excerpts - Home Bob Henige

EXCERPTS
Section 1.1 – Imagine No Barry, Bo,
Stevie, Gordie, and Cobb
FSS: Imagine Michigan sports without Barry Sanders, Bo Schembechler, Steve Yzerman, Gordie
Howe, and Ty Cobb.
If the decision were up to the management of the Lions, Wolverines, Red Wings, and Tigers, our
rich sports history would not have included Barry Sanders, the greatest Detroit Lion; Bo
Schembechler, the greatest college football coach in Michigan history; Ty Cobb, the greatest
Detroit Tiger; Stevie Yzerman, the greatest Red Wing player this side of Gordie Howe; and “Mr.
Hockey” himself.
Barry Sanders - It was the 1989 National Football League draft and the Detroit Lions had the
third pick overall. They were salivating at the thought of drafting Tony Mandarich, the
gargantuan Michigan State offensive tackle. This was before the Matt Millen era when the Lions
placed a premium in drafting quality linemen. At 6’ 6” and over 310 pounds, Mandarich dazzled
everyone with his super-human physique, skills, and speed. Plan A went awry when Mandarich
was “snatched” from their grasp by the Green Bay Packers as the number two pick overall. The
poor Lions had to “settle” for Barry Sanders. Just think: the Lions could have been associated
with what many consider the “one of biggest busts in the NFL draft.” Instead, they were stuck
with the NFL’s most prolific human highlight film and the best player who ever wore a Lions’
uniform. Barry dazzled Lion fans and the whole NFL with his ability to leave defenders gasping
at his elusiveness. He holds virtually every Lions rushing records and is the third leading career
rusher in the NFL. One stat I love: Despite playing on mostly Lion teams that lacked talent,
Sanders finished with a 99.8 yard per game average for his career, second only to the immortal
Jim Brown. A special thank you to Packer management for allowing Lions sports fans to watch
one of the greatest running backs in NFL history perform in the Honolulu Blue and Silver.
They’ll be much more on Barry later in FSS.
Quick Fact:
In the 1989 draft, four of the first five draft choices made it to the Hall of Fame. Derrick Thomas
(KC) and Deion Sanders (Atl) were fourth and fifth. Green Bay must feel like the Pistons do
after drafting Darko Milicic in 2003 NBA Draft and passing on Carmelo Anthony, Duane Wade,
and Chris Bosh.
FSS Trivia:
Who was the number one pick in the 1989 NFL draft before Mandarich and Sanders?
Bo Schembechler – It was 1969 and Don Canham, the Michigan Wolverines’ Athletic Director,
had to replace the head football coach. In only his second year on the job, Canham set out to hire
the best coach he could find. After interviewing many candidates, he set his sights on Penn
State’s Joe Paterno, whose team was coming off an 11-0 record in 1968. Paterno was in the
middle of preparing for the 1969 Orange Bowl when Canham approached the ageless one.
Paterno balked at Canham’s offer, but he offered Canham a bit of advice: check out this guy at
Miami University in Ohio. Canham heeded Pa Jo's suggestion and eventually offered the job to
a little-known coach by the name of Bo Schembechler. After Bo was hired, Detroit newspaper
headlines read “Bo Who?”
Michigan football was never the same. In Bo's first year as the Wolverine’s coach, Michigan
upset Woody Hayes’ great 1969 Ohio State Buckeyes team, the first battle in the "Ten-Year
War" (1969-1978). There's more on the "Ten-Year War" later.
In the twenty-one years with Schembechler as head coach, Michigan football went 194-48-5 and
won or shared thirteen Big Ten Conference championships, a record he shares with Woody
Hayes, his former mentor.
Bo's confidence in his ability and in the Michigan football program can be summed in a single
quote, "Those who stay will be champions."
For an interesting conversation with Canham regarding Bo’s hiring:
http://www.michigandaily.com/content/michigan-football-needed-turnaround-enter-don-canham#
Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes
Bo was inducted into College HOF 1993.
Woody was inducted in 1983.
Stevie Yzerman - Red Wing’s General Manager Jimmy Devellano made no bones about it. He
wanted local product, Pat LaFontaine (Waterford, Michigan), with the fourth pick in the 1983
NHL draft. When the New York Islanders tabbed LaFontaine as their top pick, the Wings were
forced to settle for a 5’ 11”, 160-pound young man whose worth to the Red Wings’ franchise can
be summed up in two words: “The Captain.” Yzerman spent his entire twenty-two-year career
as a Red Wing during which Detroit won three Stanley Cup Championships. In June of 2009,
John Kreiser of NHL.com rated Yzerman as the NHL’s best-ever number four draft pick. In
2007, Yzerman’s #19 became the seventh Red Wing jersey retired.
Yzerman's blast in the second overtime against the St. Louis Blues in the seventh game of the
1996 Conference Semi-finals was rated the fifth best overtime goal by The Hockey News. The
goal gave the Wings a 1-0 victory. Detroit loss in the 1996 Conference Finals to the Colorado
Avalanche marked the beginning of a fierce and often violent rivalry against the Avs.
Steve Yzerman celebrating his overtime laser against Jon Casey.
That's Bob Errey (#21) celebrating with The Captain.
Here is an excerpt from an article about Yzerman's goal at The Hockey News website:
"Arguably the greatest goal Yzerman ever scored started when St. Louis’ Wayne Gretzky
couldn’t handle the puck at the Detroit blueline and Yzerman grabbed it and raced into the Blues
end, firing a perfect shot over the right shoulder of Blues goalie Jon Casey in the second
overtime of Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinal series."
The following URL contains a video of Yzerman's goal. Real cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJTAnyLn_RI
Quick Fact:
Devellano was the first man hired by Mike Ilitch when he purchased the Wings.
Quick Fact:
Yzerman was Devellano’s first draft pick as Detroit’s GM.
Quick Fact:
Other notable Red Wing draft picks in 1983 are Bob Probert (third round) and Petr Klima (fifth
round).
FSS Trivia:
Steve Yzerman was the Red Wings' captain for a record 20 years. Who was the captain for the
next most seasons?
FSS Trivia:
Who was the Wings' captain for the four previous seasons before Steve Yzerman was given the
honor?
Gordie Howe – There are two things that happened that could have derailed Mr. Hockey’s
career in the Winged-wheel jersey.
In 1943, the fifteen-year-old Howe had a tryout with the New York Rangers at their training
camp in Winnipeg. Rangers’ management rejected Howe, primarily due to his scrawny
physique.
I found this crazy-good article at The Hockey Writers website in which Howe relates the story
about his Ranger tryout. Here is an excerpt:
“I had never been out of my town before,” Howe recalled. “I took the train there and I had to
walk to the hotel. I had no idea where the hotel was, and had no money either.”
Growing up without a lot of money, Howe never had a full set of hockey equipment. Before
boarding the train, Gordie took whatever gear he could borrow from his brother.
Once he got to training camp, Howe was not well received by the Rangers. Although Howe got
the equipment he needed from his brother and the organization, he had to watch the other
players put the gear on first so he would know how to do so.
Howe received more than his fair share of ribbing from the Blueshirts. In addition to the verbal
abuse, a member of the Rangers took Howe’s meals from him. Until veteran Alf Pike stood up for
Gordie, this continued for some time, and it took a huge toll on the kid.
“It might have been funny at the time for some individuals,” Howe laments, “but I was young
enough that things (like that) hurt a little bit.”
The above excerpt was taken from the following URL:
http://thehockeywriters.com/how-could-the-new-york-rangers-pass-on-gordie-howe/
The Rangers passed. The Wings signed Howe the following year and the rest, as they say, is
history. I wonder if Howe, who had a notorious long memory for on-ice incidents, ever
administered one of his famous razor-sharp elbows in the corner on any of the clowns who had
made fun at him and stole his lunch at the Ranger tryout.
Now, this is funny. The Rangers did sign a Howe; Gordie's younger brother, Vic. Vic's first
season in New York was in the 1950-1951 season, a year after the Wings won the Stanley Cup.
In that same season, Gordie led the NHL in goals and assists, and was awarded the Art Ross
Trophy as the NHL's top scorer, a full 20 points more than runner-up Henri "The Rocket"
Richard (MTL). Vic played three seasons for New York, totaling seven points in 29 games.
Gordie's home town of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
Unveiled this statue of the famous
Howe elbow on September 25, 1993
Howe was only seventeen years of age and the youngest player on the team when he played his
only minor league season (1945-46) with the Omaha Knights of the United States Hockey
League (USHL). Tommy Ivan was the Omaha head coach. Ivan later became the head coach of
the Wings (1947-48 through 1953-54) and guided Detroit to three Stanley Cup Championships.
He was elected to the NHL Hall of Fame in 1974.
Here is an interesting situation that could have had Howe wearing a Montreal jersey instead of
the winged-wheel. I found this story amazing. While on a scouting trip, Frank Selke, Sr.,
Montreal Canadians' General Manager, was "blown away" by Howe's performance for the
Knights. Selke later noticed that Ivan had left Howe unprotected by omitting Howe's name from
the "negotiation list." Due to his strong relationship with Jack Adams, Red Wings' General
Manager, Selke paid Adams a visit and told him about the youngster, the "best player at Omaha."
Adams had a high regard for Selke's opinion and wrapped up his prize prospect immediately.
Can you picture this happening today in professional sports?
Selke related the story years later to his son, Frank Selke, Jr., waiting until after Ivan's death so
as not to tarnish his good friend's reputation.
I found this quote of what Selke told Adams on the Greatest Hockey Legends website:
“I can tell you that you have an Omaha Knights player who is better than any of the protected
players on your negotiation list,” warned Selke. “You have one day to claim him, otherwise the
Canadiens will sign him.”
The article found in the link below asks the question:
"Ever wonder what would have happened had Gordie Howe played for the Canadiens alongside
the likes of Maurice Richard and Jean Beliveau?"
Here is the URL containing this story:
http://www.nhlsnipers.com/gordie-howe-was-almost-a-montreal-canadien/
I found a similar article at the Montreal Canadians website questioning Selke's decision that was
titled "Howe could you?" Nice play on words.
Frank Selke, Sr., was named to the NHL Hall of Fame in 1960 as a Builder. He is forever
honored by the Frank Selke Award given annually to the NHL's top defensive forward.
Here's another cool fact about that same Omaha Knight squad of the 1945-46 season. One of the
Omaha goaltenders was Lefty Wilson, who became the trainer of the Wings for 32 years (19501982). Wilson finished the 1945-46 season with the USHL St. Paul Saints before playing the
next three years with the AHL Indianapolis Capitols (1947-48 – 1949-50), another Detroit Red
Wings farm club. He joined the parent club as their trainer before the 1950-51 season.
Wilson was instrumental in the development of goalie masks and made the first mask worn by
Red Wings great, Terry Sawchuk.
In Wilson’s early days with the Wings, NHL teams only carried one goaltender. Wilson served
as an emergency goaltender for both the home-town Wings and the visiting teams. Sure enough,
I found his goaltending stats on www.hockey-reference.com. He played in one game each for
the Wings (1953-54 season), the Toronto Maple Leafs (1955-56), and the Boston Bruins (195758). Lefty gave up one goal in a total of 81 minutes of play. It came when playing for the
Boston Bruins at Olympia on December 29, 1958. The goal was scored by Detroit's Jack
McIntyre, assisted by Alex Delvecchio and Nick Mickoski. Pretty cool.
The 1945-46 Omaha Knights team that included
Howe, Ivan, and Wilson
Here is a link with the 1945-46 Omaha Knights stats. Despite being the youngest player on the
team, Howe finished third in scoring on the team.
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0004071946.html
I won't even pose the question as to who the team's leading scorer was. It was none other than
Carl "Winky" Smith, born eleven years before Howe in 1917. Smith had a brief stay with the
Wings in the 1943-44 season, playing in seven games and accumulating one goal and one assist.
His last professional season was with Omaha in the 1948-49 season.
For some more interesting reading regarding Howe’s early years:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-11-10/sports/9611100118_1_gordie-howe-jack-adams-hot-flash/3
Here is an interesting excerpt from the above link about Howe's first NHL game on October 16,
1946.
"Was the old coach crazy, or what? All week the Red Wings practiced, and all week Jack Adams
never said a word. Not a thing. Start Gordie Howe, the 18-year-old rookie from Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, on opening night? Against the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Had he known, Howe wouldn't have daydreamed during the national anthem. No way. When he
was a kid, he collected pictures of NHL players by sending in labels of Bee Hive corn syrup. And
now, four years later, here it was, 1946, and Howe was looking up and down Toronto's blue line,
searching for the players he had in his scrapbook--Syl Apps (have it) . . . Turk Broda (have it) . .
. Nick Metz (have it). . . ."
Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman finished their careers as the top two in career goals, assists,
and points in Red Wings history. The following URL can be used to view and sort Detroit Red
Wings individual records. There are some interesting names for long-time Red Wing fans.
http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/teams/detroit-red-wings-players-career-nhl-stats.html
FSS Trivia:
Quick, before you look at the above link, who played in over 300 Wings' games and leads the
franchise in career points-per-game?
The two greatest players in Red Wing history,
Steve Yzerman and Gordie Howe
FSS Trivia:
Do you know the definition of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick?
Quick Fact:
Gordie Howe’s first jersey number for the 1946 Detroit Red Wings was #17. When Roy
Conacher moved on to the Chicago Blackhawks after the 1946–47 season, Howe was offered
Conacher's #9. Although he had not requested the change, Howe accepted it when he was
informed that "9" entitled him to a lower Pullman berth on road trips. Mr. Hockey wore the
familiar #9 for the remainder of his career in Detroit.
Quick Fact:
After Howe's unsuccessful tryout with the Rangers, he played locally for the Saskatoon Lions in
the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey League (SAHA) in the 1943-44 season. After Gordie was
signed by the Wings in 1944, he was supposed to play on the Galt Red Wings in the Junior A
Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) league for the 1944-45 season. Gordie dressed for only one
game that season but did not play due to the fact that Galt had exhausted its import quota.
Gordie recalls his season spent with Galt in this quote from an article found at the URL below.
“I wasn’t allowed to play in games due to the rules, so I just learned how to fight well, and
worked on my skills,” Howe recalls. “They gave me my first pair of decent skates.”
http://www.sportsnet.ca/magazine/canadian-cathedrals-partiii-galt-arena/
I found it interesting that Gordie talked about learning how to fight in the same breath as honing
his hockey skills. No doubt it worked because played well enough to be "the best player at
Omaha" and make it to the NHL after his one-year stint with Omaha the following season. And,
we all know Howe was most able in the pugilistic arena.
The Gordie Howe Website statistics page verifies Howe spent the season with Galt, but did not
play in a game.
http://www.gordiehowe.com/?p=54
The 1944-45 Galt Red Wings and no Gordie
Wikipedia Photo
Ty Cobb - It was the spring of 1907 and Detroit Tigers’ GM and Manager Hughie Jennings had
enough of the volatile Cobb. After an incident in which Cobb slapped an African American
groundskeeper, choked the groundskeeper’s wife, and fought with a white teammate, Jennings
immediately offered his young, twenty-one-year-old budding star to the Cleveland Naps for a
player by the name of Elmer Flick. Cleveland stayed with Flick and the Tigers were stuck with
Cobb. Cobb won the American League batting an amazing nine consecutive seasons and twelve
out of the next thirteen. Cobb also won the Triple Crown (1909) and the American League Most
Valuable Player Award (1911).
The conversation between Jennings and Cleveland Nap owner Charlie Somers went like this:
“We’ll give you Ty Cobb for Elmer Flick. Straight up.”
“I think we’ll just keep Flick.”
Elmer Flick about 1910
Library of Congress Photo
Flick had a fine career through 1907 until he came down with an internal ailment. He never
played regularly again and, after appearing in only ninety-games over the next three seasons, he
retired following the 1910 season. In 1963, the Veterans Committee voted Flick to the HOF, two
years after Cobb’s death.
Visit the Society for American Baseball Research for more information on Flick.
http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/f99aac04
FSS Trivia:
I love this question. I think it is one of the best Michigan sports trivia questions that I ever came
across. Who are the six individuals whose careers spanned twenty years or more and who played
their entire career with a Detroit team?
FSS Trivia:
Who is the only player to win the Triple Crown in the American League twice?
FSS Trivia:
Who is the only player to win the Triple Crown in the National League twice?
Ty Cobb Hassan Cigarettes 1912 Baseball Card
Library of Congress Photo
Section 2.1 – Who was better? Cobb or Ruth?
FSS: Is there any statistical evidence that can tell us if Cobb or Ruth is the better of the two?
It’s the age-old argument between baseball historians and fans. What an advantage for those
who had the privilege of watching how each player affected baseball games in their era. The
problem is there aren’t many around who saw both men play.
Perhaps, the answer may be found in what could be considered Cobb’s greatest accomplishment.
And it occurred years after he retired.
In 1936, Major League Baseball held its initial Hall of Fame (HOF) vote. The first group of
inductees included Cobb, Ruth, Christy Matheson, Honus Wagner, and Walter Johnson. Despite
the fact that Cobb retired 8 years previous in 1928 and Ruth had just retired the previous year in
1935, and despite the fact Cobb was one of the most despised baseball players ever and Ruth was
the most popular athlete of his time, Cobb was the top vote getter, receiving 222 votes or 98.2%.
Cobb’s 98.2% has been exceeded only three times in the history of MLB HOF voting: by Tom
Seaver in 1992 (98.84%), by Nolan Ryan in 1999 (98.79%), and by Cal Ripken, Jr. in 2007
(98.53%).
The 1936 MLB HOF vote was strange by today's standards because members were allowed to
vote for active players. There were forty-two players (retired and active) in that year's vote who
were eventually inducted into the Baseball HOF. Here are some of the players who were retired
before 1936 that did not get elected: Cy Young (inducted into Baseball HOF in 1937), Nap
Lajoie (1937), Tris Speaker (1937), Grover Cleveland Alexander (1938), George Sisler (1939),
Eddie Collins (1939), Willie Keeler (1939), and Rube Wadell (1946).
Use the following link for a detailed list of the 1936 Baseball Hall of Fame voting. Check out
the HOF players who did not make it.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof_1936.shtml...
Section 2.11 – Hamburger for Steak and Cash
FSS: Within a week prior to the start of the 1960 season, the Detroit Tigers orchestrated two of
the club's biggest trade victories with the Cleveland Indians.
The 1960 swap meet with Cleveland started on April 12, 1960, exactly one week before opening
day. The Tigers obtained third-year player Norman Cash for second-year player Steve Demeter.
The shocker came just two days before the two clubs met on opening day in Cleveland. On
April 17, 1960, Detroit obtained Rocky Colavito, the defending home-run champion, for Harvey
Kuenn, the defending batting champion. It was one of the biggest trades in Major League
Baseball history. I cannot imagine the emotions of the fans, especially in Cleveland where
Colavito was worshipped.
Detroit and Cleveland participated in four trades during the 1960 season, beginning with the hohum Cash/Demeter exchange. In 1959, Demeter batted only eighteen times in his rookie season
for Detroit. Cash had 104 at-bats, finishing with just four home-runs, sixteen RBIs, and a .240
average. At the time, it was a swap of part-time, young players. It turned our great for Detroit.
Demeter batted five times in Cleveland in 1960 and played his last professional baseball game in
Baltimore on May 6, 1960. His only two call-ups during his 19-year minor league career were in
1959 (with Detroit) and his short 1960 stint with the Indians. In 1972, Steve hung up the spikes
to serve as a manager in the Pittsburgh Pirates' minor league system for ten seasons (1972-1980,
1987). In 1985, Steve was part of Chuck Tanner's coaching staff that left after the disastrous,
104-loss season. Demeter became Pittsburgh's director of scouting in 1988. He passed in 2013.
By the end of the 1960 season, Cash became the Tigers starting first baseman. Stormin' Norman
broke out the following year, winning the AL batting title with a .361 average and leading the
league with 193 hits and an on-base percentage of .487.
Cash also had 41 homers and 132 RBIs to form a formidable one-two punch with Colavito that
rivaled the more famous Yankees' duo of Maris and Mantle. There's more on that comparison
later in this entry.
Cash played fifteen years in Motown, totaling 377 HRs, 1,043 RBIs, with a .271 average.
Demeter batted five times for the Indians in 1960 and was out of baseball.
The Kuenn for Colavito Trade
When Cleveland received Kuenn, Cleveland Indians General Manager Frank "Trader" Lane
proudly declared, "Hamburger for steak.” Lane thought he was giving the Tigers ground-round
(Colavito) for filet mignon (Kuenn). Lane was wrong.
Ironically, opening day pitted Detroit at Cleveland for the first two games of the 1960 season.
Detroit swept. It was a sign of things to come.
The Tigers beat the Indians on opening day 4-2 in fifteen innings on a two-run single by Kaline.
Colavito went hitless in six at-bats, striking out four times. Kuenn had two hits in seven at bats.
Cash had a pinch-hit walk. The winner was Pete Burnside. The loser was Mudcat Grant.
Detroit won the second game 6-4 when Kaline broke a 4-4 tie in the 9th inning with a home-run.
Colavito had a three-run dinger and Cash blasted a pinch-hit, game-tying round-tripper in the
eighth inning. Kuenn didn't play. The winning pitcher was Tom Morgan. Paul Foytack picked
up the save. The losing pitcher was Indians' starter Jim Perry.
On April 22, 1960, in his first home at-bat for the Tigers in Briggs Stadium, Colavito homered as
Detroit won their third straight game to start the season by a score of 6-5 over the visiting
Chicago White Sox.
The Tigers started the 1960 campaign with five straight wins. They promptly lost their next ten
and finished in sixth place with a 71-83 record.
Kuenn had led the AL in hits four times in his seven full-time seasons in Motown. In his only
season Cleveland in 1960, Kuenn played in only 126 games and batted .308. His 146 hits were
his lowest output since his rookie year (1951) in a season in which he played in only nineteen
games. After the 1960 season, Lane traded his "steak" to the San Francisco Giants for Johnny
Antonelli and Willie Kirkland. Antonelli went 0-4 with a 6.56 ERA in 1961 before Lane sold
Antonelli's rights to Milwaukee. Kirkland played three seasons for the Indians, batting .232 with
63 dingers. Bottom line: Colavito for Antonelli and Kirkland!?!?! I'll bet if someone wrote a
Fantastic Sports Stuff book about Ohio sports, this trade would be filed in the “You Gotta Be
Freakin’ Kidding Me?! Right?!” section. LOL!
Rocco Domenico Colavito was a tall (6' 3"), muscular (190 lbs.), handsome Italian who was a
fan favorite in Detroit as well as Cleveland. In today's world, the Rock's face would be plastered
across billboards and in television commercials. Rocky's four seasons with Detroit were
phenomenal. He slugged 139 homers with 430 RBIs and batted .271. His big season was 1961,
the year the Tigers won 101 games. Colavito had 45 HR's and 140 RBIs and made the All-Star
team. The worst part for Indian fans is that they got to see Rocky slug his way through four
seasons as a Tiger. During the four seasons with The Rock as a Tiger, Detroit went 43-27 vs.
Indians and Rocky batted .281 with 20 HRs and 54 RBIs.
Cash and The Rock vs. The Mick and Maris
As I said before, Cash and Colavito compared favorably to the more renowned Maris and
Mantle. Since Mantle broke down in 1963 and Cash was a part timer in 1960, I limited my
comparisons to the 1961 and 1962 seasons when all four sluggers had two of the best seasons in
their career.
To say the quartet were at their peak is an understatement. In 1961, all four players had their
career high in home-runs and all but Mantle had their highest RBI total. Mantle had 128 RBIs
that season, two less than his career high of 130 in 1956. Maris was the AL MVP in 1961, his
second consecutive award. Mantle was the AL MVP in 1962. You can see what the Tiger duo
was up against these two seasons.
From left to right (1961 stats in parenthesis):
Roger Maris (NYY-61 HRs, 141 RBIs),
Rocky Colavito (DET-45 HRs, 140 RBIs),
Norm Cash (DET-41 HRs, 132 RBIs),
Mickey Mantle (NYY-54 HRs, 128 RBIs)
NOTES:
 Bolded numbers designates the AL leader.
 Bolded numbers in duo stats indicate leader in group stats.
 WAR is Wins Above Replacement-All
1961 Individual Totals
1961 Cash Rocky Maris Mantle
ABs
535 583
590
514
Runs 119 129
132
131
Hits
193 169
159
163
HRs
41
45
61
54
RBIs 132 140
141
128
Avg. 361 .290 .269
.317
OBP .487 .401 .372
.448
Slug .662 .580 .620
.687
TB
354 338
366
353
WAR 9.2
7.7
6.9
10.5
In 1961, the four sluggers were:
 1-2-3-4 in Total Bases
 1-2-4-6 in Slugging %
 1-2-5-6 in Home-runs
 1-3-4-5 in RBIs
 1-2-4-5 in Offensive WAR (Kaline was 3rd with 8.4)
1961 Tandem Totals
1961 Cash/Rocky Maris/Mantle
ABs
Runs
Hits
HRs
RBIs
Avg.
OBP
Slug%
TB
1,118
240
362
86
272
.325
.444
.621
692
1,104
264
322
115
269
.293
.410
.653
719
I found it interesting the Tigers' duo had more RBIs.
1962 Individual Totals
1962 Cash Rocky Maris Mantle
ABs
507
601 590
377
Runs
94
90
92
96
Hits
123
164 151
121
HRs
39
37
33
30
RBIs
89
112 100
89
Avg. .243
.273 .256 .321
OBP .382
.372 .356 .486
Slug .513
.514 .485 .605
TB
260
309 286
228
1962 Tandem Totals
1962 Cash/Rocky Maris/Mantle
ABs
1,108
967
Runs
184
188
Hits
287
272
HRs
76
63
RBIs
201
189
Avg.
.258.
288
OBP
.379.
412
Slug%
.513
.521
TB
569
504
Harmon Killebrew (Minnesota Twins) led the AL in 1962 with 48 HRs and 126 RBIs. Pitchers
Camilio Pasqual (MIN) and Hank Aguirre (DET) were tied for the top WAR (6.2). Mantle was
4th (6.0) and Colavito was 5th (5.8). Mantle was tops in Offensive WAR with a mark of 7.7.
Quick Fact:
Aguirre was 16-8 and led the AL with an ERA of 2.21 and a WHIP of 1.051. It was Hank's best
season and the only time he made the All-Star team. Aguirre, known for his anemic bat, hit .027
with two hits in 75 at-bats. More on Hank the hitter later.
Now, this is hilarious. Aguirre was acquired by Detroit in a trade with, you guessed it, the
Cleveland Indians. On February 18, 1958, Detroit traded Jay Porter and Hal Woodeshick for Jim
Hegan and Hank. Aguirre accumulated a 64-64 record with a 3.49 ERA in ten seasons with the
Tigers.
1961-1962 Individual Totals
Cash Rocky Maris Mantle
ABs 1,042 1,184 1,180
891
Runs 203
219
224
227
Hits
316
333
310
284
HRs
80
82
94
84
RBIs 221
252
241
211
Avg. .302 .281 .257
.319
OBP .434 .386 .364
.446
Slug .589 .546 .552
.652
TB
614
647
652
581
1961-1962 Tandem Totals
Cash/Rocky Maris/Mantle
ABs
2,227
2,071
Runs
422
451
Hits
649
594
HRs
162
178
RBIs
473
452
Avg.
.292
.287
OBP
.414
.412
Slug%
.513
.521
TB
1,261
1,233
The Cash/Colavito tandem led the two AL MVPs in six of the nine above offensive categories
for the combined 1961-1962 seasons.
Colavito received a lot of grief for holding out after the 1961 season for more money than Al
Kaline. He was paid $54k, more than the $49k paid Kaline. Detroit remedied that situation by
giving Al a $55k salary in 1963.
Truth be told, Cash
salary comparisons
1961
Cash
$13k
Colavito
$35k
Maris
$42k
Mantle
$75k
and Colavito were bargains compared to Maris and Mantle. Here are the
1962
$29k
$54k
$70k
$90k
1961-2
$42k
$89k
$112k
$165k
The Yankees paid $277k for their duo, double the $131k Detroit paid for theirs.
NOTE: Salaries obtained from www.baseball-almanac.com.
Section 4.1 – Legalizing the Forward Pass
FSS: The forward pass was legalized to save lives.
It was called a "projectile pass" in its infancy. Today, we call it the forward pass and there isn't a
fan alive that could imagine the game of football without it.
In the early 1900s, American football was in a state of flux with the overwhelming public
concern over the amount of deaths attributed to the game. Support to discontinue football was
increasing. Developed after the game of rugby, the violence had become a national issue. In
1905, the Chicago Tribune reported there were eighteen deaths and 159 serious injuries
attributed to football in college and high school. I read the amount of deaths from 1990-2005
were estimated to be over 300 when considering play at all levels - high school, college, and pro.
Football was the most popular game in town, attracting five-figure crowds and vastly outdrawing
professional baseball. The clamor for reform was gaining support. President Theodore
Roosevelt stepped in and made it clear that something had to change.
I found this quote attributed to President Roosevelt at the Smithsonian website:
“Brutality in playing a game should awaken the heartiest and most plainly shown contempt for
the player guilty of it.”
In December of 1905, 62 collegiate representatives met to modernize the game and to make it
safer. Several rules were adopted, none more important than the legalization of the forward pass.
Other rules set in place included:
 Teams were required to move the ball ten yards for a first down, up from the former rule of
five yards for a first down.
 The neutral zone was established between the offensive and defensive lines.
 The "flying wedge" offensive formation was banned.
 Each team must have at least six men on the line of scrimmage.
 Unnecessary roughness penalties were increased to a fifteen-yard walk-off and could result in
an ejection.
Initially, the rules accompanying a forward pass made it less attractive to adopt the strategy.
 Passes could not be completed within five yards of the center, taking away the middle of the
field from the passing game.
 Passes could not be completed within five yards of the line of scrimmage.
 Oddly, a catch in end the end zone was ruled a touchback.
 An incomplete pass resulted in a penalty of a 15-yard walk-off or, in some cases, a turnover.
The forward pass was met with resistance by the established college powerhouses of the east.
Passing was considered "sissified."
I laughed when I read this because I could relate to the stubbornness of the Big Two, Ohio State
and the University of Michigan Bo and Woody resisted the temptation to build an offense on
anything other than "three yards and a cloud of dust" throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.
Ohio State head football coach Woody Hayes has been credited with the quote, "Three things
can happen on a pass play and two of them are bad." I can't imagine why the Big Ten had so
much trouble in the Rose Bowls back then. (Wink-wink)…
Section 4.5 – Sanders–5 Seasons Over 1,500 Yards
FSS: Sanders is the only NFL rusher to have five seasons of 1,500 yards rushing or more.
Only Eric Dickerson, Edgerrin James, and Walter Payton have rushed for 1,500 or more in a
season four times. Tiki Barber, Jim Brown, Clinton Portis, Emmitt Smith, O. J. Simpson, and
LaDainian Tomlinson have done it three times.
Here are Barry’s 1,500 yards rushing seasons. He just missed a sixth and seventh when he
rushed for 1,491 yards in 1998 and 1,470 yards in 1989.
 1997
2,053 yards
 1994
1,883 yards
 1996
1,553 yards
 1991
1,548 yards
 1995
1,500 yards
In 1997, Barry averaged 6.1 yards per carry, the highest yards-per-carry average for any NFL
rusher with 300 or more rushing attempts in a season. In 1973, O. J. Simpson averaged 6.0
yards-per-carry with 332 rushing attempts. In 2012, Adrian Peterson averaged 6.0 with 348
attempts. In 1963, Jim Brown averaged 6.4 with 291 rushing attempts.
I wasn’t aware how rare it has been to average at least five yards per carry in a season with 250
or more rushing attempts. According to my research, it has been accomplished 28 times.
Brown, Simpson, and Sanders are the only rushers who are on the list three times. Here are
those who accomplished it:
Jim Brown
Barry Sanders
O. J. Simpson
Adrian Peterson
Jim Brown
Barry Sanders
Eric Dickerson
Chris Johnson
Walter Payton
O. J. Simpson
Clinton Portis
DeAngelo Williams
Frank Gore
Jamaal Lewis
Ahman Green
LaDainian Tomlinson
Jim Brown
Earl Campbell
Tiki Barber
LaDainian Tomlinson
Larry Johnson
Priest Holmes
O. J. Simpson
Terrell Davis
Shaun Alexander
Tiki Barber
Garrison Hearst
Barry Sanders
Year
1963
1997
1973
2012
1958
1994
1984
2009
1977
1975
2003
2008
2006
2003
2003
2003
1965
1980
2005
2006
2005
2002
1976
1998
2005
2006
1998
1996
Avg
6.4
6.1
6.0
6.0
5.9
5.7
5.6
5.6
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.5
5.4
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.1
5.1
5.1
5.1
5.1
Att
291
335
332
348
257
331
379
358
339
339
290
273
312
387
355
313
289
372
357
348
336
313
290
392
370
327
310
307
Yards
1,863
2,053
2,003
2,097
1,527
1,883
2,105
2,006
1,852
1,817
1,591
1,515
1,695
2,066
1,883
1,645
1,544
1,934
1,860
1,815
1,750
1,615
1,503
2,008
1,880
1,662
1,570
1,553
FSS Trivia:
Who replaced Barry Sanders as the featured back on the Detroit Lions after Sanders retired just
before the 1999 season?
FSS Trivia:
There are four players in the top 30 all-time rushers who spent their entire career with one team.
Brown and Sanders are two of them. Who are the other two?
Section 5.1 – The Origination of the
Winged-Wheel Logo
FSS: The Detroit Red Wings team name and their Winged-Wheel logo were established by
James E. Norris when he purchased the franchise in 1932.
One of the reasons I wrote Fantastic Sports Stuff was to satisfy my curiosity about several sports
mysteries. One of those mysteries was the origination of the Detroit Red Wings famous logo, the
Winged-Wheel. So, I did a little research.
In 1932, James E. Norris purchased the Detroit NHL franchise and renamed the Detroit Falcons
to the Detroit Red Wings. The Winged Wheel insignia was derived from the jersey that Norris
wore while playing for a Montreal Hockey Club (MHC) team called the Montreal AAAs. The
MHC was part of the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (MAAA), a multi-sport
organization that is Canada's oldest athletic association.
The winged-wheel logo was altered from the Montreal version. The Montreal version had wings
vertically attached to a wheel, while the Detroit Red Wings' design has the wings attached
horizontally. The wheel was replaced with a tire to signify the Motor City capital of the world.
Montreal AAA double-winged wheel jersey
Here is a link to a video on the Wings' website about the history of the winged wheel:
http://video.redwings.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=49910
The Montreal AAA winged-wheel and
Today's Red Wing winged-wheel
Origination of the MAAA Winged-Wheel Logo
The winged-wheel originated in the early 1880s with the establishment of the Montreal Amateur
Athletic Association (MAAA), an organization that exists today. The MAAA was created by
combining the Montreal Snowshoe Club, the Montreal Lacrosse Club, and the Montreal Bicycle
Club. The Montreal Hockey Club (MHC) became part of the MAAA in 1884. MHC used
MAAA's winged-wheel logo and, at times, their teams were called the Montreal WingedWheelers after the Montreal Bicycle Club.
The Montreal Bicycle Club (1885)
Notice the winged-wheel on his cap
Wikipedia photo/Canada Public Domain
The MAAA gymnasium 1887
I saw this picture and couldn't resist
Notice everyone has a winged-wheel on their shirt
Wikipedia photo/Canada Public Domain
The MAAA's official website:
http://www.clubsportifmaa.com/?p=22&v=87422361151a3cb229b0f11.47015284...
Section 5.8 –Don Cherry Disses the Wings' Style?
FSS: Don Cherry’s rant that the Wings can’t be successful because they don’t fight holds no
weight at all.
I listen to sportscasters and sometimes wonder how they can say some of the things they say.
When Verlander was marching to the 2011 Cy Young Award, an ESPN analyst gave his take on
why Sabathia should get the award. His reasoning was Sabathia pitched in a stronger division. I
accepted that. Then, he threw out the “fact” that Sabathia gets less support. I’m sure there were
viewers who shook their head in agreement just like the “expert sportscasters” in the ESPN
newsroom did during the broadcast. But, when I heard the comment, I cringed. So, I did a little
research. The problem was, according to espn.go.com, Sabathia’s run support was over six runs
a game most of the season and ended up at 5.58, while Verlander’s finished at 4.56. At the time
of the broadcast, the gap was almost two runs a game.
A few years back, I was watching a round-table breakdown of the upcoming World Series. A
distinguished “expert” gave his take on what the underdog manager could do to beat the
prohibitive favorite. “I would try to get a five run lead.” The other experts around the expert
table nodded their expert heads in approval. I couldn’t believe this insightful idea. Holy
Smokes! What a revelation! Major league baseball managers had to be scurrying about to
change their game plans because no other expert had every thought of that.
And, now, I have to listen to Don Cherry spew his rubbish. Here’s just some of what appeared in
Greg Krupa’s article in the Detroit News on Tuesday, February 21, 2012. Cherry claimed the
Red Wings aren’t tough enough to win the Stanley Cup.
"Detroit doesn't fight at all! They're not tough!"
"You know the number one team in the league that fights? New York Rangers," Cherry said.
"And where are they?"
So, I had to defend my beloved Red Wings. You've heard about the Detroit Red Wings: the only
team that won four Stanley Cups in the last sixteen seasons through 2013. In fact, no other team
has won four in the last twenty-five seasons.
I was curious as to the affect team fighting majors had on winning the Stanley Cup
championship. So, I did a little research.
I analyzed the Stanley Cup finalists over the last sixteen seasons (through 2012) in relation to the
team’s standing in the amount of fighting majors for that year. Here is what I found.
NOTE:
 B- designates team in bottom ten in fighting majors for that year
 B5- designates team in bottom five in fighting majors for that year
 T- designates team in top ten in fighting majors for that year
 T5- designates team in top five in fighting majors for that year
Season (Teams)
2011-12 (30)
2010-11 (30)
2009-10 (30)
2008-09 (30)
2007-08 (30)
2006-07 (30)
2005-06 (30)
2004-05
2003-04 (30)
2002-03 (30)
2001-02 (30)
2000-01 (30)
1999-00 (28)
1998-99 (27)
1997-98 (26)
1996-97 (26)
1995-96 (26)
Winner
Loser
LAK (18th)
NJ (11th)
nd
T5-BOS (2 )
B10-VAN (23rd)
st
B10-CHI (21 ) T5-PHI (2nd)
B10-PIT (23rd) B5-DET (30th)
B5-DET (30th) PIT (12th)
T5-ANA (1st)
B10-OTT (22nd)
th
B5-CAR (28 ) EDM (18th)
(no season-strike)
B10-TB (22nd) T5-CAL (2nd)
NJ (18th)
B10-ANA (23rd)
th
B5-DET (30 ) B5-CAR (29th)
COL (14th)
T10-NJ (10th)
th
T10-NJ (10 )
DAL (16th)
st
B10-DAL (21 ) T10-BUF (10th)
B5-DET (25th) B5-WAS (26th)
B5-DET (23rd) T5-PHI (fourth)
B5-COL (24th) FLA (12th)
Let’s take the top ten and bottom ten teams in total fighting majors for the year:
 Sixteen times a team in the bottom ten in fights made the Stanley Cup Finals
 Eight times a team in the top ten in fights made the Stanley Cup Finals.
 Ten times a team in the bottom ten won the Stanley Cup Finals.
 Three times a team in the top ten won the Stanley Cup Finals.
Let’s take the top five and bottom five teams in total fighting majors for the year:
 Nine times a team in the bottom five in fights made the Stanley Cup Finals
 Five times a team in the top five in fights made the Stanley Cup Finals.
 Six times a team in the bottom five won the Stanley Cup Finals.
 Two times a team in the top five won the Stanley Cup Finals.
Stanley Cup winners:
 Bottom ten 10-3 advantage over top ten.
 Bottom five 6-2 advantage over top five.
Stanley Cup finalists:
 Bottom ten 16-8 advantage over top ten.
 Bottom five 9-5 advantage over top five.
Oh, by the way, Detroit won the following Stanley Cups during this fifteen year period.
 2008 – They were thirtieth (and last) in total fights.
 2002 – They were thirtieth (and last) in total fights.
 1998 – They were twenty-fifth out of twenty-six teams in total fights.
 1997 – They were twenty-third out of twenty-six teams in total fights.
Here's some more. I went back to the 2000-01 season when the NHL expanded to 30 teams and
placed the teams into three groups of ten. NOTE: (2000-01 through 2012-13)
 Top ten teams in fighting majors made the playoffs 55 times (4.58/year).
 Middle ten teams in fighting majors made the playoffs 65 times (5.42/year).
 Bottom ten teams in fighting majors made the playoffs 72 times (6.2/year).
Sorry, Don. What’s your point again?
I obtained the above information at the following website. Look for yourself.
http://www.hockeyfights.com/archives/
Section 6.2 – The Bad Boys' Team Concept
FSS: The Detroit “Bad Boys” Pistons are the only NBA championship team to have eight players
average over twenty minutes a game in the playoffs, doing it twice in the 1988-89 and 1989-90
seasons.
After coming so very close in the previous season, the Piston franchise won their first and second
NBA Championship with a unique combination of guard offense, team defense, irreverence, and
blue-collar work ethic. The Pistons had a lethal, three-guard rotation and two sets of forwards
that contributed on a nightly basis. They were coached by Chuck Daly, the Piston all-time topwinning coach. But, make no mistake. This was Isiah Thomas’s team. He was their
unquestioned leader, both on and off the court.
In the 1988-89 season, the Pistons raced to the title with a 15-2 playoff record. They led the
Eastern Conference in defense and held their opponent to under 100 points in the first fourteen
playoff games. Only Thomas and Joe Dumars averaged 30 minutes per game. Vinnie Johnson
completed the guard rotation. The front-line featured the Baddest Bad Boys Bill Laimbeer and
Rick Mahorn, Mark Aguirre, and third year players Dennis Rodman and John Salley. Dumars
was the MVP. Here are statistics for the players. Detroit just missed having a ninth player
average twenty minutes-per-game when James Edwards had 18.6.
1988-89 Piston Playoff Statistics
Player
PPG
MPG
Isiah Thomas
18.2
37.2
Joe Dumars
17.6
36.5
Vinnie Johnson
14.1
21.9
Mark Aguirre
12.6
27.2
Bill Laimbeer
10.1
29.2
John Salley
8.9
23.1
James Edwards
7.1
18.6
Dennis Rodman
5.8
24.1
Rick Mahorn
5.7
21.2
APG
8.2
5.6
RPG
8.2
10.0
Source: http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DET/
1989.html#all_playoffs_per_game
In the table above:
PPG – Points Per Game
MPG – Minutes Per Game
APG – Assists Per Game
RPG – Rebounds Per Game
On their way to the title in 1989, Detroit got sweet revenge by sweeping both the Boston Celtics
and Los Angeles Lakers.
In 1987, it was Larry Bird’s steal of a Thomas inbounds pass in the final seconds that allowed
Boston to pull out a victory in Game Five at home, thereby preventing them from facing an
elimination game in Detroit. Detroit won Game Six, 113-105, forcing a seventh game at Boston
Gardens. The Celtics prevailed 117-114.
In 1988, the Lakers benefited from what Piston faithful refer to as the “phantom foul.” It
occurred with two seconds left in the sixth game with Detroit leading, 102-101, and on the verge
of clinching the championship. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made both free throws and Los Angeles
pulled out Game Six. The Lakers won Game Seven 108-105.
With their playoff run in 1989, Detroit exorcised both demonic memories…
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