Commentary
Mazeroski’s homer has to be greatest moment in local sports history PITTSBURGH-What we have here is election fraud so profound that officials from Florida should come to Pittsburgh to study it.
The Senator John Heinz Regional History Center plans to open a Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum in November of 2004. It is conducting an online poll for the top five moments in local sports history.
Good thing the museum opening is 14 months away because they’ll probably need that much time to fix things.
According to the latest returns, the leader with 54 percent of all votes is the day (Oct. 23, 1976) when Tony Dorsett of Pitt and Hopewell High set the Division I rushing record.
In second place, with more than 13 percent of all votes cast is the 0-0 tie in the 1922 Rose Bowl between Washington & Jefferon and the University of California.
Then it’s Franco Harris’ 1972 Immaculate Reception (5.11 percent) and Bill Mazeroski’s 1960 World Series winning home run (4.65 percent).
OK, maybe you can fool a bunch of tweedy museum eggheads but it’s obvious to anyone who follows sports that special interest groups and pranksters have infiltrated the process.
Dorsett’s accomplishment is noteworthy, certainly, but it shouldn’t have more than half of the votes cast. W & J’s snoozefest of 80 years ago is barely worthy of being on the ballot, much less occupying second place.
The undisputed greatest moment in local sports history is Mazeroski’s home run. Second place belongs to Harris’ grab of a deflected pass.
The order is important because a recent Sports Illustrated survey got them wrong, too.
Mazeroski had the ultimate dance-off home run. He is the only player to end Game Seven of a World Series with a home run. It was the backyard bottom-of-the-ninth Wiffle Ball fantasy come to life, the perfect ending to an improbable Series win over the mighty New York Yankees.
Harris’ catch and touchdown allowed the Steelers to stay alive in the playoffs and lose their next game to Miami.
Mazeroski treated Pittsburgh to the greatest party it’s ever had.
His home run is No. 1 and the voting shouldn’t even be close.
– n –
Nothing like a brush with death to give a young man a sense of perspective.
One week after he was struck in a drive-by shooting that killed another person, Steelers linebacker Joey Porter was screaming at Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis in pre-game warm-ups last Sunday.
The dispute? Both were apparently shouting, “This is my house.”
The silliest part of all that is the only person who can legitimately make that claim is some wonk in a suit from Sports and Exhibition Authority.
– n –
Nobody ever said anything but the Pirates announcers got contract extensions earlier this year.
It’s three more years for the existing crew, although Steve Blass is gearing toward just one more year of full-time duty with plans for a part-time role after that.
– n –
Mario Lemieux says the Pittsburgh Penguins will make the playoffs.
Hey, you sign Drake Berehowsky, you get giddy with dreams.
Sports correspondent John Mehno can be reached online at: johnmehno@lycos.com