Willie Mays, one of the greatest and most iconic figures, in any sport, at any time and one who gave me and so many similar, fantastic, exciting memories with his great play, plays and incredible baseball intelligence, died yesterday at age 93.
The memories flow and I will cite one or two and refer you to a post I wrote about Willie when he Henry Aaron, Sandy Koufax and John Bench were voted baseball’s greatest living players in 2015. A link is found below.
#1, ’54 World Series a September game, (now we could get November and somewhere someone said a penguin, maybe Mario Lemieux or Burgess Meredith would throw out the first ball), Willie’s iconic catch, the throw was better, Jack Brickhouse intoning “Willie Mays has just brought this crowd to its feet with a catch that must have seemed an optical illusion to a lot of people” and how about 12 consecutive seasons scoring 100 or more runs. (Scoring runs, knocking them in but scoring them is what they pay you do!!).
He was great, not the greatest, Babe Ruth is (he went 92-44 as a pitcher, but it sure does not take long to call Willie’s name on the list of the greatest baseball players and even any sport’s greatest list.
It is included in what you can read below, but let me say it here.
Either adult, Stan Gardner, years later shot to death in front of his son named Andrew, or Gerry (spelling?) Weinberg, hit the “point of the stoop,” and the Spalding, red rubber ball sailed out over my head.
Yet I, no great athlete, far from it, channeled Willie and caught it over my shoulder. Either Gerry or Stan (in my neighborhood it was NOT Mr. Gardner or Mr. Weinberg and maybe it ought to have been, but unlike many, I learned and know respect for others) said to my dad, who saw it and also many strikeouts vs me, in pressure packed Little League, that was Willie Mays like.
A seminal moment and memory!!
Click below for more about Willie’s career with the Gardner/Weinberg memory included.
The Indomitable Willie Mays | Andy B Sports
Click below to view and hear the great broadcaster, Lon Simmons’ great play by play account of Willie’s 600th big league home run.
Write in if you know the future 50 plus home runs in a season batter that Willie pinch hit for when he smacked #600.
Finally the catch and throw in game 1 1954 World Series, an eventual Willie’s N.Y. Giants’ sweep of the (111-43) then Cleveland Indians.
The TV call (where oh where is the radio such, somewhere over the rainbow and why oh why can’t I hear it and other gems not preserved?!!) is by another great, Jack Brickhouse.
In last night’s title clincher for the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum was their top scorer with 31 points while series MVP, Jaylen Brown added 21.
I believe veteran Al Horford made all his field goal attempts.
Boston finished (81-20) and now is (83-57) all-time in final round games.
What a season! They had been close and disappointing but this season, albeit with an easy road they had a fantastic record and richly deserve this record-breaking 18th crown.
Jayson Tatum, pictured above.
The Boston Celtics 5’d the Dallas Mavericks, winning the clinching game by 18 points, to win their record- breaking 18th NBA crown.
They clinch the title at home for the 11th time, a 4th straight crown won there after 5 had been road clinchers.
Boston is (18-5) in final round entities, this just the 5th final series involving them that went 5 games or less. (’61,’64,’65 and 2024 5 game Celts wins and a 4 game sweep for them in ’59.
The Celtics and Boston Red Sox are a combined 27-9) in final rounds, winning three quarters of those series.
Both the NBA and NHL final round entities were “forced” to a 5th game with the Celtics and Panthers, now returning home, hoping to clinch respective 18th and first titles in game 5 after being routed in #4 by the Mavericks and Oilers respectively.
Boston, on another Monday night (then on 5-5-1969, despite 42 points by the great Jerry West, the Celtics prevailed (108-106) at L.A. to win an incredible 11th title in 13 seasons) 55 years later hopes to win a record 18th (Bailey Howell, Dave Cowens, John Thompson and Jim Loscutoff wore it for the Celts) title on the (John) Havlicek/17th day of June. They are a touchdown/7 point(s) favorite to do so. Likely they will, but look out, if they fail.
Same essentially for the Florida Panthers, who it being hockey, are much less of a favorite. Their 5th game vs the Edmonton Oilers is Tuesday June 18th in Florida.
The Panthers, again up (3-1) and bidding to join the ’09 Pittsburgh Penguins and ’84 Edmonton Oilers as the only teams to lose then win in the final round in consecutive years entirely during the expansion era (’68-2024 as the ’68 champion Canadiens won it, all after losing in the last pre expansion year in the ’67 final, alas the last Toronto Maple Leafs final round appearance, no less title) are (4-9) all-time in final round games, Edmonton is (24-17).
Click above to view Don Nelson’s lucky shot, a key in that Celtics’ title win, now over 55 years ago.
Both the Boston Celtics, now on the precipice of a record-breaking 18th title and the Florida Panthers the same in a bid for a first crown, in this their 30th completed season, built commanding game 3 leads and then “held on” to win said games and took (3-0) final round entity leads.
Jayson Tatum led with 31 points while Jaylen Brown had 30 including a “folla” (ode to the great Robert Shaw in the great movie, “The Sting”) and 20 foot “2” (remember those) that respectively increased Celts’ leads from 1 to 3 and 2 to 4, helping Boston avoid dissipating a 21 point, 4th quarter lead.
Derrick White added 16 points, including a big “3” (way too much of those in this NBA and have no problem with the paucity of semis and hopefully final games this year, even last year, as the “3” and other makes this NBA much “<“
However, hail these Celtics, who almost certainly will pass the Lakers’ combined L.A. and Minneapolis total of 17 crowns with their 18th. This is just the second time in 23 Celtics’ final round series, one team or the other has a (3-0) lead. (Perhaps appropriately the only other time was in ’59 a 5/0 years, 65 ago when they swept Minne and first year great, Elgin Baylor, 2 years before the great Jerry West debuted in ’61.
Meanwhile a goal and an assist each for the long reach, I suppose great Aleksander Markov and Sam Reinhart, who “opened” plus goals by Sam Bennett and Mr. Tarasenko (a likely Cup winner after being acquired during the season for a first time champion as was the case with the ’19 Blues—remember “Gloria” as that team’s inspirational song—) had Florida ahead (4-1).
Edmonton cut the lead to (4-3)
In the end, Florida as did the Celtics, held on, with Sergei Bobrovsky making a big save on Ryan McLeod, who earlier cut the Florida lead to (4-2).
It evokes (4-1) Habs in ’86 vs another Canadian team, the Flames, who would reverse the result beating the Habs and me (big time) in ’89, when Montreal needed a late Patrick Roy save to (4-3) Calgary in a game 5 clincher with Ken Wilson, the U.S. market tv lead announcer.
That was on a Saturday night. This series could end Saturday night if Florida wins. Edmonton won their first title on a Saturday night in ’84.
Sam Reinhart of the Panthers, then with the Buffalo Sabres, pictured above.
Let me do this, for once organized and in stages, the emotions and memories racing–the walls of loss apparent and seemingly non stop, as I remember the great player and personal favorite, Jerry West, who died yesterday at age 86.
Thoughts, Personal Observations and Perspective Thinking about Jerry West
So many will comment, so few as “involved as me,”. Yet this is about a great player and man with flaws (we all have them) and some melancholy, who passed on and as friend and sportscaster Jim Hill, a worthy one to pay tribute, said “those of us lucky enough to have Jerry pass our way.
Thus, let’s cite the known. My personal and what is linked above, from 9 years ago, does offer “not at the finish line,” praise and love for Jerry.
Even better for me, sadly just one, but oh what a one player title!
Now here for both Jerry and me (maybe my dad is talking with him, now re enjoying victory and not getting too low re defeat) Peggy Lee’s “Is That All There Is,” because a (69-13) “reg,” including a still major North American sports league 33 consecutive wins and a (12-3) ‘offs mark vs really good Bulls, Bucks and Knicks teams to finally win an L.A. and Jerry title IS!!
Look for a part 2, essentially unprecedented here, with memories of ’62 game 3’s steal/win, averaging 46 “per” vs the then Baltimore Bullets (the great Elgin Baylor was injured, Earl Monroe of the Bullets was superb), hitting the winning shot in the waning seconds of the ’72 All-Star Game and others.
Left to right, in case you do not recognize Jerry, Jerry West and Andy B. some years back.
There is light, at times just a little literal, such as when each of us shot hoops, well after darkness began to emerge.
If only I could have been what Jerry was!
We had our moments, more in part 2!
The Boston Celtics (42-1)? (the lone loss in the ’18 semis vs the Cleveland Cavaliers), in previous series with a (2-0) lead (does that include best of 5’s?) are up by that margin in the NBA final round for the ninth time.
In 7 of the 8 previous such situations and 9 of 10 when you count the two times the Celts trailed (2-0), the team trailing (2-0) won #3.
Only in 1959, when they swept the Minneapolis Lakers did the team up (2-0) in an NBA final round involving Boston, did the team, in that situation, the Celtics win game 3.
However, only the Celtics, down (2-0), among those 9 game 3 winners, went on to win the crown.
Bailey Howell (#18) as did Dave Cowens (also #18) played on 2 title teams with the Boston Celtics.
In their one final round in which they went up (3-0), the Celtics twice scored one hundred EIGHTEEN points in that final round vs the Minneapolis Lakers in 1959.
Both the Florida Panthers (14-5) so far in these ‘offs, (their superb goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has allowed just 5 goals during the current 5 game “Fla” win skein), seeking their first title in this their 30th completed season and the Boston Celtics, bidding and now overwhelming favorites, to grab a record- breaking 18th “such,” “held serve”/won the first two games in their final rounds at home.
Now each series venue shifts, the NBA entity to Dallas (Mavericks) and a record distance from Florida to Edmonton (Oilers).
Boston, opening at home in the final round for the 18th time in 23 final round appearances is (17-5) in previous final rounds and for the 23rd time in 23 possibilities, will do no worse than lose in 6 games.
However, they very likely will do much better and win an 18th crown, which would be one more than the L.A. Lakers, who won 5 of their 17 when in Minneapolis and one of their L.A. crowns in a joke/bubble event during the pandemic in 2020.
After Bobrovsky stymied Edmonton with a superb 32 save performance, in which he had Florida’s second goal (Carter Verhaeghe had “opened”) in the Panthers’ (3-0) series opening win, Evan Rodrigues broke a (1-1) tie with 2 third period goals in Florida’s (4-1) game 2 win.
Eight of the 10 combined Florida and Edmonton final round appearances “stood” or stand at (2-0).
Jre Holiday, a big acqisition for the Celts, was the game 2 star, hitting 11 of 14 shots and scoring 26 points in the “on the #,” — (105-98) Boston game 2 win.
Boston (14-4) in home final round opening games was down (2-0) in a final round only once, that in ’69, but bounced back to win it in 7 games.
Evan Rodrigues, pictured above, was the game 2 star for the Panthers.
Yesterday I was fortunate to see another incarnation of the great talent, Sam Shepard’s play “Simpatico,” and the performance was superb.
Certainly, it being Shepard means great writing. That is a great start.
Add the excellent cast and this performance of Simpatico (Chain Theatre 312 West 36th Street, now through June 29th) becomes a “makes you think”/mysterious gem.
I am proud of the fact that on the page for what was a superb production, “Garbageman,” that my comments, giving high praise appear.
A constant in both “Garbageman” and “Simpatico” is the superb actor Kirk Gostkowski.
All six members in the “Simpatico” cast come through, with meaningful, excellent contributions.
The cast in addition to Kirk Gostkowski: Elizabeth Bays, Christina Elise Perry, Brandon Hughes, Pete Mattaliano, and Monica Park.
Another constant in both “Simpatico” and “Garbageman” is excellent direction, that of David Zayas Jr. in “Simpatico,” and Greg Cicchino in “Garbageman.”
David also took the nice cast photo, shown above.
Left to right, Monica Park, Pete Mattaliano, Christina Elise Perry, Kirk Gostkowski, Elizabeth Bays and Brandon Hughes.
Click below for more information, including that, regarding ticket purchases. .https://www.chaintheatre.org/simpatic
Sadly, all 5 players that occupied the starting frontcourts for “my” two Wilt Chamberlain led, record breaking title teams, the 1967 Philadelphia 76ers and 1972 Los Angeles Lakers, are gone as the monolith yielded, the great and I mean great player, Chet Walker of those Sixers and later fine Chicago Bulls’ teams, died at age 84.
Chet was a sensational one on one player, a 2 time All American at Bradley University, whom he led to the 1960 N.I.T. crown and started up front along with Wilt and Luke Jackson (each deceased), on that awesome ’67 Sixers team, that 5’d the 8 time champion Boston Celtics in the semis, winning the finale (140-116). (Of course, a la Mark Twain, who panned J.F. Cooper’s “The Last of the Mohicans,” “news,” stating the end for those great Celtics was greatly exaggerated, as they came back to win the next two NBA crowns).
As stated, with Chet dying, all 5 frontcourt starters on those two great teams no longer walk the earth, as Lakers’ Harold “Happy” Hairston and Jim McMillian and of course Wilt predeceased Chet Walker.
Last night I tuned to, “in his 80’s, someone named Mick Jagger,” talk of loss and how prevalent it is at his age. He thus seeks younger.
Perhaps, even likely a good idea, but it will not come for me from modern sports.
Instead, without dwelling I will think back to the less exposed days of sports, when touching a hot metal within the radio, (the outer dial was lost), I tuned to listen to a fine broadcaster, Andy Musser and at times Sonny Hill with decent analysis, on 1210 WCAU in Philadelphia, to hear and at times on a game of the week, see Chet Walker and the Sixers.
Later, more frequent TV appearances, showing Chet’s amazing skills, with an excellent Bulls’ team.
Two more, one a dream/fantasy, the other a bit Wilt “brag” and perhaps blue.
There were great battles between the Knicks’ excellent forward Dave DeBusschere and Chet and perhaps with the “Z”, Dave Zinkoff and John F.X.Condon, the respective great public address announcers of the Sixers and Knicks, introducing in their inimitable ways, the two can clash again, in a better place.
Famously, Wilt “played with us” and wrote in a later book that he had “slept” with 20,000 women.
A ridiculous claim! However, In his excellent book, “WILT “Just like any other 7 foot black millionaire,” who lives next door,” written with David Shaw, bragged more modestly and very likely accurately, about his sex life.
In one passage, he cites that Chet Walker, one of the greatest players, would “stand guard” and whistle to hopefully, drown out the sounds of passion, emanating from the airplane lavatory, where Wilt was “with a woman.”
God/G-d/that force both, as I nearly a foot shorter than Wilt, have trouble just standing to urinate in those lavatories.
Where there is a will or lust, there is a way, and Chet evoked a different passion, that of sheer artistry and skill in the game of basketball.
The great Chet Walker, pictured above.
Andy B Sports 