The Sox face their old teammate Justin Masterson and the surprising Indians starting tonight for a three game series. Buchholz pitches tonight, Beckett tomorrow, and Lester on Wednesday.
Monday, May 23, 2011
93 Year Flashback
The Sox face their old teammate Justin Masterson and the surprising Indians starting tonight for a three game series. Buchholz pitches tonight, Beckett tomorrow, and Lester on Wednesday.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Bruins/Lighting Game 4 Recap
Game 4 was huge for the Bruins. They had a chance to take a commanding lead in the Eastern Conference Finals and pretty much punch their ticket for a chance at the Stanley Cup (which will most likely be against the Canucks who lead their series over the Sharks 3-1.) Instead, the Bruins blew a huge 3 goal lead after the first period and the series is now tied 2-2. The Bruins just made the series much tougher on themselves.
The first period for the Bruins was great. Mid-way through the first period Patrice Bergeron took advantage of the Lightning’s sloppy puck movement as he stole the puck deep into the Lightning zone and forced it past Roloson. With 3:30 left in the first period, Ryder used some fancy stick handling on a Bruins 2-on-1 and scored easily on a baffled Roloson. The Bruins weren’t done yet, as with 2:00 left, Bergeron stole the puck in the neutral zone and made the Lightning pay with a wrister from 30 feet out. Roloson ended up getting pulled and was replaced by Mike Smith. The Bruins looked as sharp and as confident as ever going into the second period. They looked well on their way 3-1 series lead.
With 13 minutes left in the second, the tide began to turn. First, Teddy Purcell scored on a one-timer from a play that formed from sloppy puck-handling by Tim Thomas. Shortly after, Purcell scored another goal on a wrister from the left circle, a shot that appeared to catch Thomas by surprise. The bleeding didn’t stop there as shortly after that, Sean Bergenheim scored on a wraparound goal. The game, which appeared to be a done deal, was now tied due to the four minute flurry of goals by the Lightning. Tim Thomas did not look like his dominant self. He almost looked like a completely different goalie that we saw in his Game 3 shut-out. Although the game was tied, it was no time to panic. The game was still tied and the Bruins still had an equal chance at victory.
Unfortunately, momentum played a big part of this game. Once the Lightning took the momentum from the Bruins, they never gave it back. With 13 minutes left in the game, another bad neutral-ice turnover lead to a goal from Simon Gagne who was wide open in the slot. The Bruins had a couple of close chances to tie the game, but the game became out of reach when Martin St. Louis scored an open net goal with less than 1 minute remaining.
This game was eerily similar to the Game 7 debacle that occurred last year against the Flyers. No doubt about it, the Bruins choked again. They became too satisfied with their lead and they tried finishing the game on their heels instead of continuing to play the high level of hockey that Bs fans are used to. You would think that they would learn from last year, but I guess they did not learn their lesson. Fortunately for the Bruins, this year’s choke doesn’t mean the end of the season for the Bruins. They can still make up for it as they still have a maximum of 3 games left in the series. The Bruins need to move past this loss and use the frustration from it to come out and punish the Lightning in Game 5. They can once again take control of the series, but Tim Thomas needs to go back to the form that we have become accustomed to. He has let up 14 goals in games 1, 2, and 4. Game 3 he was as solid as ever, but he has been sloppy in the other games. He needs to be more consistent and the defense needs to offer more help. There have been a lot of goals this series for the Lightning due to poor puck discipline by Bruins’ defensemen. If the Bruins can get back on track and win Game 5, they will look right on their way to the Cup Finals. If they can’t win, Bruins fans may have to start worrying.
Game 5 is May 23rd at 8:00 on Versus.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Bruins/Lighting Game 3 Recap
After the 11 goals in Game 2 and 18 games for the series, the last thing anyone would expect for Game 3 was a low-scoring defensive battle, especially with the return of Patrice Bergeron. 1:09 into the first period, Krejci scored on a rebound from a shot by Milan Lucic. Another quick goal in the beginning of the game gave fans the feeling that the floodgates just opened. On the contrary, there would be no more goals until the third.
As expected, this game included some incredible saves. Most notably, Tim Thomas had a no-look spin-o-rama save with 13 minutes left in the first period off a turnaround slapper from Vinny LeCavalier. Greg Campbell had a turnaround slapper of his own with 9 minutes left in the first that Roloson stopped in which lead to a skirmish in front of the net. It was the first major sign of fisticuffs between the two teams. Both goalies played as their teams expected them to.
Scary moment with 2 minutes left in the first. Marc-Andre Bergeron slammed David Krejci on an open-ice hit in which Krejci had his head down. Krejci looked visibly shaken and all Bruins fans held their breath. One would have to remember what happened in last years’ series against the Flyers in which Mike Richards’ very similar hit lead to a broken wrist for Krejci. The Bruins were up 3-0 in the series before the injury, then lost the next 4. The rest is very forgettable history for the Bs.
Thankfully, Krejci returned and all was well. The Bruins barely got by without Bergeron, no way could they lose Krejci too.
With 13 minutes left in the third period, Andrew Ference launched the puck from just inside the blue line, which trickled right through the 5-hole of Roloson. It was essentially the nail in the coffin for the Lightning for they would not even score for the rest of the game.
Tim Thomas played great in the shut-out, stopping a total of 31 shots. He showed who the best goalie of the playoffs really is, despite letting up 10 goals in the first two games. Now the Bruins are 2 wins away from the Stanley Cup Finals, their first since 1990. Needless to say, it has been a while since Boston has been this excited about a Bruins team. They have the parts to do something special, something that hasn’t been done in over 20 years.
Game 4 is Saturday at 1:30 PM on NBC.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Bruins/Lighting Game 2 Recap
After a disappointing Game 1 for the Bruins, Game 2 almost seemed like a must-win for them. Although coming back from a 2-0 deficit isn’t impossible (they just did it against the Canadiens), it would put the Bruins in a hole that would be extremely difficult to climb out of. The Bruins don’t match up very well against the Lightning overall, speed tends to overcome size and physicality in hockey. The Bruins held tough though and, despite letting up 5 goals, Tim Thomas still made some spectacular saves to solidify the Game 2 win for the Bs.
13 seconds into the first period, the Bruin’s turned the puck over in the neutral zone and Vinny LeCavalier raced down the ice. He shot the puck wide of the net, which took a lucky bounce off the boards and Adam Hall shot the puck past a surprised Thomas.
Here we go again.
6 minutes left into the first period, Dennis Seidenberg shot a rocket from the point that was tipped past Roloson by Nathan Horton for the Bruins’ 3rd powerplay goal in 44 chances. The lead would not last long however as, with 6.5 seconds left in the first, Steven Stamkos took a desperation turn-around shot that was tipped past Thomas by Martin St. Louis. Despite 18 shots on goal in the first period, the Bruins went into the second period with the deficit.
It wasn’t until the second period in which the real show began. 48 seconds into the period, Tyler Seguin once again showed why he didn’t belong on the bench. He busted past 2 Lightning defenders with speed and some fancy footwork, then shot the puck by a diving Roloson who never had a chance. The goal was as spectacular as the one he scored in Game 1. The Bruins, and Tyler Seguin, weren’t done. About a minute and a half after that, Krejci scored on a tip from another Dennis Seidenberg shot. 6:30 into the period, it was once again Seguin’s time to shine as he rifled the puck past Roloson on a nice feed from Nathan Horton for his second goal of the night. After a Vinny LeCavalier goal, Michael Ryder scored 2 rebound goals as the Bruins went into the locker room with a 6-3 lead after two. Seguin had 2 goals and 2 assists in that period. The final period from the Bruins was a mess. Roloson was pulled and the Lightning’s back up goalie, Mike Smith, took his place. The Bruins, however, were too busy letting up scoring chances for the Lightning to notice. Stamkos scored early in the third on a rocket past Thomas’ shoulder and, with 6 minutes left, Dominic Moore scored in a scramble in front of the net which involved the puck bouncing off Thomas’ maskless head and into the goal. The Lightning played phenomenal in the third and could have easily tied the game on all of their scoring chances. In the end, the Bruins were able to prevail and tie the series at one game a piece.
The Good:
Holy cow is Tyler Seguin going to be good. He has 3 goals and 3 assists in two games. He has the speed and skills that the Bruins were needing in this series to combat the speed and skills of the Lightning’s Big 3. All the Bruins fans who were questioning Claude Julien’s decision to bench Seguin now appear to have every right to. The kid is on fire. If he is able to control a game like this during the playoffs at age 19, I can’t wait to see what he has in store for Bruins fans once his game matures a little bit. He is the pure scorer that the Bruins have desperately been needing since Joe Thornton. Thanks, Brian Burke, I really hope you enjoy the inconsistent play of Phil Kessel. The question now is—What do we do with Seguin when Bergy comes back? We could either go with 5 defensemen, which is a liability because of the speed of the Lightning, or we could sit a forward. My vote would be with sitting Shawn Thornton. As much as I love the guy, he really hasn’t showed up much in these playoffs. Plus, he is a liability due to his hot head. The Lightning’s powerplay is so good, we can’t risk any penalties for stupid behavior. Yesterday morning I would have suggested benching Ryder, but I think he earned a spot for the time being due to his 2 goal performance yesterday. This one is going to be a tough one for Julien, but I don’t think there is any way Seguin will be taking a seat. (Side Note: It was good to see both Bergeron and Savard yesterday attending the game, their skills are truly being missed.)
Also, I like how Roloson was pulled after only 2 periods and giving up 6 goals. That’s going to hurt his GAA and his Save %. More importantly, its going to hurt his confidence. He went into last nights game as, statistically, the best goalie in the postseason. He loses that honor as the best goalie should never let up 6 goals in 2 period, including 5 goals in one period. He has to be shaken up a little bit after that performance. This game reminded me of Game 1 against the Flyers in which Boucher let up 7 goals. Clearly, after that, he was no longer the reliable goalie that the Flyers expected from him. Hopefully, its just downhill from here for Roloson
The Bad:
The Bruin’s defense did not look sharp last night. Although they got the win, there were a lot of worrisome aspects of last nights game that the team will have to take a look at. First of all, St. LeStamkos combined for 9 points yesterday. That can’t happen if the Bruins want to advance. Secondly, the Bruins defense let up 5 breakaway opportunities to the Lightning players (all 5, by the way, were stopped by Timmy.) The Bruins defense cannot keep relying on Thomas to clean up their messes. He needs more help. The Bruins have let up 10 goals in two games against the Lightning. They need to slow down the speed of the Lightning by any means necessary. This 1-3-1 nonsense by the Lightning needs to be contained. If someone told me that the Lightning were going to score 5 goals (again) in Game 2, I would have expected a loss by the Bruins. They need to play better defensively if they are going to advance.
Game 3 is Thursday, May 19th at 8:00 on Versus.
Top 20 Boston Sports Legends-Part 4
SEE PART ONE - SEE PART TWO - SEE PART THREE
1. Bobby Orr
"Number four, Bobby Orr." Orr was the greatest hockey player to ever live. He revolutionized the way to play defense, making it a two way position. Orr joined the Bruins in 1966 as a teenager at the age of 18. In 1967 Orr was the youngest player to ever win the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year. Starting in 1968 he went to eight straight All-Star games and won eight straight Norris trophies for defenseman of the year. He scored 915 points in 657 games and had 92 points in 74 playoff games. Orr was also awarded two Art Ross trophies and won three straight Hart trophies. In 1970 Orr lead the Bruins to their first champhionship since 1949, winning the Conn Smythe tropy for playoff MVP. In 1972 Orr lead the Bruins to their second Stanley Cup in three years. He was the first player to win two Conn Smythe trophys. Orr retired in 1976, a little eary because of injuries. He was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1979 and had his number 4 retired by the Bruins in the same year.
2. Ted Williams
Ted Williams was the greatest Red Sox player in our very storied history. Williams played with the Sox from 1939-1942 and 1946-1960. He took a four year break to serve as a pilot in World War II for the United States. In his 21 year career, all with the Sox, he played in 2,292 games, had 2,654 hits, 521 home runs, 1,839 rbi and a .344 career average. Williams hit the triple crown twice, including being the last to do it, leading the AL in average, home runs, and rbi. In 1941 he was batting .400 going into the final game of the year, he told his manager he was going to play rather than skip the game to hit .400. He ended up batting .406 on the year. Along with two triple crowns, Williams won two AL MVP's, the batting title six times, and went to 19 all star games. Williams went to the MLB Hall of Fame in 1966 and his number 9 was retired in 1984 by the Red Sox in the first year numbers were retired. He and Joe Cronin were the first two to have their numbers retired.
3. Bill Russell
Bill Russell, like most people, has ten fingers. Russell also has 11 NBA championship rings. Clearly, the toughest decision for him everyday is which ring not to wear. Russell played 14 years with the Celtics, his entire career. Starting in 1958 he played in 12 straight All Star Games, being MVP in 1963. Russell was elected to be on the NBA All-First Team three times, in 1958, 1963, 1965. He averaged 15.1 points per game, 22.5 rebounds per game, and 4.3 assists per game throughtout his Celtic career. Russell won the NBA MVP nearly half his career, 5 times in 1958, 1961-1963, and 1965. Russell was also on the 25th, 35th, and 50th Anniversary Teams. Clearly the most amazing thing about Bill Russell was how he lead the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA championships, including eight in a row from 1959-1966. He is the only player to have 11 rings, Phil Jackson has 11 as a coach. In 1965 he was inducted to the Hall of Fame, three years after his number 6 was retired by the Celtics.
4. Larry Bird
Larry Bird apparently hit on my girlfriend's mom years ago, or so she says. Apparently he wasnt very good at it, but he was a damn good basketball player. Bird began his career 14 year career with the Celtics in 1979. In 1980 he won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. 1980 was the first of eight straight years he went to the All Star game and was a part of the All-NBA First Team. Bird finished with 12 All Star games. He was also awarded three straight NBA MVP's. Bird was a part of a big rivalry between the Celtics and Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird defeated Johnson three times in the NBA Finals and finished his career with three rings, and two NBA Finals MVP's. Bird finished his career with 24.3 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, and 6.3 assists per game. He was also a part of the NBA 50th Anniversary Team. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1998 and his number 33 was retired in 1992.
5. Tom Brady
Tom Brady is the only active player on this list, but he certainly deserves it. After being drafted 199th overall in 2000, he sat on the bench behind Drew Bledsoe, but only for one year. Bledsoe got hurt early in the 2001 season and Brady stepped in and lead the Pats to their first ever NFL Championship. The combination of Brady and coach Bill Belichick is the most impressive in the 2000-2010 decade, winning three championships and only missing the playoffs once. Brady has gone to six Pro Bowls, won NFL MVP twice, has been the Offensive Player of the Year twice, as well as being on the 2000's all decade team. To date, he has 34,744 yards, 261 touchdowns to only 103 interceptions, and a 95.2 quarterback rating. Brady's most impressive season came 2007 when he lead the Pats to a perfect 16-0 regular season while throwing a record breaking the touchdown record by throwing 50 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions. Brady is ranked as the 21st player of all time by NFL.com as of the 2009 season, and he won the 2010 NFL MVP so I'm sure he only went up. Brady is the best quarterback the Pats have ever had, and by the end of his career could be the best who ever played the game.
"Number four, Bobby Orr." Orr was the greatest hockey player to ever live. He revolutionized the way to play defense, making it a two way position. Orr joined the Bruins in 1966 as a teenager at the age of 18. In 1967 Orr was the youngest player to ever win the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year. Starting in 1968 he went to eight straight All-Star games and won eight straight Norris trophies for defenseman of the year. He scored 915 points in 657 games and had 92 points in 74 playoff games. Orr was also awarded two Art Ross trophies and won three straight Hart trophies. In 1970 Orr lead the Bruins to their first champhionship since 1949, winning the Conn Smythe tropy for playoff MVP. In 1972 Orr lead the Bruins to their second Stanley Cup in three years. He was the first player to win two Conn Smythe trophys. Orr retired in 1976, a little eary because of injuries. He was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1979 and had his number 4 retired by the Bruins in the same year.
Ted Williams was the greatest Red Sox player in our very storied history. Williams played with the Sox from 1939-1942 and 1946-1960. He took a four year break to serve as a pilot in World War II for the United States. In his 21 year career, all with the Sox, he played in 2,292 games, had 2,654 hits, 521 home runs, 1,839 rbi and a .344 career average. Williams hit the triple crown twice, including being the last to do it, leading the AL in average, home runs, and rbi. In 1941 he was batting .400 going into the final game of the year, he told his manager he was going to play rather than skip the game to hit .400. He ended up batting .406 on the year. Along with two triple crowns, Williams won two AL MVP's, the batting title six times, and went to 19 all star games. Williams went to the MLB Hall of Fame in 1966 and his number 9 was retired in 1984 by the Red Sox in the first year numbers were retired. He and Joe Cronin were the first two to have their numbers retired.
Bill Russell, like most people, has ten fingers. Russell also has 11 NBA championship rings. Clearly, the toughest decision for him everyday is which ring not to wear. Russell played 14 years with the Celtics, his entire career. Starting in 1958 he played in 12 straight All Star Games, being MVP in 1963. Russell was elected to be on the NBA All-First Team three times, in 1958, 1963, 1965. He averaged 15.1 points per game, 22.5 rebounds per game, and 4.3 assists per game throughtout his Celtic career. Russell won the NBA MVP nearly half his career, 5 times in 1958, 1961-1963, and 1965. Russell was also on the 25th, 35th, and 50th Anniversary Teams. Clearly the most amazing thing about Bill Russell was how he lead the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA championships, including eight in a row from 1959-1966. He is the only player to have 11 rings, Phil Jackson has 11 as a coach. In 1965 he was inducted to the Hall of Fame, three years after his number 6 was retired by the Celtics.
Larry Bird apparently hit on my girlfriend's mom years ago, or so she says. Apparently he wasnt very good at it, but he was a damn good basketball player. Bird began his career 14 year career with the Celtics in 1979. In 1980 he won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. 1980 was the first of eight straight years he went to the All Star game and was a part of the All-NBA First Team. Bird finished with 12 All Star games. He was also awarded three straight NBA MVP's. Bird was a part of a big rivalry between the Celtics and Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird defeated Johnson three times in the NBA Finals and finished his career with three rings, and two NBA Finals MVP's. Bird finished his career with 24.3 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, and 6.3 assists per game. He was also a part of the NBA 50th Anniversary Team. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1998 and his number 33 was retired in 1992.
Tom Brady is the only active player on this list, but he certainly deserves it. After being drafted 199th overall in 2000, he sat on the bench behind Drew Bledsoe, but only for one year. Bledsoe got hurt early in the 2001 season and Brady stepped in and lead the Pats to their first ever NFL Championship. The combination of Brady and coach Bill Belichick is the most impressive in the 2000-2010 decade, winning three championships and only missing the playoffs once. Brady has gone to six Pro Bowls, won NFL MVP twice, has been the Offensive Player of the Year twice, as well as being on the 2000's all decade team. To date, he has 34,744 yards, 261 touchdowns to only 103 interceptions, and a 95.2 quarterback rating. Brady's most impressive season came 2007 when he lead the Pats to a perfect 16-0 regular season while throwing a record breaking the touchdown record by throwing 50 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions. Brady is ranked as the 21st player of all time by NFL.com as of the 2009 season, and he won the 2010 NFL MVP so I'm sure he only went up. Brady is the best quarterback the Pats have ever had, and by the end of his career could be the best who ever played the game.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Top 20 Boston Sports Legends-Part 3
SEE PART ONE - SEE PART TWO
6. Ray Bourque
Ray Bourque is truly one of the best defensemen in NHL history. He currently holds the all-time record for goals, assists, and points for defensemen. He is also 9th all time in games played. Bourque spent 21 years with the Bruins and made it to 19 All-Star games. He won 5 Norris Trophies, which are awarded to the league’s best defenseman. Bourque is known for being involved with some of the most emotional moments in NHL history. The first moment would come when he takes his #7 jersey off and reveals his new number of #77 during Phil Esposito’s number retirement. The second moment he was a part of was when, after 22 NHL seasons, he finally won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. Although he did not enjoy the experience as a Bruin, Boston could not have been happier to see Bourque hoist up the cup. If anyone deserved a Stanley Cup, it was Ray Bourque.
7. Cy Young
Cy Young is known as one of the best, if not the best, pitcher of all-time. He spent 7 years with the Americans/Red Sox, compiling a 192-112 record with a 2.01 ERA and 1,341 strikeouts. He led the Americans to a World Series Championships in 1903, the first World Series to ever be played. Cy Young was so good that the award for the best pitcher for the year was named after him. Cy Young finished his career with 511 wins, almost 100 more than anyone else in MLB history. On May 5th, 1904 Young pitched a perfect game for the Red Sox, his second of three career no-hitters. Needless to say, Cy Young is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. He played in an era before numbers were used which is why his number was not retired by the Sox.
8. Carl Yazstrzemski
The man they call Yaz, Yazstrzemski spent his entire 23-year career with the Red Sox, 18 of which he was an All-Star. No other player in MLB history has spent more time with only one team. He is currently 2nd all-time in games played, 6th all-time in hits, 12th all-time in RBIs, 33rd all-time in homeruns. During his career, Yaz only played less than 100 games in a season once, which gave him the reputation as a workhorse. He was known for his ability to play through injuries. Yaz’s best season came in 1967 in which he hit .321 and had 44 homeruns 121 RBI. He won the MVP that season and it is the last season in which a player had won the Triple Crown. He was a first-ballot hall of famer and had his #8 retired by the Sox in 1989.
9. Bob Cousy
Bob Cousy is known for being one of the first great Celtics and for being one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. Cousy spent 13 years with the Celtics and lead them to 6 NBA Championships in the late 50s and early 60s. He was great at combining points with assists as he averaged 18.4 points and 7.5 assists per game for his career. He currently ranks 15th all-time in career assists. Cousy never played a season for the Celtics in which he did not make the All-Star team and he won the MVP in 1956. Cousy retired at the age of 35 in a ceremony known as the “Boston Tear Party” due to how emotional it became. Cousy was a first ballot Hall of Famer and had his #14 was retired by the Celtics in 1963.
10. Carlton Fisk
Carlton Fisk is widely regarded as one of the best catchers in baseball history. He spent 9 full seasons with the Red Sox and during that time he was selected to 9 All-Star Games and won the Rookie of the Year award in 1972. His best year came in 1977 when he hit .315 with 26 homeruns and had 102 RBI. Fisk career was almost cut short when, in 1974, a collision at home plate lead Fisk to tear several ligaments in his leg. He was told he would never play again but proved doctors wrong when he came back to play in 1975 and hit .331 for the year. Fisk’s shining moment as a Red Sox came in Game 6 of 1975 World Series when he coaxed his walk-off homerun fair in the 12th inning to force a Game 7, an image cemented into the minds of all Sox fans. Fisk had his #27 retired by the Sox and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
6. Ray Bourque
Ray Bourque is truly one of the best defensemen in NHL history. He currently holds the all-time record for goals, assists, and points for defensemen. He is also 9th all time in games played. Bourque spent 21 years with the Bruins and made it to 19 All-Star games. He won 5 Norris Trophies, which are awarded to the league’s best defenseman. Bourque is known for being involved with some of the most emotional moments in NHL history. The first moment would come when he takes his #7 jersey off and reveals his new number of #77 during Phil Esposito’s number retirement. The second moment he was a part of was when, after 22 NHL seasons, he finally won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. Although he did not enjoy the experience as a Bruin, Boston could not have been happier to see Bourque hoist up the cup. If anyone deserved a Stanley Cup, it was Ray Bourque.
7. Cy Young
Cy Young is known as one of the best, if not the best, pitcher of all-time. He spent 7 years with the Americans/Red Sox, compiling a 192-112 record with a 2.01 ERA and 1,341 strikeouts. He led the Americans to a World Series Championships in 1903, the first World Series to ever be played. Cy Young was so good that the award for the best pitcher for the year was named after him. Cy Young finished his career with 511 wins, almost 100 more than anyone else in MLB history. On May 5th, 1904 Young pitched a perfect game for the Red Sox, his second of three career no-hitters. Needless to say, Cy Young is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. He played in an era before numbers were used which is why his number was not retired by the Sox.
8. Carl Yazstrzemski
The man they call Yaz, Yazstrzemski spent his entire 23-year career with the Red Sox, 18 of which he was an All-Star. No other player in MLB history has spent more time with only one team. He is currently 2nd all-time in games played, 6th all-time in hits, 12th all-time in RBIs, 33rd all-time in homeruns. During his career, Yaz only played less than 100 games in a season once, which gave him the reputation as a workhorse. He was known for his ability to play through injuries. Yaz’s best season came in 1967 in which he hit .321 and had 44 homeruns 121 RBI. He won the MVP that season and it is the last season in which a player had won the Triple Crown. He was a first-ballot hall of famer and had his #8 retired by the Sox in 1989.
9. Bob Cousy
Bob Cousy is known for being one of the first great Celtics and for being one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. Cousy spent 13 years with the Celtics and lead them to 6 NBA Championships in the late 50s and early 60s. He was great at combining points with assists as he averaged 18.4 points and 7.5 assists per game for his career. He currently ranks 15th all-time in career assists. Cousy never played a season for the Celtics in which he did not make the All-Star team and he won the MVP in 1956. Cousy retired at the age of 35 in a ceremony known as the “Boston Tear Party” due to how emotional it became. Cousy was a first ballot Hall of Famer and had his #14 was retired by the Celtics in 1963.
10. Carlton Fisk
Carlton Fisk is widely regarded as one of the best catchers in baseball history. He spent 9 full seasons with the Red Sox and during that time he was selected to 9 All-Star Games and won the Rookie of the Year award in 1972. His best year came in 1977 when he hit .315 with 26 homeruns and had 102 RBI. Fisk career was almost cut short when, in 1974, a collision at home plate lead Fisk to tear several ligaments in his leg. He was told he would never play again but proved doctors wrong when he came back to play in 1975 and hit .331 for the year. Fisk’s shining moment as a Red Sox came in Game 6 of 1975 World Series when he coaxed his walk-off homerun fair in the 12th inning to force a Game 7, an image cemented into the minds of all Sox fans. Fisk had his #27 retired by the Sox and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Top 20 Boston Sports Legends-Part 2
SEE PART ONE
11. Roger Clemens
In 1984, Roger Clemens burst onto the Red Sox roster as a 22 year old stud. Clemens became an immediate ace and big fan favorite. 1986 was arguably his best season, going 24-4 with a 2.48 ERA and 238 strikeouts. He also won his first of three Cy Youngs in a Sox uniform and the 1986 AL MVP. On April 29, 1986 Clemens struck out 20 batters against the Seattle Mariners. He was the first pitcher in MLB history to do so, since then only Randy Johnson and Kerry Wood have matched the 20. He is also the only pitcher to ever throw a second game of 20 strikeouts. Clemens finished his Red Sox career in 1996 with a 192-111 record, 2.94 era, 2,590 k's, 100 complete games, 38 shutouts, 5 all-star games, and 3 Cy Young awards. He is tied with Cy Young for the most wins in Red Sox history and since he left for the Toronto Blue Jays nobody on the Sox has worn number 21.
12. Phil Esposito
Phil Esposito was easily the best scorer of his time, setting records people thought would never be broken. Espo was the first NHL player to score 100 points when he scored 126 in 1969. He won the Hart Trophy in the 69 season. He would hit the century mark six times in his career. He played for the Bruins from 1967-1975, after a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. In 1970, Espo scored a mind boggling 76 goals in that season alone. With the help of Bobby Orr, Espo and the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 1970 for the first time in 28 years. Espo lead them to another championship two years later. He finished his 9 year Bruin career with 1,590 regular season points, 137 points in 130 playoff games, 5 Art Ross trophies, 2 Hart trophies, and 2 Lester B. Pearson awards. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1984 and had his number 7 retired by the Bruins, in a very emotional scene, in 1987.
13. John Havlicek
In 1962 John Havlicek was drafted by both the Boston Celtics and the NFL's Cleveland Browns and, thank god, he decided to go play some basketball. "Hondo" played his entire 17 year career with the Celtics playing mostly as a "sixth man." Despite playing as the sixth man, Havlicek is the Celtics all-time leader in points and games played. He scored 26,395 points in 1,270 games, averaging 20.8 points per game. He also averaged 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists. He is most well known for his famous steal against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals that stopped the 76ers from even getting a chance to win the game. Havlicek won 8 championships, he was the Finals MVP in 1974, he played in 13 all-star games, and was on the all-NBA first team four times. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1984.
His number 17 was retired by the C's in 1978.
14. Cam Neely
Cam Neely joined the Bruins in 1986 after a trade with the Vancouver Canucks and their awful jerseys. Neely played for the Bruins for 10 years before injuries caught up to him and he could not play any longer. Once he stepped on the ice for the B's he was a fan favorite. He scored about 70 points per year and averaged 124 penalty minutes per year. He was a scorer and a fighter, a perfect mix of two completely different styles of the game. He is also the last Bruin to score 50 points in 50 games, in 1993 and it was actually in 44 games. He finished his career with the B's with 694 points 1,241 penalty minutes, and 89 points in 93 playoff games. He was such a fan favorite, he appeared in the movie "Dumb and Dumber" as a tough guy named Seabass. His number 8 was retired by the Bruins in 2004
15. John Hannah
John Hannah was dubbed the "Best Offensive Lineman of all Time" by Sports Illustrated in 1981. Hannah played for the New England Patriots for 13 years from 1973-1985. Sadly, he was probably the team's lone star while the Pats struggled in Foxboro. Hannah missed only 5 of a possible 191 games due to injury, although he did hold out for 3 games in 1977. Hannah went to nine Pro Bowls, had ten all pro selections, was the NFLPA Offensive Lineman of the year 3 times, and was on the 1970s and 1980s all decade-team. He had his number 73 retired although other players have used it since he retired. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1991.
In 1984, Roger Clemens burst onto the Red Sox roster as a 22 year old stud. Clemens became an immediate ace and big fan favorite. 1986 was arguably his best season, going 24-4 with a 2.48 ERA and 238 strikeouts. He also won his first of three Cy Youngs in a Sox uniform and the 1986 AL MVP. On April 29, 1986 Clemens struck out 20 batters against the Seattle Mariners. He was the first pitcher in MLB history to do so, since then only Randy Johnson and Kerry Wood have matched the 20. He is also the only pitcher to ever throw a second game of 20 strikeouts. Clemens finished his Red Sox career in 1996 with a 192-111 record, 2.94 era, 2,590 k's, 100 complete games, 38 shutouts, 5 all-star games, and 3 Cy Young awards. He is tied with Cy Young for the most wins in Red Sox history and since he left for the Toronto Blue Jays nobody on the Sox has worn number 21.
Phil Esposito was easily the best scorer of his time, setting records people thought would never be broken. Espo was the first NHL player to score 100 points when he scored 126 in 1969. He won the Hart Trophy in the 69 season. He would hit the century mark six times in his career. He played for the Bruins from 1967-1975, after a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. In 1970, Espo scored a mind boggling 76 goals in that season alone. With the help of Bobby Orr, Espo and the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 1970 for the first time in 28 years. Espo lead them to another championship two years later. He finished his 9 year Bruin career with 1,590 regular season points, 137 points in 130 playoff games, 5 Art Ross trophies, 2 Hart trophies, and 2 Lester B. Pearson awards. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1984 and had his number 7 retired by the Bruins, in a very emotional scene, in 1987.
In 1962 John Havlicek was drafted by both the Boston Celtics and the NFL's Cleveland Browns and, thank god, he decided to go play some basketball. "Hondo" played his entire 17 year career with the Celtics playing mostly as a "sixth man." Despite playing as the sixth man, Havlicek is the Celtics all-time leader in points and games played. He scored 26,395 points in 1,270 games, averaging 20.8 points per game. He also averaged 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists. He is most well known for his famous steal against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals that stopped the 76ers from even getting a chance to win the game. Havlicek won 8 championships, he was the Finals MVP in 1974, he played in 13 all-star games, and was on the all-NBA first team four times. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1984.
His number 17 was retired by the C's in 1978.
Cam Neely joined the Bruins in 1986 after a trade with the Vancouver Canucks and their awful jerseys. Neely played for the Bruins for 10 years before injuries caught up to him and he could not play any longer. Once he stepped on the ice for the B's he was a fan favorite. He scored about 70 points per year and averaged 124 penalty minutes per year. He was a scorer and a fighter, a perfect mix of two completely different styles of the game. He is also the last Bruin to score 50 points in 50 games, in 1993 and it was actually in 44 games. He finished his career with the B's with 694 points 1,241 penalty minutes, and 89 points in 93 playoff games. He was such a fan favorite, he appeared in the movie "Dumb and Dumber" as a tough guy named Seabass. His number 8 was retired by the Bruins in 2004
John Hannah was dubbed the "Best Offensive Lineman of all Time" by Sports Illustrated in 1981. Hannah played for the New England Patriots for 13 years from 1973-1985. Sadly, he was probably the team's lone star while the Pats struggled in Foxboro. Hannah missed only 5 of a possible 191 games due to injury, although he did hold out for 3 games in 1977. Hannah went to nine Pro Bowls, had ten all pro selections, was the NFLPA Offensive Lineman of the year 3 times, and was on the 1970s and 1980s all decade-team. He had his number 73 retired although other players have used it since he retired. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1991.
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