The 1934 World Series, matching the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers, opened at Navin Field in Detroit, Michigan.
There were some great players involved on both teams, Joe “Ducky” Medwick of the Cardinals and Hank Greenberg of the Tigers to name two.
In game 7, an incident would take place with the Cards way out in front involving Medwick and Tigers’ third baseman Marv Owen.
In #1, Medwick had hits in first two at bats while Owen made an early error.
Marv Owen, pictured above, was an excellent third baseman on Tigers’ teams that won consecutive pennants in ’34 and ’35 and the World Series, the Tigers’ first after 4 W.S. defeats in 1935.
There were so many great players on the Pittsburgh Steelers teams of the 1970’s, that some, notably Andy Russell, who died on Leap Day at age 82, were perhaps overlooked.
Russell was a rookie on an incredibly rare, good Steelers’ team that took its (7-3-3) record (remember ties), into Yankee Stadium for a showdown game with the two time Eastern Conference champion, Y.A. Tittle, led New York Giants in 1963.
New York prevailed (33-17) in that tilt, before losing a third straight NFL title game, that one (14-10) at Chicago, vs the Bears. (Since then the Giants, only (3-11) in what were pre Supe, NFL title games have gone (4-1) in Super Bowls/games for the NFL title).
That change in title game fortune, while so impressive, is dwarfed by that of the Steelers incredible success juxtaposed with their previous ineptitude, that manifested in 4 crowns in 6 seasons (’74-’79) with Andy Russell, part of a great trio of linebackers (all-time type greats, Jack Ham and Jack Lambert were the others), and on the first two Steelers’ title teams in 1974 and 1975.
Russell made 7 Pro Bowl games and is a member of the Steelers’ Hall of Fame.
Perhaps due to the fact so many Steelers have made the Pro Football Hall, Russell is denied, which is unfair, a la the delay, still ongoing, maybe to end this year, regarding great team Lakers,’ Michael Cooper, also a title winning WNBA coach, selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Finally, a nice memory regarding a rare, early “betting” win when Andy Russell, not exactly a Jesse Owens in the speed department, rambled 93 yards with a Bert Jones of the then Baltimore Colts (caused by Ham), fumble that increased the 11 plus point(s) favorite, Steelers lead and eventual final score to (28-10), in the last two minutes of play, in the slot 1/early Saturday divisional playoff game of 1975.
Denise’s eventual husband, now of 46 plus years and a working auto wrecker that day, called me ecstatic as I was, with me screaming “Christmas miracle” regarding Russell’s TD, that miraculously covered “el” spread.”
For the record, husband Neil had the winning Rams vs the Cardinals, not I.
The next day each of us lost with favorites Minnesota (outright to Dallas on the Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson “Hail Mary TD Pass”) and Oakland, which no covered Cincy (Bengals) in the latter team’s immortal coach, Paul Brown’s last game).
That is #34 Andy Russell and there is a segment regarding his fumble recovery TD vs the Baltimore Colts in their 1975 divisional round game.
Some of these will seem incredibly dumb, as consensus marks the Atlanta Braves and L.A, Dodgers (already for some an ahead of the sharp curve plus) as the two best teams, (really not all that meaningful in a 12 team/must win at least 3 rounds tournament format) and I say “longshot,” at least one not to even make the ‘offs. Do so with just a little of the quarters, dimes, and pennies in the jar.
Elsewhere, as alluded to before, I feel the St. Louis Cardinals will bounce back. So will the Seattle Mariners, so let’s predict each to make the ‘offs.
I feel Houston (Astros), a team I truly like, will fall back, as will the defending champion, Texas Rangers.
Houston no longer has possible, even probable future “Famer” (he was also an excellent player, cited by Pete Rose during the victorious Phils’ ’80 one quarter/had to finish first NL East celebration, as a “feared” opponent if the Dodgers, at that point needing 2 more wins vs Houston, were to be the Phillies’ ’80 NLCS opponent) Dusty Baker, while even almost certain “Famer,” manager,Bruce Bochy, I say will not get Texas (Rangers) anywhere near a repeat crown.
So these “div” picks: Big faves, L.A. Dodgers and Atlanta Braves with aforementioned Seattle, St. Louis and another “div” fave, the New York Yankees.
Try Detroit (Tigers), S.F. Giants, New York Mets to make and as a nice long shot, the Orioles, to miss the ‘offs.
Carl Warwick, pictured above and who turned 87 yesterday, delivered 3 pinch hits in 4 at bats (also had a walk), playing for the victorious St. Louis Cardinals vs the New York Yankees in the ’64 World Series.
Two of the hits were key ones in games 1 and 4, Cards’ wins.
NEW YORK — The sexy Hoops Cabaret Girls invite you to watch UFC 299 featuring Sean Sugar O’Malley vs Marlon Chito Vera with them on Saturday, March 9.
Newly crowned UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has been the talk of the sports world since he took the belt from Aljamain Sterling. But O’Malley will face a tough challenge in his first title defense when he meets the only man to beat him, top contender Marlon Chito Vera, in the main event.
The fan-favorite Hoops Cabaret (48 West 33 Street, NYC) is a great place to watch sporting events, with multiple giant screens, Hi-Def TVs, and its futuristic Mega-Tron Video Wall. Every seat has a clear view of the action.
Hoops Cabaret combines the fun of a sports bar with the excitement of a gentlemen’s club. “The UFC is very exciting,” said Hoops girl Brittany. “And so is a lap dance from a Hoops girl!”
Court-side, Mezzanine and VIP seating
Super VIP “Man Cave”
Full Menu, Drink Specials
Next door to the world famous Rick’s Cabaret NYC
It has been a while since I raved about a live performance here, or anywhere.
That came to an end last night when I was fortunate enough to attend “1964 The Tribute,” which featured 4 truly gifted performers in the respective roles of Paul, John, George and Ringo, “The Beatles,” 60 years or so, after their appearances on the legendary Ed Sullivan Show, February 9 also 16th and 23rd in 1964.
Last night’s venue Carnegie Hall is also legendary and the group was performing there and honored to do so for the sixteenth time. The iconic Beatles performed at Carnegie Hall also sixty years ago.
The artists are Mark Benson as John Lennon, Mac Ruffing as Paul McCartney, Doug Couture as George Harrison and Joe Bologna playing and singing in the role of Ringo Starr.
Quite a show! They are around and hope to be back in New York next year.
The event was presented by Mark Johnson DBA Strut Productions.
Click below then to YouTube for a little bit of Ringo Starr’s interview with AARP The Magazine
Stan Musial, so great for so long, that he held the record for holding baseball records, all the while doing so with great class, played his last game, all with the St. Louis Cardinals, on September 29, 1963.
Stan “The Man” Musial played from (1942-1963) and epitomized an era of much good he helped manifest with his great play and classy ways.
In that last Stan game, (Stan’s St. Louis Cardinals hosting the Cincinnati Reds), it has been fairly well publicized, that he got 2 hits, both close to, but beyond the range of second baseman, 1963 N.L. Rookie of the Year, Pete Rose, who 18 years later would pass Musial as the all-time National League hits leaders. (File much else to add!!).
Much in the way of emotions and memories manifest from just say, the Musial/Rose connection.
In 1981, not long after the baseball season resumed after a 51 day strike and the purchase of my first VCR and knowing but never acting on the fact everyone would eventually get one, Pete Rose, batting left handed, singled to left on a Monday Night Baseball telecast, his 3,631st hit, one more than Stan.
There will be more notes regarding Stan’s last game.
“Appetizers” include Pete got 3 hits in what was an eventual, (3-2), second place Cardinals’ 14 inning win, vs the Reds, who were in a “battle” for first division money, then so important to the far from rich ballplayers.
One more, other than Reds/Braves with Pete and the great Henry Aaron on opposing Reds and then had to be, Milwaukee Braves’ teams (’63-’65) was there ever a game with players that amassed as many as 4,000 hits, 3,500 hits and two with over 2,700 hits in their careers?
The first two categories ought to be obvious, heck (Stan probably would have said it, not “hell” and surely with any justice, and if anywhere, is in the other, better place) I named one above.
Would you name one or both of the other two, each a starting player in that September 29, 1963 game, and who had between 2,700 and 2,800 hits in their careers.
If so, please comment. I will add more notes and perhaps some oft repeated, relevant to that game/year opinions down the road.
The great player and man, Stan “The Man” Musial, pictured above.
68 years and a day or two had gone “rearview mirror,” since an epic episode of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” titled “And So Died Riabouchinska” originally aired on Mr. Lincoln’s birthday in 1956.
I saw said episode last week on MeTV and marveled at the incredible Claude Rains, so great in the role, as he was in so many others, including the “Hitch” directed “Notorious,” ten years earlier.
Notable from the fine cast, was a relative newcomer, born Charles Buchinsky named Charles Bronson, who certainly had a fine acting career.
Bronson/Buchinsky played a detective named Krovitch, whose investigation centers around an entity named “Riabouchinska,” and makes for fascinating viewing.
Additionally those names with say Bronson said last, make a nice “tongue twister,” if not a law firm.
Three of the four Kansas City and San Francisco major North American sports league football and baseball teams lost in their first current league final round entity.
Among the four (K.C. Chiefs and Royals, S.F. 49ers and Giants), only the 49ers, who again, as cited here a number of times, won their first five such entities and have now lost their last three, have a current final round loss streak.
The Chiefs in their first and the first Super Bowl/NFL/AFL Championship Game, lost decisively to the heavily favored Green Bay Packers.
However, the Chiefs have won 4 of the 5 Supes they have appeared in since that loss. (They beat Minne in ’69, the Niners in ’19 and ’23 and the Eagles in ’22–losing to the Buccaneers in ’20).
The baseball Royals lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1980 World Series, won vs the St. Louis Cardinals in ’85, lost to the San Francisco Giants in 2014 and 5’d the New York Mets in 2015.
San Francisco’s Giants, sans a crown with 2 World Series losses (to the Yankees in 7 games in ’62 when Bobby Richarson grabbed Willie McCovey’s line drive hit right at him with the Yankees ahead (1-0) but with S.F. runners, Mateo Alou and Willie Mays in scoring position and to the Oakland A’s in 4 games (’89), in which S.F. never had a lead. I “refuse” to call it “The Earthquake World Series,” but I guess I just did) in their first 51 completed seasons in S.F. (can not say 51, as related to the Giants, without citing the then New York Giants’ incredible 1951 N.L. Pennant), those from (1958-2009), with no completed season in 1994.
Subsequently, the Giants have won in their last three World Series appearances, all in even alternate years from (2010-2014), doing so with at best, players named Posey and Bumgarner, not true greats, such as Mays, McCovey, Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda and Gaylord Perry, who largely due to the greatness of the “had to finish first,” National League of the major part of the 1960’s and the tough, aforementioned World Series loss to the Yankees, failed to title.
The Niners, oh the Niners, (think “My Darling Clementine,” I think with some relation to gold prospectors, certainly not sure) have now lost in their last 3 Supes, two by three point margins and the other, in which they dissipated a 10 point(s) fourth quarter lead.
Their 5 Supe victories, as cited here in previous posts, were by 5, 29, 4, 45 and 23 point(s) margins.
I was not exactly “swift,” in picturing, a third, other than Mahomes, current Chiefs’ great player, putting Trav Kelce, pictured above, after Chris Jones and Har Butker.
Today, some notes, surely tangental and hopefully of some interest and perspective.
Currently, after losing in the 58th Supe, Sunday past, the S.F. 49ers have lost three straight Super Bowls/final round entities, all in highly competitive, if not well played games, two essentially on the last play.
There is a perhaps, eery similarity to the Boston Red Sox history, certainly factually, as each team/franchise won its first 5 final round entities (cited here last week) and have lost at least the next three, all in both the Red Sox and Niners’ cases, in highly competitive entities.
Boston won titles in 1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, and 1918, the last 3 with Babe Ruth, whose quantity of Yankees’ titles only exceeded his Boston crowns by one, another reason he would not have “cursed” the Red Sox.
They lost their next 4 final round entities/World Series, all in the maximum 7 games, three of those (’46,’75 and ’86) with multiple run(s) leads in the decisive tilt.
The Cardinals of St. Louis (early, rare prediction, usually I am “unrewarded” good on these, is watch them improve in this season, 60 years after their ’64 World Series win) never trailed and (7-2’d) Boston behind the great Bob Gibson in #7/’67 W.S. but it was a 7 game series.
The Niners, Supe champs without a defeat in such a game in ’81,’84, ’88, ’89 and ’94 with Col Kaepernick at the helm battled gallantly, only to lose to the Ravens in the ’12 season Supe.
At that time, it was John Harbaugh winning his lone crown, doing so vs brother Jim, who was in as Niners’ coach.
Jim Harbaugh finally won a crown, a college title with Michigan in 2023 (in ’24 he starts as Chargers coach, while brother John and his Ravens were one of three favorites denied by the Chiefs, in the just completed ’23 season ‘offs).
Four years ago the 49ers despite being up as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter lost to the Chiefs in that Supe and need I cite they lost the ’23 season Supe, in a game by most standards they ought to have won, after winning two ‘offs home games, they probably ought to have lost.
That’s all folks. (However, much else, just on final rounds in the future).
(Not so ?) arguably the greatest of all cartoon characters, Bugs Bunny, pictured above.
Of carrots, cheeseburgers, elusiveness and the Mahomes/Reid Chiefs certainly on a great run with 3 crowns in 5 seasons.
In what was their 60th anniversary/61st season in Kansas City, the Chiefs repeated as NFL champions, notching their third such crown in 5 seasons, 4th Supe and fifth “all the way” franchise title, as they also won the AFL “all the way” (today Eric Carmen/Raspberries video, I promise) crown in their last year as the Dallas Texans in 1962, also as was the case days back, with a long overtime, title clinching victory.
Speaking of Dallas, the current baseball champion is essentially a Dallas area team, the Texas Rangers, who copped their first crown in what was their 62nd completed season, the first 11 of which were as the second incarnation of the Washington Senators (1961-1971).
Both teams won four post-season round entities to claim their crowns, the first time in 11 non Covid affected, expanded round of 16, possibilities, that has occurred.
In 2020 with baseball’s ‘offs expanded to 16 entrants and a “must win 4 rounds to title,” both the T.B./T.B. (Tom Brady) Tampa Bay Buccaneers and L.A. Dodgers won 4 post-season rounds to “title.”(I consider the Dodgers’ Covid affected, minimal season, 2020 crown certainly a “<” (read it less than), not so the Tom Brady as Q.B. , Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4 post-season wins title, that same year.
Another post, another day for some talk regarding two quarterback greats, Mr. Brady (Robert Reed had a prominent role on Mannix, Andy Reid is Mr. Mahomes coach) and Mr. Mahomes.
For now, noting: either Brady or Mahomes has been the NFL Champion/ “Supe” winning quarterback in what has to be an unprecedented 7 of the last 10 seasons. (Brady in ’14,’16,’18 and ’20, the last of those vs Mahomes while Patrick QB/titled in ’19,’22 and ’23. Brady, in arguably his greatest post-season performance, certainly one of them, never the less was on the short end of the ’17 season Supe, as the Philly Eagles prevailed vs New England).
Another current Chiefs’ great, kicker Harrison Butker is pictured above.
“B’s” not bees or wasps have been the two Chiefs nee Texans kickers in their 2 overtime title clinching wins.
In ’62 Tommy “B”rooker’s short field goal ended the second longest AFL or NFL ‘offs tilts, occurring in a second overtime period.
“B”utker has been brilliant, especially on clutch field goal attempts during this glorious post-season period for the Chiefs.
Another great K.C. kicker who was truly instrumental in the Chiefs ’69 season title, among other things, booting 3 Super Bowl field goals is Jan Stenerud.
However, it must? be noted that in pro football’s longest game a Dolphins’ Christmas Day win (more on Christmas Day Chiefs games et al in a future post) division round win at Kansas City, Stenerud missed a short field goal attempt that would have given K.C. the victory.
Click below to view Eric Carmen with “The Raspberries” perform “Go All The Way” in a presentation of Don Kirshner.
Andy B Sports 