1.
1973 World Series
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The 1973 World Series matched the defending champions Oakland Athletics against the New York Mets with the As winning in seven games to repeat as World Champions. The New York Mets won the National League East division by 1 1⁄2 games over the St. Louis Cardinals then defeated the Cincinnati Reds and this was the first World Series in which all weekday games started at night. This was the last World Series in which each team produced, starting in 1974, Major League Baseball printed an official World Series program that was sold in both stadiums. The 1973 Mets.509 season winning percentage is the lowest posted by any pennant winner in league history. Injuries plagued the team throughout the season, the final standings, At 82–79, the 1973 New York Mets had the worst record of any team ever to play in a World Series. The 1973 New York Mets had the lowest winning percentage of any postseason team, Don Hahn and Mays alternated in center field, although they both batted right-handed. The 1973 NLCS went the full five games, and featured a now-famous brawl between Pete Rose and Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson, in the end, the Mets continued their improbable rise and bumped Rose and the rest of the mighty Reds from the playoffs. Willie Mays recorded the hit of his career in Game 2. In four World Series, Mays did not hit a home run. He hit only one in the postseason, during the 1971 NLCS—San Francisco Giants versus the Pittsburgh Pirates, Mays also fell in the outfield. He commented, Growing old is just a helpless hurt, the Oakland As secured the pennant by overcoming the Baltimore Orioles in the 1973 ALCS. The As, defending champions, still possessed a formidable lineup headed by a healthy Reggie Jackson, the pitching staff featured three 20-game winners, Ken Holtzman, Catfish Hunter, and Vida Blue, with Rollie Fingers serving as the As ace relief pitcher. The As offered entertainment both on and off the field in 1973, their uniforms were the perfect metaphor for a team notable for clashing personalities. The stars engaged regularly in conflicts with other and with owner Charles O. Finley. With the designated hitter rule in effect for the first time in 1973 and they were, however, expected to take their turn at the plate during each game of this Series. So it was that a man who had played no role during the regular season came to make a key batting contribution for the As during the Series. With some extra batting practice, As pitcher Ken Holtzman would stroke a double that helped the As to win Game 1—and another double that helped secure the deciding seventh game. This Series was also made famous when Oakland As owner Charlie O. Finley attempted to fire second-baseman Mike Andrews for his errors in Game 2, commissioner Bowie Kuhn would reinstate Andrews and fine Finley
2.
National League
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Both leagues currently have 15 teams. The two league champions of 1903 arranged to compete against each other in the inaugural World Series, after the 1904 champions failed to reach a similar agreement, the two leagues formalized the World Series as an arrangement between the leagues. National League teams have won 48 of the 112 World Series contested from 1903 to 2016, the 2016 National League champions are the Chicago Cubs. By 1875, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players was dangerously weak, additionally, Hulbert had a problem—five of his star players were threatened with expulsion from the NAPBBP because Hulbert had signed them to his club using what were considered questionable means. Hulbert had a vested interest in creating his own league. After recruiting St. Louis privately, four western clubs met in Louisville, Kentucky, Boston Red Stockings, the dominant team in the N. A. Hartford Dark Blues from the N. A. Mutual of New York from the N. A. St. Louis Brown Stockings from the N. A, the only strong club from 1875 excluded in 1876 was a second one in Philadelphia, often called the White Stockings or Phillies. The first game in National League history was played on April 22,1876, at Philadelphias Jefferson Street Grounds, 25th & Jefferson, the new leagues authority was tested after the first season. The National League operated with six clubs during 1877 and 1878, over the next several years, various teams joined and left the struggling league. By 1880, six of the eight members had folded. The two remaining original NL franchises, Boston and Chicago, remain in operation today as the Atlanta Braves, in 1883 the New York Gothams and Philadelphia Phillies began National League play. Both teams remain in the NL today, the Phillies in their original city, the NL encountered its first strong rival organization when the American Association began play in 1882. The A. A. played in cities where the NL did not have teams, offered Sunday games and alcoholic beverages in locales where permitted, the National League and the American Association participated in a version of the World Series seven times during their ten-year coexistence. These contests were less organized than the modern Series, lasting as few as three games and as many as fifteen, with two Series ending in disputed ties, the NL won four times and the A. A. only once, in 1886. Starting with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1887, the National League began to raid the American Association for franchises to replace NL teams that folded and this undercut the stability of the A. A. Other new leagues that rose to compete with the National League were the Union Association, the Union Association was established in 1884 and folded after playing only one season, its league champion St. Louis Maroons joining the NL. The NL suffered many defections of star players to the Players League, the Brooklyn, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and New York franchises of the NL absorbed their Players League counterparts. The labor strife of 1890 hastened the downfall of the American Association, after the 1891 season, the A. A. disbanded and merged with the NL, which became known legally for the next decade as the National League and American Association
3.
1969 Major League Baseball season
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The 1969 Major League Baseball season was celebrated as the 100th anniversary of professional baseball, honoring the first professional touring baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings. It was the first season of what is now called the Divisional Era, the winners of each division would compete against each other in a League Championship Series, then best-of-five, to determine the pennant winners that would face each other in the World Series. In a year marked by the expansion of the decade, the New York Mets. East Division with a league-best 100–62 record, and sweeping the N. L, West Division Champion Atlanta Braves in three games in the first National League Championship Series, the Miracle Mets became the first expansion team to win a pennant. East Division Champion Orioles, holders of the best record in baseball, West Division Champion Minnesota Twins in three games in the first American League Championship Series. The upstart Mets upset the heavily favored Orioles and won the World Series title in five games, in an effort to counteract a trend of low-scoring games, Major League Baseball adopted two measures during the Baseball Winter Meetings held in December 1968. The strike zone was reduced to the area over home plate between the armpits and the top of the knees of a batter. Also, the height of the mound was reduced from 15 inches to 10 inches. A save became an official MLB statistic to reward relief pitchers who preserve a lead while finishing a game, MLB called for a four-team expansion to take place in 1971 at the 1967 Winter Meetings, the first expansion since 1962. However, there was a complication, influential U. S, the Leagues agreed and moved expansion up to 1969, with the AL putting one of its new franchises in Kansas City. Ewing Kauffman won the bidding for that franchise, naming it the Kansas City Royals, the other AL team was awarded to Seattle. A consortium led by Dewey Soriano and William Daley won the bidding for the Seattle franchise, and named it the Seattle Pilots, a salute to the harbor pilots of the Puget Sound maritime industry. In the NL, one franchise was awarded to San Diego, California, arnholdt Smith, former owner of the AAA Pacific Coast Leagues San Diego Padres, won the bidding for the San Diego franchise, also naming it the Padres. Charles Bronfman, owner of Seagram, won the bidding for the Montreal franchise, naming them the Expos and this was the last NL expansion until the 1993 season. As part of the 1969 expansion, each league was to be split into two divisions of six each, with each league holding a best-of-five League Championship Series to decide the pennant. The AL was divided purely along geographic lines, but when it came to assign divisions in the NL and this alignment also addressed concerns that putting the leagues three strongest clubs—St. Louis, San Francisco, and the Cubs—in the west would result in divisional unequity, the Padres and Expos each finished with 110 losses and at the bottom of their respective divisions. The Royals did better, finishing 69–93 and in fourth in the AL West, the legal fallout of the battle would lead eventually to the expansion for the 1977 season
4.
Shea Stadium
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Shea Stadium /ˈʃeɪ/) was a stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City. Built as a stadium, it was the home park of Major League Baseballs New York Mets from 1964 to 2008. Shea Stadium was named in honor of William A. Shea and it was demolished in 2009 to create additional parking for the adjacent Citi Field, the current home of the Mets. The origins of Shea Stadium go way back to the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants relocations to the U. S. west coast, OMalley preferred to pay construction costs himself so he could own the stadium outright. He wanted total control over revenue from parking, concessions, New York City, in contrast, wanted to build the stadium, rent it, and retain the ancillary revenue rights to pay off its construction bonds. Additionally, OMalley wanted to build his new stadium in Brooklyn, in 1960, the National League agreed to grant an expansion franchise to the owners of the New York franchise in the abortive Continental League, provided that a new stadium be built. Mayor Robert Wagner, Jr. had to wire all National League owners. On October 6,1961, the Mets signed a 30-year stadium lease, rent for what was originally budgeted as a $9 million facility was set at $450,000 annually, with a reduction of $20,000 each year until it reached $300,000 annually. The Mets inaugural season was played in the Polo Grounds, with plans calling for the team to move to a new stadium in 1963. In October 1962, Mets official Tom Meany said, Only a series of blizzards or some other unforeseen trouble might hamper construction and that unforeseen trouble surfaced in a number of ways, the severe winter of 1962–1963, along with the bankruptcies of two subcontractors and labor issues. The end result was both the Mets and Jets played at the Polo Grounds for one more year. After 29 months and $28.5 million, Shea Stadium opened on April 17,1964, the stadium opened five days before the 1964-65 New York Worlds Fair, across Roosevelt Avenue. Although not officially part of the grounds, the stadium sported steel panels on its exterior in the blue-and-orange colors of the Fair. The panels were removed in 1980, in accordance with New York City law, Shea Stadium was dismantled, rather than imploded. The company with the rights to sell memorabilia was given two weeks after the game to remove seats, signage and other potentially saleable and collectable items before demolition was to begin. The seats were the first, followed by other such as the foul poles, dugouts, stadium signage. After salvaging operations concluded, demolition of the ballpark began on October 14,2008, on October 18, the scoreboard in right field was demolished, with the bleachers, batters eye and bullpens shortly thereafter. By November 10, the field, dugouts and the rest of the field level seats had been demolished, by mid-December, all of the Loge level seats and a good portion of the Mezzanine level seating were gone as well, leaving only the outer shell remaining
5.
1964 Major League Baseball season
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The 1964 Major League Baseball season is often remembered for the end of the New York Yankees third dynasty, as they won their 29th American League Championship in 44 seasons. However, the Yankees lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games, as of 2015, the Cardinals are the only National League team to have an edge over the Yankees in series played, amongst the non-expansion teams. February 2 – Red Faber, Burleigh Grimes, Tim Keefe, Heinie Manush, John Montgomery Ward, february 17 – Former Chicago White Sox shortstop Luke Appling is selected to the Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers Association of America in a runoff vote. In 1953, the first year of eligibility for Appling, he received just two votes, april 8 – Houston Colt. 45s relief pitcher Jim Umbricht dies of cancer at the age of 33. The franchise would retire his number in 1965, by time it is known as the Astros. April 17 – The New York Mets play their first game at brand-new Shea Stadium, willie Stargell hits the first home run in the stadiums history, a second-inning solo shot off the Mets Jack Fisher. In the first-ever Kiners Korner from Shea, Ralph Kiners guest is Casey Stengel, april 23 – At Colt Stadium, Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt. 45s no-hits the Cincinnati Reds, and loses 1–0. To date, the game is the one in Major League history whose losing pitcher had pitched a nine-inning no-hitter. August 27 – The New York Mets sign Jerry Koosman as a free agent. May 31 – The second game of a header at Shea Stadium between the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets lasts 23 innings. The Giants eventually win it, 8–6, june 4 – Sandy Koufax pitches the third of his four career no hitters, defeating the Phillies 3–0 at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. June 15 – The Chicago Cubs trade Lou Brock, Jack Spring and Paul Toth to the St. Louis Cardinals for Ernie Broglio, Doug Clemens and Bobby Shantz. The swap eventually gains notoriety as perhaps the most lopsided in the history of baseball, Bunning also becomes the first pitcher to throw no-hitters in both leagues, and Gus Triandos becomes the first catcher to catch a no-hitter in each league. Bunning throws just 90 pitches in winning his second no-hitter, the next time Bunning faces the Mets he will shut them out, the first no-hit pitcher in the 20th century to do that. The Mets fare little better in the nightcap, as 18-year-old rookie Rick Wise pitches into the inning to win his first game. The Phillies increase their National League lead to two games over the San Francisco Giants. July 7 – At Shea Stadium, Johnny Callisons ninth-inning three-run home run off Dick Radatz caps a four-run rally, Callison is named Game MVP as the NL triumph evens the series at 17. July 19 – Luis Tiant pitches a complete-game, four-hit shutout in his Major League debut, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 3–0 victory over Whitey Ford, Tiant allowed just four singles while striking out eleven
6.
Bob Scheffing
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Robert Boden Scheffing was an American professional baseball player, coach, manager and front-office executive. Nicknamed Grumpy, the native of Overland, Missouri, is most often identified with the Chicago Cubs, for whom he played as a catcher, coached, and managed. As a Major Leaguer, Scheffing batted.263 with 357 hits in 517 games with the Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals. His career began in 1935 in the Cardinals farm system, en route to the Majors, he spent the 1939 season as the 25-year-old playing manager of the Washington Red Birds of the Class D Pennsylvania State Association. As a full-time manager, Scheffing led the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League to the 1956 PCL championship, in three full years at the Cubs helm, Scheffing compiled a 208–254 record. His 1957 team finished 62–92 and tied for place in the eight-team National League. Scheffing also spent 2½ years as manager of the Detroit Tigers, taking over a sixth-place team, he led the 1961 Tigers to 101 victories and second place in the American League. The 1962 Tigers won 16 fewer games than 1961s team, then the 1963 club got off to a poor start and was in ninth place in the ten-team league when Scheffing was replaced on June 19 by Chuck Dressen. Although Scheffings mark with the Tigers was 210–173, his managerial record fell nine games short of.500. As a coach, Scheffing also served with the St. Louis Browns and Milwaukee Braves, after working as a Detroit scout and radio broadcaster, Scheffing joined the front office of the New York Mets and became general manager early in 1970 following the sudden death of Johnny Murphy. The Mets won the 1973 National League pennant during his tenure, but Scheffing is most remembered by many Met fans for his trade of young pitcher Nolan Ryan to the California Angels following the 1971 season. Scheffing was replaced by Joe McDonald as Mets GM in 1975 and he died in Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of 72. 1961 Detroit Tigers season Baseball Reference Bob Scheffing at Find a Grave The Deadball Era
7.
Yogi Berra
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Lawrence Peter Yogi Berra was an American professional baseball catcher, manager, and coach who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball. He was an 18-time All-Star, and won 10 World Series championships as a player—more than any player in MLB history. Berra had a batting average of.285, while hitting 358 home runs and 1,430 runs batted in. He is one of five players to win the American League Most Valuable Player Award three times. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest catchers in baseball history, Berra was a native of St. Louis, and signed with the Yankees in 1943 before serving in the U. S. Navy in World War II. He made his debut at age 21 in 1946 and was a mainstay in the Yankees lineup during the teams championship years beginning in 1949. Despite his short stature, Berra was a power hitter and strong defensive catcher and he caught Don Larsens perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series. After playing 18 seasons with the Yankees, Berra retired following the 1963 season and he spent the next season as their manager, then joined the New York Mets in 1965 as coach. Berra remained with the Mets for the decade, serving the last four years as their manager. He returned to the Yankees in 1976, coaching them for eight seasons and he was one of seven managers to lead both American and National League teams to the World Series. Berra appeared as a player, coach or manager in one of the 13 World Series that New York baseball teams competed in from 1957 through 1981. In all, he appeared in 21 World Series,13 on the winning side, the Yankees retired his uniform number 8 in 1972, in an unusual twist, Bill Dickey also wore number 8, and both catchers had that number retired by the Yankees. The club honored him with a plaque in Monument Park in 1988, Berra was named to the MLB All-Century Team in a vote by fans in 1999. For the remainder of his life, he was involved with the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center. Berra quit school after the eighth grade and he was known for his malapropisms as well as pithy and paradoxical statements, such as It aint over til its over, while speaking to reporters. He once simultaneously denied and confirmed his reputation by stating, I really didnt say everything I said, Yogi Berra was born Lorenzo Pietro Berra in a primarily Italian neighborhood of St. Louis called The Hill to Italian immigrants Pietro and Paolina Berra. Pietro was originally from Malvaglio near Milan in northern Italy, he arrived at Ellis Island on October 18,1909 at the age of 23, in a 2005 interview for the Baseball Hall of Fame, Yogi said, My father came over first. He came from the old country, and he didnt know what baseball was
8.
WWOR-TV
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WWOR-TV, channel 9, is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV programming service, licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey, United States, and serving the New York City television market. It is owned by the Fox Television Stations division of 21st Century Fox as a station to Foxs flagship station. Its transmitter is located atop the Empire State Building, channel 9 signed on the air on October 11,1949 as WOR-TV. It was owned by the Bamberger Broadcasting Service, which also operated WOR radio, exactly ten months earlier, Bamberger launched Washington, D. C. s fourth television station, WOIC, also on channel 9. WOR-TV entered the New York market as the last of the citys VHF stations to sign on, on WOR-TVs opening night, a welcome address was read by WOR radios morning host, John B. However, the portion of the speech was not heard because of a technical glitch. The problem was fixed and Gambling repeated the later that evening. That first broadcast and other early WOR-TV shows emanated from the New Amsterdam Roof Theatre, for a short time, the stations transmitter operated from WOR TV Tower in North Bergen, New Jersey and was later moved to the Empire State Building. In 1949, the station moved uptown to the newly constructed 9 Television Square facility on West 67th Street, at the start of 1950, Bamberger Broadcasting changed its name to General Teleradio. Later that year, WOIC was sold to a joint venture of the Washington Post and CBS, in 1953, WOR-TV began operating a separate studio for news and special events programming located on the 83rd floor of the Empire State Building. The subsidiaries were brought together under the General Teleradio name. The main impetus for the merger was to give General Tire a controlling share in Mutual Radio Network, the merger also raised speculation that Mutual would launch a television network, plans that were discussed since before WOR-TV went on the air but ultimately did not come to fruition. During the early years of RKO General ownership, WOR-TV moved back to Times Square, channel 9s studios were co-located with WOR radio at 1440 Broadway for several years. During the 1950s and early 1960s, all three of New Yorks independents struggled to find competitive and acceptable programming, the field would increase by one in 1956 when former DuMont flagship station WABD became an independent. Until 1990, the station had a tradition of showing King Kong, Son of Kong and Mighty Joe Young on Thanksgiving, in 1962, nostalgia maven Joe Franklin moved his daily talk program to WOR-TV, after a 12-year run on WABC-TV. The Joe Franklin Show ended on August 6,1993, making it one of the programs in television history. In 1968, the continued to maintain offices at 1440 Broadway. By the early 1970s, WNEW-TV evolved into the station for cartoons and sitcoms
9.
WFAN
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WFAN, also known as Sports Radio 66 and 101 FM or The FAN, is a radio station located in New York City. The station broadcasts on a channel and is owned and operated by CBS Radio. WFANs studios are located in the combined CBS Radio facility in the West Village section of Manhattan, WFAN is also heard on WFAN-FM, CBS announced a purchase of that station from Merlin Media LLC in October 2012 and began a simulcast of The FAN on November 1,2012. WFAN was one of the earliest stations to adopt the radio format. The 660 AM frequency in New York City originated as WEAF on March 2,1922, in 1926 WEAF became the flagship station of the NBC Red Network, one of two radio chains operated by the National Broadcasting Company. By 1928 WEAF was purchased by NBCs parent company, the Radio Corporation of America, as a result of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement of 1941, WEAF became a clear-channel station and could be heard across most of the eastern half of North America at night. In 1943 the United States Supreme Court, citing antitrust concerns, wEAFs call letters were changed to WNBC in 1946, then to WRCA in 1954, and back to WNBC in 1960. During the 1960s, WNBC relied less on network programming and adopted a talk format, the station spent much of the 1970s and early 1980s flipping between the Top 40 and adult contemporary formats, with varying success. At 3,00 p. m. on July 1,1987, Emmis Communications-owned WFAN signed on at 1050 kHz, replacing country music station WHN, and billing itself as the worlds first 24-hour-per-day sports talk station. The first voice heard on WFAN was that of Suzyn Waldman, with an update, followed by the first show. Waldman reported for the station, covering the New York Yankees, other hosts besides Lampley during WFANs fifteen months at 1050 kHz included Bill Mazer, Pete Franklin, Greg Gumbel, Art Shamsky, and Ed Coleman. Ann Liguori is also one of the hosts and was the first woman to host a show on the station. Hey Liguori, Whats the Story aired the first weekend the station was on the air in 1987, WFAN also inherited broadcast rights to the defending World Series champion New York Mets from WHN, who had held the rights for several years. In early 1988, General Electric, which now owned NBC through its purchase of RCA two years earlier, announced that it would close the NBC Radio division and sell its stations. In February of that year GE made a deal with Emmis and. On October 7,1988 at 5,30 p. m. WFAN moved down the dial to replace WNBC at 660 kHz. The last voice heard on WNBC was that of Alan Colmes, thank you, God bless you, and for the last time, this is 66 WNBC New York City. He then counted down the seconds to WNBCs demise with the legendary NBC chimes playing in the background, after 66 years, the long history of NBC radio in New York City had come to an end
10.
Ralph Kiner
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Ralph McPherran Kiner was an American Major League Baseball player. An outfielder, Kiner played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, following his retirement, Kiner served from 1956 through 1960 as general manager of the Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres. He also served as an announcer for the New York Mets from the teams inception until his death, though injuries forced his retirement from active play after 10 seasons, Kiners tremendous slugging outpaced all of his National League contemporaries between the years 1946 and 1952. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975, at the time of his death, baseball writer Marty Noble named Kiner one of baseballs genuine and most charming gentlemen. Kiner was born in Santa Rita, New Mexico, and raised in Alhambra, California by his mother and he was of Pennsylvania Dutch and Scots-Irish ancestry, although his maternal grandmother was Jewish. Kiner served as a U. S. Navy pilot during World War II, Kiner made his major league debut on April 12,1946, with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finished the season with 23 home runs, but 109 strikeouts, after the season, the Pirates convinced future Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg not to retire. Greenberg gave Kiner hours of instruction, and in 1947, Kiner led the leagues with 51 home runs while striking out fewer than 100 times. Many of Kiners homers were hit into a shortened left-field and left-center-field porch at Forbes Field, Kiner would later use Kiners Korner as the title of his post-game TV show in New York. In 1949 Kiner topped his 1947 total with 54 home runs and it was the highest total in the major leagues from 1939 to 1960, and the highest National League total from 1931 to 1997. It made Kiner the first National League player with two 50 plus home run seasons, Kiner also matched his peak of 127 RBIs. From 1947 to 1951, Kiner topped 40 home runs and 100 RBIs each season, Kiners string of seasons leading the league in home runs reached seven in 1952, when he hit 37. This also was the last of a six consecutive seasons in which he led Major League Baseball in home runs, all under the guidance of manager Billy Meyer. He was selected to participate in the All-Star Game in six seasons,1948 to 1953. A quote variously attributed to Kiner himself, as well as to teammates talking about Kiner, was Home run hitters drive Cadillacs, footage of Kiner hitting a home run in Forbes Field can be seen in the 1951 film Angels in the Outfield. On June 4,1953, Kiner was sent to the Chicago Cubs as part of a ten-player trade. The Pirates traded Kiner, Joe Garagiola, George Metkovich, and Howie Pollet to the Cubs in exchange for Bob Addis, Toby Atwell, George Freese, Gene Hermanski, Bob Schultz, Preston Ward, and $150,000. This was largely due to continued salary disputes with Pirate general manager Branch Rickey, Kiner played the rest of 1953 and all of 1954 with the Cubs, finishing his career with the Cleveland Indians in 1955
11.
Lindsey Nelson
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Lindsey Nelson was an American sportscaster best known for his long career calling play-by-play of college football and New York Mets baseball. Nelson spent 17 years with the Mets and three years with the San Francisco Giants, for 33 years Nelson covered college football, including 26 Cotton Bowls, five Sugar Bowls, four Rose Bowls, and 14 years announcing syndicated Notre Dame games. He is in 13 separate Halls of Fame, fans remember a talented broadcaster, an expert storyteller, and a true sports enthusiast. From his colorful jackets to his equally colorful broadcasts, Nelson established himself as one of the industrys leading sportscasters, Nelson was born on May 25,1919, in Pulaski, Tennessee, the third child of Jon and Asie Nelson. He graduated from Columbia Central High School in Columbia and he graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1941, taught English, and then served in the U. S. Army, where he was a captain in North Africa and Europe during World War II. He also served as a war correspondent and public relations specialist and he also called many Army–Navy Games for CBS, including the 1963 contest in which instant replay was first introduced. Nelson began his national baseball broadcast career as one of Gordon McLendons radio announcers for the Liberty Broadcasting System, after a stretch as an administrator with NBC Sports, he began doing the networks baseball broadcasts in 1957. He also broadcast college football, NBA and college basketball, and professional golf, in 1962, he was hired as the lead broadcaster by the expansion New York Mets, and for the next 17 seasons did both radio and television with Ralph Kiner and Bob Murphy. All three were eventually honored with the Ford C, Frick Award, presented annually to an announcer for major contributions to baseball during a ceremony at the Baseball Hall of Fame. While with the Mets, Nelson made the first radio broadcast of a game from directly above the field. You couldnt tell a line drive from a pop fly, the Mets lost, 12-9, and Nelson declined to repeat the stunt. In 1979 Nelson moved on to the San Francisco Giants, for whom he worked three seasons and he also worked with CBS Radio broadcasts of Major League Baseball in 1985. He is remembered for being the announcer during the first NFL game on CBS to use instant replay, Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988, the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, and many more. He was awarded an Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1991, the Tennessee Volunteers baseball teams home field was named Lindsey Nelson Stadium after him. Television broadcasts featuring Nelson were notable for his multi-colored plaid sports jackets and he reportedly owned 335 of them at one time. During a broadcast, his jackets often clashed with the set, but he figured that if fans could see rather than just hear broadcasts, he might as well give them something interesting to talk about. He wrote a memoir entitled Hello Everybody, Im Lindsey Nelson. Nelson died of Parkinsons disease at age 76 on June 10,1995, in Atlanta and he is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Columbia
12.
Bob Murphy (sportscaster)
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Robert Allan Murphy was an American sportscaster who spent 50 years doing play-by-play of Major League Baseball games on television and radio. The Oklahoman was best known for announcing the New York Mets and he was honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame with the Ford C. The Oklahoma-born Murphy made his first appearance in a baseball broadcast booth with the minor league Muskogee Reds and his first major league job was with the Boston Red Sox in 1954, working alongside Curt Gowdy. In 1960, he moved to the Baltimore Orioles for two seasons, replacing Ernie Harwell, Murphys call of Roger Maris record-tying 60th home run of the 1961 season became an audition tape that landed him a job with the expansion New York Mets in 1962. Murphys broadcasts were known for his optimistic outlook and he would rarely be critical of players and would always strive to emphasize the positive. According to Gary Thorne, who was his partner in the Mets radio booth from 1985 to 1988, Murphy felt that, Murphy, despite his long association with the Mets, never openly rooted for the team from the booth. Murphys patience was apparently worn thin by the long inning, a line drive to Mario Díaz. And the Mets win the ballgame and they win the damn thing by a score of 10 to 9. Murphy occupied the broadcasting booth in every stadium in the National League, including Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, which was named after his brother, Jack, a popular San Diego sportswriter. From the Mets first game in 1962 through the post-Tom Seaver days of 1978, on radio and television, Nelson left after the 1978 season and was replaced by Steve Albert. Albert broadcast the Mets for three seasons, prior to 1982, the Mets announcers had done television and radio on a rotational system. While two were on TV, the other would take over on radio, however, in 1982, Murphy was taken out of the television booth, in order to announce the games on radio only. He was joined by Steve Lamar, who also strictly did radio for the Mets, for the rest of his career, with the exception of emergency situations, Murphy announced exclusively from the radio booth. Left to turn his attention strictly to the listener, Murphy thrived. Murphy was paired with Gary Thorne from 1985–88, and Thorne was his broadcast partner for his call of Bill Buckners error in game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Gary Cohen—the current TV voice of the Mets and Murphys longest tenured partner after Kiner, in 1994, Bob Murphy was put into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a recipient of the prestigious Ford C. There is a display about Murphy in the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, as there is for former Mets partner Nelson, in addition to this honor, Murphy was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1984. He was voted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame in 2002, in addition to his baseball work, Murphy was an announcer for the New York Titans of the American Football League in 1962–63, and called some college football later in that decade
13.
New York Mets
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The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the National League East division. The Mets are one of two Major League clubs based in New York City, the other is the New York Yankees. One of baseballs first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New Yorks departed NL teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. The Mets colors are composed of the Dodgers blue and the Giants orange, during the 1962 and 1963 seasons, the Mets played their home games at the Polo Grounds. From 1964 to 2008, the Mets home ballpark was Shea Stadium, in 2009, they moved into their current ballpark, Citi Field. In their 1962 inaugural season, the Mets posted a record of 40–120, the Mets made the playoffs in 2006 when they came within one game of the World Series, losing to the eventual champion St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. The Mets missed the playoffs with losses on the last day of the season in 2007 and 2008. The Mets made the playoffs in 2015 for the first time in nine years, the team again returned to the playoffs in 2016, this time with a wild card berth. This is the teams second playoff appearance, the first occurring during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. With the threat of a New York team joining a new third league, for the first two years of its existence, the team played its home games at the historic Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan. In 1964, they moved into newly constructed Shea Stadium in Flushing, Queens, in 2009, the club moved into Citi Field, adjacent to the former Shea Stadium site. During their history, the Mets have won two World Series titles, five National League pennants and six National League East titles, the Mets also qualified for the postseason as the National League wild card team in 1999,2000, and 2016. The Mets have appeared in five World Series, more than any other team in MLB history. Their two championships are the most titles among expansion teams, equal to the tallies of the Toronto Blue Jays, Miami Marlins, the Mets held the New York baseball single-season attendance record for 29 years. They broke the Yankees 1948 record by drawing nearly 2.7 million spectators in 1970, the Mets broke their own record five times before the record was regained by the Yankees in 1999. The 1962 Mets posted a 40–120 record, a record for the most losses in a season since 1899, in 1966, the Mets famously bypassed future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson in the amateur draft, instead selecting Steve Chilcott, who never played in the majors. But the following year, they acquired future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver in a lottery, in 1973, the Mets rallied from 5th place to win the division, despite a record of only 82–79
14.
Pennant (sports)
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A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been used in all types of athletic levels, high school, collegiate. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the colors of a particular team. Often graphics, usually the mascot symbol, as well as the name were displayed on pennants. The images displayed on pennants were either stitched on with contrasting colored felt or had screen-printing, today, vintage pennants with rare images or honoring special victories have become prized collectibles for sporting enthusiasts. While pennants are typically associated with teams, pennants have also been made to honor institutions and vacation spots. In Major League Baseball, a pennant typically refers to such a flag flown specifically by the National League or American League championship team of a given season, the last few weeks of the regular American professional baseball season are known as a pennant race. This is a holdover from the time when the championships were determined by the team with the best record at the end of the regular season. In Australian sports, the flag is used in the same context. The pennant is waved around in the crowd to support to the sport team they are cheering for
15.
Tug McGraw
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Frank Edwin Tug McGraw, Jr. was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher and the father of American singer and actor Tim McGraw. He was the last active major league player to have played under manager Casey Stengel, McGraw was born in Martinez, California, to Frank Edwin Big Mac McGraw, Sr. and Mable McKenna. He got the nickname Tug from his mother because of the aggressive way he breast-fed. Frank Senior was the great-grandson of Irish immigrants, McGraw graduated from St. Vincent Ferrer High School in Vallejo, California, in 1962. He enrolled in Solano Community College and signed with the New York Mets as a free agent on June 12,1964 upon graduation. That same year, when asked if he preferred the new AstroTurf on the field at the Houston Astrodome to real grass, he said, I dont know and he Lasted just two-thirds of an inning and gave up three earned runs on his way to a 9–0 loss. He won his next start as well, 5–2 over Sandy Koufax and it marked the first time the Mets had ever beaten the future Hall of Famer. McGraw remained in the Mets starting rotation for the remainder of the season, however, failed to log another win, going 2–6 as a starter, and 0–1 in relief. After one season with the Mets, McGraw reported to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island on September 23,1965 and he was trained as a rifleman on the M14 rifle and M60 machine gun. McGraw later reported to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune where he became a trained killer, for McGraw one of the most challenging aspects of being in the military was the internal conflict which it stirred within him. At the same time that he was finishing his Marine training, Tug McGraws brother, Dennis McGraw, was staging anti-war protests at Solano Community College, where he was then a student. In a March 5,1967 New York Times article McGraw admitted that he, but even he, with his six-year Reserve commitment to the United States Marine Corps looming large over him, would admit that he was a dove when it came to the way conducting the war. The Mets used McGraw as a starter again in 1966, though he also made four starts with the Mets in 1967, McGraw spent most of the season, and all of 1968 in the minor leagues with the Jacksonville Suns. McGraw went 1–1 with a 5.23 ERA filling in for Koosman, after nine scoreless innings by Kirby and ten by Koosman, the game was turned over to the bullpens for extra innings. The game finally ended after eleven innings when Bud Harrelson hit a single to drive in Cleon Jones, McGraw pitched the eleventh inning to earn the win. This began an 11-game winning streak that brought them into second place, McGraw earned two saves during that stretch, and 12 for the season. His record as a reliever was 8–2 with a 1.47 ERA, the Mets won both games to close within a half game of the Cubs. The following day, the Mets swept a double header from the Montreal Expos, coupled with a Cubs loss, the Mets moved into first place for the first time ever during the 1969 season
16.
Catchphrase
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A catchphrase is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, some become the de facto or literal trademark or signature of the person or character with whom they originated, and can be instrumental in the typecasting of a particular actor. People are doing it to feel good about themselves, to make others laugh, to make themselves laugh and he found that all of the participants in his study had used film quotes in conversation at one point or another. They overwhelmingly cited comedies, followed distantly by dramas and action adventure flicks, horror films, musicals and childrens films were hardly ever cited. List of catchphrases List of political catchphrases List of exclamations by Robin Category, Catchphrases Barba, Catchy Phrases, over 2000 Catchy Slogans Ideas, Powerful Copy Connectors, Catchy Phrases for Business Tag lines, Magnetic Blog Triggers. Catchphrase, Slogan and Cliché, the origins and meanings of our favourite expressions, a Dictionary of Catch Phrases, American and British, from the sixteenth century to the present day Lanham, Maryland, Scarborough House,1992. Planet Simpson, How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation
17.
Atlanta Braves
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The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball franchise based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The franchise competes in Major League Baseball as a member of the National League East division, the Braves played home games at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium from 1966 to 1996, and Turner Field from 1997 to 2016. Since 2017, their stadium has been SunTrust Park, a new stadium 10 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta in Cumberland/Galleria, Georgia. The Braves play spring training games in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in January 2017, the Braves announced a formal agreement to move their spring training home to North Port, Florida. The Braves name, which was first used in 1912, originates from a term for a Native American warrior, from 1991 to 2005, the Braves were one of the most successful franchises in baseball, winning division titles an unprecedented 14 consecutive times in that period. The Braves won the NL West 1991–93 and the NL East 1995–2005, the Braves advanced to the World Series five times in the 1990s, winning the title in 1995. The Braves are the only Major League Baseball franchise to have won the World Series in three different home cities, the Braves and the Chicago Cubs are the National Leagues two remaining charter franchises. The Braves were founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1871, the team states it is the oldest continuously operating professional sports franchise in America. After various name changes, the team began operating as the Boston Braves. Then, in 1953, the moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The teams tenure in Atlanta is noted for Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruths career home run record in 1974, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, established in 1869 as the first openly all-professional baseball team, voted to dissolve after the 1870 season. The original Boston Red Stockings team and its successors can lay claim to being the oldest continuously playing team in American professional sports. Two young players hired away from the Forest City club of Rockford, Illinois, turned out to be the biggest stars during the NAPBBP years, pitcher Al Spalding and second baseman Ross Barnes. Led by the Wright brothers, Barnes, and Spalding, the Red Stockings dominated the National Association, the team became one of the National Leagues charter franchises in 1876, sometimes called the Red Caps. The Boston Red Caps played in the first game in the history of the National League, on Saturday, April 22,1876, defeating the Athletics, although somewhat stripped of talent in the National Leagues inaugural year, Boston bounced back to win the 1877 and 1878 pennants. The Red Caps/Beaneaters were one of the dominant teams during the 19th century. For most of time, their manager was Frank Selee. Boston came to be called the Beaneaters in 1883, while retaining red as the team color, the 1898 team finished 102–47, a club record for wins that would stand for almost a century
18.
Brent Strom
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Brent Terry Strom is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1972 to 1973 and 1975 to 1977 for the New York Mets, Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres. He is the coach for the Houston Astros. According to an interview with Tommy John, Strom was the pitcher to receive Tommy John surgery. Prior to playing professionally, Strom attended the University of Southern California and he was originally drafted in the sixth round by the California Angels in the June Secondary phase of the 1967 amateur draft. In the January Regular phase of the 1967 draft, he was drafted in the round by the San Francisco Giants. He did not sign either time and he finally did sign when the Mets drafted him third overall in the 1970 draft. Strom began his career as a starting pitcher in 1970 with the Visalia Mets. That season, his record was four wins and five losses with a 3.75 earned run average and 79 strikeouts in 72 innings of work. The following year, he split time between the Memphis Blues and the Tidewater Tides, going a combined 13–5 with a 2.85 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 180 innings of work and he earned a call-up to the majors in 1972 after doing well with the Tidewater Tides. With Tidewater, he had gone 6–7 with a 3.30 ERA in 142 innings of work and he made his big league debut on July 31, pitching well against the Montreal Expos. In his first game, he pitched 6⅔ innings of work, although he pitched well, he did not get the decision. The rest of his season did not turn out well, overall, he appeared in 11 games and he went 0–3 with a 6.82 ERA. On November 27,1972, he was traded with fellow pitcher Bob Rauch to the Indians for pitcher Phil Hennigan and he played only one season with the Indians,1973, going 2–10 with a 4.61 ERA in 27 games. He did not play in 1974, but on June 21 of that year he was sent to the Padres to complete a trade that occurred on June 15. The Indians received pitcher Steve Arlin in return and he went 8–8 in 18 games for the San Diego in 1975. His 2.54 ERA was second on the team among all pitchers with at least 15 starts and he had another respectable year in 1976, although his record was 12–16. In 210⅔ innings, he posted a 3.29 ERA,1977 would end up being his final season in the majors. He appeared in eight games, making three starts
19.
Cleveland Indians
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The Cleveland Indians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Indians compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League Central division. Since 1994, they have played at Progressive Field, the teams spring training facility is at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona. The Indians current World Series championship drought is the longest active drought, the name Indians originated from a request by club owner Charles Somers to baseball writers to choose a new name to replace Cleveland Naps following the departure of Nap Lajoie after the 1914 season. The name referenced the nickname Indians that was applied to the Cleveland Spiders baseball club during the time when Louis Sockalexis, common nicknames for the Indians include the Tribe and the Wahoos, the latter being a reference to their logo, Chief Wahoo, a controversial Native American caricature. The teams mascot is named Slider, the franchise originated in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1894 as the Grand Rapids Rustlers, a minor league team in the Western League. The team moved to Cleveland in 1900 and changed its name to the Cleveland Lake Shores, one of the American Leagues eight charter franchises, the major league incarnation of the club was founded in Cleveland in 1901. Originally called the Cleveland Bluebirds, the played in League Park until moving permanently to Cleveland Stadium in 1946. At the end of the 2016 season, they had a regular season record of 9. In 1857 baseball games were a spectacle in Clevelands Public Squares. City authorities tried to find an ordinance forbidding it, to the joy of the crowd, – Harold Seymour 1865–1868 Forest Citys of Cleveland 1869–1872 Forest Citys of Cleveland From 1865 to 1868 Forest Citys was an amateur ball club. During the 1869 season, Cleveland was among several cities which established professional baseball teams following the success of the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first fully professional team. In the newspapers before and after 1870, the team was called the Forest Citys. In 1871 the Forest Citys joined the new National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, ultimately, two of the leagues western clubs went out of business during the first season and the Chicago Fire left that citys White Stockings impoverished, unable to field a team again until 1874. Cleveland was thus the NAs westernmost outpost in 1872, the year the club folded, Cleveland played their full schedule to July 19 followed by two games versus Boston in mid-August and disbanded at the end of the season. 1879–1881 Cleveland Forest Citys 1882–1884 Cleveland Blues In 1876, the National League supplanted the NA as the professional league. Cleveland were not among its members, but by 1879 the league was looking for new entries. The Cleveland Forest Citys baseball team was then re-created, the National League required distinct colors for the 1882 season, so the Cleveland Forest Citys became the Cleveland Blues
20.
Tommie Agee
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Tommie Lee Agee was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He is noted for making two of the greatest catches in World Series history, both of which place in game three of the 1969 World Series. Agee was born in Magnolia, Alabama, and played baseball and football at Mobile County Training School with future New York Mets teammate Cleon Jones, after one season at Grambling State University, Agee signed with the Cleveland Indians for a $60,000 bonus. After two seasons in the Indians farm system with the AAA Portland Beavers, Agee received a September call-up to Cleveland in 1962. With the Indians already behind 11-1 to the Minnesota Twins, Agee made his league debut on September 14 at Metropolitan Stadium pinch-hitting for pitcher Bill Dailey in the ninth inning. He received September call-ups to the majors the following two seasons as well, playing a total of 31 games with the Indians in which he batted.170 with one home run and five runs batted in. Agee batted just.226 with the Pacific Coast Leagues Indianapolis Indians and he ended the season with a.273 batting average,22 home runs and 86 RBIs to earn American League Rookie of the Year honors, while his defense in center field earned him a Gold Glove. Although he was technically in his 5th major league season, MLBs classification of a rookie is determined by plate appearances, Agees September call-ups had been so brief and his playing time so scarce that he was still eligible for the award. Agee was batting.247 with ten runs and 35 RBIs to earn his second consecutive All-Star selection in 1967. His production fell off considerably in the half of the season. On a team loaded with pitching and short on offense, the lack of offense possibly cost the White Sox the American League pennant. To alleviate this problem, the White Sox imported perennial.300 hitter Tommy Davis, along with pitcher Jack Fisher, Agee was beaned by Bob Gibson on the very first pitch thrown to a Mets batter in spring training 1968. At the beginning of the season, he went 0 for 10 in a 24-inning affair with the Houston Astros that saw his batting average go from.313 to.192. It led to an 0 for 34 slump that brought his average down to.102, for the season, he batted.217 with five home runs and 17 RBIs. Agee got off to a hot start in 1969, Expos right fielder Mack Jones says the ball was still rising when it came into contact with the stands. To commemorate the homer, there was a sign in that section of the stadium with Agees name, uniform number. He also had his first four hit game on May 2, by May 21, Agee was batting over.300, and the Mets won their third game in a row for a.500 winning percentage 36 games into the season for the first time in franchise history. This was followed by a five- game-losing streak that saw the Mets fall into place in the newly aligned National League East
21.
Houston Astros
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The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros are members of the American League West division in Major League Baseball, the Astros have played their home games at Minute Maid Park since 2000. The Astros were established as the Houston Colt. 45s and entered the National League in 1962 with the expansion New York Mets. The current name—reflecting Houstons role as the center of the U. S. space program—was adopted three years later, when they moved into the Astrodome, the worlds first domed sports stadium. The Astros played in the NL from 1962 to 2012 and they played in the West division from 1969 to 1993, and the Central division from 1994 to 2012. The Astros have played in one World Series in 2005 against the Chicago White Sox, from 1888 until 1961, Houstons professional baseball club was the minor league Houston Buffaloes. Although expansion from the National League eventually brought an MLB team to Texas in 1962, Houston officials had been making efforts to do so for years prior. There were four men responsible for bringing Major League Baseball to Houston, George Kirksey and Craig Cullinan. They formed the Houston Sports Association as their vehicle for attaining a big league franchise for the city of Houston and they called the new league the Continental League. Wanting to protect potential new markets, both existing leagues chose to expand from eight teams to ten, however, plans eventually fell through for the Houston franchise after the Houston Buffaloes owner, Marty Marion, could not come to an agreement with the HSA to sell the team. To make matters worse, the Continental League as a whole folded in August 1960, however, on October 17,1960, the National League granted an expansion franchise to the Houston Sports Association in which their team could begin play in the 1962 season. Eventually, the Houston Sports Association succeeded in purchasing the Houston Buffaloes, at this point majority-owned by William Hopkins, the Buffs played one last minor league season as the top farm team of the Chicago Cubs in 1961 before being succeeded by the citys NL club. The new Houston team was named the Colt. 45s after a Name The Team contest was won by William Irving Neder, the Colt.45 was well known as the gun that won the west. The colors selected were blue and orange. The first team was formed mostly through a draft after the 1961 season. The Colt. 45s and their cousins, the New York Mets. Many of those associated with the Houston Buffaloes organization were allowed by the ownership to continue in the major league, Manager Harry Craft, who had joined Houston in 1961, remained in the same position for the team until the end of the 1964 season. General manager Spec Richardson also continued with the organization as business manager, similarly, the radio broadcasting team remained with the new Houston major league franchise
22.
San Diego Padres
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The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball franchise based in San Diego, California. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the National League West division, along with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the NL pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, as of 2015, they have had 14 winning seasons in franchise history. The Padres are the major professional sports franchise to be located in San Diego. The Padres adopted their name from the Pacific Coast League team that arrived in San Diego in 1936 and that minor league franchise won the PCL title in 1937, led by 18-year-old Ted Williams, the future Hall-of-Famer who was a native of San Diego. The teams name, Spanish for fathers, refers to the Spanish Franciscan friars who founded San Diego in 1769. In 1969, the Padres joined the ranks of Major League Baseball as one of four new teams, along with the Montreal Expos, the Kansas City Royals. Arnholt Smith, a prominent San Diego businessman and former owner of the PCL Padres whose interests included banking, tuna fishing, hotels, real estate and an airline. The teams fortunes improved as they won five National League West titles and reached the World Series twice, in 1984 and in 1998. The Padres main draw during the 1980s and 1990s was Tony Gwynn and they moved into their current stadium, Petco Park, in 2004. As of 2016, the Padres are the team in the MLB yet to throw a no-hitter since their addition to the league in 1969. The team has played its spring training games at the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria and they share the stadium with the Seattle Mariners. From 1969 to 1993, the Padres held spring training in Yuma, due to the short driving distance and direct highway route, Yuma was very popular with Padres fans, and many fans would travel by car from San Diego for spring training games. Throughout the teams history, the San Diego Padres have used six different logos, the original team colors were blue and red before changing to gold and brown in the 70s. Their first logo depicts a friar swinging a bat with Padres written at the top standing in a sun-like figure with San Diego Padres on the exterior of it. The Swinging Friar has popped up on the uniform on and off ever since although the head of the friar has been tweaked from the original in recent years, in 1985, the Padres switched to using a script-like logo in which Padres was written sloped up. That would later become a script logo for the Padres, the teams colors were changed to brown and orange and remained this way through the 1990 season. In 1989, the Padres took the scripted Padres logo that was used from 1985 to 1988, in 1991, the logo was changed to a silver ring with the Padres script changed from brown to blue
23.
Texas Rangers (baseball)
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The Texas Rangers are an American professional baseball team based in Arlington, Texas, located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Rangers franchise is currently a member of the West division of the American League in Major League Baseball, since 1994, the Rangers have played in Globe Life Park in Arlington in Arlington, Texas. The teams name is borrowed from the law enforcement agency of the same name. After the 1971 season, the new Senators moved to Arlington, Texas, in 2010, the Rangers advanced past the Division Series for the first time, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays. Texas then brought home their first American League pennant after beating the New York Yankees in six games, in the 2010 World Series, the franchises first, the Rangers fell to the San Francisco Giants in five games. They repeated as American League champions the year, then lost the 2011 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. At the winter meetings that year, it awarded a new team to Los Angeles as well as a new team in the nations capital and this new team adopted the old Senators name, but was considered an expansion team since the Twins retained the old Senators records and history. The Senators and Angels began to fill their rosters with American League players in an expansion draft, the team played the 1961 season at old Griffith Stadium before moving to District of Columbia Stadium. For most of their existence, the new Senators were the definition of futility, the teams struggles led to a twist on a joke about the old Senators--Washington, first in war, first in peace and still last in the American League. Frank Howard, known for his home runs, was the teams most accomplished player. Ownership changed hands several times during the stay in Washington and was often plagued by poor decision-making and planning. Owner Elwood Richard Quesada once wondered why he should have to pay his players because he believed they didnt belong in the majors and he later agreed to a 10-year lease at D. C. Stadium — a move that would back to haunt the Senators. In 1963, Quesada sold his stake in the club and resigned, Washington stockbrokers James Johnston and James Lemon owned the team briefly, suffering massive financial losses. Johnson died in 1967 and Lemon sold the team a year later to hotel and trucking executive Bob Short, Short named himself general manager and hired Hall of Famer Ted Williams as manager. Although Williams had never coached or managed at any level of baseball, Williams kept them in contention for most of the season, their 86–76 record would be their only winning season in Washington. The success though was brief, as Short borrowed most of the $9.4 million he had used to pay for the team, as the Senators general manager, Short was forced to make many questionable trades to lower the debt and acquire amounts of the much-needed revenue. As a result, the team fell back into the American Leagues cellar position
24.
Jon Matlack
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Jonathan Trumpbour Matlack is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He was the fourth pick by the New York Mets in the 1967 Major League Baseball draft. Matlack also pitched for the Texas Rangers, Matlack compiled 1,023 strikeouts and a 3.03 earned run average as one of the Big Three pitchers the New York Mets were built around in the 1970s, along with Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman. Unfortunately, the Mets were also a light hitting team at the time, Matlacks best minor league season was 1968, when he went 13–6 with a 2.76 ERA for the Raleigh-Durham Mets of the Carolina League. During his fifth season in the Mets farm system, Matlack debuted with the Mets in the game of a July 11,1971 double header with the Cincinnati Reds. He pitched seven innings, and left the game with a 3–2 lead, however, Tug McGraw, for the season, Matlack went 0–3 with a 4.14 ERA in seven appearances. His finest pitching performance was his last, when he gave up just one run in eight innings of work against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Matlack made the team out of spring training 1972, and got off to a 6–0 start with a 1.95 ERA in the first two months of the season. He ended the season with a 15–10 record and 2.32 ERA to win the National League Rookie of the Year award, on September 30, he gave up Roberto Clementes 3000th, and final, career hit. On May 8,1973, a line drive off the bat of Marty Perez of the Atlanta Braves struck Jons head so hard that the ball rebounded into the dugout. Matlack suffered a fracture of his skull, but recovered quickly enough to return. He ended up winning 14 games for the National League champion Mets, Matlacks record dipped to 14–16 in 1973, however, he was 5–1 from August 18 on, helping the Mets capture the National League East crown. Perhaps his most memorable moment with the Mets occurred on October 7,1973 when he held the Big Red Machine to just two hits in two of the 1973 National League Championship Series. Both hits were by reserve outfielder Andy Kosco and he won game four, giving up just one run in eight innings. His fast ball wasnt working on account of pitching on only 3 days rest, Matlack was an All-Star for the Mets for the next three seasons, sharing MVP honors in the 1975 game with Bill Madlock. In 1976, Matlack went 17–10 with a 2.95, in 1977, Matlacks record dipped to 7–15 with a 4.21 earned run average for a Mets team that lost 98 games and finished last in the N. L. East. Following the season, Matlack was included in a four team off-season trade that sent him to the Texas Rangers. The Rangers sent Adrian Devine, Tommy Boggs, and Eddie Miller to the Atlanta Braves, the Mets received Willie Montañez from the Braves, and sent John Milner to the Pirates
25.
Rusty Staub
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Daniel Joseph Rusty Staub is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder, designated hitter, and first baseman. He enjoyed a 23-year baseball career with 5 different teams and he was an original member of the Montreal Expos and that teams first star, though the Expos traded him after only 3 years, his enduring popularity led them to retire his number in 1993. Staub signed his first professional contract with the expansion team Houston Colt. 45s organization in 1961 and he spent the 1962 season in the Class B Carolina League, and at seasons end he was named one of the leagues all-stars. Following that season, Staub was signed to a US$100,000 Major League contract under the Bonus Rule, in his first season, at only 19 years of age, Staub played regularly, splitting time between first base and the outfield, but hit only.220. He became only the major league rookie since 1900 to play 150 games as a teenager. The following season, he hit only.216 for the Colts and was sent down to the leagues at one point. He was also an All-Star for the Astros in 1968, Staub was traded to the Expos before the start of their inaugural season in 1969 as part of a trade for Donn Clendenon and Jesús Alou. Montreal eventually dealt Jack Billingham, Skip Guinn, and $100,000 as compensation and he was embraced as the expansion teams first star, and became one of the most popular players in their history. Embraced by French Canadians because he learned their language, he was nicknamed Le Grand Orange for his red hair, the #10 worn by Staub during his first stint in Montreal was the first number retired by the Montreal Expos organization. He is also the career leader in on-base percentage, among players with 2,000 or more plate appearances with the franchise. He is also the first player to win the Expos Player of the Year award. He was batting.313 for the Mets until June 3 of that year and he played through the pain until X-Rays revealed the broken bone. Surgery was required and as a result, he went on the disabled list, the injury never quite healed right and to make matters worse, he was hit by a pitch from Ramón Hernández of the Pittsburgh Pirates early in the 1973 season. But he still led the team in RBIs, in the National League Championship Series against the Cincinnati Reds, Staub hit three home runs and had five runs batted in. In game 4 however he made an outstanding play defensively, when he robbed Dan Driessen of a hit in the 11th inning. But while making the catch in right field, he crashed into the extremely hard. The resulting injury to his shoulder forced him out of the line-up for game 5, the Mets went on to beat the heavily favored Reds to win the National League Pennant in 5 games. In the World Series the shoulder injury sat him out for game one, but he returned to the line-up for game two
26.
Wayne Garrett
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Ronald Wayne Garrett is a former American baseball player who was the New York Mets starting third baseman from 1972 through 1975. Garrett also saw duty as a second baseman and as a shortstop. Wayne, who hit six runs in September, hit two more in the Series, including a leadoff home run in Game Three—one of three in New York Mets World Series history. However, he also tied Eddie Mathews 1958 World Series record by striking out 11 times and he also made the final out of the Series, popping out to shortstop Bert Campaneris in the ninth inning of Game 7. Garretts major league career spanned from 1969 to 1978 and he spent half of the 1971 season on military duty. In addition to the Mets, he played for the Montreal Expos. He was traded by the Mets to the Expos along with Del Unser in July 1976 for Pepe Mangual, after his major league career, Garrett played two seasons for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan. After that, Garrett played for the Bradenton Explorers of the Senior Professional Baseball Association in its 1989 inaugural season, waynes other brother, Charlie, also played baseball in the Braves farm system. Waynes nephew Jason, was drafted by and played four years in the Florida Marlins organization, career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference, or SABR BioProject
27.
Tom Seaver
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George Thomas Tom Seaver, nicknamed Tom Terrific and The Franchise, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967 to 1986 for four different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets, during a 20-year career, Seaver compiled 311 wins,3,640 strikeouts,61 shutouts and a 2.86 earned run average. As of 2016, Seaver, Mike Piazza and Gil Hodges are the only Mets players to have their numbers retired by the team. He won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1967, Seaver is the Mets all-time leader in wins, and he is considered by many baseball experts to be one of the best starting pitchers in the history of baseball. Seaver was born in Fresno, California, to Betty Lee, pitching for Fresno High School, Seaver compensated for his lack of size and strength by developing great control on the mound. Despite being an All-City basketball player, he hoped to play baseball in college and he joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves on June 28,1962. He served with AIRFMFPAC29 Palms, California through July 1963, after six months of active duty in the Reserves, Seaver enrolled at Fresno City College. In anticipation of the season, he was being recruited to pitch for the University of Southern California by legendary Trojan coach Rod Dedeaux. Unsure as to whether Seaver was worthy of a scholarship, he was sent to pitch for the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1964. After a stellar season – in which he pitched and won a game in the tournament with a grand slam — he was awarded a scholarship to USC. As a sophomore, Seaver posted a 10-2 record, and he was drafted in the round of the 1965 Major League Baseball draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Seaver asked for $70,000, however, the Dodgers passed, in 1966, he signed a contract with the Atlanta Braves, who had drafted him in the first round of the secondary June draft. However, the contract was voided by Baseball Commissioner William Eckert because his team had played two exhibition games that year. Seaver intended, then, to finish the season, but because he had signed a pro contract. After Seavers father complained to Eckert about the unfairness of the situation, the Mets were subsequently awarded his signing rights in a lottery drawing among the three teams that were willing to match the Braves terms. Seaver spent one season with the Jacksonville Suns of the International League, then joined the New York Mets in 1967. He won 16 games for the last-place Mets, with 18 complete games,170 strikeouts, and a 2.76 ERA, all Mets records to that point and he was also named to the 1967 All-Star Game, and got the save by pitching a scoreless 15th inning. In 1968, he won 16 games again, and recorded over 200 strikeouts for the first of nine consecutive seasons, in 1969, Seaver, fellow pitcher Jerry Koosman and the rest of the Mets won their first World Series championship
