This Sunday, a scant 6 days shy of 60 years later, (60 and 6 evoke the pitching distance of 60 feet, 6 inches), the Colts and Giants meet in a redux of the 1958 NFL Championship Game, (aka the greatest game ever played).
Then in Baltimore, the Colts won the 1958 game, the first game to decide the NFL crown that went into overtime (only one other, New England’s great comeback win in the 51st Super Bowl has done so) led by John Unitas, Raymond Berry and Alan “The Horse” Ameche.
So many from that famed tilt are no longer with us, however, such greats as Gino Marchetti, Lenny Moore, Sam Huff and Berry are still “here.”
Another, Charley Winner, a Colts assistant coach, his father in law, Weeb Ewbank (Mr. Ewbank coached the ’58 and ’59 Colts plus the ’68 New York Jets to titles) was the head coach, is also still alive.
At this time, he is 94 years old. Please click below for a nice piece on Mr. Winner, written in 2014.
Catching Up With … Former Colts coach Charley Winner …
Certainly voting regarding the Baseball Hall of Fame stirs some great debates.
Usually, I am of the view that a good number of players who attain “Hall” status, are excellent players, but well short of that quality needed to make The Baseball Hall of Fame.
Recently Harold Baines made the “Hall” and many are of the very strong opinion he is nowhere near deserving of that honor.
I opine that while he is not necessarily of great Hall of Fame quality, he was a tremendous hitter, one who struck fear into ANYONE on the other side.
Harold Baines had impact, that alone merits consideration and certainly more respect than he is getting.
Harold Baines, pictured above.
Today, my recollections are about the fine comedian, Gabe Kaplan.
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Kaplan when I was a contestant on a show called “NFL Trivia.”
As in the post, Muhammad Ali once said “everybody is talking about Gabe Kaplan” in vintage Ali style.
Today despite NFL action yesterday, I would rather “talk about Gabe Kaplan.”
He is a tremendous talent and I always enjoy his work.
Gabe Kaplan, pictured above.
Exactly forty five years ago today on another Sunday December 16th, O.J. Simpson’s famed record breaking game manifested in the snow, at Shea Stadium seems appropriate.
Today it is not snowing, but it is a rainy, dreary day where Shea Stadium once stood, the NFL season which then ended on this date in 1973, does have two more weeks of regular season games.
As for O.J. — we/he could run. Alas, “hiding” is a different matter.
Let’s see, records/Shea Stadium. Of course, the fabulous Beatles! George Harrison of the famed group from Liverpool, England, is pictured above.
I am currently reading a remarkable book written in the year 2000, about the one and only pitching great, “Cy” Young, a man whose pitching prowess began over a century earlier.
The author, Reed Browning, a professor of history at Kenyon College then and a renowned author, does a great job of putting Young’s accomplishments in perspective.
While extremely knowledgeable and interested in baseball beginning in the twentieth century, I have learned so much about baseball’s history in the century before, while reading the book.
Browning (there is a name out of 19th century baseball as Pete Browning was a tremendous hitter) and Young are a victorious combination, this book a recollection of a man, whose pitching is truly legendary.
I will have more on this fantastic book, subject and author as I continue reading, in the days to come.
Add one to a post from a year ago (link to it is below), as the 2018 Boston Red Sox became the fifth straight team, to clinch the World Series with a victory in a road game.
The Red Sox are also the last team to clinch the World Series with a victory in a home game, doing so in 2013.
Remember they went 86 years sans a title and three of the four they have won (’04,’07 and ’18) were clinched with a victory on the road.
Thus in the last 99 baseball seasons in which a World Series was played, the Red Sox have clinched the title at home just that one time (2013).
Click below to read a post from last year which cites more facts about the home/road configuration, concerning World Series clinching games.
- Baseball Notes Plus an NFL Prediction at the Bottom. on December 14, 2017
The road venues in which the Red Sox clinched titles were St.Louis in ’04, Colorado in ’07 and Los Angeles in 2018.
Recently I viewed the first WrestleMania and thoroughly enjoyed the commentary of Gorilla Monsoon.
His real name was Robert Morella and I also have nice memories of him on the professional wrestling circuit, as a “bad guy,” in the 1960’s. (He later became a “good guy” or “face.”)
As a “bad guy,” he was one of Bruno Sammartino’s feared opponents. His career in the professional wrestling world is one I praise.
The one and only Gorilla Monsoon, pictured above.
As stated here before and will be again, the Carroll Reed directed, “The Third Man” is one of the greatest films ever made.
In the film, Orson Welles plays a villain of epic proportions, named Harry Lime.
On the fine television series, “Gunsmoke,” in an episode that aired on January 14, 1961 a future character acting great, William Redfield played another villain, named “Lime,” this one Joe Lime.
It is almost certain that all four NFC division winners are known with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
Both of the likely top two seeds and likely division round hosts, the (11-2) New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams have clinched division crowns.
The Saints currently lead the Rams by a fraction of a game for the top seed, by virtue of their win vs the Rams.
Meanwhile both the (8-5) Dallas Cowboys and the (9-4) Chicago Bears are on the precipice of winning division titles.
Each has a magic number of 1 to clinch the title. Dallas has 6 possibilities for either a win or a Philadelphia Eagles’ loss (the defending champion Eagles are (6-7) to clinch the division.
The Bears/Da Bears have 5 possibilities for either a win or a Vikings’ loss. “Chi” visits the current NFC “6” seed, (6-6-1) Vikings in the regular season finale, thus reducing the number of possibilities by one.
The team with its symbol most prominently displayed above, the Dallas Cowboys almost certainly will win the NFC East.
The (11-2) Kansas City Chiefs have more than a game lead over any other AFC team, with just three games remaining in the regular season.
Yesterday, while K.C. won by a field in overtime vs the (7-6) Baltimore Ravens, two teams now both (9-4), New England and Houston lost.
A pair of now (7-6) teams, the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins, the latter on a last play lateral filled miracle, defeated Houston and New England respectively.
Meanwhile (3-10) Oakland (Raiders) upset the (7-5-1) Pittsburgh Steelers, keeping the Steelers’ AFC North lead over the Ravens at a fraction of a game.
Next for K.C. is a Thursday night home tilt vs the (10-3) Chargers, who survived to win yesterday, vs the (5-8) Cincinnati Bengals. At this point and even if they lose the next game, the Chiefs have the tiebreaker and no matter will lead the AFC West after the game.
If the Chiefs win vs the Chargers, as they are favored to do, they will be in all likelihood, as is the case now, the AFC “1” seed.
The Chiefs have 2 home games and but one road game left in the regular season. They likely will avoid the road in any AFC playoff game in a bid to make their first Supe in 49 years.
Andy B Sports 