Andy B Sports

Last night, the L.A. Dodgers honored the excellent pitcher, Fernando Valenzuela, retiring his number 34.

Master of “Moanies” (yes, ceremonies, today a Kiddish for Norman Sheff, who is still quite a wit and 93) as Steiner, does not “Charlie” good L.A. fortune, though “Superstar” usurping the microphone after #7/2003 ALCS was wrong.

The once my love, Dodgers, as surely Doug Sheff recalls, will likely be the N.L. “2” seed in what amounts to the 29th baseball tournament, a 12 team “joke” for a second straight year.

Last season Atlanta (Braves), the likely 2023 “1” and the “2” last season and the Dodgers (reverse that) were each 4’d out on the same day, in the “quarters.”

While that is unlikely to transpire again this season, the tournament remains a great and in my strong opinion, bad/fertile “ground” for possible upsets, that continue to diminish the “true test” 162 game regular season.

Fernando Valenzuela, pictured above.

Usually, I neither cite the year nor Wikipedia, however, in this case, both, as the year in the above photo via Wikipedia, is from 1981, the year in an extra tier of ‘offs, somewhat justified by a long period of no baseball, Fernando, more than anyone, led the Dodgers to their first crown in 16 years.

Surely tainted by the shorter season, as is their most recent 2020 title, it still involved me as a fan and I have a warm spot in my memories for Fernando Valenzuela.

Last year I titled the post as such below after the Ravens won their 23rd consecutive exhibition game.

“I pondered, weak and weary,” why do the Ravens win /try so hard to win exhibition games

Last year, the Baltimore Ravens (-5) won (17-15) vs Wash to extend their exhibition game win skein to 23, 4 more than the previous record set by Green Bay (Packers) from )1959-1962). Why win these games and why does Ravens’ coach John Harbaugh “cliche it” in regard to the positive in winning such tilts.

Tomorrow night the Ravens (-4 half) face the second straight NFLteam that was “held back” from a Supe crown or at least a reasonable chance at one, namely the Philly Eagles.

I think the Ravens, who unlike the Packers during their long exhibition season win skein had great success, winning 2 crowns and making 3 title games, have not made a title game/semi during their streak, are a viable Supe contender this season.

A suggestion, actually a strong one: LOSE your exhibition opener and certainly lose one of the 3 exhibition tilts.

Poe Park, pictured above.

The sexy Hoops Cabaret Girls invite you to watch UFC 292 featuring champion Aljamain Sterling vs Sean O’Malley, with them on Saturday, August 19th.  

Fresh from a major victory over Henry Cejudo, Aljamain Sterling puts his UFC bantamweight title on the line against “Sugar” Sean O’Malley in a quest to not just keep his crown but cement his place as the best bantamweight to ever wear UFC gold. 

In the co-main event of UFC 292, which takes place at TD Garden in Boston, Chinese star Zhang Weili defends her UFC strawweight championship against Brazilian battler Amanda Lemos.

The fan-favorite Hoops Cabaret 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!”  

HOOPS Cabaret and Sports Bar 48 West 33rd Street, New York City

** Highly Recommended

Two cities/areas combined to house all four major North American sports league final round losing teams.

First both the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Eagles lost the baseball and football final respectively.

Next, though each had a fine underdog run, both the Miami Heat and Florida Panthers lost in 5 games, getting eliminated on back to back nights, first the Heat and then the Panthers.

The Heat covered in defeat, but the next night Florida was routed.

The baseball teams from those cities/areas, the Phillies and Florida Marlins are among the many teams battling for the far too many (3) wild card berths in the National League.

Neither team will win the N.L. East as that barring something totally unforeseen, will go to the Atlanta Braves for a sixth straight season.

Gil Garrido, pictured above played on the 1969 N.L. West winning Atlanta Braves.

Atlanta won 5 “legit” one quarter N.L. West crowns while this will be their EIGHTeenth/one EIGHTH N.L. East first place finish.

The city of Houston has won four major North American sports league crowns.

Additionally two different teams, the “extinct” Houston Aeroes and the now Tennessee Titans, Houston Oilers won titles in leagues that no longer exist.

Three of the four teams won repeat titles.

George Blanda and Billy Cannon led the Houston Oilers to the first two AFL crowns in 1960 and 1961.

A true great, rarely talked about by a predominantly “no clue” sports media, Hakeem Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to NBA crowns in both 1994 and 1995.

Only the 2017 World Series winning Houston Astros did not repeat. They are current baseball champions and have made 6 straight ALCS and 4 of the last 6 World Series, splitting in those 4 entities.

It would be nice to call their manager Dusty Baker and congratulate him on last year’s title. Once I could reach him at the New York hotel at which his team was staying. That is no longer the case.

The Gord Howe led Houston Aeros won World Hockey Association crowns in 1974 and 1975 as did the Philadelphia Flyers. Neither has titled since then, the Aeros and WHA, no longer in existence and the Flyers’ bids for NHL titles going unfulfilled for 47 consecutive completed NHL seasons (1976-2023, with no NHL season in 2005).

Bobby Hull led Winnipeg Jets who dethroned the Aeros in the ’76 WHA final.

The great Hakeem Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to NBA crowns in both 1994 and 1995.

It is so much more bitter, than sweet.

Today there was a private room tribute to Jim Brown in Canton, Ohio.

Mike “Tiriiiiico” hosted.

Hopefully the dementia Chuck Howley has does not deter (too much) the fact he made the Hall.

It took far too long.

53 years ago, the Browns were (31-21) winners vs the Jets in the first NFL Monday Night “packaged” game.

Travis Williams, who ended up sleeping in his car, had a kickoff return TD in an earlier Monday night tilt.

Homer Jones, who also died this year, joining Jim Brown, Harry Belafonte, Pat Cooper, Vida Blue and others, returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown on that Monday September 21, 1970.

That was the first year of the AFC/NFC configuration and the teams that met that night and tonight, the Browns and Jets have nary a Supe appearance in the 53 completed seasons (’70-‘2022).

Chuck Howley, unfairly denied “Hall” entry for so long and suffering with dementia, is pictured above.

Seven pitchers have won exactly 31 games in a big leagues season. That number will remain the same for a long time, perhaps eternally.

Two times that pitchers won 31 were in presidential election years.

The first time was in 1920 when Jim Bagby Sr. of the eventual world champion, Cleveland Indians turned the trick.

48 years later (1948/forty eight was the only other Cleveland baseball title season) Dennis McLain won 31 games for the eventual world champion Detroit Tigers.

Certainly corruption surrounded the two men, (Warren Harding in 1920 and R.M. Nixon in 1968) that won those presidential elections.

Additionally, since most in life is relative, recent history has improved the historical rating of each.

Jim Bagby Sr. pictured above, won 31 and lost 12 for the title winning 1920 Indians.

His (10-1), 30th win of the season came against the Tigers, with whom McLain would also win 31 those aforementioned 48 years later, doing so with half (6) the number of losses Bagby accumulated.

Since Bagby won 31, only Lefty Grove also 31 (he lost 4 as the great Al “Grampa” Lewis often intoned on my cable tv show), Dizzy Dean (the last NL pitcher to do so, also likely to be that way for a long if not eternal period of time. Time eternal??) and McLain have won 30 or more games in a season.

A rare update on the “12 ‘offs teams/4 rounds,” diluted 2023 baseball, is mention of the (52-53) record of the Cleveland Guardians, nee Indians, who have a chance but are unlikely to title for the first time in 75 years.

Perhaps, Terry Francona, their manager should become a player manager and maybe next year in a presidential election year, Cleveland will triumph. (Of course Francona will not become a player manager nor will anyone else).

I cite such, as the only two Cleveland World Series crowns came in presidential election years and with player managers at the helm.

The great Tris Speaker managed the 1920 Indians, who overcame the tragic death of Ray Chapman, who died a day after he was hit by a pitch on August 16th,1920 (Elvis Presley and Babe Ruth, as noted here more than once, died on August 16th, 29 years apart in 1977 and 1948 respectively) while Lou Boudreau guided the title winning, the last such, Cleveland team in 1948.

Pictured as a Boston Red Sox player above, Lou Boudreau hit two home runs in Cleveland’s one game playoff (8-3) win at Boston that gave the then Indians the 1948 pennant.

In a game 6 at the Boston Braves, Cleveland last won a World Series crown in 1948.

Yesterday on a stifling, hot day, my spirits were lifted watching an episode of “Bonanza,” with Teresa Wright as the guest star.

I can “clean up” what the great Buddy Hackett said regarding lack of romantic success, on that epic show. I just did.

Ms. Wright’s character is slated to marry Lorne Greene’s “Ben Cartwright.”

Of course, she does not.

It is a compelling episode, made so much better with Teresa Wright, as the guest star.

Among her great performances, in epic films, was her turn in the William Wyler (he thought very highly of Teresa Wright) directed,”The Best Years Of Our Lives.”

Ray Teal, best known as “Sheriff Roy” on “Bonanza,” is linked to Wright (no bacon/Bacon please, though I like both Kevin and the food) appearing in both the Bonanza episode “My Son, My Son” that aired yesterday (originally airing on Sunday night January 19 (J-19), 1964– 3 weeks after the “Chi” Bears handed the New York Giants, a third straight NFL title game defeat), as well as in “Best Years,”

His character makes a bad, bigoted, anti-Semitic remark in “The Best Years Of Our Lives.”

I am proud to say I introduced Teresa Wright to the great Gordon Parks and the three of us posed in a picture.

It is not good, that I can not find that picture.!

There is no doubt, “shadow” or otherwise, that Teresa Wright, pictured above, was among the greats.

In addition, she was a classy, friendly person.