Tag: New York Yankees

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New York Yankees

March 12 in Sports History: Birth of the Yankees


In 1903: Fans of the Boston baseball franchise began printing “Huck the Fighlanders” shirts, as the New York Highlanders were officially approved as members of the American League. The rivalry between the two was truly born a month later. According to the book “Emperors and Idiots” by Mike Vaccaro, a Highlanders player named Dave Fultz intentionally ran over Pilgrims pitcher George Winter while he was covering first base and promptly shouted, “Tell your pitcher to pitch, or get him the hell off the field!” Ironically, the Highlanders could never beat the Pilgrims, as they finished second to Boston in the AL in their first two seasons. The Highlanders then officially changed their name to the Yankees (which they had been unofficially called as for years) on this same date in 1913. One dumb trade seven years later and the Yankees became the benchmark of baseball greatness. Then, on this same date in 2003, they launched their own YES Network, which became available to 3 million more fans who were unable to watch them on televison. (baseball almanac)

In 1987: David Robinson of the US Naval Academy scored 50 points in his final collegiate game, a loss to Michigan. The Admiral won the Naismith award that year as college basketball’s top player and was a consensus All-American (a little redundant, but it’s my favorite sports term). He was drafted number one overall by the San Antonio Spurs, although he didn’t join them until 1989 due to his miltary obligations.

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New York Yankees

March 5 in Sports History: Wife Swap — Yankees Edition

 

In 1973: At the start of spring training, A-Rod admitted that he and Jeter don’t get along that much anymore. Blah blah yawn. And this is supposed to be some type of “huge distraction” according to the New York Media Hand Wringers Association. They should look up “spring training distraction” in the Yankee dictionary (if such a thing existed) and they would find the ultimate one took place on the first day at the very same training camp in 1973. You see, it had nothing to do with actual baseball. On this day, it was announced that pitchers Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson were involved in a trade. Some called it the “strangest trade in baseball history.”

It turned out that Peterson and Kekich swapped wives. And their two children they each had (no honey, you won’t need any therapy). Even the two dogs were thrown into the deal. As Kekich said, “we didn’t swap wives, we swapped lives.”

The aftermath was interesting.  Kekich and his new wife, formerly Marilyn Peterson, only lasted a few months. Mike’s career didn’t last much longer, as he was traded to Cleveland where he went 2-7 before being released. Peterson — who was considered a pretty good pitcher — went from 17-13 the year before the “trade” to 8-15 the year after. The marriage between him and the former Susanne Kekich has lasted to this day, however. (Full story)

In 1964: Those of us who don’t work during the day were permanatley given something to watch as NFL Films was created on this day 43 years ago. Ed Sabol, father of current NFL Films president Steve Sabol, sold his Blair Motion Pictures Company to NFL owners. The Sabol’s went from filming 30-minute team highlight videos on 16 mm film (which are still produced today with teams being shown in the same positive light whether they were the 14-2 Chargers or the 2-14 Raiders) to amazing Super Bowl shows (still on 16 mm film) with every player and coach (and mom, unfortunately) wired for sound from every conceivable angle. Steve once told 60 Minutes that only World War II has been filmed more than the NFL. Hey, as long as we can find “Football Follies” somewhere on cable at 2 PM on a Tuesday, we’ll keep tuning in.

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New York Yankees

When it comes to nipples, everyone has standards


People say that the world is in a sad decline and standards have gone out the window. May we present the story of Gia Allemand, student by day, engaged to Yankees pitcher Carl Pavano by night. Gia is hot. And when you’re hot and want attention, what do you do? You enter Maxim’s Hometown Hotties contest.

However, it doesn’t end there. Gia was also pursued by Penthouse for a spread. (Take that, Anna Benson!) However, Gia is a girl of high moral standards and would only do a photo spread if she could cover her nipples with her long hair. Meanwhile, Penthouse too has their standards, a “no hair over the boobs” policy. We imagine their response to Gia to be something along the lines of “we’re Penthouse, you’re lucky you’re not getting peed on.” See? Standards. Alive and well.

Meanwhile, Carl Pavano is still useless.

Links:
[WBRS]: The Next Anna Benson…Ms. Gia Allemand
[NY Post]: UNBRIDLED BRIDE

[Maxim]: Gia’s hometown hottie page

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Boston Red Sox

Jan 5 in Sports History: Ruth sold to the Yankees


In 1920 This was the day that the Boston Red Sox and their fans were given an 86-year excuse for losing pennants and World Series’ in unbelievable fashion. Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold George Herman Ruth to the New York Yankees for $125,000 in cash. Some believe it was so Frazee could finance a Broadway play called “No No Nanette,” others believe it was because The Babe had become absolutely insufferable as a superstar for the Red Sox, and the huge amount of money at that time was too good to pass up (Frazee had intended to buy other players with the money, not finance the play, but was entangled with legal problems with the American League). Either way, the fortunes of two franchises completely reversed. Boston, which had won four titles in eight years, did not win for another 86, The Yankees, meanwhile, won 26 during that time.

In 1927: Public hearings began on the most forgotten scandal in sports history. Baseball hall of famers Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker, two of the greatest players of all time, were implicated in an alleged fixing of a game in 1919. Former Tigers’ pitcher Dutch Leonard made accusations that Speaker and Cobb, along with “Smokey” Joe Wood (another hall of fame pitcher), wrote letters to him that Cobb and Speaker planned to throw a Tigers-Athletics game at the end of the 1919 season. At first, Cobb and Wood admitted to the letters (Speaker denied everything) but claimed it was a horse racing bet and that Leonard was angry that Cobb (who was also a manager by then) had sent him to the minor leagues. Cobb and Speaker were to privately resign their managerial posts and accept a lifetime ban. In the end, however, Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis cleared all players because Leonard was unable to convince him (or the public) that the players actually threw the game.

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Texas Rangers

Dec 12 in Sports History: A-Rod’s big payday



Broke the bank

In 2000: Free agent shortstop Alex Rodriguez cashed in big time, with a 10-year, $252 million dollar contract from the Texas Rangers. Of course, it broke every conceivable record for amount of money paid to any athlete in any sport. In 2004, he was traded to the Yankees, and A-Rod is still waiting for his first World Series ring. According to our sources, the money never bought him a hug, either.

In 1981: Wayne Gretzky set another of his untouchable records, this one the fastest to reach 50 goals. The Great One’s goal going into the year was to score 50 in 50 games, but he was way off. It only took him 39, and he accomplished it at the old Auditorium in Buffalo. Gretzky went on to smash Phil Esposito’s mark of 76 goals in a season and ended up with a mind-boggling 92.

In 1965: While everyone is talking about Bears’ rookie Devin Hester’s performance last night against the Rams with two kick returns for touchdowns, his performance doesn’t quite match the great Gale Sayers. The Kansas rookie set a record with six touchdowns in a game against the San Francisco 49ers. Played on a muddy Wrigley Field surface, Sayers’ scores included an 80 yard reception, a 50 yard run and an 65 yard punt return. His 22 touchdowns in 1965 are an NFL rookie record.

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MLB General

Dec 7 in Sports History: Lou Gehrig inducted in the Hall of Fame


In 1939: Because of his failing health, the Baseball Hall of Fame waived its standard rule that a player must be retired two years before they can be elected to the hall for Lou Gehrig. Gehrig, who once held the record for playing in 2,130 consecutive games, suffered an incurable fatal neuromuscular disease called ALS (which became known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). He played his final game in May of 1939, and gave his famous “luckiest man on the face of the earth” speech on July 4, in which his number four was retired by the Yankees. It was the first number ever to be retired by a sports team. Only when Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash in 1972 was the waiting period (which is now five years) waived. (lougehrig.com)

Also in 1939: On the same day Gehrig was enshrined, a brash, cocky nineteen-year-old who was killing American Association pitching was signed by the Boston Red Sox. Ted Williams went on to tear up American League pitching that year, hitting .327 with 31 HR and 145 RBI. During his Hall of Fame career, he hit .344 with 521 homers. He was the last player to hit over .400 when he hit .406 in the 1941 season. He also served in two wars (flying 39 missions in Korea) and won two triple crowns (although he didn’t win MVP either year). He was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1966 and named the greatest hitter of all-time during baseball’s 1969 centennial celebration. (baseballlibrary.com)

Also, happy birthday to Larry Bird, who turns 50 today and let’s not forget that today is the day the German’s bombed Pearl Harbor.

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New York Yankees

Nov 21 in Sports History: There’s where Joltin’ Joe went


In 1934: The New York Yankees officially became a dynasty as they made the seamless transition from aging, hot dog-gorging Babe Ruth to young, starlet-banging Joe Dimaggio by purchasing his contract from the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League. Dimaggio, who tuned up for his 56-game hitting streak in 1941 with a 61 game streak as an 18-year-old Seal in 1933, joined the Yankees full-time in 1936 and was an instant superstar. He started every game in centerfield and led New York to a World Series that October. Dimaggio became a fixture in the Fall Classic, playing in 10 of 13 Series’ (winning nine) during his career (of which he missed 3 seasons due to military service). He was also an all-star in every single year he played and was named the game’s greatest living player at the centennial celebration of baseball in 1969. (baseball-library.com)

In 1982: Hard as it might be to believe, the NFL was once just as dumb as baseball and hockey as a 57-day player’s strike finally ended. A shortened, nine-game season was the result, with a hokey eight-team “tournament” to temporarily replace the traditional playoffs. As of press time, we’re still not sure if the 4-5 Lions or Browns of 1982 have hanging banners that proclaimed themselves “Wild Card” teams.

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New York Yankees

You can’t cheat death

Just a quick follow up to the Corey Lidle tragedy here. We certainly aren’t making light of it but this is like Final Destination 6 or something:

A 68-year-old man who almost accompanied Cory Lidle on his fatal flight in New York City last month died in a plane crash in California on Tuesday.
…
According to the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Bob Cartwright, whose friend and personal pilot died in the plane crash that also killed the New York Yankees pitcher, and two other men died when their private plane crashed into the shoreline of Big Bear Lake, near Cartwright’s mountain home in Sugarloaf, Calif.

Talk about bad luck.

Links:
[MSNBC]: Man skips Lidle flight, dies in later plane crash

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MLB General

Nov 4 in Sports History: Diamondbacks solve Mariano Rivera



Bloop Hero

In 2001: The Arizona Diamondbacks stunned the New York Yankees in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the greatest World Series Game 7 in over 40 years.  Despite the other three games played at Bank One Ballpark being ridiculously one-sided in favor of the Diamondbacks (they outscored the Yankees 28-3), Game 7 was a tight, low-scoring affair, with each team having only one run through seven innings. In the top of the eighth, rookie Alfonso Soriano?s solo homerun off Series co-MVP Curt Schilling put the Yanks up 2-1, and future hall of fame closer Mariano Rivera (who had converted 23 straight postseason save opportunities) loomed. In the bottom half of the ninth, Mark Grace led off with a single, and Damian Miller attempted a bunt, which Rivera threw into centerfield. Then Jay Bell attempted to sacrifice the runners over, but Rivera got Grace at third. Tony Womack tied it with a double down the right field line, and Craig Counsell was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Although it’s standard baseball strategy to bring the infield in with the bases full and only one out, Yankee manager Joe Torre might wish he had never done so. Arizona’s Luis Gonzalez hit a soft blooper right over the drawn in infield to give Arizona its first championship in only its fourth year of existence. Randy Johnson, the other co-MVP, got the win in relief. Although Rivera was blamed for the collapse, the fact that the Yankees hit only .183 as a team in the Series should not be overlooked. (baseball-almanac.com).

In 1934 and 1942: If November 1 is considered All-Saints Day, maybe the 3rd can be called All-Baseball-Writers-Are-Mush-Brained-Idiots Day. While the 2006 AL and NL MVP races are considered to be very close with many deserving winners, the snubs that Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams suffered in 1934 and 1942, respectively would be considered criminal in today’s sports-crazy, light-up-the-message-boards society. All Gehrig and Williams did was win the TRIPLE CROWN in their leagues, but writers didn?t see fit to award either player. In 1934, Gehrig hit .363 with 49 HR?s and 165 RBI. He somehow finished FIFTH in the voting. Mickey Cochrane won the award with two homers, 76 RBI and a .320 average. In 1942, Williams smashed his way to a .356 average, 36 HR?s and 137 RBI. Then he left baseball for three years to kick some ass in World War II. Probably because of an ongoing feud with the press (who criticized Williams for asking to defer his military duties until the end of the season), Williams finished behind 2B Joe Gordon of the Yankees. Gordon’s impressive season included leading the league in strikeouts, double plays hit into and errors at his position.

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Arizona Diamondbacks

Nov 1 in Sports History: Groundhog Day for Byung-Hyun Kim



Bad case of deja-vu

In 2001: How would you feel if you gave up an improbable, game-tying, eventual series-tying, heart-wrenching, expletive-inducing homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning of a World Series game with millions watching? How would you feel if it happened again almost 24 hours to the minute? Ask Byung-Hyun Kim, who fell victim to the Yankees again in the bottom of the ninth of Game 5 in New York in almost exactly the same fashion as the night before. This time, third baseman Scott Brosius did the honors with the Yankees trailing 2-0 in their last at-bat. Kim’s blank stare was replayed just as much as Brosius’ amazed, arms-in-the-air celebration. Once again, the game went into extra innings and well past midnight (don’t they all nowadays?); and once again the Yankees won it, taking a 3-2 Series lead back to the desert.

In 1959: Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens became the first full-blown sissy-girl in the NHL. Ah, we kid, we kid here. Plante was actually the first smart goaltender in the NHL to regularly don a facemask for protection. After he was nearly decapitated by a shot from New York Rangers’ hall of famer Andy Bathgate, Plante returned to the Madison Square Garden ice with the plastic headgear amid taunts, jeers and the objections of his coach Toe Blake, who felt the mask impaired his vision. The Canadiens won that game 3-1 and 10 of their next 11, so the mask stayed. The Canadiens also later captured their fifth consecutive Stanley cup behind the girly goalie (we kid again…sort of). (espn.com/classic)