This is a story that transcends sports. You don't have to be a sports fan to understand these numbers: 4, 10, 7, 17. You don't have to be a sports fan to understand that the New York Mets have a chance to make baseball history should they fail to make the postseason when this weekend ends. The national media has made New York the sports capital of the world, swooping in and circling Shea Stadium like vultures. Now for the numbers:
- 4) The number of games the Mets have won in their last 14 games...
- 10) The number of games the Mets have lost over those 14 games...
- 7) The number of games the Mets led the National League East on September 12...
- 17) The number of games remaining when the Mets were in first place by 7 games on September 12...
There have been worse losing streaks in September but no team in history has ever failed to finish first after being ahead by 7 or more games with 17 remaining in a season. There's your history lesson. Should history be made at Shea Stadium when the regular season ends Sunday afternoon, these 2007 New York Mets will join the '78 Red Sox, '64 Phillies and '51 Dodgers in the baseball hall of shame for blown leads in a pennant stretch...
Only one thing is for certain - this nightmare will be over, one way or another, come 4:30 Sunday afternoon...
10 Timeline Memories for September 28:
- 1892] Lights, Action: According to the good people of Pennsylvania, the first nighttime football game in America, using electric lights, is played between the Mansfield State Normal School and the Wyoming (PA) Seminary...
- 1920] Dirty Sox?: Eight members of the Chicago White Sox are indicted in the "Black Sox" scandal. All eight are accused of throwing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. They will be acquitted in 1921...
- 1941] Teddy Ballgame: Ted Williams goes 6 for 6 in a doubleheader and finishes with a .406 batting average (no one has done it since). Ten years later, same date in 1951, Williams hits a home run in his last at-bat...
- 1951] Oh-no twice: The Yankees' Allie Reynolds pitches his 2nd no-hitter of the season, beating the Red Sox. Yogi Berra gets a second chance to catch a foul pop-up after muffing one. This time he catches it ending the game and saving the no-hitter...
- 1955] In living color: The World Series is televised in color for the first time. I remember watching it in a store window on 13th Avenue, Borough Park, Brooklyn. I was not happy seeing the Dodgers win however. Here are some highlights of that WS including the catch made by Sandy Amoros: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb1zY7CQzvM ...
- 1960] Curtains: "The Millionaire" runs its last episode as John Beresford Tipton goes broke after 5 seasons...1968] Janis Joplin leaves Big Brother and the Holding Company to go solo...
- 1961] Doctor my eyes: Richard Chamberlain starts making house calls as "Dr. Kildare" (Just 4 days later "Ben Casey" debuts). Here's a scene from "Dr. Kildare" from the early 60s. The actress is Yvette Mimeaux: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYBen5iQgz8 ...
- 1976] Rubberband Man: Muhammad Ali wins the rubber-match against Ken Norton in 15 rounds to win back the heavyweight title at Yankee Stadium...
- 1989] "Happy Trails": 1989] Ferdinand Marcos, deposed Philippine president dies in exile in Hawaii of kidney, heart and lung failure. Marcos was 72...1991] Jazz great Miles Davis dies of a stroke at 65...2000] Former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau dies of Parkinson's disease and prostate cancer at 80...2003] Tennis champion Althea Gibson dies at 76 from respiratory failure...2004] Legendary disc jockey Scott Muni, dies at 74 after suffering a stroke earlier in the year...
- 1991] Things go better with coke?: Former mayor of the District of Columbia, Marion Barry is sentenced to 6 months in prison for possession of crack cocaine...
Music Memories:
- 1957] Number One on this date: "Honeycomb" - Jimmie Rodgers...
- 1958] Released on this date: "To Know Him Is To Love Him" - Teddy Bears (18-year old Spector, seen on the right playing guitar and singing the bass part, used his father's headstone inscription as the title of the song): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCnUsInBQws ...
Commentary...
As the regular baseball season winds to a close this weekend, there is a saving grace whether or not the Mets make the playoffs, the Red Sox win their division or however your favorite team finishes and that's the finality of it all. If they fail, your misery is over. If they make the playoffs, realize this: there is no correlation between a team's record in September and their performance in the playoffs. Teams have had miserable final months yet have turned it around in the playoffs. The latest example? Last year's St. Louis Cardinals who after a mediocre season, stumbled to the finish line but went on to win the World Series. Have faith. It happens...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Hilary Duff (20), Naomi Watts (39), Mira Sorvino (40), Janeane Garofalo (43), Ben E. King (69), Brigitte Bardot (73), Arnold Stang (82) and William Windom (84)...
Timeline Countdown for September 28: 5 days until the MLB playoffs begin and 26 days before the World Series begins...
Saturday-Sunday, September 29-30...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1947] Brought to you by: The World Series is televised for the first time with sponsors paying a 'hefty' $65,000 for the entire Yankees-Dodgers series (9/30)...
- 1953] Premiered on this date (9/29): "Make Room For Daddy" starring Danny Thomas for the first of 18 seasons and here's a scene featuring Danny and Dean Martin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzOyoDrLKqA ...1960] "My Three Sons" starring Fred MacMurray (runs 12 seasons)...1963] "My Favorite Martian" starring Ray Walston (3 years)...1971] "McMillan and Wife" starring Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James (6 years)...1985] "MacGyver" (7 years)...1986] "Designing Women" (7 seasons) and 1987] "Thirtysomething" (4 years)...Premiered on this date (9/30): 1950] "Grand Ole Opry" is televised for the first time...1951] "The Red Skelton Show" (20 seasons)...1960] "The Flintstones" (the first primetime animated show runs 6 seasons and in syndication forever. Here's the show's open): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_Oj1Yx80uc... 1965] Donovan makes his debut on "Shindig!" which lasts for 2 seasons... 1982] "Cheers" begins an 11-year run...
- 1954] The Catch: Willie Mays makes what's considered by many as the greatest catch of all-time against Cleveland's Vic Wertz in game one of the World Series. The Giants will go on to sweep the heavily favored Indians in 4 games and here's the catch (9/29): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dK6zPbkFnE ...1957] Same date in 1957, the Giants play their last game in New York, losing 9-1 in front of 11,606 (9/29)...
- 1955] Hollywood tragedy: 24-year old Hollywood star James Dean is killed in a two-car collision while racing near Cholame (CA) (9/30) Here's a tribute to the life of James Dean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21bqgY5HLPw ...
- 1960] Clarabelle speaks: The "Howdy Doody Show" ends with the mute Clarabelle, played by Bob Keeshan, future 'Captain Kangaroo" speaking for the first time. Clarabelle simply says "Goodbye Kids" (9/30)...
- 1974] John and the Professor: John Lennon sits in as guest disc jockey with Scott Muni on WNEW-FM (9/29)...
- 1976] Musical managers: Tommy Lasorda replaces Walter Alston as Dodgers manager. Alston was manager for 22 years and Lasorda rings up 20. George Steinbrenner kvells with admiration (9/29)...
- 1978] Smoke at the Vatican: After serving barely over one month, Pope John Paul I is found dead of a heart attack. There are those who believe the pontiff may have been poisoned. The Pope was 66 (9/29)...
- 1982] Super Strength: Seven people die in Chicago after taking extra-strength Tylenol that had been laced with cyanide (9/29)...
- 1985] Curtains: Howard Stern is fired by WNBC after 3 years on the air. Stern resurfaces at WXRK (9/30)...
Music Memories:
- (9/29) Released on this date: 1967] "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" - Gladys Knight & the Pips...
- (9/29) Number One on this date: 1977] "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band" - Meco...
- (9/29) Gold Standard: 1969] "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" - Jackie DeShannon. This video provides a scenic backdrop for some terrific audio of the single: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMDghG_Jrdw ...
- (9/30) Number One on this date: 1971] "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart. This video clip shows Rod with the Faces from the 70s: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xikQ0c5KdZE ...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
(9/29) Jill ("Love Boat") Whelan (41), Andrew "Dice" Clay (49), Bryant Gumble (59), Jerry Lee Lewis (72), Anita Ekberg (76) and Lizabeth Scott (85)...
(9/30) Martina Hingis (27), Jenna Elfman (36), Crystal Bernard (46), Fran Drescher (50), Barry ("Brady Bunch") Williams (53), Deborah Allen (54), Marilyn McCoo (64), Len Cariou (68), Johnny Mathis (72), Cissy Houston (74), Johnny Padres (75), Angie Dickinson (76), Elie Wiesel (79), Robin Roberts (81) and Deborah Kerr (86)...
Timeline Countdown for September 30: 3 days until the MLB playoffs begin and 24 days until the World Series begins...
