It was quite a night and early morning at Citi Field yesterday. In a game delayed almost two hours at the start, the NL West leading Arizona Diamondbacks broke a 5 game losing streak, handing Matt Harvey just his second loss of the season. Arizona’s (5-3) win vs the New York Mets left the D/Backs up by two and a half games.
Next came a wonderful fireworks display. Most of the sellout crowd stayed and enjoyed not only the fireworks, but the all star game highlights and related music of that year.
Most of the highlights featured Mets’ players from previous All Star games. Among the featured players was Tom Seaver, whom I recall saving the National League’s 15 inning win at Anaheim in 1967, which was his rookie year. Tony Perez’ home run in the top of the 15th inning provided the winning margin.
The 1984 All Star game highlights featuring Dwight Gooden included the related music of Huey Lewis and The News. The song, “Power of Love” was played. Parenthetically, “Huey Lewis and The News” performed the national anthem at the ’84 All Star game in San Francisco.
Of course Citi Field will be the site of this year’s All Star Game on Tuesday July 16th. It appears the Mets organization will do a fine job as this year’s hosts of the game.
Though I do not like the fact that the All Star game winner determines home field advantage in the World Series, it does not diminish the importance of such an advantage. The team with the home advantage has won 22 of the last 27 World Series.
Recently I saw the great Debbie Reynolds as she was promoting her new book, “Unsinkable” about her remarkable life and career.
This movie icon looks great and really enjoyed talking with all involved. She spent extra time signing her book and talking to all the people that came forward to greet her.
You will hardly recognize her in the upcoming Home Box Office movie,”Behind the Candelabra” about Liberace. Debbie plays the role of Liberace’s mother.
What an honor it was to meet this incredibly beautiful, personable and perhaps most of all, resilient star.
“Heart of a Tiger,” an inspiring new book by Herschel Cobb, talks of his relationship with his grandfather, baseball immortal, Ty Cobb.
Herschel endured horrible abuse from his father, but his great relationship with Ty Cobb helped ease his pain. Today, Herschel is a happy man with a wife (Lyn) and two children, Madelyn and Ty.
Herschel tells us that the first three chapters, when he recounts the horrors inflicted by his father and his troubled mother, would be tough to read.
I understand his need to “get it out” and applaud him for doing so. It is marvelous what Herschel Cobb has accomplished.
It was great to read that Ty Cobb, given a chance to be close to Herschel, his sister Susan and brother Kit, picked up the ball and “ran with it” as if stealing one of the 892 bases he stole in his great career.
Ty Cobb, often portrayed unfairly in historical accounts, comes across as a loving grandfather. As someone who never had a grandfather, the stories of Ty taking the kids to his Lake Tahoe cabin and other adventures moved me tremendously.
Baseball historians reading the book will be privy to Cobb’s thoughts on such great players as Babe Ruth and Tris Speaker.
Also Ty Cobb, whom I recall on an “I’ve Got A Secret” show being a friendly, personable man, gives his side of aggressive play.
Mr. Cobb’s early foray into Coca Cola and General Motors’ stock and why he generously helped “down and out” former teammates, is also discussed.
It was a compelling, sensitive, forthright book by Herschel Cobb. Far from perfect and not denying his flaws, (we all have them) Ty Cobb was a great figure. He surely was a loving, caring grandfather. Wish I had known mine.
Click to see some rare Ty Cobb footage
It was a moving funeral service for actor James Gandolfini at Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City yesterday morning. Some recollections and thoughts follow.
David Chase, “The Sopranos” creator, gave the last of four “remembrances” as listed in the program. He talked of Gandolfini being “a little boy” and bringing that to the role of “Tony Soprano.” He thought that was the reason the character was liked though he was essentially not good.
He told how Gandolfini in a scene, slammed the refrigerator door so hard as to break it while shooting a scene. Gandolfini’s intensity at times was harmful. His brilliant mind and willingness to help were among his many attributes.
Chase closed by talking of a scene with “Tony Soprano” having to take a bus as any other “working stiff.” Sopranos watchers know every show ended with a song, often powerful ones. In this scene, Chase would (have) use(d) Joan Osborne’s “What if God Was One of Us” as “Tony” boarded the bus.
Gandolfini’s dialogue coach, collaborator, and friend, Susan Aston, remembered Gandolfini comforting her fears with a “what’s the worst that could happen” scenario as they both nervously awaited going on stage in the 1980’s.
She intoned that “the opposite of strength is not weakness but vulnerability” and one needs vulnerability to be strong. James Gandolfini met the requirements.
The Very Reverend Dr. James A. Kowalski, who gave the homily, talked of meeting Gandolfini at a charity event held at The Rainbow Room.
He spoke eloquently as a fan of the show and how the “Tony Soprano” character gave us a unique “access to the darkness of humanity.”
He marveled at Gandolfini’s kindness and charitable nature. He recalled fondly his interaction with his fans.
There was a confluence of reality, imagination and thoughts of the show “The Sopranos,” as I watched many cast members pass me while walking out of the huge cathedral.
Reality is that a relatively young man and great talent is dead, far too soon. He did live life to the fullest, perhaps too full.
Imagination and hope lead me to think James Gandolfini is going to a better place and can help with his brilliance and compassion.
Thoughts about the show consisted largely of all the funerals and people’s reactions to them on the show. Death so often a topic, especially on “Tony Soprano’s” lips, leaps out.
I know that it was an incredible show and Gandolfini had one of the great roles and performances in television history. Yesterday was a fitting tribute to him.
Just over 40 years ago, on the same day both Pat Riley’s Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Blackhawks were eliminated in the respective NBA and NHL finals.
This past Monday, on the same day of the NBA champion Miami Heat victory parade (where team President Pat Riley was prominently displayed wearing white shorts), the Chicago Blackhawks clinched the Stanley Cup title.
Other playoffs notes: The 2013 NBA finals series pattern of road team win, home, home, road, home, home, and finally home had not taken place in the finals of either baseball or basketball which have the (2-3-2) format, since the 1946 World Series.
That encompasses 65 World Series (1947-2012, with no World Series played in 1994), 32 NBA finals (1985-2012 and 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955 when the 2-3-2 format was in place) and two hockey finals, 1984 and 1985 played with the 2-3-2 format.
One more and that is it, I promise! The home team win, road, home, road, home and finally road team pattern of the 2013 NHL finals had happened only once before. That was in 1989, when the Calgary Flames beat the Montreal Canadiens in six games in the 1989 finals.
That encompasses the 74 best of seven NHL finals from 1939-2013, with no finals nor an NHL season in 2005. Counting the other NBA finals played with the (2-2-1-1-1) format in which there was never such a pattern, only two of the 107 (2-2-1-1-1) finals had such a pattern.
For the record, the 1956 NBA finals series though not a (2-3-2) format, was also not a (2-2-1-1-1) format.
Knowing this, much from memory, might be attributed to sleeping alone for a good deal of my life.
Click here for 1973 Blackhawks video
1973
1973
In a shocking finish, the Chicago Blackhawks trailing (2-1) with a bit over one minute to play, scored two goals 17 seconds apart, to win game six (3-2) and hoist their second Stanley Cup in four seasons.
They denied the Boston Bruins a second title in three seasons in a series that was closer than the six game result. It appeared the NHL finals’ seventh, seventh game in 12 seasons, (there were but two in the 29 seasons before the span) was going to manifest.
However, maybe either Bryan Bickell or Dave Bolland, who scored the respective tying and winning goals, is the “seventh son of a seventh son” because fate “said” Chicago in six.
Sparing some of the “notes” I usually add, this NHL finals series, similar to the NBA finals series, was a compelling one. Each series featured a startling game six comeback win. The Blackhawks clinched in game six, the Heat survived and won it all in game seven.
In the end, the top seeded team in each league won the crown. Each championship team had a tremendous regular season winning streak.
Hail the champion Blackhawks and Heat. Meanwhile credit the fine performances, albeit in defeat, by the Bruins and Spurs.
The Chicago Blackhawks are one win away from their fifth Stanley Cup victory in this their 86th NHL season. Patrick Kane had the game’s first two goals in Chicago’s (3-1) win in game five vs the Boston Bruins.
After their fourth straight game five of finals win, the Blackhawks, with a (3-2) series lead, can win the Cup tonight in Boston.
All four of Chicago’s previous Cup wins occurred one game before the series limit. In both 1934 and 1938, the Blackhawks won best of 5 finals series, three games to one. The other two Chicago titles were won in six games in best of seven series, 49 years apart in 1961 and 2010.
15 of the 22 times that a best of seven NHL final was tied two games apiece, the game five winner won the series. Two of the seven “exceptions” involve the current teams.
40 years apart in 1971 and 2011, first the Blackhawks lost to the Montreal Canadiens despite taking a (3-2) series lead with a game five win.
In 2011 with obviously many of their current players, the Bruins won the Cup despite losing game 5 of a (2-2) series to the Vancouver Canucks.
Tonight in Chicago is the pivotal fifth game of the Stanley Cup finals between the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins. The series is tied at two games apiece. Game six will be in Boston on Monday night. (The Bruins have won 10 straight Monday playoff games). If there is a seventh and deciding game, it will be played in Chicago on Wednesday night. The Blackhawks have won four straight Wednesday playoff games, all this season.
Overshadowed by, and in between the two exciting Miami Heat wins that gave them a second straight NBA title, the Blackhawks won an exciting (6-5) game to even the series this past Wednesday night in Boston.
Though they never trailed, Chicago had leads of (1-0), (3-1), (4-2) and (5-4) but needed Brent Seabrook’s overtime goal to win the game and square the series.
Seabrook had won game seven of the Blackhawks’ quarterfinal series vs the Detroit Red Wings three Wednesdays earlier, with an overtime goal.
The Blackhawks have won three straight game fives in the Cup finals. En route to their first title in 49 years in 2010, the Blackhawks won a high scoring, home fifth game vs the Philadelphia Flyers to take a (3-2) series lead.
Chicago then won the title on Patrick Kane’s “reviewed” overtime goal at Philadelphia(Flyers) in game six. Thirty years earlier, the Flyers, who have lost in six straight finals, were eliminated in the finals when Bob Nystrom of the New York Islanders scored an overtime, home goal in game six.
The Bruins have lost eight of their last nine game fives in the Cup finals. In 1974, when last they won game 5 of the finals, (the New York television outlet for the game was PBS Channel 13) they lost the series in six to the Philadelphia Flyers. Only in 1939, the first year of a best of seven Stanley Cup final, did the Bruins win both game five of the finals and the title.
Brent Seabrook
The Miami Heat led by series MVP LeBron James, who scored 37 points in the decisive 7th game of the finals, have repeated as NBA champions.
Dwyane Wade added 23 points while Shane Battier came off the bench to contribute 18 points, all on three point shots, in the (95-88) victory in game seven vs the San Antonio Spurs.
The Heat are now (3-1) in NBA finals while the Spurs fell to (4-1). In all four NBA finals involving the Miami Heat, the game one loser has won the series. This was the first time the game one winner lost in a finals series involving the Spurs.
25 years ago the Pat Riley coached Los Angeles Lakers repeated as NBA champions by winning game seven of the quarterfinals, semi -finals and the finals at home. They also swept a best of five preliminary series, coincidentally vs the Spurs. That was clinched on the road.
This year the Heat with Pat Riley as team president, won game seven of the “semis” and the finals at home to repeat as champions. They clinched their “quarter” at home and swept a best of seven “prelim,” clinching the latter on the road.
The home team is now (21-2) in the seventh and deciding game of the World Series (9 straight wins), NBA finals (6 straight wins) and the NHL finals (home team has lost the last two after winning 6 straight) since the Pirates’ 1979 World Series win at Baltimore vs the Orioles.
James Gandolfini was incredible in his role as “Tony Soprano.” In fact, it was one of the great television roles and performances in that medium’s history.
Sadly, after saying the same about the late Larry Hagman, who was over 80, shockingly, Gandolfini is dead at the age of 51.
As was the case with Hagman, Gandolfini had some really nice work in addition to his incredible performance as the angst ridden, mob boss,”Tony Soprano.”
I was fortunate to see him in “God of Carnage” on the Broadway stage and he gave a fine, humorous performance in a role that called for just that.
Coincidentally, the last time a LeBron James team faced the Spurs in the NBA finals (2007 James was with the Cleveland Cavaliers), the Sunday night second game was on opposite the final episode of the great HBO original series, “The Sopranos.”
Many people were disappointed in the show’s ending. Truly tragic, while fictional “Tony Soprano” lived, now during another Spurs vs a “James team” NBA final, James Gandolfini died.
There is some consolation in the fact that the performances of James Gandolfini as “Tony Soprano” and in other roles does live on.
I never met Mr. Gandolfini, but by all accounts he was a nice man. Certainly he was a most charitable public figure, who performed brilliantly in one of the great roles in television history.
