Rebounds were not the same back then though. No, Russell’s (and Wilt’s) rebounding stats were insane.Bill Russell also scored 30 points and had 38 rebounds as the Celtics won their 4th title.
There were only eight occasions when a player had 38 rebounds in 1960-61, five by Wilt and three by Russell. So it was still notable. And yes all stats were different in the past, but Wilt and Russell’s rebounding stats were insane in part because they were insane.Rebounds were not the same back then though. No, Russell’s (and Wilt’s) rebounding stats were insane.
AND he threw out his first runner in the 2nd inn.Yaz debuted 59 years ago today. He went 1 for 5, a single, with 2K's and a CS.
I'm with you (though I never actually saw him other than on tape). The incredible thing about it is he had zero experience in the outfield prior to 1960 (when they moved him to LF in the minors to be Ted's heir apparent). He was a middle infielder growing up and that's what he was signed as out of Notre Dame. Yet he was playing the wall masterfully from pretty much day one. Emblematic of his athleticism and his work ethic.Yaz is still the best fielding left fielder I ever saw. Talking about the 1960s Yaz. He played left like a shortstop with the Wall as his backstop. Sox went from Ted Williams picking his nose in left to a kid who ran and dove and threw like very few before him. Or since. He was as good in left as Willie Mays was in center.
Name me a better defensive LF than the early Yaz.
On the other hand ...Yaz is still the best fielding left fielder I ever saw.
Or later Yaz as well. Even as a 36 year-old, Yaz was downright CATLIKE in LF. Goes from a full sprint in one direction, to throwing a dart in the other in an absolute minimum of time (taken from the other thread):Yaz is still the best fielding left fielder I ever saw. Talking about the 1960s Yaz. He played left like a shortstop with the Wall as his backstop. Sox went from Ted Williams picking his nose in left to a kid who ran and dove and threw like very few before him. Or since. He was as good in left as Willie Mays was in center.
Name me a better defensive LF than the early Yaz.
Poor Claudell, probably still has nightmares about Fenway. With big wall in left field and the tiny wall in right.He had two assists while his counterpart in LF, Claudell Washington, had two errors.
Thanks, I loved the interview after the race with Yaz. He was/is a man of his word. Plus I really miss listening to Keith Jackson.Just tooling around, found this gem: Yaz smoking the competition in the half-mile:
View: https://youtu.be/e-L9U_xbuc4
Awesome. I don’t remember that. And he did blow them away. His 2d lap looked like someone who actually knew what he was doing! A 2:28 half for a 36 yo baseball player? Nice...Just tooling around, found this gem: Yaz smoking the competition in the half-mile:
View: https://youtu.be/e-L9U_xbuc4
Notice the Opening day Fenway attendance: 10,277!!Here's the box.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS196104110.shtml
The same day was the first major league game played by the Los Angeles Angels. The other American League expansion team, the Washington Senators, played their first game on April 10.
This game was also Chuck Schilling's ML debut.... and he and Yaz are the only 2 survivors from this starting lineup.Here's the box.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS196104110.shtml
The same day was the first major league game played by the Los Angeles Angels. The other American League expansion team, the Washington Senators, played their first game on April 10.