Monday-Tuesday, October 16-24, 2006

Can they be 'Amazing' again ???

Lots to cover in this MPR blogapalooza which will cover 9 days...so...let's start with the Mets huge win over the Cardinals last night to square the NL playoffs at 2 games apiece. The question is, even with only one good, healthy pitcher (Tom Glavine) can they do it again ? Can they go all the way ? Can they do what they did on this date, October 16th, 1969 ???

With 57,397 in the Shea Stadium stands and countless millions more watching at home, the New York Mets, won their 1st World Series. When the flyball hit by future Met manager Davey Johnson was squeezed by Cleon Jones the Mets had defeated the heavily-favored Baltimore Orioles in 5 games and the championship trophy was theirs...

The road to the Mets championship was clearly in sight when they won the National League pennant with a 3-game sweep of the Braves 10 days earlier. Twenty-two days earlier they beat the hated Cubs to win the title in the east. A Wall Street parade down the "canyon of heroes" cheered the 'Amazin' Mets as New York City and a world of underdog fans celebrated.

Game 5 of their playoffs with the Cardinals is tonight. Will the Mets once again be a team of destiny ? Will they face the Detroit Tigers in the first game of the World Series next Saturday, October 21st? Don't bet against it... October 16th Timeline Memories... [1978] Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla is elected Pope, taking the name John Paul II (he gets my vote as the most popular Pope in recent history)... [1987] Rescuers free "Baby Jessica" (McClure) from the Midland (TX) well she fell in (Jessica who was a year and a half old at the time was trapped for 58 hours)... [1995] Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan leads the "Million Man March" in Washington (DC)... Premiered on this date: 1956] The Elvis movie "Love Me Tender"... Released on this date: 1957] "You Send Me" - Sam Cooke...1971] "Theme from Shaft" - Isaac Hayes... "Happy Trails": 1997] Author James Michener died of kidney failure at 90...2004] Pierre Salinger, former journalist and JFK press secretary died of heart failure at 79... "Sayonara": 1963] The last issue of "The New York Daily Mirror" hits the newsstands... Wedding Bells: 2000] Chevron announces it's buying Texaco for $35 billion (Ch-ching !)... Commentary... Len Zola did a great job in hosting his Media Gang luncheon in Randolph (MA) over the weekend. The gathering of mostly, former radio and television people was the best I've ever been to. And the turnout of WRKO, WNAC and channel 7 alums was something to be proud of as a former employee of WRKO. Congratulations for a terrific gathering Len...While on the subject of radio, Air America has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, although they hope to be rescued. To that I say, Good Luck...Happy Trails to Freddy Fender who lost his battle with lung cancer at 69. Freddy died Saturday at his Corpus Christi (TX) home. R.I.P. Freddy...the legendary CBGB, the so-called "birthplace of punk" closed its doors last night. Owner Hilly Kristal, 75 and suffering from cancer, hopes to reopen in Las Vegas next year. What's wrong with this picture ? Punk music in Las Vegas ? CBGB's closes and just when I found out what the letters stand for. Give up ? Country, bluegrass and blues. Who knew??? The reason for the 9-day, abridged, MPR is a wedding I'll be attending. It's not just another wedding. My daughter Lynn is marrying Lindsay Brough in Wellington, New Zealand and I'll be happily headed for the other side of the world tomorrow... Timeline Countdown: 6 days (counting today) until the World Series, 76 days until 2007 and 82 days until the NFL playoffs... ... Tuesday, October 17, 2006... Timeline Memories... [1919] The Radio Corporation of America is created... [1964] An historic date in Yankee history: 1964: The Yankees fire manager Yogi Berra (and hire manager Johnny Keane whom he faced in the World Series against the Cardinals)...1978] They beat the Dodgers in 6 games to repeat as World Champs...1984] Lou Piniella is named manager...1988] Dallas Green replaces Piniella as manager as Steinbrenner strikes again... [1989] A funny thing happened on the way to Game 3 of the Bay Area World Series - an earthquake !!! (the Giants sweep the A's in 4 games when the WS resumes)... "Happy Trails": 1991] Tennessee Ernie Ford dies of liver disease at 72... #1 on this date: 1962] "Monster Mash" - Bobby "Boris" Pickett (no relation to Wilson) & the Crypt Kickers (it's re-released every year since and reached #10 in '73)...1972] "My Ding-a-Ling" - Chuck Berry (believe it or not, this was his only #1 hit)...1988] "Groovy Kind of Love" - Phil Collins (the original version by the Mindbenders went to #2 in 1966)...1999] "Supernatural" - Santana (the group's first #1 hit in 28 years)... Released on this date: 1964] "She's Not There" - The Zombies...1970] "After Midnight" - Eric Clapton... Premiered on this date: 1967] "Hair" at the New York Public Theatre...1973] "The Way We Were" starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford... ... Wednesday, October 18, 2006... Timeline Memories... [1954] WNBC Radio changes call letters to WRCA (don't worry, they change back)... [1969] The Jackson Five make their 1st TV appearance on ABC-TV's "Hollywood Palace"... [1977] Reggie Jackson makes World Series history with back-to-back-to-back homeruns (each one on the 1st pitch). Nobody did it before...no one since... Debuted on this date: 1957] Paul McCartney debuts with the Quarry Men in Liverpool... Reunited on this date: 1975] Simon & Garfunkel reunite on "Saturday Night Live"... #1 on this date: 1976] "If You Leave Me Now" - Chicago... "Sayonara": 1971] Look Magazine disappears after 34 years of publication... ... Thursday, October 19, 2006... Timeline Memories... [1953] Julius LaRosa is fired on "Arthur Godfrey and His Friends" (except for Julius LaRosa) because, according to Ahthuh "Julius had lost his humility" as the media searches for a dictionary... [1969] VP Spiro T. Agnew calls anti-Vietnam War protesters "an effete corps of impudent slobs" as the media searches for a dictionary... [2004] Curt Schilling, bloody sock and all, pitches the Red Sox to a 4-2 win over the Yankees, setting up a winner-take-all Game 7 for the AL pennant the next day (at this point I write "playoffs over, Red Sox win")... #1 on this date: 1969] "I Can't Get Next To You" - Temptations...1985] "Take On Me" - a-ha...1986] "True Colors" - Cyndi Lauper... Released on this date: 1973] "Photograph" - Ringo Starr... Debuted on this date: 1959] "The Miracle Worker" starring Patti Duke and Anne Bancroft debuts on Broadway... ... Friday, October 20, 2006... Timeline Memories... [1956] Bill Haley & the Comets and Elvis Presley perform on the same bill at Brooklyn High School in Cleveland (OH)... [1973] Special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox is fired by President Richard M. Nixon. Attorney General Richardson, Deputy Attorney General Ruckelhaus and Solicitor General Bork resign in protest... [2004] The Red Sox beat the Yankees to win the AL pennant (hey, they might even win the World Series...you never know)... Premiered on this date: 1960] "G.I. Blues" starring Elvis Presley... Released on this date: 1961] "Bob Dylan" LP...1962] "Big Girls Don't Cry" - Four Seasons...1973] "The Joker" - Steve Miller Band... Debuted on this date: 1978] The Police debut in their 1st U.S. concert at CBGB's... Dedicated on this date: 1979] The John F. Kennedy Library in Boston... Wedding Bells: 1968] Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy and Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis tie the knot (the marriage will end with the death of Onassis in 1975)...1991] Clint Black and Lisa Hartman rock down the aisle... "Sayonara": 1976] The Nets sell Julius "Dr. J" Erving to the Philadelphia 76ers (what were the Nets thinking ?)... ... Saturday, October 21, 2006... Timeline Memories... [1960] JFK and Richard Nixon clash in their 4th and final presidential debate (this debate was over after the 1st one)... [1975] Carlton Fisk wins Game 6 of the World Series between the Red Sox and Reds with his dramatic homerun and cool body language... [1998] Following a 4-game sweep of San Diego in the World Series, the Yankees set a major league record of 125 wins for a regular and post-season combined... Premiered on this date: 1957] "Jailhouse Rock" starring Elvis Presley... Recorded on this date: 1958] "True Love Ways", "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" & "Raining in My Heart" (this is Buddy Holly's last recording session)... Released on this date: 1992] Madonna's erotic photograph book "Sex" is released with 500,000 copies sold in the 1st run... Retired on this date: 1976] The Knicks retire Willis Reed's #19... Wedding Bells: 2006] Lindsay Brough and Lynn Phillips will say "I Do" and Lynn's Dad will give the pretty bride away on a boat in Wellington (NZ) Harbor... ... Sunday, October 22, 2006... Timeline Memories... [1962] President John F. Kennedy addresses a TV audience about the Russian missile bases in Cuba (the world holds its breath until the crisis ends)... [1981] The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization is decertified for its strike the previous August (buh-bye)... [2000] Mike Piazza is once again Roger Clemens target, this time in the World Series as The Rocket goes off and throws a bat chard in the direction of Piazza who's running to 1st base (Clemens said "I thought it was the ball" - uh huh, okay)... #1 LP on this date: 1966] "Supremes a Go-Go"... Debuted on this date: 1960] Cassius Clay wins his 1st professional fight... Released on this date: 1966] "Good Vibrations" - Beach Boys... ... Monday, October 23, 2006... Timeline Memories... [1946] The United Nations General Assembly convenes in New York for the 1st time in an auditorium in Flushing Meadows... [1973] President Richard M. Nixon agrees to turn over the Watergate tapes (oops!)... [1983] A suicide truck bombing at Beirut International Airport in Lebanon kills 241 U.S. Marines and sailors. Another attack kills 58 French paratroopers... Debuted on this date: 1956] NBC-TV broadcasts the 1st video tape coast-to-coast. It's a tape of Jonathan Winters performing... Released on this date: 1965] "Turn, Turn, Turn" - Byrds... Walk-off: 1993] Toronto Blue Jay outfielder Joe Carter hits the 2nd walk-off homerun in World Series history and for the 1st time a team from outside the country wins the World Series... ... Tuesday, October 24, 2006... Timeline Memories... [1973] Heavy fog causes a 65-car collision killing 9 on the New Jersey Turnpike... [1997] Former NBC sportscaster Marv Albert is spared a jail sentence after a court room apology to the woman he sunk his bicuspids in during a sexual encounter (Albert said the woman said she hadn't had a bite in months, so he bit her. The judge doesn't bight-uh-buy it)... [2002] Army veteran John Allen Muhammad and teenager Lee Boyd Malvo are arrested in connection with the Washington (DC) area sniper attacks... "Happy Trails": 1947] Severe heart problems take their toll on Jackie Robinson who dies at 53... "Sayonara": 1988] The Islanders' Mike Bossy retires... "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" induction: 1989] Hank Ballard, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Bobby Darin, the Four Tops, the Four Seasons, the Kinks, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, the Platters, the Who, Simon & Garfunkel are all inducted... Debuted on this date: 1931] The George Washington Bridge... Timeline Countdown: 68 days until 2007 and 75 days until the NFL playoffs... ... (Back with fresh blog on Wednesday, October 24, 2006)