The Freakin' Weekend (1973)

This week in 1973, the so-called "mainstream (sports) media" (MS(S)M) is showcasing baseball teams who are not the World Series-champion Oakland A's.

I don't know what the July 28 Sporting News is thinking, but I do credit the July 30 Sports Illustrated for at least featuring this Page 6 advertisement for the Miami Dolphins' banking partner.

(I'm pretty sure I know which Dolphins' game that photograph comes from, but I'm going to plan to confirm and have more on that in the comments.)

And while I’m not going to buy the August 1973 SPORT (because $30 is a lot of money, even in 2019), but let me just say that all four teasers on the cover do, in fact, tempt me:

— I do want to know why Bobby Murcer is lost on a $100,000 turf and what that even means.

— I do want to know whether this author thinks Colts general manager Joe Thomas is a genius or a goat for unloading Johnny Unitas, Tom Matte, Bill Curry, etc.

— I do want to know who they think is the “poor man’s Joe Namath.” I’ll bet it’s Dan Pastorini. No, on second thought, I’ll bet it’s John Hadl! (More on this theory in the comments, too.)

Actually, also upon further review, I do not care to read that SPORT story associated with “U.S. Olympic House: Castle Under Siege.” After the Munich 1972 debacle, I don’t want to hear anything more bad about the Olympics.

Of all the sports publications I've seen for this weekend, what I'm most interested in is this sweet Chicago Tribune Charities, Inc., program for the "College All-Stars vs. World Champion Miami Dolphins" in Soldier Field on July 27, 1973 ...

And you better bet I'm going to be rocking some comments on that bad boy!

Also, here's tomorrow 1973's American Top 40, and you don't want to miss that. You'll just have to record the live coverage of Skylab 3's launch ...

What's (Not) On TV Tonight (1973)?

The Indianapolis 500, that's what:

I'm not sure what Channel 3 is going to show now that the race is delayed, but the great news is this frees up my Memorial Day May 28, 1973, Monday evening to watch baseball on Channel 6. In some markets at least, that game is scheduled to be the Oakland A's at the Detroit Tigers.

And if that doesn't happen--the A's-Tigers game was rained out Sunday--I will settle for the Channel 12 sitcom reruns. Per the Paducah, Kentucky, Sun-Democrat, here's what we can look forward to at 8 and 8:30 Central:

Here's Lucy. Lucy lands the job when singer Petula Clark contacts the agency for a secretary who can also act as her companion.

The Doris Day Show. Doris spends so much time interviewing a rock music star that word spreads that the young singer and Doris are seriously involved.

I actually saw both of these episodes when they originally ran during the fake 1972/73 TV season that I've been enjoying, and I would be happy to watch them both again.

Pretend XIX Olympic Summer Games, Real Gym 2018

Great news. 2018 me just figured out how to pretend out the 1968 Mexico City Olympics basketball tournament for real in his church gym. 1972 me is going to be very thankful to 2018 me for this post after the Munich games this pretend September.

Group A

Oct. 13, 1968

Team USA 57, Spain 39

Team USA scoring: Spencer Haywood 9, Bill Hosket 6, Glynn Saulters 5, Charlie Scott 9, Jo-Jo White 5, Cal Fowler 5, Ken Spain 6, Mike Silliman (of Louisville Saint Xavier High!) 3, John Clawson 2, Don Dee 3, Mike Barrett 1, Jim King 3

HP! Long May She Wave!

There's going to be a little 1972 NFL draft party at my house this weekend, and I wish you all could come.

The 1972 NFL draft took place Feb. 1 and 2 in New York, and so, starting tonight, I plan to pull out cards for the draftees from my year-by-year Topps collections and sort them into their teams. I actually don't much plan to write about this activity at the HP because I'm still enjoying a little rest, relaxation and regrouping after the Super Bowl VI deep dive. I'm enjoying thinking about some things I hope to write about at the HP in the next several months, and here are some of those things:

-- The XI Olympic Winter Games are Feb. 3-13, 1972, in Sapporo, Japan.

-- The XXIII Olympic Winter Games are Feb. 9-25, 2018, in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

-- The 2018 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament is Feb. 28-March 3 in Evansville, Indiana.

-- The 2018 Conference USA men's basketball tournament is to be played March 7-10 in Frisco, Texas.

-- The 2018 St. Elizabeth Healthcare/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16® State Basketball Tournament is scheduled for March 7-11 in Highland Heights.

-- The 2018 Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournament is March 7-11 in St. Louis (?!?).

-- "Selection Sunday" for the 2018 NCAA men's basketball tournament is March 11, and the tournament is scheduled to start March 13.

-- The 2018 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet Sixteen® State Basketball Tournament is scheduled to take place March 14-18 in Lexington.

-- The 1972 NBA playoffs begin March 28.

-- The 1972 ABA playoffs begin March 31.

-- The 2018 major golf tournaments are April 5-8 (Masters), June 14-17 (U.S. Open), July 19-22 (British Open) and Aug. 9-12 (PGA Championship).

-- The 1972 baseball regular season starts April 15.

-- The 2018 NBA Finals (possibly pairing the Washington Wizards against the New Orleans Pelicans) start May 31.

-- The NFL 2018 Hall of Fame Game takes place Aug. 2.

-- The XX Olympic Summer Games will be Aug. 26-Sept. 11, 1972, in Munich, West Germany.

-- The 1972-73 TV season begins in September.

-- The NFL 1972 regular season starts Sept. 17.

-- Christmas 1972 and Christmas 2018 both take place on Dec. 25.

Finally, I just want to say that this "mayoneggs" recipe from the February 1972 Good Housekeeping looks very intriguing. I think I might try to write more about food, books and music this year.

And, as always, I look forward to posting pictures of the tree in front of my house and following Kentucky news, and I look forward to reading and commenting on whatever else pops up on the site. I love the HP. It's one of the great joys of my life. Thanks, Go Heath, for founding it, and thanks, Matthew, for maintaining it, and thanks, family, for supporting me in playing in this clubhouse so often.

The Freakin' Weekend (1971)

Then, on the next Sports Illustrated, it's Al Unser (and Peter Revson) on the cover. It's Friday night (June 4, 1971), at last ...

Maybe I'll clip and fill out my All-Star ballot this (freakin') weekend ...

Here's where we stand, MLB71wise ...

I'm still pretending that I'm either 48 or 8 and either visiting or living in Chicago, by the way, and I'm pleased to report that the Chicago Tribune reports there is finally some good news on the Cubs ...

Why, yes, that is a Patio soda (Go Heath!) that (future-A!) Ken Holtzman is enjoying after his big game ...

As always, there is plenty to do around and about Chicago ...

But, of course, I will likely spend a good bit of it hanging out at the house, catching up on Mac Divot ...

... and TV, which is mostly in reruns ...

Not totally in reruns, however--there is a fresh Bobby Sherman special on ABC tonight!

The Freakin' Weekend (1970)

What are we watching tonight 1970?

This is, of course, one of the seminal Brady Bunches.

And there's a football game on tonight, too!

And the rest of the weekend?

Truthfully, though, I don't even know why I'm looking this far ahead. Hoptown 1970 me is apparently going to be in Pennsylvania starting tomorrow (Aug. 29) 1970.

I can't believe I'm going to miss Jack Staulcup at the VFW again.

Maybe I'll take a good book to read in the hotel room.

 

And this week's Sports Illustrated.

Peter Carry's got a story in the new Sports Illustrated that suggests the rest of the American League should just give up--Baltimore is going to win the pennant this year, and the Orioles are so stocked that surely no other team could win, say, the 1972, '73 and '74 A.L. championships.

Also, it's a little dispiriting to learn that, just two years out from Munich 1972, the U.S. men's basketball team is losing to Soviets.