Today in the honor of the fact that the team that he founded is one of the two teams in the Super Bowl, we are looking at Tim Mara. The New York Giants were founded in 1925 when Timothy James Mara Mara purchased the team for $500. Mara had to quit school at the age of 13 to help his mother. He made his money as a bookie. He was approached by league president Joseph F Carr who needed a team in New York to help the league. Although the team did not do real well at first, it did catch a good following and fought its way into the hearts of local sports fans.
Mara went on to pass the club to his sons Jack and Wellington. Tim died in 1959 and was elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1963. Today his grandson John is part owner of the team. The team has seen 27 of its personel go on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team has won the Super Bowl three times and pre Super Bowl era league championships four times. Five times one of its players has won the leagues MVP award.
Todays trivia question is which of Tims sons is the father of John? The answer will be posted in the column of Thursday February 2, when we look at the New England Patriots.
The answer to Saturdays trivia question is the Continental Football League played its first season in 1965, the league opened with 10 clubs.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Florida Baseball
On January 26, 1936 the Florida State League was reorganized as a six club league after missing 8 seasons of play. Today we are looking at the leagues history. Although the league played very briefly in January of 1892, the league got its real start in 1919. In that season the league fielded six clubs, mostly in the central part of the state. The league lasted until the end of the 1928 season, when it suspended operations. During this period the league operated with between 4 and 8 clubs.
With the exception of the 1943-45 period when World War II forced the league on the shelf, the league has operated continously since. Until 1963 the league was a Class "D" league. At that point in time the league was promoted to Class "A". The league reached its current designation in 1990 when it was named an advanced A league with the California and Carolina Leagues.
For a period on time between 1940 and 1954 the league faced compatation for the fans dollar when a second league was launced in the state. That league was first called the Florida East Coast League when it was first formed. After the war it was called the Florida International League. The FIL struggled into the 1954 season during which it folded. The FSL gradually moved east into the territory formerly occupied by the FIL.
Today the FSL is a 12 club league whose teams play in the parks used by their parent clubs during spring training. Many of the clubs share facilities during the late June to end of August period with a team in the rookie level Gulf Coast League. During September these facilities are frequently used by teams in the Florida Instructional League, a league that first started in 1958. Although attendance in the league is not strong the league continues to send players to the Majors on a regular basis. It does appear that the league will be around for many more years.
The answer to our last trivia question was in the fourth minute of the Kontinental Hockey League game on January 9, 2010 between Vityaz Chekhov and Avangard Omsk clubs saw a record 707 minutes of penalties handed out. When order was restored 33 players and both coaches had been ejected. Only four players remained in the game, which was then abandoned.
Todays trivia question is in what year did the Continental Football League play its first season? The answer in our next blog on Monday, when our column will feature the first of a two part series on our annual look at the two teams in the Super Bowl from a historical perspective when we look at the New York Giants.
With the exception of the 1943-45 period when World War II forced the league on the shelf, the league has operated continously since. Until 1963 the league was a Class "D" league. At that point in time the league was promoted to Class "A". The league reached its current designation in 1990 when it was named an advanced A league with the California and Carolina Leagues.
For a period on time between 1940 and 1954 the league faced compatation for the fans dollar when a second league was launced in the state. That league was first called the Florida East Coast League when it was first formed. After the war it was called the Florida International League. The FIL struggled into the 1954 season during which it folded. The FSL gradually moved east into the territory formerly occupied by the FIL.
Today the FSL is a 12 club league whose teams play in the parks used by their parent clubs during spring training. Many of the clubs share facilities during the late June to end of August period with a team in the rookie level Gulf Coast League. During September these facilities are frequently used by teams in the Florida Instructional League, a league that first started in 1958. Although attendance in the league is not strong the league continues to send players to the Majors on a regular basis. It does appear that the league will be around for many more years.
The answer to our last trivia question was in the fourth minute of the Kontinental Hockey League game on January 9, 2010 between Vityaz Chekhov and Avangard Omsk clubs saw a record 707 minutes of penalties handed out. When order was restored 33 players and both coaches had been ejected. Only four players remained in the game, which was then abandoned.
Todays trivia question is in what year did the Continental Football League play its first season? The answer in our next blog on
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Hockey History part 3
Today we will finish up on our three day look at Hockey History. We will start with a game played on January 25, 1910 in the National Hockey Association. The league was the direct forerunner of todays National Hockey League. The game we are looking out was played at Cobalt, Ontario between the Montreal Wanderers and the Cobalt Silver Kings. The visitors won this game by a score of 11-6. Exactly three years later in the same league, the Wanders beat the Quebec Bulldogs 10-6 in a game played at the Arena in Quebec City.
On January 25, 1942 The New York Rangers hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers won the game by a score of 11-2. It took another 28 years before the Hockey World would see another January 25 blowout. This one was played at the Rhode Island Auditorium in Providence. The Providence Reds of the American Hockey League took out the Springfield Kings by a score of 10-4.
The fans at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto were not happy on January 25, 1988 when the Calgary Flames went home with an 11-3 win over the Maple Leafs.
Exactly a year ago today a Kontinental Hockey game saw the Barys Astana club take a 10-2 win from the Metallurg Novokuznetsk Club. We have not been able to detemine which club was the home team. If any of our Russian readers or even readers from Kazakhstan that might be fans of the Barys club can tell us which team was the home team, we would be very grateful.
Todays trivia question is how many penalty minutes were handed out in the first four minutes of the January 9, 2010 Kontinental Hockey League game between Vityaz Chekhov and the Avangard Omsk Clubs? The answer in Thursdays blog about the Florida State League.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question is former Orlando Magic center/forward Pat Burke was born in Dublin, Ireland. Burke remains the leagues only Irish born player in its history.
On January 25, 1942 The New York Rangers hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers won the game by a score of 11-2. It took another 28 years before the Hockey World would see another January 25 blowout. This one was played at the Rhode Island Auditorium in Providence. The Providence Reds of the American Hockey League took out the Springfield Kings by a score of 10-4.
The fans at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto were not happy on January 25, 1988 when the Calgary Flames went home with an 11-3 win over the Maple Leafs.
Exactly a year ago today a Kontinental Hockey game saw the Barys Astana club take a 10-2 win from the Metallurg Novokuznetsk Club. We have not been able to detemine which club was the home team. If any of our Russian readers or even readers from Kazakhstan that might be fans of the Barys club can tell us which team was the home team, we would be very grateful.
Todays trivia question is how many penalty minutes were handed out in the first four minutes of the January 9, 2010 Kontinental Hockey League game between Vityaz Chekhov and the Avangard Omsk Clubs? The answer in Thursdays blog about the Florida State League.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question is former Orlando Magic center/forward Pat Burke was born in Dublin, Ireland. Burke remains the leagues only Irish born player in its history.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Announcement
I have decided to cut the blog down to three times a week. I have way too many things going on to manage the blog on a daily basis. I will post on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I believe that you my readers will find the blog more interesting.
Thanks to all my readers,
Kevin
Thanks to all my readers,
Kevin
A little Hockey History- Day 2
If you thought that Hockey has the tendency to get wild on January 23, you haven't seen nothing yet. So hold on to your hats as we have some 13 games to look at, with a climax of 4 games on one day.
We start on January 24, 1909 in a game played at Chamonix, France, the team from Great Britain defeated Bohemia by a score of 11-0.
Two years later in a National Hockey Association game at the Arena at Ottawa, Ontario; the Ottawa HC whipped the famous Renfrew Creamery Kings by a score of 19-5. Exactly a year later, the Ottawa club traveled to the Montreal Arena and took on the Montreal Wanderers. The visitors won the game by a score of 10-6, hardly the same as the whipping placed on the Kings the year before.
On January 24, 1928 the National Hockey League joined the group, when it was the Chicago Blackhawks traveling to the Montreal Forum to receive a 10-0 beating at the hands of the Canadians.
On January 24, 1930, the team from Czechoslovakia won a 12-0 game against the Japanese team in a game at Davos, Switzerland. Eighteen years later, the American Hockey League joined in when the New Haven Ramblers went to the Philadelphia Arena to take out the Philadelphia Rockets by a score of 11-2.
On January 24, 1973 At the Cincinnati Gardens in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Cincinnati Swords of the American Hockey League beat the Springfield Kings by a score of 10-4. On January 24, 1997 at Peoria, Illinois the Peoria Rivermen of the East Coast Hockey League jumped the Wheeling Nailers by a score of 10-3.
Ten years later the National Hockey League All-Star Game was played at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Western Conference won the goalfest by a score of 12-9. over the Eastern Conference. Two years later, all hell seemed to break loose. The NHL All-Star game was played at Bell Centre in Montreal, where the Eastern Conference got their revenge with a 12-11 shootout win.
Meanwhile in the minor leagues, three games reached the team goal level. The first at the McCann Ice Arena in Poughkeepsie, New York, the visiting Jersey Rockhoppers of the Eastern Professional Hockey League took a 10-2 game from the Hudson Valley Bears. Then at the L.C. Walker Arena in Muskegon, Michigan, the visiting Fort Wayne Komets of the International Hockey League helped themselves to 10-3 win over the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Finally, at the Swonder Ice Arena in Evansville, Indiana the home team won!! The Evansville Icemen of the All-American Hockey Association beat the Chicago Blaze by a score of 11-3.
All this will seem pale next year when we take a look at the recent Federal Hockey League game where the 1000 Islands Privateers beat the Delaware Federals by a score of 21-0.
Todays trivia question is on October 29, 2002 Pat Burke of the Orlando Magic made NBA history by becoming the first NBA player to have been born in Ireland. What city was Burke born in? The answer in tomorrows blog as we take a third look at Hockey History of the day.
The Answer to yesterdays trivia question is John Miszuk of the Detroit Red Wings became the first NHL player who was born in Poland.
We start on January 24, 1909 in a game played at Chamonix, France, the team from Great Britain defeated Bohemia by a score of 11-0.
Two years later in a National Hockey Association game at the Arena at Ottawa, Ontario; the Ottawa HC whipped the famous Renfrew Creamery Kings by a score of 19-5. Exactly a year later, the Ottawa club traveled to the Montreal Arena and took on the Montreal Wanderers. The visitors won the game by a score of 10-6, hardly the same as the whipping placed on the Kings the year before.
On January 24, 1928 the National Hockey League joined the group, when it was the Chicago Blackhawks traveling to the Montreal Forum to receive a 10-0 beating at the hands of the Canadians.
On January 24, 1930, the team from Czechoslovakia won a 12-0 game against the Japanese team in a game at Davos, Switzerland. Eighteen years later, the American Hockey League joined in when the New Haven Ramblers went to the Philadelphia Arena to take out the Philadelphia Rockets by a score of 11-2.
On January 24, 1973 At the Cincinnati Gardens in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Cincinnati Swords of the American Hockey League beat the Springfield Kings by a score of 10-4. On January 24, 1997 at Peoria, Illinois the Peoria Rivermen of the East Coast Hockey League jumped the Wheeling Nailers by a score of 10-3.
Ten years later the National Hockey League All-Star Game was played at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Western Conference won the goalfest by a score of 12-9. over the Eastern Conference. Two years later, all hell seemed to break loose. The NHL All-Star game was played at Bell Centre in Montreal, where the Eastern Conference got their revenge with a 12-11 shootout win.
Meanwhile in the minor leagues, three games reached the team goal level. The first at the McCann Ice Arena in Poughkeepsie, New York, the visiting Jersey Rockhoppers of the Eastern Professional Hockey League took a 10-2 game from the Hudson Valley Bears. Then at the L.C. Walker Arena in Muskegon, Michigan, the visiting Fort Wayne Komets of the International Hockey League helped themselves to 10-3 win over the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Finally, at the Swonder Ice Arena in Evansville, Indiana the home team won!! The Evansville Icemen of the All-American Hockey Association beat the Chicago Blaze by a score of 11-3.
All this will seem pale next year when we take a look at the recent Federal Hockey League game where the 1000 Islands Privateers beat the Delaware Federals by a score of 21-0.
Todays trivia question is on October 29, 2002 Pat Burke of the Orlando Magic made NBA history by becoming the first NBA player to have been born in Ireland. What city was Burke born in? The answer in tomorrows blog as we take a third look at Hockey History of the day.
The Answer to yesterdays trivia question is John Miszuk of the Detroit Red Wings became the first NHL player who was born in Poland.
Monday, January 23, 2012
A Little Hockey History-Day 1
January 23 is a day that has given us more then its fair share of Hockey History. Today we will look at those events. We will start with a game in 1944 that was profiled by itself last year. It was the 15-0 beating the Detroit Red Wings gave to the New York Rangers.
We move into the meat of todays discussion with a look at the Eastern Hockey Leagues Baltimore Clippers. On January 23, 1956 their home arena, Carlin's Iceland burned down. The team had to find a place to play their final home games. Several of these games were played in Charlotte, North Carolina, the team was well received and transferred there for the 1956-57 season.
We move ahead to 1970 when the Montreal Voyageurs of the American Hockey League beat the visiting Quebec Aces by a score of 10-1. The Voyageurs played at the Montreal Forum, when their parent club the Canadians were not playing a home game.
Just one year later the Hershey Bears of the same league beat up the Rochester Americans by a score of 11-3 at HersheyPark Arena. The building is the same one that Basketball great Wilt Chamberlain scored his famous 100 point game in.
On January 23, 1975 the Michigan Stags of Detroit moved to Baltimore, Maryland and became the Blades. The Stags had been a part of the World Hockey Association. As a result of this move the Baltimore Clippers of the American Hockey League withdrew from that league for the remainer of the season. The move left nine clubs to finish the AHL season. The Clippers returned the following season, the Blades did not.
Exactly two years later it was a World Hockey Association game that made history. In a game played at the Winnipeg Arena, the visiting Calgary Cowboys were roughed up by the Jets by a score of 10-5.
Our final event is the 2003 Central Hockey League All Star Game. The game was played at Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The two teams scored a total of 16 goals with 10 of them being scored by the South team.
Todays trivia question is who was the first Polish born NHL player? The answer in tomorrows blog as we continue our look at the World of Hockey.
Finally the answer to yesterdays question is Joe Bryant played 8 seasons in the NBA. His son is Kobe. Have a great Week!!
We move into the meat of todays discussion with a look at the Eastern Hockey Leagues Baltimore Clippers. On January 23, 1956 their home arena, Carlin's Iceland burned down. The team had to find a place to play their final home games. Several of these games were played in Charlotte, North Carolina, the team was well received and transferred there for the 1956-57 season.
We move ahead to 1970 when the Montreal Voyageurs of the American Hockey League beat the visiting Quebec Aces by a score of 10-1. The Voyageurs played at the Montreal Forum, when their parent club the Canadians were not playing a home game.
Just one year later the Hershey Bears of the same league beat up the Rochester Americans by a score of 11-3 at HersheyPark Arena. The building is the same one that Basketball great Wilt Chamberlain scored his famous 100 point game in.
On January 23, 1975 the Michigan Stags of Detroit moved to Baltimore, Maryland and became the Blades. The Stags had been a part of the World Hockey Association. As a result of this move the Baltimore Clippers of the American Hockey League withdrew from that league for the remainer of the season. The move left nine clubs to finish the AHL season. The Clippers returned the following season, the Blades did not.
Exactly two years later it was a World Hockey Association game that made history. In a game played at the Winnipeg Arena, the visiting Calgary Cowboys were roughed up by the Jets by a score of 10-5.
Our final event is the 2003 Central Hockey League All Star Game. The game was played at Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The two teams scored a total of 16 goals with 10 of them being scored by the South team.
Todays trivia question is who was the first Polish born NHL player? The answer in tomorrows blog as we continue our look at the World of Hockey.
Finally the answer to yesterdays question is Joe Bryant played 8 seasons in the NBA. His son is Kobe. Have a great Week!!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
A lot of Kobe
On January 22, 2006 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in a 122-104 win over the Toronto Raptors. Bryant had an amazing game all around. He scored 55 of his points during the second half of the game. His teammates scored only 18 points in the half. Bryant in almost 42 minutes of play scored 18 of 20 from the free throw line, 28 of 46 on his two point field goals and 7 of 13 from the three point line. He still had enough on his game that he had 2 assists, 3 steals and 6 rebounds. Taken in context, for a 27 year old player in his 10th year in the league to have a game like this and to still be playing today in his 15th season with over 28,000 points scored in over 1100 games, this man is clearly on his way to the Hall of Fame.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question is there were four teams in the Eastern Football League in 1938. All 4 teams were based in Pennsylvania, the Hazleton Redskins, the Reading Rams, the Scranton Miners and the Wilkes-Barre Panthers.
Todays trivia question is how many seasons did Joe Bryant, Kobes father play in the NBA? The answer in tomorrows blog when we begin a three day look at the crazy world of Hockey.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question is there were four teams in the Eastern Football League in 1938. All 4 teams were based in Pennsylvania, the Hazleton Redskins, the Reading Rams, the Scranton Miners and the Wilkes-Barre Panthers.
Todays trivia question is how many seasons did Joe Bryant, Kobes father play in the NBA? The answer in tomorrows blog when we begin a three day look at the crazy world of Hockey.
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