"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 9-4-10

Great line by WFAN Radio's Mike Francesa last week--describing to a caller how the greedy, New York football teams have "put the screws" to fans with seat licensing fees: "They turn you upside down until the nickels fall out of your pockets"..........TRIVIA QUESTION: Who was the last member of the New York Yankees to lead the American League in runs scored in consecutive years? Answer to follow..........I used to think that watching Rick Barry shoot free throws underhanded was a pure thing of beauty--that is, until I saw a recent picture of lovely actress Jessica Alba in a form-fitting dress at the LA screening of her upcoming movie "Machete"..........ITEM: Oregon State offensive lineman Tyler Patrick Thomas is dismissed from the team after police find him drunk AND naked in a stranger's home; when told by police to get on the ground/surrender, Thomas proceeded to form his usual three-point stance and actually lunged at the officers. Yes, stun guns had to be used to tame the massive 19-year-old. If I was one of the arresting officers involved in this saga, my first question after corralling the intoxicated Thomas would have been, "Hey Ty--by the way--do you remember if this was supposed to be a running or passing play?"..........This week in sports history, September 7, 1970: In the fourth race at Del Mar (California), horse racing legend Bill Shoemaker becomes the world's winningest jockey--guiding 2-year-old filly Dares J to a 2 1/2 length victory. The win was the 6,033rd of Shoemaker's storied career--passing Johnny Longden's old mark of 6,032. With Longden among the 20,000 people in attendance, Shoemaker broke the record while on his 24,534th mount; the two legendary jockeys also posed for photographs together following this memorable, six-furlong race..........Recently, I was surprised AND impressed to find out that All-Pro NFL guard Alan Faneca has lived with epilepsy for years and has enjoyed a tremendous football career. Funds continue to be desperately needed to assist in the fight against epilepsy. Robert Fiore--the president and founder of The Connecticut Epilepsy Advocate, Inc.--will soon partake in the first annual "Walking Miles For Epilepsy" on Wednesday, September 15th; Fiore will venture out at 8:00 AM from the Washington Bridge in Milford (CT) and walk to the University of New Haven. This year's donations will be used for The Yale Epilepsy Program--which provides promising options for many pediatric and adult patients with epilepsy. A great cause, folks; to support Mr. Fiore and his valiant fundraising efforts, please make checks payable (and mail) to: Connecticut Epilepsy Advocate, Inc., 20 Salem Walk, Milford, CT 06460-7132..........This is directed at all male, Boston Red Sox fans out there: I know you're amazingly devoted and truly take each loss to heart. But when you get to gaze at the lovely Heidi Watney doing interviews following those tough defeats, doesn't a LOT of the sting suddenly disappear?..........Answer to trivia question: RICKEY HENDERSON--who led the AL in runs scored in 1985 and '86 with totals of 146 and 130 respectively..........Happy birthday wishes go out to NBA Hall of Famer Nate "Tiny" Archibald--who blows out 62 candles on September 2nd. A product of the Bronx who played at UTEP, "Tiny" spent 13 seasons playing in the league--most notably with the Kings and Celtics--averaging an impressive 18.8 points and 7.4 assists per game over the course of his career. Archibald undoubtedly had one of the greatest seasons in the HISTORY of the NBA back in '72-73 while playing in Kansas City--a year in which he led the league in both scoring (34.0) AND assists (11.4). Archibald was named to the All-NBA First Team three times during his marvelous career and was a six-time All-Star. Nate was also a member of the world champion Celtics team in '80-81--playing alongside a young Larry Bird. He was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time team and elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991. Funny, Archibald was listed as being 6'1" tall when he played; if that was the case, Mickey Rooney was a six-footer, too. Best wishes, "Tiny"..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of legendary college running back Johnny Bailey--who died recently at the age of 43 from pancreatic cancer. Bailey played at Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville) from 1986-1989. In his collegiate career, Bailey rushed for a staggering 6,320 yards; at the time, only he and Tony Dorsett from Pittsburgh had run for more than 6,000 yards in a career. He was a three-time NCAA Division II player of the year and gained 7,803 all-purpose yards--an NCAA career record. Bailey later played six seasons in the NFL with the Bears, Cardinals, and Rams; he holds the Bears team record for the longest punt return as he returned one 95 yards for a touchdown as a rookie. Bailey also made the Pro Bowl in 1992--a year when he averaged 13.2 yards returning punts for the Cardinals. Appropriately, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000. May Johnny Bailey rest in peace.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 8-28-10

ITEM: N.Y. Mets pitcher Mike Pelfrey admits to being ill and VOMITING before his start vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates last week. I'm now convinced that someone advised Pelfrey shortly before his "hurling" episode that the Bucs hadn't experienced a winning season since 1992. Yes, THAT's sickening, folks........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1993 Chicago White Sox--who finished first in the AL West under manager Gene Lamont--had three starting pitchers who won 15 or more games apiece. Can you name this trio? Answer to follow..........Just wondering: If New Orleans-based artist Jennifer Beach married former NFL defensive lineman Jerry Ball, would she then mind being referred to by her full, "summer-y" name of Jennifer Beach Ball?..........This week in sports history, August 30, 1991: Long-jumper Mike Powell leaps into the record books--soaring 29 feet, 4 1/2 inches at the World Track and Field Championships in Tokyo. Powell's magnificent effort was two inches better than Bob Beamon's previous record mark--set back in 1968 at the Mexico City Olympic Games. Powell's record leap erased the oldest track and field record in history; it also enabled him to finally claim victory over the great Carl Lewis--who had been undefeated in 65 consecutive meets over a ten-year period..........ITEM: Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman John Gill is arrested for public intoxication after police find him passed out in a ditch on the side of a road at 4AM. My first thought? This is probably NOT what the Indy coaches are referring to when they tell their defensive linemen to "plug holes"..........Answer to trivia question: JACK McDOWELL (22), ALEX FERNANDEZ (18), and WILSON ALVAREZ (15)..........I used to think that a Jerry West jump shot was a pure thing of beauty--that is, until I saw a recent picture of actress Jessica Szohr wearing a low-cut, red-ruffled dress at a Hollywood party for the premiere of "Piranha 3D"..........After watching minor league baseball all summer long at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, the best defensive play I witnessed happened last weekend. In the 3rd inning vs. the Staten Island Yankees, CT Tigers first baseman James Robbins leaned over the tarpaulin and into the stands to make a spectacular catch on a foul pop-up. With the SI runner on second base then tagging up, Robbins recovered and threw a laser-like strike to the third baseman--completing an unlikely double play. Great play, James, and worthy of being part of ANY highlight reel..........Heartfelt well-wishes go out to Yale women's hockey player Mandi Schwartz--who has been diagnosed with leukemia for the second time in two years and will eventually need a stem cell transplant to survive. To support Mandi and raise attention to her situation/continued fight, teammate Samantha MacLean recently ventured out on a bike ride from Toronto to New Haven--a distance of about 824 kilometers. Referred to as "The Ride for 17" (Mandi's uniform #), monetary proceeds go directly to Mandi and her family as she forges ahead with medical treatment. More info about Mandi's story and how to make a donation online can be obtained by visiting www.welovemandi.webs.com. Checks can also be mailed to Yale Athletics, ATTN: Wayne Dean, 20 Tower Parkway, New Haven, CT 06520. Thanks for your biking/awareness efforts, Samantha, and here's wishing Mandi Schwartz the best of health..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former MLB pitcher Jason Gilfillan--who blows out 34 candles on August 31st. A 6'5" right-hander who attended the College of Charleston, Gilfillan pitched just ONE year in the "bigs"--2003 with the Kansas City Royals--appearing in 13 games as a reliever. His overall #'s that year weren't pretty, folks: 16.1 innings pitched, 22 hits, 14 earned runs--an ERA of 7.71. However, Gilfillan was the winning pitcher in two of those thirteen lifetime games and never lost--thus going into the MLB record books with a career record of 2-0 (a winning % of 1.000). You're still a young man, Jason; here's wishing you many more birthday celebrations to come..........Yes, we lost the legendary Bobby Thomson recently--famous for his "Shot Heard 'Round The World"; for what it's worth, I still think it's the most memorable home run in MLB history. However, many fans may not realize that Thomson drove in more than 100 runs FOUR times during his career and also led the NL in triples as a member of the Giants in '52. Sincere condolences go out to his entire family. One thing's for sure, Bobby: EVERY true baseball fan will be forever grateful for that magical moment in '51. May you rest in peace.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 8-21-10

ITEM: N.Y. Mets reliever Francisco Rodriguez (K-ROD) punches out his girlfriend's Dad following a recent game at Citi Field. The response from the Mets' front office was basically that this should be considered as inappropriate behavior." WFAN host Richard Neer had a major problem with that explanation last weekend--more accurately defining the term inappropriate behavior as more like "belching at a wedding." Excellent point, Richard..........TRIVIA QUESTION: The lowly 1985 Texas Rangers--who finished with a record of 62-99 in the AL West--had only one player on the roster who drove in more than 70 runs. Can you name this former infielder? Answer to follow..........It's really tough being so technology-challenged: All this time, I thought an "Android" was an athlete named Andrew who was taking steroids..........Need some great late-summer sports reading? How 'bout the new work from Sports Illustrated senior writer Tim Layden: Blood, Sweat and Chalk. In addition to some great football anecdotes included among the book's 256 pages, it also entertains the readers with stories through the eyes of legendary coaches such as Don Coryell, Mike Shanahan, Bill Walsh, Barry Switzer, and many others. For more information on the book and/or to purchase, visit www.amazon.com ..........This week in sports history, August 24, 1963: In front of friends and family in his hometown of Miami, John Pennel becomes the first pole-vaulter ever to clear 17 feet--breaking his own world record at the Florida Gold Coast Amateur Athletic Union meet. Pennel's vault of 17'-3/4" came just a year after Marine John Uelses had cleared the magical mark of SIXTEEN feet for the first time. Pennel had set the world record when he vaulted 16 feet, 3 inches a few months earlier (in March) and went on to break his OWN record SIX times before clearing 17 feet on this late-August day. His previous best vault before the meet in Miami was 16'-10 1/4"..........Regarding the aforementioned punk Francisco Rodriguez: So this idiot goes and sucker-punches Carlos Pena--the grandfather of his children. Ah, so I assume this dolt thinks he's a tough guy, right? Just wondering, folks: Do you think there are a THRONG of guys at a place called Riker's Island--just a few miles from Citi Field--who'd eagerly like to show Rodriguez what the word "tough" REALLY means?..........*O.K.--here goes: Former Niagara basketball player Jessica James marries former NFL coach Chuck Knox, divorces, then marries Connecticut Tigers (NY-Penn League) outfielder P.J. Polk. Fans of U.S. presidential history would surely take joy in her full married name of Jessica James Knox Polk..........Answer to trivia question: PETE O'BRIEN--who had 92 RBI's (along with 22 home runs) for his last-place Texas club..........ITEM: Seneca High School (Kentucky) basketball coach Matthew Lemon is arrested for DUI and hit and run; he allegedly hit an oncoming car on Interstate 64 and then fled the scene of the accident. Sheesh--gives a whole new meaning to the term "fast-break", huh?..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former MLB pitcher Mike Boddicker--who blows out 53 candles on August 23rd. A native of Iowa, Boddicker spent 14 seasons in the "bigs" between 1980 and 1993--compiling a record of 134-116. Mike spent the majority of his career pitching for the Orioles; he also spent time as a member of the Red Sox, Royals, and Brewers. Boddicker had a fine year in 1983 for Baltimore when the O's won the world championship; he went 16-8 with a league-high five shutouts. He followed that up with another fine effort in 1984--winning 20 games and leading the American League with an impressive ERA of 2.79. Boddicker also won a Gold Glove in 1990 as a member of the Red Sox--a year in which he won 17 games while pitching 228 innings. Best wishes, Mike..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former Olympic sprinter Antonio Pettigrew--who was recently found dead in the backseat of his car in North Carolina; he was just 42. Pettigrew was best-known for being part of the 1,600-meter U.S. relay team that won the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000; the International Olympic Committee later stripped the team of the medal after Pettigrew admitted to doping during a trial of a former coach. At the time of his death, Pettigrew was an assistant track coach at the University of North Carolina--where he focused on hurdles, relays, and sprints. After his admission of cheating, Pettigrew spent a great deal of time speaking to young people about the dangers of banned substances. Pettigrew is survived by his wife, Cassandra, and a son, Antonio Pettigrew, Jr. Yes, he may go down in history as the all-too-familiar "disgraced athlete," but the hope here is that his regretful actions have a positive effect on some generations to follow. Rest in peace, Antonio.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 8-14-10

In search of some great, late-summer reading? Check out A Bitter Cup Of Coffee by author Doug Gladstone. This terrific publication references the plights of 874 MLB players who were active between 1947 and 1979; due to rules prior to 1980, these players have received NO pension money for their service to the national pastime. After 1980, MLB players have needed just ONE day of service credit for health benefits and only 43 days to be eligible for a retirement allowance. More information on the book can be obtained by visiting the Barnes and Noble website (www.bn.com) or by logging onto www.abittercupofcoffee.com ..........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1985 Philadelphia Phillies--who finished in fifth-place in the NL East under manager John Felske--were led in RBI's (102) by a player who never came close to equaling that number in any season before or after. Can you name this individual? Answer to follow..........A pair of two-word phrases we may never hear in our lifetimes: Yours truly saying "I do" and Brett Favre saying "I quit"..........Classic stuff: WFAN's Steve Somers--due to the Red Sox having at least a DOZEN players on the DL--referred to the team last week as the "Boston Red Cross"..........This week in sports history, August 16, 1984: 43-year-old Pete Rose is re-acquired by the Cincinnati Reds from the Montreal Expos for a minor leaguer and is immediately named as player-manager--replacing Vern Rapp. Rose had accumulated hit #4,000 four months earlier for the Expos and stood 130 hits shy of Ty Cobb's all-time hits record when he returned to Cincinnati. The Cincinnati-born "Charlie Hustle" had spent his first 16 seasons with the Reds and was a vital catalyst for the "Big Red Machine" teams of the mid-70's--who won World Series titles in 1975 and 1976..........I'm truly convinced that Isiah Thomas becoming a consultant to the N.Y. Knicks is equivalent to Lady Gaga becoming an advisor to the Miss Universe pageant..........Telling stats: Going into last weekend, the Brooklyn Cyclones (NY-Penn League) led all teams in the league in runs, hits, total bases, doubles, homers, and RBI's. Most impressive is that their .298 TEAM batting average was a staggering 29 points higher than the next best team, Jamestown--who was at .269. Wow.........Answer to trivia question: Outfielder GLENN WILSON--whose next highest RBI total in any of his ten seasons came the following year with the Phillies when he drove in 84..........Regarding the aforementioned Isiah Thomas: On WFAN last week, host Richard Neer basically summed up the man's overall ability to work in a basketball team's front office: "He looks good in a suit and has a great smile"..........Congratulations go out to Danae Rivers, a 12-year-old from Derby (CT), who set two national records at the National AAU Junior Olympic games at Norfolk State University in Virginia last week. Running for a track club out of New Haven, Danae set records in both the 800 meter and 1500 meter runs while competing in the Midget Division. Her time of 2:15.32 in the 800 eclipsed the previous record of 2:16.83 set in 2001 by Quantikia Stepeny of Baltimore, MD. Meanwhile, her time of 4:41.14 in the 1500 easily beat the previous record of 4:45.0 set 22 years ago in 1988 by Heather Burroughs of Overland Park, KS. Well done, Danae, and continued success..........Broadcaster Ken Levine--after A-ROID hit HR #600 last week: "Congrats to Alex Rodriguez on hitting his 384th non-performance-enhanced home run earlier today"..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former MLB pitcher Jim Converse--who blows out 39 candles on August 17th. A native of San Francisco, Converse spent just four seasons in the "bigs" between 1993 and 1997 as a member of the Mariners and Royals--and the results weren't pretty, folks. In 35 career games, Converse compiled a record of 2-11 with an ERA of 7.21--having given up 128 hits and 78 earned runs in just over 97 innings. However--he CAN tell his grandchildren that he DID pick up one lifetime save as a member of the Mariners in 1995. Best wishes, Jim..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former NFL defensive lineman Gary "Big Hands" Johnson--who died recently in Louisiana following a stroke; he was 57. Johnson--who played at Grambling--spent 11 seasons in the league between 1975 and 1985--the majority of it as a member of the San Diego Chargers; he also won a Super Bowl ring with the 49ers in 1985. A four-time Pro-Bowler, Johnson received his nickname in middle school while picking up a basketball in gym class. Loved and respected by many, he'll surely be missed; rest in peace, "Big Hands."

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 8-7-10

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview a pair of interesting individuals--author Johanna Wagner and former major league catcher Brent Mayne. Both currently have terrific books on the market; Johanna's is called A View From The Stands--which chronicles her visits to all 30 MLB ballparks back in 2002. Mayne's work is titled The Art of Catching--designed to help coaches, fans, and players understand and enjoy this important defensive position. More info on Johanna and the book itself (along with some great blog entries) can be obtained by visiting www.loveymyteam.com. To find out more about Mayne's book (and to sign up for a free "Art of Catching" newsletter), log onto www.brentmayne.com ..........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates were led in victories by a hurler whose win total that year was more than HALF his career total. Can you name this former right-handed pitcher? Answer to follow..........‎Lazzari's "Cheap Win of the Week": A "no-brainer"--goes to Jonathan Papelbon of the Red Sox. He enters the 9th inning last weekend vs. Detroit with a 3-0 lead, blows his fifth save, and allows Detroit to tie the game 3-3. However, he picks up the "W" nonetheless as the Sox proceed to win on an errant throw by Tigers pitcher Robbie Weinhardt in the bottom of the 9th..........*OK--here goes: Longwood University Assistant Dean Kathy Charleston marries Cleveland Indians outfielder Shin-Soo Choo. Lovers of flavored nougat covered in chocolate would surely love her new married name of Kathy Charleston Choo.........."Raven" Update: My good buddy Robert "Raven" Kraft of Miami Beach continues to amaze, inspire, and carry on. "Raven" reached his 13,000th day of consecutive 8-mile runs this past Wednesday, August 4th, and will also reach the 104,000 total mile-mark this weekend (August 7th). This is a man who made it his New Year's Day resolution back on January 1, 1975 to run every day for just ONE year; he hasn't stopped SINCE, folks. Learn more about my remarkable friend--one of the top "streak runners" in the country--at www.ravenrun.net ..........This week in sports history, August 9, 1988: In one of the most shocking trades in sports history, the Edmonton Oilers send "The Great One"--Wayne Gretzky--to the Los Angeles Kings after Gretzky had asked owner Peter Pocklington to orchestrate the deal. The 27-year-old Gretzky had married American actress Janet Jones in July--a Los Angeles native--perhaps a major reason for Wayne's request to land in Hollywood. Still a very young man, Gretzky had already piled up a mind-boggling 43 NHL scoring records, and stood just 219 goals/182 points shy of the great Gordie Howe's all-time scoring marks--once considered untouchable..........ITEM: 21-year-old Matthew Clemmens of Cherry Hill, NJ is sentenced to jail and community service for sticking his fingers down his throat and VOMITING on fans at a Phillies/Nationals game back in April. If I'm the judge presiding over this dolt's sentencing, I order him to take the 100-or-so mile trip from Cherry Hill to Baltimore as a punishment and force him to watch the pathetic Orioles play--which would most likely make him regurgitate profusely WITHOUT even having to use his fingers..........Answer to trivia question: MIKE DUNNE--who went 13-6 for Jim Leyland's fourth-place club that season but ended up winning only 25 games over his five-year career.........I thought the infield at the new Yankee Stadium was truly beautiful when I saw it recently--but then it took a MAJOR back seat a few days later when I saw a picture of the gown Jessica Biel was wearing at the London film premier of "The A-Team"..........At one point last week, I was TOTALLY convinced that Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth would have a better chance of passing any state's BAR EXAM than any team-given conditioning test..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league outfielder Jimmy McMath--who blows out 61 candles on August 10th. A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, McMath belongs to that unique fraternity of ex-ballplayers who played just ONE big league season; as a teenager, Jimmy played for the Cubs in 1968--appearing in just SIX games. Coming to bat 14 times in his brief career, McMath managed just TWO hits (singles)--thus going into the MLB record books with a lifetime batting average of just .143. Hey, they all can't be Billy Williams, right? Best wishes, Jimmy..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former major league pitcher Billy Loes--who died recently in Arizona at the age of 80; he had undergone open-heart surgery a few years ago and also fought diabetes. In an 11-year career between 1950 and 1961, Loes won 80 games as a member of the Dodgers, Orioles, and Giants; he pitched on three pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers teams in the 1950's and won a World Series game vs. the Yankees in 1953. Billy Loes is survived by a wife, Irene--from whom he was separated; may he rest in peace.