Lindsey (the great broadcaster, Lindsey Nelson, who among other things in an epic career, interviewed Lindsay (Mayor John V.), after the Mets LCS’d the Atlanta Braves to grab the ’69 N.L. Pennant) introduced the Rheingold ad, without citing the sponsor’s name.
“In New York where there are more Irish people than in all of Dublin,”– do you remember it and when pitches were not missed and there was no non stop talk, from so called “game analysts?!”
Jonathan Schwartz, recently punished disproportionately severely, had a great commentary on listening to the scoreboard being “run down,” while still engaging in conversation or at least “listening,” to a female companion, while driving on a baseball filled afternoon.
I loved the “scoreboard and when it was checked,” and on “this” August 25th, 1965 night, with hindsight as much as 53 years later, Ken McMullen homered and Claude Osteen pitched. That in the next season, after they were traded to opposite leagues for each and others.
Ditto Frank Robinson and Milt Pappas, the season before the epic, similar inter league trade.
One can never get enough of the great talent of Buddy Hackett.
Toward that happy thought, here is an appearance by Mr. Hackett on the iconic television show, “What’s My Line.”
Click below to view Buddy Hackett on “What’s My Line.”
What’s My Line? – Buddy Hackett; Joey Bishop [panel] (May 13, 1962)
I will add a nice, random observation, however, let’s start with the fact it will be the Calgary Stampeders (they won (22-14) as 5 point faves vs Winnipeg yesterday) vs the Ottawa Redblacks (they ripped the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as three plus point faves) in the Grey Cup (title) game next Sunday.
Calgary has been established as a 4 point favorite in the game, which quite often is so entertaining and enhanced by snow on the field.
A nice gentleman named Chris, citing the fact he does not like the “hold music” just put the phone down and quickly came back to help. That is good customer service.
The latest line was such (Clemson minus 29 plus points) that I was correct in predicting they (Clemson) would not cover the spread yesterday, in their tilt yesterday vs Duke. Clemson won (35-6).
Thus I was (2-1) as I correctly almost “guaranteed” Alabama would not cover vs The Citadel, but also predicted Notre Dame would “no cover” Syracuse.
Speaking of “guarantee,” have you seen Joe Namath, once an Alabama player, in his commercial regarding extra Medicare benefits. He “guarantees” them, these 50 years after another “guarantee” (he did so regarding and before, the Jets second ‘offs win, enough for the ’68 crown, the one vs the Colts, who needed but failed to get a third).
Also the (35-6) score reminds me of Alabama’s win over Ohio State on bowl day following the ’77 season. It was not enough as Notre Dame “vaulted” over them to the crown.
That episode of injustice still haunts me and while the 2018 version of Notre Dame, surely would be a huge underdog vs Alabama, if and perhaps when they meet, I do “fear” this improved, (11-0), but again let them have faced conference play, Notre Dame team.
Those CFL predictions: Ottawa Redblacks to cover a three points plus spread vs Hamilton (Tiger-Cats) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, a 5 point “underdog,” to upset the Calgary Stampeders.
NFL: The New Orleans Saints favored by 7 plus, need a late field goal, to edge the Philadelphia Eagles.
Perhaps it is a sad commentary, that the point spreads are now openly discussed, in the once sacrosanct New York Times.
Yet this week, it is worth noting that Alabama and perhaps Clemson will “no cover” big spreads.
Alabama favored by 53 points wins (40-0) vs The Citadel.
Clemson struggles a bit and wins (35-18) as a 4 touchdown plus favorite vs Duke.
Oh what Beano would have won on the projected wins total of over 9 and a half wins for Notre Dame! They are/were favored each game, save Michigan, and on paper those two will join the top 2, (Alabama and Clemson) in the 4 team (joke of) playoff.
However, there are still games to be played!
Could/would Notre Dame a 10 point “fave” at Yankee Stadium today, vs Syracuse, have survived the S.E.C. or even the Big Ten, in my opinion, of course not, but they will survive “Syr,” (34-27) today.
Tomorrow some CFL playoff semi-final predictions and maybe one or two in the NFL.
Fifty years ago today on November 16, (volatile, tragic, issue driven) 1968, I chanted the Torah and Haftarah (Haftorah is apparently an alternate spelling) at my Bar Mitzvah.
The next day was the party and I guess I could show you all the well wishes that now seem like so many kenahoras (jinxes), some written by those who actually did things far worse than “jinx’ me. (Below you see “kanahora” is also an acceptable spelling.)
Yet, let me consider my efforts, how proud my parents and grandmother were and credit Rabbi Joseph Wise for instilling in me, the confidence needed to complete the task.
Please, some of that now!!
I chanted regarding the death of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, “shown” above with husband and child Isaac.
A long time to conceive a child for them and my folks.
That day 50 years ago brought them joy.
Click below for a nice article pertaining to Yiddish words.
Yiddishology: How Good Is Your Yiddish? “Kenahora (Kanahora)” – Second of a Series
The low point for the Red Sox came in a Saturday night game 3/2004 ALCS (19-8) loss to the Yankees, that put them down (3-0) in the series.
Boston then did what no big league baseball team has done before or since, namely win 4 straight games, down (3-0) to take the series.
They won 8 consecutive games in all to win it all in ’04.
In future posts more Red Sox notes as they rallied to win titles after Saturday night post-season losses in 2007 and 2013.
In all four of their their title seasons, the only Red Sox titles in 100 years, but all four occurred in the last 14 years/15 seasons the Boston team played very well, sometimes great after a Saturday night post-season loss.
This just completed season the Bo Sox went an astounding (8-1) to claim the crown after losing a Saturday night home game 1 to the Houston Astros in the ALCS.
Tomorrow more notes on the Red Sox after Saturday night post-season losses, those in 2004, 2007 and 2013, all title seasons for the Red Sox.
Babe Ruth, pictured above won only one more crown with the Yankees than he did with the Red Sox. He never would have cursed the Red Sox.
One would not know it reading the New York Giants website today nor gazing at their “Ring of Honor,” but one of their best players ever, Ron Johnson passed away at age 71.
Many Giants fans rank their near miss 1970 season ahead of some of the Supe winning seasons and Ron Johnson’s brilliance that season, led the way.
He was a star at Michigan University, where in 1968, he set a single game rushing record, that still stands, with over 340 yards vs Wisconsin.
“My” Cleveland Browns drafted him and I recall a “Strat-O-Matic” football card of him, but after “we” traded him to the Giants.
The Browns also traded the even greater Paul Warfield, setting the stage for Miami Dolphins’ greatness and causing my best friend, Michael Santasieri, to refer to Browns’ owner Art Modell, as “The Santa Claus of the NFL.”
Though I was not a Giants’ fan, my memories of their 1970 and 1972 seasons are cherished ones.
Ron Johnson, more than anyone, stood out in those two seasons.
In ’72 while Johnson ran great in those “radio only” home games, with a real announcer, (in fact the best ever for radio/football–Marty Glickman) Marty who always appreciated excellence, whether from his team or the opposition, lauded the efforts of such stars as Denver’s Floyd Little and Washington’s Larry Brown.
He talked of Larry Brown evoking memories of the great Jim Brown, a player Ron Johnson grew up idolizing.
Meanwhile Johnson dazzled us when the Giants had the ball.
Finally there was November 15, 1970 -Doug Ingber was 10 years old and in a Connecticut hotel room with his dad, watching Washington at the Giants in Yankee Stadium. 22 years later, Doug a superb editor with D.C. Video edited my tribute show to an appreciative Marty Glickman, which aired on the day of his last broadcast.
“Stone,” through all the combined mental illness and events, has recounted that day, that game he attended as a 13 year old with his father “D.R.” as arguably, the best in his life.
There was perspective from the tragic plane crash of the Marshall football team the night before and the excitement when as he said “had there been a roof on Yankee Stadium, it would have blown off,” such was the noise when Ron Johnson, holding the ball aloft (no cell phones, no cell phone “celebrations” then) crossed the Washington goal for “the go ahead to stay,” final score. Down (33-14), the Giants won (35-33).
I was home, radio only but with Marty. As the game was headed for its thrilling climax, Marty suggested to those in the radio audience that were driving to “pull over to the side of the road.” Yankees’ head Mike Burke actually did so and told Marty so.
If I do nothing else with my tangents, I try to delve into what happened, unlike so much of the sports media, that for example, still cites one play without placing said play, in perspective.
I conclude my tribute to Ron Johnson, with Ethan “Stone’s” recollection of his father wanting to beat the traffic after Ron scored.
Yet Sonny (Jurgensen) and “Wash” did not give up, (they watched from the lower stands before leaving) nor should we.
Ron Johnson was a great, as good, I say better talent wise and at his best, than any Giants’ runner. Now he runs above and Doug, “Stone” Marty Glickman (up there with him) and I remember!
Sadly, in reading about Ron Johnson of the Giants and Michigan–I learned that Ron Johnson, a defensive back on 2 consecutive Pittsburgh Steelers’ Super Bowl winners (’78 and ’79), teams in my book in a close “contest,” the best teams I ever saw play, had also passed away in this year 2018.
Click below for a brief recollection of Ron Johnson–Steelers
Former Steelers defensive back Ron Johnson dies at 62
In gambling casinos, there are “slots hosts.”
The NFL, an entity that “owes” (an interesting word in this case) much of its great commercial success to its tie with gambling, a veritable “marriage made in (some failed) mortgage,” has division round games, I have long called “slots” games.
Three one loss teams are likely “slots hosts,” though remember 7 weeks of regular season NFL play remains.
Two of those teams, the AFC Kansas City Chiefs and the NFC Los Angeles Rams are (9-1) and meet next Monday night in Mexico City, while the other, the (8-1) New Orleans Saints are perhaps the most impressive team to date.
In consecutive weeks, they won games at Baltimore and Minnesota, vs the Rams at home and yesterday annihilated the Bengals at Cincinnati. The first three were in games that were “rated” close to even while the Saints, winners of eight straight tilts after a season opening loss vs Tampa Bay (Bucs), were 6 point road “faves” yesterday.
In Kevin Seifert’s NFL review, he contradicts himself or at least errs as the (9-1) K.C. lead over New England and for that matter (6-2-1) Pittsburgh is certainly NOT 2 games. It is one and a fraction!
Below is from Seifert’s column:
The New England Patriots‘ loss in Tennessee effectively gives the Chiefs a two-game lead for the No. 1 overall seed. The Patriots hold the head-to-head tiebreaker between the teams, but Sunday’s action means they’ll need to make up two games over their final six to wrestle away the top seed.
Andy B Sports 