Friday-Sunday, September 22-24, 2006

Are we looking at another Subway Series for New York ???

The last time the Mets and Yankees met in a real "Subway Series" was the turn of the century - way back in 2000 which also marks the last Yankee World Series Championship as George Steinbrenner painfully knows. The Boss has already decreed that his team will win the world series, "We're going to win it. We're going all the way"...Or else - he didn't say that but I'll say it for him...

The last time these 2 teams met in the world series, it was the 3rd lowest rated series of all time. New Yorkers might love the match up but nationally the ratings are terrible. When the Mets clinched the National League East earlier this week they had a chance to clinch on the same September 17th date that their championship team of 1986 had. They missed doing that and they missed matching the date they clinched in 1969 - September 24th. That's the only thing they missed doing that year... The Mets surprised the baseball world in 1969 by not only clinching the National League East title but by upsetting the great Baltimore Orioles pitching staff. The Mets would win their 1st World Series. It was a great day for the Flushing faithful. The late Bob Murphy made the call on the clincher so let's go back to September 24th, 1969 for Murphy in his own words: "The crowd is chanting, we're number one! Gentry pitching, working hard here against Joe Torre. Now in the set position, here's the pitch, ground ball to shortstop, Harrelson to Weis - there's one, first base...double play! THE METS WIN! IT'S ALL OVER! OHHH, THE ROAR GOING UP FROM THE CROWD! AN UNBELIEVABLE SCENE ON THE FIELD...FANS ARE POURING OUT ON THE FIELD"... Joe Torre was a Cardinal player in 1969 - today he is the Yankees manager. Can the Mets beat him again ??? Stay tuned... Ten Timeline Memories of September 22nd... [1961] President John F. Kennedy signs a congressional act that establishes the Peace Corps... [1962] Bob Dylan makes his 1st appearance at Carnegie Hall as part of a concert organized by Pete Seeger... [1962] (This is a great trivia question) The Springfields (featuring Dusty Springfield) become the 1st British group to reach the Top 20 on the U.S. charts when "Silver Threads & Golden Needles" goes to #20... [1967] The Beatles are on the cover of Time Magazine... [1969] The Giants' Willie Mays becomes the second player, behind Babe Ruth, to hit his 600th home run (of course Hank Aaron would go to #1 on that list with 755). Don't look now but Barry "Balco" Bonds is breathing down the Hammer's neck... [1975] Sara Jane Moore fails in an attempt to shoot President Gerald Ford outside the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco (it's the second attempt on Ford's life in 17 days)... [1983] After being apart for 10 years, the Everly Brothers reunite in London's Royal Albert Hall... [1985] Inspired by John Cougar Mellencamp, the 1st Farm Aid concert raises $10 million. In addition to Mellencamp, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and Neil Young perform... [1987] The 2nd regular season strike in 5 years hits the NFL. This time only 1 game during the 16-game season is cancelled... [1995] Time Warner strikes a $7.5 billion deal to buy Turner Broadcasting System, Inc... #1 on this date: 1967] "The Letter" - Box Tops...1975] "I'm Sorry" - John Denver... Recorded on this date: 1965] "I Hear A Symphony" - Supremes... Released on this date: 1966] "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby" - Rolling Stones...1997] "Candle In The Wind 1997" - Elton John... "Happy Trails": 1980] Irving Berlin at the age of 101 (cause of death ? Being 101)...1999] George C. Scott from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm at 71...2001] Isaac Stern at 81 from congestive heart failure... Premiered on this date: 1957] "Maverick" starring James Garner (this was one of the 1st shows I did mailings to affiliates for when I was a mailboy at ABC. The show ran 5 seasons and was one of the 1st hit shows for this fledgling network at the time)...1964] "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.". Made stars of Robert Vaughn and David McCallum and ran 4 seasons... "Happy Birthday...happy birthday"... Scott Baio (44), Joan Jett (46), Andrea Bocelli (48), Debby Boone (50), Joni James (76) and Tommy Lasorda (79)... [To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]... Commentary... With week 3 of the NFL coming up this weekend I direct you to my link to the Boston Globe and Jim McCabe's Pro Picks column. McCabe has the most entertaining football handicapper column I've ever read. His picks are secondary to his humor. He doesn't take the games seriously but he does take his comedy seriously. Week in (every Friday) and week out, there's no one funnier... Congratulations to Big Papi who hit his 51st and 52nd home runs of the season, breaking Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx's record of 50 for the Red Sox team record. Because the Sox will not be in the playoffs David Ortiz will not be the MVP of the American League but no one has put up better numbers over the last 5 years... Timeline Countdown: 11 days until the major league playoffs, 29 days until the World Series and 100 days until 2007. L'Shanah Tovah to my people. Happy New Year 5767... ... Saturday, September 23, 2006 (The first day of Autumn)... Ten Timeline Memories... [1642] Harvard holds its first commencement. A grand total of 9 men graduate with degrees (the 1st year ? Maybe they went to other colleges prior to Harvard ???)... [1952] When questioned about his integrity, VP candidate Richard Nixon gives his famous "Checkers" speech (before you think he should have chosen chess, "checkers" was the name of a dog given as a gift to 6-year old daughter Tricia that he was going to keep. People all across America kvelled and reached for the Kleenex)... [1952] Rocky Marciano wins his biggest fight, winning the heavyweight crown by knocking out previous champ Jersey Joe Walcott in the 13th round (when Rocky went down in that small plane he was 49-0. He never lost a fight)... [1956] Mickey Braddock begins his career as "Corky", a 12-year old adopted by the circus in NBC-TV's "Circus Boy" (Mickey Braddock will change his name to Micky Dolenz)... [1962] Dodger Maury Wills breaks Ty Cobb's 47-year old stolen base record when he swipes #97 on the way to 104... [1962] The New York Philharmonic Hall opens as the first unit in Lincoln Center. The hall will later be renamed Avery Fisher Hall... [1969] The London Daily Mirror reports that Paul McCartney is dead in one of the greatest hoaxes of all-time... [1977] Cheryl Ladd replaces Farrah Fawcett on "Charlie's Angels"... [1988] Jose Canseco is baseball's 1st player to steal 40 bases and hit 40 home runs (yeah but what was he on when he did that ?)... [1991] Islanders' Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin are inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame... "Happy Trails": 1939] Sigmund Freud dies in London at 83 of a physician assisted morphine overdose (Freud was suffering from cancer of the mouth at the time)...1987] Bob Fosse died at 60 of a heart attack... Released on this date: 1967] "People Are Strange" - Doors...1972] "All The Young Dudes" - Mott The Hoople... Premiered on this date: 1961] NBC-TV's "Saturday Night At The Movies" with "How To Marry A Millionaire"...1962] "The Jetsons" on ABC-TV (it's the networks 1st program in color. Ran only 1 season but forever in reruns and syndication)...1964] "Fiddler on the Roof" starring Zero Mostel opens on Broadway...1969] "Marcus Welby MD" on ABC-TV stars Robert Young and runs for 7 years... [To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]... "Happy Birthday...happy birthday"... Harry Connick Jr. (39), Jason Alexander (47), Bruce Springsteen (57), Julio Iglesias (63) and Mickey Rooney (86)... Timeline Countdown: 10 days until major league playoffs, 28 days until World Series and 99 days until 2007... ... Sunday, September 24, 2006... Ten timeline Memories... [1955] While vacationing in Denver, President Dwight D. Eisenhower suffers a heart attack at 65. He recovers after a 7-week stay at a Denver hospital... [1957] The Dodgers play their last game in Brooklyn at Ebbets Field in front of 6,702 fans. They beat the Pirates 2-0 with Gil Hodges driving in the last run in Brooklyn... [1969] A trial begins for the "Chicago Eight", accused of inciting riots at the 1968 Democratic national convention... [1972] Joe Namath passes for 6 touchdowns in the Jets 44-34 win over the Baltimore Colts... [1976] Patricia Hearst is sentenced to 7 years in prison for her role in a 1974 bank robbery. She serves 22 months before President Jimmah Carter sets her free on a clemency order... [1988] After shooting it out with a Georgia state trooper, James Brown is told by the trooper "I Got You" (J.B. is arrested)... [1994] Eric Clapton kicks off another new "Saturday Night Live" season... [1996] President Bill Clinton and other major nuclear powers sign a treaty to end all testing and development of nuclear weapons... [1998] Redesigned $20 bills meant to be harder to counterfeit, go into circulation... [1999] 17-year old student Kip Kinkel (not related to Max Kinkel) abandons an insanity defense and pleads guilty to killing his parents and 2 classmates at his Springfield (OR) school... "Happy Trails": 1991] Dr. Seuss a.k.a. Theodor Seuss Geisel dies at 87 of natural causes... Released on this date: 1977] "Come Sail Away" - Styx...1982] "1999" - Prince... Debuts on the charts: 1983] "Uptown Girl" - Billy Joel... Premiered on this date: 1961] "The Bullwinkle Show" (the show was originally called "Rocky and His Friends" and was aired in the afternoons on ABC-TV. The Primetime run lasts 3 years and the reruns run until 1973)...1964] "The Munsters" CBS-TV's answer to "The Addams Family" runs for 2 years and is then syndicated...1968] "60 Minutes"...1968] "Mod Squad" on ABC-TV (runs until 1973)...1977] "The Love Boat sets sail on ABC-TV and doesn't dock until 1986... Series Finale..."I Love Lucy" (the classic sitcom bows out after 10 years)... [To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]... "Happy Birthday...happy birthday"... Joseph Kennedy II (54), Gerry Marsden (64), Sheila MacRae (82) and Jim McKay (85)... Timeline Countdown: 9 days until major league playoffs, 27 days until the World Series and 98 days until 2007. ...