Charlie, Billy and Tommy take the ice in honor of their grandfather Stan Mikita. #OneMoreShift
Entering the 1935 World Series vs the Chicago Cubs, the Detroit Tigers had never won the title and were (0-4) in World Series play.
The Cubs were (2-5) in W.S. competition at that point, their 2 victories both coming vs the Tigers. Those remained the only two such results, for 108 years, until the Cubs “titled” in 2016.
Detroit won the first of their 4 titles, in 6 games vs the Cubs in the 1935 World Series.
A video below, shows Goose Goslin driving in Mickey Cochrane, with the World Series winning run.
Babe Ruth had stepped to the plate in the famed 1934 All-Star Game when broadcaster Tom Manning intoned “ballplayers may come and they may go, but here is the king of them all!”
How true about the Babe, who died seventy years ago today!
Whether he hit home runs (his 59 in 1921 or 54 in 1920 gets relatively little mention but recall the great Lou Gehrig hit 47 HR’s when Babe hit 60 in 1927, while Ruth easily outdistanced the competition in ’20 and ’21) or struck out as he did that aforementioned at bat vs Carl Hubbell in the ’34 All-Star tilt (“King Carl” went on to “K” not only Ruth, but also Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin 5 Hall of Famers, real ones, not compilers, in succession) the Babe was the most exciting and dare I say baseball’s greatest player.
As with few other athletes, (certainly Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Jackie Robinson), Babe Ruth transcended sports.
Add the almost unbelievable fact, his great pitching contributed mightily to 3 Boston Red Sox titles and his more famous great slugging led 4 New York Yankees’ crowns and you begin to measure his most unique greatness and impact.
Babe Ruth pictured above.
Last night on “Decades,” I truly enjoyed watching “The Ed Sullivan Show” and then other great shows from the past.
On the Sullivan Show, Ed cited a classic routine by comedians Rowan (Dan) and Martin(Dick).
As they walked off the stage, only to be called back by Mr. Sullivan, (a good sign, a great one if in later years, Johnny Carson did so) I noticed Rowan patting Martin on the back. The team had performed great and their bond was illustrated by that gesture.
The famed “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In” followed the Sullivan Show, as it does each weeknight at 6 PM Eastern Time on Decades.
Pictured left to right, Dan Rowan and Dick Martin of the great comedy team, Rowan and Martin.
There is no doubt that Brooks Koepka will be the golfer of the year.
He won the just completed PGA Tournament, his second major tournament victory of this year, having won the U.S. Open.
Koepka copped (say that three times fast!) last year’s U.S. Open crown, giving him victories in three of the last seven major tournaments and of course two of the last three.
Quite impressive!
Brooks Koepka, pictured above.
While it is still likely that the defending World Champion, Houston Astros will still be the American League “two seed,” they are making things a little bit too interesting in the A.L. West race.
Houston’s lead is down to just two and a half games over very surprising Oakland (A’s) for the division lead.
Surprising Seattle (Mariners) just won all 4 games at Houston, joining the way below .500, Texas Rangers as teams to sweep the ‘Stros in the last two “at Houston” weekend series. Texas won all three there two weeks ago.
Houston, which is 11 and a half games behind (85-35) Boston (Red Sox) for the A.L. one seed, still leads their probable division series opponent Cleveland (Indians) by 6 games in the “2” seed battle, which will determine home field advantage if and again, likely, when the two teams meet.
An incredible difference to this point as Houston is (41-18) on the road actually a better percentage than (43-20) Boston.
However, they are just (32-28) at home.
Last Sunday was the exact 56 year anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s death on Sunday August 5, 1962.
Ms. Monroe, such an underrated actress, especially regarding her comedic skills, was at one time married to Joe DiMaggio, whose 56 game hitting streak is among and arguably is baseball’s greatest record.
Another great record (I realized this listening to Ben Mankiewicz’ introduction of “The Pride of the Yankees” on TCM last night), Lou Gehrig’s 2130 consecutive games played lasted 56 years from the time of Lou’s last game in 1939 until Cal Ripken Jr. eclipsed the mark, with DiMaggio in attendance in 1995.
Again thus far and likely for the season, the Western Conference of the Canadian Football League has the teams with better records, as has been the case for a couple of seasons, at least.
The Calgary Stampeders, idle this week, lead the way with a (7-0) record while two other West teams, Winnipeg (Blue Bombers) and Edmonton (Eskimos) sit at (5-3).
In the East, the Ottawa Redblacks, who rode the weaker Eastern Conference route to a second season Grey Cup appearance in 2015 and a shocking title in 2016, lead the way with a (4-3) record.
In each of the last two seasons, a team from the CFL East won the Grey Cup, previously cited Ottawa in ’16 and the Toronto Argonauts last season.
Both times, the Calgary Stampeders lost as pretty big favorites, in highly competitive tilts.
Stan Mikita, one of hockey’s greatest players passed on this week at the age of 78.
He spent his entire NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks, contributing mightily to their 1961 title team.
“Stash” who was born in what is now The Slovak Republic, is still the only player to win the scoring title, league MVP and the Lady Byng Award for sportsmanship in the same season for two straight years, doing so in 1967 and 1968.
The Blackhawks once were my favorite team, providing me with nice moments and pride, one being that a cool hockey game, was named for my favorite player and long time Mikita teammate, the great Bobby Hull.
However ’61 was before me and while the allegiance also included Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and the Bruins (I was a hockey “front runner”/2 team fan), only my reverence for Jean Beliveau, who as was the case with Mr. Bill Russell and Mr. Joe DiMaggio (remember Woody Allen’s “Mr. Milton Berle,” in I believe ” Broadway Danny Rose”) had to go out with a crown, enabled me to decrease my heartbreak, regarding the Canadiens denying the ’71 Blackhawks the title.
Somewhere Stan, who forgot his glory, victimized by Alzheimer’s Disease, is being greeted by Jean Beliveau and Stan’s memory is returning.
Mr. Beliveau and so many players and fans know of Stan Mikita, as an all time hockey great and by all accounts a truly good man.
Click below to view Stan’s three grandsons skate around the Chicago ice in tribute, something I originally posted on April 9 of this year.
Chicago Blackhawks
✔@NHLBlackhawks
I thoroughly enjoyed “Less Than 50%,” which is being performed at 59E59 through Sunday September 1.
Gianmarco Soresi gives us humor and pathos, imparting a unique, heartfelt and somewhat cynical view of romantic relationships, especially marriage.
Hannah Hale gives a fine performance as the woman, “Laura Catalano” involved with Soresi both personally and professionally.
Homage is paid to Woody Allen among others while there are twists and surprises.
The need for a post performance bow is debated as part of the show within the show. However, no debate regarding “Less Than 50%,” as the cheers rightfully abounded and will continue for this excellent work.
“Less Than 50%” is directed by Jen Wineman.
Robin Milling in association with James Brent White, Todd and Elizabeth Donovan, Joann Farda, Jesse Kearney and New Light Theater Project are the producers.
Click below for ticket information. The performance schedule is Tuesday-Friday at 7:30 PM: Saturday at 2:30 PM and 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2:30 PM.
What’s On at 59E59
Gianmarco Soresi, pictured above, teams with Hannah Hale in this wonderful show.
In a seemingly shocking and certainly highly emotional eighth episode of the Showtime series, “The Affair,” the character “Alison Bailey,” played by Ruth Wilson has died.
I like the show and look forward to the remaining two episodes of this season.
A “sports stretch” referencing the show as the next night, Monday August 6th, the Mets in a game won by Noah Syndergaard (there is a main character on “The Affair” named Noah Solloway, pretty close) defeated the Cincinnati Reds and their starting pitcher, Homer Bailey took the loss.
There is loss, there is real loss. There is fiction and reality, truth and lies.
Dominic West as “Noah Solloway” and Ruth Wilson as “Alison Bailey” pictured above.
Andy B Sports 