Philadelphia Phillies Quiz (1900-2001): 1) Who am I? I won
the N.L. MVP in 1950. 2) I was N.L. Rookie of the Year in
1957. 3) I was the only 20-game winner for the Phils in the
1960s. 4) Who is #2 in home runs to Mike Schmidt’s 548?
[Hint: Below 300] 5) Who is the all-time leader in shutouts?
Answers below.
Tiger
Just a few thoughts on the Masters.
–In winning his 7th major, Tiger Woods also extended his
incredible closing record to 23-2, when he owns or shares the
lead going into the final round of a PGA event, including 7-0 in
the big ones. Think about all of the players who have choked in
those tournaments, except notably Bob May in that great PGA of
a few years back, as Woods simply closes the door.
–Tiger is the youngest to win his 7th major at age 26 years, 3
months. Jack Nicklaus is next at 27 years, 4 months, and
Nicklaus didn’t win his 8th major until he was 30 years, 5
months.
–Major Wins…including U.S. and British Amateurs
Nicklaus – 20 (including 2 amateurs)
Bobby Jones – 13 (including 6 amateurs)
Walter Hagen – 11
Tiger Woods – 10 (including 3 amateurs)
Ben Hogan – 9
Gary Player – 9
Arnold Palmer – 8 (one amateur)
Tom Watson – 8
*Sorry, but I feel the amateurs should be included, particularly
because it is so hard to win, considering the fact that most golfers
only have a 2-4 year window to capture it (unless you are like
Jay Sigel was, but now I’m rambling).
–Imagine the pressure Tiger is under. No one else plays with the
constant death threats he receives, for starters.
–Steve Williams, Tiger’s caddy, is making some good coin,
know what I’m sayin’?
–We are also happy that Tiger is still with one of Jesper
Parnevik’s nannies, Elin…ohhh, doctor.
More Golf Tidbits
–In a Golf Digest interview, Brad Faxon, a member of the tour’s
policy board, said that if a player drops the “F-bomb” on the
course, the first fine is $500, the second offense is $2,500 and it
goes on up from there. Most of the time, fans turn the players in.
One of the reasons why we don’t use the F-word at
StocksandNews is that the International Web Site Association
has a hefty scale of its own…$32.48 for the first, $51.67 for the
second, and so on.
–Faxon also described your typical pro who earns $1 million,
there being 55 who won that much on tour last year. You’re
lucky to clear $200,000 because your expenses are $300,000-
$400,000 and the government takes out another $400,000. [But
Faxon didn’t get into the large amounts these guys earn in
endorsements.]
–When Vijay Singh recorded that 9 on the par-5 15th yesterday,
all of you were probably thinking what I was. “Hell, even I
could go dub, dub, dub, dub, flop (over the water), 3 putts…8.”
–Lee Trevino, commenting in Golf Digest.
“If I were a judge, I’d send every gang member into the Marine
Corps for two years. I guarantee most of them will come out
ready to contribute to society.”
“If I don’t come back as an eagle, I’m coming back as a traffic
cop. And I’m giving a ticket to every jackass on a motorcycle
who passes cars between lanes.” You da man, Lee. Oops, the
International Web Site Assoc. just fined yours truly $43 for using
this expression.
–Highest green fees: Pebble Beach, $350; Pinehurst #2, $325;
The Greenbrier, $300. Bowcraft putt-putt, $3.
Nothing but Stuff
–New York Mets shortstop Rey Ordonez has 7 errors in the
team’s first 12 games. This is the same man who won Gold
Gloves from 1997-99, committing just 4 miscues for all of ’99
(154 games). Last season he made only 12 in 149 games. What
particularly irks us Mets fans is that every spring training, we are
told about the “new Rey Rey” (as he’s called in these parts).
This year all we heard was about his new attitude, his off-season
training, his more mature demeanor…yessir, he would be a real
leader this year. And the faulty fielding is contagious. The Mets
infield in 1999 committed 33 errors, total, for the season. Thus
far they have 15.
–So check this out. Alaska’s Mount St. Elias is the 2nd-highest
peak in the U.S. and the other day a climbing party of four was
attempting to become the first to ski or snowboard down to sea
level from 18,008. Now how freakin’ idiotic is this?! Result?
Two dead.
–Marge Simpson’s sister on hearing Homer may have left home:
“Let’s get the Champale.”
–Good article by Dan Bilefsky in the Journal the other day, on
how Americans are being taken to the cleaners concerning
Belgium’s Stella Artois beer. As the locals in Brussels say, “In
Belgium, Stella is a beer fit for peasants.” Yet thanks to shrewd
marketing, what costs $1.10 a pint in Brussels is being marketed
with great snob appeal in America and will set you back $8 in
Manhattan. [Your editor has not fallen for this ruse.] Actually,
you won’t believe this but a 24-pack of Stella Artois in Belgium
is just $6.50!
–Rick Reilly, Sports Illustrated’s #1 writer, earns $750,000 and
is threatening to become the first sportswriter to receive a
$1 million salary. Reilly’s services are being bid for by ESPN
the Magazine. [Source: Business Week]
–England’s football captain, David Beckham, has broken his
foot and is highly unlikely for his country’s first game in the
World Cup, June 2nd , if at all for the entire tournament. You
have to understand, my fellow Americans, what a huge deal this
is across the pond. Even Parliament had a lengthy discussion on
the topic the other day.
England’s 2nd game is June 7 vs. Argentina, just in time for the
20th anniversary of the Falklands War. I mean to tell you, this
will be must viewing. [7:30 AM, Eastern Time…mark your
calendars.] Argentina surrendered June 14, 1982.
The U.S. is in Group D, with South Korea, Poland and Portugal.
The top 2 in each group of four advances.
Oh, while I’m at it, Ireland is in the same group as Saudi Arabia
and they play each other June 11. C’mon Lads!!! Lastly, talk
about a continent that is going to be fired up, hopefully, not
literally so, it’s Latin America, with Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador,
Paraguay, and Uruguay (plus Mexico and Costa Rica, if you care
to go a little further north).
–The U.S. military has developed a sandwich that stays fresh for
3 years at 79F, or 6 months at 100F, plus it’s going to be
available in pepperoni or barbecue chicken. But you won’t see it
in stores until probably 2004. Nonetheless, another great dish for
us bachelors! Add 3 or 4 beers and some Girl Scout Cookies and
you’re set.
–Hey, Detroit, nice start! The Tigers are 0-11, but still have a
ways to go to match the Baltimore Orioles’ 0-21 fiasco of 1988.
That year they finished up 54-107. I’m guessing Detroit goes
38-121…with three rainouts not made up.
–Johnny Mac came up with the best RBI men in the history of
baseball who didn’t hit many home runs.
Cap Anson…97 HR 2,076 RBI*
Ty Cobb…117 – 1,937
Honus Wagner…101 – 1,732
*Some record books have Anson at around 1,900. He played in
the 1800s (1876-97) so his stats are sometimes excluded, as well
as subject to a bit of debate.
–Jim Brown: Fascinating interview by Don Yaeger in the current
Sports Illustrated on football’s all-time great. Personally, I not
only think Brown is the best running back ever, but I’ve also
admired what he has accomplished with inner city youth in L.A.
Of course now Brown is serving 180 days in county jail for a
domestic-violence incident.
Anyway, Yaeger interviewed him in prison and at one point
asked Brown what he thought of today’s athletes and their lack
of community involvement, despite their incredible riches. On
Wednesday, Bill Russell, George Foreman and others are
holding a press conference to show their support for Brown, but
no modern-day athletes will be there. Does this disappoint him?
Brown: “Sure it does, but it doesn’t surprise me. Money has
changed today’s black athletes. Those who have the ability as
African men to bring a change in a community that so
desperately needs it are concentrating only on their own careers,
some charities and how much money they can make.”
Brown is particularly disappointed in Michael Jordan (and to a
lesser extent, Charles Barkley). “They’re all nice guys, now –
don’t misunderstand me. But they have the ears of the general
public, they have the money, and they could call together 100
black athletes and solve so many problems in these inner cities, it
would be unbelievable.”
SI: What current athlete do you admire?
Brown: “Compared with a Bill Russell?…Nobody.”
But then Brown had this to say about Bill Belichick, the New
England Patriots coach.
“(He) has contributed more to the work I surround myself with
than any black athlete in modern times – financially,
intellectually, every way. He’s been in the prisons with me.
He’s met gang members in my home; he’s met gang members in
Cleveland. He’s put up money. He’s opened up areas of
education for us very quietly and very strongly.”
Well, this is one guy who will look at Belichick a little
differently, from here on.
Top 3 songs for the week of 4/16/66: #1 “(You’re My) Soul And
Inspiration” (The Righteous Brothers) #2 “Daydream” (The
Lovin’ Spoonful) #3 “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
(Cher)
Philadelphia Phillies Quiz Answers: 1) N.L. MVP in 1950:
Reliever Jim Konstanty, who was 16-7 with 22 saves. 2) N.L.
Rookie of the Year in 1957: Pitcher Jack Sanford, 19-8 (137-101
career mark). 3) Only 20-game winner in 60s: Chris Short,
20-10 in ’66 (135-132, career) 4) #2 in HRs: Del Ennis, 259.
[Ennis was a pretty fair hitter, going deep 288 times in his career
(including stints with 3 other clubs), with 1,284 RBI and 2,063
hits (.284 BA).] 5) Shutouts: Grover Alexander, 61, in just 7
seasons for the Phils (1911-17…he also ended his career with the
Phillies in 1930, at age 43, going 0-3).
Next Bar Chat, Thursday…Jefferson Airplane…bring your own
drugs.
*The preceding is not an actual endorsement of heavy, 60s-type
drug use, mind you. If you want, bring a six-pack instead, just
like we’ll be doing here in the home office.
