From (1971-1975) the Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates combined to win an incredible nine “one quarter” division titles in ten possibilities.
Oakland won “div” titles in all five of those seasons and took the big prize, the World Series in three straight seasons from (1972-1974).
This season, while stratospheres or seemingly so from the aforementioned prowess, each team has thus far written some good stories.
Pittsburgh has won eleven straight games and with the All-Star break included has not lost a game in over 2 weeks. (the last loss was vs “Wash” on Tuesday July 10th). They are (53-49), currently 5th among non first place teams, but only three games out, in a bid for playoffs qualification in the National League.
The Athletics are (59-43) and only one and a half games behind the Seattle Mariners for playoff qualification in the American League.
At times, I have discussed and given my views concerning players, I believe, though in, should not be in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Now with some frequency, I will opine on some, that I truly believe should be in, certainly in with the caveat that if player A is in, so ought to be player C (too many B’s).
One player, as good a hitter as there has been in many years, that ought to be in, certainly in light of the fact certain others are, is the great designated hitter Edgar Martinez.
The media and others talk about the “eye test.”
I recall Marty Glickman, the great sportscaster saying “one just had to see him play to know how good he was,” concerning those select players.
Martinez could hit as few others could, the designated hitter, for better or worse, (I helped put it in my Strat-O-Matic Baseball league 5 years before it came to the big leagues) has been part of the game for 45 years and Edgar along with the truly great David Ortiz, is the best one.
He deserves to be in the Baseball Hall.
Francesco Molinari, three strokes behind three golfers when final round play began, roared to the British Open title.
He is the first player from Italy to win a major golf tournament.
“Vegas” matched him with Tiger Woods, surely attracting “Woods money.”
Mr.Molinari won not only the “proposition bet” vs Woods, but the British Open crown as well.
Francesco Molinari, pictured above.
Here is some form of perspective and some maturity, while expressing my opinion and even my preference.
I truly disagree with all the hype Tiger Woods receives, though he once was great and deserves more than the likes of Phil Mickelson and Danica Patrick, the latter even joking about it, a rare “funny,” in a recent television “event.”
However, it is not that important! If they hype him and others, why let it bother me?!!
There are odds 12 to 1 (Woods certainly could win, but the odds should be much greater and one reason they are not, is Woods getting so much publicity) on Woods, 4 strokes behind, tied with I believe, seven others for 5th place, winning the British Open, which is in its final round today.
Thus the perspective/actions so often used by the late Beano Cook manifest. Bet a small amount (do not bet and if you do, always bet small amounts) on Woods, still rooting vs him, but if he does win, a small gain somewhat eases the “pain.”
Better to get out and exercise (pain, gain etc. and those of you still young, even not, get out, stop watching so much sports. Trust me, with few exceptions it will get you nowhere!).
Radio was and could still be great!
Now they are the favorites, prohibitive ones in the N.L. west, though only a game and a half ahead and even slight ones in the National League.
They traded for Manny Machado, they came so close to a title last season and certainly loom in a bid for their first in 30 years.
The team, the L.A. Dodgers.
As the years roll by and after seeing a nice feature on Walter Cronkite on Decades this week, let’s note this day marks 49 years since a (hu)man, Neil Armstrong, became the first such entity to walk on the moon.
Mr. Cronkite truly enjoyed the moment as I did, though as was stated below, its joy has diminished.
Today a look at my post on the subject four years back.
Click below.
- Man on the Moon 45th Anniversary on July 20, 2014
“A special category”
Today, some comments on what has been a surprising, highly competitive, roughly first half of the WNBA season.
Having been away from the action for a while, I was surprised to see the defending champion Minnesota Lynx have struggled.However, they are still in playoffs position and a serious threat to repeat as league champions.
Kudos to the so far best record, Seattle Storm and to the Dallas Wings’ Liz Cambage, who is averaging over 20 points per game.
This week Cambage hit for a WNBA record 53 points, on blazing 17 for 22 shooting from the field, in a victory over one of this season’s disappointing teams, the New York Liberty.
Liz Cambage,pictured above.
On Monday night past, I truly enjoyed “Broadway’s Rising Stars” at the great and historic venue, Town Hall in New York City.
Scott Siegel created, wrote, directed and hosted the truly inspiring event.
Nineteen “rising stars” performed individually and the show opened and closed with the entire cast performing.
What a great group and here are and remember these names, as they are listed in order of appearance.
Brittneyann Accetta, Makyra Alexander, Stephanie Bacastow, Will Brockman, Gigi Encarnacion, Christopher J. Essex, Melanie Gettler, Emily Janes, Dongwoo Kang, , Nick Manna, Emma Maxwell, Hannah Mount, Kyra Pemberton, Giancarlo Pinzon, Emily Royer, Ashley Ryan, Kelsey Lee Smith, William Taitel, Joseph Valle-Hoag and Maddy Waters.
Can not forget the great band.
Left to right, Jerry DeVore, Zak Eldridge, Jonathan Russell and John Fischer
Tonight, slightly over eighty five years after the first such game, the big leagues’ All-Star Game will be held in Washington D.C.
In that first All-Star tilt, the one and only Babe Ruth hit the first home run and it propelled the American League All-Stars to a (4-2) win.
The last All-Star Game played in the U.S. capital was in 1969.
In that one, the great slugger, Willie McCovey hit two home runs in a National League victory.
That game, postponed from the night before, was played in the day, the last time the All Star Game played almost exclusively before nightfall through 1966, was held during daylight hours.
In more or less, a pair of one sided final round matches won by the favorites, Novak Djokovic and France won the Wimbledon Men’s crown and World Cup Soccer title, respectively.
After both men had won long, tough 5 set “semis,” Djokovic eased to his fourth Wimbledon title, defeating Kevin Anderson in straight sets.
Then in another before noon Eastern Time start, France doubled Croatia (4-2) to win their second World Cup crown, twenty years after their first in 1998.
Novak Djokovic, pictured above.
Andy B Sports 