One way to look at the great Henri Richard, who died days back at age 84, is the fact he had more than half as many Stanley Cup titles, all with the Montreal Canadiens, than he had actual birthdays. (Henri, who died on March 6th, a scant 6 days after turning 84, had 21 actual birthdays, having been born on February 29, 1936).
Eleven Stanley Cup titles! That is more than any other player, the classy, great Jean Beliveau, whom I did meet, played on 10 title teams. Only the great Bill Russell, who played on 11 title winners with the Boston Celtics matches Henri Richard’s 11 playing crowns in any major or for that matter, minor North American sports league. Also it is a record that may never be broken.
Back to Beliveau and 10 titles, he gained it and Henri’s 10th as well, in a (3-2) win at Chicago in game 7 of the 1971 Stanley Cup final vs the Blackhawks.
Henri Richard scored the tying goal in the second period and the last goal/Stanley Cup winning goal in the third period. Has anyone ever been “that clutch” in a “winner take all game?!” In any sport?!
The man known as “The Pocket Rocket” (his legendary older brother Maurice was “The Rocket”) also scored the Stanley Cup winning goal in game 6 at Detroit vs the Red Wings, in the 1966 Stanley Cup final.
Others have 2 Stanley Cup winning goals but theirs do not match Richard’s in terms of importance to the overall result.
It is that fact, the winning, the skill (twice leading the league in assists) and most of all the determination, that makes Henri Richard an unforgettable great.
Some say Henri got his chance from Canadiens’ executive, Frank Selke, as a favor to brother Maurice, with whom Henri would play on 5 consecutive Stanley Cup winners, in Maurice’s last 5 seasons (’56-’60). Maybe so, with Henri, of course proving to be great.
That “favor” will not be necessary if and when God/G-d picks his hockey team, as Henri Richard easily makes the grade.
Below the great broadcaster, Danny Gallivan calls Henri Richard’s Stanley Cup winning goals in 1966 and then 1971. Dick Irvin, also a great, adds commentary in 1971.
Henri Richard, pictured and headed ABOVE.
Last night’s L.A. Lakers’ home win vs the top ranked Milwaukee Bucks, keeps L.A. in the race for the top NBA seed.
Milwaukee is but 3 games ahead of the Lakers in the loss column and I think that the Lakers would have the tiebreaker, should the teams finish with the same record.
There is a relatively long way to go and I think the Bucks will still get the best record.
Surely, the Lakers led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis and almost certain Western Conference top seeds, are a viable title threat.
Lucius Allen, pictured on the right played for both the Bucks and Lakers. A great player, Walt Frazier is also pictured with I believe Tom Meschery in the backround.
The season twelve (1971) “Bonanza” episode, “The Stillness Within,” which aired this week on MeTV, was compelling and featured superb acting by guest star Jo Van Fleet and series regular, Michael Landon.
Van Fleet plays “Ellen Dobbs,” who comes to Landon’s character “Little Joe’s” aid, when he loses his sight in an explosion.
As you might expect, he regains it.
It is the interaction, especially in the the final scene between Landon and Van Fleet, that makes this such a memorable episode.
The amazing actress, Jo Van Fleet, pictured above.
Today, a truly interesting episode of “What’s My Line?”
Jim Piersall is a mystery guest as is Paul Douglas. Jim was a great defensive outfielder while Douglas had many excellent roles/performances, including those in “Angels In The Outfield,” and “It Happens Every Spring” both baseball movies.
Panelists are Arlene Francis, then Florida senator, George Smathers, Dorothy Kilgallen and Bennett Cerf.
John Charles Daly is the show’s host.The video runs over, repeating parts and seems to have “cut off” part of the segment with Paul Douglas.
Despite that, this is a really fine episode from the iconic show.
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.
Andy B Sports 