The game 6, to “stay alive” victory at Utah, by the six plus point underdog, Los Angeles Clippers two days ago which forced today’s 7th game, prevented a first in NBA/NHL first round, best of seven series annals.
After no first round NHL series needed a deciding seventh game for just the third time in 30 possibilities, (’87-2017), (no NHL season in 2005), and the other seven NBA first round series had ended in no more than six games, a Utah “wrap” in six would have produced the first season in 14 possibilities, (the NBA began best of seven first round play in 2003 and only in 2011 were there no 7th games in the first round) that neither league had a seventh game in the first round.
By the way, the other two times no 7th game in the first round of NHL playoffs was required took place in 1996 and 2001.
In both of those seasons the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup. This season the Avalanche finished last in the 30 team NHL in points scored, garnering 21 fewer points than any other team. The “Lanche” do have those two Cup victories.
Once again, Bergino Baseball Clubhouse (67 East 11th Street in New York City) with proprietor and interviewer Jay Goldberg, was the site for a great evening of discussion with a great guest, this time, Marty Appel, whose extraordinary baseball knowledge flowed, as he discussed his new book, ” Casey Stengel Baseball’s Greatest Character.”
The baseball world and I would think the world, needs more people like Marty Appel. whose stories, knowledge and research truly impressed me, and the extremely baseball knowledgeable audience which is par for the course at Bergino Clubhouse.
Stories about Casey Stengel and a sparrow, his relationships with such Yankees as Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin were imparted by Mr. Appel in a most interesting, refreshing way, certainly augmenting my already considerable knowledge on the subject.
I can not wait to read the book, while suggesting to baseball fans, to mine the treasure that is Marty Appel.
Oh how I love baseball history and thirst for more in accurate, articulate fashion. While few if any people know my passion in this regard, trust me it is there, thus it is high praise indeed, for one like me, to marvel at Mr. Appel’s performance at Bergino Clubhouse and in a few interviews I watched on his website.
Preorder your copy at Amazon.com
At one point in the discussion, Jay Goldberg read from the book saying Casey’s time in baseball spanned from John McGraw to Tug McGraw (Casey broken his hip during the 1965 season leading to his retirement and was not the Mets’ on the field manager when Tug got credit for the victory, the first time the Mets defeated Sandy Koufax in August 1965.)
Later, Mr. Appel cited the fact Casey knew the great pitcher Kid Nichols from their time in Casey’s hometown of Kansas City. Thus as Appel said, “never mind John McGraw to Tug McGraw, Kid Nichols to Tug McGraw!
Quoting Casey but spelling the word as is, “amazing.” It was that kind of information chocked night!
Last night, both road teams won NHL quarterfinal series opening games.
In the earlier game, former Canadiens’ player, P.K. Subban had a goal and two assists while Vernon Fiddler had the game winning goal, as Nashville raised its ‘offs record to (5-0) winning (4-3) at St. Louis.
Only the Predators are undefeated among NHL teams in this year’s ‘offs after the Edmonton Oilers went into Pacific Division winning Anaheim’s home and defeated them (5-3) in their series opener.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, the defending champions, who visit top ranked Washington (Capitals) in a quarterfinal battle between the top two points teams in the “reg,” (blatantly unfair), and Predators are the only NHL teams without a home loss.
The following is not only meant not to offend but I truly do not want to see injuries and the one suffered by the Predators’ Kevin Fiala is one suffered by an upstart team, that has provided so much good so far in these ‘offs.
The title above “open on the road,” the Preds’ player named Fiddler (to say he roofed one, a hockey term would/should cause boos) and most of all, the show business, “good luck” term–“break a leg.”
Certainly sad and not funny is Kevin Fiala broke his leg but a show business and life term that supersedes all the rest, “the show must go on.”
The great Zero Mostel pictured above. Maybe not Peoria, but “Fiddler” does “play” in Nashville.
On Saturday past, I wrote about the Milwaukee Bucks losing a home afternoon NBA playoff game exactly 45 years later.
Then in 1972, the loss ended their season. Now likely, but far from definitely it will be the key loss in a series they will lose as the higher seed, Toronto Raptors have a 3 games to 2 opening round series lead.
Meanwhile the Boston Celtics reversed history on two dates exactly 45 years later and likely but again far from definitely will win their first round series vs the Chicago Bulls.
On Friday April 21, 1972 and Sunday April 23, 1972 the Celtics were defeated by the New York Knicks in games four and five to end that semi-final series.
Exactly forty five years later, the Celts won games three and four in “Chi” on Friday April 21 and Sunday April 23 to square the series at two games apiece.
The number 45 elicits good memories of the excellent player, Homer Jones pictured above.
Click below at about 19 and a half minutes in, to view Homer return the second half kickoff for a touchdown in the first ABC package Monday night game.
Noting in an earlier before the package Monday night game, Travis “The Road Runner” Williams electrified a national audience with a kickoff return touchdown.
Keith Jackson, the first ABC Monday night play by play man, makes the call on the Homer Jones touchdown and four plus years later, a brilliant one on Anthony Davis’ second half kickoff touchdown run.
Jones TD about 19 and a half minutes into the video.
On a rainy day thoughts turned to the 1964 NFL Title game and subsequently to the game’s losing coach Don Shula.
Shula coached in games for the World title in 4 different election year seasons, losing thrice (’64, ’68 and ’84) winning in ’72.
In all four of those elections the losing national ticket had a man whose name started with “M.”
1964 was William “M”iller, coincidentally from Buffalo, New York a city which lost in all four World title tilts to date.
1968 also as a Vice Presidential candidate on the losing side was Edmund “M”uskie.
In ’72 and ’84, the losing “M’s” were at the top of the ticket, the truly kind and personable, when I met him, George “M”cGovern and twelve years later Walter “M”ondale.
Only me, my “friends.”
Another William “Bill” Miller, pictured above, in a game for the football title his team lost, caught two touchdown passes.
There are times, I get it right.
It was a great series, in which as I predicted, the Washington Capitals would prevail in six games, against a valiant Toronto Maple Leafs team.
There were 5 overtime games.
A link to my recent NHL predictions, including Washington/Toronto is below.
Some NHL Predictions
Marcus Johansson, pictured above, scored the tying and winning goals for the Capitals in game 6 at Toronto.
As stated yesterday the 2017 Rangers/Canadiens series followed the pattern of the 1974 series, between the teams: Rangers, Canadiens, Canadiens and Rangers in the last three games.
The Caps this year and the 1971 Rangers both vs the Leafs followed the same pattern Caps, ’71 Rangers, ’17 and ’71 Leafs in the next two and just as 17 and 71 are reverse digits, a series reverse as the ’17 Caps and ’71 Rangers won the last three, winning games 4 and 6 in Toronto, the 6th in overtime.
Finally it was Bob Nevin, who clinched the ’71 quarterfinals series win for the Rangers with an overtime goal.
After 12 straight days of NHL playoff games (April 12-today April 23rd), there will be no NHL games tomorrow night.
That situation manifested after the St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers all clinched their first round/ best of seven preliminary series with victories yesterday.
Both the Rangers aka The Blueshirts, and Oilers won (3-1) to wrap their series vs the Montreal Canadiens and San Jose Sharks in 6 games. The Blues won despite dissipating a (3-1) lead, riding Magnus Paajarvi’s overtime goal, to win at Minnesota to eliminate the Wild in 5 games.
The Rangers are now (9-7) in playoff series vs the Canadiens, going (5-0) in game six, all games in which the Canadiens’ season ended. The just completed series masked the Rangers 6 game triumph vs Montreal in 1974, as both times, New York won the opener and games (4-6) both times.
Additionally the Rangers won the pivotal 5th game in Montreal by a (3-2) score in both years, 43 years apart. In #5 in ’74, the Rangers Bruce MacGregor tied the game in the waning seconds before Ron Harris scored a rare goal to win it.
This season, Montreal got a late tying goal at Montreal in #2 and won in overtime and again in game 3, but the Rangers prevailed in a first round series for the 5th time in 6 seasons.
Today, history/game results repeated, exactly 45 years later as the Toronto Raptors dealt the Milwaukee Bucks a home, Saturday afternoon loss.
On Saturday April 22, 1972, in a game so much more important (it was the last game of an NBA semi) and meaningful to me (greats Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar) lined the rosters, the eventual champion, record breaking Lakers clinched their “semi” at Milwaukee in that sixth game which, as was the case today began around 2 p.m. Milwaukee time.
It was a rare Saturday afternoon telecast as part of ABC’s Wide World of Sports in which the Lakers battled back to victory.
Then it meant so much, now it means so little and not because the Bucks certainly still have a chance, no because it is a first round, round of 16 if you will, clash between less than great teams, in a deteriorated league.
Another great NBA center, Bill Walton talked of how fortunate he was to watch Wilt battle Kareem, while attending UCLA.
Need I tell you is Wilt is on the left, pictured above.
Last night the Nashville Predators completed a four game sweep of the NHL West top seed, Chicago Blackhawks.
In effect, it was an eight seed defeating a one seed, which is unusual in hockey, yet not anywhere near as rare as in the NBA, where it is now likely, far from certain, to happen in favor of a Chicago team. (the actual eight seed Bulls won the first two games at the top East seed, Boston Celtics).
Additionally, in the NBA, a league I certainly am not enamored with, does its seeding in a reasonably fair way, unlike the NHL whose emphasis on divisions and rivalries has caused rather acute and unfair advantages/disadvantages in playoffs competition.
The NHL is certainly my preference over the NBA, one reason being the nature of the sport makes the outcomes so much more unpredictable.
However the current set up where teams play within a division and are not ranked according to points has manifested in advantages not earned for teams with less points and disadvantages for teams that achieved more in the regular season.
Andy B Sports 