8 days apart!!! Part 2 December 31st 1972 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Roberto Clemente Walker (August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a professional baseball player and a former Major League Baseball right fielder. Clemente was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven children. On November 14, 1964, he married Vera Zabala at San Fernando Church in Carolina. The couple had three children: Roberto Jr., Luis Roberto and Enrique Roberto. He began his professional career playing with the Santurce Crabbers in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League(LBBPR). While he was playing in Puerto Rico, the Brooklyn Dodgers offered him a contract to play with theMontreal Royals. Clemente accepted the offer and was active with the team until he was drafted by thePittsburgh Pirates in the Major League Baseball draft that took place on November 22, 1954.
Clemente played eighteen seasons in Major League Baseball from 1955 to 1972, all with Pittsburgh. He was awarded the National League’s Most Valuable Player Award in 1966. During the course of his career, Clemente was selected to participate in the league's All Star Game on twelve occasions. He won twelve Gold Glove Awards and led the league in scoring during four different seasons. He was involved in charity work both in Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries, often delivering baseball equipment and food to them. He died in an aviation accident on December 31, 1972, while en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. His body was never recovered. He was elected to the Hall of Fame posthumously in 1973, thus becoming the first Latin American to be selected and the only current Hall of Famer whose mandatory five year waiting period was waived since it was instituted in 1954.

8 days apart!!! Part1 December 23rd 1972 Immaculate Reception From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Immaculate Reception

is the nickname given to one of the most famous plays in the history of American football. It occurred in the AFC divisional playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raidersat Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on December 23, 1972. NFL Films has chosen it as the greatest play of all time. The play was a turning point for the Steelers, who reversed four decades of futility and won four Super Bowls in the next six seasons. The play's name is a pun on the Immaculate Conception, adogma in the Roman Catholic Church that Mary, mother of Jesus, when conceived by her parents, bore no stain of original sin. The phrase was first used on air by Myron Cope, a Pittsburgh sportscaster who was reporting on the Steelers' victory. A Pittsburgh woman, Sharon Levosky, called Cope the night of the game and suggested the name, which was coined by her friend Michael Ord. Cope used the term on television and the phrase stuck. The term is something of a misnomer; the phrase was apparently meant to imply that the play was miraculous in nature (see Hail Mary pass for a similar term), however "immaculate" is not a synonym for "miraculous." Rather, it means "clean" or "pure." However, the play was anything but immaculate -- in fact it was rather messy.
How it happened
The Pittsburgh Steelers trailed the Oakland Raiders 7-6, facing fourth-and-10 on their own 40-yard line with 22 seconds remaining in the game and no time-outs. Head coach Chuck Noll called a pass play, 66 Circle Option, intended for receiver Barry Pearson[2], a rookie who was playing in his first NFL game. Steelers quarterbackTerry Bradshaw, unable to find Pearson while avoiding two Raiders defenders, threw the ball to the Raiders' 35-yard line, toward fullback John "Frenchy" Fuqua. Raiders safety Jack Tatum collided with Fuqua just as the ball arrived. Tatum's hit knocked Fuqua to the ground and sent the ball sailing backward several yards, end over end. Steelers running back Franco Harris, after initially blocking on the play, had run downfield in case Bradshaw needed another eligible receiver. He scooped up the sailing ball just before it hit the ground, and ran the rest of the way downfield to score the touchdown that gave the Steelers a 12-7 lead and the game.
Controversy
The critical question was: off whom did the ball bounce in that Fuqua/Tatum collision? If it bounced off Fuqua, and then Harris was the next to touch the ball, the reception was illegal since two offensive players could not touch a pass in succession (a rule that was changed in 1978 although this would have been subject to interpretation since the ball bounced backwards to Harris, thus it could have been construed as a lateral which would be legal), the Raiders would gain possession (via a turnover on downs) and surely win. If the ball bounced off Tatum, or if it bounced off Fuqua and then Tatum, the reception was legal, as a defensive player was the last to touch the ball.
One official, Back Judge Adrian Burk, signaled that the play was a touchdown, but the other game officials did not immediately make any signal. There was no instant replay rule at the time. Referee Fred Swearingen telephoned the NFL's supervisor of officials, Art McNally, who was sitting in the press box, after which he signaled a touchdown. Although this has been described as the first known use of television replay to confirm a call, at the time the NFL denied that the decision was made in the press box or using a television replay. It was later said that Swearingen was scared of backlash from the Steelers fans if he had ruled the other way. Raider's assistant GM Al Locasale said that the referee called stadium security and asked how many police officers were available; upon hearing that there was only a small number, he decided in the interest of self preservation to rule it a touchdown. Fans immediately rushed the field, and it took 15 minutes to clear them so the point-after, or conversion, could be kicked to give the Steelers what turned out to be their final margin of victory, 13-7.
The play is still disputed by those involved, particularly by living personnel from the Raiders and their fans, who insist the Raiders should have won. Tatum said at the time, and has maintained ever since, that the ball did not bounce off him. Raiders linebacker Phil Villapiano, who was covering Harris at the time, also maintains that the ball hit Fuqua. Fuqua has been coy, supposedly saying he knows exactly what happened that day but will never tell. John Madden, coach of the 1972 Raiders, has said that he will never get over the play, and has indicated that he's bothered more by the delay between the end of the play and the final signal of touchdown, than by which player the ball truly hit. After the game he indicated that from his view the football had indeed touched Tatum.
In 1998, during halftime of the AFC Championship game, NBC showed a replay from its original broadcast. The replay presented a different angle than the NFL Films clip that is most often shown. According to a writer for the New York Daily News, "NBC's replay showed the ball clearly hit one and only one man[:] Oakland DB Jack Tatum."
Pittsburgh sportscaster Myron Cope, in a 1997 article and in his 2002 book "Double Yoi!", relates that two days after the game he reviewed film taken by local Pittsburgh TV station WTAE, and that the film showed "[n]o question about it -- Bradshaw's pass struck Tatum squarely on his right shoulder." Cope states that the local film would be next to impossible to find again, because of inadequate filing procedures.
In 2004 John Fetkovich, an emeritus professor of physics at Carnegie Mellon University, analyzed the NFL Films clip of the play. He came to the conclusion, based the trajectory of the bounced ball and conservation of momentum, that the ball must have bounced off of Tatum, who was running upfield at the time, rather than Fuqua, who was running across and down the field. Timothy Gay, a physics professor and a longtime fan of the Raiders, cited Fetkovich's work with approval in his book "The Physics of Football," and concluded that "the referees made the right call in the Immaculate Reception."
Another widely held point of contention to the play was whether or not the ball had hit the ground before Harris snatched it and ran with it. The sideline views of both film and video gave no answer, as Harris had caught the ball out of frame, and came running into frame from the right side on his path to the end zone. The only other known NBC video was an end zone shot from above and behind the goalposts and, in keeping with the mystery of the play, one of the posts was exactly in the line of sight of Harris' hands and the ball. The best NFL Films shot of the play, from ground level, which is probably the most-often seen clip (along with audio of an excitedJack Flemming, the Steelers' radio announcer at the time) is a tight shot from the end zone of Harris snaring the ball, with his feet and the ground just out of frame below. The ball wobbles before he gets firm possession of it, raising the question of whether it touched the ground during the catch.
Villapiano has also stated that he was illegally blocked by Steelers tight end John McMakin just as he was about to tackle Harris following the reception.
Aftermath of the play
The week after this playoff victory, the Steelers lost the AFC championship game to the Miami Dolphins 21-17, who would then win Super Bowl VII in their landmark undefeated season. The Steelers, however, would reverse four decades of futility and go on to become a dominant force in the NFL for the subsequent decade, winning four Super Bowls with such stars as Bradshaw, Harris, John Stallworth, and Lynn Swann and the Steel Curtaindefense led by Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, "Mean" Joe Greene, Mel Blount, and Dwight White.
1972 was the team's 40th year in the league, during which they had finished above .500 only nine times, and until then had never won a playoff game. They had been regarded as one of the league's doormats (literally, as the 1944 Card-Pitt merger was 0-10 and was ridiculed as the "Carpets"). As recently as 1969 they had gone 1-13, thus winning the first draft choice (Terry Bradshaw) and seeding their remarkable turnaround.
The Immaculate Reception spawned a heated rivalry between the Steelers and Raiders, a rivalry that was at its peak during the 1970's, when both teams were among the best in the league and both were known for their hard-hitting, physical play. The teams met in the playoffs in each of the next four seasons, starting with the Raiders' 33-14 victory in the 1973 divisional playoffs. Pittsburgh would use AFC championship game victories over Oakland (24-13 at Oakland in 1974 and 16-10 at Pittsburgh in 1975) as a springboard to victories in Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X, before the Raiders notched a 24-7 victory at home in 1976 on their way to winning Super Bowl XI.
For the 1978 NFL season, the rule in question regarding the forward pass was repealed. There are no longer any restrictions on any deflections of passes.

2008 Pre Season is Here!!! (from Thursday, February 14, 2008)

Well folks Pitchers & Catchers report in Bradenton today. This just gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Kinda like when Steve Martin goes bonkers As "Navin R. Johnson" in The Jerk (1979). "The new phone book's here! The new phone book's here! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity I need. My name in print. That really makes somebody. Things are going to start happening to me now!"
As far as the new phone book it looks like it might be new Phenom, Steve Pearce. His meteoric rise through the minors last year served notice that changes for the Pirates might be right around the corner!!
In 2007, Steve made the ultimate jump from class A Lynchburg to class AA Altoona to Class AAA Indianapolis to the Show. He hit .300 at each stop and a very impressive .294 in Pittsburgh. Combine that effort with 31 home runs and hopefully the minor league player of the year can start paying big dividends to getting us back to "The City Of Champions!"

We haven't won a series since 1979....

Since "We Are Family" in 1979,....

the city of champions has yet to win a post season series. Just to put this into perspective every MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL team has won at least 1 series (exceptions to Tampa Bay & Texas). The Pirates will begin their 2008 season, 29 years removed from their last playoff appearance. I guess it is time to end the drought!! The Orioles won 102 games in the regular season, but the Pirates would be best remembered, both for winning the World Series and Sister Sledge's "We Are Family" as their theme song.
Baltimore got off to a great start, knocking out Bucs starter Bruce Kison on their way to five runs in the first inning of Game 1. From that point the Pittsburgh bullpen was brilliant, but the Pirates could score only four runs off O's starter Mike Flanagan, who went the distance for a 5-4 victory. Game 2 was tied 2-2 until the ninth, when Manny Sanguillen's RBI single gave Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead. Submarining reliever Kent Tekulve was perfect in the bottom of the inning, and the Series was even.
The Fall Classic shifted to Pittsburgh for Game 3, but the Orioles didn't seem to mind, scoring five runs in the fifth on their way to an easy 8-4 decision. Shortstop Kiko Garcia led the way with four hits and four runs batted in. In Game 4, the Orioles trailed 6-3 until the eighth, when they exploded for six runs. Final 9-6, Baltimore.
At that point, with the O's leading the Series three games to one, the Baltimore bats went quiet. In Game 5, the Pirates topped the Orioles 7-1, Jim Rooker and Bert Blyleven teaming up for a six-hitter. In Game 6, John Candeleria and Tekulve shut out the O's, 4-0, to force a Game 7.
And in Game 7, the Orioles could manage but one run against a quartet of Pirate pitchers, while Pirate hitters came up with two runs in the sixth on Willie Stargell's two-run homer, and two more in the ninth for insurance. Tekulve pitched a perfect ninth to earn his third save of the Series, thus clinching the championship.

This is how you know things for the pirates are bad in the 'Burgh!!!

For sale: Real World Series trophy!
Club that owns 1979 Pirates hardware is bankrupt

PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Pirates 1979 World Series trophy, now on loan to a sports museum, could be sold at auction because its owner is bankrupt.
The Allegheny Club declared bankruptcy in 2002 and its memorabilia collection - including the trophy - could be sold to pay its debts. The club has since merged with the HYP Pittsburgh Club and the combined group is known as The Allegheny HYP Club. An unidentified New York collector has offered $100,000 for the collection.
The Pirates and the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, where the trophy is displayed, now are considering making their own bids to keep it in Pittsburgh.

Hmmmm............

• I wonder if we ever got the damn trophy back?


• Also where are the other 4 trophies?


• The Rooney's would of NEVER let this happen!!

Great Quotes from "Bull Durham"

Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: The other day Crash called a woman's pu... pussy... um, well, you know how the hair is kind of in a V-shape?
Annie Savoy: Yes, I do.
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: Well, he called it the Bermuda Triangle. He said that a man could get lost in there and never be heard from again.

FOR THOSE POUTING OVER NYJER I FORGOT I WROTE THIS.....

There's going to be a battle for the starting center field spot between Morgan and Nate McLouth. Knowing that he'll be in the spotlight during Spring Training doesn't bother Pirates outfielder Nyjer Morgan. The center field job being the only position to be determined primarily based on Spring Training. And now, not only is Morgan competing against a player that Pirates' management has praised as being a "complete baseball player," but Morgan is competing against his biggest mentor. Right now, they are just a stop-gap for Centerfielder incumbent Andrew McCutchen. Nyjer spent some time this year in the Arizona Fall League and played some left field, while Andrew played center. The only drawback with carrying both Nyjer and Nate, is who will give us more power, and power to the alleys?

I Guess We Should've traded Freddy.....

Well another ALL-STAR GAME passes and the National League has lost another, 4-3 to the junior circuit setting a 13-game unbeaten streak for the American League extending the longest such streak in All-Star history. Seven consecutive wins ranks third in history, behind the National League's 11-gamer from 1972-82 and one shy of the NL's eight-gamer from 1963-70. NOW for the BAD news, Freddy was left to the bench not even used as a pinch runner, maybe we shoulda traded him and Adam LaRoche to the SF GIANTS!! He was an extra inning replacement along with zach duke in case the hapless NL all-stars could get into the game. Now we know that Charlie Manuel is not the brightest Manager but he could've used duke instead of heath bell from the Padres.....

This 2nd half should be very interesting, I wonder if we will deal the infield now that the Outfield has been completely changed.....