“Seven and Eight” is not a mixed alcoholic beverage/brand (Seven and Seven is) and I come to praise #7 (Mickey Mantle), but he did drink and often, as he apologized for, was “less than courteous,” when doing so.
He also was an all-time great player and though esteemed, even at times, superb writer, Bob Lipsyte called Bob Costas’ touching and brilliant eulogy for Mantle, ” a bit churlish,” I believe as Costas cited, Mantle had a great “final inning” as a human being.
Of course, he was also a great player on some great New York Yankees teams, that thrice won as many as three consecutive American League Pennants.
The Yankees actually won as many as four consecutive pennants, three times in an incredible period in which they won 14 pennants in 16 seasons (Al Lopez managing two different teams, was the only manager to stop them in that 16 year period).
Mantle’s first season was 1951, the year in which the Yankees won their straight pennant, en route to not only five straight pennants, but as many World Series triumphs.
The “Bronx Bombers” won four straight pennants from (1955-1958) and then five consecutive A.L. titles from (1960-1964).
The “seven and eight” reference and subsequent tangent to Mantle’s greatness, drinking, Costas’ eulogy and Lipsyte’s (whose obituary for the great Muhammad Ali showed too much bitterness and far too little gratitude for the fortune Ali’s 1964 victory afforded him/Mr. Lipsyte), comment is due to almost but not quite a certain symmetry, regarding three or more consecutive baseball pennants.
The Yankees have won as many as 3 straight pennants seven times, while all other teams have combined to accomplish the same great feat, also seven times.
The above is really not all that cryptic. See as human beings, whether “a man” or woman, we all are less than perfect, in varying degrees.
This is so regarding Ali, Mantle, Costas, Lipsyte, Liston and especially me, so often a dispenser of criticism.
Another thing common to all humans is that we will die.
Hopefully, before doing so, we, at least realize, our shortcomings and do some good deeds.
For the record, amidst at least some controversy, Muhammad Ali, (until then known as Cassius Marcellus Clay, named in honor of a man, who was an abolitionist, but please do not forget Ali in changing his name, was well within his rights), gained a coveted boxing title vs Sonny Liston, in February 1964.
A young reporter, Robert “Bob” Lipsyte was fortunate to have represented the New York Times at that event.
Likely with his talent as a writer, Lipsyte would have ascended, but closer to certain; his actual ascent was aided immeasurably by Ali’s victory vs Sonny Liston, at that point in time.
While I said all year, it would not be the Kansas City Royals again and I still feel that way, their current hot streak gives us an opportunity to praise them and look at some baseball history, the Royals, still an extreme long shot, are attempting to achieve.
First of all, the Royals deserve great credit for building a two time pennant winner that won a World Series and barely failed to do so in another. They did so from a veritable “ash can” situation.
Other than the vaunted New York Yankees, who have done so an incredible seven times, only six other teams, three in each league, have ever won as many as three straight pennants, something the Royals are true, huge underdogs to accomplish this season.
In future post(s) I will look at some of that history.
After failing to cover the point spread in 9 of the previous 11 games, the United States romped to an easy victory and “cover” in the Gold Medal game vs Serbia.
Oh this Mike, (his wife’s name is Mickie), Krzyzewski is tough to beat, whether at Duke or as an Olympic coach. He has five national titles as Duke’s men’s basketball coach and now has guided vastly superior U.S. Men’s Olympic teams to 3 crowns.
Sure he often has the “horses” but he rarely, if ever, falls off the horse.
The superb basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski, pictured above.
Sixty years is a long time. One can make many pies, see and take advantage of much misery, all manifesting in many dollars in a safe.
Alas once a pie always a pie, as he was dubbed so many years ago after failing to be where he was supposed to be on a cold night.
The two left to walk in the cold, saw the beautiful Farrah Fawcett as night shots were taken on a late 1970’s film.
It seems the two walking and Farrah (I watched some “Fall Guy” episodes with Farrah’s once husband, Lee Majors, as part of the “Decades binge” this past weekend) were left to experience real cold.
Six decades later, there is still pie and they are better warm.
However, humans who feel not, save for themselves, will be “shelved” eventually. At that point, no “safe money” can save them.
In “table” or any talk, listening and knowing when to stop is important. Talk can be hurtful, words “slice” and people feel that “slicing” as though they were or more precisely were victimized (“A”)by “Pie.”
Yesterday was quite an afternoon of watching movies, starring the great Humphrey Bogart on TCM.
I watched all of the great 1948 film, “Key Largo” the last of four “Bogie” starred in with future and eventual wife, Lauren Bacall.
What a cast with the six lettered couple Bogart/Bacall joined by six letters in each name, as with Ms.Bacall, Claire Trevor, who won an Academy Award for her performance.
Add the legendary Lionel Barrymore and Edward G. Robinson to John Huston’s direction and a fine supporting turn from Thomas Gomez, among others.
Those “others” include Jay Silverheels, later to be “Tonto” in “The Lone Ranger.”
What a great film!
Click below to view Bertie Higgins reference Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey Bogart (how’s that for no Ms. which for the most part I use) in the 1982 hit song, “Key Largo.”
The Seattle Seahawks are favored to win the NFC West. The perception for them is to win between ten and eleven games.
Though I believe in Russell Wilson at quarterback and feel losing Mar Lynch is not that big a deal, I do not think the Seahawks will win more than ten games.
The Cardinals though getting an early apparent break in not facing Tom Brady in their opener vs New England (Patriots), due to the ridiculous, unfair suspension of the great quarterback, also will not more than ten games.
I see a better than expected season for the Rams, in their first year back in L.A.
While the San Francisco 49ers are rightfully considered not good, they also will improve.
Last year the Arizona Cardinals won the NFC West after nearly doing so the year before.
Meanwhile after not only winning 2 straight NFC West crowns but 2 straight NFC titles and one Super Bowl, the Seattle Seahawks were relegated to wild card status last season.
The Rams are back in Los Angeles where they once made the playoffs eight straight seasons from (1973-1980).
Meanwhile the San Francisco 49ers had at least a home divisional round game an incredible eleven times in fifteen seasons from (1981-1995).
By the way, in a fifteen year span, twenty years later (2001-2015), the New England Patriots, nearly matched that, playing in at least a home divisional round game in ten of those fifteen seasons.
seasons.
In my next post, an “early read” in the NFC West.
There are 15 major league baseball games which is the usual number on most days, certainly on Saturday.
However, today none started before 4 p.m. Eastern Time and just one started at that time.
Once Saturday was for day baseball and even something called “Ladies Day” at the ballpark.
Now it is a big deal to get a few early starts on a Saturday, and today there are none.
The powers that be in baseball took those shoes and “walked all over you,” the true, pure baseball fan.
You do not have to take it, but you will, won’t you?!!
The Cleveland Indians now have an eight game lead in the loss column atop the A.L. Central Division.
This means an eighth division title all of the one eighth variety and A.L. Central crowns is very likely for the Indians.
Earlier in calendar 2016, the NBA Cavaliers overcame a three games to one finals deficit and won the city of Cleveland’s first major North American sports league title since 1964.
Now up 8 (loss column), an almost certain “one eighth” div title in hand, the Indians will be one of eight teams bidding for a crown that has eluded them since nineteen forty EIGHT. This is a period of time sans a sports title, only exceeded by the likely N.L. one seed, Chicago Cubs, whose last title was won in nineteen o EIGHT.
When last seen on NBC, with Al Michaels presiding and Cris Collinsworth never being quiet, the Arizona Cardinals overcame an Aaron Rodgers desperation pass tying touchdown and prevailed vs G.B. (Packers) in a Saturday night division round game, the first in NBC history.
The next time on NBC, at least in the “reg,” the Cardinals will face the New England Patriots, like them a title game loser, last season.
Unlike the Patriots, who have won 4 Super Bowls, the Cardinals have gone longer sans an NFL title than any other franchise, last winning one as the Chicago based Cardinals in 1947.
Andy B Sports 