Writer and broadcaster Ed Lucas exceeded my high expectations when he delivered an inspiring, informative, and at times humorous, talk about his remarkable life at the fabulous Bergino Clubhouse in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, Wednesday night.
It was another great program organized by Gary Mintz, the President of the New York Giants Preservation Society.
Ed lost his eyesight when he was hit by a line drive while pitching in a game when he was only twelve years old. That occurred on October 3, 1951, the day the New York Giants, Ed and his family’s favorite team, dramatically won the National League Pennant on Bobby Thomson’s “shot heard round the world.”
I sat mesmerized by Ed’s baseball knowledge, stories about players he has interviewed over the years, and the fact Ed, who does not have sight to see such beautiful things as rainbows, does see how beautiful it is to give to others.
In that vein, there is The Ed Lucas Foundation, which gives invaluable assistance to those without eyesight and those closest to them.
He will write a “must read’ book that likely will come under the auspices of someone named Derek Jeter, who will soon be in the publishing business.
There should have been a movie about this incredible individual, who does not so much shame me as to my complaining regarding certain things, but inspires me to perhaps do better. The movie may yet happen.
Both Ed’s wife Allison and his son Chris contributed to Ed’s talk. Each of them exude charm and were most friendly. Ed and Allison were married at home plate in Yankee Stadium, the only couple to do so.
The uplifting story of Ed’s life (with more to come both in Ed’s life and in posts here) is best summed up by Ed’s interaction with baseball.
Ed talked of how a game of baseball deprived him of his eyesight, but enriched his life.
He sat next to Joe Di Maggio whose great exploits were broadcast by some greats, Mel Allen to name one. At the first game in the new Yankee Stadium in April 1976, Mr. Di Maggio called the game, just for Ed Lucas in the press box.
I have reverence for Di Maggio’s greatness and his grace, and even more for the fact he felt he had a duty to try his best in any game, for someone might be “seeing him for the first time.” Ed “saw” that 1976 game, complete with the Twins’ Dan Ford’s home run in defeat, through Di Maggio’s eyes.
Ed Lucas hears more than most about baseball and far more important things. He truly “sees” when it comes to life. Thus that interaction with Joe “D,” and other good things to come to Ed are well deserved. That is a vast understatement.
This is so not just because of his effort or even his incredible bravery, though each is transcendent. Even greater to me, Ed Lucas has an incredible appreciation for all those good things.
Click here for the Ed Lucas Foundation
Tommy Lasorda with Ed Lucas
Is it possible that it has been 36 years since Russell “Bucky” Dent hit a two out, top of the seventh inning home run that put the New York Yankees ahead to stay in a one game playoff win at Boston vs the Red Sox?!
That win gave the Yankees their third straight AL East title and they would go on to win a second straight World Series and third straight American League Pennant.
The Red Sox who had such great or near great players as Carl Yastrzemski, Dwight Evans and Jim Rice suffered another horrible defeat in that game.
Even now, it is hard for me to express the disappointment of that loss nor how low I felt when Jim Woods’ call of Dent’s home run came crackling through on the radio.
Two things bring solace, one is my admiration for such Yankees organization members as Roy White, who was in the middle of so many big Yankees moments in 1978 and was on base when Dent homered, and broadcaster Phil Rizzuto who exhorted about his fellow shortstop, while interviewing Dent after the game.
The other good thing is that there was no “safety net” of being a wild card team for the losing team. As was the case in 1951, 1962 and other great pennant or divisional races before 1994 (the horror wild card was instituted but there were no playoffs due to a labor dispute that year) or 1995 (first playoffs with a wild card team), it was a true race with the drama of the winner moving ahead and the non winner sent home.
Last Sunday I had the incredible experience and pleasure to see Joan Shepard, who has logged over 70 years in show business, in “Confessions of Old Lady 2.”
Her songs were creative and sounded great, as she was accompanied by Michael Ferreri on the piano.
It was Ms. Shepard’s stories, told with a stage presence most actors could only dream to attain, that mesmerized me. Those recollections included so many entertainment greats, shown, not always in a great light.
For example, Joan has been happily married to Evan Thompson, with whom she has worked and created, (this includes two children) since 1959.
Just married, and with dignity, Joan lost her chance to be in a movie with Elvis Presley because as she stated “unlike most others vying for the part she refused to kneel for the king.” This despite being strongly admonished by those hiring, to do so.
Shepard started when she was 7 years old and worked with Laurence Olivier in “Romeo and Juliet” in her debut.
Along the way, on the “Great White Way, in television and in movies, she had great times and performances with such greats as Liza Minelli, Julie Harris, and Tallulah Bankhead (she lit a cigarette on Joan’s leg and “let” Joan take a scene from her, quite a double).
Joan also recalled working with a woman not well known by name, but involved in the classic “chicken salad” scene in “Five Easy Pieces,” namely Lorna Thayer.
I was riveted listening to the stories and songs. “Confessions of Old Lady 2,” directed by Margarett Perry proved to be a great experience provided by an extraordinary performer.
Tomorrow night, the Pittsburgh Pirates host the San Francisco Giants in a wild card playoff game, with the winner to face the Washington Nationals in one of two National League Division Series.
The potential division series matchups evoke some interesting World Series history.
No matter who wins the game tomorrow night, a Washington team will face one of the only two franchises a Washington team faced in a World Series.
The Washington team that participated in 3 World Series was the Senators, who became the Minnesota Twins in 1961.
As the Washington Senators, the team played in 3 World Series, two vs the New York Giants (now in San Francisco) and one vs the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Senators split in two great World Series in consecutive years in 1924 and 1925. In the first, Washington won the title in the 12th inning of the decisive 7th game when a ball hit by Earl McNeely hit a pebble and went over the head of Hall of Famer, Freddy Lindstrom to score the Series winning run.
The next year, the Pirates battled back against the Senators to win game 7 by a (9-7) score with Kiki Cuyler delivering the big hit.
In 1933 the Giants gained some revenge for the 1924 heartbreaking loss, by beating the Senators in 5 games.
Rookie Harmon Killebrew as a Senator
There are some surprises at the top of the standings in all but one of the four AFC divisions.
In what seems like a weak AFC East there are three teams, the disappointing (so far), New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills tied with (2-2) records. The slow pace leaves the (1-3) New York Jets still in the race.
In the North, the slight pre season favorite, the Cincinnati Bengals lead with a (3-0) record with the Baltimore Ravens next with a (3-1) mark.
In the AFC South, the Houston Texans, scheduled for two national telecasts which is so unusual for a team that went (2-14) last season, lead with a (3-1) mark. The TV executives/NFL schedule maker was way ahead of the curve in assessing the Houston Texans’ progress.
In the AFC West, the San Diego Chargers lead with a (3-1) record with the defending AFC champion, Denver Broncos next at (2-1).
Two NFC teams, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys raised their records to (3-1) with victories, while the San Francisco 49ers, 5 point favorites, won by 5 points vs the now (3-1) Philadelphia Eagles.
The Detroit Lions, so talented yet frequently so disappointing, won on the road against the now (1-3) New York Jets.
In the Sunday night game, the Dallas Cowboys, torched for over 600 yards by the New Orleans Saints last year, built a (24-0) halftime lead and cruised at home vs the now (1-3) Saints.
The Eagles and Cowboys are now tied for the NFC East lead with the New York Giants, who are playing very well at (2-2).
I think those three NFC East teams are very evenly matched.
It will be the two seed Los Angeles Dodgers vs the three seed St. Louis Cardinals in one National League Division series beginning Friday night in Los Angeles.
This will be the third time the teams are meeting in the division series. The Cardinals won in 2004 while the Dodgers won in 2009.
These two storied franchises have met twice in the NLCS with the Cardinals winning both times (1985 and 2013).
In addition, before divisional play, back in 1946, the teams ended the regular season tied. That necessitated a best of three playoff which the Cardinals won in two straight games.
In 1946, the Cardinals went on to defeat the Red Sox in seven games to win the World Series. That was the only time in 5 possibilities that the winner of a Cardinals/Dodgers post season series went on to win the World Series.
Click here for 1946 Cards vs Red Sox footage
A great player, the New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter, will play his last major league game today in Boston’s hallowed Fenway Park.
He will be cheered by fans of the rival Red Sox, whose team has won three titles to Jeter’s Yankees one since the Yankees broke the hearts of Red Sox fans again in an excruciating 7 game ALCS in 2003.
Aaron Boone, at best a journeyman player, hit a home run to clinch the series. Jeter celebrating wildly had to be a terrible sight for those Red sox fans.
However, Boone would fail in a big spot in game 4 of the 2003 World Series vs the Florida Marlins, who would go on to beat the Yankees in six games.
It must be noted here that broadcaster, Michael Kay, whom we likely must endure for one of the division series, stated the Marlins “did not belong on the same field as the Yankees,” after game three of that World Series. If they did not it was because they were better not because they were a low caliber team as Kay stated.
The next year the Red Sox overcame a (3-0) series deficit and beat the Yankees to win the ALCS and then swept the Cardinals in the World Series. It ended an 86 year World Series drought.
Lest you think this is some kind of anti Yankees rant, I note that after Mr. Jeter made an incredible play in an eventual Yankees regular season win vs the Red Sox, the Boston team announced they would pursue the wild card position as entry to the post season. They did not deserve a shot at the Yankees after finishing behind them in the 162 game regular season.
I can sight back and forth examples and would do so to gain and promote perspective.
Thinking perhaps incorrectly, I have a great deal of perspective and knowing it is just my opinion, I feel strongly the publicity surrounding Jeter and his final games has been blown way out of proportion.
Having said that, he played on 5 World Series winners, stayed home eating prepared food and surely had fun without scandal.
That does not make him Honus Wagner and certainly does not make him Babe Ruth. It does make him pretty darn good.
The (2-1) Pittsburgh Steelers looked mighty good in handing the now (2-1) Carolina Panthers their first loss in last week’s Sunday night tilt.
The (0-3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers were demolished by the Atlatnta Falcons in the Thursday night game last week. Thinking things will change a bit I predict the Buccaneers, slightly more than a touchdown underdog vs Pittsburgh, will keep it “close enough” at Pittsburgh this week.
On Sunday the (2-1) Dallas Cowboys, a field goal underdogs, will get a big victory vs (1-2) New Orleans Saints. It is hard to figure the Saints to be (1-3) with all their talent, but I will stick with Dallas.
The (1-2) Tennessee Titans were crushed last week by the (3-0) Cincinnati Bengals but will play much better and keep it close vs the (1-2) Colts, who demolished the (0-3) Jacksonville Jaguars last week.
Looking for things to change a bit, the touchdown underdog Titans are my third and final pick in week four.
The St. Louis Cardinals enter the final weekend of the baseball season with a one game lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, there is little drama as both teams have already clinched playoffs spots.
The team that wins the NL Central will not have to face a one game “play in” game, but contrast that “incentive” with that of 40 years ago. Then the same two teams battled for the NL East title without the “safety net” of being a wild card team.
In 1974 the Pirates gained a game on the last day of the season and won the NL East title sending them to the NLCS. The Cardinals were eliminated from any post season play, that season was the closest Joe Torre came to post season as a player.
I truly long for the days when teams had to finish first to be in post season play. Sure there is some incentive for the Cards and Pirates this weekend, but it is not even close to the drama between the same two teams 40 years ago when one team advanced and the other was eliminated from any post season play.
Click here for 1974 All Star Game moments
Andy B Sports 