Attack on Red Sox pitcher’s family awful

35-year-old act still despicable

Good Morning, all. It's Friiidddaayyyy!!!!

As we enter the Memorial Day weekend in the USA, never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom.

In October, it will be 35 years since the Mets' dramatic comeback in Game 6 of the World Series against the Boston Red Sox. One out away - with nobody on base- from their first Series title since 1918, the Red Sox collapsed as New York rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to win the game, 6-5 and go on to win Game 7 two nights later. The tying run scored on a wild pitch by reliever Bob Stanley, who just entered the game.

In his new book TWO SIDES OF GLORY: The 1986 Boston Red Sox in Their Own Words, Eric Sherman writes that after the Series, Stanley's children, who were 4 and 5 years of age, were playing in the driveway of their Wenham, Mass. home when a strange car drove up. The driver then got out of the vehicle, picked up a bike that belonged to one of the children and slammed it against a basketball hoop. The person then screamed to the kids: "Tell your father he sucks!" The driver then floored it, driving away from the home.

The act was despicable then as it is now, reading about it. It also leads to numerous questions. Was the person a disgruntled Red Sox fan? Who would do something like this? Did the person place a bet on the Red Sox and lose? 

There is no answer for such sick behavior but as more and more states legalize betting on sporting events - my home state of Connecticut is poised to be the next state to legalize sports betting - all in the name of getting more hands on revenue, you have to wonder if a disgruntled bettor may take out his or her wrath on an unsuspecting participant in a game on which a wager was placed? I hope and pray it never happens, but then again, who would have though a deranged fan would smash a child's bicycle in the driveway of a pitcher, who threw a wild pitch?

Knicks and Sixers ban fans

Speaking of fan behavior. The New York Knicks banned a fan for spitting on the Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young during Game 2 of their playoff game Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. Video of the incident showed the offending behavior by this malcontent.

To the Knicks credit, they issued a lengthy apology but also made great pains to remind people the person who committed the sordid act was not a season ticket holder. What difference does that make?

The Knicks also stated the person is "banned from The Garden indefinitely." How about changing "indefinitely" to "permanently?"

By the way, not to be outdone, the Philadelphia 76ers banned a season ticket holder for pouring popcorn on Russell Westbrook of the Washington Wizards, during their playoff game. 

With more fans being allowed into arenas, is this what we can expect? I hope not.

Baez play has everybody talking

Proving no infield ground ball is routine, Javier Baez of the Chicago Cubs has many fans talking about how he stole a run for his club against the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday afternoon. Rather than write about what happen, watch the play. Sometimes running out ground balls might not be the best strategy, unless you’re running in reverse.

That's it for this week. As always, thank you for your support and have a great weekend.

SPORTSCASTER DAN