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Tim McCarver Preparing For One Last Hurrah!

 

Photo Credit:  Paige Calamari/Getty Images

***

In the midst of calling his 24^th World Series as a baseball analyst and having served as a baseball commentator at a number of networks for 33 years, Tim McCarver, who just turned 72 this month, will call it quits at the conclusion of the 109^th Fall Classic between the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox.

McCarver was a member of the Cardinals during the 1967 World Series, when they beat the Red Sox in the decisive 7^th game at Fenway Park, so it seems only fitting that this will be his last.

Though he may be shutting down his analysis for Fox Sports, the former Cardinal and Phillies catcher isn’t calling it a retirement. He hates the word. Rather, as he told Charlie Rose earlier in the year, ``it`s time to cut back and do some of the things that I`ve always thought about doing.’’ He also told reporters during a conference call in March, 2013, “I wanted to step down while I know I can still do the job and be proud of the job I’ve done.”

Whatever opinion there may be about McCarver’s distinctive broadcasting style, and there are many-to be sure-his sharp wit, folksy humor, and uncanny knowledge of the intricacies and nuances of the game will be missed and not easily replaced.

Two examples come immediately to mind. One time during a World Series game, Mariano Rivera fielded a sacrifice bunt and rifled the ball to 2^nd base, throwing too high for Derek Jeter to handle. McCarver, who knows pitchers better than anyone, immediately weighed in, saying: ``pitchers have a hard time throwing to bases because they can’t throw anything straight.’’ And just last season during a Fox broadcast, a Red Sox runner on 1<sup>st</sup> was doubled up, after a sharply hit ball to the shortstop. Again, McCarver presented viewers with another indispensible rule of thumb: A runner should never allow himself to be doubled-up on a ball hit to the left side of the infield. ``Why?’’, McCarver said as if he were at the blackboard in a college classroom drilling his students, ``because even if the ball gets through, the runner on 1st won’t make it any further than 2^nd base.’’

Even the most casual observer of McCarver over the last two decades knows that this Emmy-Award winning color commentator is blessed with a mystifying ability to size up a situation during the course of the game, and almost like a fortune-teller peering into his crystal ball, predict its outcome, particularly if he detects pitfalls in the strategy.

In Game 5 of the 1990 NLCS, with the Cincinnati Reds trailing the Pittsburgh Pirates by a run, for example, Reds manager Lou Piniella employed a double-switch  in the bottom of the 8^th inning (sending in reliever Scott Scudder and back-up catcher Jeff Reed), but the Reds’ manager failed to put the weak-hitting Reed in the pitcher’s spot. Calling the game with Jack Buck on CBS, McCarver immediately pointed out a major oversight.  By not ``flip-flopping the lineup’’ (putting the pitcher in the 7^th spot and his reserve catcher in the 9^th spot), McCarver emphasized, Piniella risked having one of his worst offensive players at the plate with the game on the line in the ninth.

And just like he predicted, the Reds 9^th rally crumbled when Reed (a left-handed batter forced to face a left-handed pitcher) was induced into a 9^th inning game ending double-play.

But McCarver was at his prognosticating best in the 7^th game of the 2001 World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Yankees.  With the score tied at 2 in the bottom of the 9^th, with only one out and the bases loaded, Luis Gonzalez of the D-Backs stepped to the plate.  With the winning run just 90 feet away, Yankee manager Joe Torre instructed the infield to come in. After Gonzalez fouled off Rivera’s first offering, McCarver voiced the following observation: `` The one problem,’’ McCarver told viewers, ``is Rivera throws inside to left-handers. Left-handers get a lot of broken bat hits into the shallow part of the outfield. That’s the danger of bringing the infield in with a guy like Rivera on the mound.’’

No sooner had those sage words of concern rolled off his tongue, than Gonzalez rapped a floater just over Jeter’s outstretched arm, landing softly on the edge of the outfield grass, just like McCarver cautioned. Game over! The Diamondbacks stunned the Yankees against the usually reliable, lights out Mariano Rivera.  It’s a tossup what was more memorable, Gonzalez’s Series winning bloop single or McCarver’s remarkable prescience.

Of course, even with all his amazing insight, McCarver has committed a few unforced errors during his distinguished broadcasting career, as a few of his detractors are all too eager to point out.  During the 2011 World Series, he said ``s-t-r-i-k-e is a five letter word.’’  In the in Game 5 of the ALCS between the Red Sox and Yankees after David Ortiz smashed a home run to right field, McCarver observed: ``Mount Everest erupts again.!’’ And occasionally McCarver states the obvious, like when he told his audience in 1993 that Darren Daulton of the Phillies uses his ``glove like a mitt.’’; or  the``one thing about ground balls, they don’t go out of the park.’’  Another McCarver pitch he probably wished he never delivered: ``Yankee pitchers have great success against [Miguel] Cabrera when they get him out.’’

And just like the best of them, McCarver has mangled a few names over the years as well. During the 1992 NLCS between the Pirates and Braves, he kept referring to Pirate rookie pitcher, Tim Wakefield, as ``Bill Wakefield.’’  An understandable miscue since McCarver was roommates with a Bill Wakefield during spring training in 1960. During the 2009 World Series, he referred to Derek Jeter as "Jerek Deter"; and once confused Albert Pujols with the retired Luis Pujols.

Clearly, the most stinging indictment against McCarver over the years is that he has a tendency to engage in philosophical rambling and has been much too critical, unnerving a number of players and managers.

Bob Ryan, retired Boston Globe columnist and still a Globe contributor, said of McCarver, ``All color men overdo it on occasion, but the criticisms of Tim McCarver are ludicrous. If he occasionally uses a word or historic reference some people don't understand, that would be their problem, not his. He will be missed.''

While covering the Mets during the 1980’s, McCarver criticized Darryl Strawberry for staying in the same place in the outfield, no matter who the hitter is, suggesting he would be able to handle more fly balls if he would only make some adjustments. Such a critique, seemingly benign, sparked the ire of Mets skipper Davey Johnson.  Never afraid to speak his mind, ended up costing McCarver his job with the Mets who fired him two months before the 1999 season. Rumors were rampant that his axing came at the urging of manager Bobby Valentine.

His confrontation with two-sport athlete Deion Sanders is infamous. During the 1992 NLCS, he called ``Prime Time’’ out for planning to play in the NFL and the NLCS on the same day.  ``How can he leave in the playoffs and go play in a football game?" McCarver intoned. "The way I look at it, that's just flat wrong and I guess could be construed as a breach of contract." McCarver’s biting comments resulted in him getting drenched with a bucket of ice water, three times in fact, by Deion in front of a national television audience when the Braves clinched the pennant.  Furious, McCarver shouted back: "You are a real man, Deion. I'll say that."

In 2008, just prior to the NLCS, McCarver called Manny Ramirez "despicable" criticizing him for his slothful, slipshod effort in Boston and how he suddenly, miraculously, turned it around in Los Angeles with the Dodgers.

But for all the criticisms heaped on McCarver over the years, his deep passion for the game and his predilection of never being afraid to tell the truth, when ``tough love’’ is needed, has earned him legions of fans and admirers along with mountains of respect among his contemporaries.

Dan Caesar, who covers sports media for the St Louis Post-Dispatch  says: ``McCarver is an icon, and the fact he sometimes has been a lightening rod on and off the air only enhances his aura''...``McCarver knew who he was working for — the person on the other end of the broadcast, not on the diamond or in the dugout. That is a key element that often gets lost on many former players who trek to the booth.''

George Vecsey (who now has a personal website at www.georgevecsey.com ) still a contributing sports columnist at The New York Times, even after his retirement, echoed similar thoughts. ``McCarver is professional and fearless. He never hesitated to criticize strategy, not in a personal way, but because he saw himself as a broadcaster, not a house man. He was a jock, but not enough to hinder him from making judgments on the spot’’ ``He can be overbearing with his puns and use of two-dollar words’’, Vecsey continues, ``but McCarver always loves and respects the game, and his craft.''

One of the most endearing attributes of McCarver is the way he remains firm in his ``old school’’ beliefs, even at the risk of seeming out of touch with American popular culture. Never is that more true than when it comes to social media, during an age when everyone these days seems to be twittering and plastering their smart phone pictures on Facebook.  ``There is nothing in my view more disturbing than social networking – nothing!’’ McCarver said just last year.

Of course, someone as cultured and tethered to refined literary expression as McCarver is, probably isn’t too concerned with being out of step with pop culture. From time to time, he likes to sprinkle his commentary with dashes of Shakespeare, like he did in 1997 when the Chicago Cubs were mired in a losing streak and he cited a line from  ``Love's Labour Lost.’’  ``Mirth cannot move a soul in agony'' McCarver expressed softly with his signature southern drawl.

When showering McCarver with accolades over his celebrated broadcasting career, there is a tendency to overlook the significant contributions he made on the field, other than he was a catcher to and a teammate of Hall of Famer Bob Gibson while with the Cardinals.

Beginning in 1959 at age 17, McCarver spent 10 seasons in St. Louis before joining the Phillies in 1970, where he remained until he was dealt to the Montreal Expos for catcher John Bateman on June 14, 1972. He finished the 1972 season in Montreal before being traded back to St. Louis during the offseason. 74 games into the 1974 season, the Boston Red Sox purchased his contract, but he was subsequently released on June 23, 1975. A little over a week later, he signed, once again, with the Phillies, playing in the outfield and at 1st. After only two games in 1980, he officially retired.

During his 21-year playing career, only one of 29 players to have appeared in four decades, McCarver distinguished himself as a two-time All-Star (1966 and 1967), played in three World Series (1964, 1967, 1968) caught two no-hitters (1971 and 1972) and smacked a dramatic three-run, 10th inning home run off New York's Pete Mikkelsen at Yankee Stadium in Game 5 of the 1964 World Series. McCarver was voted the Series MVP that year, batting .478 and leading his team to a spectacular seven game win over the New York Yankees. In the 1968 World Series in which St. Louis was pitted against the Detroit Tigers, (a Series the Cardinals lost in seven games) McCarver hit an impressive .333, with a home run and four RBIs.

McCarver would probably prefer not to be reminded about his Fourth of July blunder (July 4, 1976), when he belted a grand slam on the nation’s Bicentennial of all days at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh; only he got so excited he passed Phillies teammate Garry Maddox on the base paths, nullifying the slam. He was instead credited with a three-run single.

After his retirement in 1980, it didn’t take long for McCarver to jump into the broadcasting booth.  The Phillies hired him at WPHL-TV (Channel 17) from 1980 to 1982, to work alongside Harry Kalas, Rich Ashburn, Andy Musser and Chris Wheeler.  In 1980, he also worked as a backup ``Game of the Week’’ commentator for NBC.

In 1984, he was hired as a roving reporter for ABC Sports, talking with fans in the stands. When Howard Cosell got fired the following year (after his controversial autobiography was released) just days before the World Series, ABC paired McCarver with Al Michaels. He stayed with ABC through 1989. Beginning in 1990, he landed at CBS, working with Jack Buck in 1990 and 1991 and Sean McDonough in 1992 and 1993. In 1996, he was hired by Fox Sports, where he was paired with play-by-play announcer, Joe Buck.

Along the way, he had broadcasting stints with the New York Mets (1983-1998), their cross-town rivals New York Yankees (1999-2001), and the San Francisco Giants (2002). Taken together, spanning three decades, McCarver has worked at all four major networks: NBC, CBS, ABC and, currently, Fox.

Although ending his playing career with 1,501 hits, a .271 lifetime batting average, 97 dingers and 645 runs batted in, wasn't quite stellar enough to get him to Cooperstown as a player, he was the recipient of the 2012 Ford C. Frick award for broadcasting excellence and enshrined in the broadcasters' and sports writers' wing of the Hall of Fame, alongside his former colleague and friend, legendary Jack Buck, the father of his current Fox colleague, Joe Buck.

So for James Timothy "Tim" McCarver, the son of a police officer (fourth of five children), married to former Anne McDaniel since 1964 with two grown daughters, Kathy and Kelly, it has indeed been a road well traveled from his humble beginnings, coming as he did, from a working class Irish neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee to major league baseball star to national treasure and Hall of Fame recipient for his broadcasting excellence.

When it comes to encapsulating McCarver's illustrious broadcasting career and how much he'll be missed, no one sums it up better than George Vecsey of The New York Times, when he tells me: `` I will miss Tim on the broadcasts -- partially because we came along together, so to speak. But more to the point, he is sui generis, a former player who transcended that label.'' ``Essentially'', Vecsey underscores, ``he is a true believer, a smart, warm, honest guy. I hope he stays in the public ear.''

 

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

October 30, 2013

 

 

Cardinals vs. Red Sox Epic 7-Game Clashes: 1946 and 1967

The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals will meet in the Fall Classic for the fourth time on Wednesday evening. They first met in 1946, then again in 1967, both times the Cardinals won the decisive 7^th game to win the World Series. Not until 2004, when both teams met for a third time, did the Red Sox beat the Redbirds in a four game sweep to claim their six World Series title.

In 2004, the phenomenal pitching of Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez silenced the Cardinals most potent hitter, Albert Pujols, who went without a home run or even an RBI over four games.  And with the gargantuan thunder of Manny Ramirez (the Series MVP) and David Ortiz (``Big Papi’’) the Cardinals found themselves outmuscled in practically every phase of the game. Terry Francona, moreover, became the third manager in four years to win a World Series in his first year as manager.

Most noteworthy about the Red Sox 2004 world championship was their success in finally, at long last, exorcising  the ``Curse of the Bambino’’, the mother of all curses, which was supposed to have been inflicted on the team when Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees in 1919. The Bambino was a pitcher for the Red Sox in 1918, the last time they won a World Series prior to 2004.

The Sox struck gold again in 2007, again in a four game sweep, this time over the Colorado Rockies.

So while memories of the Sox latest clash with the Cardinals are still fresh in most people’s minds, memories are a little foggy of the epic battles between the Cardinals and Red Sox in 1946 and 1967.

So to refresh your memories, I put together individual game summaries of all seven games between the Cards and Sox from the 1946 and 1967 World Series’. My summaries are based on game stories and columns from the Boston Globe and The New York Times in those years. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to gain access to the St. Louis Dispatch archives.

 

Starting lineups for the St Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox on Game One of the 1946 World Series

Lineup for the Cardinals

Red Schoendienst-2b

Terry Moore, cf

Stan Musial, 1b

Enos Slaughter, rf

Whitey Kurowski, 3b

Joe Garagiola, c

Harry Walker, lf

Marty Marion, ss

 

Lineup for Red Sox

Tom McBride, rf

Johnny Pesky, ss

Dom Dimaggio, cf

Ted Williams, lf

Rudy York, 1b

Bobby Doerr, 2b

Pinky Higgins, 3b

Hal Wagner, c

 

Game One

October 6, 1946

Sportsman’s Park

Boston-3

St. Louis-2

Weatherman predicted it would rain all day, but it turned out to be a warm sunny day at Sportsman Park in St. Louis with 36,218 euphoric fans in attendance.

It took 28 years, but the Red Sox finally made to another World Series. In Game 1, Boston was held to four scattered hits in the first eight innings. In the 9th, they strung together three hits, including Tommy McBride's hit that tied the game. In the 10th, Rudy York deposited one in the last row of the bleachers to put the Sox up, 3-2.

In the bottom of the 10th, Earl Johnson, the 27-year-old war veteran, twice-decorated on the battlefield of Europe and cited for his valor in World War II, took to the mound to preserve the Red Sox lead.  Boston skipper Joe Cronin reportedly strolled to the mound to speak with his relief pitcher. He asked him, ``What was that battle you were in on the other side?”  ``The Battle of the Bulge’’ answered Johnson.  ``This isn’t that tough’’ Cronin assured his reliever as walked back to the dugout.

Thanks to a defensive blunder by shortstop Johnny Pesky on Red Schoendienst’s grounder; and a sacrifice by Moore, the Cards had a runner on second with only one out. But Johnson induced Stan Musial into a grounder to his second baseman, Bobby Doerr; and then Enos Slaughter lifted a fly ball to right center before Wally Moses pulled it down for the final out.

It was the first extra-inning World Series since 1924.

In the second inning, the Cardinals put in motion the celebrated ``Williams Shift’’, with third baseman Whitey Kurowski moving to normal second base position and second baseman Red Schoendienst shifting toward first. It worked like a charm. Ted Williams grounded to Red Schoendienst.

 

Game Two

October 7, 1946

Sportsman’s Park

St. Louis-3

Boston-0

The weather in Game 2 was an unseasonably warm 80 degrees with 35, 815 fans in attendance at St. Louis

The Cardinals took Game 2, 3-0, getting the best of Boston’s southpaw, Mickey Harris, to even the Series at a game apiece.

Ted Williams, ``Thumping Theodore’’ as the paper’s described him, went hitless in four trips to the plate. Boston manager Joe Cronin lost the services of his catcher Roy Partee with a bruised thumb.

Southpaw Harry Brecheen, from Broken Bow, Okla., a 15-game winner during the regular season was the hero of the day.  In Game 2, he tossed a four hit shutout, throwing the Sox a steady diet of screwballs they couldn’t handle.

According to newspaper reports, the game was finished inside of two hours.

Former Cardinals slugger Rogers Hornsby doing some analysis of the Series, reportedly said of Ted Williams: ``Williams is gonna be a great hitter, but he'll never be great until he learns to hit to every field.''

In the 3^rd, Brecheen slapped a single to right, scoring Rice to the put the Cards up 1-0. St Louis added two more runs in the 5th, when Terry Moore shot a ball in the hole that deflected off the second baseman's glove and rolled into right-center field. The second run of the inning was added with runners on corners and the Boston infield unable to turn a double play, allowing Brecheen to cross the plate from third.

 

Game Three

October 9, 1946

Fenway Park

Boston-4

St. Louis-0

Rudy York of the Red Sox smashed a three run home run in the 1^st off Murry Dickson, his second game winning dinger of the Series.  York, the 33-year old veteran was traded by the Tigers last winter on the assumption his playing days were all but over. The Sox added another run in the 8^th.  David Ferriss was superb on the mound in keeping the Cards off the scoreboard and limiting them to six hits with one walk as the Sox cruised to a 4-0 win to take a 2-1 lead in the Series. Ferriss’ gem was the 50^th shutout in World Series history. The last Boston pitcher to toss a shutout during a World Series was Babe Ruth, who blanked the Cubs in 1918. Boston was 61-16 at Fenway during the 46’ season. 34,500 fans were in attendance. In the third inning, Ted Williams unexpectedly laid down a bunt toward the vacant third base line once he saw, once again, the seismic shift to the right side of the infield.  Williams smiled as he easily made it to 1^st, knowing he had caught the Cardinals infield flat-footed.  Despite an unproductive day for ``The Kid’’, radio reporters still mobbed the slugger in the clubhouse after the game. Williams would only say, ``it’s not my day, it’s Ferriss’ and York’s; give them all the praise.’’

Newspapers reported that Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey's sister, Emma Ouerbacker, had a $2,500 diamond and emerald platinum ring, a $150 pair of diamond and gold earrings and $40 in cash stolen from her hotel room. Bleacher seats, which numbered about 8,500, didn’t go on sale until 9:00 a.m. that morning and sold out in about two hours. In attendance were Massachusetts Governor Maurice J. Tobin and Boston Mayor James M. Curley

 

Game Four

October 10, 1946

Fenway Park

St Louis-12

Boston-3

35,645 in attendance. After three remarkable pitching performances by both teams, Game 4 turned into a dud. Cardinals turned out 20 hits, squaring the Series at two games apiece. The Boston Globe wrote the Sox played ``like married men at a church picnic.’’ Three Cardinals had four hits a piece: Slaughter, third baseman Whitey Kurowski, right-fielder Wally Moses, and Joe Garagiola, the 20-year-old rookie catcher. Garagiola knocked in three runs, as did Cardinal shortstop Marty Marion. Every Cardinal had at least one hit, matching a feat accomplished by the Cardinals in the 1934 World Series, the Reds in 1919 against the White Sox and the Yankees in 1936. George Munger, the big read-head, who just a few months ago was serving with occupation forces in Germany was  on the hill for the Cards, limiting the Sox to 9 hits. In attendance were Leo Durocher, Joe DiMaggio, George Raft, Toots Shor, and Joe Louis. Enos Slaughter crushed a 400 foot home run in the second inning. Five Red Sox pitchers were summoned from the bullpen before the game was over.

The Boston Globe noted that Ted Williams failed to doff his cap to the fans at Fenway for the first time since 1941. The newspaper reported Williams agreed to tip his cap after having a private conversation with Bobo Newsom, the Washington Senators right-handed pitcher, an admirer of ``The Kid’’ as well as his favorite critic. Asked by the drubbing his team took, Ted Williams said, ``I’d rather lose that way than by 3-2 in 15 innings.

 

 

Game Five

October 11, 1946

Fenway Park

Boston-6

St. Louis-3

Behind the pitching of Joe Dobson (former relief pitcher for the Cleveland Indians), the 195 pounder from Durant, Okla., tossed a four-hitter as the Red Sox rebounded from a 12-3 drubbing in Game 4, beating the Cardinals 6-3 in front of 35, 982 fans without a cloud in the beautiful blue sky to take a 3-2 Series lead and needing just one more win for a World Series championship. If not for two errors by Sox shortstop Johnny Pesky (2^nd and 9^th inning) Dobson was in line for a shutout. Pesky did contribute three hits. The Boston Globe noted only three teams in World Series history, staked to a 3-2 lead, failed to win the final two games of the Fall Classic on the road: The Detroit Tigers in Cincinnati in 1940, the Washington Senators in Pittsburgh in 1925, and the New York Giants in Washington in 1924. The Globe additionally noted World Series winners will receive less money this year than in any series since 1918.  The Sox pounded Cardinals southpaw ace, Howie Pollet. A pair of doubles by Dom DiMaggio and Pinky Higgins inflicted the final blows to the Redbirds, as the Sox put three more on the board. Pollet, who had been so spectacular in his previous start, was knocked out in the 1^st after facing only four batters.  In the opening frame, Ted Williams aka ``Thumping Ted’’ stepped to the plate and drilled a liner to right, scoring Pesky, moving Dom DiMaggio to third and sending Pollet in for an early shower. Williams single was his fourth hit of the series and only his first RBI. The Cardinals had a scoring chance in the 4^th when Enos Slaughter stole second. Dobson, however, struck out Kurowski and Garagiola to end the threat. Al Brazle replaced Pollet. Leon Culberson smashed a curve ball against the left field screen, just over the scoreboard in the 6^th inning to put the Sox up, 3-1.

Arthur Daley of the New York Times notes Dobson’s four-hitter made him the hottest thing in town since the big Boston fire of 1872. Spotted in the stands in Game 5 were Lefty Grove, Carl Hubbell, Dizzy Dean, Mickey Cochrane, Jimmy Foxx, Bill Terry, Hank Greenberg, Rogers Hornsby, Frank Frisch, Al Simmons, Tris Speaker, and Harry Heilmann. Ted Williams moaned to reporters before the game, ``I got to get me some hits. This can’t go on forever.’’  The loss to the Red Sox must have seemed particularly painful for Cardinals manager Eddie Dyer who celebrated his 46^th birthday. After the game, the Cardinals announced they were officially shutting down their southpaw ace, Howard Pollet, due to a strained shoulder and side muscles that’s continuing to bother him.

 

Game Six

October 13, 1946

Sportsman’s Park

St Louis-4

Boston-1

35, 768 fans were in attendance. The Cardinals’ wiry left-hander Harry Brecheen from Broken Bow, Okla., frustrated Red Sox hitters all afternoon in a 4-1 win over the Boston to send the Series to a decisive Game 7 Tuesday at Sportsman Park in St. Louis. Boston was held to seven hits. Rudy York’s triple in the 7^th (and Doerr’s sac fly) accounted for the only Boston run. The Red Sox were highly favored to beat the Cardinals. Brecheen dazzled the home crowd in shutting out the Red Sox in Game 2 at Sportsman’s Park.

Boston Globe Headline: ``Williams an Enormous Flop in First Six Games-‘’ Harold Kaese of the Globe, writes: ``As matters stands, Williams is an enormous bust. In six games, he has made five singles and has batted in one run.’’ Kaese additionally questioned Boston manager Joe Cronin’s decision to have started Tex Hughson (20-11) in Game 1 instead of David Ferriss who posted a mighty impressive 25-6 record during the season. Kaese wrote, ``The Red Sox are in the curious position of having played six World Series games and having used their 25-game winner in only one contest-a shutout.’’

Grover Cleveland Alexander posed for photographers before the game. In his traditional post-game essay during the World Series for the Boston Globe, Ted Williams wrote: ``The Cat [aka Harry, the Cat, Brecheen] not only skinned us again, but this time he feasted on our flesh and scratched on our bones. Brecheen not only stuck the bats down our throats, but he broke them off inside us.’’

Arthur Daley in The New York Times notes, Ted Williams can't wait for this series to conclude so he can go hunting and fishing in South Dakota, ``far from the maddening crowd. `` Thus far in the series’’, Daley observes, ``the only fishing he's done has been fishing after third strikes and his hunting has consisted principally of hunting for base hits. Neither appeals to Temperamental Ted.’’ In Game 6, Williams slapped a single through the hole, his only hit of the game, bringing his Series batting average to a pedestrian .238.

Cardinal manager Eddie Dyer is one game away from winning the World Series in his freshman year as manager in the big leagues. A sac fly by Moore and some clutch hitting by Eddie Kurowski and Enos Slaughter enabled the Cards to put three runs on the board in the 3^rd inning. Walker doubled in the 8^th for the Cards fourth and final run of the game.

 

Game Seven

October 15, 1946

Sportsman’s Park

St. Lous-4

Boston-3

The Cardinals win their sixth world championship in nine trips to the World Series; only the New York Yankees with 10 had won more.

With the score tied at 3 in the bottom of the 8^th, Enos (Country) Slaughter of the Cardinals, slapped a single to center field. Cronin then brought in reliever Bob Klinger from the bullpen who retired the first two batters he faced. Harry Walker then stepped to the plate and laced a line drive double to left center, allowing Slaughter to peel around the bases and head for home. Johnny Pesky, after receiving the relay throw from the outfield, hesitated on his throw to the plate, which allowed Slaughter to slide home safely in a cloud of dust, to put the Cardinals up 4-3, a lead that was secured by a relief appearance by Harry Becheen in the top of the 9^th. After their win, the Cardinals lifted rookie manager Eddie Dyer on top of the shoulders and the celebration was in full bloom.

36, 143 fans were on hand. Johnny Pesky stood in the clubhouse after the crushing defeat to tell reporters, ``I’m the goat. It’s my fault. I’m to blame.’’ Pesky said, he never expected Slaughter would dash for home. ``I couldn’t hear anybody hollering at me above the noise of the crowd’’ the woeful Boston shortstop said. ``I gave Slaughter at least six strides with that delay.’’

But to hear the Cardinals tell it as echoed through Martin Marion: ``We won the World Series by stopping Williams.’’ During the series, Ted Williams managed only five singles, driving in one run, ending with a .200 batting average. It was Boston’s first World Series loss in 43 years. Harry Becheen came in for relief in Game 7 to secure his third win of the Series, becoming the first pitcher to win three World Series games since Stanley Covleski of the Cleveland Indians in 1920.

The Cards entered the World Series as a 7-20 long shot to beat the highly favored Boston Red Sox. Dom DiMaggio, the`` Little Professor’’ drove in all three of Boston’s runs.

It was announced that the winning share of each member of the St Louis Cardinals would amount to $3,757.04, while each Red Sox player would receive $2,052.03. The Cards ended up outscoring the Sox 28-20, outhitting them, 60-56, while committing only four errors to the Red Sox 10 miscues. The Boston Globe reported that Williams, looking almost on the verge of tears, sat in front of his locker staring mournfully at the floor for at least 30 minutes. Commissioner Happy Chandler stepped into the Sox clubhouse and patted Williams on the back, saying ``God love you Ted. ‘’ Williams replied: ``I never missed so many balls in all my life.’’

Stan Musial told reporters , ``Experience may have had a lot to do with it…These Red Sox are good...But we’ve been in this before…I want to say this for Boston, though- it was a great Series and they played wonderful ball, clean,  not any bickering, no dusters.’’

In the Cardinal clubhouse before the decisive Game 7, manager Eddie Dyer was chuckling over a letter he received from a woman from New York,  who charged the Redbirds were ``gangsters for having stopped Williams.’’

Before Game 7, Boston manager Joe Cronin presented Williams with a parting gift for the offseason, a book titled:  ``To Hell with Fishing.’’

 

 

1967 Starting Game One Lineups for the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox.

St Louis Starting Lineup

Lou Brock, LF

Curt Flood, CF

Roger Maris, RF

Orlando Cepeda, 1B

Tim McCarver, C

Mike Shannon, 3B

Julian Javier, 2B

Dal Maxvill, SS

 

Boston Starting Lineup

Jerry Adair, 2B

Dalton Jones, 3B

Carl Yastrzemski, LF

Ken Harrelson, RF

George Scott, 1B

Rico Petrocelli, SS

Reggie Smith, CF

Russ Gibson, C

 

1967 World Series

October 4, 1967

Game One

Fenway Park

St. Louis-2

Boston-1

``WE'LL WIN: ``I still say the Red Sox will win the World Series...we've been coming from behind most of the last few weeks and you'll see us come back again.''

-Carl Yastrzemski.

34,796 fans in attendance.  Cardinal’s ace Bob Gibson struck out five of the first eight batters he faced, finishing with 10 strikeouts, surrendering six hits before the afternoon was over. The Sox never were able to manage more than one hit in an inning off Gibson; his only walk came in the 9^th on a 3-2 pitch to George Scott. His only mistake pitch came in the third frame when he floated a slow hanging curve ball to pitcher Jose Santiago who proceeded to smack his second home run of the year. It marked the seventh home run hit by a pitcher in World Series history. Gibson threw 11 pitches to Rico Petrocelli, striking him out three times without Rico ever managing to put the bat on any of Gibby’s missles. Petrocelli was lifted for a pinch hitter in the 9^th. After Santiago’s blast, only two Red Sox runners reached second base. Gibson complained of a sore ankle after the game, but said he should be fine.  Gibson missed eight weeks during the regular season (returning in September) after breaking a bone from a liner on his right chin off the bat of the Pirates Roberto Clemente. Both of the Cardinal runs came from infield grounders off the bat of Roger Maris. Lou Brock slapped four singles in the game, while stealing bases in the third and seventh innings.

As reported by the Boston Globe, equal to the calamity of the Sox dropping Game 1 of the Series was that the stadium ran out of box lunches for members of the press; in addition, the hitting schedule of the teams got confused, preventing the Sox regulars from getting enough batting practice.  The Boston Globe columnist Harold Kaese was all over the team for playing Ken Harrelson in right who let a Roger Maris fly ball plop right in front of him.  ``Who thought Harrelson would get to the ball?, Kaese wondered?  ``Why should he, he can’t play the outfield.  Because Dick Williams is gambling that he will hit a long shot of importance, sooner or later, and that meanwhile, no tough flies will be hit in his direction.  ``The Red Sox are gambling’’ Kaese went on to write.  ``They’ve been gambling all season. Why should they stop now.’’

Spotted at Game 1 at Fenway, was former Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy, ailing patriarch of the Kennedy clan, who was wheeled into the game by sons Teddy and Bobby Kennedy.  Former Cleveland Indians ace Bob Feller who pitched (and lost) a World Series game in Boston 19 years ago, was also spotted hopping all over the box seats, chatting it up with old friends. Awed by facing the stellar Gibson, Yastrzemski hitless in four trips to the plate, said that `the St. Louis ace was the best pitcher they faced all year.’’ Gibson, who is no stranger to the World Series, won two games in 1964 and set a Series record of 31 strikeouts.

Las Vegas odds makers listed the Cardinals as 3-1 favorites to win the World Series after winning the curtain-raiser.  Oddsmaker Jimmy (The Greek) Snyder, meanwhile, listed the second game as even money. ``You pick em.’’

After the game, Ken Harrelson, a late pick up during the season, joked with reporters that he was the only man in baseball to have a better year than Yastrzemski. ``I went from Charlie Finely in Kansas City to the Red Sox and the World Series.’’

Seats, at least some seats, at Game 1 in Fenway reportedly were selling for $8 and $12.

The lead paragraph of Bud Collins Boston Globe column went as follows: ``Wednesday afternoon’s matinee at Fenway was over-priced and under-active, but at least it was the most forgettable game of the season.’’

 

Game Two

October 5, 1967

Fenway Park

Boston-5

St. Louis-0

With 35,188 fans in attendance on a dark cloudy drizzly Boston afternoon, Red Sox pitcher and Stanford graduate Jim Lonborg; the six-foot five inch right-hander pitched a one-hitter in a 5-0 win, throwing only 93 pitches and didn’t surrender a hit for seven and two-thirds. It was only the fourth one-hitter in World Series history.  His no-hit bid was ruined in the 8^th when Julian Javier slashed a double to right with two men out.   Lonborg had retired 19 consecutive St Louis hitters, until surrendering a walk, his only walk of the game, to Curt Flood in the seventh inning.

Curt Flood upset that Red Sox pitcher Jim Lonborg delivered some chin music to two off his teammates: Lou Brock and Dal Maxvill, threatened his team would retaliate against Carl Yastrzemski, their power hitter. When questioned about Flood’s comments, Longborg, said, ``What do they think I’m going to do, give them home plate?” Brock, on the other hand, wasn’t as nearly as incensed as Flood was about the brush back pitches. ``It’s legal and has been around a lot longer than the players participating in this World Series.’’

Triple-crown winner Carl Yastrzemski crushed a home run to right in the 4^th to give the Sox a one-run lead, and smashed another one over the Red Sox bullpen with two runners on in the 7^th to extend the Sox lead to 5-0. Yaz became only the 16^th player in World Series history to smack multiple home runs in a single World Series game, and the first since Mickey Mantle slugged two in Pittsburgh in 1960. Upset at being hitless in Game One, Yaz took some extra batting practice after Boston’s 2-1 loss, almost unheard of. During the season, Yastrzemski was reportedly paid an annual salary of $60,000, just enough to plunk down money on some post-season expenses, namely, the $2,000 he spent on World Series tickets for family and friends, his wife’s wardrobe for the trip to St. Louis cost him another $1,000 with taxes taking another $3,000 from his pocket. `` Joking with reporters, Yaz said he would only break even with a loser’s share of the World Series, ``so I’ve got to get a winning share.’’

Asked about Lonborg’s one-hitter, Cardinal catcher Tim McCarver, said, ``He threw a lot of breaking stuff and kept the ball down. When you can pitch like that consistently, you should come out ahead.’’

Former Yankees pitcher Don Larsen, the only pitcher to have tossed a no-hitter in the World Series (1956 against the Dodgers) watched Lonborg’s gem from his San Diego home and observed: ``I’d liked to have seen him get it…He did a fine job and I imagine he’s quite happy.’’

The New York Times report Game 3 at Busch Stadium in S. Louis will be well stocked at the concession stands, including its plans to have six tons of hot dogs, 500 half-barrels of beer, 6,000 cases of bottled bear, 5,000 pounds of popcorn, and 5,000 pounds of hamburger patties.

 

Game Three

October 7, 1967

Busch Memorial Stadium

Boston-2

St. Louis-5

As promised after Game 2 by Curt Flood, the St. Louis Cardinals took retaliation against the Red Sox, this time Cardinal pitcher Nelson Briles drilled slugger Carl Yastrzemski in the 1^st inning, and the Cardinals right-hander quickly became public enemy No. 1 in the Boston clubhouse. ``All I can say is now is that if those bush league_ _ _want to play baseball that way, that’s alright with me’’, Red Sox pitcher Jose Santiago told reporters after the game. Briles argued he was gripping the ball too hard-and it just got away from him.  Yaz took the plunking in stride, saying he would have been more upset and would have expected his team to retaliate if the ball was aimed at his head. Instead, the ball hit him squarely on the back of his left leg in the middle of the calf.

Even before Briles took to the mound, he attracted the wrath of the Red Sox when he told reporters a day before the game that the Red Sox are a ``weaker hitting team’’ than any team they face in the National League-including the Dodgers.

Lou Brock opened the game with a triple to left center and later scored on Curt Flood’s hard single to center. The Cardinals added two more in the next frame when Tim McCarver singled and scored on Mike Shannon’s majestic two-run shot into the left field seats. The Red Sox weren’t able to get on the board until the 6^th inning, when Dalton Jones slapped a single to right, scoring Mike Andrews. Lou Brock’s speed again (who reached by way of a drag bunt) helped the Cards score their fourth run in the bottom of the 6^th, when Boston pitcher Lee Stange rifled a ball to first in attempt to pick off Brock; only the ball hit the speedster on the back with the ball rolling down the right field line, allowing Brock to scamper to third. He later scored on Roger Maris’s single to right, his third RBI of the Series. In the 7^th, Reggie Smith brought the Sox to within striking distance (4-2) with a solo shot in the right field stands, but Boston wouldn’t score again. The Cards added another run in the 8^th   to extend their lead to 5-2. Yastrzemski turned in an uneventful day. After being drilled with a pitch in the first, Briles induced the slugger into hitting three routine grounders to Julian Javier at second.

By the time it was over, 54,575 at Busch Stadium saw Briles limit the Sox to seven hits in a complete game performance to put the Cards up in the Series, 2-1.

Sox pitcher Gary Bell was touched up for three runs in the first two frames.  He was replaced after two innings.

Despite the loss, Boston manager Dick Williams was so impressed with Gary Waslewski’s three perfect innings of relief (3^rd-5^th)-that he penciled him in to start Game 6 of the Series.

Commenting on the Yastrzemski plunking in the 1^st inning, Boston Globe writer Harold Kaese, opened up his column with the following words: ``The World Series has gone to war. The ABC of the third game was Antagonism, Belligerency, and Combativeness.’’

In addition to winning Game Three, the Cards were further encouraged seeing two of their key hitters, Orlando Cepeda and Tim McCarver break out of their hitless slumps in this Series.

 

Game 4

October 8, 1967

Busch Memorial Stadium

St Louis-6

Boston-0

54,575 fans in attendance. The game was over before it really even started as the Cardinals jumped on Sox pitcher Jose Santiago for four runs, when his usually effective curve ball was nowhere to be found. Roger Maris continued his hitting barrage, knocking in two of the Cards four runs in the 1^st frame, after drilling a double to the left-field corner. It was Maris’s 5^th RBI of the Series. They added two more in the third with a sac fly by Tim McCarver; Julian Javier doubled in the Cards final run.

Bob Gibson, brilliant in Game One, painted the corners again in yet another masterpiece in Game 4, shutting out the Sox 6-0 on five hits to put the Cards up 3-1 and pushing Boston to the edge of the cliff.  It was a complete game for Gibson, just like Game one. He beat the Yankees twice during the 1964 World Series. The Cardinal ace pitching on only three days’ rest, admitted to reporters he was tired and had to rely more on breaking pitches than his signature fastball.

Only two teams in World Series history have fallen behind, 3-to-1, and have gone on to win the Series: The Pittsburgh Pirates against the Washington Senators in 1925 and the New York Yankees in 1958 against the Milwaukee Braves.

Refusing to be discouraged over the Sox being shutout, Ken Harrelson told reporters after the game, ``I’ll knock one out of here tomorrow, just wait and see.’’

Asked if the playing for the Cardinals in the World Series is as thrilling as when he was with the Yankees, Roger Maris responded, ``They’re  all a thrill.  I just don’t think about the Yankees. That’s the past and this is now.’’

 

Game 5

October 9, 1967

Busch Memorial Stadium

Boston-3

St. Louis-1

On the brink of elimination, pre-med major Jim Lonborg was back on the mound again for the Sox. And the team is happy to report, the operation was successful.  Lonborg, the 24 year-old Californian, came with his golden arm again by allowing only three hits, and his shutout was intact until the 9^th when Roger Maris deposited one of his pitches into the right field seats. The blast came with two out. The Cardinals countered with a slender southpaw: Steve Carlton.  Ken Harrelson put the Sox on the board first in the 3rd, shooting a sharp single through the hole between short and third, scoring Joe Foy. Harrelson, whose defense has been called into question by Boston writers, flashed some leather in the 1^st by snagging Lou Brock’s hard hit line drive in right center.

Despite flirting with a no-hitter in his previous Series start, Lonborg told reporters he had better stuff today. Cards cleanup hitter Orlando Cepeda was 0-4 at the plate, and is now 2-19 in the Series with only one run batted in for the entire Series. He batted a hefty .325 during the season.

With the bases loaded in the 9^th, Elston Howard drove in two runs, looping a fly ball behind first base down the right field line and thanks to an errant throw to the plate by Roger Maris, the Sox were up 3-0.

Cardinals’ catcher Tim McCarver groaned to reporters that when in Boston, he didn’t like some of things he heard, read, and saw on television and on radio. ``Our ball club has respect for them’’.  McCarver said, ``but they don’t respect us.’’  More from McCarver: ``We played in a Series against the Yankees in 1964 and there was mutual respect. That’s the way big league players should be.’’

 

Game 6

Fenway Park

October 11, 1967

Boston-8

St. Louis-4

Rookie manager Dick William’s instincts worked like a charm in starting Gary Waslewski who entered the Series as a ``Who’s Who in Baseball’’, having been kicked around the minors for eight years. Except for getting roughed up in the 2<sup>nd</sup> and 7<sup>th</sup> frames, the 26 year-old’s money pitch, his sinker, worked well, at least well enough to keep the Sox hopes alive to chase their Impossible Dream in a 8-4 win over the Redbirds.  Equal to Waslewski’s solid performance, was the Sox putting together an impressive power surge in the 7<sup>th</sup> with three home runs (a World Series record) off Dick Hughes. The long balls were deposited by Carl Yastrzemski, Reggie Smith, and Rico Petrocelli. Petrocelli also homered in the 2<sup>nd</sup>. ``I never hit fastballs out’’ Rico told reporters, ``and two in one day.’’

Yastrzemski joined Babe Ruth (1923) and Ted Kluszewski (1959) in blasting three home runs over six games. In addition to his three hits, Yaz chased down Tim McCarver’s laser that he snagged right up against the left-field wall.

Lou Brock provided most of the offense for the Cardinals. He knocked in a run in the 3^rd and smacked a two-run homer in the 7th

So this sets the stage for another start for Bob Gibson, the 31-year old pitcher from Omaha,  in the deciding Game 7 at Fenway against the ``Team of Destiny.’’  Asked about the challenge, Gibby said, ``I’m looking forward to it. I know when I tried to pitch in a World Series against the Yankees with only two days rest, I got awful tired, and wore out after the third inning.’’

Lonborg will be pitching on only two days rest; Gibson will have had three days to prepare for the deciding game. Gibson won the first and fourth games of the Series; while Lonborg took the second and fifth game, limiting the Cards to four hits and one run over 18 innings.

 During the year, Longborg pitched twice with only two days rest, winning one of those in a shutout against Kansas City, and getting knocked out in the 3rd in the last week of the season against the Cleveland Indians.

 The Boston Globe noted the Red Sox were 100-1 underdogs to win the pennant when the season began. Boston came in 9^th out of 10 American League teams the year before; and nearly half the baseball experts predicted the Sox would finish dead last in 1967.

The Cardinals are preparing for their sixth World Series Game 7 in franchise history. They have never lost a Game 7.

Cardinal Cushing, the Archbishop of Boston, watched the game from a box seat at Fenway and was reported to have given the Sox a pre-game blessing.

The New York Times reported that Gil Hodges, who just accepted a position to manage the New York Mets, was milling around the batting cages just prior to Game 6.

 

Game 7

October 12, 1967

Fenway Park

St. Louis-7

Boston-2

The Red Sox Cinderella season came to a screeching halt before 35,188 frustrated fans, as Bob Gibson and the St Louis Cardinals soundly defeated the Sox in their home park, 7-2.  Gibson won the third game of the Series, surrendering only three hits and striking out 10. In three starts, the Cardinal right handed fireballer fanned a total of 26 over three games. Gibson joined six other pitchers who were 3-0 in World Series competition. Jim Longborg, working only on two days rest, was knocked out after six innings, have given up 10 singles, including a solo shot by Gibson and another three run blast by Julian Javier. When he walked off the mound for the final time at Fenway, tears were seen streaming down Longborg’s face. The only real cheer for the local crowd came in the 9^th inning, a standing ovation, when Carl Yastrzemski stepped to the plate for his final at-bat in the 9^th. He blistered a sharp single off of Gibson, much to the delight of the Boston fans.

Boston’s first hit didn’t come until the 5^th inning, when George Scott slammed a triple off the center field wall, and scored on a wild pitch to third. They tacked on another harmless run in the 8^th, but by then all the damage had been done.

Lou Brock went into the record books, stealing three bases, giving him seven swipes for the Series, a World Series record. Cardinal manager Red Schoendienst called the speedster the ``most exciting player in the whole show.’’

While a cavalcade of sad, disheartened souls departed Fenway, in St. Louis it seemed like Mardi Gras. The Boston Globe reported that in downtown St. Louis ` avalanches of paper streamed out of office windows.  Clerks and salesgirls ran through the streets littered with paper.’’  And when Bob Gibson fanned George Scott for the final out in the Cardinals 7-2 victory, crowded bars in St. Louis erupted into thunderous cheers; others banged pots and pans, while the streets were tied up in bumper to bumper traffic with horns wailing throughout the city.

In the Red Sox clubhouse, Carl Yastrzemski’s six year-old son, Mike, was reportedly holding back tears, while his father, Carl told reporters, ``Someone has to win, someone has to lose. It’s all part of the great game.’’ When everyone reminded Carl’s son what a great Series it was, he strongly disagreed. ``No, it wasn’t’’, little Yaz said, ``because the Sox lost.’’

Headline of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner: ``Color the Red Sox Blue’’

Mayor John Collins of Boston received the following telegram from the mayor of St. Louis, Alfonso J. Cervantes: ``Sorry about that chief.’’

After Game 7 had concluded, the following message came over the Boston Police Teletype: ``To all Districts and Units-There is no joy in Mudville tonight.’’

While leaving Fenway, Mrs. Barbara Carens Clapp of Wellesley, told a reporter from the Boston Globe that the Sox losing reminded her of a quote from the late Adlai Stevenson after failing in his bid to win the presidency in 1956: ``It hurts too much to laugh, and I’m too old to cry.’’

Lead paragraph of Bud Collins’s Boston Globe column: ``God isn’t dead, as some theologians have suggested. It’s just that He’s moved to St. Louis.’’

Tim McCarver, questioned about the lack of production from the Cardinals cleanup hitter, said: ``I don’t want to hear any criticism of Orlando Cepeda. He got us here.’’

After Game 7,  Cardinal great Stan Musial walked into the clubhouse, wrapped his arms around Cardinal manager Red Schoendienst and said, ``Let’s have a drink. We’ve had a few, haven’t we?’’ Musial and Schoendienst were roommates for more than a decade as Cardinal teammates.

The Red Sox prepared for a long cold winter knowing they hadn’t tasted a world championship since 1918, when Babe Ruth was on their club as a pitcher.

 

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

October 22, 2013

 

STATS and FACTS for Friday, October 18, 2013

Eye-Catchers of the Day

• Best zingers of the night from comedian Stephen Colbert at the Al Smith white-tie charity dinner, the annual gathering of New York’s Roman Catholic brass. 

The New York Times:

http://is.gd/NY8aAb

Addressing the populist bent of Pope Francis, saying that if the new pope had planned the event, “we wouldn’t be in white-tie at the Waldorf — we’d be in sweat pants at the corner booth of the IHOP.”

If Pope Francis had attended on Thursday, “His Humbleness would be out washing the feet of the coat-check guy or something,” Mr. Colbert said, adding, “We get it, you’re modest.”

 

• There are 29.8 million people living as slaves right now, according to new report  issued by the Australia-based Walk Free Foundation. http://is.gd/fTYbyZ

 

• Council on Foreign Relations: ``Student loan debt passed $1 trillion dollars in 2013—quadrupling since 2004—and was the only household debt that rose during the recent recession, surpassing auto loans and credit card debt. Only home mortgage debt was larger, at $8.5 trillion. Moreover, student loans have had the highest ninety-day delinquency rate among all loan types since mid-2012, according to the New York Federal Reserve.''

http://is.gd/XQo0Bv

 

STATS OF the DAY

• The Seattle Seahawks are 6-1 for the first time in franchise history.
• ESPN STATS: Since start of July, Boston Red Sox flame thrower Koji Uehara has a MLB-best 0.37 ERA and has walked 2 of 161 batters faced, including the postseason.
• 4 of the 5 ALCS games have been decided by one run.
• Youth unemployment in Spain (16 to 24 yr olds) has surged to 55.13%-BBC News
• Cook Political Report: ``House Democrats would need to win between 6 and 7 % more votes than House Republicans nationally in order to win the barest possible majority of 18 seats. ‘’
• NASA had spent $878,000 in the past two years on research into ways to deflect or neutralize asteroids that risk collision with Earth.
• AOL topped Google as the property with the most video ads watched last month, with 3.7 billion views compared to the YouTube parent's 3.2 billion.
• 40% Of YouTube traffic is mobile, up from 25% in 2012: Source: Tech Crunch: http://is.gd/NtkjIK
• The Social Security Administration paid benefits to about 61.9 million people in 2012.
• According to the Global Peace Index (GPI) from the Institute For Economics & Peace, the drug war in Mexico claimed twice as many lives as the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Over the last decade, employees' share of health care costs—including employee contributions and out-of-pocket costs—will have increased almost 150 percent from $2,011 in 2004 to $4,969 in 2014. Source: Aon plc, the leading global provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage. http://is.gd/hVchZ2

 

Surveys/Polls

• Poll: Pew Research Center for the People & the Press: The Tea Party is less popular than ever, with even many Republicans now viewing the movement negatively. Overall, nearly half of the public (49%) has an unfavorable opinion of the Tea Party, while 30% have a favorable opinion.

http://is.gd/qRYCdY

 

Top 25 Cities in the World

• Readers' Choice Awards as voted by CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER Readers

http://is.gd/MJJRJT

 

***

 

Today in History

October 18, 1954, Texas Instruments announced plans to sell the first transistor radio, which received AM stations for $49.95, the equivalent of more than $400 today. One year after the release of the transistor, sales approached the 100,000 mark. The radio receiver (technically known as n-p-n grown junction germanium triodes) measured 5 x 3 x 1 1/4 inches - the smallest set commercially available - with the semiconductor devices themselves occupying less than 1/10 of a cubic inch. The Regency TR-1 featured four germanium transistors operating on a 22.5-volt battery that provided over 20 hours of life

 

Word Origin

Politics

Politics comes from two Greek words: polis (city) and polites (citizen). Gradually the word came to be used to describe the art and science of government, as in ``political science’’ including the day to day professional management of political affairs both in local government as well as at the national level.

 

Looking For a Good Quote?

``If only God would give me a clear sign!  Like making a large deposit in my name at a Swiss bank.’’

-Woody Allen

 

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

October 18, 2013

STATS and FACTS for Thursday, October 17, 2013

Eye Catchers of the Day

• Washington Post Video: Key moments from the last day before the financial default deadline, when the Senate and House came together to pass a deal to reopen the government.

http://is.gd/9U0Eyd

• U.S. Default by the Numbers: Who Owns the Debt? Bloomberg TV

http://is.gd/sdSxgc

• New York Times World: Free digital and mobile access this week, in honor of the launch of The International New York Times  http://is.gd/2pINjV

• Blogger, author, and strategist Jeff Bullas took a dip into the 800 page filing for the Twitter IPO and came up with some remarkable data about the online social networking and microblogging service, including reporting Twitter generates 135,000 registered accounts every day, 58 million tweets a day, with 2.1 billion searches conducted on Twitter every 24 hours. This and a boat load of other data and fast facts about Twitter can be found at Bullas’ fact filled statistically rich article ``60 Sensational Social Media Facts and Statistics on Twitter in 2013’’

http://is.gd/RTWZ3R

• NBC News: Ohio lawmakers have given initial approval to a bill that would provide Ariel Castro's three kidnapping victims up to $25,000 for each year they were held captive, plus other benefits. http://is.gd/Im174Z

 

• Russia Preparing Property Restrictions for Foreigners ¬ Paper

MOSCOW, October 16 (RIA Novosti) ¬ Russia is drafting changes to the law that will bar foreigners from owning or renting real estate in the country without official permission, a state-owned newspaper said Wednesday. The law could come into force by 2015, officials told the paper.

 

STATS OF THE DAY

1.)    Despite the ALCS tied at 2-2, the Boston Red Sox have held the lead for just 4 of 36 total innings played.

2.)    MLB Stat of the Day: Since the ALCS expanded to 7 games (1985), the winner of Game 4 in 2-2 series has gone on to win twice (Indians in 1995, Yankees in ‘98).

 

• The average literacy score for Americans ages 16 to 65 places the U.S. 18th out of 22 participating countries. In numeracy, the U.S. ranks 20th out of 22. In “problem-solving in technology-rich environments” -- a measure of the capacity to interact productively with computers -- the U.S. comes in 14th out of 19th, according to The Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development which evaluates the skills of adults in 24 countries. http://is.gd/bfQQhK  .
• Student loan debt now exceeds credit card debt in the U.S. which stands at about $798 billion.
• The S &P estimates the 16 day government shutdown took at least $24 billion out of the U.S. economy.
• Forbes Magazine lists American business magnate, investor and philanthropist, Mark Cuban net wealth at $2.5 billion.  Cuban was acquitted Wednesday of insider-trading charges when he sold his shares in an Internet company in 2004.
• According to a  GAO report, interest on the national debt plus entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare –– will absorb approximately 92 cents of every single dollar of federal revenue before the end of this decade.
• In the 2012 presidential election, 47% of Americans used the internet as a main campaign news source surpassing newspapers (27%), radio (20%) and magazines (3%), but still trailing television (67%); just one of 12 trends shaping digital news as compiled by the Pew Research Center. http://is.gd/pWpGGG
• Benchmark crude for November delivery gained $1.08, or 1.1 percent, to close at $102.29 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The price of oil rose 1 percent Wednesday as the U.S. Senate announced a deal that avoided defaulting on its debt. The average price for a gallon of gasoline at the pumps rose 1 cent to $3.36, 16 cents cheaper than a month ago and 41 cents less than at this time last year.
• Russia is set to overtake Germany to become the largest car market in Europe by 2020 and the fifth largest market in the world by then, according to Boston Consulting Group.
• In 2013, 795,000 people in the United States will have a first or recurrent stroke; 1 in six people worldwide will have a stroke in their lifetime-American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

 

Polls/Surveys

• The Conservative Intelligence Briefing: New Jersey Poll: N. J. Gov Chris Christie (56% ) is more popular than Bruce Springsteen, ``The Boss’’ (46%) in the Garden State.

http://is.gd/EtsaIb

 

• ``Gimme Shelter'' is listed as the greatest Rolling Stones' song of all-time by Rolling Stone Magazine

http://is.gd/EeByJm

 

Today in History

October 17, 1931, Chicago gangster Al Capone is found guilty in federal court on five of the 23 charges brought against him. He was found guilty of three counts of federal tax evasion for the years, 1925, 1926, and 1927. ``Scarface’’ as he was known, was additionally found guilty of two misdemeanor counts of ``willing failure’’ to file a tax return for 1928 and 1929. A week later, on October 24th, he was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. In addition to his prison term, he was slapped with a $50,000 fine and $30,000 in court cost fees. Capone first started serving his sentence in Cook County Jail. On May 4, 1932, he was transferred to Atlanta at one of the toughest penitentiaries in the country. Once authorities learned he was receiving the comforts of prison life denied to other prisoners, he was transferred again, this time to Alcatraz (located on an island in San Francisco Bay) on August 18, 1934, where he was assigned to cell 181 and was given the prison number 85. After his mental capacity increasingly deteriorated at Alcatraz, he was released in November, 1939, after serving six years and five months at which point he entered the Baltimore State Mental Institution.

 

Word Origin

Galvanize, meaning to spur to action, according to William Morris'`` Dictionary of Word and Phrases’’, comes from an 18th century Italian physiologist, Luigi Galvani, who discovered quite by accident that he could ``galvanize’’ frogs and other animals he was working with, by subjecting them to electric shock.

               

Looking For a Good Quote?

``Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.’’

-          Albert Einstein

 

-          Bill Lucey

[email protected]

October 17, 2013

STATS and FACTS for Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Eye-Catchers of the Day:

• The Top Ten Reasons The Government Shutdown Isn't All Bad (Posted by a group of Republican Senators)

 http://is.gd/cJZ7xj

• What happens in a US debt default?

Q & A: BBC http://is.gd/gxpHEW

• Vote for the 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees: Rolling Stone Magazine http://is.gd/u2PACz

 

• ESPN Picture Graph: 21 countries have qualified for the 2014 World Cup. 11 more will do so in Nov. playoffs

http://is.gd/7RssZP

 

 

STATS  OF THE DAY

• By 2020, an estimated one-fourth of American workers will be 55 or older, up from 19 percent in 2010.
• The most calories for a single item at McDonald's is the chocolate McCafe shake with whipped cream and cherry-700 calories;  the lowest caloric burger or sandwich is theircheeseburger-300 calories.
• The St. Louis Cardinals flame thrower Trevor Rosenthal has not allowed a run in 11 career post-season appearances.
• The Dodger’s Yasiel Puig is batting .600 (9-for-15) through four home postseason games, the highest home average in MLB.
• ESPN: ``Justin Verlander is the first pitcher in postseason history to be the starter in two games in which his team lost 1-0 in a single postseason.’’
• Just 45 % of Americans were vaccinated during last year's flu season, according the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
• According to the Washington Post, stretching back to 1980, the debt ceiling has been raised 42 times. It was raised 17 times under Ronald Reagan, 4 times under Bill Clinton and 7 times under George W. Bush.
• According to the Corruption Perceptions Index (2012) Denmark, Finland and New Zealand tie for first place as being the least corrupt countries, based in part on their strong access to information systems and rules governing the behavior of those in public positions, while Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia are the most corrupt countries based predominantly on their lack of accountable leadership and effective public institutions.
• Former Fox News commentator Liz Cheney has raised $1.027 million since she announced in July her intention to challenge Mike Enzi (R-WY) for his senate seat.  Enzi, by contrast, has earned $847,646 during that same time period.

 

 

Polls/Surveys

• Harris Interactive Poll:  Dallas Cowboys are the favorite team of adults who follow professional football. The Green Bay Packers move up one spot to number 2 and the Denver Broncos make one of the largest moves on the list, going up 14 spots to 3^rd from a tie for 17th in 2011. Rounding out the top five favorite football teams are the New York Giants, up three spots from 7th to 4th, and the New England Patriots, who drop from number 4 to number 5.

http://is.gd/UVamUD

• Esquire-NBC News survey: just 1 in 4 support immigration reforms that would provide a path to citizenship for those who came here illegally.

http://is.gd/qaWL2Q

• The latest ABC News/Washington Post poll: An all-time high 74 percent of Americans disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling Washington’s budget crisis; 53 percent, by contrast, disapprove of Obama’s work on the issue-21 points lower than disapproval of the Republicans.

http://is.gd/1HZSsh

• The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research: Among Americans ages 50 and older who currently have jobs, 82% expect to work in some form during retirement.

http://is.gd/guicRK

 

• Pew Internet & American Life Project: As of May 2013, some 15% of American adults ages 18 and older do not use the internet or email. Another 85% of U.S. adults do go online.

http://is.gd/Pe0v0I

 

Today in History:

October 16, 1997: The first page one color photo appears in The New York Times.

A Footnote: The first color photo believed to have appeared on page one of a major newspaper was on October 21, 1959, when the Minneapolis Star ran an Associated Press color photo of the funeral of General C. Marshall. On June 8, 1939, AP transmitted a half-tone color picture of President Roosevelt and King George VI from the nation's capital.

 

Word Origin:

Cushy: The word ``cushy'' as in ``cushy job'', comes from a Hindi word khushi, meaning ``pleasant'' --a slang expression used by the British in India.

 

Looking For a Good Quote?

``             The boisterous sea of liberty indeed is never without a wave.''

-Thomas Jefferson

 

 

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

October 16, 2013

STATS and FACTS for Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Eye-Catchers of the Day

• Washington Post http://is.gd/YC7hCd: ``During a single day last year, the NSA’s Special Source Operations branch collected 444,743 e-mail address books from Yahoo, 105,068 from Hotmail, 82,857 from Facebook, 33,697 from Gmail and 22,881 from unspecified other providers, according to an internal NSA PowerPoint presentation.’’

 

• AP INTERACTIVE: The clock is ticking: U.S. debt ceiling primer:

http://is.gd/WZKjCJ

Without a hike in the legal limit by Oct. 17, the Treasury Department will have to choose who gets paid on time and who gets paid late, which could trigger a default on U.S. obligations — something many experts describe as catastrophic.

 

• The New York Times: http://is.gd/erMX5J

Turning the Page (Historic Graphic)

On Tuesday, The International Herald Tribune will become The International New York Times.

****

 

STATS OF THE DAY:

• ESPN STATS: ``The 9 points by the Colts [in their 19-9 loss to the Chargers Monday night] matches their fewest in a game with Andrew Luck as starting QB.’’
• Peyton Manning, Phillip Rivers, Andrew Luck top 3 ranked quarterbacks in the NFL this season: ESPN http://is.gd/CVI16G
• According to Focus (a German weekly news magazine published in Munich) 68% of Germans believe their country's mission in Afghanistan was a failure; only 23% say it was a success.
• Tech Crunch http://is.gd/HwAQ3i  ``In September, Yahoo reported 350 million monthly active mobile users, up from 300 million reported for February 2013 in its 2012 annual report. ‘’
• According to The Federal Bureau of Investigation preliminary findings of its annual Uniform Crime Report for 2012, The South has been responsible for 82% of executions; the Midwest 12%; and the West 6%. The number of people on death row in the U.S. dropped to 3,082, marking the eleventh consecutive year in which the size of death row decreased. Florida, California, Texas, and Arizona accounted for half of all inmates sentenced to death. The report noted that in 2011 Illinois became the latest state to abolish the death penalty.
• The percentage of insured workers with a deductible of $1,000 or more for single coverage jumped to 34 percent in 2012 from 12 percent in 2007, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust. http://is.gd/NeMbLK
• According to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, if the debt limit is not raised, preventing the Treasury Department from borrowing, the government will only be able to pay bills with the cash it has on hand, which is about $30 billion per day.
• A statistical analysis by Moody’s Analytics, Inc. shows that increased political uncertainty since the recession hit in 2008 has lowered real GDP by close to $150 billion, reduced employment by 1.1 million jobs, and increased unemployment by 0.7 percentage point.
• Most recent data shows the U.S. GDP growing at an annual rate of 1.3 %

 

Findings from the Ultra High Net Worth (UHNW) Wealth Report: 2013 http://is.gd/gwFyC6

• Wealth-X has identified 2,170 billionaires globally, with a total net worth of $6.5 trillion (U.S. dollars), equal to 23 percent of the world’s UHNW total wealth.
• Although the United States and Europe grew faster than Asia in the past 12 months, Wealth-X forecasts that Asia will generate more UHNW individuals and wealth than both regions in the next five years.
• At the current growth rates, Asia’s UHNW population and wealth will eclipse that of Europe in 2021 and 2017 respectively.
• The global UHNW population continues to be dominated by men, who form 88 percent of the total population, as well as self-made individuals, who form 65 percent of the world’s wealthiest individuals.
• Latin America was the only region to suffer a decline, with both its UHNW population and total wealth falling by 600 individuals and $75 billion respectively.
• As Europe’s growth weakens, Asia’s economies will continue to strengthen. The region’s wealth is expected to overtake Europe by 2017.
• 32 percent of US UHNW individuals’ net worth is held in liquid assets, the highest percentage out of all focus countries.
• UHNW women hold $1.2 trillion (U.S. dollars) in wealth in the US, more in dollar terms than any other country.
• Massachusetts was the fastest growing state in the past 12 months, increasing by over 35 percent to become the 10th most populous state in the country, up from a ranking of 17 last year.
• Pennsylvania was the state with the biggest absolute loss of UHNW individuals, with 50 fewer than the year before.

 

Blessed are the peacemakers; so why was Vladimir Putin overlooked?

Interfax

October 11, 2013

Russian commentators have largely criticized the Nobel Committee's decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Prominent pro-Putin commentator Sergey Markov said that the Nobel Committee was unable to give Russian President Vladimir Putin the award because of "Russophobia" and "anti-Russian hysteria". Others called the award "unfair", a "stupid action" and a "politically clever choice". 

He noted, however, that, ``despite the fact that the Nobel Committee did not decide to award the peace prize to Putin, it is precisely Putin who is the real winner "in the eyes of public opinion.’’

"The prize for the OPCW is a politically clever choice but looks like a cunning move and a way not to give the prize to those who averted a war in Syria.’’

Explaining his critical stance towards the Nobel Committee's decision, [United Russia MP Iosif] Kobzon said: "Precisely Putin launched the mechanism for chemical disarmament in Syria, precisely the Russian leader convinced Syrian President Bashar al-Asad to join the convention on banning this type of weapon."

"Putin launched this mechanism, the mechanism was awarded the peace prize but the author of the idea was not," Kobzon said.

Head of the Russian State Duma's International Affairs Committee Aleksey Pushkov said that the prize is being given in advance. tweeted: "They have started giving the Nobel Prize in advance: first to Obama for fine speeches but not for actions, and now the OPCW which has just started working in Syria.’’

 

***

Today in History

October 15, 2005, The Iraqi constitution was approved by voters in a referendum. It was drafted by members of the Iraqi Constitutional Committee to replace the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL), the law of administration for Iraq prepared by the Coalition Provisional Authority during the transitional period. More than 78 percent of 9.8 million voters approved the document. 63 percent of eligible voters turned out to vote.

 

Word Origin

Crocodile Tears: The word crocodile comes from ancient Greek and Egyptian folklore. Specifically, it comes from the Greek krokodeilos. According to legend, a giant lizard attracted its victims by loud moaning, including the shedding of tears while it devoured them.

 

Looking For a Good Quote?

``Politics is the study of who gets what, when, and how.’’

-Harold D. Lasswell, U.S. political scientist

 

 

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

October 15, 2013

STATS and FACTS for Monday, October 14, 2013

Boston Red Sox Team Motto: ``Find a Way!’’

Elias Sports Bureau: `` Teams with a 5+ run lead in a postseason game are 459-14 (.970).''

ESPN STATS: ``The [Boston] Red Sox win probability was as low as 3.8 percent with 1 out in the 8th.''

Predicted Headline in Monday's Boston newspapers: ``GRAND PAPI!''

ESPN Recap of Dramatic Game 2 of the ALCS

http://is.gd/4ayjv5  

****

STATS of the Day:

• 91% of Americans own cell phones, 56% own a smartphone. There will be 100 to 150 million new high-end smartphone users annually over the next two years,

 

• There are 218.3 million monthly active users on Twitter.

 

• Almost three out of four U.S. adults (71%) watch local television news, 65% view network newscasts, and 38 % view cable TV news over the course of a month, according to Nielsen data from February 2013. About 38% of Americans access news online at home via a desktop or laptop computer.

 

• With output of more than 10 million barrels per day for the last two quarters, its highest in decades, the United States is set to become the largest non OPEC liquids producer by the second quarter of 2014, overtaking Russia.

 

• The U.S. holds about 30 % of the world's financial assets.

 

****

 

Surveys/Polls

• Gallup Poll http://is.gd/BMvWqf : Amid the government shutdown, 60% of Americans say the Democratic and Republicans parties do such a poor job of representing the American people that a third major party is needed.

 

• Biggest Reasons Women Have Abortions? Financial reasons (40%); timing (36%), partner related reasons (31%), and the need to focus on other children (29%) Source: BMC Women's Health 2013 13:29 http://is.gd/rJkrF2

 

• Financial Conditions of U.S. Cities? A majority of city finance officers (72%) report that their cities are better able to meet financial needs in 2013 than in 2012, according to the National League of Cities: http://is.gd/403ocG

 

• Levada Centre Poll http://is.gd/rFYSVm  : Russians' attitude toward the United States is worsening. 71% feel the U.S. are ``hypocritically'' trying to make other countries observe the rules of international law, while they don't always obey them itself." 50 % of respondents have a negative view about the United States ‘role in the modern world in general.

 

***

 

Controversy continues to hover around the word ``Redskins'' in Washington's football team, ever since President Obama in an interview with the Associated Press said if he were  the owner of the team, and knew the term (``redskins’’)was offending ``a sizeable group of people'' , he'd think about changing it.

Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, however, remained defiant, saying he will ``NEVER!'' change the name.

On NBC’s Sunday Night Football halftime show last night, Bob Costas fired a missile at the team name:

``Think for a moment about the term “Redskins,” and how it truly differs from all the others. Ask yourself what the equivalent would be if directed towards African Americans, Hispanics, Asians or any other ethnic group. When considered that way, “Redskins” can’t possibly honor a heritage or noble character trait, nor can it possibly be considered a neutral term. It’s an insult, a slur, no matter how benign the present day intent.’’ 

So what's the origin of the word ``redskin''?  Has it always been considered a racial slur?

 

Ives Goddard, Senior Linguist in the Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History argues the following points in a 2005 journal article. http://is.gd/Y6ym5N

 

• The quotation "I am a Red-Skin" in the title is from a speech made by the Santee chief French Crow in a formal council with President James Madison in the President's House in Washington on August 22, 1812, as interpreted by John A. Cameron and officially recorded.

 

• The same expression was used by the Potawatomi chiefs Topinabee and Metea at a treaty conference in Chicago in August, 1821, as interpreted by Whitmore Knaggs and recorded by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft.]

 

• The word redskins reflects a genuine Native American idiom that was used in several languages, where it grew out of an earlier established and more widespread use of ``red'' and ``white'' as racial labels.

 

****

 

Halloween Costumes, 2013

 

What's Trending?

 

• At Beyond Costumes in Yonkers, N.Y http://is.gd/rSvgo3  : ``With the release with The Great Gatsby, all of the 1920 looks are trending; also ``The Fox'' has been huge since the music video. Some of the creative costumes are those looking to recreate the Edward Gorey illustrations, a dark Victorian look. Movies like Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland and other fairy-tale characters are still very popular along with superheros pirates and gladiators.''

 

• At the Garment District in Cambridge, MA http://is.gd/1jI4fO  : ``Among all of the classic costumes, some of this year’s trends so far have been Breaking Bad, Miley Cyrus, and Game of Thrones.  We have a giant section of pre-owned costume elements, so a lot of customers have been piecing together their own costumes in order to have a totally unique costume (as well as save some money!). One of my favorite customer costume ideas so far this year has been a mother and her young son – she got a costume for Daenerys from Game of Thrones, and got a dragon costume for her son.''

 

• At Mallatt's Pharmacy and Costumes in Madison. WI  http://is.gd/sinIAc  : ``Cannot keep enough fox ears and tails as well as fox colored makeup on the shelf. The most requested look for men is "Heisenberg" persona of Walter White from the TV show "Breaking Bad", especially the facial hair and glasses. The second favorite looks are the boys from "Duck Dynasty." Women are sticking with the classics like zombies and other dead and undead creatures, these looks are easily created with stage quality makeup and a trip to goodwill, followed by renaissance/medieval dresses reminiscent of the "Game of Thrones." Katniss Everdeen from the "Hunger Games" also remains popular.''

 

• At Ricky's NYC in Manhattan: http://is.gd/AShX83  : Adults-Women: Wonder Woman, Flapper, Wizard of oz, Ninjas, Sexy superhero/Men: Prisoners/Jailbirds, Superman, Spider-Man, Kenny Powers, Mad hatter.

***

 

Today in History:

10 Year Anniversary

October 14, 2003: In the 8th inning of the NLCS between the Chicago Cubs and Florida Marlins at Wrigley Field with the Cubs staked to a 3-0 lead, a 3 games to 2 lead in the best of 7 series and just five outs away from winning their first NL pennant since 1945, Marlins second baseman Luis Castillo lifts a fly ball down the left field line. A star-crossed fan, Steve Bartman, lunged for the ball, preventing Cubs left fielder Moisés Alou from catching it. The Marlins ended up scoring 8 runs in that nightmare of an inning, beating the Cubs 8-3. They beat the Cubs (9-6) again the following night to secure the pennant and advance to the World Series against the New York Yankees.

                See video of the infamous catch: http://is.gd/YejW6M

 

 

Word Origin

``Sticking to your guns’’ (refusing to compromise); Originally a military phrase, when in the field of battle: ``sticking to your guns’’ meant remaining at your post despite being under constant siege.

 

Looking For a Good Quote?

``Always forgive your enemies-but never forget their names.''

-Robert F. Kennedy

 

 

  -Bill Lucey

 October 14, 2013

 [email protected]

FACTS and STATS for Friday, October 11, 2013

FACTS and STATS for Friday, October 11, 2013

 

Via ESPN: ``Justin Verlander's last four starts: 27 innings, 15 hits, 0 runs, 6 walks, 43 strikeouts. ''

Justin Verlander hasn't allowed a run since September 18^th. 

 

STATS of the DAY

• How much has Congress been paid since the government shutdown?  $2,600,000

• Rookie MLB starters have lost all 6 of their winner-take-all postseason starts from 2011 to 2013

 

• 4  MLB starters have multiple wins in winner-take-all postseason games-- J.Verlander, B.Gibson, C.Carpenter & M.Cain

 

• Matt Ryan, Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger will combine to make $55.1 million this season. Their teams are a combined 1-14.

 

•   N.Y. Giants are 0-6 for the 1st time since 1976 (started 0-9).

 

• Asia-Pacific countries collectively represent more than half of the world's GDP, 44 percent of world trade and 40 percent of world population.

 

• There are 32 million Americans who at present have no medical insurance.

 

**

 

Public Opinion Polls over the government shutdown have been coming thick and fast:

 

• Gallup: Eighteen percent of Americans are satisfied with the way the nation is being governed, down 14 percentage points from the 32% recorded last month before the partial government shutdown began. This is the lowest government satisfaction rating in Gallup's history of asking the question dating back to 1971.

http://is.gd/CHvkE4

• WSJ/NBC poll: 53%  blame Republicans for the shutdown v 31% who blame Obama.

http://is.gd/fEL7ql

• If you could, would you vote to defeat, replace every member of Congress, including your rep? Yes 60%/ No 35% NBC/WSJ    http://is.gd/19bH44 

 

How the Government Shutdown is affecting every agency: Washington Post Graphic http://is.gd/mfFOT0

 

***

Snippets from International Headlines

 

Moscow has no illusions with regards to destruction of Syria's chemical weapons

 

• MOSCOW, October 10 (Itar-Tass)

Russian Foreign Ministry's spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Thursday that Moscow did not have any illusions with regards to when chemical weapons in Syria could be destroyed because the process was unlikely to be smooth. "We do not have any illusions about the fulfillment of this complicated task, especially the deadlines which have been set,"

 

"It is clear that the destruction of chemical weapons will not go smoothly. Apart from the hard situation in Syria, some chemical weapons facilities may be located in areas of military hostilities," Lukashevich emphasized.

 

• According to a report this week by Credit Suisse, China now has 6% of the world’s total of ultra-high-net-worth individuals, or those with fortunes in excess of $50 million. That’s second only to the United States, which commands nearly half the world’s total.

Wall Street Journal: http://is.gd/1Pht27

 

• CHINESE researchers may have found the cure for a hangover before it takes hold - lemonade. The Independent reports research from Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou which explains why lemonade, such as Sprite or Schweppes, could be the trick.

http://is.gd/ShSXJQ

 

Today in History:

October 11, 1975: ``NBC's Saturday Night'' (later changed to `` Saturday Night Live'') premieres with Don Pardo introducing the cast on the first show as the "The not for ready, prime time players" instead of their actual name as "The Not Ready For Prime Time Players." The original cast, included: Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman, and Garrett Morris.

Comedian George Carlin was the first host with two musical guests: Billy Preston and Janis Ian.

 

Word Origin

``Pomp and circumstance’’, a phrase used by Sir Edward Elgar for his composition played at high school graduations was originally used in Shakespeare's Othello: ``Pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war..'' According to William Morris' ``Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins’’, ``Circumstance’’ comes from two Latin words, circum and stare and originally meant ``standing around.'' In the age of Shakespeare it meant any formal show or ceremony.

 

Looking For A Good Quote?

``The fact is, that the public have an insatiable curiosity to know everything, except what is worth knowing.''

-Oscar Wilde

 

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

October 11, 2013

 

STATS and FACTS for Thursday, October 10, 2013

STATS and FACTS for Thursday, October 9, 2013

 

Adam Wainwright 5-0 with a 1.25 in his last 6 home starts, threw 48 curveballs on Wednesday, his most in any start in last 5 seasons.

Other Stats of the Day

• Sonny Gray, who holds a 1.85 ERA in his last 7 starts (including GAME 2 of the ALDS) will start the decisive Game 5 for Oakland A's.

 

• The Boston Red Sox outscored the Tampa Bay Rays 25-12 in the 4 games, while hitting .300 with runners in scoring position compared to the Rays' .179

 

• The Indianapolis Colts Andrew Luck is 5 for 5 getting a 1st down when scrambling on 3rd down , a big improvement from last year when he was just 9 for 14

 

• The Kansas City Chiefs are 2nd team in NFL history to have worst record in the NFL, then start 5-0 the following season. The other team was the 1956 Lions.

 

• Eli Manning is completing 53.7% of his passes this year, 3rd-lowest rate in NFL.

 

 

 Calling her one of the nation’s foremost economists and policy makers.” President Obama nominated renowned economist Janet L. Yellen to be the first woman to head the Federal Reserve System.

Interesting profile on her from the Brown Daily Forward, the student newspaper of her alma mater.

``Yellen has a documented ability to predict the direction of the economy — a crucial skill for the Federal Reserve chair position, [John] Kwoka [profesor of economics at Northeastern University] said. According to a July 2013 Wall Street Journal article that “examined more than 700 predictions made between 2009 and 2012 in speeches and congressional testimony by 14 Fed policy makers,” Yellen’s ability to forecast the direction of the economy was the most accurate overall.''

http://is.gd/GA781Q

 

•  The Independent (London) reports: ``Scientists have hailed an historic “turning point” in the search for a medicine that could beat Alzheimer's disease, after a drug-like compound was used to halt brain cell death in mice for the first time.’’

The study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, was carried out at the Medical Research Council's (MRC) Toxicology Unit at the University of Leicester.

http://is.gd/NWbXYA

 

• An article from Kommersant, a nationally distributed daily newspaper published in Russia, outlines a gloomy picture for the future of Afghanistan once the U.S. pulls out for good in 2014 based on a classified report.

October 5, 2013 (?)

Report by Yelena Chernenko: "Three Predictions for Taleban"

Some bullet points from the article

 

• Afghan government does not control the situation in the country, while the Taliban movement's positions are becoming stronger all the time.

 

• More than 3,000 militants from Taliban, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Islamic Party of Afghanistan, and the Islamic Jihad Union are already operating in the northwest of Afghanistan from which its groups infiltrate into Central Asia through Afghan-Tajik border.

 

 

• "Neither the USSR (in Afghanistan) nor the Russian Federation (in the North Caucasus) nor the United States (in Iraq and Afghanistan) managed to achieve decisive successes in these kinds of wars."

 

• In to alleviate the threat, the Russian Federation will have to establish collaboration with the United States and other countries

 

 

• Where to get Census data during government shutdown?

Pew Research Center provides a tip sheet.

http://is.gd/iqU3Kn

 

• An unnoticed trend in the downsizing of newspapers has been the slashing of editorial writers and opinion pages.

Pew Research Center Study: http://is.gd/R047Su

 

 

• Plunkett Research, Ltd., the leading provider of industry sector analysis and research, released its annual list of industries with the best potential for job seekers.

Here's their top 30

1.) Personal care aides

2.) Home health aides

3.) Biomedical engineers

4.) Helpers-brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons and tile and marble setters

5.) Helpers-carpenters

6.) Veterinary technologists & technicians

7.) Reinforcing iron and rebar workers

8.) Physical therapist assistants

9.) Helpers-pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

10.) Meeting, convention, and event planners

11.) Diagnostic medical sonographers

12.) Occupational therapy assistants

13.) Physical therapist aides

14.) Interpreters and translators

15.) Glaziers

16.) Medical secretaries

17.) Market research analysts and marketing specialists

18.) Marriage and family therapists

19.) Brickmasons and blockmasons

20.) Physical therapists

21.) Dental hygienists

22.) Bicycle repairers

23.) Stonemasons

24.) Audiologists

25.) Health educators

26.) Pile-driver operators

27.)Medical scientists, except epidemiologists

28.) Cost estimators

29.) Mental health counselors

30.) Veterinarians

Source: Plunkett Research, Ltd.

 

• Today in History

October 10, 1896:, The New York Times begins a book review section, The Saturday Review of Books and Art, based on the assumption books can and should be treated as news.

 

• Word Origin

Hallelujah meaning jubilation is derived from two words in Hebrew: hallelu (praise), and yah (short for Yahweh, the Lord).

 

• Looking for a Good Quote?

``Fugit inreparabile tempus’’

`               ``Time is flying never to return’’

-          Virgil, Roman Poet, 70 B.C.-19 B.C.

 

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

October 9, 2013

STATS and FACTS for Wednesday, October 9, 2013

FACTS and STATS for Wednesday, October 9, 2013

 

October 9, 1915, President Woodrow Wilson, wearing  a navy greatcoat, became the first U.S. president to attend a World Series game, when he traveled to Philadelphia for a game between the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, accompanied by his soon to be bride Ediith Galt, herself, a rabid baseball fan. The couple were seated in box seats next to the Phillies dugout, which had been decked out with small silk flags. The game started five minutes late due to the president arriving late to the game. Despite his late arrival, the 28^th U.S. president was met with a thunderous roar from the 20,000 fans in attendance at the Baker Bowl. Wilson threw out the first pitch of the second game of the WS.

FACT: In 1924, Calvin Coolidge became the first president to throw the opening pitch of a World Series

FACT: Other presidential firsts: FDR was the first to attend an All-Star Game; Harry Truman, the first to throw out the first pitch at a night game; Richard Nixon threw out the first pitch on Opening Day; and Ronald Reagan became the first to watch a game while actually sitting in a dugout.

STAT: Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush are the only other presidents to have thrown out a World Series first pitch since Wilson.

 

October 9, 1912: The New York Times report on the throng of bystanders gathered to experience the paper's new electric scoreboard at Times Square to watch the New York Giants play the Boston Red Sox during game one of the 1912 World Series. The scoreboard allowed fans outside of the Polo Grounds-- for the first time-- to watch every play of a baseball game. At the time of publication, this was the largest crowd ever to assemble at Times Square.

 

October 9, 1966 – The Rolling Stones record their first LP, "Got Live if you Want It",  a recording of live concerts from October 1st and 7^th in Newcastle Tyne and Bristol while on their last UK tour. The Stones went into the studio on the 9^th to correct some audio imperfections.  They were never happy with the quality of the album and tried to disown it even though it leaped to No. 6 in the US in early 1967 and eventually went gold.

FACT: In August 2002, `` Got Live If You Want It!’’ was reissued in a new remastered CD and SACD digipak by ABKCO Records.

STAT: According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Stones have sold 66.5 million albums in the US. (#13 overall).

http://is.gd/AqMM46

STAT: the Stones have 91 million in worldwide certified album sales (ranking them 12^th), with estimated sales of $ 200 million, placing them in the top ten of all artists.

 

October 9, 1939: New York Times’ writer Meyer Berger introduces a new column: "About New York." Due to wartime paper shortages, Meyer discontinued the column, but it returned in 1953 and continued writing the column until his death in 1959. Meyer was the recipient of a 1950 Pulitzer Prize in local reporting for his 4,000 word story, chronicling the mass killings by Howard Unruh in Camden, New Jersey, who killed 13 people (including three children) during a random 12-minute shooting spree through his neighborhood on September 6, 1949. At the time of the murders, Unruh was 28 years old. Berger reportedly sent the $1,000 Pulitzer Prize money to the mass murderer’s mother.

FACT: After Berger’s death, the ``About New York’’ column wouldn’t be revived by the Times until 1979. A number of prominent journalists were custodians of the ``About New York’’ column, including:  Francis X Clines, Anna Quindlen, Bill Geist, Michael Kaufman, Doug Martin, David Gonzalez, and Dan Barry. Since 2007, the column has been under the capable stewardship of Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author, Jim Dwyer.

 

October 9, 1946, the Simmons Company of Petersburg, Va., manufactured the first electric blanket as hit the market with a $39.50 sticker price. The temperature was regulated by an "electronic" thermostatic control.

FACT: The first electric blanket was invented in 1912 by American physician Sidney I. Russell.

STAT: According to the Electric Blanket Institute, about 4.5 million electric blankets and electric mattress pads are sold in the United States every year. What's more, about 25 million to 30 million electric bed warmers are already in use. Europeans also purchase around 4 million pieces of warming bedding with the UK, Italy and Germany leading the way.

http://is.gd/dE7Nk7

 

STATS of the DAY:

• The Cleveland Browns are 3-0 and averaging 94.3 rush yards per game since trading Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts.

 

• The Atlanta Braves have failed to advance a round in their last seven postseason appearances. They last reached the NLCS in 2001.

 

• Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones leads the NFL in receptions (41) and total yards (248) after Monday night’s spectacular catch.

 

October is National Bullying Prevention Month:

 

• According to a CareerBuilder.com survey, 35 percent of more than 3,800 workers surveyed claimed that they had been bullied at their workplaces, 16 percent said they suffered from health problems caused by this bullying, and 17 percent said they were forced to quit because of bullying.

http://is.gd/W3EDfm

 

• At least 50 percent of teens have been bullied online according to the iSafe Foundation.

 

• One-million children on Facebook alone were harassed in 2011 as reported by Consumer Reports.

 

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

October 9, 2013