Real Sports Heroes Notebook

 

For the 18th time this season the Dodgers scored one run in a game on Saturday night. They won the first of the eighteen, 1-0 over the Angels in a bizarre manner.

Los Angeles has also been shutout in eight games-----so in 26 of their opening 81 contests, the Dodgers scored one or fewer runs---and have gone 1 and 25. In the first half of their schedule, they have been held scoreless or limited to one run in almost one-third of their outings.

Yet, they were only 2 1/2 games out of first place in the laughable National League West with a 38 and 43 record after Sunday. Had Florida downed Arizona on Saturday, all five clubs in the West would have had more defeats than victories.

This was just the fifth game in the major leagues since 1900 when the winning team did not get a hit. Jered Weaver of the Angels did not allow a hit in his six innings on the mound. An error, stolen base with a throwing error, and a sacrifice fly handed the Dodgers the only run in the fifth inning.

In 1964, Ken Johnson of the then Houston Colt 45's became the only pitcher to lose a complete game no-hitter in nine innings when he was defeated 1-0 by Cincinnati. An error, a groundout and another error presented the Reds with a run in the top of the ninth.

Steve Barber and Stu Miller of Baltimore hurled a combined no-hitter in 1967, but bowed to Detroit, 2-1.

Andy Hawkins of the 1990 Yankees, Boston's Matt Young in 1992, and Weaver and Jose Arredondo last weekend lost eight-inning unofficial no-hitters where the home team won the game. Because of a rules change in 1991, no pitchers can be credited with no-hitters if they did not go nine innings.



As a lifelong National League fan, it's hard for me to admit, but the American League is simply better. It's been pretty obvious since the National League has not won an All-Star game since 1996.

The Americans just finished pulverizing the Nationals in inter-league play for the fifth year in a row. In 2004, the difference was 127 to 125, but the past four years have been ugly.

INTERLEAGUE PLAY
2005	American League	136	National League	116
2006	American League	154	National League	98
2007	American League	137	National League	115
2008	American League	149	National League	102
.Totals	.	576	.	431.

 

---

When Aaron Boone came up with an infield single the other night for the Washington Nationals, he became the fourth member of his family to collect 1,000 hits in the big leagues. Grandfather Ray finished with 1,260 hits........brother Bret retired recently with 1,775.........and father Bob registered 1,838 hits in his 19 seasons in the majors.

 

 

 

 

---

How many times have you sung "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" which is the unofficial anthem of baseball? Were you aware that neither of the authors had ever been to a game?

The words were written in 1908 by Jack Norworth, who while riding a subway train, was inspired by a sign that said "Baseball Today-----Polo Grounds." The words were set to music by Albert Von Tilzer, who did not see his first major league game until 1928. Norworth waited until 1940 to see his first.

The song became one of the most popular hits of 1908. Norworth's wife,
Nora Bayes, sang it first, and two other renditions were recorded that year too. Jack wrote  an  alternative  version  of  the  song  19  years  later.

1908 Version	1927 Version
Katie Casey was baseball mad, Had the fever and had it bad. Just to root for the home town crew, Ev'ry sou Katie blew. On a Satruday her young beau Called to see if she'd like to go To see a show, but Miss Kate said "No, I'll tell you what you can do:"	Nelly Kelly loved baseball games, Knew the players, knew all their names. You could see her there ev'ry day, Shout "Hurray" When they'd play. Her boyfriend by the name of Joe Said, "To Coney Isle, dear, let's go," Then Nelly started to fret and pout, And to him, I heard her shout:
(Chorus) Take me out to the ball game, Take me out with the crowds;

 

Jack Norworth also wrote "Shine On, Harvest Moon."

 

---

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?


Wimbledon will crown its champions for 2008 this weekend.

The man generally considered the best tennis player of all-time will celebrate his 70th birthday just over a month later.

Rod Laver had to survive a major stroke ten years ago and now lives in Carlsbad, California.

"The Rocket," as he was known, won Wimbledon titles four successive times he entered the tournament (1961, 1962, 1968, 1969) and was victorious in 31 straight matches at Wimbledon between 1961 and 1970. In his four winning finals aganst Chuck McKinley, Marty Mulligan, Tony Roche and John Newcombe, Rod won 12 of 13 sets. He was runnerup in 1959 and 1960.

Laver nabbed 11 grand slam singles championships. Three Australian Opens, two U. S. Opens and two French Opens were also captured by the 5' 8 " lefthander, all in the 1960's.

Laver was arguably the number one player in the world for seven consecutive years...1964 to 1970.

He is the only tennis player to have TWICE won all four of the grand slam singles titles in the same year----as a 24-year-old amateur in 1962 and as a professional in 1969.

Rodney George Laver won a record 184 singles championships between 1960 and 1976, including 22 in 1962 which is another standard.

What made him the greatest? A technically complete serve-and-volley game with aggressive groundstrokes........a devastating topspin......very quick.....a huge left forearm...and a tremendous record in five-set matches, frequently coming from behind to win.


Ross Porter