QUICKIE QUIZ

>>> For which two teams (one NBA and one in the BAA, its forerunner) did Red Auerbach coach before taking over the Boston Celtics?

(Answer Below)

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VINTAGE DIGITS

>>> THE TUESDAY TITLE TOWN TALLY

Last week we kicked off our Tuesday Title Town Tally feature with a chronological look at Philadelphia’s championships. This week, we head to New England to find out Sam Malone and Tom Brady have not been the only men up there performing well.

BOSTON’S MAJOR PRO CHAMPIONS (38)

(HOME TEAM; Series Score in Parentheses; Listed by Calendar Year)

1903 MLB – Oct. 13, AMERICANS 3, Pittsburgh Pirates 0 (5-2)

1914 MLB – Oct. 13, BRAVES 3, Philadelphia Athletics 1 (4-0)

1915 MLB – Oct. 13, Red Sox 5, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES 4 (4-1)

1916 MLB – Oct. 12, RED SOX 4, Brooklyn Robins 1 (4-1)

1918 MLB – Sept. 11, RED SOX 2, Chicago Cubs 1 (4-2)

1929 NHL – March 29, Bruins 2, NEW YORK RANGERS 1 (2-0)

1939 NHL – April 16, BRUINS 3, Toronto Maple Leafs 1 (4-1)

1941 NHL – April 12, Bruins 3, DETROIT RED WINGS 1 (4-0)

1957 NBA – April 13, CELTICS 125, St. Louis Hawks 123** (4-3)

1959 NBA – April 9, Celtics 118, MINNEAPOLIS LAKERS 113 (4-0)

1960 NBA – April 9, CELTICS 122, St. Louis Hawks 103 (4-3)

1961 NBA – April 11, CELTICS 121, St. Louis Hawks 112 (4-1)

1962 NBA – April 18, CELTICS 110, Los Angeles Lakers 107* (4-3)

1963 NBA – April 24, Celtics 112, LOS ANGELES LAKERS 109 (4-2)

1964 NBA – April 26, CELTICS 105, San Francisco Warriors 99 (4-1)

1965 NBA – April 25, CELTICS 129, Los Angeles Lakers 96 (4-1)

1966 NBA – April 28, CELTICS 95, Los Angeles Lakers 93 (4-3)

1968 NBA – May 2, Celtics 124, LOS ANGELES LAKERS 109 (4-2)

1969 NBA – May 5, Celtics 108, LOS ANGELES LAKERS 106 (4-3)

1970 NHL – May 10, BRUINS 4, St. Louis Blues 3* (4-0)

1972 NHL – May 11, Bruins 3, NEW YORK RANGERS 0 (4-2)

1974 NBA – May 12, Celtics 102, MILWAUKEE BUCKS 87 (4-3)

1976 NBA – June 6, Celtics 87, PHOENIX SUNS 80 (4-2)

1981 NBA – May 14, Celtics 102, HOUSTON ROCKETS 91 (4-2)

1984 NBA – June 12, CELTICS 111, Los Angeles Lakers 102 (4-2)

1986 NBA – June 8, CELTICS 114, Houston Rockets 97 (4-2)

2002 NFL – Feb. 3, Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17 (New Orleans, La.)

2004 NFL – Feb. 1, Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29 (Houston, Texas)

2004 MLB – Oct. 27, Red Sox 3, ST. LOUIS CARDINALS 0 (4-0)

2005 NFL – Feb. 6, Patriots 24, Eagles 21 (Jacksonville, Fla.)

2007 MLB – Oct. 28, Red Sox 4, COLORADO ROCKIES 3 (4-0)

2008 NBA – June 17, CELTICS 131, Los Angeles Lakers 92 (4-2)

2011 NHL – June 15, Bruins 4, VANCOUVER CANUCKS 0 (4-3)

2013 MLB – Oct. 30, RED SOX 6, St. Louis Cardinals 1 (4-2)

2015 NFL – Feb. 1, Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24 (Glendale, Ariz.)

2017 NFL – Feb. 5, Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28* (Houston, Texas)

2018 MLB – Oct. 28, Red Sox 5, LOS ANGELES DODGERS 1 (4-1)

2019 NFL – Feb. 3, Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3 (Atlanta, Ga.)

*Denotes overtime period.

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>>> PHILLIES

Over the weekend, our Facebook Friend (and sports archives entusiast) Jerry Horgan posted a link to the video of Mariano Duncan’s 1993 Mother’s Day Grand Slam off the St. Louis Cardinals’ Lee Smith at Veterans Stadium. (It is worth watching just to listen to Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn for two minutes.)

The video got some of our other Facebook Friends wondering how many slams that great offense belted during that magical year (eight) and if that is the Phillies’ record for Grand Slams in a season. Well, it was at the time, but the mark has since been broken.

Here is the progression of the Phillies' record for most Grand Slams in a Season:

2 . . . 1886 (tied in 1889)

3 . . . 1890

7 . . . 1925 (tied in 1929, 1976)

8 . . . 1993 (tied in 2005)

11 . . . 2009

By the way, the MLB record is 14, set by the Oakland Athletics in 2000 and tied by the Cleveland Indians in 2006.

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>>> EAGLES

There are six NFL franchises that the Eagles have not met in prime time (since the 1970 merger). They are:

> Baltimore Ravens

> Detroit Lions

> Jacksonville Jaguars

> Los Angeles Chargers

> New York Jets

> Pittsburgh Steelers

Of those teams, the Birds are scheduled to face only the cross-state Steelers this season. That is set for 1 p.m. in Week 5, which is the first Sunday on which games can be flexed. The Vikings and Seahawks are the scheduled night contest that week. Even if the league starts on time and both Pennsylvania teams are 3-0 when the decision to flex has to be made (12 days in advance), we don’t see that happening.

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>>> NBA

Red Auerbach won each of the last 17 playoff series in which he was involved as a head coach, all with the Boston Celtics.

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QUICKIE QUIZ ANSWER

>>> For which two teams (one NBA and one in the BAA, its forerunner) did Red Auerbach coach before taking over the Boston Celtics?

Answer:

> Red Auerbach was head coach for the Washington Capitols (of the Basketball Association of America) for three seasons and the NBA’s Tri-Cities Blackhawks for one before joining the Celtics prior to the 1950-51 season.

The Philly Props: Eagles

Bob Vetrone