The great memories of the superb running back Duane Thomas’ actions both on and off the field, especially that which “evidently”/did occur after the 6th Supe, can be discussed many ways.
I praise them as great, this day after Duane died at age 77.
If it is the ultimate game referring to the so hyped Super Bowl, “why do they play it every year,” “he queried. For that alone, praise to you Mr. Thomas and those “doubtingThomas” (pun intended)–check reality and football’s way too much hold on this, as my father, who truly liked football, called it long ago, “duped” U.S. public.
On the field, two superb Duane Thomas seasons, those in ’70 and ’71, each year a Cowboys’ great winning streak, respectively leading to a conference and finally at long last an NFL crown in a (24-3) win vs Miami (Dolphins)–they would win the next 2 and none since—in the 6th Super Bowl.
After that game, that fine day in “The Year of Garcia” (Rod in the Rose Bowl and high school classmate Vin’s Cowboys, and “my” Lakers and Bruins winning titles), Tom Brookshier of CBS prepared to interview Duane, who was accompanied by the great Jim Brown.
A picture/video is worth so many words, especially mine, though I do not hesitate to praise this action, on so many levels. Perhaps it can be seen below.
Above in heaven, as James Lipton said if it exists and at the so called “pearly gates,” no need for Duane to be “nervous,” (he rarely if ever was) and a good thought is Brookshier Jim and Duane gathering in some way, all in certain agreement, regarding the great, albeit brief football and sociological greatness of Duane Thomas.
Here it is, Duane and Jim appear at the 7 minute mark.
The opening picture (left to right) is that of a pair of greats at what they did, broadcaster Pat “Super” Summerall and quarterback Roger Staubach.
At the end, the greatest of television football broadcasters, Ray Scott calls Duane’s TD run that gave Dallas a (17-3) lead with Mike Clark’s subsequent point after touchdown conversion.
On radio, I wish I could find it, another great broadcaster, Bill Mercer the Cowboys’ “voice,” delineates the 5 to the 3 and touchdown, the proper and great call of Duane’s TD.
So much of it gone, I heard Harlan making a mockery of radio broadcast cannons, but as in “The Boys of Summer” “Don’t look back” as all, more than “gained on us,” and I do not mean Bob Gain.
The great Duane Thomas, pictured above.
Of course citing the White Sox loss skein and other factors including those that made “Chi” a growing underdog manifested in the White Sox win at Oakland last night, which snapped their A.L. record tying 21 game losing streak (O’s in ’88 to start the season).
Elsewhere, last week Blake Snell authored a no-hit game while last night Framber Valdez was denied his second career such game, when ‘2024 World Series MVP Corey Seager unloaded a 2 out/2RHR in the “still’ Astros win (4-2) vs Texas.
Only Don Wilson, who died far too young among the so many excellent Astros’ pitchers, has hurled 2 no-hit games with that franchise.
The baseball regular season, made so much less important by virtue of the fact 12 of the 30 teams qualify for post-season play, grinds on without any really good team.
Witness the fact no team is really near the .600 win percentage mark.
However, there is an historically bad (for a major league team, no matter how bad in the bigs, those players are truly talented just not relative to other big league players to this point) one, that being the (27-88) Chicago White Sox.
They have lost 21 straight games tying the ’88 O’s for the American League mark (“Oak” is about a 8 plus to 5 home favorite to hand the Chi Sox a record breaking loss tonight) and have 20 less wins than the next worst team.
The great pitcher, Early Wynn, pictured above.
So few White Sox wins, early or late in a woeful 2024 season.
A fortunate turn, late night into this day, as awake, I saw “The Judgment,” the famed last episode of the seminal television show, “The Fugitive,” these nearly 57 years later, as it aired on MeTV.
Some, maybe many of you have never seen the series, no less the classic final episode that aired amidst great expectation and of course yielded great (at most 3 networks) ratings.
Thus, even after this long period, the only spoiler alert, one I had not “noticed” (me with my incredible penchant for the calendar/which day etc.) is that the show’s narrator, the great William Conrad, (later “Cannon” and earlier, one of the killers, in “The Killers,” Mr. Lancaster’s burst on film, based on Mr. Hemingway’s novel), ended the show, in its epilog with the following: “Tuesday September 5th, the day the running stopped.”
William Conrad, pictured above.
Hot as a (you fill in), however, “bailed” to an extent, by the wonderful Ned Martin, long dead, but “ON,” Tigers/Red Sox, Monday October 2, 1972.
Much to say/note that others, of course do not pick up (por ejemplo, terribly important Red Sox losses on 10/2/ Mondays, 6 years apart), however this is about praise by Ned, afforded to a great opposing player, Al Kaline.
Those 52 years ago, Mr. Martin an excellent broadcaster, talked of how the current players could learn from following the actions and practices, the unbridled professionalism, of Mr. Kaline, all the while as Al led Detroit to wins that gave the strike affected ’72 A.L. East to the Tigers and not Ned’s Red Sox.
I promise more context, Tigers/Red Sox real races in both ’67 and ’72 ahead.
Above, click to view and hear two great Red Sox broadcasters, first Ken Coleman, I guess on television, and the above cited Ned Martin call this game ending play, part of the Red Sox ’67 “Impossible Dream” A.L. Pennant glory.
I need not build up or write more about the great character actor, Dabbs Greer, pictured above.
He was magnificent and amidst heat and other, contributes to something good that entertainment can bring.
Today I note that Mr. Greer appeared in the so called “pilot” or at least (ode to Dan Kelly, the great hockey broadcaster) first episodes of two seminal television shows.
One is the first rescue, “as repeated or even first said by Margot Kidder in the movie with Christopher Reeve,”who’s got you?!!!) both the television show and movie titled “Superman” and the other is “The Fugitive,” which starred David Janssen and including Vera Miles and Brian Keith in its first showing.
Recalling Pass Receiver, Buddy Dial
July 24, 2019
I fondly recall the excellent pass receiver, Buddy Dial, who played in the NFL for both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys.
He had some big seasons with the Steelers in the early 1960’s. Dial was drafted by the New York Giants, but never played for them.
Most notable: Dial and the Steelers with 3 ties, had a chance to win the NFL Eastern Conference crown, but were denied by the Giants, in the 1963 regular season finale at Yankee Stadium.
Also, Dial in 1962 scored a touchdown for the home team, Steelers and is stunned when a small “celebration canon” shoots off, in front of him.
A photo image of that moment, after Buddy’s (number 84 and the player to the right) touchdown.
Who but me, albeit months later, will point out the perhaps, eery same home/road win configurations in ‘offs quarterfinal series, in which a Minnesota team won a road 7th game, to eliminate a defending league champion.
Far more significant, in that it ended the 4 year reign of what were great Montreal Canadiens teams, was the Minnesota North Stars, (now relocated as the Dallas Stars and only in ’99 did that franchise, which moved from “Minne” after 26 seasons in 1984, win a crown), “7 ‘ing” the Habs in a series, in which, the road team won 5 games, #’s 1,2,3,4 and 7.
This past NBA season, the Minnesota Timberwolves, in what was just their 5th NBA ‘offs series win, in what was their 35th season, won an exactly the same home/road wins configuration “quarter,” including a #7 win, at defending champion Denver (Nuggets).
Who, but me, indeed!!
Al MacAdam, is pictured above.
The goal by MacAdam was tallied late in the third period.
In the 1980 playoffs, he scored the deciding goal in Game 7 of the quarterfinals, which eliminated the four-time defending Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens.
Why fight it?! Again tonight, I think 3 of 3 this season, maybe 3 of 4 the Sunday night game is Yankees vs Red Sox.
Why not a ’17 World Series redux, Astros/Dodgers or the currently top ranked teams in each league, the Phillies vs the Guardians?!!
No, as their bean counters, a la a Dallas Cowboys situation (what have they done in nearly 30 years?!), mandate it is the vastly over rated rivalry, certainly a good one, but not one deserving this blind allegiance, that will be piped out.
Oh there is C-Span’s “Book TV,” which so many more ought to watch unless the monolith can dig up Babe Ruth and Tris Speaker.
Yesterday pitcher Dylan Cease (wish this 6 or 7 innings c-a- would cease) lobbied to stay in, did so and completed just the second no-hit game by a San Diego Padres pitcher, in this, their 56th season.
The “package” in its last free day was available, but the way I “folla” (ode to “The Sting,” and missing this and not knowing until the next day, “stings” a bit) the once great sport, does not notify possible feats, including that of possible no-hit games.
Anyway, Cease’s feat joining Joe Musgrove in 2021, when his game enabled all big league teams to have at least one no-hitter, also evokes memories of pitcher Clay Kirby being denied a chance for one in 1970.
Cito Gaston, later to manage the only non Yankees’ back to back title teams, the ’92 and ’93 Toronto Blue Jays (what has happened to them, alas baseball does not want Canada is one answer) since the ’75/’76 great Cincinnati Reds with Kirby a fine pitching member of the ’75 team, was sent up by manager Preston Gomez, I believe the third base coach on my beloved ’65 title winning Dodgers (I no longer root) to bat for Kirby, as the Mets (despite so many excellent pitchers have just one no hit game in their roughly 63 seasons) led (1-0), two outs bottom 8th.
Thus no chance for a no-hitter.
Clay Kirby, pictured above, who so sadly died at age 43, hopefully putting all this and else in perspective, hurled those 8 innings of no-hit baseball 54 years and 4 days before Cease’s game yesterday.
Andy B Sports 