Flying under the radar of the highly publicized (24-6) Chicago Cubs are the crosstown Chicago White Sox.
The South Side White Sox are off to a (23-10) start and as is the case with the Cubs have a nice early season lead in the Central Division of their league.
Joe Maddon’s Cubs have an 8 game N.L. Central lead while Robin Ventura’s White Sox have a “not chopped liver,” 6 game A.L. Central lead still so early in the 2016 season.
With the Cubs a prohibitive favorite in the National League, and the White Sox no longer such a long shot in the American League, it is not that far fetched to contemplate an all Chicago World Series, a nice round 110 years after the only other one which was in 1906.
As a result of the Dallas Stars holding on for a (3-2) victory, their second at St. Louis in their NHL quarterfinal series vs the Blues, the franchises will meet in a 5th deciding game in this their 13th playoff series against each other, on Wednesday night in Dallas.
The teams have split the previous 12 series, three of them in decisive 7th games and one in a decisive 5th game.
St. Louis won in overtime in the first two decisive 7th games in 1968 (each franchise’s first season) and 1972. The 1968 game was in St. Louis, the 1972 tilt in Minnesota and was nationally televised by CBS, with the great Dan Kelly behind the microphone,
However, the Blues did not win another playoff game in each of those seasons, losing in 4 straight to Hector “Toe” Blake’s last Cup winner (Montreal Canadiens) in 1968 and to the eventual Cup winning 1972 Boston Bruins, in a “crossover” NHL semi-final series.
Still the Minnesota North Stars, the franchise now the Dallas Stars, won a 7th game vs St. Louis at home in 1984, before losing a decisive 5th game also at home in 1986. Wednesday’s decisive 7th game will be the first between the franchises since the North Stars moved to Dallas and became the Stars.
One can make the case it has been all downhill for the Blues since Ron Schock (see above) scored in the second overtime of game 7 (1968 semi-finals/expansion NHL Western Division finals) vs the Minnesota North Stars, sending his team to the NHL finals.
St. Loo lost all 12 of its finals games in 3 straight finals appearances after Schock’s goal, not exactly a “SHOCKING” result as they represented an expansion team division. They have not made an NHL final series since and hope to make just their fourth semi-finals appearance since that point (1970), with a win in Dallas, vs the Stars tomorrow night.
I guess the sound has to stay off when I watch sports on television, unless I want to risk the potential aggravation, the so often poor presentations and announcers cause.
Last night, top of the fifth in the ESPN telecast of Detroit Tigers at Washington Nationals and Karl Ravech, bereft of play by play skills, compounds our misfortune as listeners, by going on and on about “Wash” pitcher, Stephen Strasburg’s new contract, to the point of not acknowledging Detroit’s Ian Kinsler’s leadoff single.
It was well into the next batter, J.D. Martinez’ at bat, when Strasburg fell behind on the count that Ravech finally spoke about Kinsler being on first base. Ravech said he had WALKED.(Of course Kinsler had SINGLED, evoking the name of Ken Singleton and his lazy mistake acknowledged here a few day ago.)
Bad enough they have the presentation and (non) announcers they throw at us, but can’t they at least acknowledge their mistakes?!!
Though I really never watched the television show, “Our Miss Brooks,” for which she gained acclaim, I am a big admirer of Eve Arden’s work.
The television show “The Mothers In Law,” was on this past weekend as the “Decades Binge” and all these years later, I was again reminded of why I first began to like Eve Arden.
In between, Arden’s roles in Mildred Pierce, (Joan Crawford won an Academy Award as “Mildred”) for which she was nominated for a best supporting actress Academy Award as “Mildred’s” friend, “Ida” and “Anatomy of a Murder,” whose cast included Eve’s husband Brooks West, gave me a more enlightened, yet similar view of Eve Arden’s great talent.
Cementing my views, I happened to see Eve as the mystery guest on “What’s My Line” airing on Buzzer T.V.
So classy, she used a horn type device beeping once for yes and twice for no to hide her distinctive voice. Nothing, however, could hide her class and talent which always shines through.
Eve Arden pictured above.
Tonight both the St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks can secure berths in the NHL semi-finals with game six victories.
The Blues won the unfair to the home team, noon local time start in game 5 in Dallas, vs the Stars, to take a three games to two lead in the battle between the teams with the two best records in the NHL West. Game six is in St. Louis beginning at 8 Eastern Time.
Meanwhile the Sharks hope to gain a “semis” berth with a win at Nashville tonight vs the Predators in a series in which the home team has won the first five games.The game begins at 9 Eastern Time.
Though it is a truly weak NBA Eastern Conference, give the Cleveland Cavaliers credit, as they have gone (8-0), (5-3) vs the spread) in winning the first two rounds of the NBA playoffs.
They completed a 4 game sweep vs the Atlanta Hawks for the second straight season, last year in the semi-final round and this one in the quarterfinals puts the Cavs in their second straight NBA semi-final series.
Cleveland will face the winner of the Toronto Raptors vs Miami Heat series which the Raptors lead two games to one after two overtime games and a down to the wire third game. Game four is in Miami tonight.
Left to right, Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James form quite atrio for the defending Eastern Conference champion, Cleveland Cavaliers.
Yesterday, during the interviews following the favorite, Nyquist’s Kentucky Derby victory, the great Jerry West was cited for his scouting abilities.
I doubt those doing so realized yesterday was the 44th (Jerry wore the number 44) anniversary of West’s lone title as a player, which his record breaking Los Angeles Lakers clinched with a game 5 victory in the finals, vs the New York Knicks on May 7 1972.
West’s Lakers came close to other titles so many times but lost in 8 finals series, six times to the Boston Celtics and twice to the New York Knicks.
Jerry’s teams have won many titles with him on the administrative end including being a part of last year’s Golden State Warriors’ title team.
While yesterday was the 44th anniversary of Jerry West’s (pictured above) lone NBA title as a player with the (69-13), winners of a still major North American sports league 33 straight games, 1971-1972 Los Angeles Lakers, today marks the 46th anniversary of Jerry’s Lakers’ 7th finals loss before the title, that one to the New York Knicks.
Though not a Knicks’ fan as I was a Lakers’ fan, I always admired the Knicks’ radio announcer, Marv Albert. On a record or tape with Marv announcing, Mr. West made two of two free throws with the game out of reach. It does not sound like much but that never ending effort and his greatness is why I admired Jerry so much and wanted him to “title’ so much.
Both of us at times, “Peggy Lee” it (“Is That All There Is”) regarding that title but that should never be the case. It was a great team, a great accomplishment and a so deserved title as a player, for one of the best, Jerry West.
Before yesterday’s Kentucky Derby, the odds against a Triple Crown victory by Nyquist were 8 to 1.
Now after Nyquist held off Exaggerator to win the “Derby,” the odds against an NBC backed, Triple Crown for Nyquist are only 2 to 1.
Hopefully, having the Olympics is enough for NBC and a horse other than Nyquist will win the Preakness Stakes, but I would not count on it.
No matter, unlike the last two years when I endured the crowds at the Belmont Stakes where first California Chrome failed and then American Pharoah succeeded in winning the “Crown,” I will not be there. For the record I rooted for both horses to win and am still glad “Pharoah” won and due to its trainer’s arrogance, also glad “Chrome” did not.
The number 13 was not unlucky for Nyquist and its already rich owners in the Kentucky Derby. By the way, next Friday is (May) the 13th.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, after two overtime victories at the Brooklyn home of the New York Islanders in games three and four, will try to advance to their second straight NHL semi-final series and fourth in team history, with a home win this afternoon.
In both overtime victories, the great goal scorer Nikita Kucherov tied the game for trailing Tampa Bay in the third period, the game 3 tying goal in the last minute of regulation time.
Last year after winning their second semi-final in 3 tries, the Lightning lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in 6 games in the Stanley Cup final series.
Tampa Bay won it all in 2004, winning in 7 games vs the Calgary Flames, while in 2011, the Boston Bruins after “7 ing” the Lightning in the semis, went on to do the same (win the series in 7 games), vs the Vancouver Canucks and win their first title in 39 years.
It was amazing to see the great Orson Welles interviewed for ninety minutes on the Dick Cavett Show last night on the television channel, Decades.
Additionally interviews conducted by the highly intelligent and quick witted Mr. Cavett done over forty years ago that aired this past week included such greats as Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, Maximilian Schell and Sally Field.
I strongly suggest looking for the Dick Cavett Show which on most days, airs four times on Decades. seeing the show offers a great historical perspective with still timely issues, questions, humor and indeed pathos.
Orson Welles pictured above, had a cigar and brilliantly told stories in his time with Dick Cavett. It was a sensational 90 minutes!
Andy B Sports 