Before going back to more history regarding teams that won as many as three consecutive pennants, an update and some comments on baseball in 2016.
The reason the three straight pennants history crossed my mind is the fact the Kansas City Royals now with 9 straight victories still have an outside shot to at least make the baseball tournament and bid for a third straight pennant. “Experts” consider them 30 to 1 underdogs to accomplish that feat.
Meanwhile the Chicago Cubs, a franchise cited in the last post as one that won 3 straight pennants are very likely to be the National League “one seed” in a bid to win their first pennant in 71 years.
The Cubs have a 7 game lead over the Washington Nationals in the one seed race while the Los Angeles Dodgers, now two games ahead of the San Francisco Giants in the N.L. West, are ten games behind.
Gabby Hartnett, pictured above, after hitting his famous “Homer in the Gloamin’ ” that was the key hit in the Chicago Cubs 1938 pennant.
First of all, in recalling teams that won as many as three consecutive league pennants, I am citing those from the beginning of World Series play between the National and American Leagues which commenced in 1903.
One team from each league won three straight pennants from (1906-1909) thus an “overlap” caused them to meet in World Series competition in both 1907 and 1908.
The National League team and the victor in both those World Series was the Chicago Cubs, who also won the pennant in 1906 but lost the World Series to the cross town, Chicago White Sox.
The American League team that won three straight “flags” was the Detroit Tigers. They did so from (1907-1909).
In addition to the losses vs the Cubs in both the 1907 and 1908 World Series, the Tigers were denied by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1909.
The great player, Tyrus Raymond Cobb, (Ty Cobb) was denied team victory in all 3 World Series in which he played the last one in 1909 vs another all-time great, the Pirates’ Honus Wagner, who won his only title that season.
Some day I will give Pepsi Cola “equal time,” (maybe I just did). Ty Cobb got “in early” and amassed a great fortune, buying Coca Cola stock.
As I read in his grandson Herschel’s fine book, “Heart of a Tiger,” Ty Cobb was very generous in helping his former teammates that suffered misfortune. He always helped maintain their dignity, when doing so.
Click below for information as to how to purchase “Heart of a Tiger.”
Heart of a Tiger: Growing Up with My Grandfather,.
The New England Patriots have won 13 of the last 15 AFC East crowns the period, (2001-2015), corresponding with the NFL’s move to 4 divisions in each conference.
Last year the New York Jets were denied playoffs entry when they lost to division rival, Buffalo, at Buffalo in the season finale.
As was the case with the Bills, the Miami Dolphins failed to make the playoffs but were also a “spoiler” in winning their season finale at home vs the New England Patriots.
It cost New England which for the second time in three seasons lost an AFC title tilt at Denver. Their loss at Miami cost them the chance to play both AFC playoff games at home.
The New York Yankees also won as many as three consecutive American League Pennants four other times in addition to the three times cited during the incredible 14 pennants in 16 seasons run from (1949-1964).
Those occasions were (1926-1928), (1936-1939), (1976-1978) and (1998-2000).
A pair of “Joes” McCarthy and Torre guided them to not only consecutive pennants, but World Series wins from (1936-1939) and (1998-2000) respectively.
While McCarthy managed 4 straight World Series winners, topping Torre whose 2001 Yankees were denied a 4th straight when the Arizona Diamondbacks, getting a too often forgotten, key hit from Tony Womack rallied in the last inning, one Yankees’ manager won 5 straight World Series. His name is Casey Stengel.
“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.
Andy B Sports 