Subject: Recent sports oddities
Date: Sun Apr 8 20:15:31 2018
User: BuzzClik
Message:This isn't as rare as the Cubbies winning the World Series, but very close.
Shohei Ohtani came to the US touted as the Japanese Babe Ruth -- a really good pitcher with home run power. After a very disappointing spring training with the Angels, Ohtani put on his game face. He won his first two starts in very impressive fashion and has hit three homers in his first ten games.
Here's the list of those players in that club:
Monte Ward (1863)
Jim Shaw (1919)
Shohei Ohtani (2018)
Date: Mon Apr 9 11:32:50 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:He hit three HRs between his last two starts. Last to do that: Babe Ruth in 1919.
Date: Mon Apr 9 12:11:41 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:Another source cites 1921 as the last time the Babe did it.
Date: Tue Apr 10 11:14:18 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:If he weren't a home run hitter and decent outfielder, Ruth may have gone down in history as one of the greatest pitchers. But they needed him to play every day. So, no more pitching.
Date: Wed Apr 11 14:24:38 2018
User: BuzzClik
Message:He retired only from the Pirates. Snowy is still waterboy for the Steelers and mop-the-sweat-off-the-floor dude for Pitt basketball (men's and women's).
He's also the unofficial head cheerleader for the Big East.
Date: Wed Apr 11 16:34:06 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:Nope. Hardly true. Not much of a fan for Pitt basketball, nor the Big East or the ACC. Frankly, I would have a problem sitting through any basketball game. Just give me the last period.
Still have some feelings and hopes for the Pirates, as perennial underdogs, but unhappy with billionaire ownership that likes to bankroll profits instead of investing in a team.
It was nice seeing Villanova beat Kansas and Michigan, though. But, I would have much rather had Loyola Chicago win it all.
Hey, Buzz. I know my sis was chasing you in a couple variants. I wonder how that has been working out? I may have to check...
Date: Wed Apr 11 21:23:23 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:An interesting sports oddity. In the past two weeks, Sidney Crosby batted pucks out of the air and into the goal. (I mean at shoulder height.
(Once he put a rebound in from a deflection off the bar.) Tonight, in his hat trick, he batted two pucks into the net, his second and third goals of the night. One goal last week, as he skated by, he reached back with the stick and batted a puck in.
His eye-hand-stick coordination is phenomenal. He plays a three-dimensional game. Not just off the ice.
Date: Wed Apr 11 21:32:10 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:AS for Babe Ruth, he pitched more than four seasons, so he only hit every game he pitched. No DH Rule back then. I submit that, had he enjoyed the DH Rule in his day, there would be no discussion today about anybody breaking his home run record. And his pitching stats would have been remarkable, too.
"Babe’s Major League pitching career began mid-season in 1914 when he moved from the Minor League Baltimore Orioles to the Boston Red Sox, although he only pitched in 4 games that year for the Sox. In the following four full seasons (1915-1918), Babe’s main role on the Red Sox team was pitching.
"
In the 1916 World Series between the Red Sox and Brooklyn Robins (eventually Dodgers), Ruth took on Sherry Smith in what would become one of the biggest pitching match-ups in history. The game was tied 1-1 through 14 innings until the Red Sox finally scored and won the game. Both Ruth and Sherry Smith pitched the entire game, which is still the longest World Series game ever played. In the 1918 World Series, Babe Ruth pitched 29 1/3 scoreless innings, a mark that stood until 1961 when Whitey Ford finally broke it. It wasn’t until 1919 that Babe began his transition into a hitter, with 17 games pitching and 130 games hitting that year. In the four and a half seasons that Babe devoted to pitching, he amassed the following statistics:"
(The info is in the linked article.)
"In Babe Ruth’s 1916 season as a pitcher, his record was 23 Wins and 170 Strikeouts, with a 1.75 ERA, 9 Shutouts and 23 Complete Games..."
Link: The Babe as a pitcher
Date: Thu Apr 12 04:03:32 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:Date: Sat Apr 8 14:43:53 2017 [Note the year.]
User: TNmountainman
"Don't know if all of you realize how big of a deal this is. Nearly incomprehensible. First person to do it since The Big O in '61-'62."
Link: Westbrook to average a triple double for the season
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[Now, moving forward to 2018..........]
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Well, like Britney Spears - except not like her at all, he did it again this year:
Link: Westbrook AGAIN averages a triple double
Date: Sat Apr 14 09:36:40 2018
User: BuzzClik
Message:>>>Snowguy: "Nope. Hardly true...."
Okay, I stand corrected. You have retired.
Date: Mon Apr 23 15:42:40 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:There was a no-hitter thrown Saturday. Sean Manaea threw one for the A's against the red-hot Bosox (they were 17-2). His first complete game in 58 starts, which is somewhat remarkable. If that was what this post was about, then it'd be in the "Jamie Moyer of...." thread, which is where no-hitters and perfect games are (most often) discussed.
But as unusual as that was, it was *not* the most unusual/weird baseball thing to happen over the weekend. No, that would be Brandon Belt's 21-pitch at-bat for the Giants against the Angels' Jaime Barria. 12 minutes and 45 seconds. 16 fouls after 2 strikes. The previous record was a 20-pitch at-bat by Ricky Gutierrez of Houston in 1998.
Oh, and Belt had a home run later in the game.
Link: Brandon Belt being a foul ball machine
Date: Wed Jun 6 15:26:19 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:Been meaning to post this; just took me a while to get around to it.....
In Game 7 of the Western Conference finals against the Warriors, the Houston Rockets missed **27** straight 3s. That is a new record for consecutive misses in the playoffs (previous record was 25), and ties the all-time record for consecutive misses in the NBA. The Warriors went from down 15 to up 13, and the rest...….as they say, is history.
Quite ironically........Houston had set the record for made 3s by a team in a season this year, topping their previous record last year. It could be noted that Chris Paul was injured, but still...…...they launched all those shots. They went 7/44 from deep for the game. I've thought about this a lot, and it's really quite mind-boggling. These guys are pros. This is their job. It's been a few years since I've played, but...….put me in, coach!
Date: Sun Jun 10 12:11:50 2018
User: Klepp
Message:2^27=134,217,728...even (3/2)^27=a ton I don't give a damn to figure the odds of...were they trying to purposefully miss? That would be a not terribly far-fetched assessment, no? Check who had big money on some side bet in Vegas...(I know, casting aspersions on honorable pros, but please...
Date: Mon Jun 11 13:00:06 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:No, they were not trying to miss. They were just flustered and lost their rhythm and confidence. All shooters realize that when you put up a long-distance shot, you have to just *know* it's going in. When you lose that, you need to just try and get lay-ups, or work harder on D. Houston was just massively disappointed (and depressed), as they came home up 3-2, and so by the third quarter (in game 7), the realization that their goose was cooked was growing, so that disappointment had to be simply overwhelming. Yes, as pros they *should* be able to overcome that, at least to some degree. I think that stretch of futility is indicative of the extreme degree of said disappointment and failure to win what 'should' have been theirs.
Date: Tue Jul 3 13:54:02 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:More about the Rockets woes in game 7, as well as a great job of contextualizing their season-long prowess beforehand. (Warning: statistics ahead.)
I know this is boring, or something along those lines to many here, but to those who follow such things in the sports world, it's an excellent treatment; just very well done. Also, the last 90 seconds focus on Harden's analogous prowess, so don't miss that - if you're interested at all.
Link: the Rockets and Harden go all in (but then out) on 3-balls
Date: Mon Sep 3 08:09:39 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:So......Ohtani returned, and fulfilled another Ruthian comparison.
Link: Ohtani's return
Date: Mon Oct 8 10:36:12 2018
User: Turpin827
Message:Marcus Maye of NY Jets returned an interception 103 yards from his own end zone but didn't score, tackled on about the 6 inch line! I don't ever remember seeing that before. (Against Broncos yesterday)
Date: Mon Nov 26 11:38:27 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:Philip Rivers set a couple of consecutive-complete-passes records yesterday. Most of them were short ones, but certainly not all, and 3 or 4 were tippy-toes-on-the-sidelines jobs.
Link: Rivers's riveting day
Date: Tue Nov 27 10:09:22 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:Lamar Miller ripped off a 97-yd. TD run last night against the Titans. Thus becoming, supposedly, the first person in NFL history to have two 95+ yds. runs, and the fourth to have two over 90 yds. He had another of 97 yds. in 2014, when he was with the Dolphins.
But what I'm curious about is the last 65-70 yds. of that run. Check out the video of the run I link below. Kenny Vaccaro, #24, gives chase, and *seems* to be in position to try and make a diving tackle, but never does. On the other hand, #25 Adoree Jackson, also gives chase and easily passes his teammate Vaccaro, but too late to make a tackle. What's amazing is how much faster Jackson appears to be than Vaccaro. True, Jackson used to be a trackster, but these are NFL DBs. Ain't no slow folks involved here. It *almost*(?) looks like Vaccaro doesn't want to make the tackle. It sure looks 'suspicious' to this observer. Anybody else think it looks that way?
(I couldn't find any reference to Vaccaro having an injury, but doesn't mean that's not possible.)
Additional reportage of the run:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texans/article/Miller-carries-Texans-to-record-victory-13423894.php
Link: Miller outruns 1 of 2 Titans
Date: Tue Nov 27 11:24:05 2018
User: Snowguy
Message:From the second angle, it doesn't appear Vaccaro ever got the necessary closure to make the diving attempt. That's a conundrum for a pursuer. Make the attempt, when a split second latter might have worked out? Make the unsuccessful attempt and be accused of doing it for "show?" It's hard for a pursuer to make that decision on when to keep pursuing, maybe gaining a half-step before lunging, or instead give it up. In any case, in the second view, it just didn't seem workable for him. We see it every Sunday.
Date: Tue Nov 27 11:43:36 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:Well, you and I have seen this hundreds of times, I know. But I don't recall ever seeing a guy get blown away by his own teammate (when both are supposedly very fast, ipso facto) to that degree. I agree that on the second view he wasn't as close as it appeared, but he also gave up at the 20.
Date: Wed Nov 28 15:17:50 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:I guess this is an "oddity", but really more an accomplishment. After pop's Pats won Sunday, that make them 8-3, and they will finish with at least a .500 record for the 18th consecutive year. That's amazing, even with their shenanigans, and is second only to the Cowboys' 21 straight from 1965-1985.
Date: Sun Dec 2 23:57:57 2018
User: BuzzClik
Message:We’ll need to start a GoFundMe account to buy Snowy a new television....
The end of the Steelers/Chargers game was a nightmare. The Steelers held a 23-7 halftime lead, but fell behind 30–23 before tying it up again 30-30 late in the fourth quarter. The Chargers drove deep into Steelers’ territory for a last second field goal. The kicker missed, but the Steelers were offside. They lined it up from 5 yards closer; the kick was blocked, but the Steelers were offside again. On the third attempt, the Steelers were again offside, but this time so badly that the Steeler attempting to block the kick dove past the kicker before the ball was kicked, and the attempt was good. Chargers won 33-30.
Date: Mon Dec 3 11:02:59 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:It was pretty cool to watch the Steelers have the tables turned on them for once. (Sorry Snowguy.) I believe I heard them say after the game that previous to last night, the Steelers were 174-0-1 at home in games where they had led by 16 at any point. THAT is an amazing stat (and qualifies to be on this thread in and of itself). I hate that the Chargers moved to LA (not that San Diego supported them well), but it's great to see the downtrodden get some success.
Also, that Justin Jackson is a little scooter. Great change-of-direction runs.
Who knew Philip Rivers would figure into two different happenings documented on this thread so close together?
Date: Mon Dec 3 11:10:38 2018
User: ix
Message:i'd like to be a fly on the wall next time coach talks to the team. i'll bet it starts out with "let's talk about jumping offside"
Date: Tue Dec 11 12:35:02 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:Sunday, 49ers' tight end George Kittle had some kind of game. Shannon Sharpe set the record for receiving yards by a tight end in a game 16 years ago with 214. Sunday, Kittle had 210 - *at the half*. However, the Ponies double- and triple-teamed him in the second half and he had no more catches. The article below has an inaccuracy (or one could say significant imprecision) in it. It says "....Kittle erupted for 210 yards in a single half of work, setting the 49ers record for receiving yards in a game." That's incorrect, as the incomparable Jerry Rice had 289 yds. on Dec. 18, 1995. I think what the author meant to say was "....by a tight end".
According to a comment at the bottom of the linked article, Kittle, tho, has become the heaviest receiver ever to achieve 200+ yds. in a game.
Link: George Kittle was haulin' 'em in
Date: Tue Dec 11 12:58:41 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:And for you statistical wonks out there who dig this sort of stuff, one of Nate Silvers's guys did an interesting study on receiving yards/game a few years ago. So who holds the record for most receiving yards in an NFL game? (I didn't know, either.) And yes, that's (see link) *still* the record. The 9 standard deviations is a bit misleading, as it's not a situation where all the 'trials' are anywhere near equal. So many receivers are only in a game for short periods, etc., etc. But still.....
Link: Flipper - can you say "NINE standard deviations"?
Date: Tue Dec 11 18:35:28 2018
User: TitanicTony
Message:This probably doesn't count as an "oddity", but it is a pretty amazing accomplishment, imo! Maybe there is another thread for sporting records. Probably Americans don't play much of snooker!??
Ronnie O'Sullivan won the UK Snooker Championship for a record seventh time by beatinging Mark Allen, 10-6. O'Sullivan, 43, retained his title to move to 19 World, UK and Masters trophies -- surpassing Stephen Hendry's record in the 'Triple Crown' events.
Date: Fri Dec 21 19:55:15 2018
User: TNmountainman
Message:The Wyoming Cowboys just tied an NCAA record for fewest field goals in the first half of a basketball game, with 1, going 1/26. NBA prospect Justin James went 0/13. They trail ETSU 43-11 at the half in a Sun Bowl tournament game being played in El Paso. Savannah St. was the previous sole holder of that distinction for a game against Kansas St. in 2008.
Date: Thu Jan 17 12:33:14 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:Well...…..……..there's been a lot of oddness going down that I haven't had time to fully keep track of. Some of the oddities were in the "silly season" of bowl games, but that's a separate thread and I may not bother with those. And I know I'm forgetting some things, but here's a few very recent items...……
1. Curry & Co. wore out the Nuggets night before last with a record 51-point first quarter. The previous record of 50 had happened several times, but most recently in 1990. Denver scored a very good 60 in the first half - but found themselves down 19 at that point:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/warriors-use-nba-record-1st-quarter-to-rout-nuggets-142-111/ar-BBSiRIm?li=BBnbfcL
2a. Then...……...just last night (early), Houston "blew past" the previous record of 61 when they launched *70* 3-point attempts in an OT loss to the Nets. James Harden went for 58 - 1 more than the 57 he dropped on Memphis the previous game 2 nights previous. That 57 was two more than the entire rest of the Rockets. It was also his 17th straight game of 30 or more, passing Kobe for longest streak since the merger in 1976. That's pretty stunning, actually. (The Big Dipper had 20 in a row back in '64.) Over those 17 games, he's averaged 41.3. Yikes.
2b. The Rockets 35 3-point attempts in the first half was also a record.
3. Then...……..just last night (later on), part II, the Warriors and the Pelicans combined for *making* 43 3's, an NBA record. On **86** attempts. If 70 blows away 61, what does 86 do to 70 - THE SAME NIGHT!? Warriors won 147-140 - most points ever scored on N.O. Pelicans had 4 guys go for 23+, which may be a record; don't know.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/pair-of-3-point-records-fall-in-wednesday-nights-scoring-deluge/ar-BBSme7Q?ocid=spartanntp
Date: Thu Jan 17 13:28:13 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:Moving over to the NFL...……
When 46-year old Adam Vinatieri missed that short, 23-yd. field goal attempt in their playoff game against the Chiefs, it was the shortest field goal attempt he had ever missed in the NFL, previously being 97/97 from 23 yds. on in. He was 194/200 on attempts of 20-30 yds. He also missed an extra point attempt in the second half, having previously been 70/70 on those in post-season games. In his defense, there was a little bit of snow on the field.
Oh, and just by the way...……….he earlier this season became the NFL's all-time leading scorer.
This coming weekend, 41-year old Tom Brady will be an underdog in a game he's played in for the first time since Nov. 30, 2014.
And although not *really* that much of an oddity, in this past weekend's games, the home team won all four (and poptart picked all four). Only the second time this decade that's happened at this stage.
Date: Tue Feb 12 03:47:02 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:As a preface to this post, I first refer you back above to a post on Thu Apr 12 04:03:32 2018 - which sub-references a post from Apr 8, 2017.
Both concern almost incomprehensible feats by Russell Westbrook. This time, another of The Big Dipper's marks fall: most consecutive triple doubles. Tonight was his 10th in a row. Wowser.
Link: Westbrook is becoming even more Westbrook-ish
Date: Tue Mar 26 02:24:12 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:Devin Booker poured in 59 tonight for the Suns in a 125-92 losing effort to the Jazz. I.e., he scored 64% of his team's points. Two years (and 1 day) ago on this board (not in this thread -- I mirthfully put it in the "12 sun streak rankings" thread (since he *is* a Sun)) I posted about the 70 he hung up on the Celtics that night. Tonight's 59 is the second-highest of his career, and the most ever scored in Utah (in an NBA game), the most ever scored against Utah, and 3rd highest ever for a Sun.
He's also only the third player in NBA history to score at least 50, without a teammate scoring 10 or more. (David Robinson and Kobe Bryant were the other two.) That's pretty crazy...
However.................the point (pun intended) about the 64% is that I believe that's the second-highest % of points scored by a player in a losing effort. Or at least in the last 30 or so years. Rather remarkable.
Date: Sun Mar 31 03:52:46 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:Carsen Edwards. Tonight.
First player in NCAA tournament history with multiple games with 9 or more 3-pointers made.
5th straight 25+ points in NCAA tournament games, tying Curry's record run with Davidson.
Also matches Curry with 4 or more 3-pointers in 5 straight games.
Only 8th person in tournament history to score 25 or more in 5 straight games.
And yet...................even with his 42 (against one of the very best defensive teams in the country).................was not enough, as the Boilermakers fall in OT to..............Virginia, who last year became the first team ever to lose to a 16 seed. The way things unfolded it almost seems like they're charmed - as does Duke, who've survived multiple excruciatingly close calls. It's really quite Shakespearean.
Anyone who's ever wondered where the "Madness" in "March Madness" comes from only needed to see either game tonight, but most especially the second one. In fact, one would only need to see the last 15 minutes or so of it. The "Thrilla in the 'villa", as one of my friends very aptly christened it, for it certainly had that Ali/Frazier slugfest quality to it. "Instant classic" is an understatement.
Date: Fri Apr 5 20:28:54 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:Awesome stat.
(Had to look up Buzz Lightyear, however.)
Date: Fri Apr 5 20:55:23 2019
User: SilvioManuel
Message: With 16 errors in their first 9 games the Seattle Mariners are on pace to have over 300 errors this year. No team since the 1963 Mets have had even 200 errors in a season. I was surprised to learn that in the 19th century some teams had over 600 errors in a year.
BTW the Mariners are 7-2 right now so I wouldn't change a thing.
Date: Mon Apr 15 10:30:21 2019
User: hotnurse
Message:Not baseball, but talk about sports oddities! What about Tiger! How exciting that tournament was.
Date: Wed Apr 17 05:27:42 2019
User: TitanicTony
Message:How about Tiger, indeed. I missed the final last Sunday, but have just finished watching my recording.
Tiger roars again, 🙂!! 22 years after he won his first Master's, he wins his fifth! Amazing!
Date: Sun May 12 16:36:53 2019
User: TNmountainman
Message:Not sure *how* extraordinary this is, as we don't know the level of comp, but I'll 'throw' it out there......
Link: mowin' 'em down...
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