The great tennis player, Roger Federer easily defeated Marin Cilic in straight sets to capture his eighth Wimbledon crown.
Mr. Federer did so without losing a set in any of the seven matches in which he needed to attain victory.
True he did not face any really top player and the hype and name for so called best ever is annoying but Mr. Federer is a true great.
The praise for him while of course blown out of proportion, he is not Jonas Salk, is certainly justified on the athletic plane. Federer is a great tennis champion.
“Check” back in 2 mos. maybe.
Roger Federer is roughly a five to one favorite to cop a Wimbledon title tomorrow in the final vs Marin Cilic.
Neither man had to beat the other top players en route to the final.
No hype, had it gone the other way they would have made her a hero, as Garbine Muguruza eased vs Venus Williams to win the women’s crown.
Keep them both!
I just happened to look at the Milwaukee Brewers’ “press notes” for a tilt vs the New York Mets on Sunday August 21, 2011.
Now I recall the day sitting in the “Brew Crew” dugout before the game, but not meeting any of the players including Ryan Braun, whom I hoped would say hi to a fellow Ryan, (Nadel).
It was a thrill that day to sit with Ralph Kiner and assist him with the answer as to the St. Louis Cardinals’ pitcher, against whom he got his first big league hit (I believe Johnny Beazley).
Looking now I see that “Milw” entered play that day with an 8 and a half, “one eighth” division lead and then player and current manager Craig Counsell, was celebrating his 41st birthday.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Cheese, Counsell— It Might be!
I watched an episode of Gunsmoke on “TV Land” that guest starred Morgan Woodward and Joan Van Ark as father and daughter.
My thoughts turned to their Dallas/Knots Landing history.
Both shows were monster hits on the CBS network. Mrs. Paley, the wife of CBS chairman William Paley, loved “Gunsmoke” and it ran for 20 years.
Dallas, my favorite, made world news when it was revealed “Who Shot J.R.” in 1980. I was told a pilot made an announcement as to the culprit’s identity on a flight that Friday night in November.
Ms. Van Ark, whom I recall fondly as a big basketball fan and presenter at the first Sports Emmys Award win for Bob Costas in 1988, played “Valene Ewing” on both the “Dallas” and “Knots Landing” TV Shows.
Mr. Woodward, now 91 years old and a veteran of 19 Gunsmoke episodes, played Marvin “Punk” Anderson on Dallas. He also is recalled fondly as a resounding, ominous presence behind tinted glasses, in the movie “Cool Hand Luke.”
I believe the score was also (2-1) fifty years ago with the N.L. winning then.
The A.L. won the completely meaningless All Star tilt last night, by the same (2-1) extra inning score.
In ’67 the great “Doggy,” Tony Perez won it for the N.L.
I will not look, but it appears a good player, Robinson Cano led the A.L. win last night.
Was Perez cited? In ’67 his Reds were three years away from winning, Cano and Seattle may never do so.
Never is a long time even longer than fifty years.
Surely one ought not say “never/ever” but baseball’s meaningless All-Star game is not something I will care about for a long time.
The Houston Astros will be in the baseball tournament.
This will be the second time they make it as an American League team.
Houston will be the second team to make the ‘offs more than once, from each league.
The other team to do so is also the only other with a chance to do so, the Milwaukee Brewers. They might be in the N.L. ‘offs for a third time. The Brewers made it twice as an A.L. team.
The “Brew Crew” has a five and a half, “one eighth,” division lead.
Once the All Star Game mattered.
Fifty years ago, the Cincinnati Reds’ player, Tony Perez’ 15th inning home run lifted the National League (2-1) over the American League in Anaheim, California.
Tom Seaver, a rookie pitcher with the New York Mets saved the victory.
Ten years later free agency, let them make the money though it is a “bit” much, but not affect team balance (see the “joke” NBA), was in its first real season and Perez, was no longer with Cincy when the Reds traded for Tom Seaver.
None of that was good, nor is baseball today and the All Star Game means nada.
The Perez home run and ’67 All Star Game is a good memory, however.
Oh you Cubs and your fans are so lucky, you won it all last year, ending a 108 year title drought, in which, by the way, they were never that close to a title.
They, the Cubs, lost in a game 7 rout at the hands of the Detroit Tigers in 1945.
Unlike the Boston Red Sox, who 6 times played in a game in which a victory meant a title and distinguished themselves far more than the Cubs during their heartbreaking 86 year title drought, the Cubs had just that #7 ’45 W.S. chance, in which victory meant the title, during their 108 year drought.
Obviously the treatment of a Cubs’ fan after #6 of the ’03 NLCS is far, far (cue Ronald Colman) worse, but this next year’s team record of (43-45) is a baseball disgrace.
Once they won it, making the cheerleader/Lupica, maybe even Costas “types” happy, I no longer care and actually prefer another Cubs’ title, to one by most of the other contenders.
However, what I learned about their owner, my still inability to “forgive” (as if Maddon, a likely zillionaire and worse regarded as a good baseball manager, which he is, needs my forgiveness), for some of his post-season managerial blunders and this record does aggravate me quite a bit.
Raj Davis played Bernie Carbo in #7 of last year’s W.S. but though Carbo and Boston won #6 of the ’75 W.S. (why is that game and especially that homer, tied by Fisk, so highly regarded, while Hal Smith’s gets little “pub” and his was far greater, as his ’60 Pirates won), they lost #7.
Sadly despite Davis tying homer off a “used the night before in a rout, “Ar” Chapman, the Cubs “titled” and all those yuppies, all those who made that fan’s life miserable, all those who “lorded” their wealth over ChiSox fans like B.H. Obama, were rewarded.
One can take some consolation from the little publicized fact the White Sox ended their 88 year title drought, 11 years before the Cubs ended their 108 year one.
Hal Smith made it (9-7) Pitts, add the digits for 24 and 21 and it is 9. The Buccos needed a 10th run to title in ’60.
While watching “Gunfight At The OK Corral,” with Burt (Lancaster) and Kirk (Douglas), the name of gunslinger Johnny Ringo was evoked.
That “brought” me to the great offensive center Jim Ringo, best known as traded by the great coach, but “his way or the highway,” Vince Lombardi, when he wanted to bring an agent to contract negotiations.
Finally, to the vastly under rated Ringo Starr and the fact I love a compact disc of he and his “All Star Band.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers go into tonight’s home game vs the Kansas City Royals, having won two thirds of their 87 games played (58-29).
L.A. scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to beat a still likely baseball tournament team, Arizona (Diamondbacks) and sweep a 4 game series.
Likely it means at least a fifth straight N.L. West crown for the Dodgers.
Additionally in this the first L.A. Dodgers season ever sans broadcaster Vin Scully, L.A. has a great shot to be the N.L. top seed, as they will bid for their first pennant since 1988.
Los Angeles Dodgers Vin Scully, Los Angeles Lakers Chick Hearn and Los Angeles Kings Bob Miller.
All three are Hall of Fame announcers in their respective sports.
Andy B Sports 