Wednesday, July 25, 2012

"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" - - - - 7/28/12

Comedian Dave Rattigan--one of my fellow hosts on blogtalkradio's "View From The Lone Red Seat"--has come up with a new term describing the act of "tweeting" by athletes who use a whiny tone (i.e. Will Middlebrooks): TWINING..........TRIVIA QUESTION: The 1999 New York Mets--who finished 97-66 under Bobby Valentine--had three players on the squad who all finished with at least 25 home runs and 100 RBI's. Can you name these three former players? Answer to follow..........Speaking of comedians, I attended a weekly baseball meeting recently with baseball historian Dick Graham and was watching some recent game highlights from various telecasts. One featured a strange force play at second base--one you don't see every day. Graham turns to me and says, "Bob--I guess we can call that a 'force' of a different color, right?" (sorry, folks). Yes, there is only ONE Richard Graham--aka "The Maven of West Haven"..........This week in sports history, July 31, 1954: Milwaukee Braves first baseman Joe Adcock blasts four home runs and adds a double--breaking the record for total bases in a game during his team's 15-7 win over the Dodgers. Adcock's 18 total bases topped the mark of 17 previously held by Brooklyn's Gil Hodges and pre-1900 stars Ed Delahanty and Bobby Lowe. On this historic day, Joe hit his four home runs off four different Brooklyn pitchers while driving in seven runs in a game played at Ebbets Field..........ITEM: Tennessee Titans receiver Kenny Britt is arrested for DUI while trying to (ready for this?) access the U.S. MILITARY BASE at Ft. Campbell, KY. Two things: 1) I'll go out on a limb and say that Britt was NOT at that location in order to inquire about how one becomes a four-star general. 2) With a rap sheet that resembles the size of a water slide at Splashin' Safari in Indiana, the chances of Britt becoming a Sunday School teacher anytime soon are about the same as yours truly dating supermodel Heidi Klum by the end of this summer..........Talk about a change in fortune: How' bout Belgian golfer Nicolas Colsaerts--who shot a blistering 65 in the first round of the British Open last weekend but followed it up the next day with a 77--taking him totally out of contention? That's almost like having the prettiest girl in the world agree to go out to dinner with you, then later finding out she only drinks Le Pin Bourdeaux--which can set one back about $1,300 per bottle..........O.K.--here goes: Let's pretend LPGA golfer Cindy LaCrosse develops a fondness for college instructors. She marries Edinboro University physics professor John Polo, divorces, marries Otterbein University art professor Jim Bowling--divorces again--then marries University of Washington Information School professor Joseph Tennis. She is then walking golf courses with the "sporty", full married name of Cindy LaCrosse Polo Bowling Tennis..........Answer to trivia question: MIKE PIAZZA (40/124), ROBIN VENTURA (32/120), and EDGARDO ALFONZO (27/108)..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former MLB pitcher Gordie Pladson--who blows out 56 candles on July 31st. His name may not be familiar to most baseball fans but he DID play parts of four seasons with the Houston Astros from 1979-1982. Let's just say the numbers weren't too pretty, folks. In 20 career games (mostly in relief), Pladson pitched just over 50 innings and allowed 34 earned runs. Yes, Gordie Pladson is listed in the MLB record books as having compiled a win/loss record of 0-4 with a career ERA of 6.04. Hey, they all can't be James Rodney Richard, right? Best wishes, Gordie..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of former Branford (CT) High School football coach Dom Cote--who passed away recently from a long illness at the age of 86. Dom coached at Branford for nine seasons in the 50's and 60's--compiling a record of 48-28. The 1958 squad was truly a special one--one that outscored its opponents 184-30 while being crowned the state's Class M champions. Dom was a gifted athlete himself--having been a three-sport athlete (baseball, football, hockey) at the University of Vermont. Mr. Cote was inducted into the University of Vermont Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Branford Sports Hall of Fame the following year. Dom Cote is survived by his wife, Annette, a daughter, Colleen, and a son, Colonel Stephen Cote USMC (Ret.)--along with four grandchildren. Rest in peace, "Coach."

2 Comments:

At 9:08 PM, Blogger at ease said...

Bob,
Thanks very much for remembering my Dad. He was one heck of a man and we very much appreciate you mentioning him.
Steve Cote

 
At 10:58 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

My pleasure, Steve--God bless....

 

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