NBA Rookie of the Year Quiz: 1) What two Phoenix players
won the award in 1975-76 and 1977-78? 2) Who won it for
Indiana, 1986-87? 3) New York Knicks, 1987-88? 4) Buffalo
(3), 1972-73, 1973-74, and 1976-77? 5) San Diego, 1982-83?
Answers below. [Of course some of these are hard. I expect you
to take the questions with you to your local tavern and settle it
there.]
Warren Spahn
Monday morning, Johnny Mac and I were exchanging notes on
Dwight Gooden when he pointed out that Gooden was 119-46 at
age 25, adding, at that stage Warren Spahn finally won his first
game at the major league level. Spahn went on to win 363
lifetime, the winningest lefty of them all, while Gooden was 75-66
the remainder of his drug-addled career. Then about six hours
after our discussion, we heard that Warren Spahn had passed away.
I then told Johnny not to dream or think of anyone else for a spell.
By now any good baseball fan has heard all the superlatives and
career stats associated with Spahn, but for the Bar Chat archives
some still bear repeating.
13, 20-win seasons (tied for most with Christy Mathewson).
63 shutouts.
5,243 innings, an NL record.
35 home runs! An NL record for pitchers.
14 times in the top 3 in the league in wins.
14 times in the top 3 in innings pitched.
A 23-7 record at age 42!
A no-hitter at age 39, a game in which he struck out a career high
15, and of which he said “It was so easy, it was pathetic.”
A second no-hitter at age 40.
And there is the Warren Spahn that didn’t start having an impact
in the majors at an earlier stage because he was off fighting for
his country for three years, rather heroically, to say the least.
Spahn earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart in WW II for his
efforts during the Battle of the Bulge and his role in the taking of
the bridge at Remagen, where he narrowly escaped death when
the bridge collapsed.
Upon returning to baseball after the war, Spahn said “I felt like,
wow, what a great way to make a living. If I goof up, there’s
going to be a relief pitcher come in there. Nobody’s going to
shoot me.”
Having missed three seasons when he had been on the verge of
having an impact at the major league level (Casey Stengel
famously held him back a step because Spahn had refused to
throw at a batter in an exhibition game), the question is always
asked, “How many more would he have won?” Spahn’s reply:
“People say that my absence from the big leagues may have cost
me a chance to win 400 games. But I don’t know about that. I
matured a lot in 3 years, and I think I was better equipped to
handle major league hitters at 25 than I was at 22. Also, I
pitched until I was 44. Maybe I wouldn’t have been able to do
that otherwise.”
Yes, Spahn was ageless. Stan Musial once remarked, “I don’t
think Warren Spahn will ever get into the Hall of Fame. He’ll
never stop pitching.”
Actually, every prospect coming through the minors these days
should be handed the bios of both Spahn and Gooden. Then a
simple question could be asked. “Which way do you want to
go?”
Thanksgiving
[Time for my annual installment…it’s for the kids, you know.]
December 1621 was the earliest American harvest festival,
celebrated by the Pilgrims in Plymouth, Mass.
February 22, 1631…the first public Thanksgiving, a ‘fast’ day,
was celebrated by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Way to pick a
day with great weather, guys!
November 26, 1789…President George Washington, at the
request of Congress, had Thanksgiving Day celebrated for the
first time as a national holiday, but it was really a day of
thanksgiving for the Constitution. Anti-Federalists then
protested that Washington’s proclamation violated states’ rights,
appealing their case on “The O’Reilly Factor.”
October 3, 1863…President Abraham Lincoln proclaims
Thanksgiving Day a national holiday to be observed on the last
Thursday in November. Then in 1939, President Franklin
Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving one week back to stimulate
Christmas shopping. Finally, in 1941 Congress adopted a
resolution confirming the fourth Thursday, not the last, as
Thanksgiving Day. [Notice how perhaps our 3 greatest
presidents were the most intimately involved in the establishment
of this holiday.]
But back to 1620, while the Pilgrims were some of the bravest
folks in the history of the world, they also had trouble finding
food. Their situation in those years was grim, particularly
because they didn’t land in Miami, choosing Massachusetts
instead, thus having to deal with the New England winter (let
alone the depression that set in each autumn following another
Red Sox collapse). The Pilgrims’ leader, Governor William
Bradford, remarked:
“If they looked behind them, there was the mighty ocean which
they had passed and was now as a main bar and gulf to separate
them from all the civil parts of the world…What could now
sustain them but the Spirit of God and His grace? May not and
ought not the children of these fathers rightly say: ‘Our fathers
were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were
ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord,
and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity,’ etc. ‘Let
them therefore praise the Lord, because He is good: and His
mercies endure forever.’”
Half the company died the first winter, but when the Mayflower
set sail in April not one of the survivors returned in her. Around
mid-October 1621, after the gathering of the fall harvest and a
big wild turkey shoot the Pilgrims had their first feast, with Chief
Massasoit of the Wampanoag and 90 of his subjects, “whom for
three days we entertained and feasted.” The Indians contributed
several deer, but the Pilgrims, with 35 new arrivals on the ship
‘Fortune,’ were soon starving again.
As historian Henry Commager notes in “The Growth of the
American Republic,” despite the constant battle with famine,
“they never lost heart or considered giving up and going home.
These simple folks were exalted to the stature of statesmen and
prophets in their narrow sphere, because they ardently believed,
and so greatly dared, and firmly endured. They set forth in acts
as in words the stout-hearted idealism in action that Americans
admire; that is why Plymouth Rock has become a symbol. For,
as Governor Bradford concluded his annals of the lean years:
‘Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced
by His hand that made all things of nothing, and gives being to
all things that are; and as one small candle may light a thousand;
so the light here kindled hath shone unto many, yea, in some sort,
to our whole nation.’
Stuff
–So New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was in Kosovo,
visiting the U.S. forces, and according to the AP he said, “I
actually thought about bringing the New York Giants
cheerleaders this time, (but) I’m not so sure if you see them
(you’d) want me too, but that’s O.K.”
Neither the Giants, nor the Jets for that matter, have any
cheerleaders. I’ll comment further on Bloomberg in “Week in
Review,” not that I write that piece, too, you understand.
–Bryant Gumbel’s “Real Sports” on HBO is often a terrific
program, as in Tuesday’s installment that had features on
coaching legend John Wooden and a touching piece on an inner-
city Philadelphia program involving the youths there.
But Gumbel’s own work on the plight of black golfers trying to
make the PGA Tour was telling. Next week is the annual ‘Q
School,’ where an initial 1,000+ fight for about 35 slots on the
big tour next year, though the 3 blacks attempting to join Tiger
have already been eliminated in sectional qualifying before even
getting to the final 6-day event.
There was a time, of course, when there was more than one black
on tour, and all of you remember Jim Dent, Jim Thorpe and
Calvin Peete, let alone pioneers like Charlie Sifford and Lee
Elder.
But as even Elder says of the few trying to make it these days,
they simply don’t have the fire in the belly, even though it’s
apparent from Gumbel’s interviews with the three playing today
that they all need the money. One of the kids, who said he was
broke, was queried by Gumbel as to whether he had applied for
an assistant pro job anywhere. “No,” he sheepishly replied.
Score one for Gumbel…who has never been known to suffer
fools gladly.
[Separately, Gumbel also ripped Keyshawn Johnson. Double
kudos.]
–So all you hear in the NBA is how the Western Conference is
superior to the East. Boy, if you didn’t get the message the last
10 years or so, you certainly can’t miss it today. Only 3 of the 15
teams in the Eastern Conference are above .500 (through
Tuesday’s games), and all 7 in the Atlantic Division are below
that mark. Incredibly futility. [In the West, 10 of the 15 are over
.500, as they feast on the East.]
And check out the scoring in the NBA thus far. Toronto is
averaging 76.6 points per game. I know it’s early, but no team
has ever averaged less than 80 for a season since the advent of
the 24-second shot clock in 1954-55. Plus 12 of the NBA’s clubs
are averaging under 90, versus just 2 for all of last year. In
addition, the league’s field goal percentage, at 42.8%, is the
worst in 39 years.
The NBA is blaming the zone defense. I say it’s just an
incredible dilution of talent, who also don’t learn how to shoot
while in high school and college.
–I have to admit, knowing that Alonzo Mourning’s $22 million,
4-year contract with the New Jersey Nets was guaranteed (with
no one about to issue the Nets an insurance policy to cover part
of it for an athlete that was big time damaged goods), I didn’t
feel as badly for Mourning as others did after he announced he
had to leave the game because he needed a kidney transplant.
Heartless? Absolutely not.
While there is no doubt Alonzo was one of the great “warriors”
in his prime, he took the Nets to the cleaners this year when he
never should have stepped back on the basketball court. [For
those of you not familiar with his situation, Mourning sat out all
of last season and all but 13 games the prior year because of a
bad kidney.] Columnist Peter Vecsey ripped into him in the New
York Post.
“Granted, it was plain to see ‘Zo was half the he-man he used to
be. Still, how is it possible for a player who presumably passed a
physical to get activated to go from Game 12 to a nationwide
search for a donor?
“You mean to tell me, somewhere between last Saturday
afternoon and yesterday’s hasty press release, Mourning’s
doctors suddenly discovered their pet patient is in a life-
threatening situation?
“You mean to tell me, this disorder is so poisonous that a gunite-
shaped specimen gulping all the right pills and paying heavenly
medical bills can essentially waste away overnight and be
hooked up to a dialysis machine tomorrow night?…
“Several years ago, I did an NBC interview with Mourning
during halftime of a Finals game in Philly; he’d played in 13
games that season. Afterward, we talked for a few minutes and I
alluded to a declining Portland player who was angry the Blazers
wouldn’t give him a two-year extension.
“ ‘Why not?’ ‘Zo declared. ‘I want a two-year extension
myself.’”
“His response shocked me….it was still about the money. ‘Zo
wanted more. And if he couldn’t get it from the (Miami) Heat,
he’d take his business and beat-up body to Jersey, where Jason
Kidd, threatening to amble down to San Antonio, pressured VP
Rod Thorn into taking real good care of Mourning.
“Hopefully, we won’t offend too many of you by referring to this
as a Kidd-ney transplant.”
I’m sorry, folks, but this whole situation is appalling.
–Switching gears, I forgot to mention last time that Wake Forest
captured its second straight national championship in field
hockey. So take that, Duke. [We beat them for the title.]
–We mourn the passing of Snowflake, the famous albino gorilla
who called the Barcelona Zoo home. Snowflake was actually a
surly SOB, but it needs to be noted that he fathered 22 children
with 3 different females. Johnny Mac added that basketball’s
Shawn Kemp was nonetheless unimpressed by this last fact.
“Big deal,” we think we heard Shawn say.
–College basketball – early season upsets. We’re going to hand
out the famous StocksandNews / Bar Chat Frosties this year…
and this week they go to:
Fairfield!…for defeating a pitiful St. John’s squad. Fire Mike
Jarvis now. He’s being out-recruited in NYC by Manhattan.
Chaminade…for beating a depleted Villanova team. Of course
you all remember that it was NAIA Chaminade that defeated
then #1 Virginia and Ralph Sampson back in Dec. 1982 for the
biggest upset in college history. The Hawaiian team is now 4-53
in the season-opening Maui Invitational.
And a frosty, 16 ounces of ice-cold Canadian beer (a frosty used
to be the recipient’s beverage of choice…but we just inked a
large endorsement contract with the Great White North), to Cal
Poly-San Luis Obispo for knocking off Cal.
And another to Lubbock Christian! Why they beat Rhode Island,
for what could really be the upset of the entire season. Rhode
Island should be forced to leave the Union. Yeah, the whole
state.
–The editor of Bar Chat claims he is not responsible for picking
the Giants to win the Super Bowl. Embarrassed? Yes. Liable
for any claims against him? No way.
–The Aussie crocodile hunter that Hong Kong hired to rid it of
the unusual menace in its waterways has thus far failed…failed
…to capture the sucker. Now this is a disgrace. If I’m Australia,
I don’t let the guy back in.
–The New York Times’ Jere Longman reports that about one
million high school students use steroids, up to 11% in one
survey. So, we’d like to thank Major League Baseball and the
NFL, in particular, for being such great role models.
–Michael Jackson has monthly expenses of $750,000. And did
you see he weighs just 120 pounds? Goodness, gracious. [That
is the last Michael Jackson reference for at least a month, I
promise.]
–If USC isn’t in the BCS title game and LSU is instead, I’ll
….I’ll…
–Some of you may have caught the reference on Monday Night
Football to the death of cameraman Richard Umansky. Al
Michaels, appropriately, didn’t make note of the cause of death,
however. Tragically, this fellow fell off a platform while setting
up for the Iowa-Wisconsin game last Saturday.
–Rugby: Johnny Mac recalled that he attended the 1991 finals at
Twickenham when England lost to Australia. His host told him,
“Rugby was a hooligans’ game for gentlemen, while soccer was
a gentlemen’s game for hooligans.” And following England’s
stunning victory over Australia this past weekend, Harry K.,
loyal Canadian Mounted Policeman (I just elevated you HK) had
to chime in.
“Rugby, for you Americans, is sort of like football, except
players don’t wear helmets or pads, and it is played on real turf,
in real weather, by real human beings, not steroid mutants.”
Hear, hear, Harry. And they throw great parties afterwards.
Speaking of which, if you’re thinking, hey, England’s winning
squad must have partied like crazy on the 22-hour flight back
from Sydney on Monday, the truth is they didn’t. Which means
that one of the great drinking records of all time remains in tact –
David Boon’s 50 cans of beer on a similar flight. Boon is an
Aussie cricketeer, if I have my facts straight.
[I’m assuming most of you dear readers drink responsibly and
won’t be pulling any Glen Campbell’s this holiday season.]
–Teddy Randazzo died. He co-wrote hits like “Goin’ Out Of
My Head” and “Hurt So Bad,” both best sung by Little Anthony
and the Imperials, one of the more underrated acts in my opinion.
Top 3 songs for the week of 11/30/63: #1 “I’m Leaving It Up To
You” (Dale & Grace) #2 “Dominique” (The Singing Nun) #3
“Washington Square” (The Village Stompers…sorry the year
came up again in the rotation after last week’s chat)
NBA Rookie of the Year Quiz Answers: 1) Phoenix: 1975-76,
Alvan Adams; 1977-78, Walter Davis. 2) Indiana: 1986-87,
Chuck Person. 3) New York Knicks: 1987-88, Mark Jackson. 4)
Buffalo: 1972-73, Bob McAdoo; 1973-74, Ernie DiGregorio;
1976-77, Adrian Dantley. [Buffalo moved to San Diego for the
’78-’79 season, in case you were wondering…as I was.] 5) San
Diego: 1982-83, Terry Cummings.
Next Bar Chat, Tuesday. Gob-ble Gob-ble!
