"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 4/2/11

Some Sports Memories of Yesteryear


* Having a baseball catch with my Dad: He would use his Red Schoendienst glove (not much bigger than his hand) and I'd use my new Vada Pinson model. I was surprised how well he could catch the ball after he turned 40--coming to the conclusion that he must have played a lot of ball in his younger days. I remember concentrating on ACCURACY a lot as I didn't want a guy "his age" having to go retrieve any bad throws.
* Neighborhood basketball games: Playing next door with 5-6 of the local boys--big wooden backboard, chain net, driveway that was NOT flat--which would send many errant balls into the street on a regular basis. Played for hours--almost DAILY--during basketball season. Truly learned how to make a bank shot and shoot free throws on that shoddy--albeit wonderful--"court." Sometimes I'd play at a friend's house a block away--different set of kids--where we'd all call out who we would "be" that day. I'd be "Pistol Pete" or George McGinnis for the afternoon; Jay always called out "Clyde." Game was over when the first kid was called by a parent for dinner.
* Summer fly ball shagging: Some of the same local boys carrying balls and bats (and maybe a 64-ounce bottle of Pepsi) down to the dusty high school field at the end of the street. We'd take turns hitting fly balls for HOURS until the blisters came--then we'd rotate. I remember the delightful feeling when it reached the point where I could judge/run down almost any fly ball hit in my direction. Yeah, and to this day, I still believe repetition is vastly underrated.
* Farm League/Little League baseball: Still very clear in my mind--maybe due to being surrounded by great people. I recall my first coach, Les, buying me a hot dog and soda if I pitched a good game--maybe a bag of chips, too. Then the Little League days; ah, that fence looked SO far away--until I was able to hit one over it. Broken bats? We'd simply take them home, put screws in the handles, apply mechanical tape, and use them again until they'd splinter near the barrel. We never knew what aluminum bats WERE back in those days--and I'm kinda glad we didn't.
* Football in the snow: No building snowmen for us--just pigskin time--and we always pretended we were in Minnesota. The more snow, the better--providing better cushioning while being tackled. It was even MORE fun when a pass was beyond one's fingertips--allowing that person to subsequently dive and slide into an area of untouched snow. Funny, we never felt the cold in those days--only the "warmth" of good times.
* Volleyball--before school: That's right--a bunch of us 8th graders who lived next to the school were allowed to play in the gymnasium from about 7:30-8:00 AM. It was co-ed, and I remember how easy it was to set-up Carol--a 6-footer who was very athletic. I remember volleyball teaching us kids the concepts of teamwork, cooperation, and responsibility--which helped me in all other sports. Loved playing it at the beach, too, when I became a bit older.
* Driveway hockey: Yeah, same driveway as the aforementioned, next-door basketball venue. We used a beat-up tennis ball as our puck and put tape on our sticks just like the pros did. The "goal" was a 4'X6' raised/rectangular design on the neighbor's garage door. Funny, the homeowners (parents of one of the 'hood kids) never seemed to complain despite constant shots caroming off that door--ones that sometimes came close to WINDOWS, too.
* Road football: Yes, out in the street--one with an uphill grade. It was like playing on artificial turf compared to our "snow football wars." Goal posts were telephone poles about 50 yards apart; 'out of bounds' was classified as any part of a resident's lawn. I can still remember the agreed-upon, collective yell of "CAR!!" when an approaching automobile was within sight of our "field." Always easier running a fly pattern going DOWNHILL.
* Schoolyard stickball: Played with the proverbial broom handle and a tennis ball at a grammar school; sometimes, we'd pool our money to get a new can of balls when some older ones had become too soft. Painted strike zones were on the walls that graced both the front AND rear of the building; we'd play in the rear most of the time unless it was being used as an event parking lot. Very competitive, too, as I remember John and I opposing a duo from the other side of town shortly after high school--$100 winner-take-all. Word got out and a decent crowd showed up; John and I later put the $100 winnings to great use at a local restaurant.
* Backyard wiffle ball: At the "stadium"--my next-door neighbor's fenced-in backyard. Played almost every night after dinner during the summer--probably after having shagged fly balls during the day. Curve balls, screwballs, knuckle balls--ah, the things one could do with that weird-looking ball that was manufactured in nearby Shelton. Nothing like clearing the wooden fence with a home run, either--which only a few of us could do. Loved catching batted fly balls, too; if you could catch a wiffle ball on a windy day, you could catch ANYTHING.
* Nerf basketball indoors: That's right--NERF; I remember receiving a Nerf ball/hoop set as a gift in the early 70's--and hung it on the dining room door which led to the basement. What a feeling being able to SLAM DUNK like Wilt; it was especially cool when you 'swished' a shot from the side--resulting in having to go rearrange the net manually. And I remember bouncing that ball off lamps, walls, tables, etc.--and my Mom really not minding too much because I was sharpening my basketball skills. Yeah, I miss you, Mom.
* Schoolyard basketball: Didn't even need a net; if the pole was standing fairly straight and a ball could fit through the rim, we'd use it. 3-on-3, sometimes 4-on-4--mostly half-court games. I remember the backboards being small--making it more difficult to convert bank shots. I also remember a participant showing up one day wearing shades, jewelry, and sunglasses--probably trying to impress a nearby gal who was jumping rope. My friend Bob's question to him at the time: "Who are you--TRAVOLTA?"

Bathe yourself in similar past experiences, folks; they'll surely make you smile.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 3/26/11

I know that Elin Nordegren--the former Mrs. Tiger Woods--has the $$$ now to do almost anything she wants. But a $12.2 million/4,700 square foot, Palm Beach mansion with EIGHT bathrooms? I can only surmise that she wanted a bathroom for each day of the week--with the extra one to be used STRICTLY as the proverbial "reading room"..........TRIVIA QUESTION: In New Jersey Nets history, only three players have tallied 20 or more assists in a single game. Can you name this trio? Answer to follow..........Question: Now that actress Renee Zellweger is single again, do you think there is ANY chance that she'll soon be in the market for an aging, New England-based sports columnist?..........ITEM: Former UNLV basketball player Bobby Joyce is arrested in California for robbing a Vietnam veteran who was waiting at a Santa Ana bus stop in his wheelchair; Joyce's arrests/run-ins with the law dating back to the 1990's are too numerous to mention here. But sheesh--robbing a disabled vet--can it GET any lower than that? And shame on me; all this time I had surmised that those old Jerry Tarkanian teams of yesteryear were comprised solely of outstanding citizens and Rhodes Scholars..........Did you know that the 1993-'94 Detroit Red Wings--who finished 46-30-8 under Scotty Bowman--had FOUR players on the team with 30 or more goals during the regular season? Sergei Federov (56), Ray Sheppard (52), Vyacheslav Kozlov (34), and Keith Primeau (31) were all "scoring machines" for a team that finished first in the league's Central Division. However, they ultimately lost in the conference quarter-finals to the San Jose Sharks that season--4 games to 3..........This week in sports history, March 29, 1976: The Indiana Hoosiers overcome a six-point halftime deficit and ultimately roll to an 86-68 victory over Michigan in the NCAA Tournament championship game played in Philadelphia. Kent Benson and Scott May combined for 51 points for Indiana; Benson, May, and guard Quinn Buckner combined for 36 of the Hoosier's first 38 second-half points as coach Bobby Knight's squad became the seventh team to win the NCAA title with a perfect record (32-0)..........ITEM: Butler beats Pitt 71-70 last weekend--Pittsburgh's FOURTH straight year of losing to a lower seed in the NCAA tournament. Two possible explanations: 1) Pitt is now a program with a cemented reputation as an underachiever or 2) the selection/seeding committees have been hanging out with Charlie Sheen WAY too much over the past few years..........If anyone out there is well-aware that Luis Alberto Lazarte of Argentina is the current IBF junior flyweight champion of the world, then you have WAY too much time on your hands..........Did you know that the 1989 Cleveland Indians had four starting pitchers on their staff with ERA's less than 3.70--but the team STILL finished 16 games under .500? Bud Black, John Farrell, Tom Candiotti, and Greg Swindell were part of a very formidable staff that year. The problem with that team was OFFENSE; they scored the least amount of runs in the AL (604), had very little team speed, and were dead last in the league in on-base percentage (.310)...........Answer to trivia question: KEVIN PORTER (who did it four times in '77-'78), ROBERT PACK (1996), and STEPHON MARBURY (1999)..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league pitcher Marcus Jones--who blows out 36 candles on March 29th. A native of Bellflower, CA, Jones is a member of that unique MLB fraternity of pitchers who appeared in just ONE big league game. As a member of the A's back in 2000, Jones started a game vs. the Rockies--allowing five hits and four earned runs over 2.1 innings. Yes, folks, Marcus Jones is listed in the baseball record books as having a career ERA of 15.43. Hey, they ALL can't be Vida Blue, right? Best wishes, Marcus..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former University of Minnesota football coach Murray Warmath--who passed away last week in Bloomington at the age of 98. Hired in 1954, Warmath put together a record of 87-78-7 in 18 seasons as coach of the Gophers. After finishing last in the Big Ten in 1959 while winning just two games, Warmath was criticized harshly by angry fans--to the point of garbage being thrown on his front lawn. A hard-nosed disciplinarian, Warmath responded in 1960 by leading his team to a Big Ten title with a record of 8-1 while also being named national champions. Warmath remains the last Gophers coach to win a national championship, a Big Ten title, and a Rose Bowl. He later became a Minnesota Vikings assistant coach in 1978 and also worked as a scout in the organization into the 1990's before retiring. He is survived by his son, Murray Warmath Jr., as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; may Coach Warmath rest in peace.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 3/19/11

Question--Of the following, which/who been 'higher' lately: gasoline prices, the average N.Y. Mets fan's blood pressure, national unemployment figures, or Charlie Sheen?..........TRIVIA QUESTION: From 1985-1994, the Portland Trail Blazers had a player on the team whose free-throw percentage never fell below 80% in a season. Can you name this talented individual? Answer to follow..........Did you know that former NBA center Matt Fish played in just three NBA seasons between 1994 and 1997 but was a member of FIVE different teams? Fish was also waived, released, or traded SEVEN times over that short time frame. Question: Do you think Fish gets a bit nauseous each time he hears Peter, Paul, and Mary's version of "Leaving On A Jet Plane?"..........Interesting fact: The New York Yankees will pay JUST their infielders (A-ROID, Jeter, Cano, and Teixeira) approximately $80 million in 2011--which is more than the ENTIRE payrolls of the Padres and Pirates COMBINED..........Gotta love Mets broadcaster Howie Rose--who truly levels with the listener. He was told by partner Wayne Hagin last weekend that pitcher Oliver Perez's fastball this spring has topped out at 84 MPH (at one time, it was perhaps in the mid-90's). Howie: "If that's the case, he needs pinpoint control and absolute command--attributes NOT normally associated with Oliver Perez."..........This week in sports history, March 22, 1969: UCLA center Lew Alcindor scores 37 points and pulls down 20 rebounds--leading the Bruins to a 92-72 victory over Purdue for their third consecutive NCAA championship. Purdue had come into the game featuring the nation's leading scorer--Rick Mount--who averaged 33.5 ppg. However, the UCLA defense held Mount to 12-of-36 shooting; most of his 28 points came long after the outcome of the game was no longer in doubt. Alcindor closed out his remarkable college career with a spectacular 88-2 record..........Did you know that the 1988 Chicago White Sox had two players who tied for the team lead in runs scored--with a modest total of just 59? Dave Gallagher and Steve Lyons crossed the plate the most times that season for the Pale Hose--with Gallagher doing it in just 347 at-bats..........I used to think that the finely manicured infield at Yankee Stadium was a pure thing of 'beauty'. But that definition took on an entirely new meaning last week when I saw the dress that Jennifer Aniston was wearing at the St. Regis Hotel down in Mexico while promoting her new fragrance..........ITEM: Four Auburn football players--Antonio Goodwin, Shaun Kitchens, Mike McNeil, and Dakota Mosley--are charged with first-degree robbery; personal property was taken from a residence in Alabama with one of the perpetrators reportedly displaying a handgun. Ah--but let's not jump to conclusions: Perhaps these "student-athletes" are all Human Development/Family Studies majors at the school--and were simply doing some field work/research on how the average household would react while being TOTALLY violated..........Answer to trivia question: TERRY PORTER--whose highest percentage came during the '89-'90 campaign when he made 421 of 472 attempts (.892); he had a career FT percentage of close to 84% while playing 17 seasons in the league..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former MLB catcher Matt Sinatro--who blows out 51 candles on March 22nd. A native of Hartford who played at Conard High School, Sinatro spent parts of 10 seasons in the "bigs" between 1981 and 1992 as a member of the Braves, A's, Tigers and Mariners. Sinatro never appeared in more than 37 games in a season and he never HIT much, either. In 252 career at-bats, Sinatro could muster just 48 hits--retiring with a lifetime batting average of just .190 (well below the "Mendoza Line"). A favorite of Lou Piniella, Sinatro remained employed under "Sweet Lou" as an MLB coach in Seattle, Tampa Bay, and Chicago. Though never making it big in the majors, Matt Sinatro will always remain a personal favorite of yours truly as the two of us were born on the EXACT same day; best wishes, Matt..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former Tulsa football player Wilson Holloway--who passed away a few weeks ago of cancer at the tender age of 22. A 6-foot-6, 275-pound offensive tackle, Holloway was first diagnosed in 2008 but continued working out with the team while undergoing chemotherapy; he was later declared cancer-free and actually played in six games before the cancer returned that October. Many who knew Holloway were consistent in saying that his cancer NEVER affected the positive outlook he had on life; ah, what a legacy to leave. The university recently held a moment of silence for Holloway before a home basketball game vs. East Carolina. May Wilson Holloway--a true inspiration to many--rest in peace.

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 3/12/11

Great cause: As a show of support and fundraiser for Yale women’s ice hockey player Mandi Schwartz in her continued battle with cancer, the Yale women’s golf team will play “100 Holes for Mandi” on Thursday, March 17th. The Bulldogs will accept donations per hole; the event will be held at the golf simulator in Yale’s Dave Paterson Golf Technology Center at the Payne Whitney Gym and will start at 8 a.m. Those interested in supporting the cause can e-mail their desired donation/contact info to Yale women's golf coach Chawwadee Rompothong at chawwadee.rompothong@yale.edu. Checks should be made out to “Yale University Relief Fund” with 'Mandi Schwartz' in the memo line and sent to: Chawwadee Rompothong, c/o Yale Athletic Department, PO Box 208216, New Haven, CT 06520-8216..........TRIVIA QUESTION: In the team's first year of existence (1989-'90), the Orlando Magic's top scorer was a forward whose NBA career would ultimately be over at the age of 29. Can you name this former player? Answer to follow..........Don't misunderstand me--I LOVE Division III basketball. But there is something fundamentally wrong when yours truly is watching Eastern CT play Albertus Magnus last weekend while--at the same time--the Ms. Bikini International competition is taking place in Columbus, Ohio..........This week in sports history, March 15, 1969: The powerful Soviet Union hockey team scores an astounding 11 second-period goals--en route to a 17-2 dismantling of the United States at the world championships in Stockholm, Sweden. American goalies Mike Curran and John Lothrop were peppered with 66 shots during the mismatch while the U.S. could only muster 13 shots on offense. Vlacheslav Starchinov led the Soviet team with four goals while two other Russian teammates tallied hat tricks in the most lopsided defeat by a U.S. team ever at the world championships..........Did you know that, during the 2001-'02 NBA season, guard Terrell Brandon of the Timberwolves attempted 84 free throws and made 83 of them--resulting in a percentage of .988? Brandon only appeared in 32 games that season--his last year in the league--after having previously played with Milwaukee and Cleveland. Brandon's career free-throw percentage? .873--having converted 1,784 of 2,043 attempts..........I was just informed that Bill Bishop of the Cheshire (CT) Rugby Club will shave his head on March 15th in solidarity with children who are suffering from cancer. I encourage other coaches, players, etc. to do the same and get involved with the St. Baldrick's Foundation--a volunteer-driven charity benefiting childhood cancer research. To organize an event, be a "shavee", or simply to donate, visit the Foundation's web site at www.stbaldricks.org or call (888)889-BALD (2253)..........Like all baseball fans, I'm excited about the upcoming season. But I became even more excited last weekend when I gazed at a picture of Carmen Electra stretching during a poolside yoga class in L.A...........Answer to trivia question: TERRY CATLEDGE--who averaged 19.4 ppg for a Matt Guokas-led team that finished with a record of 18-64..........Congratulations go out to Post University (CT) head men's basketball coach Al Sokaitis--who has been named the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year. In his first year at Post, Sokaitis led the Eagles to a 14-4 conference record and an overall mark of 16-10 entering the playoffs. Al has received "Coach of the Year" awards SEVEN times during his career: three times at North Adams State, twice at Alaska-Fairbanks, once at Western State College (CO), and now at Post University. Keep up the fine work, Al--a well-deserved honor..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league outfielder/DH Steve Stroughter--who blows out 59 candles on March 15th. A native of Visalia, CA, his name may be familiar to only the most rabid baseball fans out there--seeing that he played just ONE season in the big leagues. Stroughter, at the advanced age of 30, appeared in just 26 games with the 1982 Seattle Mariners--and just didn't hit well enough to stay employed in the "big show." In 47 at-bats, Stroughter could muster just EIGHT hits--thus going into the MLB record books with a lifetime batting average of .170. Hey--but he CAN tell his grandchildren that one of those hits was a home run as he connected off pitcher Dennis Martinez on May 4th of that year. Following his brief MLB career, Stroughter returned to the minors for awhile and later played in Japan. Best wishes, Ed..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former Kansas assistant basketball coach Ed Manning--who died recently in Texas of complications from a heart condition; he was 68. The father of former Kansas star Danny Manning, Ed was hired by ex-KU coach Larry Brown back in 1983 and would see his son lead the Jayhawks to a national championship in 1988. Like his son, Ed Manning played pro ball, too (between 1967 and 1976)--having spent time with Baltimore, Chicago, and Portland in the NBA as well as Carolina, New York, and Indiana in the ABA. He later became an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs and also worked as a NBA scout. May Ed Manning rest in peace.