Two recent losses in the tennis world:

Dennis Ralston, 78, was a NCAA singles champion and a Wimbledon finalist.

Alex Olmedo, 84, a 2-time NCAA singles champion who had a memorable 1959 season with a Wimbledon championship (over Rod Laver), an Australian Tennis championship (before it became an open tournament), and a finalist spot at the United States Championships. He was also a Davis Cup stalwart for the United States. He turned pro in 1960, and thus, could not add to his Grand Slam trophies.

(12-10-2020 11:27 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  Former Astros shortstop Denis Menke, a 2-time All-Star for Houston, at 80.
I remember, in 1969, when he and Jimmy Wynn hit grand slams in the same inning.
But, he was also known for being part of one of the worst trades (for us Astros fans) in history. He was traded to Cincinnati along with future Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan, starting pitcher Jack Billingham, center fielder César Gerónimo and utility outfielder Ed Armbrister, while the Astros received second baseman Tommy Helms, first baseman Lee May and utility infielder Jimmy Stewart.
Ugh!

Astros traded away an incredible amount of talent in the late 1960s/early 1970s. This could have been their lineup in the early to middle 1970s:

CF Cesar Cedeno
2B Joe Morgan
LF Jim Wynn
RF Rusty Staub
1B John Mayberry/Bob Watson platoon
3B Doug Rader
C Jerry Grote
SS Denis Menke/Roger Metzger
SP Larry Dierker, Don Wilson, Mike Cuellar, Ken Forsch, Jerry Reuss, Dave Roberts
RP Dave Giusti, Jim Ray, Tom Griffin, Denny Lemaster, George Culver
BENCH
C John Bateman (lost in expansion draft but could have been protected, was later traded by Philadelphia to St. Louis for Tim McCarver, who would have been an interesting addition if Astros had held him and made that trade), Cliff Johnson
IF Sandy Alomar Sr.
OF Cesar Geronimo, Mike Easler, Ed Armbrister

If they had just kept what they had, the Big Red Machine of the 1970s could easily have been the Big Orange Machine instead.

(12-11-2020 12:15 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(12-10-2020 11:27 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  Former Astros shortstop Denis Menke, a 2-time All-Star for Houston, at 80.
I remember, in 1969, when he and Jimmy Wynn hit grand slams in the same inning.
But, he was also known for being part of one of the worst trades (for us Astros fans) in history. He was traded to Cincinnati along with future Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan, starting pitcher Jack Billingham, center fielder César Gerónimo and utility outfielder Ed Armbrister, while the Astros received second baseman Tommy Helms, first baseman Lee May and utility infielder Jimmy Stewart.
Ugh!

Astros traded away an incredible amount of talent in the late 1960s/early 1970s. This could have been their lineup in the early to middle 1970s:

CF Cesar Cedeno
2B Joe Morgan
LF Jim Wynn
RF Rusty Staub
1B John Mayberry/Bob Watson platoon
3B Doug Rader
C Jerry Grote
SS Denis Menke/Roger Metzger
SP Larry Dierker, Don Wilson, Mike Cuellar, Ken Forsch, Jerry Reuss, Dave Roberts
RP Dave Giusti, Jim Ray, Tom Griffin, Denny Lemaster, George Culver
BENCH
C John Bateman (lost in expansion draft but could have been protected, was later traded by Philadelphia to St. Louis for Tim McCarver, who would have been an interesting addition if Astros had held him and made that trade), Cliff Johnson
IF Sandy Alomar Sr.
OF Cesar Geronimo, Mike Easler, Ed Armbrister

If they had just kept what they had, the Big Red Machine of the 1970s could easily have been the Big Orange Machine instead.

Spec Richardson really destroyed the Astros and all the young talent that Tal Smith had planted. Tal then rebuilt the young talent when Roy got sick and his empire faded away. McMullen then destroyed the Astros again.

Some real bozos in the ownership ranks of Houston teams-Bud, McMullen and Les Alexander, who thinks he and not Charlie Thomas is why the Rockets won championships. Not to mention eliminating hockey in Houston. Colleen Howe also the blame for that one.

Country music singing legend Charley Pride, 86, from COVID-19.

Charlie Pride dead at 86. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/celebrit...78820.html

Ray Perkins (November 6, 1941 – December 9, 2020) was an American football coach and player. He played as a wide receiver for the University of Alabama and Baltimore Colts. He later worked as a football coach for 28 years, including stints as the head coach for the New York Giants, the University of Alabama, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Arkansas State University.

Former Alabama coach Ray Perkins, 79 to be buried Monday in Tuscaloosa

Quote:Eugene "Goo" Kennedy (August 23, 1949 – December 8, 2020) was an American professional basketball player.

A 6'7" forward/center, Kennedy played one season (1970–71) of college basketball at Texas Christian University, and was named the Southwest Conference Player of the Year after leading the TCU Horned Frogs to the conference championship. He averaged 16.6 rebounds per game that season, with a high of 28 versus the University of Arkansas.

After college, Kennedy played four seasons in the American Basketball Association as a member of the Dallas Chaparrals, San Antonio Spurs, Spirits of St. Louis, and Utah Stars. He then played one season in the National Basketball Association with the Houston Rockets. He averaged 8.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game during his professional career.

Kennedy and his wife, Mary, raised over forty foster children over the years. (Wow! Good on Goo!)

Kennedy died at age 71 on December 8, 2020, according to his daughter Eugenia. The cause of death was not immediately known.

John le Carré: Espionage writer dies aged 89 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-55297558

They say that all good things must end someday,
Autumn leaves must fall
But don't you know that it hurts me so
To say goodbye to you
Wish you didn't have to go
Oh no, no, no...

Listened to their albums a lot. Sorry to see him go.


Chad Stuart, 79, English singer and musician (Chad & Jeremy), pneumonia


Chad Stuart (left) and Jeremy Clyde, in 1966

Artist: Chad & Jeremy
Album: Yesterday's Gone
Song: "A Summer Song"
July 1964 World Artists Records






Actually, I still have the "Yesterday's Gone" album on vinyl and it's a great album all around. I especially liked their version of the classic "Willow Weep For Me" as well as the title track.

(12-21-2020 12:21 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  They say that all good things must end someday,
Autumn leaves must fall
But don't you know that it hurts me so
To say goodbye to you
Wish you didn't have to go
Oh no, no, no...

Listened to their albums a lot. Sorry to see him go.


Chad Stuart, 79, English singer and musician (Chad & Jeremy), pneumonia


Chad Stuart (left) and Jeremy Clyde, in 1966

Artist: Chad & Jeremy
Album: Yesterday's Gone
Song: "A Summer Song"
July 1964 World Artists Records






Actually, I still have the "Yesterday's Gone" album on vinyl and it's a great album all around. I especially liked their version of the classic "Willow Weep For Me" as well as the title track.

just heard this song yesterday on the oldies channel on my XM radio. A favorite then as well as now. I didn't realize he was that old...until I realized my own age.

Knucksie dead at 81 https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/3060...ll-dies-81

(12-27-2020 02:28 PM)johncatworth Wrote:  Knucksie dead at 81 https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/3060...ll-dies-81

One of the best brother pitchers in MLBB (maybe only the Perry's were better). Never understood why the Astros haven't retired Joe's number. He was big for them for many years and still has the career win record.

Phil Niekro was the epitome of an accumulator. Extremely long career thanks to the knuckleball, but save for just a couple season (1969, '82) he was nothing more than a .500 pitcher. Really doesn't deserve the HOF, even with his 318 wins (vs. 274 losses). Granted, he played for some horrid Atlanta teams in the middle of his career, but still. I feel the same about Don Sutton, who only accumulated his win totals because he played most of his career for a perennial winner and great offensive team in the 1960s - early 1980s Dodgers.

(12-27-2020 05:49 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Phil Niekro was the epitome of an accumulator. Extremely long career thanks to the knuckleball, but save for just a couple season (1969, '82) he was nothing more than a .500 pitcher. Really doesn't deserve the HOF, even with his 318 wins (vs. 274 losses). Granted, he played for some horrid Atlanta teams in the middle of his career, but still. I feel the same about Don Sutton, who only accumulated his win totals because he played most of his career for a perennial winner and great offensive team in the 1960s - early 1980s Dodgers.

Similar possibly could be argued for Nolan Ryan (I realize this is probably going to upset folks and be controversial), yes he had 5k strikeouts and 7 no hitters. But he also had 292 losses as when he was bad, oh my. Maybe I can never forget game 5 of the 1980 NLCS. I think Bill James has some similar thoughts.

(12-27-2020 06:35 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  

(12-27-2020 05:49 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Phil Niekro was the epitome of an accumulator. Extremely long career thanks to the knuckleball, but save for just a couple season (1969, '82) he was nothing more than a .500 pitcher. Really doesn't deserve the HOF, even with his 318 wins (vs. 274 losses). Granted, he played for some horrid Atlanta teams in the middle of his career, but still. I feel the same about Don Sutton, who only accumulated his win totals because he played most of his career for a perennial winner and great offensive team in the 1960s - early 1980s Dodgers.

Similar possibly could be argued for Nolan Ryan (I realize this is probably going to upset folks and be controversial), yes he had 5k strikeouts and 7 no hitters. But he also had 292 losses as when he was bad, oh my. Maybe I can never forget game 5 of the 1980 NLCS. I think Bill James has some similar thoughts.

The only similarity between Nolan Ryan and Phil Niekro, who's careers overlapped almost entirely, is that they both pitched their prime years for dreadful franchises. And the 5K strikeouts and 7 no-nos is a primary reason he's in the HOF, along with the 324 wins. His achilles heal early in the career was his wildness, and that cost him games, especially recognizing that those Angel teams averaged something like 3 runs per game, but he always had one of the lowest BAAs in baseball, at least until the twilight of his career.

Nolan's problem was that he tried to nibble on the corners too much, when with his stuff he could have just thrown it down the middle and they couldn't hit it. He tried to make the perfect pitch instead of good enough.

Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) from Gilligan's Island dead of Covid at age 82. Tina Louise (Ginger) is the last remaining cast member still alive from that show.

I was always definitely a Mary Ann guy. Not even close.

The Mary Ann Vs. Ginger Debate: Why Does Dawn Wells Always Win?



RIP, honey; I'll see ya, but it'll be awhile!

R.I.P. to Eugene Joseph Wright (May 29, 1923 – December 30, 2020) who was an American jazz bassist who was a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Aged 97--pretty darn good!

Floyd Little, dies at 78 from cancer; Pro Football Hall of Famer

New Haven native Floyd Little, one of Connecticut’s all-time great athletes, died on Friday night in Las Vegas after a seven-month battle with a rare form of cancer. He was a three-time All-American at Syracuse University, and in 1967 was the sixth selection of the first common AFL-NFL draft. He was the first first-round draft pick to sign with the American Football League's Denver Broncos, where he was known as "The Franchise". Little was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.