Going from a former “Joe Buck” on “Ray Donovan” to the one on this World Series, I should have cited in the last post that in watching the 2 batters I did see in game 2, the far too small graphic indicating the score, read Cubs (1-0).
So of course, on a night their Kris Bryant won the Hank Aaron Award, and with Fox, the so predictable and annoying, Mike Lupica, the even more annoying, fine actor Jon Cusack and even some good people I know personally, rooting for them, the Cubs squared the 2016 World Series at a game apiece, with a (5-1) win in game 2.
The team scoring first is now (13-0) in the LCS and World Series and has never trailed in said game. Anthony Rizzo doubled home Bryant in the first inning, for that first run.
Kyle Schwarber, who has made an amazing return to the Cubs’ lineup had two big hits in the tilt, Mr. Zobrist of course, contributed, his triple started the 3 run Cubs’ 5th inning and Jake Arrieta, probably condemned by Russo, after 4 bad post-season starts, was masterful in victory.
Arrieta took a no-hitter into the 6th inning. Of course, as with almost all of the pampered properties, aka starting pitchers of this time, he needed help, hurling just the 5 and one third innings.
Some “streak notes,” Terry Francona’s nine of nine record in World Series play fell to (9-1) and now the Joe Maddon managed Cubs will be heavy favorites, to not only end a 108 year title drought, in which it must be noted they never came remotely close to Cleveland’s 1997 World Series “near miss,” but also make Maddon a victor vs Francona in three of three post-season entities, all at different levels (the 2008 ALCS and 2013 wild card game being the others.)
Before telling you I have some hope for Cleveland in game 3, with (Josh) Tomlin as a huge underdog, vs (Kyle) Hendricks, the Cleveland losing pitcher in #2 was (Trevor) Bauer, evoking Hank Bauer.
The latter Bauer holds the World Series record of hitting in 17 straight games and once told me, at the 1985 W.S. how Mr. Roberto Clemente, who hit safely in all 14 W.S. games in which he played, would have broken his record given more world Series games.
Perhaps I can gain perspective in noting Mr. Clemente was denied World Series entry via a heartbreaking game 5 NLCS defeat in 1972, and then denied life, losing his as a true hero, trying to help earthquake victims in Nicaragua, less than 3 months later.
Back to Bauer and not so meaningful notes, Hank was (4-0) as a World Series manager, guiding the Baltimore Orioles to a 4 game sweep over the heavily favored Dodgers in the 1966 World Series, famously saying “guys who make odds do not play baseball.”
I believe ex Yankees Bauer and Lou Piniella, managing the O’s and Cincy Reds respectively, are now tied with (4-0) records, the best such World Series managerial records, sans a defeat.
Obviously Francona’s record is stellar, but I fear it will not be rewarded with a third title. I think the Indians will get to play again in Cleveland, their best chance to do so is with big underdog Tomlin vs Hendricks, who will not be as great as last Saturday’s game 6 NLCS clincher, in game 3 on Friday.
There are many reasons that at 6:30 a.m. the next day I do not know which team won the first 7 p.m. Eastern Time start in World Series history, by the way, the decision to start earlier with rain in the forecast a rare case of my agreeing with the powers that be in major league baseball.
Joe Buck has too many of the bad habits, most notaly a behind the play, shortcut style of play by play his father Jack Buck, so often exhibited. Last night , (I watched 2 Cubs’ batters in the first inning), he got so excited on a ball, clearly to be foul.
In the glorious past, the 1965 World Series with greats Ray Scott and Vin Scully, you could count the times on one hand that during either game 5 or game 7 that the non play by play man spoke.
Surely John Smoltz knows far more technical baseball than I do, never mind specifically about pitching, but is it really necessary to hear, even know the non stop technical points he makes?
For the record in game 1 which I did watch and listen to, he compared Indians starter Corey Kluber to L.A. ‘s Clayton Kershaw in that in a certain situation, it was lights out for the hitter. The Cubs’ Ben Zobrist, one of the few players, I truly admire, promptly doubled.
It really hurts that again with additional reasons I have trouble watching the once glorious World Series. I will try harder to overcome the obstacles and watch the rest of the way.
Sadly, for many reasons it will not be easy.
When I think of the number 19, I want it to be the great John Unitas, pictured above, not the number of World Series on which Joe Buck has been the sole television lead announcer.
Nobody, not even Mel Allen who was on so many is even close, as remember the lead announcer duties were shared, during all the years, in which Mr. Allen broadcast.
Believe it or not, as with so many things in life, I must settle for the lesser of two evils, and at this point let Buck continue. Surely, whomever someday replaces him will be even further removed from what I might like.
Nobody but me came up with this connection of two baseball playing “Hendricks,” and the last two Chicago Cubs’ pennant clinching days, on Saturdays over 71 years apart. It is not direct, please pay attention and I will try to be concise.
First of all, credit to Baseball Reference for their exhaustive, hopefully and very likely accurate research and recounting of baseball history.
Hoping to find something, even some additional knowledge, in itself a reward (perhaps the lesson is to do and not expect reward), I checked on the last days of the 1945 baseball season.
The Cubs had a three game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals with each team having three games to play, two of those games being Saturday doubleheaders not against each other.
I knew that the Cubs clinched that next to last day in 1945, having heard that much (from Joe Buck, who of course “is always talking at me”) on the broadcast of their second tier of the playoffs/NLCS pennant clincher, 71 plus years later this past Saturday night.
Ah, but did the Cubs win that day? They did, actually both games, but the first game was enough to clinch.
Ah but did the Cardinals perhaps lose? (if they had, there would be no way to determine if it happened before the Cubs won to clinch the pennant) They did not. Thus the Cubs clinched with a win.
So of course, I was to look at that game. No, I never got there. Try to follow.
The winning pitcher for the Cardinals in their first game victory that day vs the Cincinnati Reds, was Ken Burkhart, the same Mr. Burkhart, who for many years was an excellent National League umpire. Nice to know, but what does that have to do with Cubs’ clinching the pennant 71 plus years apart or later?!
Certainly Burkhart’s win in 1945, made it possible for the Cubs to clinch the pennant themselves and here is the connection or better put, the “entanglement.”
Burkhart, as is the case with all of us, often unfairly manifesting in umpires or officials’ sports “calls” being castigated, made mistakes.
One was in game one of the 1970 World Series on Yom Kippur (for some reason three times in 6 years Yom Kippur and game one of the World Series “fell” on the same day, 1965, 1968 and 1970), also a Saturday, making the day more holy to an undetermined number of Jewish people and increasing the “HENDRICKS connection.”
The commercial has been played and to invoke Orson Welles I put on a different “Hat” playing Paul Harvey (I am nowhere near worthy of doing either) you know Kyle HENDRICKS was the Cubs’ winning pitcher, in the 2016 pennant clincher and that Burkhart, later an umpire who made a Saturday World Series game mistake, won his game enabling the Cubs to clinch in 1945. Now “the rest of the story!”
The play in question in the 1970 World Series, manifested in the Reds’ Bernie Carbo being called out by Burkhart, denying them the lead in the sixth inning. They lost the game as the great Brooks Robinson, who went on to have one of the greatest World Series performances ever, homered for the game’s last and decisive runs.
Why was Burkhart’s call wrong and Carbo safe? The catcher tagged Carbo with his glove yes, but the ball was in his hand, NOT the glove.
The catcher’s name on the play in which Carbo, Burkhart and he were “entangled” as in “connected” as in the “HENDRICKS/Burkhart Cubs Pennant Clinchers CONNECTION was Elrod HENDRICKS!!
Kyle Hendricks, pictured above.
Click below to see the play involving Elrod Hendricks in game one of the 1970 W.S.
WS1970 Gm1: Carbo called out at home
In an attempt to get away from the World Series and any sports, some brief notes while watching some old and older television shows.
A detective on “Murder She Wrote,” an terrific approximately 35 year old show starring the great Angela Lansbury, is named Gerard, in fact Lieutenant Gerard, I believe. This is homage to the great 50 plus year old show, “The Fugitive,” which starred David Janssen, and featured Barry Morse as “Lieutenant Gerard.”
A great actor, George Macready, turned in a fine performance maybe 55 or more years ago, as a vengeful judge on “The Rifleman,” which starred former Brooklyn Dodgers’ player, Chuck Connors.
A newer still current show “Ray Donovan” is fascinating, not as great as in earlier seasons but still great.
I watched the very first episode, usually a good idea when possible and I can see how the story arc and characters were building. I have the 20 20 hindsight, credit the writer, Ann Biderman, for great foresight.
Angela Lansbury as “Jessica Fletcher” in “Murder She Wrote”
The Cleveland Indians grabbed a World Series opening game victory for just the second time in their history, winning (6-0) in game 1 vs the Chicago Cubs.
On a night the NBA Cavaliers were honored for winning the 2016 NBA title, the city of Cleveland won a sports finals series opener for just the second time in 9 tries, the other victory coming in the 1920 World Series vs Brooklyn.
Aided by two fairly cheap first inning runs, the Indians made it 12 for 12 for teams getting the lead in the LCS or W.S. thus far this season. None of those 12 teams fell behind at any point in the victories.
Corey Kluber, brilliant for 6 innings, a shaky (I guess he is human) Andrew Miller and Cody Allen, pitching with a 6 run lead, after the second of catcher Roberto Perez’ home runs (he had the other 4 Cleveland runs batted in) combined to hand the Cubs their third shutout loss of this post-season.
It is 1974 and I am working as a delivery man (forgive me feminists) at a pharmacy. The owner, disappointed in his own son’s less than stellar grades (he was at Johns Hopkins University and is an attorney today) took too big an interest in mine.
His annoying but I guess well meaning refrain was regarding the importance of a “good set of notes.”
In memory of that time, just two sets of notes regarding the World Series. Speaking of the World Series, specifically the one in 1974, when the Oakland A’s beat “my” Dodgers in 5 games, the local pizza restaurant owner never forgave me for touting L.A. to win that series.
The previous 6 winners of Toronto Blue Jays involved ALCS, have gone on to win the subsequent World Series. The Cleveland Indians hope to be the seventh such team.
However, in 4 previous major sports league semi-finals pitting Chicago vs L.A. or its area, (Anaheim), the winner has gone on to win its sports’ title. The Chicago Cubs hope to be the fifth such team.
Quickly, the ’85 and 2015 Royals, ’89 A’s and ’91 Twins all won it all after “LCS-ing” the Jays. Toronto (Blue Jays) won in both of their World Series appearances.
The 1985 Chicago Bears after beating the L.A. Rams and the Chicago White Sox 20 years later after beating the Anaheim Angels each in their sports’ “semi,” won it all.
Ditto the Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings, who after semi-ing each other, Chi victorious in ’13 and L.A. in ’14, when we had to endure Kenny Albert and not Mike Emrick on the game 7 call (I almost made it through a day without knocking an announcer. Alas not being as good as Emrick is no disgrace, not by a long shot) in successive seasons, went on to win The Stanley Cup.
The broom pictured above is not there in hope of a World Series 4 game sweep but to remind me of my additional duty, as part of that 1974 job, which was sweeping the floor.
He probably was joking, as he worked 15 hours a day at that pharmacy he owned, but he often tried to increase my “sweeping efficiency/speed” by saying “come on Andy you’re killing my sex life.”
If he had time and energy for that after at least 16 to 17 hour days, I could speed it up a bit. Ah, memories!
Let’s close this day of 4 posts and notes with a song from earlier in 1974, possibly the year before. The first word is “memories.”
Click below to view Barbra Streisand sing “The Way We Were” written by the great Marvin Hamlisch.
Barbra Streisand The Way We Were 1975
Despite the fact that the Cleveland Indians have the home advantage, the Chicago Cubs have been installed as nearly two to one favorites, to win the upcoming World Series.
Tonight’s game, matching each team’s ace pitcher, Jon Lester of the Cubs and Corey Kluber of the Indians, is considered a virtual even game, but again, the Cubs are slight favorites.
The team with the home advantage has been victorious in 25 of the 31 World Series played from (1985-2015) with no World Series having been played in 1994 due to a labor dispute.
Of course, neither management nor the players cared about the “suckers,” I mean fans, and canceled the exciting 1994 baseball season.
Even with all of baseball’s negatives, including the one cited above, the World Series is still a special event.
It is easier to cite the six instances when a team sans home advantage won the World Series starting with the 1985 season, which also brought the first best of seven LCS.
They were best of five entities in their first 16 seasons from (1969-1984).
The six teams to win a W.S. in that time, sans home advantage, are the ’92 Blue Jays, ’99 Yankees, ’03 Marlins, ’06 Cardinals, ’08 Phillies (vs current Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon and the Tampa Bay Rays), and 2014 Giants.
Beano Cook always took the home advantage, underdog team and normally so would I.
However, though in my opinion, as far as not winning the World Series, (getting there WAS a different story) it is the Indians’ franchise that has suffered greater, despite the “suffering” being 40 years less (alas with all this hype, one would think the Cubs and their fans, to a lesser degree, the Indians and same, have been wandering in the desert), intangibles and I guess the better team edge, goes to the Cubs.
Since the Cubs are favorites, I offer no prediction. Also usually I would invoke Beano Cook and root for the team that wins game 1 to win in 4 straight. In this case, I will try to enjoy the games.
Beano Cook, pictured above once loved baseball and attended the glorious 7th game of the 1960 World Series when Hal Smith and Bill Mazeroski, among many other heroes led a Pirates/Beano team victory.
Once he told me “having attended that great game why go to another?” He grew to dislike baseball and did so before I did.
Famously after the hostages were released (should, but will not go into the fact “Triple Six” Reagan and company orchestrated the time of the release to make it happen after they took office) and baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth, the last baseball czar not complicit, in denying Pete Rose his rightful place in the Baseball Hall, granted the released hostages lifetime passes to baseball games, my friend Beano intoned “Haven’t they suffered enough?” Suffering seems to be today’s operative word.
Let’s chase some of the suffering away with Carly Simon’s “I Haven’t Got Time For The Pain” with “suffering” cited in the third stanza. Stanzas, innings, music, baseball, not suffering!
Click below to hear Carly Simon sing
Carly Simon Haven’t Got Time For The Pain 1974
Tonight, when the Indians host the Chicago Cubs in game 1 of the 2016 World Series, it will be the first time in nine major sports league final series, a Cleveland team will open such a series at home.
Cleveland teams, the Indians (1-4) and the NBA Cavaliers (0-3), coincidentally, whose 2016 title is being honored tonight, are a collective (1-7) in finals series openers, having lost seven straight.
The teams are a combined (3-5) in those finals series, the Indians (2-3) with 3 straight losses and the Cavs (1-2), having won the last one.
Cleveland (Indians) won both the W.S. opener and the best of 9 series vs Brooklyn in 1920 but the Indians and Cavs (at both Boston and Atlanta vs the Braves, at the Golden State Warriors twice and once each at New York vs the Giants, at Florida vs the Marlins and at San Antonio vs the Spurs) have combined to lose 7 straight finals openers, the last three by the Cavs.
The football Browns led by two of the greatest players ever, a case can be made for the two greatest ever, first Otto Graham and then Jim Brown played in a one game “final” for the NFL crown, nine times going (4-5).
Incredibly, the Browns led by quarterback Graham were in the NFL title tilt in their first 6 NFL seasons, after winning the crown all four seasons, in the All American Football Conference. Cleveland split those 6 games, winning at home in 1950 and 1954, losing at home in 1952.
They lost on the road in both 1951 and 1953, winning in Graham’s last game in 1955.
Led by Jim Brown, Cleveland played in 3 title games, the home team winning all of them. They lost at Detroit (Lions), the team they faced from (1952-1954), ending Jim Brown’s first season in 1957. Green Bay won the first of what still is an unprecedented 3 straight NFL finals games, at home, vs the Browns in what was Jim Brown’s last game of a great career, played after the 1965 season.
Eleven Green Bay defenders keyed on and contained Brown on a muddy, call it dirty field that day at Lambeau Field. Soon after, Brown teamed with 11 others to form “The Dirty Dozen,” in a superb movie with the same name.
Until the Cavs’ title a scant 4 monthes ago, the home 1964 title game win by the Browns vs the John Unitas led Baltimore Colts, was the last Cleveland title.
For the record, the Indians also won the World Series in 1948 vs the Boston Braves before losing to the Giants in ’54, the Atlanta Braves in ’95 and the Marlins in ’97. The Cavs split vs Golden State, winning in 2016, having lost the year before. In LeBron James’ first stint as a Cavaliers’ player, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Cavs in the 2007 NBA finals.
The three other Browns’ title tilts were vs the L.A. Rams, coincidentally back in Tinseltown, as of this season. Cleveland won at home in 1950 as Lou Groza’s short field goal was decisive and at L.A. in 1955. A Norm Van Brocklin 73 yard touchdown strike to Tom Fears was decisive as the Rams won at L.A. in 1951. Another coincidence, the lone St. Louis Rams’ title, that in the 1999 season, also featured a 73 yard touchdown pass that produced the Rams’ last points and victory margin. It went from Kurt Warner to Isaac Bruce.
Tonight on the 30th anniversary of the New York Mets’ incredible victory in game 6 of the 1986 World Series, a surely “related” World Series to be contested between two franchises with long World Series winning droughts, the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians commences in Cleveland.
It is the first time in nine major sports league finals series involving Cleveland teams, that said series is beginning on the city’s Lake Erie shores.
Today after a long, “tough to sleep” night, as the blood begins to circulate, I hope to bring some perspective and notes to the World Series, an historic one I hope to embrace though one of, if not the biggest reason for my deprived sleep, is sports.
That is especially so regarding baseball, the best of them, as for many reasons it has become a symbol of betrayal to me.
However, I will take both you the reader and myself back with some notes and connections that rattled in my brain as I “tossed and I guess turned.” One last knock, you think Joe Buck would know what I will impart in posts later this day?!
Also this in fairness, yesterday I called Jack Buck over rated and in my opinion he was. That does not mean he was not at least good, if not very good. He approached excellence with a rooting interest, locally as the St. Louis Cardinals’ lead announcer.
Not in Seattle, but sleepless, I turned to a recording of some moments from the great decisive game of the 1980 NLCS won by the Philadelphia Phillies vs the Houston Astros.
Among them were two excellent on the play, “swing and a base hit” calls of home team Houston players Denny Walling and Jose Cruz run scoring base hits, by Jack Buck, one of the CBS Network announcers.
God works in mysterious ways especially so when access to past recordings are available and one pops them on in an effort to induce sleep.
Paraphrasing the “Edward G.” (Robinson) character in “The Cincinnati Kid” as my opinion of the relative merits of two similar themed films, “Sleepless in Seattle” was good, but “An Affair To Remember” with Deborah Kerr (pronounced Car as in star) and Cary Grant pictured above in a scene from that film, was better.
Fox with Joe Buck has telecast five “even year” LCS in “competition” with TBS.
Those were in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 and this season.
Three times, 2012, 2014 and this season the Fox/Buck LCS has gone more games than its counterpart on TBS.
Both LCS in 2010 were decided in six games while the aforementioned Maddon over Francona 2008 (Tampa Bay Rays over Boston) ALCS telecast by TBS is the only one of the ten in the competition to have lasted more games than its Fox/Buck counterpart.
Meanwhile the Fox/Buck LCS winner (8-1) in the previous nine subsequent World Series, included the three S.F. Giants’ titles 2010 S,F. Giants vs Texas (Rangers), 2012 Giants vs the Tigers, and 2014 version vs the Royals.
Perhaps there will be another TBS win, if so this time Francona’s team will have to beat Maddon’s to provide a second such win in this the 10th year of the “competition.”
Andy B Sports 