It's amazing how some names become almost immortal. . .

[Kibitzer]

. . . in unusual ways. Three leap to mind.

NBA players often fall under the contractual provisions of the Larry Bird rule;

Many baseball players (especially pitchers) have Tommy John surgery performed; but,

The best of all are the frequent references to Rube Goldberg gadgets.​

Rube Goldberg was a unique creative cartoonist, still renowned for his (Pulitzer Prize winning) inventive sketches of complicated devices that performed routine tasks. Rube died in 1970, yet this evening as I watched TV, the host commentator (Chris Hayes on MSNBC) made reference to Rube Goldberg, though it is unlikely that he was born before Rube passed away. Who could possibly imagined that Rube's inventive cartoons would endure so long? "Almost immortal" is how I characterize it (perhaps too generously, I confess).

Any other names used like Larry's, Tommy's and (especially) Rube Goldberg's?

And I cannot resist: Please, anyone care to add to Rube Goldberg's status in cartoon history? Let's perpetuate his memory -- before the season starts!

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

From track - The Fosbery (sp) Flop - I don't follow the sport, but I still know what that is.

 

[Bestiarius]

His dad didn't approve of drawing cartoons as a career choice, so Rube was forced to get an engineering degree at Cal Berkley. That played right into his cartooning hands as most of his inventions were engineering based. And to make this on topic:
To skip the explanation and cut to the action, go to 2:15

 

[Bestiarius]

Perhaps not a well known as the above, but Brian Meeker, an Olympian became immortal. Used when a person accidentally walks into something. Harry was texting while walking down the street and Meekered a lamppost.

The creative moment:

 

[meyers7]

Jordan Rules.

Mendoza line .200

 

[wvhuskyfan]

There's the Mark Jackson rule in the NBA.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Mulligan. There are multiple stories, but the one I prefer is about David Mulligan, a member at Winged Foot who overslept and nearly missed his tee time. Because he had rushed, he hit a poor shot on the first tee. He then took a second ball and re-hit the shot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulligan_(games)

 

[MilfordHusky]

Not a name, but a figure. Jerry West is the NBA logo.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Dave Casper and the rule about fumbling the football forward. Tom Brady and the tuck rule.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Lester Hayes and outlawing Stickum.

Deacon Jones and outlawing the head slap.

 

[j66kicker]

Geno told DT she could become the Babe Ruth of WBB

 

[Kibitzer]

Jordan Rules.

Mendoza line .200

Permit a comment on the history (perhaps aprochryphal) of the "Mendoza line."

Many years ago (think '50's, '60's), many newspapers would print the batting averages of all players, usually on Saturday, "as of" Wednesday.

It took two columns to list all the players (in either league). The Pittsburgh Pirates had a player named Mendoza who was a bad hitter. So bad, in fact, that he seemed to always wind up at the bottom of the first column of these weekly stats.

Thus: "the Mendoza line."

I am relying on memory (using a photographic memory that has long been out of film). I welcome updates or corrections. (Just don't spoil a good story.)

 

[formerlurker]

Permit a comment on the history (perhaps aprochryphal) of the "Mendoza line."

Many years ago (think '50's, '60's), many newspapers would print the batting averages of all players, usually on Saturday, "as of" Wednesday.

It took two columns to list all the players (in either league). The Pittsburgh Pirates had a player named Mendoza who was a bad hitter. So bad, in fact, that he seemed to always wind up at the bottom of the first column of these weekly stats.

Thus: "the Mendoza line."

I am relying on memory (using a photographic memory that has long been out of film). I welcome updates or corrections. (Just don't spoil a good story.)

I don't think it was the 50's or 60's because I remember hearing George Brett is credited with coming up with the term.

 

[DaddyChoc]

the "Hack A Shaq"

 

[DaddyChoc]

There's the Mark Jackson rule in the NBA.

never knew it was because of him... closely guarded and not doing anything

thanks for the lesson

(edit) oh, its the back to the basket in the paint rule... sorta like posting up!

 

[BigBird]

In baseball lore, Rip Sewell and the "Ephus" pitch. A very slow junk ball pitch. Sewell is remembered almost entirely for this one technique.

In racing, a "Danny Sullivan" spin is a car that spins 360 degrees at least once, hits nothing, and contiues on in the original direction. Sullivan did this in the middle of the Indy 500, AND he won the race. It's classic. Sullivan was a skilled and successful driver, but is remembered mostly for his amazing spin.

 

[Kibitzer]

In baseball lore, Rip Sewell and the "Ephus" pitch. A very slow junk ball pitch.

When I was a kid, growing up in Pittsburgh, Rip Sewell was one of my early favorite Pirates. In the '40's, he popularized an amazing pitch, most commonly referred to as his "blooper ball." He actually tossed it softly about 25 feet in the air and strived to have it drop on home plate, coming straight down. It was a great novelty pitch and, remember, baseball during the WW II years even accomodated a one armed outfielder named Pete Gray of the old and lamentable St. Louis Browns.

Rip was a great favorite and even won21 games one season (during WW II).

And, yes, Rip did call the pitch his "Eephus" because I distinctly recall waiting with other kids my age outside Forbes Field for autographs and seeing "Eephus" printed on the door of his then elegant wooden-sided station wagon.

A footnote. Rip threw his blooper ball to Ted Williams in an All-Star game (1946) and Ted whacked it into the RF stands. It was the highlight of that game. You can look it up.

 

[formerlurker]

Permit a comment on the history (perhaps aprochryphal) of the "Mendoza line."

Many years ago (think '50's, '60's), many newspapers would print the batting averages of all players, usually on Saturday, "as of" Wednesday.

It took two columns to list all the players (in either league). The Pittsburgh Pirates had a player named Mendoza who was a bad hitter. So bad, in fact, that he seemed to always wind up at the bottom of the first column of these weekly stats.

Thus: "the Mendoza line."

I am relying on memory (using a photographic memory that has long been out of film). I welcome updates or corrections. (Just don't spoil a good story.)

I don't think it was the 50's or 60's because I remember hearing George Brett is credited with coming up with the term.

Royals Hall of Fame third baseman and current VP of baseball operations George Brett is credited with coining the term “The Mendoza Line,” a short-hand term used to describe a batting average of exactly .200. “The Mendoza Line” was first referenced publicly by Brett in 1980 in response to questions about an early season slump. Brett quipped to reporters, “The first thing I look for in the Sunday papers is who is below the Mendoza line,” referring to light-hitting Mariners shortstop Mario Mendoza, who finished his nine-year career with a .215 average.

New I read it somewhere: http://mentalfloss.com/article/59620/24-things-you-might-not-know-about-kansas-city-royals

 

[Rocket009]

Don't forget the immortal Reverend William Archibald Spooner of spoonerism fame.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoonerism

• "Three cheers for our queer old dean!" (rather than "dear old queen," which is a reference to Queen Victoria)
• "Is it kisstomary to cuss the bride?" (as opposed to "customary to kiss")
• "The Lord is a shoving leopard." (instead of "a loving shepherd")
• "A blushing crow." ("crushing blow")
• "A well-boiled icicle" ("well-oiled bicycle")

Just of few of his transpositions.

 

[Rocket009]

Don't forget the immortal Reverend William Archibald Spooner of spoonerism fame.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoonerism

• "Three cheers for our queer old dean!" (rather than "dear old queen," which is a reference to Queen Victoria)
• "Is it kisstomary to cuss the bride?" (as opposed to "customary to kiss")
• "The Lord is a shoving leopard." (instead of "a loving shepherd")
• "A blushing crow." ("crushing blow")
• "A well-boiled icicle" ("well-oiled bicycle")

Just of few of his transpositions.

 

[Kibitzer]

Royals Hall of Fame third baseman and current VP of baseball operations George Brett is credited with coining the term “The Mendoza Line,” a short-hand term used to describe a batting average of exactly .200. “The Mendoza Line” was first referenced publicly by Brett in 1980 in response to questions about an early season slump. Brett quipped to reporters, “The first thing I look for in the Sunday papers is who is below the Mendoza line,” referring to light-hitting Mariners shortstop Mario Mendoza, who finished his nine-year career with a .215 average.

New I read it somewhere: http://mentalfloss.com/article/59620/24-things-you-might-not-know-about-kansas-city-royals

I concede the point. (Count my version as a mistaken Urban Legend.) I think your version, quoted above, is the correct one. Permit me to add two things: Mario Mendoza was also a lousy hitter with the Pirates; and I believe that Chris Berman of ESPN picked up the "Mendoza line" from George Brett and did a lot to popularize it thereafter.

 

[Icebear]

Kib, think you are remembering Sewell's Eephus pitch or "Nothing" pitch whose name was derived from the Hebrew word for "nothing." http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eephus_pitch

Bill Lee threw his similar Leephus pitch threes time in a row to Tony Perez in the 75 World Series. Like Williams the lesson was a huge home run and it was confirmed never throw an Eephus or
Leephus back to back. And so the Red Sox continued the Curse of the Babe.

 

[Sonny44]

The best of all are the frequent references to Rube Goldberg gadgets.​

When I was growing up in Rochester NY we commonly used "Auggie Gotlieb" before Rube became popular, but I've never seen any reference to him in the literature.
I'm interested in knowing whether anyone else remembers Auggie.

 

[grizz36]

When I was a kid, growing up in Pittsburgh, Rip Sewell was one of my early favorite Pirates. In the '40's, he popularized an amazing pitch, most commonly referred to as his "blooper ball." He actually tossed it softly about 25 feet in the air and strived to have it drop on home plate, coming straight down. It was a great novelty pitch and, remember, baseball during the WW II years even accomodated a one armed outfielder named Pete Gray of the old and lamentable St. Louis Browns.

Rip was a great favorite and even won21 games one season (during WW II).

And, yes, Rip did call the pitch his "Eephus" because I distinctly recall waiting with other kids my age outside Forbes Field for autographs and seeing "Eephus" printed on the door of his then elegant wooden-sided station wagon.

A footnote. Rip threw his blooper ball to Ted Williams in an All-Star game (1946) and Ted whacked it into the RF stands. It was the highlight of that game. You can look it up.

I was there in Fenway Park for that one. My dad got tickets for the '46 All Star game but he couldn't make it because of business. So he had friends take us. Williams and Sewell got into a laughing match over daring Rip to throw his Eephus ball. The ball ended up in the right field stands only about a section from us. There is a picture of that scene hanging in Cooperstown. When I spotted it I blurted out,"I was there!" and people stared at me like I some kind of nut. (Maybe they never saw a bear blurt out).

Also had a chance to see two guys who were pretty good named Hal Newhouser and Bob Feller. Also a NL rookie who might have become one of the greatest pitchers of all time if his "buggywhip motion" hadn't caused his arm to almost fall off in only about 3 years, Ewell Blackwell.

 

[ChicagoGG]

IIRC, in CT you live on one side or the other of the Munson-Nixon (Yankees-Red Sox) line which supposedly runs down 84....or is it 91?