Thursday, May 30, 2019
Bill Barilko-And other great moments in Sport
For the past
week, Canadian television stations have shown the replay of Kawhi's
game-winning shot approximately eight million times. One of the
talking heads (sports commentators) said the he had seen it more than
a hundred times. Pretty important stuff!
Let me take
you back to the ball diamonds of my youth, when I began my study of
sport. In 1951, Bobby Thomson hit a home run that has always had the
title: “The Shot Heard 'Round the World”. Sounds pretty
important, don't you think?
The rivalry
between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers was most
intense, for many reasons. At the conclusion of the season, they were
tied, and had to contest the trip to the World Series by playing a
three-game series. Thomson stepped up to the plate in the bottom of
the ninth inning, and smacked a home run to end the game.
Bill
Mazeroski played second base for 17 years for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He was simply called “The Glove”, because of his superior play.
But it was because of one home run that he came legendary. It was in
1960, against the New York Yankees.
In Game
Seven of the World Series, the Yankees had tied the game 9-9 in he
top of the ninth inning. “Maz” homered in the bottom of the
inning, off Ralph Terry, to win the Series for the Pirates. He was
also a member of the Bucs when they last won the Series in 1971. He
was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.
There are
dramatic moments from the gridiron as well, perhaps none so famous as
an end zone reception by Dwight Clark of a pass from Joe Montana.
Clark soared high to snare the pass from defenders, at the back of
the end zone. The San Francisco 49ers had defeated the Dallas
Cowboys, to head to the SuperBowl.
The buzz
around Toronto this past week centered around this topic: the best of
the best. In the hockey world, without question, the most important
goal in the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs took place in a
Stanley Cup final in 1951.
Bill Barilko
hailed from Cochrane, Ontario. A handsome lad, and a fan favourite,
he toiled on the Leafs' blue line, starting in February, 1947.
Standing at less than six feet, and weighing around 180 pounds,
“Bashin' Bill” could dish it out with the best of them, in those
days. It was in the 1951 Stanley Cup final that he achieved hockey
immortality.
The Leafs
were up three games to one against their dreaded rivals, the Montreal
Canadiens. The fifth game was tied, and went into overtime. Barilko
stormed the net following at shot at Gerry McNeil, and back-handed
the puck over McNeil's shoulder.
Following
the playoff victory, and the parade, Barilko headed north to fish.
Following a successful trip, the pilot headed back to Timmins from
Rupert House. The plane did not arrive at its destination, and was
found 11 years later.
There are
two fine books about Barilko: Without a Trace
by Kevin Shea, and Bill Barilko Story
by John Melady. The Tragically Hip, one of Canada's best-known bands,
led by Gord Downie, recorded “Fifty Mission Cap” to commemorate
the life of Bill Barilko. This relates to a cap worn by a fighter
pilot after fifty successful missions.
Barilko
won four Cups in his career, and was a three-time All Star.
James
Hurst
May
20, 2019.
-- James Hurst 613.399.2278 sportslices.blogspot.ca
# posted by James Hurst @ 7:52 AM 
