R.I.P. Hank Aaron - the REAL Home Run King!

At TIAH Blog, we mourn the passing of Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves baseball legend Henry (Hank) Aaron, who passed away at the age of 86.  

Hank Aaron was already a superstar when I began watching baseball in 1967 (when the terms "superstar" and "legend" were not thrown around with the casual abandon they are today), but will be forever remembered for the day in 1974 when he hit home run #715 - passing Babe Ruth's lifetime total of 714. 

For insane and unfathomable reasons of racism, many people were unhappy on that day, April 08, 1974.  I will confess to being "unhappy" too... but merely because the home run record no longer belonged to a New York Yankee (Ruth).  

But, if the record could not belong to a New York Yankee, it couldn't have belonged to a finer man!  

Over his long career, he faced all sorts of adversities with dignity and class - and, in view of an almost endless tide of threats and hate, with extreme bravery!  

Aaron went on to hit 755 home runs before he was done!  

If I was "unhappy" on the day Hank Aaron achieved the home run record, I was all the more so on the day his record was eclipsed by someone who cheated by ("allegedly") using a baseball-illegal enhancer that Hank Aaron never had - or NEVER NEEDED!  

To me, and to many other baseball fans, Hank Aaron is still the LEGITIMATE home run champion - and the REAL Home Run King!  

Thank you, Mr. Henry Aaron, for all the great moments I was able to witness and/or read about, and for being such a fine and exemplary human being.  

Adventures in Comic-Boxing: One Comic - Four Heroes (Minus Two?)

SUPERMAN # 338 (DC Comics, Cover Date: August, 1979) was a very special issue!

Not only was it the 40th Anniversary of the SUPERMAN comic book title...

...But contained one of the best Superman stories of the 1970s!  Perhaps THE best story of the "second half of the seventies"!  (...The first half had many other great ones too!)  

SUPERMAN # 338 also gave you FOUR HEROES in ONE ISSUE...

SUPER HEROES: Superman and Supergirl...

...And (at the time) SPORTS HEROES: O.J. Simpson and Pete Rose!  

(CLICK TO ENLARGE - if you must!)  

Since 1979, the world has taken all of us to many strange and unexpected places... some of them wonderful... some of them... well... not!  

I leave you without further comment, save to say that SUPERMAN # 338 started out with FOUR HEROES on display within its covers... and, regrettably, ended up with only TWO!  

R.I.P. Yogi Berra.

Perhaps the most beloved baseball player of all time, Lawrence Peter (“Yogi”) Berra, passed away on September 22, 2015, at the age of 90. 

Among Yogi Berra’s achievements as a player and later manager were:

Ten-Time World Series Champion with the New York Yankees.

Played in more World Series games than any other player in the history of major League Baseball.

Three-Time American League MVP. 
 
Eighteen-Time All Star. 
 
Considered to be one of the all-time greatest catchers ever to play the game. 
 
As a manager, led both the New York Yankees and the New York Mets to a world series. 

Before baseball, he even served aboard an attack transport during the WW II D-Day invasion of France!  

Beyond all that, Yogi Berra was a PERSONALITY loved by all.  His ever-quotable “Yogi-isms” have become a part of our language and culture:

“When you come to a fork in the road… take it!”

“It’s déjà vu all over again!”

“Nobody goes to that place anymore, it’s too crowded!”

“It gets late early out here!”

And, the most famous one of all:

“It ain’t over ‘till it’s over!” 

And, as if even all that wasn’t enough to make Yogi Berra a forever-favorite consider this…

Without Yogi Berra, what would THIS CHARACTER have been called? 

Somehow, an otherworldly-alternate like (oh, say) “Bertram Bear” doesn’t have that same special ring…

“It would really hurt, if I were named Bert!”  

Rest in Peace, Yogi Berra... and thank you for all the many and diverse things you've given us!

R.I.P. Stuart Scott.

We at TIAH Blog are extremely saddened at the passing of ESPN sports anchor Stuart Scott, on Sunday, January 04, 2015, from cancer at the unthinkable age of 49!  

Stuart Scott brought what was a personal and singular enthusiasm of style to sports broadcasting that was unique two decades ago -- but, very likely thanks to him, has since become more of the norm in the field.   

His trademark exclamation "BOO-YAH!" came to transcend sports.  And, in my own personal tribute to Scott in 2007, was even uttered by Donald Duck in "Uncle Scrooge Meets the Synthezoid from the Deepest Void" in UNCLE SCROOGE # 370, scripted by yours truly for Gemstone Publishing.  

I don't imagine Stuart Scott ever saw that particular panel, but today, of all days, I find myself wishing that he had.  

Rest in Peace, Stuart Scott -- and "BOO-YAH!"

Good-Bye to Rex Ryan!

Monday, December 29, 2014, saw the departure of Rex Ryan as the head coach of the NFL’s New York Jets, after six seasons. 

As a Jets fan for many years, Rex Ryan was a personal favorite of mine.  His candor, swagger, and never-say-die spirit changed the culture of what was then a moribund franchise. 

His first two seasons (2009 and 2010) saw trips to the AFC Championship Game (just one win shy of playing in the Super Bowl), led by quarterback Mark Sanchez and shut-down corner Darrelle Revis.

Unfortunately, Rex Ryan’s next four seasons found the Jets missing the post season altogether.  Sanchez cooled-down from his earlier highs, and Revis departed.  For the last two seasons, Ryan was hampered by a new General Manager that some (including me) believe deliberately sabotaged his chances for success. 

Despite that, Ryan managed an 8-8 record for 2013, but could do no better than 4-12 in 2014.  For what it’s worth, the General Manager was given the (deserved) ax on the same day as Ryan. 

Rex Ryan will be missed in New York football.  No doubt, he will resurface somewhere else (or, perhaps, even as a broadcaster) and I’ll be there rooting for him once again.  

    

Derek the Halls!

I don't know about you but, whenever I think of the holidays,  I always think of Derek Jeter!

His timely hits, great defensive play, and festive clubhouse leadership just scream "Merry Christmas to One and All"!  

Sleigh-bells, caroling, and The Captain!  That's the spirit! 

And, in that very spirit, the YES Network (the television home of the New York Yankees) has seen fit to promote (wait for it...) A Christmas Day Derek Jeter Marathon for December 25, 2014!  

You've done the "Twelve Days of Christmas", now try "Twelve Hours of The Captain"!  

The details are below: 

12:00 PM	Derek Jeter: Salute 2 The Captain	Derek Jeter special
2:00 PM	Jeter's 3,000th hit: Tampa Bay @ Yankees 7/9/11	Yankees Classics
5:00 PM	Yankees Access: Derek Jeter	New York Yankees behind-the-scenes series
5:30 PM	Derek Jeter's Final Home Game (9/25/14)	Yankees Classics
9:30 PM	Moments of Glory: Derek Jeter	No description available at this time
10:00 PM	Derek Jeter: Salute 2 The Captain	Derek Jeter special

All times listed are Eastern Time (ET.)

I know there are plenty of Holiday TV Marathons out there to choose from but, oddly, this particularly unusual one seems compelling enough to drop in on, even if for only a short time - and the notion of seeing baseball on Christmas Day!

All I can say to Derek Jeter and the YES Network is... Merry Christmas... and, er... "Bravo"!  

"Oh, Mama!  If I could only be like Derek Jeter!"  

Happy Retirement to Derek Jeter!

On September 25, 2014, New York Yankees shortstop, and future Hall of Famer, Derek Jeter played his last home game at Yankee Stadium. 

In keeping with his amazing career of clutch and memorable performances, the Yankees had blown a three-run lead to the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the ninth inning. 

All Derek Jeter did, in his final at-bat at Yankee Stadium was to hit a walk-off, trademark sharp single to right field, to drive in the winning run and win the game!  

If this were a Hollywood movie, no one would believe it.  But, having had the pleasure of witnessing Derek Jeter’s entire career, not only could I believe it – but I even predicted it when he came up to bat! 

Thank you, Derek Jeter, for more great baseball moments than I could ever have imagined!  

R.I.P. Don Zimmer.

Noted Major League Baseball figure Don Zimmer passed away on June 04, 2014, at the age of 83. 

Zimmer was a player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and for other teams including the New York Mets, manager of the Boston Red Sox, and bench coach for the New York Yankees during their run of four championships in five seasons... and that's hardly all, folks! 

 

Oh, yes... and, during his Yankee stint,  a memorable confrontation with Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez.  We all gasped and held our breath at the sight of that!  Thankfully, he was okay!

 

 

Don Zimmer was beloved by baseball fans everywhere, and for more reasons than I can count! 

 

He will be missed. 

R.I.P. Ralph Kiner

Baseball Hall of Famer and iconic New York Mets broadcaster Ralph Kiner died on February 06, 2013 at the age of 91. 

 Kiner took his place among the baseball greats in Cooperstown as a result of a stellar career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and Cleveland Indians, between 1946 and 1955.

But, in New York, he was beloved as a long-time broadcaster for the New York Mets – both on WOR TV Channel 9 and the various radio stations that carried Mets games.  He began broadcasting when the Mets began playing, in 1962, as part of the legendary team of Bob Murphy, Lindsay Nelson, and Ralph Kiner – seen below from left to right, with the great Shea Stadium scoreboard in the background.

Kiner’s WOR TV post-game show, Kiner’s Korner, is permanently etched in the memories of anyone who saw it.  Using the still-new technology of “Videotape Replay” (described literally as such by a superimposed graphic), Kiner would recap the events with two stars of the game in a seated and relaxed atmosphere that is almost inconceivable in today’s world of “Three Questions on the Sideline”, or microphones shoved at players in a locker room. 
 

I really enjoyed Kiner’s Korner, which followed every Mets home game on WOR television starting in 1964, often more so than many of those frustrating early Mets games themselves!   
 

Amazingly, Kiner continued to participate in occasional Mets radio broadcasts into the 2013 season!  And it was always a treat to discover he was part of a game that I’d tune into while in the car! 

Ralph Kiner in 2011

Rest In Peace, Ralph Kiner.  You will always be beloved in New York! 

It’s STILL Time To Retire It: Roman Numerals!

On the eve of 2014’s Super Bowl XLVIII, let’s return to my post of February 07, 2012 – HERE! 

 

It’s just as true, two years later!    

 

Hey, It's MET LIFE STADIUM!  We've got a SUPER BOWL!