It was exactly seventeen years ago, on Thursday July 5, 2001, that I lost my mother.
This is my way of telling her, perhaps too late, how much I love and miss her, even her exponentially intense cleaning on Thursdays.
I have encountered people who still have their mothers (this applies to fathers as well and boy do I miss and love my dad) and do not seem to have a “handle” on how, with rare exceptions, nobody will ever care for you as she does.
Deal with the disagreements, do not lower yourself by doing what repels you, but love and respect your mom.
Please tell her you love her and that no matter, her way, your way or the proverbial “highway,” you do as a reflection of her love.
My father and mother, pictured above. I believe the photo to be from their wedding.
Mom married my father, gave birth to me, cleaned with ferocity and ultimately died, all events occurring on a Thursday. On this Thursday, I remember!
Forty two years ago today, I attended a game at Shea Stadium, that I recall fondly, due to my contingent and I being shown on New York’s ABC television affiliate channel 7.
The reason we were shown was due to one of us getting a soaring foul ball hit by Dave Kingman.
Kingman, a great home run hitter, fouled a pitch back that was hit incredibly high and was moving toward us.
The ball actually dented the metal part of my mid sized radio and eventually our faces were shown on television.
I am glad my parents and visiting grandmother saw it, however, I foolishly looked down at an audio recorder to see if it was recording (I still make those “punishment does not fit the “crime” mistakes, as I did not have “record” on for the first 7 points, all by “G.S.” in the game 1 overtime on the last day of May 2018) and missed my ever so brief appearance.
Oh well, but that prodigious foul ball hit by Mr. Kingman is a nice memory.
Dave Kingman, pictured above.
In watching a pretty good movie of the ‘Western” genre, “Good Guys And Bad Guys,” I noted a coincidence involving one of the two co stars, George Kennedy. Robert Mitchum was the other.
Kennedy plays “Jim McKay,” not to be confused with Jim McManus aka Jim McKay, the late sportscaster.
Years later on the iconic television show, “Dallas” Kennedy, the 1967 Best Supporting actor winner for his role in “Cool Hand Luke,” starring Paul Newman, played another formidable character named McKay.
On Dallas, he was Carter McKay.
The recent victory in the NHL Final/Stanley Cup Final by the Washington Capitals, raised the record of teams that were in and by definition, won 7 game semi-final series vs finalist teams that did not play in #7/semis, to (14-5) since expansion, sans an expansion division (1971).
For some reason, teams that are Canada based (this and tariffs too–a play on the 1840 U.S. presidential election, guess there was no bad weather for the inaugural 176 years later) are not winning titles. Perhaps they are not “allowed.”
They do, however, have the small consolation of having four of the five victories when a finalist that did not play a 7 game “semi” won, vs one that had.
Thrice the once glorious Montreal Canadiens accomplished the feat (1971 vs Chicago, 1993 vs Los Angeles and before that vs fellow Canada based Calgary in 1986. By the way, in ’89 Calgary 6’d the Habs and me).
In 1988, Canada based Edmonton beat Boston. That made 4 titles in 5 seasons for Edmonton. Eventually that became 5 in 7 seasons as they won it all, again vs Boston in 1990. Unlike in ’88, Boston had not played a 7 game semi-final series. In ’96 Colorado swept Florida, the latter having won a game 7/semi.
Today a look back at a magnificent episode of the iconic television show, “What’s My Line” that aired on Sunday January 24, 1965.
A month earlier, the Cleveland Browns won the NFL crown, their first/Cleveland’s first since 1955. The Browns have not won the title since that time and the city has but one title since that victory.
Watch panelists, Kitty Carlisle, Dorothy Kilgallen, William Shatner, a week from the “We The People” premiere on CBS and Bennett Cerf. John Daly is the host and the great Jack Lemmon is the mystery guest.
Enjoy!
What’s My Line? – Jack Lemmon; William Shatner & K Carlisle [panel] (Jan 24, 1965) [W/ COMMERCIALS]
The Warriors have now won 6 NBA titles, two as the Philadelphia Warriors, tying the Chicago Bulls for third place for the most NBA crowns achieved.
The Boston Celtics have “John Havlicek”/17 titles, one more than the Los Angeles Lakers, who won 5 in the land of lakes, Minneapolis, hence the team nickname.
While the Warriors have 5 title series wins in 5 or less games, the Bulls have just one. (1991 vs the Lakers). Of course the Bulls are (6-0) in NBA Final series play.
The Celtics won just 4 of their 17 titles in 5 games or less (’59 and ’65 vs the Lakers, ’61 vs the Hawks and ’64 vs the Warriors). By the way Boston, similar to the Warriors vs the Cavs and their top player, LeBron James, who is now (3-6) in final series play, having been swept twice, won 3 of 4 final series clashes vs the St. Louis Hawks, that over a 5 season period (1957-1961).
As with the Warriors vs the Cavaliers, Boston won the first, third and fourth such clash. The Warriors and Cavs met in 4 straight NBA final series which is unprecedented in any major North American sports league.
The Lakers match the Warriors with 5 final series victories in 5 games or less but that is but 5 of 16. Of course they have 16 to the Warriors 6 and each franchise has won many titles with the great Jerry West contributing mightily as a team “architect.”
In 1975, while the Golden State Warriors swept the pretty big favorites, the Washington Bullets in the NBA Final Series, the first year Washington Capitals won just 8 games. (8 wins-67 losses- 5 ties).
These 43 years later, again the Warriors sweep the NBA Final series, this time vs the Cleveland Cavaliers, but there was Washington glory, as the Capitals won games (2-5) vs a first year team that did incredibly well, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, to win their first title.
To “CAP” it off, the Capitals title was achieved 40 years to the date after the lone other Washington winter sports crown, won by the Bullets on June 7, 1978.
The 1938 World Series marked the second time in a 6 year/7 season span that the New York Yankees swept the Chicago Cubs in World Series play.
Three future Hall of Fame players were involved in the final out that clinched what was at the time, an unprecedented third straight World Series triumph for the Yankees.
Pitcher Charlie “Red” Ruffing fielded a ground ball and threw to first baseman, Lou Gehrig, playing in his last World Series game less than a year before a debilitating illness ended his career and soon thereafter his life, to retire the batter, Billy Herman.
The magnificent player and classy gentleman, Bob Cousy will turn ninety years old in this calendar year.
He played on six NBA title teams with the Boston Celtics. I enjoyed his work as a commentator on Boston Celtics’ telecasts. He worked with among others, Gil Santos, a superb broadcaster, whom we lost this year.
This post will link to a very personal story about Bob Cousy’s care for his wife, Missy.
It certainly puts much in perspective and increases my already great admiration for Mr. Cousy.
Click below to read about Bob’s care for his wife.
NBA legend Bob Cousy let dementia-suffering wife
The roles reversed, many years earlier, Missie caring for Bob Cousy.
The Washington Capitals had the best record in the NHL during both the (2015-2016) and (2016-2017) regular seasons.
Both seasons, the Caps were denied titles, losing in the quarters to the eventual champion, Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Warriors had the best record in the NBA for three straight seasons (’15-17), winning titles in ’15 and ’17.
In ’18 both the Capitals and Warriors won titles without the best regular season record in their respective leagues.
Click below to view a post from last season, talking about the two 2018 winter sports champions, clinching the 2017 best record. Also view some notes on 1975, concerning the two teams, including memories of Rick Barry, Keith (later Jamaal) Wilkes and listening to first year Caps’ games on WTOP in the United States capital.
- Top mark update on April 6, 2017
The Warriors won the 1975 title on the road, at you guessed it, Washington D.C.
Andy B Sports 