While Michigan State is headed to their eighth national semi-final/Final Four in a 20 year, 21 season span (’99-2019, all under Tom Izzo), the other three such entrants (Texas Tech, Auburn and Virginia) either are there for the first time or the first time in a long time.
Both Texas Tech (they took out Michigan then Gonzaga) and Auburn (they eliminated North Carolina easily and then Kentucky in an overtime tilt) dispatched a pair of higher seeded, fairly significant favorites, en route to their first ever national semis appearance.
Meanwhile, Virginia is headed there for the first time in 35 years, after beating Oregon and Purdue in regional semi and final play, respectively. “UVA” has opened as a 5 plus point(s) “fave” vs Auburn.
Michigan State defeated L.S.U. in the regional “semi,” (the 1979 “Mich” St. title team also won in that round vs L.S.U, which in fact lost to the eventual national champion three straight seasons (’79-’81), before getting by tournament favorite, Duke in the regional final.
Michigan State will play Texas Tech in the later game on Saturday. They are only 3 point favorites.
Long ago, the Tampa Bay Lightning wrapped up the best record in the NHL.
It now is almost certain that the Calgary Flames will get the best record in the NHL’s Western Conference.
Fifteen years ago, the Lightning defeated the Flames in a 7 game NHL Final to win their lone Stanley Cup crown to date.
Thirty years ago in 1989, the Flames won their lone NHL crown 6’ing the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL Final.
Montreal had won in their last nine NHL Final series including the ninth vs the Flames in 1986.
Martin St. Louis, pictured above, scored in overtime to keep Tampa Bay alive in game 6 at Calgary in that ’04 Final. “T.B.” then titled with a game 7 win at home.
It was pitcher John Tsitouris of the Cincinnati Reds, who beat the Philadelphia Phillies (1-0) in the game that started the Phils’ 10 game loss skein that essentially cost them the 1964 National League Pennant.
Tsitouris was also the Reds losing pitcher in a last day of the season game vs the Phillies, which coupled with a St. Louis Cardinals’ win vs the New York Mets, lifted the Cards to the pennant and eventually a World Series title.
Three years later, on a day a great American League race played out, Tsitouris won his only decision of the year, in a meaningless game vs the Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati’s Crosley Field, where John had lost the ’64 finale.
It was George Altman’s last game in the major leagues. He was a three time National League All-Star, playing in both such games in 1961.
Postscripts: 1967 again was a Cardinals’ title season, as they beat the “Impossible Dream” Boston Red Sox in 7, to win the World Series.
The Red Sox had prevailed in the great American League pennant race.
Rather than tell you again, how the wild card presence has ruined the chance of great races such as ’64 N.L. and ’67 A.L. –I choose to recall Altman’s tale of playing baseball in Japan, especially regarding how surprised he was, regarding the very hot temperature of a bath there.
Likely a hot (but not too) bath pictured above.
There are twelve teams remaining in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, none that made the final four/national semi-finals last season.
Last season Purdue was ousted in the “sweet sixteen/regional semis round by Texas Tech. Last night, both advanced to the Elite Eight/regional final round. Purdue won in overtime vs Tennessee while Texas Tech defeated Michigan.
Gonzaga, the top seed in the West and Virginia the South top seed, also advanced, the former avenging a loss in the same round to Florida State last season, the latter bidding for its first Final Four appearance in 35 years, when they face Purdue, itself bidding for a first such appearance in 39 years, in the regional final, on Saturday. Virginia won by four points, eliminating Oregon, which went (3-0) vs the point spread.
Last year’s champion, Villanova, was ousted in the second round on a Saturday (Purdue won vs them) for the second time in 3 seasons, however, “Nova” won it ALL in ’16 and ’18.
Texas Tech won last night vs Michigan to advance to a second straight regional final. Last season “Tech” lost in that round to Villanova.
Michigan made it to the final game last season, before they lost to Villanova. Another final four team from last season, Kansas lost in the second round this season, to Auburn.
Last year’s surprise final four entrant, Loyola of Chicago, failed to qualify for this season’s NCAA Tournament.
In the 1939 All-Star Game played at Yankee Stadium, two thirds of the American League starting players were representing the then three time champion, New York Yankees.
Those starters were Joe DiMaggio, George Selkirk, Bill Dickey, Joe Gordon, Red Rolfe and pitcher Charlie “Red” Ruffing.
Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Reds were on their way to the first of two consecutive pennants in 1939. They lost in 4 straight games to the Yankees in the ’39 World Series but bounced back to win the franchise’s second title (the other was in 1919, vs a Chicago White Sox team, that allegedly played to lose) in a 7 game World Series vs the Detroit Tigers.
The Reds had 5 of the 9 National League starters in that ’39 “Star” game. The players batting second through fifth, were Lonny Frey, Ival Goodman, Frank McCormick and Ernie Lombardi. Paul Derringer, also a Reds player, was the National League starting pitcher.
The 1939 major league baseball All-Star Game was played at Yankee Stadium on July 11th, a scant one week after Lou Gehrig was honored and made his famous and great speech, in which he proclaimed his “luck,” despite the fact, he was to die, at a far too early age.
Mr. Gehrig was cheered at the “Star” game when he came out to home plate as American League team captain, joined there by N.L. manager Gabby Hartnett and soon after by Bill Terry, as with Gehrig, a great first baseman playing in New York. (Of course Gehrig with the Yankees and Terry with the Giants. Neither man ever played for another team.)
The American League starting lineup was two thirds, New York Yankees and why not as they were on their way to a 4th straight title. Tomorrow, more notes on the 1939 All-Star Game.
Last week, I watched “The China Syndrome” (it warned regarding safety at a nuclear power plant) on Turner Classic Movies, (TCM) and appreciated it even more than I did the Sunday night in late March, 1979, on which I saw it “at the movies,” with my parents.
What flows here are my memories and the fairly well known fact that not long after the movie’s release a real life “nuclear situation” occurred at a place called Three Mile Island.
I need not or perhaps do need to wax poetic about causes, however, today it is the fine performances and eventually juxtaposition with sports.
James Bridges directed and the trio of Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon and Michael Douglas, all mega stars and performers, led the superb cast.
I noticed Peter Donat and Wilford Brimley, among others in excellent supporting roles.
Forty years later, “The China Syndrome” remains a truly outstanding film.
Of course, Michael Douglas is the son of legendary actor, Kirk Douglas, pictured above.
For just the second time (’09 was the other time), in the 35 possibilities since the NCAA Tournament expanded to at least 64 teams starting with the 1985 event, the top twelve seeded teams (i.e. the top 3 seeded teams in all four regions) have advanced to the “Sweet Sixteen”/Regional semis.
While most of the top teams won easily (after underdogs sprinted out (21-11) vs the spread in the first round, “faves” not only won but covered three quarters of the 8 games each day, in the second round), there nearly was and appeared to be a shocking upset, however, tournament favorite, Duke made the big plays to survive, vs Central Florida.
Last night, I really enjoyed and was tremendously moved by a performance of “Surely Goodness and Mercy” at the Clurman Theatre (412 West 42nd Street).
The play’s theme was multi faceted however, through humor and strong dialogue, the primary message of how great it is to give was clearly and effectively conveyed.
I would like to cite Chisa Hutchinson the playwright and the fine cast in alphabetical order follows next:
Sarita Covington, Jay Mazyck, Brenda Pressley, Courtney Thomas, Cezar Williams.
Click below for ticket information. I highly recommend seeing this play.
Surely Goodness and Mercy – Clurman Theater New York
Jay Mazyck and Brenda Pressley, pictured above.
For the record, in that April 23, 1964 game in which Ken Johnson lost despite hurling a no hit game, the victorious Reds scored the game’s lone run when Colt 45’s second baseman, Nelson Fox made another error, his second of the inning, on a Vada Pinson ground ball.
That play enabled Pete Rose to score. Editorial comment: Both Rose AND Pinson deserve Baseball Hall of Fame status.
With two out, the great and recently deceased, Frank Robinson made a serious bid for the Reds’ first hit, however, his long drive was hauled in by Jim Wynn.
Reds hurler, Joe Nuxhall, the youngest player to appear in a big league game, (he hurled two thirds of an inning, in such an entity, just shy of age 16, in 1944), completed a 5 hit shutout victory, striking out Colt 45’s cleanup hitter, John Weekly to end the game.
Jim Wynn, pictured above.
Andy B Sports 