December 2010
25 posts
Roberto Alomar
A favorite on the 2011 Hall of Fame Ballot (no steroids, just spitting), Roberto Alomar had some of his best years, along side brother Sandy Jr., in Cleveland. Signing a 4-year contract in 1998, Alomar posted numbers that few second basemen in the history of baseball can boast. He hit .323 with 24 homers in 1999, with 120 runs batted in and tacked on 37 stolen bases. In 2001 he collected .336...
The Comeback City
“As mayor of Cleveland, George Voinovich oversaw a huge scale urban renaissance downtown. Sohio (purchased by BP America in 1987), Ohio Bell, and Eaton Corporation all built new offices downtown (most notably the BP Building). Brothers Richard and David Jacobs astonished the city by rescuing its troubled Indians franchise, ultimately turning it around for the better. The two also improved...
Flyin' Illini
Ranked #1 during the regular season and Final Four participant, the 1988 team from Illinois led by Kenny Battle and Kendall Gill, was known for their shear athletic style and deemed the “Flyin’ Illini.”
The Snow Bowl
Due to horrendous weather hitting the Columbus area in late November, 1950, the Buckeyes were given the opportunity to cancel the annual game against their rivals up North. By doing so they would clinch the Big Ten title and secure an outright trip to the Rose Bowl. In favor of sportsmanship, the Buckeyes declined and met the Wolverines on November 30 in Ohio Stadium under conditions that...
Waffles in Toronto
A disgruntled Maple Leaf fan has been barred from home games for Waffle-throwing, a Canandian past-time. Video here. Info here.
Brian McBride
And now…….with the first overall pick…….of the 1996 Inaugural Major League Soccer draft……The Columbus Crew selects………………from AAAAAAArlington Heights, IIIIIIIlinois………Forward………returning to the U.S for the first time on the pitch…….. BBBBBBBBBrian MMMMMMMMMMcBride.
McBride...
Eighty-Nine
With a 93-62 defeat of Florida State at the sold-out XL Center in Hartford, UConn won its 89th consecutive game — a Division I record — surpassing the 88 won by the U.C.L.A. men, coached by John Wooden, from 1971 to 1974. The star forward Maya Moore celebrating in the final moments of the game.
The overall college record is held by the women’s team at Wayland Baptist University of Plainview,...
The Little Flower
Irascible, energetic and charismatic, Fiorello Henry La Guardia craved publicity and is acclaimed as one of the three or four greatest mayors in American history. Only five feet tall, he was called “the Little Flower” (Fiorello is Italian for “little flower,” diminutive of fiore, Italian for “flower.”)
As a congressman, LaGuardia was a tireless and vocal...
The Big C
The Chicago Bears clinched the NFC North title tonight with a 40-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Also worth noting, Bears returner Devin Hester returned a punt 64 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, setting a new NFL record with 14 career kickoff or punt returns. Go Bears.
Mighty Casey
Click the image for a video!
Black Jack Johnson
In 1910, former undefeated heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries came out of retirement and said, “I feel obligated to the sporting public at least to make an effort to reclaim the heavyweight championship for the white race… I should step into the ring again and demonstrate that a white man is king of them all.” Jeffries had not fought in six years and had to lose weight to get...
The Heater from Van Meter
A sad day in Cleveland,
Bob Feller
November 3, 1918 – December 15, 2010
More to come.
TWO-BITS THOMPSON
A description of King Thompson, one of Upper Arlington’s founders, noted, “Two-Bits Thompson, our conscientious umpire, got through the season with only a few scratches and bumps. His greatest difficulty seemed to be telling a fowl [sic] from a fly. If all the fines that King imposed were collected, he might buy another 1,000 acres for Upper Arlington.”
King Thompson, 1918
...
RICHARD C. HOLBROOKE 1941-2010
The last words of Richard C. Holbrooke, a lion of U.S. diplomacy, were, “You’ve got to stop this war in Afghanistan.”
Richard C. Holbrooke – NYT
Cory Snyder
In the days when the Cleveland Indians were known best for this, Cory Synder and his bright blonde mustache were the only baseball talk of the town. In the pre-Jake era of last-place finishes, Snyder was a beacon of light. His best season with the tribe came in 1987 when he hit 33 home runs and batted in 82 runs.
Though he was well known for his powerful throwing arm and home run power, he was...
THE DUKE
John Wayne appears here in the battle garb he wore as a member of the 1925 undefeated USC Trojan freshman football team. His name then was Marion Mitchell Morrison. Click the image for a video.
SNOW
Click the image for a video!
THE BACK-DOOR
The Princeton offense was first concocted in the late 1930’s by coach Franklin “Cappy” Cappon. His vision of offense was one that emphasized constant motion, passing, back-door cuts, and disciplined teamwork. The offense re-emerged in the 1960’s with coach Pete Carril, who in his tenure at Princeton impresively compiled a 514-261 record, the best record of any coach in...
BASH BROTHERS
1989 “Earthquake Series”
FLO-JO
The Fastest Woman Alive, since 1988
THE SLASH
On September 24, 1994, with :06 remaining, Kordell Stewart (pre-Steelers) stunned Michigan with a 64-yard Hail Mary to Michael Westbrook over the defending Ty Law. The pass is said to have travelled over 70 yards in the air.
The Buffs won 27-26 on the toss called “Rocket Left.” Click the image for a video!
BO KNEW
Jackson returned to the Chicago White Sox in 1993, and in his first at-bat, against the New York Yankees, he homered on his first swing. The next day Nike ran a full-page ad in USA Today; it simply read “Bo Knew.” He would hit 16 home runs and 45 RBIs that season. Jackson was honored with the Tony Conigliaro Award.
Thanks to Rich Greco for the guest post.
Daily Champion Runner...
The Roof
On August 25, 1990, ex-Hanshin Tiger first baseman Cecil Fielder became one of four players ever to hit a home run over the roof at old Tiger Stadium. The others are Harmon Killebrew, Frank Howard and Mark McGwire.