The American League that won last night’s All star Game.
For the second straight year, Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was named the MVP of the All Star Game.
Hence the American League champion will have the home field advantage in the World Series.
Starting in 1985, the team with the home field advantage has won 23 of the 29 World Series contested.
However, last year the San Francisco Giants defeated the Kansas City Royals in the World Series sans the home advantage.
Novak Djokovic continued his ascent on the ladder of all-time tennis greats by defeating Roger Federer in 4 sets in the men’s Wimbledon tennis final two days ago.
Djokovic notched his third Wimbledon crown and second straight, the last two finals’ victories coming against Federer.
Overall, Djokovic has won 12 grand slam tennis events.
I had predicted neither Novak Djokovic nor Serena Williams would win at Wimbledon this year and of course both did.
However, I did say after Djokovic struggled mightily in the round of 16 and Ms. Williams had a scare in the quarterfinal round, that each of these great champions may have met the toughest test and would roll to victory.
Both great champions, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams did just that. Next they revived a Wimbledon tradition and danced together to the Bee Gees’ “Night Fever.”
As with that “heavenly coffee” of days past, the incredible book “Those Amazin’ Mets from Worse to Verse” by George H. Gregor is “chock full” of information (that is) and as the title suggests, poems.
Mr. Gregor, in very creative and at times heart rendering fashion has written poems, all 8 verses in length, about each of the 53 New York Mets’ baseball seasons from their first one in 1962 through 2014.
Additionally, on the same page as each poem is a list of every Mets’ player for that season.
For example on the 1963 page is “Ed Kranepool, still young, got into some games,” and at the bottom of the page Kranepool, acknowledged in the book as the player with the most games played in Mets’ history in a special records section, is listed among “other hitters.”
Ed is in the “other hitters” category because he was not in a typical 1963 day lineup, a detail Mr. Gregor has included for all 53 seasons.
That is not even close to all, as every one of the 984 players to play for the Mets are cited, with some detail following each one.
There is a leaders’ category, a list of every All Star (on our own we can add Jacob deGrom from this season) and a section on the 1962 Mets from which one can ascertain pitcher Dave Hillman at age 87, is the oldest living Met from that year’s team.
A thorough highlights section is included and the book is dedicated to the great Gil Hodges, who managed the Mets to the 1969 World Series title.
Mr. Gregor feels as I do, that Mr. Hodges should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mr. Gregor’s book with great verse and unbelievable information is “Hall of Fame stuff” as well.
Click here for info on how to purchase the book.
Serena Williams won her sixth Wimbledon crown by defeating Margine Guburuza (6-4) (6-4) in the women’s final yesterday.
Ms. Williams has won 4 straight tennis grand slam events. With a victory in the upcoming U.S. Open she would achieve the “calendar grand slam”–she already has won the Australian and French opens in addition to winning the Wimbledon title yesterday.
Williams has won 21 Grand Slam Tournaments, only Margaret Court (24) and Steffi Graf (22) have more.
Only the legendary Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly in 1953, Ms. Court in 1970 and Graf in 1988 have achieved the “calendar grand slam” among women tennis players.
A testimony to the greatness of a DVD of the last New York Giants’ game at the Polo Grounds that was played on September 29,1957, recorded and produced by baseball historian Moe Resner is the many times my mind opened new and old “doors” concerning the people who come to life via the DVD, on the hallowed green of the Polo Grounds that day.
Mr. Resner recorded it and it is a treasure. I once heard esteemed hockey announcer Mike Emrick talk of how God (I add, or at least some force) creates memories, but one great thing us humans did was create ways to preserve those memories.
In this case Moe Resner hit the jackpot having taken a five cent subway ride from the Bronx to the Polo Grounds that September 29, 1957 and brought with him a camera.
He recorded it and now it is available to be watched over and over, a true treasure which includes pregame/last game ceremonies that brought back so many Giants’ greats.
Among other things, the festivities enabled great Giants’ lefthanded pitchers of different eras, Rube Marquard and Carl Hubbell, to meet for the first time.
Mrs. John Mc Graw, the widow of the legendary Giants manager, is shown and in the game won by the Pittsburgh Pirates (9-1) over the Giants, two of the greatest players I ever saw and anyone ever saw play, the Pirates’ Roberto Clemente (3) and the Giants’ Willie Mays, (2) combined for 5 hits.
“Everything that dies someday comes back,” Bruce Springsteen sings in the song “Atlantic City.”
Maybe that is so as the winning pitcher for the Pirates in the last game at the Polo Grounds was Bob Friend. Less than 7 years later, the New York Mets, whose birth in 1962 brought National League baseball back to New York, opened their new Shea Stadium in a (4-3) loss to the Pirates. The winning pitcher was Bob Friend, Roberto Clemente had 3 hits.
Mo Resner’s great DVD which includes music from Perry Lee Barber, who once was an opening act for Mr. Springsteen, opened my heart and mind to all of the above and much more. It is a priceless item. The DVD is available for purchase contact Mr. Resner at mrresner@aol.com
102 years after the John T. Brush Stairway, a treasure from the glorious Polo Grounds which honors former New York Giants team owner John T. Brush was originally dedicated on July 9, 1913, there was a re-dedication ceremony yesterday at the site coordinated by the New York City Parks and Recreation Department.
Department Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver hosted and emceed the event, which included a ribbon cutting ceremony and some fine speeches.
Words that resonated with me came from New York State Assembly member (he told me to call him Denny) Herman D. Farrell Jr., who waxed poetic about the lush green grass and the colorful uniforms he saw upon entering the Polo Grounds from his home at the top of Coogan’s Bluff on 157th Street.
Traveling 3,000 miles yet again, as a symbol and great example of the San Francisco Giants’ recognition of their New York roots, Staci Slaughter, the Executive Vice President of Communications and Senior Advisor to the CEO of the organization, Larry Baer, talked of “good coming to the patient people,” waiting for the renovation of the historic Brush Stairway.
All in all, a great ceremony and kudos to Parks and Recreation Chief of Staff Steve Simon and to New York Daily News editorial writer Michael Aronson for their great efforts toward the completion of the project.
The 5 New York or once New York teams, the Yankees, Mets, now S.F. (once NY Giants), football Giants and Jets (as the Titans), who played at the Polo Grounds donated funds that brought the project to fruition.
Somewhere, great baseball Giants of the past such as Carl Hubbell, Mel Ott and Bill Terry are applauding, as the historic Brush Stairway still stands in reality as well as in our hearts and minds.
1936 photo of the Brush Stairway (circled in red)
The team with the best record in major league baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals, got a split of their 4 game series at Wrigley Field vs the Cubs, with a victory last night.
“St. Loo” was down to their last out but Jhonny Peralta’s two run home run transformed a (5-4) deficit into a (6-5) lead and eventual victory.
Both Cards’ victories in the 4 game series were in games televised by ESPN, Monday and last night.
The Cards’ losses were in a Tuesday day/night doubleheader, not “tv’d” by the all powerful ones from Bristol, Connecticut, namely ESPN.
ESPN also televised 2 Cards wins vs the Cubs in their Sunday night package. The Cards are (4-0) on ESPN vs the Cubs this season.
I think of Bristol, Connecticut as a veritable “Transylvania” where the monster for people like me (those who loved sports and thought an all day sports channel would be good) was hatched.
Perhaps the Cubs are beginning to feel the same way, at least when ESPN cameras televise their games against their biggest rivals, the Cardinals.
My first foray into NFL 2015 predictions and overview concerns the NFC North.
The Green Bay Packers, who came so close to a Super Bowl appearance last season will of course be top heavy favorites to win the divisional title.
My early guess/prediction/seat of the pants feeling is that the Detroit Lions, a hard luck wild card round loser last season, will fall back a bit this season.
I think the Chicago Bears will improve and contend for the playoffs.
There is no feeling good or bad, regarding the Minnesota Vikings’ improvement or decline. They do not figure to be playoff contenders.
The Bears will improve and contend for the Playoffs
Both Wimbledon tennis favorites, Novak Djokovic on the men’s side, and Serena Williams among the women, struggled, but won matches in the maximum number of sets today.
Each had to win the remaining sets to advance and did so.
On Monday and into today, as the match was suspended due to darkness, Djokovic got by Kevin Anderson, after losing the first two sets. The decisive fifth set was played today/Tuesday.
Then after dropping the first set to Victoria Azerenka, Ms. Williams rallied to win the next two sets and the match.
The next opponent for Djokovic is Marin Cilic, with Djokovic a prohibitive favorite. The next opponent for Williams is Maria Sharapova, whom Ms. Williams has defeated in 16 straight matches.
I predicted neither Djokovic nor Williams would win the Wimbledon title this year and that may still happen, certainly one may fail to “title.”
However, each of these great champions may have faced their “moment” in the above referenced matches, survived it and could ease from here on. One reason they play is to see what manifests.
The United States women’s soccer team won their first World Cup title since 1999 with a (5-2) victory vs the team from Japan in the final game held in Vancouver, British Columbia last night.
Throughout the tournament, the U.S. team’s defense with Hope Solo in goal was dominant. They allowed but three goals in the whole tournament.
Last night the offense exploded led by Carli Lloyd’s 3 goal performance. Ms. Lloyd, praised effusively by the classy coach of the team from Japan, Norio Sasaki, was named the outstanding player of this World Cup.
Carli LLoyd
