The twelfth “8” year baseball season with a modern World Series, (i.e. American League vs National League), ended with a second Red Sox crown, this one a hundred years after the first.
Their biggest rivals, the New York Yankees, did make post-season play as a fine 100 plus wins team (one of three in the American League, the last two champions, Boston and the Houston Astros were the others) as a wild card team, but did not make the World Series.
Five times they made and won the World Series in “8” years, winning it all in 1928, 1938, 1958, 1978 and 1998.
Three of those World Series resulted in Yankees’ 4 game sweeps (’28, ’38 and ’98) with a fourth, 1978, manifesting in 4 straight Yankees’ wins to take the title in 6 games.
A three game World Series win skein, certainly also a great feat was the result in 1958. Bob Turley’s pitching in games (5-7), led a great Yankees’ comeback World Series victory.
Bob Turley, pictured above, led the Yankees’ great 1958 World Series comeback victory.
I truly enjoy watching “Perry Mason,” a show about a great attorney, played by Raymond Burr.
Some of the younger people might not remember Mr. Burr as “Mason,” but remember him as “Ironside” (Robert, I believe), in the show of the same name.
Others may not recall either show.
I suggest watching them somewhere, there are many choices.
Perry Mason airs on MeTV each day at 9 A.M. and 11:30 P.M. Eastern Time.
Raymond Burr, pictured above.
For the third time in four seasons and in college playoffs fifth season, it will be Alabama vs Clemson in the title game.
Alabama in its fourth straight title game (they are (2-1) in the previous three, splitting two games with Clemson and beating Georgia last season) is a 6 point favorite vs Clemson, a team they beat in the semi-final game last season.
Tua Tagolovia, once the odds on choice to win the Heisman Trophy, a prize he was ultimately denied, as he finished second in the voting to Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, completed 24 of his 27 passes and threw four touchdown passes as the Tide (Alabama), a two touchdown favorite, won (45-34) OVER Oklahoma in the later semi game two days ago.
In the earlier game, freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdown passes, two to Justyn Ross, as Clemson (3-1) in semi games, routed Notre Dame (30-3).
Alabama is (4-1) in semis tilts, Oklahoma (0-3) while Notre Dame lost in its first semi-final game, extending its major bowl game losing streak to eight.
Alabama coach Nick Saban will be going for a record sixth undisputed Alabama title in the Monday January 7th title game in Santa Clara, California.
The game will be played in the San Francisco 49ers home stadium. S.F. has 5 Super Bowl crowns, tied with the in the NFL ‘offs New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys for second most, one behind the Pittsburgh Steelers, another non playoffs team in 2018.
Rico Carty was one of the greatest hitters I ever saw play.
If there was a hitter’s Hall of Fame, Rico Carty would be a serious candidate.
Once in a July 4th, Sunday night game, in 1976, I believe 14 years before regularly scheduled such games, Carty homered to get the Indians within a run of the Yankees, who held on to win the game and eventually the American League Pennant.
Yankees’ broadcaster praised Carty after the home run. “Oh can he hit!” Mr. Rizzuto remarked.
That was high praise from a baseball great. It also was well deserved as Rico Carty could really hit.
Rico Carty, pictured above.
Tomorrow if heavy favorite Seattle (Seahawks) wins vs Arizona (Cardinals) or if the Chicago Bears top the Minnesota Vikings, then in the 4 seed vs 5 seed, wild card round tilt, Seattle will visit Dallas.
I guess Seattle will win, which if that happens and favorite Minnesota tops the Bears will manifest in Bears/Vikings in 2 straight weeks.
Prediction: Seattle 24 Arizona 17 keeping the Sam Rosen announced underdog streak going, in a game started by Arizona quarterback, Josh Rosen.
The Cowboys will host either Seattle or Minnesota. The Eagles need to win at Wash and get help from the Bears (i.e. beating the Vikings), to get in the ‘offs.
If that is coupled with a win by the heavily favored Rams vs S.F. (49ers) then 30 years later and a playoffs round earlier, there would be a redux of a division round, Bears win vs the Eagles, a game played in heavy Chicago fog.
In that somewhat unlikely event, the game would again be in Chicago.
I saw many games played by Dale Murphy.
He was a key member of some good Atlanta Braves’ teams, one a division winner in 1982 under manager Joe Torre, the first foray into post-season play for either excellent player.
While Torre, who was a superb hitter (.363 in 1971) made many more post-season appearances as a manager, primarily with the Yankees, winning 4 titles and 6 pennants, to lead to his Hall of Fame entry, Mr. Murphy never again made it to post-season play.
That is one reason that I opine Murphy to be a really good player but not one to be in the Baseball “Hall.”
Dale Murphy, pictured above.
There is more “treasure” from that game on September 26, 1962 between the Milwaukee Braves and New York Mets.
Sadly, cigarettes are not healthy, something too many people realized too late.
Thus with the asterisk of what would become I cite if nothing else the professionalism of Lindsey Nelson in an ad for “Kool” cigarettes.
One who stayed good, his literal and figurative home runs staying fair both within poles and with no additions, is Henry Aaron.
On that rainy night in Milwaukee, he hit his 45th home run of the season, a monstrous three run clout.
Henry Aaron with his wife Billye
The New England Patriots are nearly two touchdown favorites vs the New York Jets, in a bid to clinch a home division round game for an incredible ninth straight season.
I liken this era of Pats football (2001-2018) to that of the San Francisco 49ers, twenty years earlier, (1981-1998).
To this point, each team won 5 NFL/Super Bowl crowns, in each case, the first ever titles for the franchise.
In future posts, I will cite the Pats/49ers incredibly similar 18 year periods of essentially sustained great performance.
The Dodgers won the World Series in just their second season in Los Angeles in 1959.
They defeated the Milwaukee Braves in 2 straight games, the second a classic, unheralded game, to win an unscheduled playoff for the National League Pennant.
Next after dropping game 1 to Early Wynn, Ted Kluszewski and the White Sox in Chicago, L.A. won 4 of the next 5 games and the crown led by the brilliant pitching of Larry Sherry.
Somehow I remember the one and only Frank Sinatra paying tribute to Sherry’s pitching prowess in that 1959 World Series. Somewhere, perhaps there is footage of him doing so.
Brooklyn stars Duke Snider, Gil Hodges and Carl Furillo were starting players on the team while another, Pee Wee Reese was still part of the team as the third base coach.
The (13-2) New Orleans Saints are the NFC top seed, clinching the status with a (31-28) win over the (8-6-1) Pittsburgh Steelers, yesterday in New Orleans.
New Orleans was the NFC top seed just one other time and that season, (2009), they won the Super Bowl.
Now the Steelers, who were truly hurt by pass interference calls on three Saints’ touchdown drives, need help to make the NFL playoffs, something they were heavily favored to do when the season started.
No worry needed for the Steelers’ glory nor the Rooney family that owns them.
Pittsburgh won their first Super Bowl crown in New Orleans vs the Vikings, who still have not won one. The Steelers have won six, more than any other team.
Meanwhile the Rooneys will soon sell Yonkers Raceway and all that entails and yields.
Staying “above the belt,” the Rooneys association there began with the Steelers’ first playoff season in 1972. It has been quite a run of success, no matter the ’18 season result.
Andy B Sports 