1975: Fred Lynn MVP & Rookie of the Year

Fred Lynn set the baseball world on fire in 1975.   He was voted Rookie of the Year and MVP.   His numbers were awesome:  .331 BA with 21 HR and 105 RBI.    

Lynn was the first player to win both awards in one season.    He was also a key player in Boston winning the AL pennant.   Cincinnati beat Boston in a dramatic 7-game series.   

Lynn had a pretty career beyond that rookie year.  He won a batting title in 1979 plus some great numbers over 17 seasons: .283 average, 306 HR, 1,111 RBI, 1,960 hits in 1,969 games.

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Truman 1948, an amazing campaign

This is a good time to remember another anniversary of Truman vs Dewey, the biggest upset in presidential election history.   Or should I say, the biggest upset until Trump in 2016.  

On election day 1948, most experts picked Governor Thomas Dewey of New York over President Harry Truman.  It turned out to be different.   Let’s see if this sounds familiar:  

He traveled to America’s cities and towns, fighting to win over undecided voters by portraying himself as an outsider contending with a “do-nothing” Congress. 

It was a shock, an upset!  I’ve heard stories that people went to bed thinking that it was over and woke up to the shocker.

The Chicago Tribune was so certain that they went to print with the headline: “Dewey beats Truman.”  It produced one of the greatest photos of the 20th century.

What is the lesson of 1948?  I see a few:

First, wait until all of the votes are counted.  It sounds silly but it’s true;

Second, there is something about a man who works hard and goes from rally to rally asking people for their votes.  I admire that.  

1948 a great surprise!

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