"Behind the Bag!"

Today, in 1986, a play that would, and has, lived on through the years occured. Today, in 1986, Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner let a ground ball get through his legs in the bottom of the 10th inning of Game 6 of the World Series. Now, those who are not savvy of the event I'm talking about might think why has this moment lived on for the last 26 years? First, you have know a little bit of the history of the Boston Red Sox. In 1920, the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth, who helped the team win the 1918 World Series and now considered one of the best baseball players of all time, to the New York Yankees. What occurred over the next several decades was a tale in Boston futility. In what was known as "The Curse of the Bambino," ("The Great Bambino," being one of Ruth's nicknames) the Red Sox struggled to get back to prominence. They didn't make another World Series until 1946, a series they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals. They would make a few more World Series before '86, but could never quite end the curse. However, '86 seemed to be the magic number. Up 3-2 in the best-of-seven World Series against the New York Mets, the Red Sox has a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the 10th inning. Boston was three outs away from reversing the curse. The first two batters of the inning were retired without fail. Nevertheless, the Mets strung together three straight hits to load the bases, scoring a run in the process. After a pitch from Sox reliever Bob Stanley got past the catcher to score another run, the game was tied. The batter was left fielder Mookie Wilson. The pitcher was Bob Stanley. The Mets were down to their final strike, when Bill Buckner became a name that would live on forever. The Red Sox would lose Game 7 to the Mets, and lose the series. The Red Sox would eventually reverse the curse in 2004, sweeping the Cardinals to win their first title since 1918. But the Bill Buckner play still lives on. Sources- Photo- http://actornice.com/imgs/bill-buckner-01.html http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN198610250.shtml http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/news/2000/03/22/the_curse_timeline/

Happy Birthday Soccer!

Happy 155th birthday to the game of soccer.

On October 24, 1857 the world's first team, the Sheffield Football Club was founded in England. The team is still alive and well today.

To help tell their story they put together a nice little video to commemorate the occasion. The birthday site, 1857-football.com also allows visitors to create and send their own soccer birthday card. I've included the video below.

 

 The game of soccer has roots almost 2,000 years old, but it didn't really take shape until the 1800s in England. The Sheffield Football Club helped to organize games that were already being played at grade schools and universities throughout the country. They created a set of organized rules and even pioneered the first crossbar, corner kick, free kick and throw-in.

 Sheffield is not only the first football club, they are also participants in the first football rivalry. In 1860, their closest rival Hallam was formed. Their rivalry began as a local derby and is still played today.

Today the Sheffield Football Club is managed by Curtis Woodhouse. They are currently ranked 20 out of 22, so let's hope they have more fun celebrating their birthday than their season. The club is comprised of a men's team and a women's team.

You can catch the team back in action on October 27th against Briggs Town.

Sources:
Sheffield Football Club http://goo.gl/iHCwb
1857-football.com
Wikipedia: Sheffield F.C. Season 2012-2013 http://goo.gl/UQ6Gd
Wikipedia: Sheffield F.C. http://goo.gl/cnTFn

Oh Canada ... Where are you in the World Series?

How does a baseball team from Washington help break a losing streak for a team from Canada? The answer is easy ... move your team to Washington.

On this day in 1981, the first Canadian pennant hopes were lost when the Dodgers beat the Montreal Expos in the deciding game of the National League Championship Series.

This series was the first and last time in franchise history the team would make it into the postseason.

The game was a nail bitter, too, just adding to the suspense of a season already shortened by a players-strike. The Dodgers and Expos had tied it 1-1 heading into the 9th inning of Game 5. L.A.'s Rick Monday hit the game winning home run and sent the Expos packing north. Since the game was played on a Monday and lost by a Monday, Expo fans have referred to this historic event as "Blue Monday."

It's been pretty blue for Canadian baseball fans. They haven't seen a team from their nation in the pennant race since 1993 when the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series.  The Blue Jays were a powerhouse in the early 90s winning 5 division titles and back to back world series in 1992 and 1993. Since then their Octobers have been quiet.

Ironically, the team that makes the world series extra "worldy" hardly ever makes an appearance in the contest.

So what accounts for the lack of Cannucks in the world series? Perhaps it could be the limited number of teams. The Montreal Expos don't play there anymore. As of now, it's only the Blue Jays, putting a lot of pressure on one team competing against some pretty stiff competition in the American League. Or, maybe it's because October baseball overlaps the more popular hockey season? What do you think is keeping Canada from making it to the series? I'd welcome you to leave your thoughts in the comments.

But, we still haven't answered the question of how a team from Washington can break a losing streak. Seven seasons ago the Montreal Expos moved to Washington D.C taking on the moniker, The Washington Nationals. This year, 2012, the Nationals won NL East division and headed to the postseason. This marked the first time since the 1981 appearance that the franchise (under any name) made it to postseason. The Nationals didn't make it past the Division series, but they successfully ended more than 30 years of post season drought.

So, if you're a Montreal Expos fan, this year isn't so blue.

Sources:
Total Pro Sports: Blue Monday http://goo.gl/HFOP9
National Pastime: Baseball History: October 9th  http://goo.gl/uwMnz
Wikipedia: World Series http://goo.gl/xrCTS
Wikipedia: Toronto Blue Jays http://goo.gl/0OJV8

The Loveable Losers

Today, in 2003, one of the most infamous moments in the history of the Chicago Cubs, and maybe even Major League Baseball, occurred at Wrigley Field on the south side of Chicago. Today, in 2003, one of the most famous foul balls in history was hit. It was a big day in the windy city. The Cubs led the 2003 NLCS three games to two. If they won Game 6 in Chicago, they would advance to their first World Series since 1945. Going to the World Series would have given the Cubs a shot to win their first world championship since 1908. But then, it happened. In the eighth inning, with one man out, Florida Marlins 2nd baseman Luis Castillo popped a fly ball to left field. As the ball neared the fans on the left field line, Cubs left fielder Moises Alou jumbed for the ball. He was obstructed by a fan by the name Steve Bartman. Alou shouted at the umpires, wanting fan interference. He wouldn't get the call. At the time, Cubs pitcher Mark Prior had pitched a shutout, the Cubs leading 3-0, and had only allowed three hits. After the Bartman play, the Marlins struck for 8 runs on 5 hits to blow the game open to an 8-3 Marlins lead. Despite lapses by the Cubs fielders, including a bobbled double play ball by Cubs shortstop Alex Gonzalez, the fans blamed Bartman for the bad inning. Eventually, Bartman, who was being booed and had various items thrown at him, had to be escourted from Wrigley Field. The Marlins went on to claim the NL pennant in Game 7, and won the World Series. The Bartman play received a great amount of attention, from fans heckling Bartman, to police parking outside his house for protection, to even prankster posing as Bartman going on ESPN to dupe the station. Fans even today still blame Steve Bartman for a play that will likely transcend time. The Cubs have not won a postseason game since the Steve Bartman play. The ball Bartman is said to have interfered with was later blown up and served in a sauce at a local restaurant. It was just the latest of a series of unfortunate events to happen to a baseball club known as the loveable losers, a moniker devoted to the teams futility in contending for a championship. Sources: Photo-http://newsone.com/1552335/steve-bartman-catching-hell-30-for-30/ http://espn.go.com/espn/espnfilms/story/_/page/catchinghell/catching-hell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6NsWdRfgAk&feature=related http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN200310140.shtml

Prime Performance

Today, in 1992, Deion Sanders, also known as "Primetime," played in a game for the Atlanta Falcons, who were taking on Miami, before getting on a plane headed to Pittsburgh for an National League Championship Series game between the Pirates and the Atlanta Braves. While Sanders never actually left the dugout for the Braves, had he played he would've been the first professional athlete in history to play two sports on the same day. While that feat has never been accomplished, there have been other high profile athletes to play both football and baseball professionally. They include: Bo Jackson- Raiders (NFL) and Royals (MLB) Jim Thorpe- Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians (NFL), Reds and Braves (MLB) Brian Jordan- Falcons (NFL), Braves and Cardinals (MLB) Ernie Nevers- Bears (NFL) and Browns (MLB) To excel in one sport is a great accomplishment. To excel in two sports is truly remarkable. Sources- Photo-http://www.baseballcardbust.com/2011/08/deion-sanders-1992-upper-deck.html http://www.todayinsport.com/day/october/11 http://ccsabathia52.com/2012/02/20/feb-20th-%E2%80%93-deion-sanders-a-salute-to-african-american-heroes/ http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ycn-8244673 http://askville.amazon.com/Sports-trivia-man-play-Major-League-Baseball-game-NFL-day/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=4728311 http://www.cmgww.com/sports/thorpe/bio/bio.html

Dirty Soxs: The Black Sox Scandal

It's one of the most notable events in baseball history. Filled with conspiracy, the Black Sox scandal is one of the darkest days of the sport.

Today in 1919 was the final game of the series in which the Cincinnati Reds took the pennant even though the full extent of the scandal wouldn't be known for almost a year.

The story is a complicated one. There are questions about who exactly was involved and how deeply they were involved. Most historians agree though the event was one of the most famous scandals.

It all started in 1919 during the World Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds.   Eight players from the Chicago White Sox were accused of fixing the games and losing the series. Most will agree the catalyst was the disdain and anger over manager Charles Comiskey. Comiskey had a habit of underpaying players. He used language and loop holes in contracts to avoid paying players the full salary or bonuses they felt they were due. It was because of their dislike that they tried to lose the games in hopes of winning a large sum of money by betting on the Reds. They got some help from New York gangster Arnold Rothstein who gave money to help finance the scandal. In the end it was the large number of bets being placed on the Reds that blew the scandal wide open.

The eight players, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, Eddie Cicotte, Claude "Lefty" Williams, Buck Weaver, Arnold "Chick" Gandil, Fred McMullin, Charles "Swede" Risberg and Oscar "Happy" Felsch were banned from professional baseball for life.

The incident exploded on newspapers across the country. The headlines were straight and to the point. Some were emotional and others broke the news with a sense of seriousness.

The New York Times:

The New York Times is know for grand, explosive headlines and this one takes the cake. The font size and length of the headline shows how big of a deal this issue was. For many fans it came out of nowhere and this headline brought the dark days into the light.







The headlines in hometown Chicago showed how serious the issue was but in a calmer less explosive manner than the New York Times. These come from the Chicago Evening Post.

This headline still has the traditional old news style of big, bold black text. It is the language, however, that sets it apart from the New York Times. The Times uses words like fixing and "Promises to run them out of baseball." This colorful language begs to be read with a sense of urgency. The Chicago Evening post, on the other hand, uses language that is typical, like confess and indict. This headline reduces the feeling of scandal.


This headline demonstrates the same as mentioned above. The headline is big and loud, but the words used are relatively calm. This is an article that would come well after the scandal originally broke. It would be the kind of story that people would be waiting for. The large, bold font tells readers that the paper finally has the information they've been waiting for. The language may not be colorful but the size of the font says we've got what you want.

This final headline uses more of the colorful language, but has a subdued font and text. The phrase "plot to buy world's series" implies a scandal. This paper has the inside story of a  conspiracy. And, who doesn't like a little gossip and conspiracy. This headline tries to draw in readers who are looking for this gossip. They have the inside story about the plot. The sub headline mentions a $100,000 ring which adds another layer to an already complicated and exciting story that gossip hounds will eat up.







The Black Sox Scandal may have been one of the biggest scandals in all of baseball. This assertion is only backed up with newspaper headlines from the times. While there hasn't been a scandal of this magnitude in the baseball world in a while, the way we report big stories hasn't changed a bit. A good scandal is good for the news world as I'm sure these newspapers found out. Journalism is the rough draft of history and it is these drafts that help us piece together a scandal from almost 100 years ago.

Sources:
New York Times Archive
Wikipedia. org: Black Sox Scandal http://goo.gl/hQBB1
Chicago Historical Society: Chicago Black Sox http://goo.gl/ZTZ6m
Chicago Historical Society Photo Archive

How Sweet it is

Today, in 1984, Walter Payton passed Jim Brown to take 1st place on the all-time rushing list. Payton, known as "Sweetness," had the New Orleans Saints in his way of the all-time record. And in typical Payton form, he did not disappoint. It was a blistery 62 degrees at Soldier Field on that October day. Payton needed just 66 yards to surpass Jim Brown. Brown's rushing mark sat at 12,312 yards. Payton didn't get those yards all at once however. Payton showcased his ability to earn the hard yards. Trailing 13-7 in the first half Walter Payton punched the ball in from a yard out to put the Bears up one going into intermission. He was just two yards shy of Brown. Then, in the 3rd quarter, it happened. Payton broke the record to surpass Brown. True to form, Payton, who was not known as an outspoken player, declined for the game to be stopped when he broke the record. The game, like Payton, just kept on going. Payton would go on to rush for 88 more yards, ending his day with 154 yards and a touchdown. It was the fifth consecutive game Payton rushed for over 100 yards, the fifth of nine times Payton surpassed the century mark in '84. Of course we all know what happens next. The Bears shuffled their way to a Super Bowl victory in '85. Payton would go on to be inducted into the hall of fame in 1993. Payton would later be surpassed on the all time list by Emmitt Smith in 2002. It was a record that stood for 18 years. While seven more running backs passed Brown's mark, Payton still remains second on the all-time list. Payton rushed for 16,726 yards through his career. A lot of great memories in that career, no doubt what occurred on October 7th, 1984 being one of the greatest. Sources Photo-http://plimptonmovie.com/paper-lion/jeff-pearlman-on-his-walter-payton-bio http://www.todayinsport.com/day/october/7 http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198410070chi.htm http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PaytWa00/gamelog/1984/ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rush_yds_career.htm http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1122711/index.htm http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments/31 http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PaytWa00.htm http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments/80

Finding a Place in the Replacement Game

We all have feelings about the replacement refs. Like them or hate them, the fact was they were in charge. While the seasoned, regular officials were on strike, these replacement referees had to step in. Team owners and league officials were not about to stop a lucrative season just because they couldn't agree with the refs on a contract. There was too much at stake. 

No matter how much we'd like to think sports are about the love of the game, the spirit of competition or the display of human physical strength, the reality is, they're about dollars and cents. They're about seats filled, tickets sold, advertisers and sponsors. And, when money is on the line, you have to do what it takes to keep the bank account happy. 

In 2012 we had to hire replacement officials to accomplish this and even though they may not have done a stellar job, there were still tickets sold and seats filled. Because, what's more important, seeing your favorite player or watching the ref? 

In 1987, however, it was a completely different story. The regular refs were there, it was the players that weren't! On October 4, 1987 replacement players played their first game in NFL history, shocking not only fans, but the regular players who were on strike. 

Teams stopped at no great lengths to find players to replace those on strike. They found them in grocery stores, bars, semi-pro teams and even prison camps. These players did not have the glitz and glammar we're used to seeing in the NFL. They were somewhere in between in their careers. Most of them had little money, but they had big dreams.  (1)

There is always an event that turns the tide in a lockout situation. In the recent replacement refs situation it was the missed call that changed the Monday Night Football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers. In the 1987 situation it was arguably the replacement players game between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins replacement team came to Dallas and won despite constant ridicule. They showed they were capable of competing despite their lessened ability. 

In any situation, fans are always happy to see the regulars return to work. Whether it's the regular players or the regular refs. But, what about the replacements? What happens to them? The answer, we don't know. They return to their lives before the spotlight. They've earned a spot in history, but only time will tell how they're remembered. The 1987 lockout is remembered two ways. Some look back on it as the "scab" season. Replacement players who tried to take the place of the more seasoned professional players. Others view the season as a magical one filled with realized dreams and a second chance at glory. 

But, all things must come to an end. So, whether you're a replacement ref realizing your dream of calling a professional big league game or a replacement player who thought his chance was over, you're just a moment of history. 

Sources: 

(1) ESPN: NFL. 1987 NFL Replacements Part of History http://goo.gl/5p8sM

ESPN Radio: This Day in Sports History-October 4 http://goo.gl/cFBSW

NFL: Top Ten Biggest Upsets: The Replacements http://goo.gl/Vyrw5

Picture: Real Clear Sports.com

The Fall Becomes Classic

Today, in 1903, the beginning of one of the greatest fall traditions came to fruition. On October 1st, 1903, the first World Series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Pilgrims was played. In the nearly 11 decades since then, the World Series has became a must see event every fall. The World Series has a rich history. The New York Yankees have own the most World Series of any other baseball team, with 27 titles. The Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals have never won a title. In the course of history, 20 teams have won the World Series in a sweep, when a team wins every World Series game played that year. The team with the most sweeps? You guessed it, the Yankees. They've swept the World Series eight times. The 1978 World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees was the highest rated championship round since the series began being televised in the 1960's. The Yankees, of course, emerged victorious. The "Fall Classic" has seen great individual performances as well. In the history of the series, Mickey Mantle has hit 18 home runs, followed closely by his Yankee teammate Babe Ruth, who has 15 homers in his World Series career. On the mound, pitching great Christy Mathewson has shutout his World Series opponent four times, while Lefty Gomez is the only pitcher to never lose a game in his World Series career. We also have moments that have lived on through the test of time. Bill Buckner's gaffe for the Red Sox in '86 comes immediately to mind, as well as Bob Gibson's home run to beat Oakland in the series. Heck, I'll throw in another Yankee moment, when Luis Gonzalez of the Diamondbacks singled to center to give Arizona the series in dramatic fashion. The World Series has had, and seen it all. And it all began on this day, 109 years ago, with the Boston Pilgrams and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Boston won the series that year in eight conests. Sources for this article: Photo-http://www.iknowarailroad.net/nation/index.htm http://www.todayinsport.com/day/october/1 http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/wssweeps.shtml http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr1978ws.shtml http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/wsmenu.shtml http://www.baseball-almanac.com/rb_ws1.shtml http://www.baseball-almanac.com/rb_ws4.shtml