Sports can really make you scratch your head sometimes – Sports Thoughts for June 1, 2010

Sports can really make you scratch your head sometimes –
Sports Thoughts for June 1, 2010

Memorial Day not only is the time for us to think about and remember those who served our nation with their lives in times of war and peace, it’s one of the traditional benchmark points of the major league baseball season. Of course, Memorial Day is also shared with the unofficial start of summer, retail store sales, the NBA playoffs, and the Stanley Cup finals.

First thought belongs to game one of the Stanley Cup finals between Chicago and Philadelphia. Looks like someone forgot to bring defense to the United Center Saturday night as these finals started off with a scoring fest – Blackhawks 6, Flyers 5. How strange is a score like this in the NHL? Well, consider the Blackhawks scored almost as many goals in game one than the Montreal Canadiens scored in their entire five-game eastern conference finals loss to the Flyers. And if you’re wondering how long it’s been since two teams combined for five goals in the first period of a Stanley Cup final, try 1982 when the Islanders outscored the Canucks 3-2.

My second thought belongs to the soon-to-start NBA finals between Los Angeles and Boston. Did you know these two teams have combined to win 32 of the 64 championships so far in NBA history? The Celtics have won 17 in their storied history and the Lakers 15. Have you ever wondered if it simply makes sense to predict Boston-LA every year in the finals and spare yourself the suspense? Think about it… you have a better than 50-50 chance of being correct. Talk about a pretty reliable bet.

I know most think the Lakers are going to earn their revenge for losing the 2008 finals to Boston, and Kobe Bryant being Kobe, and Phil Jackson being arguably the greatest coach, and the amazing talent on the Lakers’ roster, but I’m picking the Celtics in six. Why? Just a hunch, not to mention a soft spot for “older” teams playing for perhaps one last hurrah. In fact, there’s something rather special to this year’s Celtics.

What’s so special? Consider the Celtics had the fourth-best record in the eastern conference this year. 50-32. Does this sound like the record of a champion? Most would say no when comparing it to the win totals by Cleveland, Orlando, and every playoff team in the western conference. C’mon, 50 wins are as many as the Spurs, Blazers, and Thunder had filling out the 6-8 seeds. But let’s not forget the Celtics were meandering around .500 for a good part of the regular season before they got healthy, consistent, and hot, hot enough to finish 18 games over .500. Granted, the Celtics lost 7 of their final 10 regular season games, but there was quite a torrid stretch between the All-Star Break and those final ten games. But the Celtics eliminated both LeBron’s Cavs and Superman’s Magic, and that has to mean some kind of momentum.

But what truly makes these Celtics special is their veteran pride and pulling together to make one more, if not last championship push with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and head coach Doc Rivers. Call me crazy but these Celtics remind me of another veteran championship team that made one last run after a somewhat underwhelming regular season, the 1967 Green Bay Packers. That final team under Vince Lombardi was only 9-4-1 during the regular season and barely survived the mediocrity of the old (then new) “Black and Blue” division with the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings. While the Packers appeared to sleepwalk into the playoffs, Lombardi’s core of Jerry Kramer, Bart Starr, Willie Davis, Dave Robinson, Ray Nitschke, Herb Adderley, and on and on survived the Los Angeles Rams 28-7 then the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 in the “Ice Bowl”. Then, to cap off the legendary coach’s tenure, Lombardi’s Packers beat the Raiders 33-14 in Super Bowl II. Even though they were the Packers, the Rams had a better record, their “Fearsome Foursome” of Merlin Olsen, Lamar Lundy, Deacon Jones, and Rosie Grier, not to mention the great Roman Gabriel at quarterback, the Cowboys were thought to be ready to avenge losing the 1966 NFL championship game, and the Raiders were a 13-1 wrecking crew en route to the AFL title. Yet when examine the final tally of the 1967 season, the Packers were still the Packers.

Yes, the Lakers are the Lakers, and Kobe is Kobe, and Phil Jackson is a modern-day Red Auerbach, but there’s something about these Celtics that just won’t fade quietly, a proud veteran team with its healthiest roster at the right time, led by one of the most underrated coaches in Doc Rivers, a man who knows his defense whether he’s in a Knicks uniform or an Armani suit.

You want role players making big impact? How about Nate Robinson, too small and undisciplined to play for Mike D’Antoni in Madison Square Garden, but the right kind of sparkplug for the new Boston Garden. Like I said, Celtics in six. Maybe it’s just a hunch, maybe it’s just nostalgia, or maybe it’s just sensing the right kind of performances from a roster put together for one more title.

So, let’s talk about Super Bowl XLVIII. With the game almost four years away, I don’t want to burn myself out, but I will say that I’m tired of the excessive carrying on folks are doing about the weather forecast for February 2014. Although odds are highly against me still being alive by 2014, I do hope I’m around to enjoy this event and possibly laugh at all the folks complaining about things that have everything to do with classic post-season football. Well, if I’m not here physically, I at least hope my ghost enjoys it.

Anyone want to bet odds that neither Mayor Bloomberg or his fellow blowhard counterpart across the Hudson, Governor Christie, will be in office by the time this game is played? For the sake of New York City and New Jersey, I hope the odds are better than even in favor of new occupants in Gracie Mansion and Trenton. And in the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt, may both speak softly and carry a big stick, or at least shoot their mouths off less.

Ah, finally… baseball and Memorial Day weekend. Let’s see what’s going on up to this point.

Well, I’m becoming VERY fascinated by all these no-hitters, perfectos, and near no-no’s. I had a feeling back in mid-April something was on the horizon, but I never expected three no-hitters within five weeks, much less two perfect games in the same month.

So, with all the excitement generated by Roy Hallady’s perfecto in Miami Saturday night, and all the tweeting and blogging how this was the first time since 1880 that two perfect games were tossed in the same month, I did a little research on http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/rare_feats/index.jsp?feature=no_hitter
to find answers to a few questions on my mind…

Question #1 – What are the most no-hitters pitched in any MLB season?
Surprise, surprise, in both 1990 and 1991, seven no-hitters were pitched each season. In 1990, five no-hitters were pitched in the AL and two in the NL. In 1991, four no-hitters were pitched in the AL, three in the NL. Who pitched these no-hitters? Here’s the list…

Date -- Pitcher(s) -- Teams & Score
04-11-1990: Mark Langston (7 inn), Mike Witt (2 inn):
California vs Seattle, 1-0

06-02-1990: Randy Johnson: Seattle vs Detroit, 2-0

06-11-1990: Nolan Ryan: Texas at Oakland, 5-0

06-29-1990: Dave Stewart: Oakland at Toronto, 5-0

06-29-1990: Fernando Valenzuela: Los Angeles vs St. Louis, 6-0

08-15-1990: Terry Mulholland: Philadelphia vs San Francisco, 6-0

09-02-1990: Dave Stieb: Toronto at Cleveland, 3-0

05-01-1991: Nolan Ryan: Texas vs Toronto, 3-0

05-23-1991: Tommy Greene: Philadelphia at Montreal, 2-0

07-28-1991: Dennis Martinez: Montreal at Los Angeles, 2-0 (Perfect Game)

07-13-1991: Bob Milacki (6 inn), Mike Flanagan (1 inn),
Mark Williamson (1 inn), Gregg Olson (1 inn):
Baltimore at Oakland, 2-0

08-11-1991: Wilson Alvarez: Chicago (AL) at Baltimore, 7-0

08-26-1991: Bret Saberhagen: Kansas City vs Chicago (AL), 7-0

09-11-1991: Kent Mercker (6 inn), Mark Wohlers (2 inn),
Alejandro Peña (1 inn):
Atlanta vs San Diego, 1-0


Notice anything interesting among these 14 no-hitters? Well, besides Nolan Ryan pitching his sixth and seventh career no-hitters in consecutive seasons (he also pitched no-hitters in 1973 (twice), 1974, and 1975), we see three combined no-hitters, two no-hitters on the same day (Oakland’s Dave Stewart and the Dodgers’ Fernando Valenzuela), the Oakland A’s involved in three no-hitters, and the White Sox, Blue Jays, A’s, Orioles, Dodgers, Expos, and Mariners on both the pitching and receiving end of no-hitters. Oddly enough, Baltimore, Oakland and the Chicago White Sox all experienced pitching and receiving no-hitters within a month of each other. June 1990 saw four no-hitters. Interesting as well, seven no-hitters came at home and seven came on the road.

Question #2 – Were 1990 and 1991 exceptional MLB seasons for no-hitters?
As awesome as seven no-hitters were in both 1990 and 1991, there were other prolific seasons in terms of no-hitters –1908, 1917 and 1969 saw six no-hitters, and 1962, 1968 and 1973 each saw five.

Question #3 – What are the most no-hitters pitched in one month during an MLB season?
June 1990 had the most no-hitters, four.

Question #4 – What are the most no-hitters pitched in one week (Seven Days) during an MLB season?
One would expect Dave Stewart and Fernando Valenzuela to jointly hold this distinction, since both pitched no-hitters on June 29, 1990, but let’s not forget Johnny Vander Meer’s feat of 2 consecutive no-hitters in 1938 – June 11 in Cincinnati as the Reds beat the Boston Braves, then June 15 at Ebbets Field when he blanked the Dodgers. Of course, in light of perfectos by Oakland’s Dallas Braden and Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay, we now know about Worchester’s Lee Richmond pitching a perfecto on June 12, 1880, and Providence’s Monte Ward doing the same five days later.

But that, folks, is not all… On April 22, 1898, Ted Breitenstein pitched a no-hitter for Cincinnati while Jim Hughes pitched one for Baltimore in the old National League. In 1908, Cleveland’s Dusty Rhoades no-hit the Red Sox on September 18. Two days later, Frank Smith of the White Sox no-hit the Philadelphia A’s. In 1916, Joe Bush of the Philadelphia A’s no-hit the Indians on August 26. Four days later, Hub Leonard of the Red Sox no-hit the St. Louis Browns.

On April 30, 1922, Charlie Robertson tossed a no-hitter for the White Sox against Detroit. On May 7, 1922, the Giants Jesse Barnes no-hit the Phillies. In 1946, Cleveland’s Bob Feller pitched the second on his career no-hitters against the Yankees on April 30. This was exactly one week after Brooklyn Dodger Ed Head no-hit the Giants.

In 1963, Sandy Koufax pitched the second of his four career no-hitters on May 11, beating the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Six days later, Houston’s Don Nottebart no-hit the Philadelphia Phillies. On April 30, 1969 Cincinnati’s Jim Maloney no-hit the Astros, and the very next day Houston’s Don Wilson returned the favor!

Also, in 1969, Baltimore’s Jim Palmer no-hit Oakland on August 13, while future Oakland right-hander Ken Holtzman no-hit the Braves while pitching for the Chicago Cubs on August 19. Ironically, Holtzman’s no-no was just about the last good thing that happened to the Cubbies during the 1969 season.

Meanwhile, Texas Ranger Jim Bibby and Atlanta Brave Phil Neikro tossed no-hitters within a week of each other in 1973, Bibby on July 30 and Neikro on August 5.

While Montreal’s Charlie Lea no-hit San Francisco on May 10, 1981, Len Barker of Cleveland pitched a perfecto five days later against Toronto. On September 19, 1986, Joe Cowley pitched a no-hitter for the White Sox against the Angels, and Houston’s Mike Scott no-hit San Francisco six days later. On September 4, 1993, Jim Abbott pitched a no-hitter for the Yankees against Cleveland. Four days later, the late Daryl Kile pitched a no-hitter for the Astros over the Mets. And speaking of the Mets, on May 11, 1996, then future Met Al Leiter pitched a no-hitter for the marlins against the Colorado Rockies. Three days later, former Met Dwight Gooden pitched a no-hitter for the Yankees against Seattle.

And, of course, the New York Mets, if my calculations are correct, have yet to pitch a no-hitter after 7,818 games of playing baseball since 1962.

Just like home runs, sometimes no-hitters come in their own bunches.

So I’ll leave the batting averages, ERAs, OBPs, and all the other Sabermetric data to my fellow sports junkies, columnists, and bloggers. Give me some good old historical information any day to tease my brain about the quirky fun of baseball.