Today in our “Players to Remember” file, I recall fondly and with great admiration the play of Ed Mathews, a Hall of Famer, who hit over 500 home runs.
I believe he was as good as if not better than any third baseman, who ever played the game.
He had a great World Series and made the unassisted play on which the 1957 World Series ended in favor of Mathews’ Milwaukee Braves.
The next season Mathews and the Braves were not as fortunate losing the last three games and the title to the vaunted New York Yankees, the team they defeated in the 1957 Fall Classic.
Ten years later, Ed Mathews was part of a Detroit Tigers team that did what the ’58 Yankees did to Ed’s Braves, namely win the last three World Series games, the last two on the road.
The great player, Eddie Mathews, pictured above.
After today’s two NFL games, (8-6) Tennessee (Titans) (nee Houston Oilers), hosting (7-7) “Wash” and the (11-3) Chargers also at home, vs the (8-6) Baltimore Ravens, only Sunday games remain on the NFL regular season schedule.
The host franchises today met in, with each hosting one, the first two AFL Championship Games in 1960 and 1961.
Houston (Oilers) led by George Blanda won both tilts, the first in Houston vs the L.A. Chargers in ’60 and at San Diego, the Chargers’ home from (’61- 2016), the following season.
The Chargers played in 5 of the 6 “all the way” AFL Title games, while Houston was in the first three pre Super Bowl year such tilts, meaning the two franchises combined to play in all six.
They combined for 3 AFL crowns, all of them “all the way”/pre Super Bowl games, however, the franchises have each lost, in their lone Super Bowl appearance.
The legendary George Blanda, pictured above, in a Houston Oilers’ uniform.
This one is so delightful, I need not embellish it at all.
Ms. Taylor is both beautiful and charming.
Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf, Arlene Francis and Fred Allen are the panelists.
John Daly is the host.
Enjoy, enjoy!
Click below to view Elizabeth Taylor on “What’s My Line from Sunday night November 14, 1954.
What’s My Line? – Elizabeth Taylor (Nov 14, 1954)
Rick’s Cabaret New York, the famous upscale gentlemen’s club located at 50 West 33rd Street, just one block from Madison Square Garden, is a great place to celebrate the Holidays.
Over 100 Entertainers are performing in holiday-themed outfits, and the three-story club is festively decorated, with a lit Christmas tree on display. Rick’s Cabaret is a favorite with many pro athletes and celebrities.
Rick’s Cabaret NYC, opens daily at 12 noon, and serves their highly rated three-course Businessmen’s Lunch Special until 3 pm. Dinner is served at the Rick’s Steakhouse on the second floor until 4 a.m.
It is Wednesday September 26, 1962–the Milwaukee Braves are going to finish 5th in the first year of a 10 team National League.
Their opponents, that rainy night in Milwaukee are the New York Mets, twice the amount, lower in the standings, i.e. 10th and with an eventual (40-120) record.
After this tilt, only 4 games remain for each team. Braves’ starter Denver Lemaster gives them hope, in the compelling and eventual classic 1962 N.L. pennant race, the Dodgers playing at home vs the Mets’ fellow expansion team, the Houston Colt 45’s, lead the Giants by a game and a half, as S.F. won its day game. After this day, each contender has 4 to play, all at home–Lindsey Nelson intones.
Earlier, Bob Murphy cited two other Braves’ pitchers that made the team optimistic about the 1963 season, Tony Cloninger and Bob Hendley.
It would not work out for the Dodgers in 1962 but it did so in both ’63 and ’65. Both Cloninger still with Milwaukee and Hendley then with the Chicago Cubs, would have great 1965 impact.
Stay with me as in future posts I will go back and with some clarity that hindsight provides, both note and comment.
Bob Murphy cited an affiliation between the Atlanta minor league club and the Braves. Of course, the Braves played only three more seasons in Milwaukee (’63-65), before moving to Atlanta.
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.
Andy B Sports 