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A lesbian couple says they were kicked out of a Baltimore Ravens football game because they were kissing near the concession stand. The stadium says they were ejected because they stole a plastic cup.
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Happy Wednesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for October 13, 2010 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.

1. Quick Hits

* The Texas Rangers win their first ever playoff series and will now face the Yankees for the American League Pennant.
* Reports say former Florida Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez will be named the new manager of the Atlanta Braves replacing the retiring Bobby Cox.
* NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he doesn't have a timetable for his Brett Favre investigation.
* When can one finger get you a two game suspension? When you're James Wisniewski of the Islanders. and you extend that finger to Rangers pest Sean Avery.
* If you watched any part of the rescue of the Chilean miners and didn't mist up, you're not human. Sure this is sports. Only Mariano Rivera has more October saves.

2. Away Field Advantage

So can we put to rest the "home field edge" in baseball? There have been 8 American League playoff games, and the road team has won 7, including all 5 in the Texas/Tampa Bay series. Maybe that's why the Yankees really didn't try to win the American League East. They, like others in baseball, know the home field isn't as important as basketball and football. Baseball makes a big deal about the home field for the World Series being at stake in the All Star Game. The home run derby might be more significant.

3. My Hero

A new book about Mickey Mantle claims he was sexually molested as a child by a teenage half sister and an older boy. Needless to say that story didn't make my kids book, The 25 Greatest Baseball Players Of All Time. One story that did was Mickey's famed tape measure home run in Washington. Apparently the new book throws some cold water on that story. You mean the legends about the great players of the past aren't true? When I read as a kid that Babe Ruth said "they're actually going to pay me to play baseball?" Maybe he really didn't say it? Stunning!

4. Timing Is Everything

Just remember, if you happen to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of "Today in Sports," that if it weren't for Hal Smith's 3-run 8th inning homer, Bill Mazeroski wouldn't be in the Hall of Fame today. And I wonder if Bernie Carbo didn't duplicate that feat in game 6 of the 1975 World Series for the Red Sox, a 3-run 8th inning homer, would we be saying the same thing about Carlton Fisk, who became the ultimate hero of that game? Just wonderin'.

5. Kiss Off

Here's an interesting controversy. A lesbian couple says they were kicked out of a Baltimore Ravens football game because they were kissing near the concession stand. The Stadium Authority says they were ejected because they stole a plastic cup from that same concession stand. They claim they took the cup to get some ketchup. And then they started kissing. Here's the shocking part. The couple is considering legal action. I never saw that coming.


Happy Birthday: Former NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. 48.
Bonus Birthday: Borat. Sacha Baron Cohen. 39.

Today In Sports: One of the 2 or 3 most famous homers of all time, Pittsburgh's Bill Mazeroski wins the World Series, with his 9th inning blast in game 7 against the Yankees. 1960.
Bonus Event: Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby host an ABC-TV special to introduce a new Ford car called the Edsel. The TV show fared much better than the car. 1957.

I'll be at the Clinton Book Shop in Clinton N.J. tomorrow night at 6:30pm signing copies of my new kids book, The 25 Greatest Baseball Players Of All Time.

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