I highly recommend “The Plot Thickens,” podcasts on TCM, hosted by Ben Mankiewicz.
In this its first season, the superb director Peter Bogdanovich, is the compelling subject (“I’m Still Peter Bogdanovich”).
His life with its acute “ups and downs” is remarkable and he and Mr. Mankiewicz are very candid, in discussing some incredible events.
Among other things in a remarkable life, the exceptionally talented Bogdanovich wrote about and was friends with another great director, Orson Welles and talked warmly with me, about his admiration of the seminal television show, “The Sopranos,” on which he had a recurring acting role.
Hearing the podcasts (“I’m Still Peter Bogdanovich”) will reveal so much more.
Peter Bogdanovich, pictured above, directed the great film, “The Last Picture Show,” which among other good things, netted Academy Awards for Cloris Leachman and Ben Johnson.
The non Dodgers player among the five Mets starters that May night in 1962, as cited, was Felix Mantilla.
Mantilla had a fine career and was a member of three excellent Milwaukee Braves’ teams that all played past the regular season from (1957-1959).
Today is about two almost seminal plays, involving Mantilla in the 1959 season.
First on May 26th, it was Felix Mantilla, who reached on an error and scored what was ruled to have been the game’s only run, in the bottom of the 13th inning, after Harvey Haddix, had, incredibly, retired the first 36 batters he faced.
Then Mantilla was on the “other side” of an error, as his throwing error on a Carl Furillo single, enabled the pennant winning run to score for the Dodgers, as they won the unscheduled playoff vs Milwaukee in 2 straight games.
A 1959 Felix Mantilla card.
Today, another great episode of “What’s My Line?” this one from December, 1953.
The mystery guest is Kirk Douglas.
Panelists are Dorothy Kilgallen, Peter Lind Hayes, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf.
John Charles Daly is the show’s host.
The Mets infield and pitching starter(s) that May night in 1962 at Connie Mack Stadium were Gil Hodges at first base, Charlie Neal at second and Don Zimmer at third. Roger Craig was the starting pitcher.
Those four players were members of the World Series winning Los Angeles Dodgers, less than three years before.
As stated yesterday, Sammy Johnson, the Mets’ starting catcher that night had no big link to the ’59 season outcome.
However, Felix Mantilla did and in a post later this week more on a truly good player and 1959 game events.
Gil Hodges, pictured above won titles as a player with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955 and Los Angeles Dodgers in 1959.
Ten years after the L.A. title in ’59, Gil managed the so called “Miracle Mets” to the 1969 baseball crown.
It is May 4, 1962 and on this (Friday) night, the New York Mets are playing the home team Phillies, in the former’s first game ever, at venerable Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia.
“If you don’t know me by now,” I do have a tendency to “link” things.
In this case, the Mets’ starting infield and pitching battery (save catcher Sammy Taylor) with the 1959 season, specifically, the eventual champion, L.A. Dodgers.
The lone non Dodger in the quintet, is shortstop Felix Mantilla. However ’59 elicits “Mantilla memories,” after Felix was on Milwaukee Braves’ pennant winners in ’57 and ’58 (the title going to Milwaukee in ’57).
In a post this week, I will provide the notes linking the Mets’ quintet (pitcher, first, second, third baseman and Mantilla) with the ’59 Dodgers and that season.
A view of Connie Mack Stadium, once Shibe Park, pictured above.
Last night I awoke around midnight, eventually ignoring the “right back to sleep” maxim and chose to watch “The Invaders” on MeTV.
I was rewarded with a good episode (‘Moonshot”) of a show, I have cited in a past post, as one that I enjoyed years back.
The presence of Peter Graves made me think of his brother, also an actor.
I could not think of the actor.
My mind recalled Dana Andrews and Steve Forrest as brothers.
I had to take Casey Stengel’s advice or that of my mother regarding words, and “look it up,” by the way, in a method that neither “advisor” lived to see.
It is James Arness, “Matt Dillon” on the iconic show “Gunsmoke.” Mr. Graves would soon after this “Invaders” episode of April 1967, become a regular on “Mission Impossible.”
Left to right, James Arness and Peter Graves are pictured above. Arness is the original name for those two brothers.
I know what the 1976 University of Pittsburgh title won under coach Johnny Majors, who died days back, at age 85, meant to my friend Beano Cook.
After the great Marshall Goldberg led teams and frankly after the Majors coached and Tony Dorsett led ’76 title team, the “title cupboard” has been bare at “Pitt.”
However, they do have that 1976 title, 20 years after Johnny Majors, a great Tennessee player and later coach (he also coached at Iowa State) finished second to Paul Hornung, in the Heisman Trophy race.
Tony Dorsett’s tribute to his coach resonates and follows:
“He was more than just an integral part of my college football career; he was a dear friend who continued his relationship with me far beyond my playing days,” Dorsett said in a statement. “He took a young high school kid and showed him how to be a leader and a man. My prayers are with his family, the Pitt community and all the players and coaches who have been a part of his life. Rest in heaven, Coach.”
Johnny Majors, pictured above.
Coach Majors moved Tony Dorsett in the backfield and that sparked Pittsburgh to a (24-7) win vs Penn State, to complete an undefeated regular season in 1976.
The video above offers perspective on that game.
Perhaps what it started, ultimately was not good, however, today a look back at an old post, about the first ABC package/ Monday Night Football tilt.
I will add a note regarding that Cleveland Browns’ (31-21) win vs the New York Jets on September 21, 1970.
As he so often did, a truly great NFL receiver, Gary Collins (see the ’64 NFL title game, when Gary caught 3 touchdown passes from Frank Ryan as the Browns won the last Cleveland football crown) scored on a post pattern and those were the “package’s” first points.
Remembering The First ABC Monday Night Football Game
Gary will turn 80 in August and unjustly in my opinion, is still not and likely will not be in the NFL hall.
Let’s just say in almost every big game the great Wes Unseld, who died this week, too young at age 74, played, I was on “his side.”
He was the most important player on Baltimore/Washington/Capital Bullets teams, that had a period of sustained excellence from (1969-1979), highlighted by winning the ’78 crown.
There were defeats, three in other NBA final series, one expected vs the last year of Lew Alcindor (next year he was Kareem Abdul Jabbar), who stood close to a foot taller than Wes and others in ’75 vs Rick Barry and Golden State and ’79 vs Denis Johnson and Seattle, in which the Bullets were either favored or had home advantage.
Wes Unseld was the epitome of determination, never more evident than his “return shot/offensive rebound” basket for the final points in the Bullets’ two point win vs the big series favorite Philadelphia 76ers, that clinched the ’78 “semis” in 6 games.
That and the subsequent title series win vs Seattle, dedicated to the Bullets’ director of public relations, Marc Splaver, who died so young (29 years) that year, was our win.
Those days, the NBA semis were not shown on television, not even on delayed tape (now I wish the NBA would just go away and certainly hope they do not contest, what would be distorted playoffs) so I listened to Bullets’ broadcaster Frank Herzog, lying on the floor, so my ear would be next to the stereo speaker.
It was “important” that Wes, the Bullets and me, so often denied, would win this one. Unseld’s play and that of Bob Dandridge, who as Thomas Boswell wrote in his Washington Post tribute to Wes, outplayed (Julius) Erving, led the victory.
The title win vs Seattle was not as important to me, but I was on the “ride.”
Fourteen years later, I was in L.A. to attend the Sunday game, which was highlighted by the retirement of Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s #32.
Two days earlier, I saw the bus transporting the Bullets, coached by Wes Unseld, moving slowly out of the (L.A.) Forum.
I got in the bus and said to Wes, how great it and he were–the outlet pass, rookie/year and MVP in the same season (only Wilt Chamberlain and he have ever accomplished that), his rebounding and the ’78 title.
He smiled and we both knew to “hang in there,” during the tough times, until we get on that “final bus.”
Wes is on it now, leaving much good behind and with the blessings of so many, as he goes.
Wes Unseld, pictured above. I believe that is Phil Chenier, a member of the ’78 title team, #45, in the backround.
Perhaps appropriate to good NBA memories, “The Who” perform “Magic Bus.”
In July 1967, only eight episodes of the long running, great television show “What’s My Line?” remained, when the following one aired.
The mystery guests were 4 hosts from other Mark Goodson (himself a panelist) and Bill Todman produced shows.
Those hosts were Ed McMahon, Alan Ludden, Budd Collyer and Gene Rayburn.
Joining Goodson on the panel were Arlene Francis, Bennett Cerf and Sue Oakland.
John Charles Daly is the host.
The great announcer Johnny Olson is introduced. This is quite an episode. Enjoy.
Andy B Sports 