Hi gang. Before we talk about baseball history there are a few bookkeeping matters to deal with. First, yesterdays elections. All the campaigning is over some people are happier than a pig in slop and some are feeling down. Today, all who ran, and their helpers, should feel good, win or lose. Hopefully the people who came in second have pushed the winners to understand that they should work harder to do what the people they represent want not what they want. The people elected you to speak for them not to speak for yourself. I feel that there are a certain few that I would like to single out for extending themselves for what or whom they believed in but I do not want to offend anybody in the process. Many people worked tirelessly on the gambling issue. Some held meetings, made phone calls, sent mailings, blogged and in many other ways poked, prodded and constantly reminded people to flip it. From my perspective, Steve Vegliante, Larry Gold and Kurly were always on top of it. The biggest, loudest and best informed of the gambling issue supporters was The Resnick Boys. Way to go guys. I am happy for many who won in Sullivan County but I happen to live in the Town of Thompson. I am especially happy for Richard Sush because he worked so hard for the people he (and his wife) grew up with and for whom he would give the shirt off his back for. I can not tell you happy happy I am that the people of the Town of Thompson finally have recognized John Pavese for the man that has done so much for people over the years in such a quiet way that most never knew who or how things got done. Many of you know that I am a retired attorney, no booing please, who has been around a few rodeos in my time. I would be remiss if I did not say that the people of the Town of Thompson recognize legal talent when they see it. The people re-elected Judge Martin Miller for another four years. If it were up to me Judge Miller would be sitting on the Appellate Division in Albany. The people of the Town of Thompson made very wise choices yesterday. Enough already. I have two sports related stories before we talk baseball history. First, on todays date in 1935, Billy Sunday died at the age of 72. Billy Sunday was a major league baseball player and famed evangelist. Billy Sunday was born into a very poor family on November 19, 1862 near Ames, Iowa. His fathers family were German Immigrants named Sontag who anglicized their name to Sunday. His baseball career was launched by Adrian Cap Anson of the Chicago White Stockings. Billy Sunday played from 1883-1890. Around 1886, after hearing a man preaching Gospel on the streets of Chicago, Billy began to attend church. One particular Church Service he met Helen Amelia Thompson at the Jefferson Park Presbyterian Church in Chicago. Nell mesmerized Billy. Billy fell in love completely. Over the next two years, Billy courted Nell and continued to play baseball. But, slowly Billy was losing interest in baseball and gaining interest in religion. Billy Sunday married Nell Thompson in 1888. He continued to make religion a bigger and bigger part of his life. In the spring of 1891, Billy Sunday was offered a contract of $3,500 to play for the Philadelphia Phillies, who he had played for in the 1890 season. ($3,500 was a big contract at the time.) Billy turned it down, quit baseball and accepted a position as assistant secretary with the YMCA in Chicago for $83 a month. Billy Sunday began to pursue a career in his church, he became an Evangelical Christian. Billy began to travel and preach, giving sermons wherever he could. Billy Sunday became the most celebrated and influential Evangelist in America during the first two decades of the 20th Century. His influence and celebrity began to wain after WWI though he continued to preach. Billy Sunday died on November 6, 1935. The second sports story of the day centers upon James Naismith. James Naismith was born on todays date in 1861. Naismith, of course, is know as The Father of Basketball. This fact is like those Geico commercials. You know, Fifteen minutes can saving you $500 Dollars on car insurance and someone responds, Everyone knows that. Well, James Naismith is the Father of Basketball and you respond, Everyone knows that. I guess thats the end of the story. Thanks for coming. Drive home safely. Most everyone does know that James Naismith was a Canadian born educator and inventor who invented Basketball and set down the first Rules of Basketball in 1891 in the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts or something like that. Actually, Naismith did invent Basketball in 1891 and he did write down the original Rules of Basketball in 1891. These two things actually took place at the Young Mens Christian Training School (that would technically be YMCTS the TS becoming an A for Academy soon thereafter.) The school is better known today as Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. But, of course, if the story ended there it wouldnt be much of a story. Let me pause a second here to do my famous Paul Harvey imitation. And now, for the rest of the story. (Not bad.) It has been told, so many times that it cant be ignored, that in addition to inventing Basketball in Springfield in 1891, Naismith also invented the Football Helmet that same year of 1891. Wow, that would be something. Why do people think Naismith had anything to do with the Football Helmet? One of the reasons was because Naismith played football. He played Canadian Football when he attended College at McGill in Montreal where he was born and attended school before coming to the U.S. and he played Football at , lets call it the YMCA for a short-hand name, for recreation while he taught, and invented Basketball, there. A second reason that people link the Football Helmet with Naismith was because of his fellow teacher, friend and Football Coach at the YMCA in Springfield in 1890 and 1891. Want to take a guess who that might have been. No, not Vince Lombardi. It was Amos Alonzo Stagg. Stagg did not invent Football. He did however invent many of the pieces of equipment used in football and he is generally recognized as the firs innovator of the sport. Stagg was way before Knute Rockne who was not even born until 1888. Wow. Naismith and Stagg worked and played together at the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts min 1890 and 1891. Those are two good reason to link Naismith to the Football Helmet. Is it true? Did James Naismith invent the Football Helmet? Lets examine the evidence and you can be the Judge and Jury. Amos Alonzo Stagg is legendary as an innovator in the game of football. Stagg graduated from Yale. At Yale he played football (he was a member of the very first All-America Team in 1889) and he was a stand out baseball player. Stagg actually turned down a job pitching for the N.Y. Giants to pursue a career in teaching. Stagg went to the YMCA in Springfield to start his teaching career. Naismith was born and raised in Canada. He attended Primary and Secondary School in Canada. He graduated from McGill University (he also was an Instructor in Physical Education there) and got his Theology Degree from The Presbyterian College in Montreal before coming to the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1890 as a Physical Education Instructor. Naismith besides teaching at the YMCA was also pursuing his Masters Degree there. The Dean of the Physical Education Department at the YMCA, Dr. Luther Gulick, having two men such as Stagg and Naismith together at the school, suggested they start a school football team. They did, Naismith played, Stagg coached. Thus, Stagg became the first paid football coach. The team was called Staggs Stubby Christians. Naismith was the Center. Soon Naismith got tired of getting kicked in the head. He soon developed perichondrial hematoma or cauliflower ear and short term memory loss. With the help of his girlfriend Maude (he would later marry Maude Evelyn Sherman on June 20, 1884) he cut pieces of flannel to cover his ears and then use pieces of leather cover the flannel. Was that a football helmet? Did other people use Naismiths helmet? I dont know if the flannel and leather is a helmet? Did others use his helmet? No. Similarly, in 1893 (some three years later) a Midshipman at the Naval Academy named Joseph Reeves was told that if he got hit in the head in a football game again he could die. Reeves wanted to keep playing. Reeves did not want to die. Reeves was no dummy. Reeves went to a Blacksmith and had him fashion a type of cap made out of moleskin so he could play in the 1893 Army-Navy game. Reeves would later use the idea for Aviator Caps in the early 20th Century. Was this a helmet? Did others use Reeves moleskin cap? First question, I dont know if it is a helmet. Second question, No. Last, another football player, named George Barclay at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, decided in 1896 that he didnt want cauliflower ears so he went to a harness maker and had him construct a head Harness (that is what they were called) made out of three very thick pieces of leather fastened together with a chin strap. This device is pretty clearly a helmet. This head harness was also adopted by other players and became a common piece of equipment by the end of the 1890s. What is the verdict? Did James Naismith invent the Football Helmet? Maybe he had the beginnings of one but didnt really pursue it. I only provide the facts (evidence), you provide the answer. If I could provide both the evidence and the answer, my name would be Sherlock not John. Lets do some quick baseball history. 1. On November 6, 1950, Branch Rickey signs a five year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates to become the clubs Executive Vice President and General manager. Rickey had sold his 25% interest in the Brooklyn Dodgers to Walter OMalley on October 26th though he forced OMalley to pay $700,000 more than he originally offered by using a friend of Pirates Owner John Galbreath as an alleged buyer to drive up the price. Rickeys usual magic in running a baseball franchise does not work with the Pirates as they compile a record of only 269-501 in Rickeys five years and the Pirates trade the popular slugger Ralph Kiner to the Chicago Cubs. 2. On November 6, 1968, Detroit Tiger pitcher Denny McLain is unanimously named A.L. MVP by the baseball writers. McLain (31-6, 1.96 ERA) was the unanimous Cy Young Award winner four days earlier. On the same date (November 6th) in 1969, Tigers pitcher Denny McLain (24-9, 2.80 ERA) and Baltimore Oriole Lefty Mike Crazy Horse Cuellar (23-11, 2.38 ERA) each receives 10 votes from the BBWAA to tie for the Cy Young Award. This is the first time in baseball history that two pitchers tied for the Cy Young Award. 3. On November 6, 1974, L.A. Dodger relief pitcher Mike Marshall wins the Cy Young Award. The Iron Man set major league records for game appearances (106), consecutive games (14) and games finished (83.) Mike Marshall is a graduate of Michigan State University. He hold three degrees including a Ph D in Kinesiology, the study of human movement. Since his retirement Marshall has held clinics throughout the country teaching his radical and controversial pitching motion which he claims allows a man can pitch without fear of injury or need for pitch counts. Pitch Counts have become the single biggest factor used by managers to judgewhen to take a pitcher out of a game or how many innings a pitcher can throw in a year. Mike Marshalls 106 games in 1974 would never be allowed today. Legendary games such as Juan Marachals 16 inning 216 pitch game in the early 1960s (approx), Al Leiters (approx) 160 pitch game, or some of Nolan Ryans big pitch count games would never see the light of day in todays game. When you watch a game today, and the pitcher is throwing a no-hitter but he has 110 pitches going into the seventh inning, whether the manager will allow him to finish a no hitter is in question. Remember, The Mets Johan Santana. On June 1, 2012 he was pitching a no-hitter. No N.Y. Met had ever pitched a no-hitter (as a Met) Santana was on a pitch count, he had prior arm surgery and he made big bucks. Hits the 7th inning, lots of pitches, is he going to stay in the game even though he is still pitching a no-hitter? 100 pitches. Same question 110 pitches. Same question 115. Same question 120. Johan Santana is a big investment. But, No Met ever threw a no-no. (Grady Little was fired by the Red Sox for letting Pedro Martinez stay in a game too long, and it wasnt even a no-hitter.) The Mets let Santana pitch. Santana pitched the first, and so far only, Mets no-hitter. He threw 134 pitches. Afterward, he cant rise his arm to comb his hair. Is it worth it? Maybe a different pitcher doesnt get affected at all. Baseball is not an exact science. That is why they dont play the game on paper, they play the game on the field. Anything cane happen when a game is live. 4. On November 6, 2002, Randy Johnson wins his fifth Cy Young Award (fourth consecutive with the Diamondbacks 1999-2002.) The 39 year old lefty becomes the first N.L. hurler since Doc Gooden in 1985 to win the Pitching Triple Crown when he wins 24, with 334 strike outs and a 2.32 ERA. Johnson, who is 610 has one of the coolest nicknames in baseball. He is called the Big Unit. Johnson got the nickname in 1988 while playing with the Montreal Expos. Johnson and Expos LF Tim Rock Raines collided in the outfield while Raines was shagging fly balls and Johnson was running sprints without paying attention to who was around him. When the 58 195 Rock Wall LF helped Johnson up and up and up and up, he looked at Johnsons face and said, you sure are a Big Unit. The name stuck. I think if R2 D2 was 610 he would not be have been named R2 D2 but maybe the Big Unit.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 18:48:43 +0000
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