In the 1973 NLCS, the (82 wins, 79 losses) New York Mets defeated the Cincinnati Reds, three games to 2, to win the National League Pennant.
The Mets were managed by Yogi Berra, who played on a baseball record 10 title teams, all with the New York Yankees.
In the subsequent World Series, the Oakland A’s won their second straight baseball crown, winning in 7 games vs the Mets.
As a manager, the one and only Yogi, took two teams to a decisive World Series game 7, (the ’64 Yankees lost to the great pitcher, Bob Gibson, and the St. Louis Cardinals), his teams losing both.
The great Yogi Berra, pictured above.
I really enjoyed last night’s concert featuring “The Big House Band,” at Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers, New York.
The group sounded great and performed such hits as “Wonderful Tonight” made famous by Eric Clapton and “September,” a great “Earth Wind And Fire” song.
Last night’s event, also provided me a tremendous honor, as I spoke with New York State Senator Shelley Mayer, who had effectively and briefly addressed the crowd and was so affable in speaking with us. She is truly impressive!
On the first night in August, as cited above a great night at Cross County Shopping Center.
Today the “next month” in song, last night by “The Big House Band” and now enjoy the classic, “September,” by “Earth Wind & Fire”
I truly admire the amazing “Rolling Stones,” who will perform at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey both tonight and on Tuesday August 5th.
However, I feel fortunate that there are nice, local, FREE concerts for people in such places as Cross County Mall/Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers, New York. Tonight The Big House Band performs.
Information on those concerts is below.
Before that, a “Rolling Stones” “tie in.”
My late friend, Mitchell Baum, once played a tape of the great Mick Jagger, of course the “Stones” lead singer, asking him, in his beautiful voice “What we gonna do tonight mate?!”—- I will be at Cross County, Mick performs in New Jersey and if ever, the unlikely occurs and the “twain” meet–I would tell Mick, about Mitch.
The remaining outdoor concerts at Cross County Mall in Yonkers, New York are listed below.
OUTDOOR CONCERTS: Concerts take place on The Green Lawn, in the center of the mall from 6:30pm – 8pm. Plus, enjoy Summer Fest Eats during the concerts – new food trucks each week!
- August 1: BIG HOUSE BAND (Top 40)
- August 6: FDR DRIVE BAND (Top 40 – rescheduled from July 11th)
- August 8: THE NY BEE GEES (Tribute)
- August 13: THE NERDS (Jersey Shore classic)
- August 15: THE BAILSMEN (Jazz – rescheduled from June 20th)
A view at Cross County Shopping Center, pictured above.
New York City held a ticker tape parade in downtown Manhattan for the victorious U.S. Women’s Soccer team, and I attended a VIP party held later that night in midtown Manhattan at the upscale gentlemen’s club Vivid Cabaret.
The “decidedly unofficial” “Soccer Victory Party” for VIPs featured over 100 Vivid Cabaret girls performing for a packed house.
“The champagne was flowing and there were hot girls everywhere,” was how Vivid Cabaret girl Natalia described it to me.
Vivid Cabaret girl Bianca commented on the biggest women’s sports event of the year. “I am so proud that the U.S. Women’s team won the World Cup. They are awesome.”
The non-stop fun spanned the club’s three floors, as well as in the exclusive Ultra Lounge and on the Roof Deck Cigar Lounge. It was quite a “winning” event.
Vivid Cabaret is known to be a favorite with pro athletes who like to “make it rain” on the club’s gorgeous girls. Vivid Cabaret, 61 West 37th Street, in the heart of the Fashion District.
Today, another episode of the great television show “What’s My Line.”
This one is from Sunday October 2, 1955.
There are two great mystery guests, the husband and wife team , the one and only Lucille Ball and husband/television pioneer, Desi Arnaz.
The panelists are Dorothy Kilgallen, Robert Q. Lewis, Arlene Francis, who shows a “What’s My Line” board game and Bennett Cerf.
John Charles Daly is the show’s host.
Enjoy!
Eight of the thirty major league baseball teams are at least ten games under the .500/break even mark and are out of contention for a playoffs berth.
Four of the teams, all in the American League, the Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals are playing under .400 baseball and are an astounding, aggregate 130 games below .500.
The above phrase may be alliterative, however, these teams, being this relatively bad, is not a good thing for baseball.
Two other A.L. and two N.L. teams more than 10 games “under” and “out” are the Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners of the American League and the Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League.
A happy memory, though now nearly forty years ago, Willie Stargell, a true great, pictured above, led the Pittsburgh Pirates to the 1979 World Series title.
The “Buccos” have won their last 3 World Series (1960, 1971 and 1979) last losing one in 1927 to a superb Yankees team that featured among others, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
The Oakland Athletics won three consecutive World Series titles from (1972-1974). No team/franchise, other than the vaunted New York Yankees, has ever won as many as three straight baseball crowns.
Now what does that have to do with the first Mets’ game at the Astrodome in 1965?!
Three different, excellent Astros’ starters in the 1965 tilt, played on teams that lost to the A’s, in the aforementioned three straight World Series from (1972-1974.)
Joe Morgan, who became a truly great player, the Astros’ second baseman and leadoff batter in the ’65 game, (he singled in his first at bat) was on the 1972 Cincinnati Reds team, that lost in the maximum 7 games, to the first Athletics’ title team, while based in Oakland.
The next World Series in 1973, manifested in another 7 game A’s triumph, this one vs a low wins, New York Mets team, that included ’65 Astros right fielder, Daniel “Rusty” Staub and for that matter, a ’65 and even ’62 New York Mets player in that ’65 tilt, namely Ed Kranepool.
Finally in my Strat-O-Matic baseball league, so long, in so many ways, ago, Jay Larry Rader wrote little cannon balls, on Jim Wynn’s card.
Wynn, known as “The Toy Cannon” was in center field for Houston in that 1965 game and a vital cog on the L.A. Dodgers’ 1974 N.L. pennant winning team.
The “boom” and World Series, however, went to the remarkable A’s in 5 games. Rollie Fingers got the last out, did not blow a big game and stuck to baseball talk.
The great, Rollie Fingers, shown, about to deliver a pitch.
It was early in the 1965 National League season ( April 27th), when the New York Mets made their first visit to the famed Houston Astrodome, aka “The Eighth Wonder of the World.”
Jack Fisher was the Mets’ starting pitcher, while Don Nottebart was the Houston hurler, throwing the game’s first pitch.
Roughly two years earlier, Nottebart pitched the first no-hit game in Houston Colt 45’s/Astros history in April 1963, six days after the great pitcher, Sandy Koufax, pitched the second, of four career no-hit games.
Five days before the game in Houston, the Dodgers with Sandy getting the win, handed Jack Fisher and the Mets, a tough (2-1) loss.
Mr. Fisher once told me about losing many tough games, as he battled pitching greats, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson and Juan Marichal. The game vs Nottebart was a tough team loss and no decision for Fisher, as again he pitched very well but did not get a victory.
The Houston Astrodome, pictured above. Tomorrow more notes from that Mets/Astros game at that venue.
It was interesting and uplifting to see two “Dallas” cast members, when watching “Gunsmoke” and “Bonanza” this week.
Morgan Woodward, a veteran of so many western type shows and Marvin “Punk” Anderson on the great television show, “Dallas” was in both episodes, the latter titled Bonanza episode being Lothario Larkin, with guest star Wallace Beery Jr.
Jim Davis, so great as “Jock Ewing” on Dallas, had a prominent role in the “Lothario Larkin,”Bonanza episode.
Seeing all three, Woodward, Beery Jr, and Mr. Davis plus the regular cast, provided some nice “throw back” entertainment.
Perhaps, somewhere Jim Davis, pictured above and Larry Hagman are having some fun, as among other things, recalling their great roles as “Jock” and “J.R.” on the great show “Dallas.”
The title above, is homage to the very talented actor, Arte Johnson, who died recently at age 90. He made the quoted phrase a big part of the great television show “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In.”
Some notes will follow, as I have enjoyed watching MeTV at different hours of the day.
Late Wednesday/Thursday morning on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” an episode from 1961, stars actor Ronald Howard, the son of legendary “Gone With The Wind” and other classics performer, Leslie Howard. (His sister was named Leslie Ruth Howard.)
Howard, best known as “Sherlock Holmes” on the 1950’s television series of the same name, gives a very good performance, as a man, who hires a private investigator, to report on his wife’s activities.
Arte Johnson stands out, explaining his role and references a “Mr. Johnson,” (played by Addison Richards), who filled him in on the situation.
Additionally, Johnson’s character is named “Bates,” certainly an Alfred Hitchcock name, if there ever was one.
Of course Tony Perkins starred as “Norman Bates” in the great Mr. Hitchcock directed film, “Psycho,” just a year before in 1960.
Arte Johnson, pictured above.
Andy B Sports 