#astro's been my emotional pillar for years

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[bharatiyamedia-blog]

Crimson Sox opponents worry Boston's about to get sizzling, and win over Dodgers was a very good begin

http://tinyurl.com/y2ttlntk BOSTON — For 3 days, Alex Cora and his employees heard a constant message from the perfect gamers within the American League: we all know how good you might be. From Astros to Indians to Rangers to A’s, they’re conscious that the Red Sox are able to occurring a severe run, they usually did not simply make their emotions identified to Cora. “They’re harmful, man,” said Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole. “They’re harmful.” On Friday, within the official begin to the second half, the Crimson Sox took a primary step in direction of proving it. Dealing with a loaded and motivated Dodgers group with not solely the perfect report in baseball, however revenge on its thoughts over final fall’s World Collection, the Crimson Sox did not simply beat L.A., they pounded it. The 8-1 victory featured an impressive begin from left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who elicited a Pedro-esque 18 swings and misses in opposition to the launch angle poster boys, who chased excessive fastballs and excellent changeups like they have been making an attempt to seize the world’s rarest butterflies. Offensively, the Sox rode house runs from the three rising pillars of their offense — Rafael Devers (in fact), Christian Vazquez (why not?), and Xander Bogaerts (it is his group now). And identical to that, they stayed on a roll after successful 5 of six to finish the primary half. For one recreation, anyway, it regarded like these All-Stars knew what they have been speaking about. “I feel that was the best factor within the All-Star Sport, how many individuals in that clubhouse nonetheless consider in us,” Cora stated. “I do not know in the event that they actually prefer it or not, however they tell us how good we’re. If we forgot about that, the three guys that have been there on the teaching employees, the gamers reminded us of that, in order that was the cool factor concerning the All-Star Sport. “They have been like, your run is coming,” Cora added. “They know we’re very gifted, and for a way constructive it’s, most likely like hopefully it would not occur, but it surely was good to listen to from different folks.” A run would not be unprecedented. The 2017 Cubs entered the break two video games beneath .500 and have been then the perfect group in baseball the remainder of the way in which en path to 93 wins and a berth within the NLCS. Final yr’s Dodgers, in the meantime, adopted their World Collection loss by beginning 16-26 earlier than ripping off 43 wins of their subsequent 63 video games to take management of the NL West en path to their second consecutive NL pennant. The Crimson Sox have the expertise to imitate both of these groups, particularly in the event that they add one other arm. Their offense has became among the finest within the recreation, and that is with out Andrew Benintendi or Mookie Betts actually hitting his stride but. It seems it wasn’t an evening for making up floor, as each different American League wild-card contender both received or was within the technique of successful when the Crimson Sox ended. Then once more, the Crimson Sox needn’t concern themselves with the Rays, Indians, A’s, and Rangers a lot proper now as merely pile up wins, at which level the playoff race will type itself out. The duty in entrance of them will not be straightforward, although. They open the second half with the 60-win Dodgers shortly earlier than embarking on a murderous 14-game stretch in opposition to solely the Yankees and Rays that can carry them into August and will go a great distance in direction of shaking out their playoff destiny. “Hopefully we get sizzling for these couple weeks,” Bogaerts stated. “I do know it is a very long time to be sizzling, but it surely’s not unattainable.  “Beginning off at house is an efficient method to get momentum. All through my years right here, we have performed good at house. “We’ve got to return out aggressive as a result of we all know these guys are among the finest within the recreation. Clearly, they’ll come right here and attempt to beat us fairly unhealthy for final yr. I feel it was a great way to begin.” It actually was. Possibly the All-Stars encouraging Cora all week have been on to one thing. Click here to obtain the brand new MyTeams App by NBC Sports activities! Obtain complete protection of your groups and stream the Celtics simply in your machine. Red Sox opponents fear Boston’s about to get hot, and win over Dodgers was a good start initially appeared on NBC Sports Boston Source link

[itsworn]

Bounty Hunter Street/Strip 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 Is No Dog

Muscle cars were a common sight at Jack’s Esso in Lockport, New York, during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Owner Jack Poyfair kept busy performing typical bread-and-butter auto repairs, but he would also work on high-performance street cars, street/strip cars, and racecars.

“It was gas station, but we changed motors and transmissions, and we rebuilt a lot of components,” Poyfair recalls. “I installed a lot of headers. There were a bunch of guys hanging around the station who had fast cars. One guy had a 427 Ford medium-riser. There was a guy with a 1958 Pontiac with a late-model engine in it. We had a couple big cars with 283 motors that wanted to go fast. I owned a white 1965 GTO convertible, 360-horsepower Tri-power, four-speed close ratio transmission, and 4.33 gears. The GTO didn’t have any headers, it was more of a street car, but it was pretty quick. We had a lot of fun.”

New and aggressive restyling for the Chevelle in 1966 brought the bulging rear quarter-panels and swept-back C-pillars with the signature tunneled rear glass design found on other GM intermediates.

A certain Regal Red 1966 Chevelle with skinny Cragars and “Bounty Hunter” scrawled on its fenders was part of the landscape at Poyfair’s gas station. The car was owned by Nick Colaizzi, a loyal employee at the GM Harrison Radiator plant in Lockport, New York. Bounty Hunter was powered by an L78, and it was no dog.

For early 1966 models, Chevrolet offered two engines in the newly introduced Chevelle SS396. Standard was the L35 396ci Mark IV big-block with two-bolt mains and oval-port heads rated at 325 hp at 4,800 rpm and 410 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. Initially, the only optional powerplant in the SS396 was the L34 engine. With a hotter cam, it was factory rated at 360 hp at 5,200 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm.

A few months into the model year, Chevrolet quietly began to offer a top-dog performer underrated at 375 hp and branded with the RPO code L78. Simple math deduced that its upgrades—four-bolt-main block, compression increased from 10.25:1 to 11:1, solid-lifter cam, bigger rectangular-port heads with bigger 2.19-inch intake valves, and bigger 780 Holley on new aluminum intake—would add up to more than the advertised 15hp bump over the L34 motor. Later tests would put the motor closer to 425 hp. Those in the know knew about the L78. Nick Colaizzi knew.

The 396/375hp L78 engine option was installed in 3,099 Chevelles, including SS396 hardtops, SS396 convertibles, and El Caminos. The idler pulley assembly mounted on the passenger-side head was installed on the 1966 L72 427/425 fullsize cars and the L78 Chevelles. Owner Larry Robison has heard that the purpose of the idler pulley was to provide an extra belt that would keep the water pump running in case the alternator belt broke.

He Persisted

Early in 1966, Colaizzi entered Heinrich Chevrolet in Lockport, New York, to order a 1966 Chevelle SS396 with the L78 engine. Though the people at Heinrich Chevrolet were (and still are) great people, the salesman had not received notice from Chevrolet of the L78’s midyear introduction. Fearing the order would not go through, he suggested ordering the L34 360hp version. Colaizzi persisted. The salesman ordered an L78, and the order was accepted. One month later, Colaizzi became the first owner of what would become one of the most desirable Chevelles ever built, one of 3,099 1966 Chevelles built with the L78 engine.

For the first six months of ownership, Colaizzi’s SS396 served street/strip duties. His passion for drag racing grew, as did his pursuit of making his Chevelle faster and more competitive. He sought out Jack Poyfair to help him make the Chevelle faster. Poyfair answered, “If you can beat my GTO, I’ll work on your car.” They raced, Colaizzi won, and the two men became fast friends building a fast car.

The single-reservoir master cylinder worked fine in 1966 and still does the job today. The trim tag mounted on the firewall shows the crucial 13817 code, which indicated in 1966 that this car was indeed a Chevelle SS396 Sport Coupe.

Many hours were spent working on various combinations and trick parts. Colaizzi says, “Those were good times spent together working on the car and racing it with Jack. He’s a great guy. At one point, I asked GM for sponsorship, but they said no. The Chevelle did well, and we did our best to make it fast.”

The Bounty Hunter’s racing career spanned from 1966 to 1974. Colaizzi put the Chevelle in storage with the hopes of restoring it sometime. It would remain in storage until 1993, when he decided that he would have to sell his prized Chevelle.

For 1966 Chevelle SS396 cars, the L35 and L34 versions of the engine used oval-port heads with the casting number 3872702. The L78 engines used casting number 3873858 rectangular-port heads with 2.19-inch intake valves and 1.72-inch exhaust valves. The spark plug heat shields are absolutely spotless in the highly detailed engine compartment.

Enthusiast Extraordinaire

Enter Larry Robison, Chevelle enthusiast extraordinaire and longtime employee at the GM Parma Plant in Cleveland, Ohio. Robison likes 1966 Chevelles—he likes them a lot. Though many Chevelle guys trumpet the glory of the 1970 LS6, Robison says, “I would stand on the hood of a ’70 to get a look at a ’66.”

Robison was checking out the Cleveland Trading Times in 1993 when he came across a 1966 Chevelle SS396 race car for sale. His interest was piqued when he learned it was an original L78 car, only showed 2,109 original miles, and had been campaigned on the dragstrip as the Bounty Hunter. He called Colaizzi, who was moving to Nevada and not able to bring his Chevelle with him. Robison made a deal to buy the car and all the spare parts as a package. The parts filled a box truck, and the car was transported back to Robison’s home in Ohio.

The black SS’s interior had virtually the same layout as standard Chevelle models. The A51 Astro Bucket seats were a $110.50 option. Check out the crazy-expensive D55 Center Console With Clock, which came in at an outrageous $47.40, the typical tab for your daughter’s wedding reception at the local Howard Johnson’s.

Bounty Hunter stayed in storage until 2009 while Robison worked on a few of his other project Chevelles. Once work began, he took the body off the frame and restored it to original condition. The rear quarters had been pushed out to make room for slicks. Rather than replacing the quarters, Robison worked the metal to get the quarters close to straightened out. He then had paint and body expert Paul Clark finish the metal work and paint the car in its original Regal Red hue.

Robison brought the car back to his house and began assembly with the help of friends and Northern Ohio Chevelle Club brethren Ron Thompson, Mark Meldrum, the late “Big Ray” Tumbry, and George Kelovski. The car was finished in 2015, and debuted at MCACN that year.

Behold the reason that the 1966 SS396 is superior to all other Chevelles: the “knee-knocker” tach. Since original owner Nick Colaizzi went with the $79 U14 Special Instrumentation Package with the L78 motor, he got the 7,000-rpm tach, plus a mechanical oil pressure gauge and gauges for amps and water temperature. The knee-knocker tach could be ordered separately as RPO U16 on any V-8 Chevelle.

In 2017, Robison and Mark Meldrum arranged to reunite Colaizzi with the restored Bounty Hunter. Jack Poyfair was also called in for the occasion. “It was great meeting Larry and Mark, and seeing Jack again,” Colaizzi says. “Larry did a great job restoring the car. Seeing it again, and getting to drive it, brought back a flood of mixed emotions. It was really a tremendous experience.”

These days, Robison proudly displays the Bounty Hunter at various shows. Mark Meldrum will sometimes park his Bounty Hunter tribute car next to it. Robison’s not a tough guy to spot at a car show. He’s the one jumping on the hoods of 1970 Chevelles to look at 1966 Chevelles.

The swept-back cut in the fenders for the entire 1966 Chevelle line created lots of traffic in Chevrolet showrooms. According to Chevellestuff.net, total 1966 Chevelle production was a strong 447,364 units. Of those, 66,843 were SS396 sport coupes and 5,429 were SS396 convertibles.

At a Glance 1966 Chevelle SS396 Owned by: Larry Robison, Avon, OH Restored by: Owner, Paul Clark, and friends Engine: 396ci/375hp L78 V-8 Transmission: Muncie M21 close-ratio 4-speed Rearend: 12-bolt with 4.10 gears and Positraction Interior: Black bucket seats Wheels: 14×6 steel with caps Tires:  7.75-14 Firestone Deluxe Champion redlines Special Parts: 7,000 rpm “knee knocker” tachometer, best e.t. 11.73

The body-colored rear cove treatment on the SS396 was often painted black by Chevelle owners. Larry has spoken to a number of people on the subject and has concluded that the coves on SS396 cars were never painted black at the factory.

Bounty Hunter at the Dragstrip

Nick Colaizzi’s Bounty Hunter Chevelle was raced most often at Niagara International Drag Strip. It proved to be an excellent race car that brought Colaizzi and Jack Poyfair a good measure of success, thanks in large part to Poyfair’s mechanical efforts.

“We worked on the cylinder heads, tried different camshafts, stagger-jetted the carburetors, used steel and aluminum flywheels, and changed the collector length on the headers just to get a tenth of a second out of the car,” Poyfair recalls. “Nick had an edge in driving. He was good on the tree, pulled the gears really good. He knew he had to go through the traps at 7,400 rpm to get a good run.”

Colaizzi is thankful for the support and friendship of Poyfair, as well as the help he received from his brother Dick and his son Nick. Over the years, Colaizzi had a few racecars, but the Bounty Hunter Chevelle was always his number one race car.

The Bounty Hunter is the third Chevelle that Larry Robison has restored. Northern Ohio Chevelle Club member Mark Meldrum was so committed to giving Bounty Hunter its proper due that he created a tribute “as-raced” Bounty Hunter from one of his 1966 Chevelles.

The absence of lettering suggests that this shot, taken at Niagara International Drag Strip, was early in the car’s life. Cragar SS wheels and the tow-bar plate are installed.

When Colaizzi was asked how the car’s name came to be, he said, “I told Jack we’re going to name it like we’re going to go after somebody.” Interestingly enough, Colaizzi would later purchase the big-block 1966 Impala you see in the far lane.

The lettering on Colaizzi’s car was very typical for any race car of the day. “Jack’s Esso” was painted on the quarters in appreciation for all the work Jack Poyfair put into the car.

Check out the M&H Racemaster tires on the back. “I set up the rear that used to jump out of the gate hard,” says Poyfair. “I wedged the control arms so that they would be stiff with brackets from the rear housing to the control arms. It worked well.”

    The post Bounty Hunter Street/Strip 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 Is No Dog appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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Corridor of Fame ceremony an emotional time for inductees

New Post has been published on https://othersportsnews.com/corridor-of-fame-ceremony-an-emotional-time-for-inductees/

Corridor of Fame ceremony an emotional time for inductees

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez stared out at his father, wiping absent tears as he spoke.

“I appreciate you with all of my heart,” Rodriguez reported. “If I am a Corridor of Famer, you are a Corridor of Famer — double.”

Those people words punctuated Rodriguez’s speech as he was inducted Sunday into the Baseball Corridor of Fame. Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines, along with former commissioner Bud Selig and entrance-business guru John Schuerholz, also were enshrined on a photo-excellent summer season working day in entrance of more than 27,000 lovers.

“It can be often emotional when you see the lovers cheering for you and my full loved ones in entrance of me,” Bagwell reported. “I am an emotional human being. It can be a dream just to be component of this lovely group. Now I have that plaque permanently. It can be unbelievable.”

Before he started out, Rodriguez been given a standing ovation from hundreds of lovers, quite a few wearing purple-and-white jerseys with Puerto Rico emblazoned on the entrance, and proceeded to give 50 percent his speech in Spanish.

“This is these kinds of an extraordinary honor for me,” Rodriguez reported. “A small kid from Puerto Rico with a significant dream. Never enable them just take your dream absent from you.”

Chipper Jones, Johnny Bench and Vladimir Guerrero were just a few of the MLB greats to congratulate Sunday’s Baseball Corridor of Fame inductees on social media.

Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez headline the 2017 Baseball Corridor of Fame class.

It can be been practically 13 years due to the fact the Quebec city dropped the Expos. But if the ambiance at Corridor of Fame weekend is any indication, the e book on baseball in Montreal could possibly not want a last chapter … just a new starting.

two Similar

The forty five-12 months-aged Rodriguez retains important league documents for video games caught (two,427) and putouts by a catcher (twelve,376). He hit 311 homers and batted .296 in his profession. He’s also only the second catcher elected on the 1st ballot, subsequent in the footsteps of his childhood idol, Cincinnati Reds star Johnny Bench, who was seated on the dais guiding him.

Immediately after speaking in Spanish, Rodriguez went back again and recurring in English, concentrating on a message to youth.

“You have the right to dream,” he reported. “Anything in life is doable. I speak from knowledge.”

Bagwell, who played his entire 15-12 months profession in Houston, took the dais to an extended applause from the Astros lovers who built the journey.

“You know I never like consideration,” Bagwell reported with a tinge of nervousness. “I am so humbled to be in this article. I am just truly attempting to figure out what is actually likely on.”

Bagwell started out his speech by thanking his loved ones and singling out his mom and dad and spouse.

“Mom, you are just the most incredible human being in the globe,” he reported. “You’ve got been a pillar for me. I won’t be able to inform you how much I appreciate you and what you suggest to me. My father, Bob. There’s a little something about a dad. You introduced me to appreciate this activity of baseball. One thing my father instilled in me was to by no means stop. Deep within, I just by no means gave up. That travel obtained me a prolonged way.”

The forty eight-12 months-aged Bagwell was a person third of the famed “Killer B’s” of the Astros, along with Corridor of Famer Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman. Collectively they helped remodel the Astros from a previous-place team to the Earth Series in 2005. Elected in his seventh 12 months on the ballot, Bagwell is the only 1st baseman in background with four hundred profession home runs and two hundred stolen bases.

“I experimented with to do almost everything nicely,” he reported. “I wished to score for my team and for my other players. I enjoy the stolen bases more than everything else. For a small male with not much velocity, I truly appreciate that. I could assist us acquire in various methods.”

Bagwell ended his profession with 449 home runs and from 1996-2001 experienced at least 30 home runs, a hundred runs scored and a hundred RBIs per period, only the sixth participant in important league background to reach individuals marks in at least 6 straight years.

Bud Selig, Ivan Rodriguez, John Schuerholz, Tim Raines and Jeff Bagwell pose with their plaques all through their induction ceremony at the Baseball Corridor of Fame. Mike Stobe/Getty Photos

Raines was greeted by scores of lovers from Canada, quite a few of whom arrived aboard many buses. He thanked his mother and dad, who were seated in the entrance row, and later centered on Corridor of Famer Andre Dawson, his teammate with the Montreal Expos when he broke into the important leagues in the early nineteen eighties.

“Devoid of Andre Dawson, you can find no telling wherever I’d be,” reported Raines, who fought cocaine problems early in his profession. “I wished to type of be like you, and he last but not least accepted, and I adopted. Thank you so much for generating me the participant I turned.”

The 57-12 months-aged Raines, a swap-hitter, batted .294 and experienced a .385 on-base share in his 23-12 months profession, finishing with two,605 hits, one,571 runs and 808 stolen bases. His stolen base overall is the fifth-optimum in important league background and bundled 70 or more steals in every single period from 1981-86, a streak that stands by yourself in baseball background. His 84.seven per cent success price tops the listing among the players with at least four hundred steal attempts.

Raines also cited former Kansas City Royals star George Brett and base-stealing king Rickey Henderson, the two Corridor of Famers who were seated guiding him on the phase.

For Selig, who was celebrating his 83rd birthday, it was a reversal of roles. For more than two many years he gave out the Corridor of Fame plaques on induction working day.

“It can be an mind-boggling, gorgeous emotion,” reported Selig, who dropped his speech midway by it but by no means skipped a conquer. “You are obtaining the optimum honor.”

Selig left a large imprint in his more than 22 years as the chief of the activity. He was instrumental in the acceptance of interleague play, the enlargement of the playoffs, splitting every single league into 3 divisions with wild playing cards and instituting online video overview and profits-sharing in an era that noticed the construction of 20 new ballparks.

His tenure also bundled the Steroids Period and the cancellation of the 1994 Earth Series amid a players’ strike, but he left baseball in exceptional form economically — without the need of labor strife and with a rigid drug-tests policy that has helped cleanse up the activity.

In 26 years as a GM for the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves, Schuerholz stood by yourself. His groups received 16 division titles, 6 pennants and two Earth Series, a person in every single league, a 1st. He credited divine providence and destiny for his superior fortune, starting off with a circumstance of German measles that left him deaf in his right ear at age five, which he reported forced him to be more attentive.

Schuerholz, who played second base at Towson College, reported he speedily figured out wherever he ought to focus his long term in baseball following a two-working day tryout when he was told to time the players on the second working day in its place of taking the subject.

“The message was delivered,” Schuerholz reported. “I’d better focus someplace other than attempting to be a specialist baseball participant. Divine providence. Fate. I truly imagine so.”

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