Baseball Quiz: 1) Who holds the major league record for
consecutive years with one club? 2) Who holds the major league
mark for most years, overall, by a first baseman? [Not just one
team and not the same as #1] 3) Who holds the major league
mark for most years pitched? Answers below. [Major hint: All
three are post-1950, and Hall of Famers.]
A Winner
We note the passing of the winningest coach in AFL history,
Hank Stram. Stram coached the Dallas Texans / Kansas City
Chiefs franchise from 1960-74, racking up a 124-76-10 record.
He took the Chiefs to the 1st Super Bowl (a loss to the Green Bay
Packers) and whipped the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV,
a win that validated the Jets’ triumph over Baltimore the
previous year as well as settle any debate as to whether the AFL
was truly on par with the NFL.
Born in Chicago, Henry Stram spent his youth in Gary, Indiana,
where he was all-state in football. Stram then played the sport at
Purdue and stayed on for seven years as a backfield coach. He
was an assistant at the University of Miami before the Texans of
the upstart AFL came a callin’.
Stram was a real innovator and he’s credited with the creation of
the two-tight end offense, the first moving pocket for a
quarterback, and the 3-4 defense. And for those who played
under him he was also one helluva guy; a man who cared deeply
about his players, including long after their playing days were
over.
“The guys who played for him loved him because of the way he
treated people,” said tight end Fred Arbanas. “He didn’t put you
down. He tried to build you up. We always respected him for
that. He always made you feel as if you were the best. He was
honest, too – and loyal. If you put out for him, he would do
anything in the world for you.”
Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Bell added, “If you played for
him you were a part of the family forever. That’s what he
believed in. Here’s a guy who was passionate about his love of
family and togetherness.”
Back in the early days of the AFL, there was an unwritten rule
about having too many black players. But Stram ignored it. He
just wanted the best and he was a master at melding different
personalities. Stram and his staff used to scour the small black
colleges for talent and in the process came up with gems such as
Willie Lanier (Morgan State) and the great Otis Taylor (Prairie
View A&M).
But for many football fans, Stram will best be remembered for
wearing a wire, the first coach to do so, for Super Bowl IV. His
comments on the sideline were classic. Here is Stram’s
explanation of how it all happened.
“The night before the game, I got a call in our suite from Ed
Sabol of NFL Films. Ed and I were great friends. He said, ‘I’ve
got to talk to you.’ ‘Well, talk!’ ‘No. No. I’ve got to come over
to your room and talk.’ ‘Ed, I’ve got family and friends, too
many people. I’ve got no time for you now.’ He said,
‘Goddamn it, I’m coming over to see you.’ And he hung up the
phone. I was in the bedroom relaxing, and he walked right in
like he bought the franchise. He said, ‘I want to wire you for
sound tomorrow.’ I said, ‘Are you crazy? For the Super Bowl?’
‘Yeah, that’s right. It’ll be the greatest thing in the world.
Nobody’s ever seen a real live picture of what happens in a big
game. You’re the only guy who can do it.’ I said, ‘I’ve got a
great idea. Go over and see (Vikings coach) Bud Grant.’ He
said, ‘Bud never says nothing. We’ve got to have you.’ So I
said, ‘Nobody will know about this, right? Nobody on the team.
Lamar (the owner). Nobody.’ ‘No. We’ll wire you two hours
before the game in the locker room. Nobody will know. You
won’t even know you’re wired for sound.’ I told him, ‘And if I
don’t like the film, kaputski.’ ‘That’s a deal.’ Once the game
started, I never gave it a second thought.” [Source: “Going
Long,” Jeff Miller]
Well, that’s only one side of it. Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles
Times has Steve Sabol’s side of the story. [Steve was the son of
Ed and later took over NFL Films.]
“ ‘Hank had his own vocabulary. Hank was the Mentor. His
players were called the Rats. The Chiefs didn’t drive the ball,
they matriculated the ball. Team priests were called blackbirds.
The refs were called sausage stuffers.’”
Farmer writes: “(Steve) Sabol was the cameraman who kept his
lens trained on Stram during Super Bowl IV….and the
gregarious Stram was a highly amusing subject….
“ ‘When we went to (put a microphone on) Hank, the first thing
he said was, ‘Is any coin of the realm going to exchange hands?’
the younger Sabol recalled. ‘And my father and I looked at each
other and we didn’t know what he was talking about: “What do
you mean, coin of the realm?” So Hank says, “The Mentor is not
going to wear a mike unless there are some dead presidents
involved here.”’
“They offered him $500, but Stram said that wouldn’t cover his
dry-cleaning bill for a week. They increased the offer to $1,000
and he agreed. As it turned out, he was well worth the money.
He stormed up and down the sideline in his familiar blazer,
rolled-up game plan in his hand, chattering away with officials
and his players.
“ ‘I knew Hank was funny, but I never expected him to be that
loose during a world championship game,’ Sabol said. ‘It was
like having Henny Youngman coach a football team. Everything
was a one-liner.’”
[I’m tellin’ ya, I have to get the video of this one.]
In reading up on Stram, though, one episode involving Super
Bowl IV that I forgot about was the gambling accusation that
came up days beforehand involving Kansas City quarterback Len
Dawson. NBC’s “Huntley-Brinkley Report” the Tuesday before
reported that Dawson was linked to a Midwest mobster also
named Dawson. The game was already thought to be a runaway
for Minnesota and its vaunted “Purple People Eaters” pass rush.
Stram and the Chiefs actually knew about the allegations before
the AFL championship game with Oakland; the league office
having apprised the coach about the potential scandal. When
Stram confronted Dawson, Lenny told Hank, “I met him when I
was in Pittsburgh with Bobby Layne, met him one time. Then,
during this season, he called me when I hurt my knee to see how
I was. And he called me again when my dad died and offered
condolences.” Stram then told the league and they said the story
wasn’t going to be released, but it was anyway.
Len Dawson: “Stram informed me that somebody was going to
make some sort of a statement about me on NBC news that
evening. In those days at the Super Bowl, hell, the reporters
were knocking on my door wanting a statement. I said, ‘Hold on
here a second.’ I went to Hank’s room. The team was trying to
determine how to handle the media, brought in some people in
the media. I said, ‘Why don’t we tell them the truth? I do know
the guy, hadn’t seen him in years. He did call me when my
father passed away during the season when I was hurt to offer his
condolences. That’s all I know about the guy.’ Bookie? Hell, I
had no idea whether he was a bookie.
“That was the top story all week. It was fortunate that the Super
Bowl game that year was the week right after the championship
game. There would have been two weeks of that stuff. That
would have been really murder.”
Stram addressed the team about the Dawson situation on
Wednesday after the story hit. He asked the players if anyone
had a question. “Yeah,” said E.J. Holub. “I’ve got some
questions, Coach. What time are we gonna eat, and when do we
get our game tickets?”
Bobby Bell said the players all got up and said, “Hey, Lenny.
We understand what you just said. We’ve got to put that behind
us. We’re going out there and playing ball.” [Jeff Miller]
And that they did, kicking Minnesota’s butt, 23-7. Dawson,
despite the external issue, was an efficient 12 of 17 passing, 1
TD, 1 int.
But check out some of these blasts from the past. The Chiefs
roster for that January 11, 1970 in New Orleans.
Arbanas, Bell, Buck Buchanan, Ed Budde, Curley Culp,
Dawson, Tom Flores, Mike Garrett, Wendell Hayes, Robert
“Tank” Holmes, Holub, Jim Kearney, Lanier, Jim Lynch, Jim
Marsalis, Jerry Mays, Curtis McClinton, Warren McVea, Frank
Pitts, Ed Podolak, Goldie Sellers, Noland Smith, Jan Stenerud,
Taylor, Emmitt Thomas, Jim Tyrer, Jerrel Wilson.
Ah, the good old days, and this week in Kansas City they
remembered with great fondness the man who put it all
together…Hank Stram.
Stuff
–Takeru Kobayashi is simply the greatest athlete of this or any
other generation. How else to describe this 5’6” 144 lb. superstar
who won his 5th straight Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest
by scarfing down 49 (including the buns) in 12 minutes. As the
ESPN commentators noted, this places Kobayashi right up there
with Wayne Gretzky (8 straight MVP awards) and Lance
Armstrong (6, going on 7 Tour de France triumphs). Personally,
Kobayashi is clearly in a class by himself.
However, Takeru did not better his previous world record set last
year of 53 ½ wieners as it was strongly suggested he may have
been partying into the wee hours in Manhattan the night before.
Meanwhile, Sonya Thomas bettered her American record in
taking 2nd place with 37, an almost equally amazing feat.
But the story of the day may just have been 21-year-old rookie
Joey Chestnut of California. Yes, it was a truly breakout
performance as Chestnut finished 3rd having eaten 32 dogs and
buns. Chestnut was oh so close to having a “reversal of fortune”
at the end there, which would have disqualified him.
And we may have been bidding adieu to Eric “Badlands”
Booker. I didn’t see where he ended up, but I have to admire the
400-pounder’s world record 49 glazed donuts in 8 minutes in a
separate contest.
Actually, there are two categories in which I myself would take
on all comers; sugar cookies and veal cutlets. Yes, when it
comes to the latter you’d have to slice up five calves to….oops,
sorry; forgot there are some anti-veal campaigners out there.
–Boston’s Manny Ramirez did it again….another grand slam,
the 20th of his career which puts him just three short of Lou
Gehrig’s all time mark of 23.
–Phil W. observed that the Washington Nationals are now 51-32
(thru Tuesday’s play) yet they’ve scored exactly the same
amount of runs as the opposition…340-340. Contrast this with
St. Louis, for example, which at 53-30 has outscored its
opponents 437-331. Or the Chicago White Sox, 56-26, 395-314.
What Washington is doing, in other words, must be without
precedent. Of course you only get this way by winning all the
close ones and by my back of the beer coaster calculation (not
guaranteed), the Nationals are something like 23-7 in one-run
games.
–July 7, 1923. In the first game of a doubleheader in Cleveland,
the Indians beat the Red Sox, 27-3, scoring in every inning.
Boston pitcher Lefty O’Doul came into the sixth with two outs
and a runner on third. He faced 16 batters, walked six, and
allowed 13 runs before getting the final out of the inning.
Cleveland won the second game, 8-5.
But talk about strange careers. Lefty O’Doul was finished as a
pitcher that same year at the age of 26, having appeared in just
34 games, 1919-23. Then, five years later, he reappeared as an
outfielder and in 1929, at the age of 32, O’Doul hit .398 with 32
HR 122 RBI and 254 hits for the Phillies. Lefty followed that up
with seasons of .383, .336, and .368, with three, 200-hit
campaigns during that four-year stretch. What a story. [In most
career lists, O’Doul doesn’t have enough at bats to qualify for the
lifetime batting average category, but his .349 mark, 1140 for
3264, would place him 4th.]
*I’m assuming Cardinals pitcher (turned minor league outfielder)
Rich Ankiel is aware of the above tale as he attempts a similar
move.
–Johnny Mac notes it’s certainly no coincidence that many of
our steroid abusers of years past, both admitted and suspected,
have seen their performance fall off the table this year; players
such as Sammy Sosa, Jeff Bagwell (hurt and emaciated), Bret
Boone (no one wants him), Barry Bonds (flesh-eating disease),
and Jason Giambi (despite a little surge the past few games).
Nowadays they are all very ordinary, at best, but most telling is
the fact their bodies have been breaking down at a rapid clip.
–Hey, kids. Got any Remington’s hanging around your parents’
closets? If you’ve seen one, you may want to ask permission to
take it to your local Sotheby’s auction house. According to
Business Week, Old West American art is hot hot hot. Works by
Fredric Remington and Charles Russell, for example, are going
for big dollars. Some of Remington’s recent oil paintings have
been fetching $2.5-$5 million, for crying out loud.
[By the way, the best museum I’ve ever been to for work of this
kind is in Oklahoma City, though I admit I haven’t been to the
Carter Museum in Dallas / Fort Worth….I think I have this one
right.]
–Michelle Wie is playing in her third PGA Tour event this
weekend at the John Deere. In two previous efforts, both at the
Sony in her native Hawaii, she failed to make the cut (once by a
single stroke). So seeing as this event has about the weakest
field of the year, at least Michelle is spicing it up a bit.
–I ordinarily wouldn’t relay a tragedy such as this, but it’s
something you would discuss in a bar, that’s for sure. From Joe
Ryan of the Star-Ledger:
“Two veteran skydivers died at a Gloucester County (N.J.)
airport yesterday when their parachutes became intertwined 150
feet above ground and they tumbled into free fall, police said.”
The woman had parachuted more than 1,000 times; the man
more than 1,600. They were among 20 jumpers who went out
together and somehow these two got all tangled up. The group
was part of Freefall, among the Northeast’s largest skydiving
outfits. This company may want to change its name after this
particular episode, know what I’m sayin’?
Top 3 songs for the week of 7/6/74: #1 “Rock The Boat” (The
Hues Corp.) #2 “Sundown” (Gordon Lightfoot) #3 “Billy,
Don’t Be A Hero” (Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods)
Baseball Quiz Answers: 1) Consecutive years with one club:
Brooks Robinson, 23 seasons, Baltimore, 1955-1977. 2) Most
years, 1B: Willie McCovey, 22 seasons; San Fran / San Diego,
1959-80. 3) Most years pitched: Nolan Ryan, 27; New York,
California, Houston, Texas, 1966-1993 (except ’67).
Baseball tidbits….items you won’t see as quiz questions.
–Youngest player, N.L.: Joe Nuxhall, P, Cincinnati, 15 yrs. 10
mos., 1944. A.L.: Carl Scheib, P, Philadelphia (A.L.), 16 yrs. 8
mos., 1943. Nuxhall didn’t come back up again until 1952,
though he finished 135-117 for his career. Scheib ended up
45-65.
–Most clubs played for, modern era: Mike Morgan, P, 12; 1978-
2001, except ’80, ’81, ’84.
–Most consecutive games from start of career:
N.L. – Ernie Banks, 424.
A.L. – Al Simmons, 392.
[Just thought this was interesting since both ended up being Hall
of Famers.]
–Highest average by rookie, season (100 or more games):
George Watkins, St. Louis (N.L.), .373, 1930. Watkins came up
as a 30-year-old rookie and never approached this level again,
finishing up his career six years later with a .288 career mark.
[Watkins also set the rookie slugging average in 1930, .621]
–Highest average by a catcher, season:
A.L. – .362, Bill Dickey, New York, 1936
N.L. – .362, Mike Piazza, Los Angeles, 1997
–Highest average by pitcher, season (only for games as a
pitcher): Walter Johnson, .440, 1925. Overall, Johnson hit .433,
42 for 97 with 20 RBI, having also been used as a pinch-hitter.
What’s kind of funny here is the fact Johnson had never hit .300
before and here he has by far his best season at age 37.
Johnson’s career batting average was .235.
–Most seasons batting .300 or over by pitcher:
M.L. – Red Ruffing, 8. The Hall of Famer (273-225, W / L) hit
.269 for his career with 36 home runs.
–Lowest average, season (150 or more games):
A.L. – .182, Monte Cross, Philadelphia, 1904. [He hit .237 in a
career that spanned from 1892-1907]
N.L. – .201, Dal Maxvill, St. Louis, 1970. [Yikes, forgot what a
hideous hitter he was. Hit .217 for his entire career, 1962-75,
with just 6 homers in 3,443 at bats. Maxvill also set the mark for
fewest hits, 150 games, in 1970 with 80. Eddie Brinkman holds
the A.L. record in this category, 82 hits in 444 ABs (.185), 1965,
Washington.]
–Lowest on-base percentage, season (100 or more games)
N.L. – .222, Hal Lanier, San Francisco, 1968. Now of course this
was the year of the pitcher, but Lanier hit .206 (100 for 486) and
added just 12 walks. So I guess us Mets fans shouldn’t complain
about Jose Reyes’s on-base mark of around .275.
–Most at-bats in hitless season:
M.L. – 70, Bob Buhl, Milwaukee / Chicago, 35 games, 1962.
Buhl was a more than respectable 166-132 in a 15-year career
spanning 1953-67, but he hit .089, 76 for 857 with zero homers.
–Boy, you could win some serious coin on this one. The last
pitcher, either league, to have 5 hits in a game is Mel
Stottlemyre, 1964, Yankees. Stottlemyre was a rookie that year
and was only 9 for 37, overall, at the plate and hit .160 in 749
ABs (1964-74), though he did have 7 homers.
Next Bar Chat, Tuesday. The editor goes to the track to play the
ponies.
