centerfield maz

Tony Bernazard was fired by the Mets this week for many reasons, here's a look back at his career. Bernazard was born August 24, 1956 in Puerto Rico. He was drafted by the Expos in 1973 and didn't get to the bigs until 1979. He played two seasons sparingly in Montreal before becoming the regular second baseman for the White Sox, then the Indians through out the eighties. He was traded to the Mariners midway through the 1983 season for Julio Cruz, who helped the Sox win the AL West. In 1984 Bernazard tied a record by going hitless in a 44 at bat stretch. He was a good sacrifice guy, and hit over .300 in 1986. That year he had career highs with 17 HRs 73 RBIs & 169 hits. When he was on a hot streak at the plate all he would eat on his dinner plate was chicken, much to the ridicule of his team mates. By 1988 he was playing in Japan for three seasons & retired from playing in 1991. A lifetime .262 hitter with 177 doubles, 75 HRs, 391 RBIs, playing over 1071 games with a .97...

July 29th, 1959: With the Giants & Dodgers moving to California, there was a big hole in New York sports. The fan base of the two departed teams was huge and they were not about to switch to American League baseball. An attorney from New York named Bill Shea headed the effort for a new league to be added to Major League Baseball. Then there was only 16 teams and the owners carried a lot of power over the Commissioner. They were not happy about a third league being added. The Continental League would have franchises in New York, Houston, Minneapolis, Denver & Toronto. Three others were expec ted by 1961; with Dallas, Atlanta, & Buffalo leading the way. The franchise owners needed $2.5 million to start, not including stadium costs with seating for at least 35,000. The New York franchise was to play in Queens near the site of the upcoming 1964 World’s Fair. The owners instead chose to expand the existing leagues in cities that didn’t have baseball. In 1961 the A.L. got two ...

Last night Paul wrapped up three incredible shows inaugurating Citi Field as a concert venue. What a pleasure seeing a concert there, easy to get to, great food, plenty of spots to hang out at & over all pretty comfortable. I am looking forward to future concerts there as well. Last night rain seemed to stop right around show time. It drizzled on & off the first couple of hours, which was ok because the line at Shake Shack wasn’t too long & we got to eat there. Sitting in the first level seating was by far nothing like being on the floor Friday night. A lot further from the stage and a very laid bac k crowd. Very few songs got the crowd up, mostly on the encores. I call this the “stay at home rent the DVD crowd”. Your out folks, get up, sing, dance bond with everyone else! Paul McCartney is on stage!!! I don’t know if it was different in other areas of the ball park? Even Paul seemed a little more laid back than on Friday, but he still put on a great show. Worth every penny...

The Citi Field Shows are such a success and the postings here also a hit, people want more Macca. Lets look back at all solo Paul Tours......... The 1989 Paul McCartney World Tour was the first time Paul had played the US since Wings Over America in 1976. He took the road with a new band; Paul Wix Wickens (on keyboards & piano) Robbie McIntosh (guitar, once of the Pretenders) Hamish Stewart (guitar, formerly of the Average White Band) Chris Whitten on drums and of course Linda McCartney (keyboards) whom Paul would always introduce as Gertrude Higgins. The 1989/1990 Tour had 104 Tour dates, 45 in the United States, 6 in the New York area. A free 98 page Tour booklet was given out at each show with profiles of the band, Paul’s career & Tour stats. Paul sported long hair and wasn't afraid to play Beatles songs, like in his Wings days. The Tour began in September in Norway, after rolling through Sweden, Spain, Europe & the Netherlands; it hit Los Angeles on November 23, fo...

The 2002 Driving Rain Tour was Paul’s first in nine years. A lot had happened since then. The Beatles had released their highly successful Anthology project and the three surviving Beatles had a new found friendship. Paul released his best album since Wings, with Flaming Pie in 1997. It was a huge success hitting #2 on the US charts his highest charting since 1982. It featured Jeff Lynn, George Martin, Ringo Starr, Steve Miller, & son James. The album was very Beatle inspired and received great reviews. Great tracks like Flaming Pie, The World Tonight, Beautiful Night, Calico Skies, Young Boy & Somedays highlighted the great work. It was nominated for album of the year & In my opinion its one of his top 3 solo albums! Sadly Linda McCartney passed away from cancer in 1998, then George Harrison in 2001. There was also the attacks of 911 in which Paul was on a plane in New York City watching the events from his window. He was in spired to write the single Freedom an almost Len...

Where do we start? Ok, this may have been the best Paul McCartney show I have ever been to. A bold statement yes, but it lived up to the billing. Just when you think the incredible Paul might have slowed up at 67 years of age, no way, he rocked better than ever. I have seen Paul on every tour since 1989, and the first ever concert at Citi Field concert may have topped them all. Paul McCartney started out by saying: "Long time since I was here," McCartney said. "I've got a feeling that we're going to have a little bit of fun tonight." And did we ever have fun. Paul is the master, he has become the greatest show on earth, more than a living legend, he is the man, the master. He cont rolled the crowds moods and brought to life his incredible music of generations. I had great seats, 15th Row (A6) right side of the stage. The aisles were way too tight, but other than that everything was handled well. Floor ticket holder were allowed entry thru the Bull Pen gate a...

In 1975 Paul McCartney & Wings released the album Venus & Mars, a follow up to Band on the Run. Although not as successful, it was popular reached #1 and went platinum in America. The song Listen to What the Man Said hit #1, Rock Show hit the top 10 & Letting Go the top 40. Wings had done three small scale Tours; a British Universities /European tour in ’72, and a 17 show Tour of England in ’73. In 1975 the Wings Over the World Tour was one of the largest of its kind to date. Wings set out on a massive 13 month road show, playing to over 2 million people in America, Europe, the UK & Australia. The lineup of Paul & Linda McCartney, Denny Laine (guitars, bass), Jimmy McCulloch (guitar) &Joe English (drums) set out with a horn section of four musicians (Howie Casey, Steve Howard, Thaddeus Richard, and Tony Dorsey). The McCartney’s traveled with their children an rented out 4 sets of homes in New York, Chicago, Dallas & Los Angeles flying to the nearest one afte...

Paul McCartney returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater, where the Beatles wowed America and made history 45 years ago. He made his first appearance on the Letterman Show and played a mini concert outside atop the Theater's Marquee rooftop, ala the Let It Be movie rooftop scene. Broadway & the surrounding streets were closed off for the event. Thousands of fans gathered on the streets and hundreds crowded around their office windows for a glimpse of Paul playing live. It was another great Macca event so different & so good. The TV songs aired, were "Get Back" & the Fireman "Sing The Changes". Paul sounds great, as does the band, and he's looking good too. The fans on Broadway also got "Band on the Run" "Let Me Roll It" & "Coming Up" from his Wings days then two White Album Beatle classics "Back In The USSR" & "Helter Skelter". If that doesnt send shivers down your spine & excite you about t...