Last year I wrote more than once, that there easily could be a playoffs meeting between the New York Rangers and New York Islanders.
It was not likely to be in the first round of the playoffs playoffs, as the Rangers were on their way to the NHL’s top regular season record while the Islanders were high enough in the standings to avoid the first place Rangers in a first round clash.
As it turned out, the teams did not meet as the Washington Capitals “7’d” the Isles in the first round only to meet the same fate vs the Rangers in the next round.
This year the Rangers are in solid possession of second place and the Islanders lead for third so there may well be a Rangers/Islanders first round battle.
Why are the Cleveland Indians, for so many years predicted to win but failing, the favorites to win the A.L. Central?
Their primary play by play announcer Tom Hamilton is excellent.
Last year I heard a couple of their wins vs eventual World champion Kansas City (Royals.)
Yet this making them the favorite is not only statistically unlikely, but it smacks of bandwagon jumping.
Yet as always to see what happens is why they play the games.
In recalling the 1971 Baltimore Orioles, I have a note pointed out to me by a great baseball fan, better known as a football expert, namely Ernie Accorsi.
The Pirates beat the Orioles in the 1971 World Series winning the first night game in World Series history on a hit by Milt May.
Mr. Accorsi once pointed out where he was when May got the winning hit.
Baltimore had four twenty game or more winners on their pitching staff. They were Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Pat Dobson and Mike Cuellar.
Pittsburgh’s Steve Blass took pitching honors in the Series, winning two games, normally enough to be MVP if his team won but alas those honors rightfully went to Roberto Clemente for one of the greatest post-season efforts in any sports’ annals.
Entering the final day of the 1964 season, the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds, each of whom having made up ground in a hurry on the Philadelphia Phillies, were tied for first place. The Phils were one game out.
In a 1988 interview with me, Bill White, at the time, a New York Yankees broadcaster, recalled the final weekend of the ’64 campaign, when he was a fine first baseman for the Cards.
“The Mets played us tough” he emphasized, citing Al Jackson out dueling the great St. Louis pitcher Bob Gibson in the Friday night tilt, (1-0). The Mets eased to victory in the Saturday game, surely in the day (another thing they have done to ruin baseball is to take away most of the Saturday afternoon games).
The Cardinals hosted the Mets and the Reds visited the Phillies on that final Sunday. wins by the Mets and Phillies would force the first three way playoff in baseball history.
There would be no playoff, not even a two way as the Phillies ripped the Reds led by rookie Richie “Dick” Allen while the Cards overcame an early deficit and with Mr. Gibson pitching in relief, eased by the Mets, to win their first pennant in 18 years.
COOL DRINKS, HOT WOMEN AND WARM HOSPITALITY MAKE PERFECT ANTIDOTE TO HARSH WINTER
Upscale gentlemen’s club Rick’s Cabaret New York will welcome the arrival of warmer weather with a series of Spring Break parties March 8th through March 12th. Skin will definitely be in as the world famous Rick’s Cabaret Girls — clad in sexy bikinis — entertain the expected capacity crowds.
“We’re going to wear bikinis—that’s so much fun,” cooed Rick’s Cabaret Girl Jasmine. “But it’s even more fun taking them off!”
Named “Best Gentlemen’s Club in New York” by Men’s Mag Daily, Rick’s Cabaret is well known for its beautiful exotic dancers, luxurious setting, and gourmet restaurant under the guidance of famed Executive Chef Franklin Edwards. It is the club of choice for Wall Street bankers and brokers, numerous celebrities, and pro athletes from all the major sports.
I do remember being very involved in relatively early season NFL action in 1964. There was a great show called “NFL Countdown to Kickoff” that aired on Saturdays.
Thus it came about that my father said to me on Saturday October 3rd (in his wonderful book October 1964, the great writer David Halberstam and his editor(s) incorrectly state September 29, 1964 was a Sunday) “I know your mind is on football and Jim Brown and the Browns, but there is quite a National League pennant race going on.”
Indeed there was and although as is the case with Bob Costas, I accepted divisional races (1969-1993) as legitimate because as Mr. Costas stated “they had all the components of a pennant race,” the true one half pennant race that sent teams directly to the World Series from (1903-1968), with no W.S. in 1904, was by definition or higher fraction, even more dramatic.
In my next post, I will recall some of the circumstances that led to my Dad’s suggestion to follow baseball and not football closer as the 1964 National League race concluded.
It is very likely that when the seemingly endless NBA and NHL regular seasons conclude, the defending champion Golden State Warriors and Washington Capitals will have the respective league’s best records.
The Warriors who won it all in 1974-1975 but failed to repeat with a better team a year later will hope to rectify that this season.
Meanwhile the Capitals’ first season was that 1974-1975 season and in what will be their 41st completed season, (no season in 2005), “Wash” likely will get its first top record in the regular season.
Next they will bid for their first Stanley Cup victory, not only are they sans a Cup title but have never won a finals game, losing in 4 straight games to the last NHL repeat champion, the 1998 Detroit Red Wings.
It is a pleasure to watch “The Abbott and Costello (television) Show, currently airing all weekend on the Decades Channel.
It is part of the “Decades Binge.” The shows will be shown, non stop all weekend.
Their timing is impeccable and as I watched see the similarities Jerry Seinfeld talked about as the Abbott and Costello Show was a definite inspiration for Seinfeld.
So tune in, note the city street set and enjoy all the crazy, entertaining characters that Bud and Lou encounter, not the least of which are themselves.
After not being in post-season play for 21 years after their 1979 World Series triumph, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been in the wild card round/N.L. play in game for three straight seasons.
However, among other things that means the Pirates have not won a divisional title since 1992, which was Barry Bonds’ last year with the team.
Pittsburgh is (1-2) in the play in games beating the Dusty Baker managed Cincinnati Reds in 2013 and losing to the eventual World champion San Francisco Giants in 2014 and the N.L. runnersup, the Chicago Cubs, last season.
Baker back as a manager with the Washington Nationals managed all three Pirates’ wild card round opponents, at one time.
He was Bonds’ manager in his first 10 seasons with the Giants from (1993-2002.) Baker also was the Cubs pilot starting in 2003.
Six times the Kansas City Royals faced elimination in the 1985 post-season, but they responded with victories each time and captured the World Series title.
The only real threat in those six games, however was in the sixth game of the World Series at home vs the St. Louis Cardinals.
A two out eighth inning hit by Brian Harper gave the Cards a (1-0) lead that they carried to the bottom of the ninth inning.
However, for the second time in his career, a team managed by the Cards’ Dorrell “Whitey” Herzog would fail to hold a one run lead, one inning away from clinching a series.
In 1977, coincidentally as Royals’ manager I still blame Herzog for his pitching choices as the New York Yankees rallied for three runs and a (5-3) victory in the decisive 5th game of the 1977 ALCS.
1985 was less on Herzog as some truly bad breaks, a missed call and clutch Royals’ hitting by Dane Iorg and Steve Balboni led the K.C. comeback win.
1985 WS Gm6: Iorg wins it in the bottom of the ninth
Click above to view Dane Iorg’s 2 run pinch single to win game 6 of the 1985 World Series. It is among baseball’s all time clutch hits.
Also it is a fine call by broadcaster Al Michaels.
