you, me and them, with flaws, urged the night Martin Luther King was killed, I urge my side, the largely Black protesters to protest yes, but sans violence and destruction.
You may say 2 months after Kennedy helped peace, at least in the Indiana city in which he was that night, 2 months later he was killed and truthfully right then, it (all hope) was gone.
Yet even I must persevere and even keep quiet. You do not have to, however, do so peacefully. We will get there but I understand your/my pain today, as it has happened again!!
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.
Andy B Sports 