1970 All Star Game: Rose and Fosse crashed at home

The 1970 All Star Game was played in Cincinnati.   
The starters were Jim Palmer of the Orioles and Tom Seaver of the Mets.   By the end of the game, no one was talking about the two future Hall of Famers.  Instead, it was a collision at home to end the game in extra innings.

In the bottom of the 12th, Jim Hickman of the Cubs hit a single, Pete Rose of the Reds ran home and Ray Fosse ot the Indians waited to make the tag.    

My guess is that no one thought that Pete Rose would crash into Fosse!    It was the most bizarre ending to an All Star Game ever!

The NL won 6-5!

Speaking of Ray Fosse, he had a great year in 1970:   .307, 18 HR & 61 RBI.   Ray played 12 seasons with Cleveland, Oakland, Seattle and Milwaukee.    Fosse was a part of the great A's who won 3 straight World Series and caught 22 post season games.    It's unfortunate that he will be always be remembered for that collision.

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July 14, 1881: We remember the day that Billy the Kid was killed

Billy the Kid was shot to death on this day in 1881.

This is not a Western movie but it sounds like one:   

"Sheriff Pat Garrett shoots Henry McCarty, popularly known as Billy the Kid, to death at the Maxwell Ranch in New Mexico. 
Garrett, who had been tracking the Kid for three months after the gunslinger had escaped from prison only days before his scheduled execution, got a tip that Billy was holed up with friends. 
While Billy was gone, Garrett waited in the dark in his bedroom. 
When Billy entered, Garrett shot him to death."

And so Billy the Kid was dead.    He was only 22!   

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President Ford, the man with the pipe

President Ford was born on this day in 1913.  He died in 2006.

The 38th president spent much of his post presidency enjoying a well deserved retirement.  He made a few appearances but generally stayed home and enjoyed his wonderful wife and family. 

Yes, President Ford often smoked a pipe in public. He may have been the last president to smoke in public.   

Who remembers this from the day he became president:

"I am acutely aware that you have not elected me as your President by your ballots.   So I ask you to confirm me as your President with your prayers."    

I remember Pres. Ford making that statement. I think that it went over very well with much of the country.

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July 14 and # 500 for Aaron and Matthews

We remember two great teammates:  Henry Aaron and Eddie Matthews.   They played together with the Milwaukee Braves.   

On July 14, 1967, Matthews hit # 500, now with the Houston Astros.

On July 14, 1968, Aaron  hit # 500, now with the Atlanta Braves.

Aaron & Matthews ended up with 863 home runs in their 13 years together with the Braves.   

Matthews retired after the 1968 season.   He was traded by the Braves to Houston and then to Detroit.  He had 4 at-bats in the 1968 Word Series and picked up another championship ring.

Aaron returned to Milwaukee in 1975 and played until 1976.

Matthews came up with the Boston Braves but enjoyed his biggest years in Milwaukee.    He led the National League with 47 home runs in 1953, the team's first year in Milwaukee.     

Aaron came up in 1954 and hit 755 career home runs.   

Aaron & Matthews played in the World Series in 1957 & 1958.   It was Matthews who made the last out to beat the Yankees in 1957.

Great teammates! 

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