Yale Lary, one of the great NFL players and a member of 3 Detroit Lions’ championship teams, helped propel what turned into the NFL’s Greatest Game on December 28, 1958.
The New York Giants trailed the Cleveland Browns in the standings and Lary’s Lions, in the game played in Detroit, 17 years after Pearl Harbor was attacked, December 7, 1958.
Lary was stopped short of a first down after he ran from punt formation. The Giants won the game and eventually the Eastern Conference crown, setting up the famed 1958 NFL Championship Game.
Football great, Yale Lary excelled as both a defensive back and punter.
In citing San Francisco “final round/game” history, let’s slightly soothe the wound of the Niners’ blown Super Bowl, by including the college basketball San Francisco Dons, that won in both of their NCAA Tournament Final games (1955 and 1956, led by Bill Russell and K.C. Jones, who went on to many more titles with the great Boston Celtics).
The 49ers after winning their first 5 final round/Super Bowl games, have lost their last two. One can easily make the case the two losses were in closer games than all five wins and certainly four.
In baseball, after losing their first two World Series as the San Francisco Giants, the franchise has won their last three.
I am “factoring out” the two college basketball final round wins with two San Francisco Warriors’ title round losses, to Bill Russell, K.C. Jones and the ’64 Celtics and the Wilt Chamberlain led ’67 Philadelphia 76ers.
The Golden State Warriors will be/are considered an Oakland team, at least by me, for this purpose.
Thus I “have” S.F. (10-6) in final round entities.
The great K.C. Jones, pictured above.
The Cleveland Indians, so long without a title (last one was in 1948 and I read somewhere they stole signs) lost pitcher Fred Jones to free agency, but to this point, retained the playing services of the outstanding player, Francisco Lindor.
I think this will be a great season for Lindor.
Though Terry Francona, the Indians’ manager and big Arizona Wildcats supporter, has had some epic post-season failures of late, he has managed two World Series winners.
A team with Lindor and Francona has a shot to really achieve something great in 2020, one hundred years after the only other Cleveland baseball crown, that in 1920.
Francisco Lindor, pictured above.
The other day I cited Anthony Rendon as a/the player to watch in the A.L. West in his debut season with the Los Angeles Angels.
In this division, the truly blown out of proportion “sign stealing” situation regarding the favorite Houston Astros, makes this a tougher call.
I think both the Angels and Oakland Athletics will challenge the Stros for the division crown.
Both the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners might improve, but I doubt either will contend.
It would be nice to think that a team other than the L.A. Dodgers has a good chance to win the N.L. West.
Stranger, less likely things have happened and there is the wild card presence, however, in all likelihood the Dodgers will win an eighth straight division title.
The Arizona Diamondbacks now with ’14 World Series standout, Madison Bumgarner are my second choice.
Colorado (Rockies), San Diego (Padres) and San Francisco (Giants) do not figure, however, they do play the games on the field and certainly not here.
Anthony Rendon was absolutely brilliant in leading the Washington Nationals to the 2019 World Title.
Time after time, Rendon delivered big hits, including big home runs with his team facing elimination, in games 6 and 7 of the World Series vs the Houston Astros.
Now in the spin cycle/you root for or against “laundry” in today’s baseball, Rendon is with the Los Angeles Angels.
Washington fans, as was the case with Toronto Raptors’ fans and Kawhi Leonard, did/do not get even one season as defending champions with its star player.
Regarding Rendon, though I see him tailing off a bit this season , that is the point, he is a star player and now he is a “player to watch,” in the American League West.
Anthony Rendon pictured above, led the Washington Nationals to the 2019 baseball crown.
Last season the Minnesota Twins, the pre season second choice, won over 100 games and won the A.L. Central crown fairly easily, before again being dominated by the New York Yankees in their division series clash.
This season I predict another second choice, the Cleveland Indians will win the division in a close race with the Twins.
Soon the Chicago White Sox will be ready to seriously contend, I say not quite yet.
I do not like to predict what is expected if possible, but I do see tough years for both the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers.
Eddie Robinson, pictured above, who turned 99 last December, is the lone surviving member of the last Cleveland Indians’ title team in 1948.
Today it is still “What’s My Line?” however, a newer one and just the mystery guest segment.
What a segment, as mystery guest Patty Duke, then Patty Duke Astin (husband John Astin aka “Gomez Adams” is cited) is dazzling in appearance and with her answers to questions.
The panelists on this segment from February 1972 are Arlene Francis, Soupy Sales, Gene Shalit and Sherrye Henry.
Larry Blyden is the show’s host.
In nineteen seasons of later day conference title game starts, (2001-2019) three teams have won the earlier Sunday divisional round and title game, before winning the Super Bowl.
The Kansas City Chiefs became the third team to do so this season, winning both the division round game and title game at home, in come from behind fashion.
In ’02, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, en route to their only Supe appearance and victory, won at home in the earlier Sunday division game vs the 49ers, before beating the Andy Reid coached Philadelphia Eagles, in Philadelphia for the NFC crown.
The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers are the other team to accomplish the feat, doing so with road victories at Indianapolis (Colts) and Denver (Broncos) before winning the Super Bowl.
Yesterday’s L.A. Lakers’ “close win” at home, on national television, vs the Boston Celtics, was another memorable, albeit virtually meaningless game, in the two teams’ great rivalry.
The current Lakers lead in the NBA West and have a great shot to make at least another final round appearance, if not win another crown.
Boston seems to have less of a chance to do the same. However, they are a talented, playoffs bound club.
Bill Russell, pictured above, is not so arguably major North American sport’s greatest winners.
Among other feats he played in 7 final round series vs the Lakers (one when the Lakers were in Minneapolis), with Bill’s Celtics winning each one.
Andy B Sports 