I will never know but perhaps we were on the road in or even toward Washington D.C. that Memorial Day (Wednesday May 30th) in 1962.
It seemed and there was a triple play turned by the first year, eventual (40 wins, 120 losses) New York Mets vs the L.A. Dodgers, who lost a decisive unscheduled third playoff game for the N.L. flag to the San Francisco Giants.
More on the play, game and notes in upcoming posts.
Elio Chacon, pictured above made a great leaping catch to start that triple play.
My head was “up” but not in the right “up,” as I “mainlined” sports (on a lighter occasion, a dissertation on three great ’62 baseball teams) and not the cause and inherent courage of one so great, as John Lewis.
No matter the “push back,” no matter your other politics or even your “micro” world in this time of trouble, one can admire a life that did, a life of courage, a life that endured despite…. (read it, acts of violent cruelty and hate).
Thus, with more to follow in a less cryptic remembrance, I salute the great John Lewis, who died yesterday at age 80.
As I wrote/typed the person on “the other end,” quickly was redeemed from not knowing who John Lewis was.
The person quickly ascertained and spoke “we can all learn from him,” John Lewis.
Today in honor of one of sport’s greatest feats, Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak, I note only, it ended on this date in Cleveland 79 years ago.
Cleveland Indians’ third baseman, Ken Keltner made two excellent defensive plays on balls hit by DiMaggio, the key plays as the great hitting streak ended.
A first, (it will not be the last about this blog and others) high praise for a site/blog, Thom Hickey’s “The Immortal Jukebox,” described as “A Blog about Music and Popular Culture.”
“The Immortal Jukebox” is adeptly written and includes video and information, that is well, immortal.
I believe there is a hiatus period now, but it would head into exponential, not quite infinite territory, to read and enjoy all that is there.
Thus as I did, start and you will be highly rewarded.
Click below for “The Immortal Jukebox”
The Immortal Jukebox | A Blog about Music and Popular Culture
Now as promised the Hall of Fame players or managers from the day action of June 5, 1963.
The Mets sent the wonderful Edwin “Duke” Snider into the game as a pinch hitter.
Both Snider and Mets’ 1963 manager eventually made the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Take time to think of the at least 9 players (4 on the Cubs and 5 on the S.F. Giants) who were in uniform for that day’s, Cubs’ D.H. sweep of the first place Giants.
Answer and more notes tomorrow.
The superb player, Edwin “Duke” Snider, pictured above.
Though as stated numerous times here, the fact Pete (Rose of curse) is not in and that others I feel not deserving, are in, I think less, far less of Baseball’s Hall of Fame, than I once did.
However, having been once of awe of it, I still consider it a good gauge at players performance and contribution, to the great game of baseball.
Thus, I consider just the day action from June 5, 1963, in that regard.
In the already cited Milwaukee Braves (11-9) win at the “Polo Grounds” Mets, future Hall of Famers, Warren Spahn the Braves starter, Henry Aaron (rightfield), Ed Mathews (third base) and Joe Torre (pinch batter and replacement for Bob Uecker, alas, another Hall of Famer though not for his playing prowess) appeared in the tilt for the Braves.
Tomorrow, I will cite Mets and players from an afternoon doubleheader in which the first place S.F. Giants, the defending N.L. champions, visited the surging Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
It was (Arthur) Lee Maye, (later a menacing hitter named Lee May graced baseball), whose t 10th, 2 rbi single, produced the game’s last and decisive runs.
Maye was also well known as a rhythm & blues singer. He was the lead singer of the Los Angeles-based doo-wop group Arthur Lee Maye and the Crowns in the 1950s.
I really enjoyed “happy would have been 100th birthday” films in tribute to Yul Brynner, yesterday, on TCM.
The films presented with good backround information from TCM host Dave Karger, were “Journey” and “The Brothers Karamazov,” the latter based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s classic novel.
In addition to Mr. Brynner, such acting greats as Deborah Kerr (in “Journey” three years after she and Brynner were brilliant together in the 1956 film, “The King and I”), Jason Robards Jr. and Lee J. Cobb were featured.
“Journey” was Robards screen debut, while Cobb played Brynner’s father in “The Brothers Karamazov.”
The great actor, Yul Brynner, pictured above.
There is so much “in and around” the Milwaukee Braves’ (11-9) win at the Polo Grounds vs the home team, New York Mets on June 5, 1963.
First an indulgence to numbers,sad ones. June 5, 1963 is 6/5/63 and on the day of an (11-9) game, I cite 6 and 5 equal 11, while 6 plus 3 equals 9. Oh those numbers, nine and eleven.
More positive is the game, not for the late great pitcher, Warren Spahn, I suppose. He amassed 363 big league wins, but was denied one that day despite his Milwaukee team leading (8-0) after 4 and a half innings and (9-1) headed into the Mets’ 6th inning.
In future posts, more on the game and other “around the game” details, starting with the Mets 7 run 6th inning.
The great pitcher, Warren Spahn, pictured above.
Last night TCM paid tribute to a wonderful actor, Max von Sydow, who died last March, at the age of 90.
Just after a promo in which the other TCM hosts trumpeted Ben Mankiewicz as a host, he did not disappoint, as his eloquence, factual information and sincerity, came shining through, in tribute to Mr. von Sydow.
First “Hannah and Her Sisters,” a great film directed by Woody Allen and then the incomparable Ingmar Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal,” were the first two films shown in tribute.
Mr. von Sydow was great in both and so much else. His role was that of Jesus in “The Greatest Story Ever Told” and his remarks about how Jesus would feel about televangelists in the ’86 “Hannah and Her Sisters,” (not favorable, not by a long shot), bookend his greatness.
The fact he went on in roles for another thirty years, adds to why Max von Sydow is on a short list of acting greats.
Click below to view a nice tribute to Mr. von Sydow from JoBlo Video.
