San Diego Padres Quiz (1969-present): [Someone has to do it.]
1) Name the four whose uniform is retired. [Seriously, they have
four.] 2) Who was rookie of the year in 1976? 3) Who are the
three Cy Young winners? 4) Who is the only one to hit 50 home
runs? 5) How many batting titles did Tony Gwynn win? 6) Who
is the career leader in home runs? Answers below.
CORRECTION: I am truly embarrassed. Bob S. was the first to
point out a big mistake on my part. Dan Akroyd placed a bass,
not a frog, in the blender….the Bass-O-Matic…and of course I
remember it; just blanked out thanks to cheap beer, I guess. I do
appreciate those of you who pointed this out with good humor.
We have our standards here at Bar Chat and I fell short.
Suspension is probably warranted, but I will appeal any term
longer than two days. For being first, Bob will receive the home
version of “Bar Chat: The Game,” whenever we get around to
making it.
The PGA
*Due to the timing of the posting of this column and the Monday
finish for the tournament, I can’t comment on the winner. What
I can tell you is that in living five miles from the course, and
knowing the weather patterns around here, there was zero reason
not to tee off an hour earlier…plus the PGA had to consider that
if there was a playoff they would have been running out of
daylight anyway. Idiots.
—
Thanks to Trader George and Boss Ross, I’ve had the
opportunity to play Baltusrol about 15 times over the years so it’s
kind of exciting when a major event is held there. But as you
saw, the weather was absolutely dreadful and I’m surprised no
one died on Saturday.
First off, I went on Thursday just to walk the entire course;
following Jonathan Kaye’s group the front nine and fast-walking
the back just to get a sense of the layout and the rough. Kaye is
the total a-hole you see on TV, by the way. There is absolutely
zero reason to root for this primo jerk. One of his playing
partners, on the other hand, Calcutta’s Arjun Atwal, is a neat guy
and I had some pleasant exchanges with his uncle.
Unfortunately, Arjun didn’t make the cut but he won a fan, while
I was ecstatic to see Kaye fail to progress to the weekend.
As for Saturday, I went out at 7:00 with our own Dr. Bortrum
and as lifelong residents of this area we couldn’t ever remember
a morning that started out so hot. Hell, we were perspiring as
soon as we got in line for the shuttle bus, let alone by the time we
found the bleachers at #4 where we camped out awaiting the first
golfers. Tiger soon followed, then Couples and Weir, and
Bortrum and I were out of there…around 9:30…at which point it
was already 85 degrees on the way to 102. There was no way I
was going to enjoy sweating like a pig when I could watch the
action from the comfort of my own air conditioned home.
But following are a few other observations for those of you who
follow the sport.
I give the PGA and Baltusrol all the credit in the world for
staging a super event; that is until they screwed up Sunday.
I’m sick of the broadcasters fawning all over Tiger. Look, I said
my piece the other day after the British Open; Tiger is great for
the sport. Few would give a damn were it not for his presence in
most tournaments. But the guy remains a jerk. There was
Bobby Clampett telling us about all the great things Tiger does,
including for other people, while I’m thinking ‘You mean when
he drags his putter across the green or throws the F-bomb on live
TV?’ And then Tiger dissed David Feherty after the third round
when there was absolutely no reason to do so no matter how
upset he was for choking on the 18th hole.
I also thought that the announcers didn’t make enough of the heat
and its impact on play on Saturday. Anyone who has played golf
knows that your brain turns to mush in extreme heat. Tiger, for
example, had to be affected by it on the aforementioned putt on
the last hole. That’s your brain cramping up when you power it
like he did.
That said I marvel how well the guys held up. Granted, they had
water on every hole and towels at their disposal, but I can’t
believe there weren’t a few 85s out there. Baltusrol isn’t easy,
sports fans.
And what I appreciate about the course this time around is that it
is a perfect major venue. There’s no reason why a pro, playing
lights out, shouldn’t be able to shoot a 63 or 65 as some did this
week. But the final total was still just 4-under going into the rain
delay.
Random musings on various players:
Jerry Kelly…always a jerk, still a jerk.
John Daly….Again, he makes things interesting, no doubt, but
his behavior is totally unprofessional more often than not.
Carlos Franco….some of you know of my semi-relationship with
the guy and a trip I took to Paraguay last December to do some
research on his upbringing. What a disaster that was. His agent,
though, is cool; while Carlos is a loser. ‘Yoh, amigo, your
schtick about not practicing isn’t getting you anywhere. You’re
also deeply in debt. Figure it out.’
Adam Scott…OK, the joke is over. I’m never picking him again
for a major…but at least he made the cut.
On Thursday, I’m watching this 20-year-old get off the shuttle
bus, wearing flip flops. “You from this area?” I asked him.
“No.” “Be careful of Lyme Disease.” His father then said to
him, “See, I told you not to wear flip flops!” And so your editor,
kind of being a jerk himself, got quite a look from the kid. Hey,
there were a ton of idiots walking through tall grass in bare feet,
totally oblivious to the fact this is the tick capital of the world.
Someone had to warn the citizenry…might as well be me.
[Tick advice…..another free feature of Bar Chat.]
Lastly, there were nine folks hospitalized from heat exhaustion
on Saturday. A doctor on the scene said most of these victims
had been drinking wine the night before. The stupidity shown by
others was also amazing. We’re talking a ton of people were
wearing black slacks and black shirts.
August 16, 1920
There have been a number of close calls in baseball recently,
including the horrific collision in the outfield the other day
involving the Mets’ Carlos Beltran and Mike Cameron, with
Cameron requiring major facial surgery. Others have either been
beaned or, in the case of a few pitchers such as Matt Clement,
been hit in the head with a line drive up the middle. And some
of us still vividly remember the Sports Illustrated cover from
1967 when Tony Conigliaro was smashed in the face by a Jack
Hamilton fastball. Tony C.’s promising career was essentially
over, despite a game comeback attempt that included one more
spectacular season.
But it was on August 16, 1920 that the Cleveland Indians’
talented shortstop Ray Chapman was beaned by Carl Mays of the
New York Yankees. Chapman died the next day, still the only
fatality in the history of the game. The following is a history of
that day.
From the Cleveland News, August 17
CHAPMAN DEAD, STRUCK BY BALL
PLAYERS TO DEMAND MAYS GO
Operation To Save
Indian’s Life Fails
New York – Raymond Chapman, shortstop of the Cleveland
Indians, died at 4:50 this morning in St. Lawrence hospital of a
fracture skull, as the result of being hit on the head by a pitched
ball thrown by Carl Mays, a pitcher of the New York Yankees in
yesterday’s game at the Polo Grounds.
Colonel Jacob Ruppert, president of the Yankee club, upon
learning of Chapman’s death, immediately announced there
would be no game today between the Cleveland and Yankee
clubs.
As a result of the death of Chapman, Tris Speaker, manager of
the Indians and roommate of the shortstop is ill.
The district attorney’s office indicated today it was not planning
to investigate yesterday’s accident. A formal police
investigation, however, was started when a detective was sent to
interview Pitcher Mays.
Mays later voluntarily appeared at the homicide bureau… where
he was examined by Assistant District Attorney Joyce. After the
interview Joyce declare Chapman’s death was due to accident
purely, and indicated no further investigation by the district
attorney or the police would follow….
To Father Connors, of Philadelphia, who married the Chapmans,
fell the duty today of breaking the news of her husband’s death
to Mrs. Chapman on her arrival here. She was so overcome by
grief she had to postpone a visit to the undertaking rooms, where
the body was taken….
Chapman was operated on at 12:30 this morning, after a
conference of several surgeons….Chapman had been growing
worse steadily during the evening and it was agreed it would be
unwise to delay the operation.
An X-ray photograph of the injury earlier in the evening had
disclosed the fact Chapman had sustained a depressed fracture on
the left side of the skull….
The operation required one hour. The surgeons made an incision
three and a half inches long through the base of the skull on the
left side…..
Chapman was the first batter in the fifth inning and he was hit
with the first ball pitched. He seemed to have been looking for a
curve and did not make any effort to move before he was hit.
Then he collapsed.
The loss, terrible as it is to the Cleveland players, is not theirs
alone. Chapman was one of the representative players of the
game. He was popular with baseball fans all over the circuit and
enjoyed the love and esteem of his fellow players.
Eliminating the human side of the tragedy, if this be possible,
baseball fans realize a terrific smash has been dealt to the
pennant hopes and chances of the Indians. Unless Speaker, the
great gray leader of the Tribe, can perform the task of Atlas, we
may say the chances of the Injuns fell with Chapman.
[Ed. More on this last bit in a moment.]
“A Flower From a Fan”
“The News suggest that each fan – man, woman and kiddie – buy
one flower for Ray Chapman, that is, contribute ten cents to pay
for one flower to go into an immense floral offering for
Chappie’s funeral….
“Take your dime to the First National Bank and by so doing you
will be paying tribute to the memory of the greatest shortstop and
most gentlemanly player Cleveland has ever had….
“Chappie never was one for showiness in any manner, shape or
form. He was just a plain every day sort of a fellow, and we
believe that if he could have his own way about it, ‘A Flower
From a Fan’ tribute would please him more than anything else.”
Ray Chapman, a Tribute
By Ed Bang [sportswriter]
“He was clean cut, high-minded, honest and straightforward. He
had a personality that was contagious, for once you met Ray you
were glad to list him among your friends. Chappie was just as
much at home in the ballroom in the highest society as he was
among his diamond associates on the field, on the bench or in the
clubhouse….
“Chappie did not live to realize his life ambition, that of playing
on a pennant-winning and possibly a world’s championship
team, and that when it seemed almost within his grasp. There
was some talk about Ray’s retiring from baseball following his
marriage to Miss Kathleen Daly last fall, but Ray said that he
would not quit the game until he had helped his best friend, Tris
Speaker, win a pennant and world’s championship.”
[Source: “Baseball Extra,” from the Eric C. Caren collection]
Well, player-manager Speaker, one of the sport’s all-time greats,
did rally a demoralized Cleveland squad. From “The Sports
Encyclopedia: Baseball 2005”:
“Speaker proved magnificent…A close fight with the White Sox
and Yankees was won in September by the Indians when
shortstop Joe Sewell and pitcher Walter ‘Duster’ Mails were
recalled and chipped in with key performances. The Sox stayed
close all year, despite dissension between ‘honest’ and ‘crooked’
players [as a result of the ongoing investigation into the 1919
World Series], and might have won it again, to the
embarrassment of all baseball, had not stars Jackson, Weaver,
Felsch, Cicotte, and Williams been exposed by the grand jury
and thrown off the team with only two weeks remaining in the
season.” [More like one week, to be accurate.]
Final Standings, 1920
Cleveland…98-56
Chicago……96-58
New York…95-59
Cleveland then beat Brooklyn in the World Series.
1920 was also the year the livelier ball was introduced. But
lively ball or not, it was incredible that Babe Ruth led the majors
with 54 home runs and #2, George Sisler of St. Louis, had but
19. Ruth outhomered every other American League squad (and
all except Philly in the National League).
For the Black Sox, incidentally, Chicago’s Weaver and Jackson
both had over 200 hits, as did innocent teammate Eddie Collins,
while Lefty Williams, another who was suspended late, went 22-
14.
Meanwhile, the Yankees’ Carl Mays finished up 26-11; part of a
career that saw him go 207-127. And for the record, Ray
Chapman batted .278 with 1,053 hits. The pride of Beaver Dam,
Kentucky was just 29.
T.O.
A few comments on the Philadelphia Eagles prima donna. It was
last week that Terrell Owens was booted out of training camp for
his disruptive behavior. Supposedly, coach Andy Reid told T.O.
to “shut up” in a team meeting. Owens then responded, “My
name is Terrell Owens, not Terrell Reid. My mom had me.”
Good for both of you, T.O.
Team president Joe Banner said that when Owens returns, he will
not get the new contract he’s been demanding.
“Our hope, obviously, is that he come back next week and is
what he can be in every sense, whether that’s how he contributes
to the team on the field or off the field. We’ve been clear that
the choices are to play under this contract or not.”
T.O. said he would be disruptive if he didn’t receive a new
contract. You’ll recall the existing one, signed just last year,
pays him $6-7 million a season.
Columnist Mike Wise / Washington Post.
“Terrell Owens is an egocentric, all-about-me, Donovan
McNabb-dissing, ESPN-hissy-fitting, no-concept-of-the-real-
world clown of a professional athlete. Drew Rosenhaus, his paid
ventriloquist, is a geek-chic, tattered-jeans-wearing, money-
grubbin, $49-million-is-not-enough-for-my-client-whining cretin
of an agent.
“And I can’t wait till they are both on television again, making
their entertaining, if sorry, case to the viewing public….
“ ‘He only has $12 million’ over the first two years of his
contract, Rosenhaus said…
“Only $12 million? Poor Owens.”
Thursday night, Owens before the cameras:
“You and Donovan McNabb, can you guys succeed in this
climate?”
Owens: “I don’t think so, and I’m just being honest.”
McNabb then held a press conference to fire back at Owens,
saying he could go a full season without talking to T.O. if need
be.
Mike Lupica / New York Daily News:
“Here is Owens the other night on television, with Drew
Rosenhaus, his equally loud agent, there with him like some kind
of groupie, or expensive bobblehead doll. Both of them are
defending Owens’ current money grab by telling us that he even
signed an injury waiver (because of a bum ankle) to play like a
star in the last Super Bowl.
“Owens clearly had decided that he wasn’t getting any sympathy
here, even though he had played hurt in the Super Bowl and
nearly saved both McNabb and Eagles coach Andy Reid, neither
of whom was up to the occasion.
“It was time to make himself a martyr. Owens told a national
television audience he had signed this waiver, one that
supposedly absolved the Eagles of any responsibilities for career-
threatening or career-ending damage by playing against the
Patriots. The Eagles have now denied such a waiver ever
existed.
“So here is the question for Terrell Owens, another modern
cartoon character of sports who thinks talent and a big mouth
make him some spiritual descendant of Muhammad Ali.
“Where is that waiver, signed and notarized?
“If it exists, produce it.”
Indian Mascots
Following up on my comments regarding the NCAA’s recent
decision to ban Indian mascots in tournament play, Florida State
is sticking to its guns in vowing to keep the Seminoles nickname.
Two polls offer conflicting results on the views of Native
Americans these days.
Back in 2002, Sports Illustrated found that 81 percent who live
outside traditional Indian reservations and 53 percent of Indians
on reservations did not find the images discriminatory.
One year later, a newspaper Indian Country Today survey
revealed 81 percent felt the use of nicknames was disparaging to
Native Americans. [Darryl Fears / Washington Post]
Mr. Fears’ column overall, incidentally, is anti-mascot. But I
loved the thoughts of Kenneth Woodward, a Newsweek editor
and expert on religion, in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal.
“One might suppose that any organization with an Office of
Diversity and Inclusion [at the NCAA] would welcome mascots
and team names reflecting the Native Americans among us. But
no, the NCAA is on a moral mission – the less sensitive might
call it a warpath – to pressure colleges and universities to adopt
its standards for iconic correctness. Cheered on by moralizing
sportswriters like George Vecsey of the New York Times, Jon
Saraceno of USA Today and the entire sports department of the
Portland Oregonian, which will not print ‘hostile’ nicknames of
teams (e.g., it calls the Washington Redskins ‘the football team
from Washington’), several member schools have already caved
in….
“Moralistic sportswriters need to distinguish between Native
American activists and paternalistic surrogates. In Cleveland, for
example, Mr. Saraceno’s unnamed activists are primarily
officials of the United Church of Christ, an ultra-liberal
Protestant denomination that moved its national headquarters
there from New York in 1990 and immediately began a
campaign against the Indians and Chief Wahoo. As it happens,
the church is the denominated descendent of the old New
England Puritans, now committed to diversity and inclusion. I
was raised in Cleveland, and these interlopers don’t seem to
know or care that the baseball team took its current name in 1915
to honor popular outfielder Louis Sockalexis, a Penobscot Indian
from Maine who batted .313 lifetime. His teammates called him
‘Chief.’….
“Here’s a suggestion: If the NCAA and other latter-day Puritans
are concerned about social prejudice, they ought to investigate
Notre Dame. Surely the name for its athletic teams, the Fighting
Irish, is a slur on all Irish-Americans. The label derives from
anti-Catholic nativists who reviled the poor and mostly
uneducated Irish immigrants who came to these shores in the
mid-19th century – a drunken, brawling breed, it was said, who
espoused the wrong religion. When the fabled Four Horsemen
played football for Notre Dame, the team was called the
Ramblers. In 1927, the university officially adopted the Fighting
Irish, thereby transforming a pejorative nickname into something
to cheer about.
“If there are Native Americans who feel that Indians or Warriors
or Braves is somehow demeaning, they might reflect on the
Notre Dame experience. And if the NCAA really cares about
diversity and inclusion, it ought to establish an office of Indian
Affairs to help Native American athletes with collegiate
aspirations. Meanwhile, all paleface Puritan surrogates,
beginning with the NCAA, should butt out.”
Editor note: Three cheers for Mr. Woodward. And to Mr.
Saraceno of USA Today, get a haircut.
College Football, 2005
Sports Illustrated just released its pre-season predictions. As
you’d expect, USC is #1, thanks to the return of Heisman
candidates Matt Leinart (last year’s winner / big stud on campus
for sticking around another year anyway) and Reggie Bush, the
most exciting player in the game since Johnny Rodgers.
1. USC
2. Texas
3. Florida
4. Michigan
5. Tennessee
6. Miami
7. Oklahoma
8. Ohio State
9. Virginia Tech
10. Georgia
11. Louisville
12. Iowa
13. LSU
14. Texas A&M
15. Florida State
16. Boise State…plays Georgia early
17. Cal
18. Auburn
19. Fresno State
20. Arizona State
21. Pitt
22. Purdue
23. Bowling Green
24. Colorado
25. Wyoming
Now, as for my Wake Forest Demon Deacons, SI has them #86
out of 119 Division I-A teams. Can’t say I disagree with this
prognosis. But your editor is headed to Nebraska for the huge
match-up September 10 in Lincoln. And SI has the Cornhuskers
only #56!!!!! The Deacs have a shot, that’s for sure.
[Ken S., I’ll definitely want to hook up for a beer or two while
out there.]
Bottom five….
115. Arkansas State
116. Central Florida
117. Florida Atlantic
118. Buffalo
119. Florida International…hosts Florida Atlantic (new to Div.
I-A) on Nov. 26….huge game.
And there’s no reason not to issue the official Bar Chat
prediction now….yes, it’s USC for an unprecedented third
national championship in a row.
Stuff
–Speaking of college football, a bunch of folks were enshrined
into the College Football Hall of Fame this past weekend in
South Bend. But I couldn’t help but notice three in particular…
Penn State’s great Lydell Mitchell, USC tight end Charles
Young, and Mississippi Valley State QB Willie Totten (Jerry
Rice’s signal-caller). Why weren’t they selected earlier?! It’s a
travesty, I tell ya.
–Some Orioles fans actually cheered Rafael Palmeiro’s return.
–1,500 dolphins have been spotted off the coast of Wales…
Developing…………..
–Charles Barkley can be one of the true jerks on the planet, but
every now and then he says something I can’t help but agree
with. Barkley went off on a number of topics the other day while
at the PGA. On blacks in golf and caddying as a means to
working their way onto the PGA Tour:
“It’s up to the black kids to get good enough to get out there.
They have to play well enough…In the black community, we’ve
got to do better. First of all, Bill Cosby is 100 percent right. A
lot of these young black kids don’t want to be caddies. Caddying
is a great profession. It’s hard work.
“In the black community, they look down on caddies. They
either want to be in sports or be rappers. I keep harping – we’ve
got to get more black kids thinking about being doctors, lawyers
and engineers. Caddying has always been looked upon as a
lower class profession. It shouldn’t be…(And) they ain’t feelin’
no love from being firemen and teachers and policemen. We’ve
got to make them do better.”
[Michael Becker / Star-Ledger]
–Roger Clemens’ ERA is down to 1.32 following another 8
scoreless innings, and another no-decision, his 9th of the year.
With 164 innings pitched, he’s already qualified for the ERA title
and as noted a while back he’s headed towards an historic season
….steroids and all.
–In case you missed it, supposedly “The Sopranos” will have an
additional 8 episodes beyond the 12 slated for March-May 2006,
with the final, final 8 to air January 2007. Quick….before they
all die of natural causes.
–A special congratulations to my good friend Jeff B. for
identifying, weeks ago, that in the strip “For Better or For
Worse” Anthony would save Liz. I’ve got to tell you,
personally, I keep waiting for al Qaeda to show up here but Jeff,
instead, is keeping his eye on the ball in predicting every major
plot theme.
–One of the great athletes of our time, Japan’s Takeru
Kobayashi, proved himself once again in a Hong Kong
dumpling-eating contest; scarfing down 83 steamed vegetarian
treats in 8 minutes in defeating Hong Kong’s own Johnny Wu
who ingested 76. However, my own challenge to Mr. Kobayashi
stands. Take your pick, veal cutlets or sugar cookies….$129,
winner take all.
–Michael Jordan better be careful or he may find himself in
contention for the Bar Chat “Dirtball of the Year” award. Jordan
held an outing for a few selected friends the other day at the
Rancho San Marcos Golf Course in Santa Barbara when it
appears someone in his group started a brushfire that took 250
firefighters, two air tankers and three helicopters more than 4 ½
hours to contain. The Santa Barbara County Fire Department
spokesman told ESPN that “While we do not believe Mr. Jordan
is personally responsible for starting the fire, our investigators
have been told that members of his party could have started it…
So far, we are not getting any cooperation from him.”
–I live next to Chatham, NJ, one of Money magazine’s “Ten
Best Places to Live.” But I’m reading in GolfWorld of another
on the list, Naperville, Illinois. It seems there was an outing
there last week at the Country Lakes Golf Club that warranted a
police investigation due to the fact the outing was held by
Blackjack’s Gentleman’s Club in nearby South Elgin. All kinds
of lewd conduct was taking place and Naperville mayor George
Pradel said he was embarrassed by it all. Oh well, I could tell
you a story or two about Chatham, that’s for sure.
–40 years ago, August 14, 1965, 55,000 turned out to see the
Beatles at Shea Stadium. They only played 32 minutes with a set
that included “Hard Day’s Night,” “Help” and “Ticket to Ride.”
Also, listening to tapes from Cousin Brucie’s show years ago, the
sound was dreadful…partly because all 55,000 did nothing but
scream. But as John Lennon later told promoter Sid Bernstein,
who had brought the Beatles to this venue, “You know…at Shea
Stadium I saw the top of the mountain.” This was far and away
the largest crowd to ever witness a rock act at that time. DJ Ken
Michaels notes “That night also changed the music industry.
Businessmen began to realize just how popular music could be.”
Top 3 songs for the week of 8/19/78: #1 “Three Times A Lady”
(Commodores) #2 “Grease” (Frankie Valli) #3 “Last Dance”
(Donna Summer)
San Diego Padres Quiz Answers: 1) Retired uniforms: Steve
Garvey, #6; Tony Gwynn, #19; Dave Winfield, #31; Randy
Jones, #35. [Jones was 92-105 lifetime…And Garvey? Geezuz,
this is stupid.] 2) Butch Metzger was rookie of the year in 1976.
3) Cy Young winners: Randy Jones, 1976; Gaylord Perry, 1978;
Mark Davis, 1989. 4) Greg Vaughn hit 50 HR in 1998…thanks
to steroids, for sure. 5) Tony Gwynn won 8 batting titles…as
time passes, more and more will appreciate his career. 6) Nate
Colbert remains the career leader in home runs with 163. Any
baseball fan loved this guy.
Next Bar Chat, Thursday.
