NBA Quiz: At the start of each season, we have to dispense with
some basics. 1) Name the top five in career scoring (points)?
2) Top 3 in career scoring average? 3) Top 3 in free-throw
percentage? Answers below.
Peter and Gordon
Our now weekly (at least for a while) look at a group from the
British Invasion era – the best in the history of rock – turns to
Peter and Gordon, specifically, Peter Asher and Gordon Waller.
[I can never remember which one wore the glasses and had the
incredibly bad teeth.ah, just found out…it was Peter.]
Peter, born in London (6/22/44) and Gordon, a Scottish lad (b.
6/4/45), both had a lovely childhood (compared to the
hardscrabble early lives of many of the musicians from this era),
as they were sons of doctors. In 1959 the two met while
attending the Westminster School for Boys, a boarding school in
London. Neither was really into music until they struck up their
friendship, at which time they decided to purchase guitars and
learned how to play the blasted things. Soon they were writing a
few tunes and entertaining at school concerts.
Well, after recognizing their own talent, it was time to get some
real gigs, but at Westminster you weren”t supposed to leave
campus without special permission and with a 9 PM curfew,
Peter and Gordon had no other choice but to sneak out, climbing
over a 12-foot wall, so they could then audition at the local
nightclubs.
By late 1963 they had left school to focus on their music, cut a
few demos, and received a recording contract. Success came
quickly as they then recorded a song written for them by Paul
McCartney titled “A World Without Love.” Now it certainly
helped that McCartney was dating Asher”s sister at the time and
the tune, released in early ”64, became a top 10 hit in the UK. A
few months later it was released in the U.S. and went to #1.
Debuting in May, it moved up from #76 to #30 the week of May
16 and then on to #1, June 27 (the Beach Boys “I Get Around”
was #2 and would replace “A World.” the following week.
Now where else are you going to get such in depth reporting!)
By the spring of ”67, Peter and Gordon had accumulated 8 Top
20 singles, including “I Go To Pieces” (#9…given to the boys by
Del Shannon, who had toured with them), “Nobody I Know”
(#12), “I Don”t Want To See You Again” (#16), and “Lady
Godiva” (#6). Regarding the latter tune, the mayor of Lady
Godiva”s hometown banned the tune because it was deemed to
be obscene. My, how times have changed.
Well, as is the case with just about every rock group, by late
1967 Peter and Gordon broke up. Peter then carved out a
second, rather successful career, accepting a job offer from the
Beatles to become a managing director of their new Apple label.
Among his first discoveries was James Taylor, and while
Taylor”s first album didn”t sell well, Peter Asher stuck with him,
took over the management of his career and turned Taylor into a
superstar. Asher then moved his headquarters to Los Angeles
and became a key player in the music industry, shepherding
Linda Ronstadt to her stardom as well. He has won two
Grammys for Producer of the Year and today he still manages
Randy Newman”s career. Gordon Waller, on the other hand,
retired from the music scene after just a few years of Broadway
work.
That”s it, no scandal, no arrests, no massive drug use, no nuthin”.
Dammit. But one other note, Peter and Gordon were on the final
episode of NBC-TV”s “Hullabaloo.” I bring this up for the
simple reason that if you want some great videos of all the early
60s acts, purchase the “Hullabaloo” video series, just like we”ve
done here in the home office of StocksandNews.
Next Wednesday, Herman”s Hermits!!! Aargh!
[My friend Harry K. loves Peter and Gordon and detests
Herman”s Hermits. We”ll let you make the call which is better.]
Happy Birthday, #7!
Yes, tomorrow one of the great baseball players of any era, Ed
Kranepool, turns 57. Now since Kranepool was a New York Met
for 18 years (1962-79), and since this dovetailed with ages 4-21
for your editor, as a longtime Mets fanatic I can say I grew up
with Edward Emil Kranepool, at least from a baseball standpoint.
Ed Kranepool”s life changed forever the week of June 24, 1962,
one which saw the 6” 3″, 205-pound youngster graduate from
James Monroe High School in New York”s Bronx. One day he”s
getting his diploma, the next he is signing with the Mets for a
bonus of $85,000 (good stuff back then). Then just two days
after that he was taking his first plane ride to join the Mets in Los
Angeles.
At James Monroe, Kranepool had hit .492 as a sophomore and
broke Hank Greenberg”s schoolboy home run record. He also
averaged 29 points a game on the basketball team. By the time
he was a senior, major league scouts were flocking to James
Monroe to catch this phenom. The White Sox, Tigers, and
Giants were especially hot after him. The Mets gave him a
tryout at the Polo Grounds and he belted nine into the stands.
Enter Eddie”s mother, Ethel.
Kranepool never knew his father, who was killed in World War
II, so it was his mother who would often drive him to his games.
“We were Giant fans before they left New York,” she said back
in 1962, “and when they compare Eddie to Mel Ott it”s a great
compliment.”
After the Polo Grounds tryout, Mets General Manager Johnny
Murphy and the local scout went to the Kranepool home at 8 PM
and let it be known they weren”t leaving until Eddie signed.
“We talked and talked until it was almost midnight,” Ethel
recalled. “Then Mr. Murphy looked at Eddie and said, ”Tell me,
how much do you think you”re worth?” Eddie looked at me for
help, but I told him it was his decision to make. And do you
know he came out with the exact figure I would have given
them.”
[What?! Are you wondering why I”m doing “The Ed Kranepool
Story”?]
Kranepool would say of his signing, “I knew I”d have a bigger
opportunity with them than with clubs that already had
established men at every position.Besides, I wanted to play
with my hometown team.”
Alas, the Mets wanted a hometown hero and they rushed the 17-
year-old. He was quickly shuttled through the minors and then
went 1-for-6 in a late-season call-up. Then on Opening Day
1963, Mets manager Casey Stengel had Kranepool in the starting
lineup, playing the outfield. He was just 18.
“They tell me, why you can”t play that boy, he”s only 18 years
old,” Casey said at the time. “I say what”s the matter with being
18? Mel Ott was a big leaguer when he was 18. So was Bobby
Feller.”
Oh, poor Eddie never had a chance to develop. And over his
long career, it showed.
1962: 1-6
1963: 273 AB, .209 2 HR 14 RBI
1964: 420 AB, .257 10 HR 45 RBI
1965: Moved to first, 153 games, .253 10 HR 53 RBI
1966: .254, 16 HR 57 RBI
1967: .269, 10 HR 54 RBI
1968: Still just 23! Slumps to .231 3 HR 20 RBI
1969: .238 11 HR 49 RBI.3-12 in the playoffs, 1-4 in the
World Series.
1970: 47 AB
1971: Still just 26! .280, 14 HR 58 RBI.maybe, just maybe!
1972: .269, 8 HR 34 RBI
1973: .239, 1 HR 35 RBI.Mets have a new first basemen, the
“Hammer,” John Milner.
1974: Still just 29!, .300 4 HR 24 RBI.Krane finds his nitch as
a pinch hitter par excellence.
1975: .323, 4 HR 43 RBI.Eddie! Eddie!
1976: .292, 10 HR 49 RBI
1977: Still just 32! .281, 10 HR 40 RBI
1978: .210, 81 AB.oh no, say it ain”t so, Ed!
1979: .232, 2 HR 17 RBI.the end of the line. Ed Kranepool
retires. I”m starting my senior year in college and I”ll never be
the same.
Kranepool”s career…1,418 hits 118 HR 614 RBI .261 BA
Yes, quaff an ale to the great #7. Happy Birthday, Eddie. Mets
fans will always be grateful for your contribution to our
appreciation and love of baseball.even if Mets management
really screwed up your career and you didn”t quite reach the level
of Mel Ott.
[Source: “The Amazing Mets,” by Jerry Mitchell]
Stuff
–Canadians are rightfully miffed that a recent episode of “The
West Wing” not only had a terrorist crossing the border into the
U.S. from Canada, but also that the terrorist crossed over the
“Ontario-Vermont border.” One problem, Ontario and Vermont
don”t share a border.
–Remember, StocksandNews told you weeks ago that Miami
would lose to Boston College this coming weekend, though my
weather forecast of the ”storm of the century” may not prove to
be true.
–Attention Yankees fans: I never want to hear again what a
“great base runner” Bernie Williams is. He dogged it all year.
[The preceding was inserted by a frustrated Mets fan.]
–A woman was hanging her laundry up in her back yard the
other day in Durham, NC when she was attacked by a deer, with
the animal then proceeding to gouge her legs with its antlers.
The 61-year-old woman is alright, but now, instead of dreams of
nuclear war, she has a new nightmare to deal with. [AP]
Top 3 songs for the week of 11/7/64: #1 “Baby Love” (The
Supremes) #2 “Last Kiss” (J. Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers)
#3 “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” (Manfred Mann)
NBA Quiz Answers: 1) Top 5 scoring: Kareem (38387), Karl
Malone (32919), Wilt (31419.again, points; not women),
Jordan (29277), Moses Malone (27409). Elvin Hayes is 6th at
27313. Among active players, Hakeem Olajuwon is 9th at 26511
entering this season. 2) Scoring Average: Jordan (31.5), Wilt
(30.1), Shaquille (27.7). Elgin Baylor (27.4) and Jerry West
(27.0) are the others at 27 or better. 3) Free-throw percentage:
Mark Price (.904), Rick Barry (.900), Calvin Murphy (.892).
Next Bar Chat, Friday.
