The Chicago Cubs, the team that had the best regular season record, won their first World Series since 1908, winning (8-7) in 10 innings in game 7, at Cleveland vs the Indians, to complete a comeback from a three games to one series deficit.
Chicago (Cubs) are the sixth team to overcome a (3-1) World Series deficit and the fourth to do so by winning the last two games on the road (’58 Yankees, ’68 Tigers, as the great Ed Mathews was first on the losing end and then on the winning end and ’79 Pirates being the other three).
In winning a game in which they led (1-0), (5-1), (5-3), (6-3) but were tied (6-6), before Ben Zobrist’s run scoring double, highlighted a two run tenth inning, “Chi” became the first road team to win an extra inning, 7th game of a World Series.
After the many twists and turns that manifested in the (6-6) tie which included a rain delay of about 18 minutes before the top of the tenth inning commenced, Zobrist, who was named Series MVP (he paid off at 20 to 1), and was an integral part of last year’s champion, K.C. Royals, doubled the opposite way against losing pitcher Brian Shaw.
The hit not only put Chi ahead but eventually led to Miguel Montero’s hit, which turned out to be the margin of victory, when Cleveland scored a run in the bottom of the tenth inning.
Think perhaps Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Mantle, and a certain candy, all famous M and M’s as the pitcher (Mike Montgomery), hitter who drove in what proved to be the W.S. winning run (Miguel Montero) and the batter who made the last out (Michael Martinez) all have “MM” initials.
Ben Zobrist, pictured above, has played on consecutive World Series winning teams, making a vital contribution to the 2015 Kansas City Royals and being named World Series Most Valuable Player for the 2016 Chicago Cubs, who ended a 108 year title drought at the expense of the Cleveland Indians whose last title was 68 years ago.
Why “Round up the usual suspects?” It was the ending that the Epstein Brothers and Howard W. Koch used, as they needed an ending for “Casablanca.”
Seventy plus years later a grandson/grand nephew, the Chicago Cubs’ Theo Epstein, (the grandson of Philip and grand nephew of Julius), already the architect of a Red Sox team that ended a famed, long title drought, seeks to do it again.
This time a victory would end an even longer drought. Also it would be accomplished vs a team with a long drought of its own, one managed by the same man, who did so and helped the grandson/grand nephew end the aforementioned drought.
What a script! Now as the Epstein Brothers and Koch sought so many years back, all we need is an ending. One will be forthcoming tonight in game 7.
It is game 7 of The World Series tonight, the 5th such ‘epic” in the 19 telecast by Fox and Joe Buck.
The Cubs, slight favorites, at 6 to 5, have not won a World Series since 1908, getting beaten decisively by the Detroit Tigers in game 7 of the 1945 World Series, the last time before tonight, the Cubs played in a game in which a win would have given them a title.
There is a much different situation involving the Indians, a similar long drought of no title since 1948, but in their last game facing elimination, but also with a chance to title since that time, they suffered a heartbreaking (3-2) defeat at Florida vs the Marlins in game 7 of the 1997 World Series.
When Addison Russell (a man named Russell, the great Bill Russell, not so arguably the greatest winner in major North American sports league’s history, played in 5 game 7’s for the title and he and the Boston Celtics won them all) hit a 3rd inning grand slam last night it was seven and seven.
First it was (7-0) Cubs and that made it so likely, there would be a game seven in this World Series.
No matter who wins that game seven tonight, Fox people could get out the seven and seven and drink in celebration, as this tilt tonight, will get extraordinary ratings.
Although the game 6 of the finals to be played not long from now is in baseball, not basketball, it is appropriate Ray Allen, an excellent player and a man, who hit one of the great clutch shots in NBA history, retired today.
Ray won titles as a player, with both the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
It was as a member of the Heat, that Mr. Allen hit a tying 3 point field goal as time expired or close to it, forcing overtime for his team, which trailed the San Antonio Spurs three games to two in the 2013 NBA finals.
The Heat won that game in overtime and went on to win the crown in game 7.
Ray Allen, pictured above.
Only the vaunted New York Yankees have ever accomplished what the Cleveland Indians failed to do in Game 5 two nights ago, namely win game one of the W.S. at home and numbers (3-5) to wrap up the title on the road.
The Yankees accomplished that feat thrice from (1941-1961), doing so in 1949 as well as the above cited “bookend” years.
On two other occasions, a team won games 1,3,4, and 5, but not with the same home/road configuration as is in effect now.
Both instances involved World Series matching the Philadelphia Athletics vs the New York Giants. In 1905, the legendary Christy Mathewson hurled three shutout victories, as the Giants prevailed in games 1,3,4 and 5 while 8 years later the A’s returned the favor, handing “Big Six” (Mathewson) a loss in his last World Series game.
The great pitcher, Christy Mathewson, pictured above.
Tonight in game 6 of The World Series, the Cleveland Indians hope to win their first title since 1948, the city of Cleveland’s first title clinched at home since the Browns won the NFL Title game in 1964 and the baseball team’s first since 1920, when they take a (3-2) World Series lead into game 6 against the Chicago Cubs.
Toward that end, Cleveland, nearly a three to two underdog, will start Josh Tomlin while the Cubs who fought off elimination in a post-season series in which they trailed in games, for the first time since game 6 of the 1945 World Series (also in what was their last home World Series win), with their game 5 home win this past Sunday, have Jake Arrieta on the mound.
Cleveland has been victorious in all three of Tomlin’s starts, one in each round of the ridiculous expanded playoffs while the Cubs are (1-2) in Arrieta’s starts, that a win in Game 2 vs the Indians.
Again tonight, for the fourth time during the World Series and encompassing the entire NBA champion Cavaliers’ games thus far in the endless NBA regular season, there is both World Series baseball and basketball involving those two Cleveland teams. Tonight for the second time, a week apart, both games are in Cleveland, the NBA moving the starting time of Rockets/Cavs up an hour lessening the “conflict time” considerably.
The three Cleveland wins thus far in the World Series all came on nights the Cavaliers played (also won by the way), the losses on nights the Cavs were idle.
Since last winning a title at home with the Browns in December, 1964, Sunday/yesterday’s Cleveland loss was the fourth time one of the city’s teams had a chance to win a sports titles in a Sunday road game.
The first was at a place that had recently been named Lambeau Field, but had been City Stadium. In that city, Green Bay, the Packers denied the Browns a repeat title winning vs Jim Brown, (in his last game) and Company by a (23-12) score in the mud of Lambeau Field on that early January day in 1965.
(3-2) scores against Cleveland was the case in all three title denying losses, (allowing some “slack” on twenty THREE to 1TWO/twelve), all on Sundays, all on the road, of course including a (3-2) loss last night in a game “Cleve” manager, Terry Francona, (11-2) in World Series tilts and his Indians (10-3) thus far in this post-season, allowed his team to lose with Trevor Bauer.
The great Paul Hornung, pictured above ran for the clinching touchdown. A great broadcaster, Ted Moore intoned after the play, “The Green Bay Packers ran the power sweep as in the days of yore.”
The New England Patriots are extremely likely to win an incredible 13th straight AFC East crown in a season in which Tom Brady played more than one game.
After an impressive win at Buffalo, easily covering the 6 point spread, the Pats are now (7-1), the best record in the NFL and have the same mark vs the “number.”
New England avenged its lone loss and remember they went (3-1) without Brady.
If N.E. gets the division crown, it would be their 14th in the last 16 seasons, beginning with the 2001 season when coach Bill Belichick inserted later round draft choice, Brady into the lineup, replacing the injured Drew Bledsoe.
While 14 of 16 first place finishes, (they missed the ‘offs in ’02 and in ’08 when Brady missed all but the first game of the season) in an entity, one of 8 NFL divisions and often a relatively weak one, is nowhere near the incredible 14 American League pennant in 16 seasons, notched by the New York Yankees (1949-1964), it is quite a feat.
Most would agree that most of those Yankees’ pennants came in years the other league, the National League was better, but the Yankees beat the teams put in front of them.
They won the World Series after the first 5 pennant winning seasons in that span and then managed (Casey Stengel managed the first 10 of those pennants, Ralph Houk, the next three and Yogi Berra, the final one in 1964) to win it all 4 times in the World Series, after the last nine pennants.
New England has 4 crowns, and football’s current structure is far different than the better days of baseball. The Yankees had to win A post-season series, the Pats had to and will have to win three post-season games sans defeat, to notch a fifth crown. There is a long way to go, but for now hail their greatness and the even greater “14 of 16” the Yankees achieved.
My right to be cryptic, unlike the case with Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” not many care.
Click below to view Carly sing “You’re So Vain.”
Carly Simon – You’re So Vain – live -HQ full export
The Chicago Cubs scored three, fourth inning runs and won (3-2) in game five last night, forcing a sixth game for Fox and their fans, scheduled for Cleveland on Tuesday night.
Kris Bryant hit a very important tying home run off losing pitcher Trevor Bauer, who has lost twice in this World Series.
Aroldis Chapman pitched two and two thirds scoreless innings, in relief, to notch a save and as was the case in 1948 when Cleveland last won the title, they failed to do so in game 5, with a (3-1) series lead.
Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, Addison Russell and even free swinging Javier Baez (a bunt single) had base hits in the big inning for the Cubs, while winning pitcher Jon Lester’s “personal catcher,” David Ross delivered a sacrifice fly that gave “Chi” a (3-1), in an eventual (3-2) win.
As I will cite in upcoming posts, (3-2) has not been a good score for Cleveland teams seeking titles, as this loss was by the same score the Florida Marlins denied the baseball Indians the title in an 11 inning, road Sunday night, winner take all game in 1997.
Andy B Sports 