Once, the long having disappeared “Schtunk,” who knew his “stuff” commented on players, who more than once were on teams that defeated the vaunted Yankees in post-season play.
Dick Groat, a tremendous player and the 1960 N.L. batting champion and MVP, playing on that year’s Pirates’ title winner was one such player.
In a fabulous World Series, the Pirates though handily outscored, defeated the Yankees in 7 games, as Hal Smith, Rocky Nelson and the best known of the blasts, Bill Mazeroski hit big home runs.
Groat had one hit, one run and one rbi, all in the big 5 run Pirates’ 8th inning that yielded a (9-7) lead when Smith’s 3RHR sailed over the left field wall (the same score they won #7 in 1925, the last time before ’60 that the Pirates “titled”) only to have the Yankees tie the game T9 before “Maz” hit the W.S. winning home run.
In 1963, Groat, in his first season with the St. Louis Cardinals finished second to a great pitcher, Sandy Koufax in the MVP race.
The next season Groat was the shortstop/infield anchor on a world championship team, a second one in 5 seasons/4 years that 7’d the Yankees in the World Series with a home decisive game win.
Dick loved basketball and was an All American player at Duke University. He set a season points scoring mark in the 1951-1952 season.
Later, he played briefly in the NBA for the then Fort Wayne Pistons before committing to baseball and what manifested in an excellent career.
He played the games the right way, another from a better time now gone, but whose achievements and memories thereof live on.
Dick Groat, pictured above.
In what was roughly a 25 to 1 pay out (Beano again from above, screaming “you have to be willing to lose!!!) both the 9;5 series underdog New York Knicks and 8 to 1 “u/dog” Heat won their round of 16ers, in 5 games, each winning twice on the road and in fact, both teams winning games 1 and (3-5) vs the Cleveland Cavaliers (the Knicks are (4-0) in series vs the Cavs and (12-2) in such games) and top ranked Milwaukee Bucks respectively.
Last night on what was the exact 51st anniversary of the Knicks’ incredible shooting (surely Bill Bradley and Jerry Lucas) in a game 1 rout win at L.A. vs the (69-13) Lakers, another solid performance by Jalen Brunson led an easy Knicks win (plus 5 plus) to “5” the Cavs.
Remember the then “my” Lakers won the next 4 to finally gain an L.A. based crown and complete an incredible season, in which they set a still standing major North American sports record with 33 consecutive victories.
Oh did I take “heat” after the Knicks win in game 1 and being different (a again, then not now Lakers’ fan in N.Y.) got relief not exultation from my team’s win, a constant as my dad often cited, in my existence. (By the way, on the exact “ann” of that #1 loss to the Knicks 51 years earlier, the Lakers were again routed, this time by the Memphis Grizzlies, this time in #5 of a prelim/”round of 16er,” in which L.A. is (-5) to go home and advance.
Speaking of heat, the Miami Heat led by the incredible play of Jimmy Butler dispatched the top ranked Milwaukee Bucks in 5 games, riding Mr. Butler’s 42 to a (128-126) overtime win in #5.
Earvin “Magic” Johnson, pictured above, predicted a Knicks’ series win vs the Cavs and that they in turn would give Milwaukee a tough “quarters” series.
It turns out they face Miami (the Knicks are (-4) game 1 and (-130) series “faves”) whose Jimmy Butler, evoked Magic’s 42 point game in #6 vs Philly in the ’80 final.
Butler also had 56 points as the Heat rallied to win #4. They were as high as 13 point underdogs in game 5. Magic, Jamaal “Silk” Wilkes (he had 37 points in that 1980 title clincher) and the Lakers were about 8 point “dogs” playing without Kareem in that ’80 game.
What goes around …..
An incredible, dynamic, great looking entertainer and far more important, an eloquent, productive, caring activist for human rights, Harry Belafonte, died yesterday at age 96.
It is pretty certain that with the attributes and accomplishments along his name, that he followed in the great footsteps of his mentor, the one and only Paul Robeson, and that high, well deserved praise would please Harry Belafonte.
One can imagine a 5 person team above with Harry now a 6th, to spark them, a la John Havlicek, who might be on a similar great, departed team, with 5 and 6 as basketball numbers.
Mr. Belafonte accomplished so much and the five I cite, while beyond great and important, are a “tip of the iceberg,” as among others, where is Nelson Mandela?
Harry had Eleanor Roosevelt in his home. I believe ditto regarding President Kennedy and his brother Robert. As cited, Paul Robeson was his mentor. Together they did so much good.
Maybe most meaningful among Mr. Belafonte’s associations, was the one with the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King.
Stressing the good moral compass, the Kennedys eventually showed, but society has still nowhere near attained, King and Belafonte organized and with help (Mr. Poitier among them, as cited in a previous post here that I will “link”), leaving to enter the dark, dangerous, southern nights (no Glen Campbell song here or there then, now?) made strides for people so incredibly, unfairly and systemically denied them.
Mr. Belafonte, while better known for his incredible singing, (a little “day-o” will help vs those chemicals, just about now) was an exceptional, under rated actor.
The sheer beauty of Dorothy Dandridge and Harry in the Otto Preminger directed “Carmen Jones,” Harry as a “turn the tables,” abusive, racist, but with the power, Black man opposite John Travolta in “White Man’s Burden” are just two, among many, not only worth watching but studying, films in which he performed.
His book “My Song: A Memoir” is so “chock full” of great notes, one might think of Horn and Hardart.
Gina Belafonte, one of his four children, now takes the full reins of Sankofa.Org, a truly inspiring organization, helping in the much needed quest for social justice.
Of course when I met Mr. Belafonte he was polite and classy.
So much more I can say and perhaps will.
For now some links below from previous posts regarding Harry Belafonte.
I am not ashamed to tear up thinking about all he did, the great deserved praise, the sad reality of now but also the progress he led (forgive: “Harry The Change Yo Helped Bring, We Keep-ode to another Harry, (Chapin) whose care for the hungry lives on now 42 years since a tragic car accident took him) with the fervent hope it will continue.
Look down and try to again help us, while being an entertaining activist, as you were here, above.
Harry Belafonte Tribute At Town Hall
Six of the 16, round of 16 NBA and NHL playoff series are through 5 games, the other ten have completed four.
Only (bad one coming up) one team, was 10-4’d as in “over and out,” in 4 straight games (told you it was bad) while two ended in 5 games, yielding the first of the 8 “quarters” matchups, as the top 2 Western Conference “odds” choices, the “1” seed Denver Nuggets and “4” seed Phoenix Suns, will meet in that round for the second time in 3 seasons/2 years.
Both Denver and Phoenix won home 5th games with just the third and fourth “win/no covers” of these ‘offs, dispatching the Minne Timberwolves and L.A. Clippers respectively.
Phoenix which opened a 7 to 5 series “fave” (Denver is -2 plus in #1 on Saturday, however Phoenix is just plus 160 to win the West, while Denver is plus 330, just ahead of defending champion Golden State and the “Leb League” Lakers. For the record, Sacramento though (2-2) with Golden State in the current round and with home advantage is 20 to 1, while Memphis with “home adv,” but trailing L.A. (3-1), is 40 to 1), swept the Nuggets in the 2021 “quarters.”
Denver has never made an NBA final, while the Suns lost in 6 games, in all 3 of their final round appearances.
In ’76 the last ABA season, both the Nuggets, who had home advantage and the Suns, who did not, were 6’d in the final round, by the New York Nets and Boston Celtics respectively.
Walter Davis, pictured above in 1987 was a star player for the Suns.
Research yielded the fact that the #30 on the uniform was in memory of Suns’ player, Nick Vanos, who died in a plane crash.
Very few teams in either the NBA or NHL have gone unbeaten at home in the playoffs, in say the last 50 plus seasons.
Already in the NHL playoffs, where but 28 games have been played (Monday through Sunday, 4 each day, mostly at night), an incredible 15 of the 16 ‘offs teams have lost at home.
Only the East “2” seed, and “div” winning, Carolina Hurricanes, who won the first two at home and yesterday #4 at the Islanders (looks as though after a great run of 4 straight titles (’80-’83), it will be a streak of ten times that many seasons sans a title and 39 without a final round appearance for the Isles), are (2-0) at home.
All the other teams, including the top ranked Boston Bruins, the only other (3-1) series leader have lost at least once at home.
In the NBA, where it is much less likely to secure a road win, half of the 16 ‘offs teams have lost at home.
Another Boston team, (as with the Bruins “plurality” faves to title), the Celtics, who lead the Atlanta Hawks (3-1), their almost certain “quarters” opponent, the 76ers (it would, almost can say “will” would George? –be a 22nd series clash between the rivals), a third Atlantic “div” team, the Knicks and West top seed, Denver are the only “(2-0) at home,” NBA teams.
The Sixers swept the Brooklyn Nets while the Knicks and Nuggets have (3-1) series leads vs the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves respectively.
Elsewhere, both the defending champion but 6 seed, Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings are (2-0) at home. How
However, they are playing each other.
Lower seeded L.A. (Lakers vs Memphis) and Miami (Heat vs heavily favored, top ranked Milwaukee), the 2020 final round opponents in a series/season that culminated in “a Bubble” and is another “cheap” James, the so called “King,” crown. Again he is a great player, but nowhere near the greatest) are (1-0) at home and have (2-1) prelims leads.
Joe Torre, pictured above, guided the Yankees to an (8-0) road post-season record and the ’96 title.
Thus far in this the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 55th season since their last title and for that matter final round appearance in 1967, the first two games had reverse results from exact dates, in same calendar 1967.
However, the third was the same result as exactly 56 years earlier.
On Tuesday April 18, 1967, Brian Conacher rifled in two goals as the Leafs beat top ranked Chicago (Black Hawks, now Blackhawks) (3-1) at Toronto in #6, to advance to the Cup final vs 2 time defending champion, Montreal (Canadiens).
In game 1, exactly 56 years later, Tampa Bay (Lightning) ripped the Leafs (7-3) in #1 of their round of 16/preliminary series.
Then on Thursday April 20, the Maple Leafs became the first NHL team in ‘offs play to score and win with 7 goals, one game after losing yielding 7 in the previous one.
A reverse result 56 years earlier when just 2 nights after the semi ended, the final series opened with Montreal “tripling” Toronto (6-2).
On Saturday April 20th’s exactly 56 years apart the Leafs repeated their road win at the Montreal Forum vs the two time champion Canadiens that squared the ’67 final, winning at Tampa vs the Lightning a repeat champion in ’20 and ’21 and a finalist last season.
“Tor”now leads what is just a round of 16 series, 2 games to 1.
In this the same calendar year as 1978, when both the Denver Nuggets in their second NBA season and Philadelphia 76ers advanced to the NBA semis, each team has a (3-0) prelims lead with a pretty likely future as “quarters” underdogs vs Phoenix and Boston, each up (2-1) and huge series favorites, (the latter if it manifests, an “umpteenth” ‘offs clash between those 2 franchises) respectively.
Both the Nuggets (today an Islanders Mc D’s promo, still Carolina up (2-1) yielded 10 nuggets for 2 dollars, I tipped a dollar as I am one of the best in that department, the food is good but not good for you, especially if you “wolf it down” while in the car as I did) and Sixers are (3-0) (3-0) vs the Nets and Timberwolves respectively with #2 Denver and #3 Philly half point “covers,” tough to take (I always “take,” but thank goodness, small).
In ’78, the first of two straight Bullets/SuperSonics NBA final round series manifested when the Bullets, now the Wizards and SuperSonics then in Seattle, and now the Oklahoma City Thunder 6’d the Sixers (say sixed the Sixers 6 times fast even 3 times fast) and Nuggets in the semis.
Click below to view some great plays made by one of the all-time best, David Thompson a long time Denver Nuggets star.
www.youtube.com › watchDavid Thompson Top 10 Plays of Career – YouTube
David Thompson, pictured above with North Carolina State, led them to the ’74 NCAA crown.
Fellow, veteran theatre goer, Barbara Scharf was heard commenting about the superb production “Teach Me How To Die” (now through April 29th at The Gene Frankel Martel Theatre –24 Bond Street in Manhattan) and in particular, the character development pertaining to the six people, who attended a rather telling master class, that of how to write a suicide note.
Yet the play is so much more, on such a serious topic, which has alarming statistics.
Even that barely touches the complexities of the production based on Lisa Monde’s work.
It is not a “spoiler” at all, to state that the play emphasizes that there are most often, better options than suicide.
There is a truly outstanding cast.
Samuel Shurtleff stands out as “Professor Mirrormord,” while Ms. Monde, an award-winning actress and singer, in addition to her truly introspective writing, has a key role as “Poet.”
Again a superb cast: Scott Lilly, Luke Edward Smith, Robert L. Bradvica, Mark Simmons and Steven J. Harris in main roles, as class participants.
Nice efforts in multiple roles are turned in by both Cadence Lamb and Thomas R. Gordon.
Gordon along with Ms. Monde directed.
It was a truly revealing, entertaining and meaningful performance.
Click below for more information including that involving tickets purchase.
allevents.in › new york › teach-me-how-to-dieTeach Me How to Die, The Gene Frankel Theatre, New York …
An incredible 40 straight times and maybe more incredible 161 of the last 175 NBA (actual –play in games not included) playoff games, the winning team has also “covered the spread.”
Already (almost every year every ‘offs team loses at least one home tilt) 10 of the 16 teams opening their round of 16/preliminary series at home have lost a game.
In the NHL, 6 of the 8 visiting teams won road opening games.
Meanwhile in the NBA, while home teams Boston, Philly, Sacramento (a pretty big series u/dog, though having home advantage) are up (2-0) and Denver won its opener, top ranked Milwaukee, Cleveland (now (1-1) vs the Knicks), Memphis and Phoenix (now (1-1) vs the L.A. Clippers) lost in their opening home ‘offs game.
Tonight “M” and “M” (ode to Mickey and Roger, the latter more or less disgracefully not in the “Hall”–put it this way, he is far more deserving then a good number of those who are in), Milwaukee and Memphis hope to get even in home #2’s vs “M”iami and the “L”ooming” “L”eBron,”L”ed Lakers respectively.
Click to view Willie Nelson’s “On The Road Again ” and again it has been road NHL ‘offs wins again.
There are four, first round games as the 2022-2023 NHL playoffs commence tonight.
The top ranked, record breaking Boston Bruins are “top heavy,” nearly 4 to 1 series favorites vs the Florida Panthers.
Another division champion, the Carolina Hurricanes also are big series “faves” not close to as high at roughly 2 to1 vs the New York Islanders.
Two Western ‘offs begin tonight, in one the Edmonton Oilers are also big series favorites. They are roughly a 12 to 5 “choice” to top the L.A. Kings.
Remember the teams’ historic best of 5 prelims clash in ’82 when a Kings’ Saturday night miracle comeback win in #3, (incredibly they entered the final period down 5 goals and eventually took a (2-1) series lead with an overtime win) led to a 5 game series, more or less shocking L.A. triumph.
In a series perceived competitive, the Dallas Stars, once the Minnesota North Stars, are say 3 to 2 favorites vs their old home city Minnesota Wild.
Andy B Sports 