I will cite some of the expansion entities, each with two added teams, with none having the same number of World Series victories.
The first expansion, of the American League variety, brought in the new Washington Senators (the old ones, moved to Minnesota where they have clinched two, 7 game World Series victories) and the then Los Angeles, later California and now again L.A. but at Anaheim Angels.
Washington moved to Texas, becoming the Rangers in 1972 and though so close in 2011, have not won a title. The Angels won it all in 2002.
One more: Also in the A.L. the Kansas City Royals entered with the Seattle Pilots in 1969. Seattle played one season there and became the Milwaukee Brewers, now a National League team.
K.C. which has football crowns 50 years apart with the Chiefs, won baseball titles 30 years apart in ’85 and 2015 with the Royals. The Pilots/Brewers have never won a World Series.
Click above as the then new president, John F. Kennedy is shown throwing out the first ball in the new Washington Senators’ first game on April 10, 1961.
There have been 7 expansions in baseball, actually 6 but the one in 1969 brought in 4 teams, hence I call it two expansions.
None of the expansions have teams from said expansion, with the same number of World Series victories.
If the Houston Astros had won the ’19 World Series vs the Nationals, nee 1969 N.L. expansion tram, Montreal Expos, as they should have, there would be two “ties.”
More on this in future posts.
It is hard to believe that 41 years have passed since star Yankees’ catcher, Thurman Munson was killed while piloting his own small plane on this date.
He was a great player, I believe delivering really key, if not the key hits as the 1978 Yankees first won the A.L. East, then the ALCS and finally the World Series.
One of those key hits by Munson, clearly the big hit of the Yankees’ ’78 ALCS win vs the K.C. Royals, was the home run, b8 of game 3 with the Yankees behind by a run and the series tied at a game apiece. It is shown above.
Roy White, an unheralded and unappreciated by Steinbrenner (witness after his playing days) player, scored in front of Munson.
Today and tonight TCM is offering a tribute to the great Barbara Stanwyck.
Tonight at 10 P.M. Stanwyck stars with Fred MacMurray in the classic Billy Wilder directed “Double Indemnity.”
Earlier, Stanwyck was shown in “East Side West Side” and in the cast was Tom Powers.
Powers is a fairly prominent presence in “Double Indemnity.”
Barbara Stanwyck, pictured above.
There were two NBA “regular season” games last night.
Each was decided by two points. Good games, I suppose.
Guess what they meant nothing in terms of the standings. There will be no home court advantage in the playoffs.
I strongly wish there was no baseball, even more so basketball. I like hockey but not intrinsically better than the other two.
However, hockey is about their playoffs. If it is safe which is a big question mark, I am not against this version of the NHL playoffs and I will post about them.
You know my memory. Before game 3 of the great 1975 World Series I heard The Spinners sing “Games People Play” on the radio.
Baseball needed and got a great 1975 World Series. This what they are doing, will not solve its many problems.
Some of my memories, certainly not the best known, of the prolific entertainer and television legend, Regis Philbin, who died last week at age 88, will follow.
It is Thursday May 15, 1980 and I am in Los Angeles and I see A.M. Los Angeles, with co hosts Regis Philbin and Cyndy Garvey.
Philbin is entertaining, talking about game 5 of the NBA final (Lakers vs 76ers) played the night before. He is enthralled with how the public address announcers call Henry Bibby’s name. He imitates them. Good stuff.
Regis often opened his morning shows (Sarah Purcell, Cyndy Garvey, Kathie Lee Gifford and Kelly Rippa were his major co hosts over 35 plus years), with sports, especially involving Notre Dame football.
He and I had a funny talk at a New York City event one night, as I lamented the fact Notre Dame was not going “over” its projected season wins total. I think Mr. Philbin said “and you had the over.”
Regis Philbin certainly went OVER, in a big way. He had a Guinness Book of World Records total for hours on television and truly was a very popular entertainer.
Oh another “sport,” a favorite “inside” past time, namely sex. Mr. Regis (think Woody Allen saying Mr. Milton Berle, in I think “Broadway Danny Rose”) had a role in Allen’s “Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex and Were Afraid To Ask.” He was a panelist. Again good stuff.
Regis Philbin had a remarkable career.
Regis Philbin, pictured above.
While it is just 5 games, it is one twelfth of the season, if there is a season, which I still oppose, it is not one thirty second of a season, so let’s at this point, “clap for the “G” man.
The song/saying honors the legendary disc jockey, Wolfman Jack.
We are “clapping” as “G” man over, Tampa Bay (Rays) are (4-1) and his under, Seattle Mariners (the only one of the 32 big league teams never to have made a World Series) are (1-4).
It is 5 games, but a 60 game season and I still hope they do not play.
A great scene with Wolfman Jack and Richard Dreyfuss from the 1973 film, “American Graffiti.”
On November 5, 1960, in two of the Southwest Conference football games played that day (there no longer is a Southwest Conference) incredibly only three total points were scored.
In one tilt, Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Texas AM played a scoreless tie.
Also that day, Arkansas was a (3-0) victor vs Rice.
Eventually we are all in a sense, “gone with the wind,” now that is so for the great Olivia de Havilland, who died at the age of 104 yesterday in her adopted city of Paris, France.
Alas with what she left us–“Melanie” in “Gone With The Wind” and so many other great performances, that “wind” of performance/memory whisks her back.
Additionally, Ms. de Havilland fought for actor’s rights and they all owe her so much. Hopefully she gets the appreciation, the similar fighter, Curt Flood does not get from the pampered, spoiled, vastly over paid baseball players of today.
Let me channel “Melanie’s” good nature brought to us so beautifully by Olivia de Havilland in “GWTW” and cite her two Academy Award winning performances.
The first was for “Each To His Own” in 1946 and the second for her unforgettable performance in “The Heiress” with greats Ralph Richardson and Montgomery Clift (talk about acting chops!).
She was incredible in the 1948 film, “The Snakepit,” one of the first to delve into the world of mental illness.
I will include my three previous posts (in chronological order) that (more than) mentioned her name. She was incredible and lived long, her great work which also included stage and television, longer–something for which to be extremely grateful.
Watching “Gone With the Wind” on TCM
The Great Actress Olivia de Havilland is 99 Years Old/Young
Watching “The Big Valley” Notes
Olivia de Havilland pictured above. Imagine if you will, the acting greats that will greet her there, including her sister, Joan Fontaine, now the two on a different plane.
What turned out to be the great player, Mickey Mantle’s last major league game, was played on Saturday September 28, 1968 at Boston’s Fenway Park.
Mantle popped out to the Red Sox shortstop Rico Petrocelli in the top of the first inning and was replaced at his announced position first base by Andy Kosco in the bottom of the first inning.
Mickey did not play in the season finale the next day and announced his retirement in spring training in March 1969.
Fenway Park, pictured above.
Andy B Sports 