The Coneheads constantly challenge me. I mean, the formula is, fall behind or get an early lead, it doesn't matter, eventually the Conehead inning comes, and suddenly the opposition finds themselves down 12-0 as Cream and Clear did Saturday after our nine run second, and it's over. Oh we may toy with them, stop scoring for a couple of innings and they think they have a shot at 12-3 and a couple guys on in the 4th or 5th inning, but then someone makes a play on D like Markley gunning down a fool out at third base. And inevitably we score seven more in the top of the last inning, and they just want to go home.
And I talk about Sting's triple to start the scoring, or the Knight's three run bomb in the second to make it 10-0, his third round tripper in four ABs going back to the second game last Monday night. We scored eight of our nine runs with two outs in that second inning. Or eight straight hits and walks in the seventh to salt away the game. Those are things that define a total team effort.
And I am left looking for story ideas.
And I always seem to return to Joe, or as he will be known for the rest of this article, Ol' Pete.
There was a pitcher in the twenties, or the teens and twenties, named Grover Cleveland Alexander. He was variously known as "Alexander the Great" or just Ol' Pete. He won 373 games, tied with Christy Mathewson for first in the National League record book, and threw 90 shutouts, still the National League record.
No one knows why he was called Ol' Pete. But Ol' Pete drank, a lot. He was known to have passed out on the mound on occasion - he suffered from epilepsy that was triggered by an injury in World War I. But he also hit the bottle particularly hard as a result of the physical and emotional injuries he sustained in the war.
In 1926, he was sold to the Cardinals by the Cubs - the Cubs' owner was tired of his insubordination and his belligerence and his drinking. His manager said the Cubs would be in last place with or without him, and he'd rather it not be with him. The Cardinals were in the middle of a pennant race. They won the pennant, and Ol' Pete won games two and six of the World Series against the dread Yankees. After winning game six he reportedly went out and got really drunk, assuming he would not be needed in game seven. Well, the story goes, the Cardinals' pitcher developed a blister in the seventh inning, and the manager called on the very hung over Alexander, who staggered out of the bullpen where he was sleeping it off. He came in with the bases loaded and two outs and the score 3-2, and struck out slugger Tony Lazzeri to preserve the lead. He pitched the eighth and ninth, and the Cardinals had the first World Series win in their history.
Here is the scenario: I'm not saying our Ol' Pete aka Ol' Stink Eye is a drunk. But I believe he is landing at SFO tomorrow at around 5 pm. He will be very jet lagged from a 24 hour flight across the world. I can just see him coming into Heather Farm, and as he is walking to the field, just then Larry gets hit again on the arm like yesterday...and here comes Ol' Stink Eye to save the day as he gets Cream N Clear's best hitter on a comebacker to end the championship game. Now that would be a story.
Speaking of Larry, his curve may not be as good as Joe's but he has had these guys popping up and hitting into double plays all week in the playoffs. I mean they are not the toughest teams we have ever faced, but we have only allowed eleven runs in three games, and that has a lot to do with our ace for the playoffs.
I am behind on the stats, so I will say only two things: I know the Knight is setting quite a pace with the three homers and ten RBIs, and Chopper has eleven. And D is leading the team in strikeouts with a Conehead Playoff record two, although they are about the only outs he has made. In fact I just looked at the book - this is true. The rest of the team isn't doing too badly either.
At any rate, at the risk of overconfidence and flying in the face of superstition and jinxes, there is almost no way we lose two tomorrow night. I hate myself for saying it, so we better go out and win this thing.
See you there. Stats will follow the ending.
And I talk about Sting's triple to start the scoring, or the Knight's three run bomb in the second to make it 10-0, his third round tripper in four ABs going back to the second game last Monday night. We scored eight of our nine runs with two outs in that second inning. Or eight straight hits and walks in the seventh to salt away the game. Those are things that define a total team effort.
And I am left looking for story ideas.
And I always seem to return to Joe, or as he will be known for the rest of this article, Ol' Pete.
There was a pitcher in the twenties, or the teens and twenties, named Grover Cleveland Alexander. He was variously known as "Alexander the Great" or just Ol' Pete. He won 373 games, tied with Christy Mathewson for first in the National League record book, and threw 90 shutouts, still the National League record.
No one knows why he was called Ol' Pete. But Ol' Pete drank, a lot. He was known to have passed out on the mound on occasion - he suffered from epilepsy that was triggered by an injury in World War I. But he also hit the bottle particularly hard as a result of the physical and emotional injuries he sustained in the war.
In 1926, he was sold to the Cardinals by the Cubs - the Cubs' owner was tired of his insubordination and his belligerence and his drinking. His manager said the Cubs would be in last place with or without him, and he'd rather it not be with him. The Cardinals were in the middle of a pennant race. They won the pennant, and Ol' Pete won games two and six of the World Series against the dread Yankees. After winning game six he reportedly went out and got really drunk, assuming he would not be needed in game seven. Well, the story goes, the Cardinals' pitcher developed a blister in the seventh inning, and the manager called on the very hung over Alexander, who staggered out of the bullpen where he was sleeping it off. He came in with the bases loaded and two outs and the score 3-2, and struck out slugger Tony Lazzeri to preserve the lead. He pitched the eighth and ninth, and the Cardinals had the first World Series win in their history.
Here is the scenario: I'm not saying our Ol' Pete aka Ol' Stink Eye is a drunk. But I believe he is landing at SFO tomorrow at around 5 pm. He will be very jet lagged from a 24 hour flight across the world. I can just see him coming into Heather Farm, and as he is walking to the field, just then Larry gets hit again on the arm like yesterday...and here comes Ol' Stink Eye to save the day as he gets Cream N Clear's best hitter on a comebacker to end the championship game. Now that would be a story.
Speaking of Larry, his curve may not be as good as Joe's but he has had these guys popping up and hitting into double plays all week in the playoffs. I mean they are not the toughest teams we have ever faced, but we have only allowed eleven runs in three games, and that has a lot to do with our ace for the playoffs.
I am behind on the stats, so I will say only two things: I know the Knight is setting quite a pace with the three homers and ten RBIs, and Chopper has eleven. And D is leading the team in strikeouts with a Conehead Playoff record two, although they are about the only outs he has made. In fact I just looked at the book - this is true. The rest of the team isn't doing too badly either.
At any rate, at the risk of overconfidence and flying in the face of superstition and jinxes, there is almost no way we lose two tomorrow night. I hate myself for saying it, so we better go out and win this thing.
See you there. Stats will follow the ending.
