Today, some quick reflections on one of basketball’s greatest and certainly least acclaimed, relative to his talent, players, Jim Pollard.
He played on all 5 Minneapolis Lakers’ title teams, teaming with the great dominant, big man, George Mikan.
Pollard could leap “out of the building,” and was known as the “Kangaroo Kid,” later a nickname given to another basketball great, Billy Cunningham.
One other thing, my late friend Joe Green, who gained my father’s respect because he tried to help me, this despite Joe’s involvement in the late fifties/early sixties, college basketball scandal, which really hurt fans such as my dad, talked of Pollard’s greatness.
Joe Green could play and certainly Jack Molinas, a misguided talent, really could play and was the third overall pick in the 1953 NBA draft.
Many times, eating his muffin which he did ever so slowly in late night diners, Green told me that Molinas felt he could play with anyone in the NBA, except Jim Pollard.
Pollard was that great!
Jim Pollard, pictured and “rising above.”
Last Sunday TCM aired an interview, which the great host Robert Osborne conducted with the acting immortal, Peter O’Toole some years back.
Mr. O’Toole’s fabulous career both on the stage and especially on screen came to life with some great behind the scenes anecdotes adding to the viewing pleasure.
I learned much about O’Toole’s fabulous career and was pleased to hear how much he wanted and liked his role in “The Stuntman,” one of my favorite films.
Difficulties regarding camels were discussed, regarding the classic film, “Lawrence of Arabia.”
Additionally, Mr. O’Toole as the fictional “Alan Swann,” in the excellent comedy, “My Favorite Year,” is shown delivering the famed “dying is easy, comedy is hard” sentiment in brilliant fashion.
We miss greats in their field, such as Peter O’Toole and Robert Osborne, however, let’s appreciate the fact, their work can still be seen and heard.
Click below for a nice article regarding the “dying is easy, comedy is hard” sentiment which references Mr. O’Toole’s and other’s.
Who Coined the Phrase “Dying is Easy, Comedy is Hard .
Peter O’Toole (pictured above), as T.E. Lawrence in the classic 1962 film, “Lawrence of Arabia,” directed by David Lean.
Now back to that 1965 opening game tilt in Washington D.C, which was won by the Boston Red Sox (7-2), against the Senators.
The President of the country, Lyndon Baines Johnson is in attendance and threw out the first pitch. He presumably rooted for the Senators.
Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy of Massachusetts stops by and tells Red Sox broadcaster, Curt Gowdy, he of course, is rooting for the Red Sox.
Seven home runs (six of the solo variety) account for all nine runs in the game.
Lenny Green hits two, Lee Thomas has the only one with men on, a 3 run “poke” for the game’s first runs, while Tony Conigliaro added a tremendous upper deck shot. The other Boston homer was hit by Felix Mantilla, who surprisingly hit 30 the year before and would hit 18 out, in 1965
Don Lock and Ken McMullen, the latter part of a big trade with eventual ’65 World Series champion, Los Angeles (Dodgers), that sent Claude Osteen west and Frank Howard east, and Don Lock homered for Washington.
There will be more from this game, please “stay tuned.”
Tony Conigliaro, pictured above, would go on to lead the American League in home runs in 1965.
Much is made and rightfully so, regarding what “might have been,” regarding “Tony C.,” however, he did accomplish quite a bit.
Today another great episode of the iconic television show, “What’s My Line?”
On the show from 1959, the amazing, talented, Harry Belafonte is the mystery guest.
Panelists are regulars, Dorothy Kilgallen, Arlene Francis and Bennett Cerf.
What a treat to see the great actor, Ray Milland as the other panelist.
John Charles Daly is the show’s host. Enjoy watching it.
It is baseball’s opening day in 1965. There are 6 games in places, other than Washington D.C. and Cincinnati, the traditional opening day game sites for the American and National Leagues respectively. One is a night tilt at Houston’s Astrodome, which was baseball’s first indoor game.
My focus is on the Boston Red Sox at Washington Senators game, that Monday April 12th. Specifically, let me cite and comment on the three Red Sox radio broadcasters that day.
Lead announcer Curt Gowdy is starting his 15th and final season, calling Red Sox action. He will be baseball’s lead television voice for the next 10 seasons.
A big favorite of mine, Ned Martin, as was the case with developing Red Sox star, Carl Yastrzemski, is beginning his 5th season on the Bo Sox network.
It is one time Boston pitching star, Mel Parnell’s first broadcast. Gowdy, who broadcast the game and Martin, who recalled listening to it while living in the Washington D.C. area, and of course Parnell, reminisced, regarding Mel’s opening day shutout win at Washington, vs the Senators in 1952.
Stay “tuned” here for notes and nice “nuggets,” from that opening game, now over 55 years ago.
The great Curt Gowdy, pictured above.
A paper with my all time sports teams, circa 1976 has been in sight for days, on it Willie Davis, who died days back, as one of the defensive ends. (Gino Marchetti was the other)
Willie, a ferocious pass rusher, who had a penchant for big plays was a member of all five Green Bay Packers’ title teams (Green Bay was “title town”), all in a span of 7 seasons, a feat so rare in sports.
I recall Willie forcing a fumble by the great quarterback, John Unitas that with the Green Bay recovery, (Dave Robinson made the recovery) wrapped up the 1966 Western Conference crown for “The Pack,” en route to winning the first Super Bowl.
Davis got in on John’s “blind side,” and knew Unitas would fumble. I remember reading that Willie felt bad it had to be John. Willie had such great respect for Mr. Unitas.
I recall seeing Willie Davis at the memorial service for the great journalist, Dick Schaap. He was standing with Packers’ teammate, Jerry Kramer, whose speech resonated throughout the great cathedral that day.
Twenty or so years ago, Mr. Schaap in a brief interview with me, remarked that a number of Packers’ players from their great teams had passed on. Schaap had written the legendary book, “Instant Replay,” chronicling those teams.
Now sadly, so many are gone, with Willie’s passing, only Dave Robinson, Herb Adderly and Tom Brown remain from the consensus starting defensive unit.
However, they remain in our memories, their accomplishments, virtually unrivaled. Willie Davis (#87) was one of the greatest of those or any team’s players.
Willie Davis and Tommy Davis, Willie Davis and Tommy Davis
Two all-time greats named Willie, left to right Wood and Davis, each of whom we lost in 2020.
Even though it was against “my” Cleveland Browns, I have an indelible and great memory of being informed that Willis Crenshaw of the then St. Louis Cardinals, scored on a 78 yard play (it was a pass from Charlie Johnson) in a past game.
It turned out to be 1965, a year the/my Browns went to the title game, not 1966, which I researched first.
The play occurred in Crenshaw and the St. Louis Cardinals’ rout win at Cleveland, early in the ’65 season.
I believe I was walking around outside and eventually wound up at the door of good man, Kenny Weiner. At that point, I was told by Mr. Weiner (alas we perhaps, incorrectly, called other parents, by their first names, thus he was “Kenny”), that an update, sans studio in those days, informed regarding the Crenshaw play.
Years later, Willis Crenshaw scored the first touchdown at Denver’s Mile High Stadium in 1970. Additionally, Charlie Johnson was the Denver quarterback when the team’s fortunes began to turn for the better as they nearly made the playoffs for the first time in 1973.
Yesterday, it was really nice to watch the 1965 film, “Hysteria,” starring the fine actor Robert Webber, one of the men around the jury table, in the classic film, “Twelve Angry Men.”
As I tend to do, here are some notes linking the film and sports, in this case Southern California (USC) and for that matter, Los Angeles professional football.
A character in “Hysteria,” is Marcus Allan, (played by Peter Woodthorpe–alas a great sport’s name, think “Smoky” Joe Wood and the immortal, Jim Thorpe), spelled one letter different, than how famed U.S.C. and Los Angeles Raiders’ great, Marcus Allen spells his name.
Another actor in the film is John Arnott, not all that different, than the highly under rated, great USC and Los Angeles Rams’ all purpose running back, Jon Arnett.
All in all, and all cited provided a nicer day than without.
Robert Webber is pictured, seated and with his arm raised for the correct “not guilty” vote, closest to and just right of “jury foreman,” Martin Balsam (standing).
“Can” you go around the table and name the other ten fabulous actors? If you “can” or want to try, let me know.
The 1962 World Series came down to the bottom of the 9th inning in the decisive 7th game, with the defending and 19 time World Series champion, New York Yankees leading the S.F. Giants (1-0).
However, the Giants had runners on second and third, with the imposing and eventually great, Willie McCovey at bat.
Ralph Terry, who had surrendered the World Series winning home run to Bill Mazeroski 2 years earlier, won this one, when McCovey’s line drive went “straight to (second baseman) Bobby Richardson,” who snared it for the Yankees’ 20th title.
It is noteworthy that in Richardson’s first at bat in game 3, he flied out, to right fielder, Willie McCovey.
George Kell, a true rarity as he was outstanding both as a player and broadcaster, noted how Richardson was playing McCovey, upon Willie’s first at bat in #3.
His call of the series’ climactic play and one of the most dramatic of any World Series, stated that McCovey hit a liner, “but straight to (Bobby) Richardson.”
(Another) “yesterday,” begins this post, as “yesterday” marked the 75th anniversary of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s death.
I know there is a world crisis in our midst (Mr. Roosevelt certainly had to “deal” with crisis, they were, but perhaps are (nothing) “new’), however, it seems the anniversary and the man himself, get far too little attention.
Thus, I take this time to note Mr. Roosevelt’s greatness along with his failings and dare say, he was a great unifying, popular leader, master politician–a rich man, who cared about those less fortunate.
All in all pretty darn good, as was his fateful speech of December 8, 1941 which began with the word “Yesterday.”
All four of The Beatles shown performing “Yesterday” in Munich, Germany in 1966 via the link below were alive, as bombs dropped on their home country of England. Think about it, years gone by, Germany, England, Easter, Passover and hopefully better “yesterdays,” on which to look back, in the tomorrows ahead.
Above a photograph of Mr. Roosevelt by Leon Perskie taken in 1944.
Andy B Sports 