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SPORTS BYTESFACTSThe Great One and Reflexes: According to Dr. Bill Tatton, neurologist, at the University of British Columbia, Wayne Gretzky had the fastest long loop reflex arcs of anyone ever tested in his laboratory. These are motor responses to sensory stimuli, which involve long loops of neurons in the brain. Combine great peripheral vision with dedication to hockey plus his reflexes and you get the greatest passer and player of all time.
Call Me Kyle: Kyle Rote was so popular with his New York Giant teammates during the 1950s and 60s that six of his teammates named sons after him.
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde: Stan Mikita of The Chicago Blackhawks holds the distinction of being the scoring champion to have the fewest penalty minutes in a season and also the most penalty minutes in a season. He also is the runner up to himself in both categories.
I want to be like Mike: Nine time NBA scoring champion Michael Jordan batted .202 for Class AA Birmingham in 1994, his one full season of pro baseball. (He sat out the last game to remain above the Mendosa line.) Jordan, who retired from the Bulls to pursue a baseball career, hit 3 home rune, drove in 51 runs, stole 30 bases, bought the team a bus, struck out like he was Reggie Jackson, and ended a real players dream (someone had to get cut to make room for him on the roster).
Who needs the DH: Tony Cloninger made baseball history in July 1966 by hitting 2 grand slams, driving in 9 runs and pitching Atlanta to a 17-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants.
QUOTES“Have another doughnut, you fat pig!”
“It’s deja vu all over again”.
Mrs.Lindsay, wife of NYC Mayor Lindsay, said on a hot afternoon to Yogi, “You are looking cool.” Yogi replied, “You don’t look to hot yourself.”
“That place is so crowded, nobody goes there anymore.”
“It looks like a condom package.”
BEHIND THE NUMBERSWhy some hockey players wear the numbers they wear.
99 Gretzky always wore #9 in honor of his idol Gordie Howe. When he went to Junior Hockey, the #9 was already taken so the couch said why not wear two #9s. Gretzky agreed and the rest is history.
Trivia: When Wayne Gretzky entered the NHL in 79 what other player was wearing #99? (answer at the bottom)
88 Lindros always wore #8 but it was already taken, so he did what Gretzky did.
56 Sergei Zubov wanted the same #21 he was wearing when he was traded to the Penguins but someone else was already wearing it. Mario Lemieux suggested to Zubov that he should wear Larry Murphy’s old number (55). Zubov took #56 and said “I’m going to be a little bit better than him”.
68 Jagr took #68 in honor of his grandfather. In 1968, Jagr’s grandfather became a political prisoner of Russia (Soviet Union)
77 When Adam Oates was traded to the Capitals both of the numbers he wanted #12 & #21 where taken. He decided to take #77 in honor of his friend Ray Bourque.
77 When Bourque came to Boston he wore #29, but it was being worn by a veteran player. The Bruins gave him #7. If you know anything about the Bruins you know that #7 belongs to only one Bruin, Phil Esposito. Borque wore #7 until December 3, 1987. At Phil Esposito’s retirement ceremony Bourque came out on the ice and presented Espo with a #7 Espo jersey. Bourque was still wearing his #7 jersey during the ceremony. After handing the first jersey to Espo, Bourque pulled off his #7 jersey to reveal another jersey, #77 underneath. While handing the second #7 jersey to Esposito he said, “This will always be yours.” From that day on Ray Bourque always wore #77.
10 John Leclair when asked why #10? “It’s better than #52”.
Trivia Answer: Wilf Paiment, Toronto Maple Leafs |
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