The final round in both women’s and men play at Wimbledon is set.
Headlining is 2:1 match favorite, Novak Djokovic, who if he wins vs Carlos Alcaraz, would bid for “The Grand Slam,” in the upcoming U.S. Open, still over a month away.
The feat of winning the Australian, French, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open was last accomplished by the great Rod Laver in 1969. (Mr. Laver also did so in 1962).
The immortal Don Budge in 1938, is the only other man to win all four events (The Grand Slam”) in the same calendar year.
Djokovic “barked” in a truly rare underdog role vs Alcaraz in the French Open semis.
Maybe, Alcaraz, only 20 years old, (William G. whose woe joins many I know with health setbacks, turned 66 and evoking “The Byrds” let’s turn this around, a difficult ask but it can be accomplished) can return the favor as a near 2 to 1 underdog.
However, I slightly doubt it.
On the ladies side, upsets have abounded, leaving Ons Jabeur as about a 2:1 favorite vs Marketa Vondrousova in the final.
The great Don Budge, from Oakland California, soon Gertrude Stein regarding what is not there will be accurate, at least regarding professional sports teams, is pictured above.
Twelve “3” Year World Series have been contested to this point, with a thirteenth, upcoming in October.
As one might expect, the Yankees lead the “3” year title “parade” with three such crowns (1923,1943 and 1953).
Next the Athletics, who certainly will not win a crown this year and appear headed out of Oakland, where they won the 1973 title with a #7 win, and Red Sox each have two.
As Philadelphia, the Athletics triumphed in 1913 while the Red Sox franchise triumphed in the first A.L. vs N.L. World Series in 1903 (see my post about Burt Mustin’s memories of that event below) and again 110 years later in 2013.
The Giants (as New York in 1933), Dodgers in 1963, Orioles (a true surprise with a (54-35) record at the “break”), in 1983, Blue Jays, (clinching on Joe Carter’s 3rhr in 1993) and Marlins (2-0) in World Series play in 2003), have one such crown apiece.
Burt Mustin Recalling The First Modern World Series On The Tonight Show 71 Years Later In 1974 on November 5, 2017
Earlier today, a truly fine episode of “Perry Mason” aired, called “The Crimson KIss.”
It was from a novelette by Erle Stanley Gardner, the person most responsible for the iconic “Mason” (dare I say) brand, no, call it a long lasting ,well done work.
Among the cast members as “Aunt Louise,” is Frances Bavier. She went on to television glory, as “Aunt Bee” on “The Andy Griffith Show.”
In the episode that originally aired on November 9,1957 (Milwaukee at the time housed the World Series winner and has not done so since– while the Detroit Lions were on their way to the NFL crown and have not played in a game for that prize after that year), the beautiful, loyal, “Della Street” played by Barbara Hale, calls Perry Mason, first “Chief” and then “Mr. Mason”, but not “Perry,” as she so often would in the episodes that followed.
Finally, I note the appearance of the sultry, Joi Lansing, once “Mrs. Superman, if only as bait, (but at the end she and Lois Lane are competing for him, leaving Clark Kent to reflect on the slim chance “regular guys,” such as he and Jimmy Olsen, have regarding Lois and Ms. Lansing’s “Mrs. Superman) in the episode, adding to a truly good one on MeTV.
The beautiful and talented Joi Lansing, pictured above.
The epic, not so arguably greatest baseball game ever when one considers importance and excitement, game 7 of the 1960 World Series was won by the Pittsburgh Pirates by a (10-9) score vs the New York Yankees.
In a period from (1923-1962), the Yankees won an incredible 20/half of the forty contested World Series. In periods from (1927-1962) and (1936-1962) they won more than half, (19 of 36 and 16 of 27) the World Series played.
Meanwhile the Pirates, who had rallied from a (7-4) deficit to lead (9-7) going to the ninth inning, as they had in a Thursday home 7th game at Forbes Field, 2 days shy of 35 years earlier, won the game and their first title since that one in 1925 by a (10-9) score.
In 1925 they held on to win (9-7).
Bill Mazeroski hit into a double play to end the 7th inning and after Pittsburgh sent 8 men to the plate, scoring 5 runs, capped by the always ought to be mentioned, but so often is not, Hal Smith 3RHR, “Maz” was the first batter in the bottom of the 9th.
Two Pirates batters, the aforementioned Smith and then Don Hoak (as was the case with Dick Groat of the ’60 Pirates, Hoak was on two teams that 7’d the mighty Yankees in World Series play. Groat, as noted by the classy Bobby Richardson, on a show replaying this classic game, later played on the ’64 Cardinals while Hoak was a defensive replacement and either first or second to embrace John Podres, after his brilliant game 7 pitching finally brought a title to the Brooklyn Dodgers), to end the 8th, flying out to Yogi Berra in left before Mazeroski was a third straight Pirates’ player to hit a ball toward Yogi in left and the second to clear the wall a long way out in Forbes Field.
Once, the baseball All-Star Game mattered, so much so, that we gathered one or two National League fans and some American League to watch the tilt on television. One year an uninvited guy in the area banged so hard on the door he gained entry.
Now you would have to pay me to sit through one.
However, memories abound:
Stan Musial hitting a game ending home run before my time and forty years ago on this date, an excellent player named Fred Lynn, hit what is still the only grand slam home run in All-Star Game annals.
Alas it is 90 years inclusive (1934-2023) since Carl Hubbell struck out 5 great American League players at the famed Polo Grounds in the ’34 game.
Write in with the names of the 5 baseball immortals, (Hubbell certainly was one as well) that Carl fanned in succession in the ’34 game.
I think, incredibly on July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of United States independence, (spare the firecrackers, which scare dogs. I add that I never had a dog and a sparkler I threw around age 10, went into a tree, with mercifully, no damage, but quite a lesson. Bottom line: Be Careful!), both the second and third presidents, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died.
Lesser known is the fact, fives became operative five years later when the fifth United States President James Monroe died on this date.
Many have speculated about this coincidence.
Maybe (perhaps coincidence?), would fit here.
The fifth U.S. President James Monroe, pictured above, eased to victory in both the 1816 and 1820 Presidential elections.
One need only watch, in my opinion, what are two seminal films made in consecutive years (’67 and ’68) first, “Wait Until Dark,” starring the magnificent Audrey Hepburn and author Carson McCullers’ “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” to see not only the brilliance, but also the hand in hand versatility, that made Alan Arkin such a great actor.
Mr. Arkin died days back, at the age of 89.
Recently, I, who now rarely get the chance or have the paid service to do so, watched two films, in which Arkin contributed mightily.
One was the truly funny “The In-Laws,” co-starring another great, Peter Falk, the other being David Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross,” adapted for the screen.
Alas, as you go Mr. Arkin, perhaps with Eastern religion, Jewish roots a boost, I opine it is your class and great work, that will get you more than “in!”
Remember “Serpentine/Serpentine” from “The In-Laws,” and as you weave in and out (serpentine), I add “living,” now calling, to “Stone,” it is not “Why are doing this to me (not Dave, but Alan as in “GGGR” to Ed Harris), but thank you Alan Arkin, for moving me with laughter and pathos, in your superb career
My late friend Brad Weiner and I, each jumped —as did many others, during a great scene with Mr. Arkin and Ms. Audrey Hepburn, each pictured from “Wait Until Dark,”
Las Vegas currently has both the NHL and WNBA championship teams.
In just their sixth season, the Golden Knights, finalists in their (very) first season, took the Stanley Cup.
The Aces won the 2022 WNBA crown and are off to a (14-1) start in the 2023 WNBA season, losing only at the Connecticut Sun.
Last night, the Aces eased at home, vs another “loaded” team, the (10-4) New York LIberty.
Last night, not too many hours ago, in relative obscurity especially juxtaposed with the three previous perfect games pitched by a Yankees’ hurler, Domingo German became the fourth Yankee to hurl a perfect game.
He did so in an (11-0) win for the (44-36) Yankees at Oakland vs the (21-61) once proud, (now look) Oakland A’s.
German joins Don Larsen, David Wells and David Cone as Yankees perfect game pitchers.
Larsen pitched a perfect game on Monday October 8, 1956 in game 5 of the World Series.
He outdueled Brooklyn starter Sal Maglie, who had been the mystery guest on “What’s My Line?” the night before in a (2-0) win.
Both Cone and Wells, as was the situation with Larsen, pitched their perfect games at Yankee Stadium, in what were back to back Yankees’ title seasons in 1998 and 1999.
After winning #5/’56 World Series behind Larsen and after losing #6 to Brooklyn on Jackie Robinson’s game winning and last ever big league hit, the Yankees took the ’56 crown, with a game 7 win.
The Yankees previous three perfect games occurred in title winning seasons.
The 1970 World Series/”The Brooks Robinson Series” won by Brooks and the Baltimore Orioles vs the first of 4 Cincinnati Reds’ pennant winning teams in 7 seasons ended with a (9-3) Orioles triumph in game 5.
Last night in a clash between the two surprising 2023 teams, the (48-29) Orioles defeated the (41-38) Reds by a (10-3) score.
“Balti” is 4 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, whose (54-27) “halfway” (162 games season) is baseball’s best. Their “qualification” lead is at least 6 games.
“Cincy” is only (41-38) but that places them only a half game behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the N.L. Central
Andy B Sports 