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.
In 1957, then U.S. vice president, R.M. Nixon presented some form of “fruits of victory” to Althea Gibson as the U.S Open winner.
One could at least say it was not “low hanging fruit.”
In volatile 1968, a year “they” killed Martin and Bobby and escalated a horrible war, Nixon made it to the U.S. top office, while another Gibson, Bob, was denied in #7WS, in a year he pitched as brilliantly as any before or since.
1974 provided another Richard Nixon/Bob Gibson link as the former resigned the presidency, while Bob yielded a home run to Mike Jorgensen, that sank the Cards’ NL East title hopes.
Jorgensen, not exactly Babe Ruth, was born the day Mr. Ruth died, August 16, 1948, making him 68 as in 1968, at this moment.
Today also marks the 84th anniversary of the first All-Star Game, which was played in Chicago and won by the American League, with you guessed it, a Babe Ruth home run, the key blow.
Soon to be ejected from his Hertz car as he was “accepted” enough to have that manifest, O.J. Simpson won the individual college, but not team honors, in fateful 1968.
Above a Ford Mustang from 1968.
Ford and the club honoring Simpson and others with that individual award, have “anti Semitic” histories as one similar outcry.
Much like the not real Indian, I cry thinking of that and so much else.
Three of the six current major team sport’s champions were second best in the previous season. They are Clemson University in college football, North Carolina University in college basketball and the Golden State Warriors in the NBA.
Additionally, the Pittsburgh Penguins repeated as NHL champions, while two defending champions, Alabama University and the Cleveland Cavaliers lost in their entity’s final.
I doubt there has ever been such a plethora of defending “second best” teams winning it all and doing so vs defending champions. Also in the four cited, six of eight teams returned to the final while in the NBA, college basketball and college football it was 5 of 6 as only Villanova the ’16 title winner in college basketball did not make a “final return trip.”
Now after a Fourth of July game loss to Maddon’s old team, the Rays, the defending champion Cubs are a game under .500.
I will not state regarding Maddon, ’08,’16, elections, nor another over rated Madden, having a game named for him.
Blow your firecrackers, the Cubs titled, please think what they are, what they represent and think how all of us, especially me can improve.
This “Chicago” endures, the Cubs and their fans were disgraceful toward Steve Bartman, never really came close since 1908 (Borowy blown out in ’45, just as similar Rick Sutcliffe, by the way a most abrasive announcer, was in ’84)
During this long weekend news came on Saturday about Jim Bouton’s health problems.
When I think of Bouton, unlike many who think of his famed book, “Ball Four,” I think first of his World Series exploits, winning two games in ’64 and losing gallantly (1-0) to Don Drysdale in #3, ’63. (of course the fact Jackie Brandt, I believe, ordered vanilla in 64? flavor Baskin Robbins, as detailed in “Ball Four,” has stayed with me.)
So I thought of “Big D,” (Drysdale) and the Saturday of this weekend, now 24 years ago, when news came he had died.
The #3, ’63, also a Saturday, I am “married” at 8, standing at a shopping cart and Drysdale and my then team, holds on, the great Yogi Berra, hitting the ball deep, but caught by Ron Fairly.
Saturday, Saturday, “Bulldog” Bouton and Don Drysdale, alliterative, sad, somber, “sands” as the hours, days and years turn.
As with the Joseph Cotten character in the classic, “Kane,” I remember, unlike him I do not smoke and do not have even that, to anticipate with some glee.
Maybe, perhaps likely, the defending A.L. East winning, Boston Red Sox are ahead to stay in the A.L. East
Certainly in my opinion, they are ahead of most teams with their veteran broadcaster, Joe Castiglione.
It was nice today to hear him, even in a (15-1) game, give information and credit the Blue Jays’ Kevin Pillar with a great effort and catch, despite the fact his team was down (15-1).
Joe Castiglione, pictured above.
So many rooted for the Chicago Cubs last year, I did not.
They did have the best record, so I take some solace in that, but despite some unbelievable, horrible managing by Joe Maddon, they won it. Why should he have been so lucky?!
Now, they sit one game away from the halfway point in the next season, at (40-40), this a team projected to win 96 and a fraction games.
They still loom this season, as they are but two games behind in a weak N.L. Central.
Since they won, who cares if they win again. I never win, so why should L.A. sans a title since 1988 or even Cleveland without one since 1948, win one?!
Surely, I have spent much misguided (to an exponential degree) regarding titles, but Maddon who irked me in #5ALCS in ’08, and managed the way he did last season, but won, is reason to be upset.
However, amidst the “heat” of the day, who really cares? Additionally, unlike the deceased Ernie Banks and Ron Santo, the great, once Cubs’ player, Billy Williams, lived to see them title.
Now that does not offset the likes of Bill Murray and John Cusack seeing it, and acting as fools, but into every cloud, some sunshine is disseminated.
Roll that “Strato,” “2 column,” Billy Williams and maybe we can go back 50 years, with my mother bringing in some hot dogs, for sometimes as many as 9 kids in my room, playing “Strato,” one a millionaire, I must pick up at the airport, on this hot day.
“Cheese” and all it entails. Suffice to say no “do overs.”
Andy B Sports 