New York Sports Icons
FREE Sports Icons Series Sports Comic Book
Copyright 2015 | 2nd Edition 2017 By Jim Sweeney – The MIKE Maker In addition to famous former mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, New York City boasts a colorful array of popular places and legendary landmarks. These include the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park, Times Square, Broadway, the Diamond District, Mulberry Street, Madison Avenue and Wall Street.
The Big Apple also stands alone as an American sports metropolis.
It plays home to 10 major professional sports teams - two each in the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and now MLS.
The city that never sleeps is proud of its storied sports history. Its rich sports heritage comprises Hall of Fame athletes, championship teams, historic venues and even an amazing urban basketball legend.
My FREE sports comic book New York Sports Icons pays homage to the city’s most famous and most admired. This book recalls Broadway Joe Namath’s bold Super Bowl prediction and Mark Messier’s audacious Stanley Cup proclamation.
New York Sports Icons remembers the World Series heroics of Messrs. October and November.
It also spotlights the illustrious careers of Major League Baseball’s greatest player ever and the sport’s most colorful catcher.
My FREE book also pays tribute to two heroes. One unexpectedly walked down Madison Square Garden’s tunnel and inspired his NBA team, while the other courageously walked across racially divided lines to change the game of professional baseball forever.
This book honors the storied environs of one of Major League Baseball’s most respected stadiums and the midtown Manhattan sports venue billed as “the world’s most famous arena.”
New York Sports Icons even includes a bonus chapter on a New York City playground legend who is regarded as the greatest basketball player to NEVER suit up in an NBA uniform.
Whether you’re from New York City, or just wish you were, be sure to enjoy the read and share this FREE sports comic book with friends.
And, don’t ever fuh getta ‘bout it!
MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! Why read this book?
Favorite #10: Mr. October Reggie Jackson
Favorite #9: Mark Messier
Favorite #8: Yogi Berra
Favorite #7: Jackie Robinson
Favorite #6: Broadway Joe Namath
Favorite #5: Willis Reed
Favorite #4: Babe Ruth
Favorite #3: Mr. November Derek Jeter
Favorite #2: Yankee Stadium
Favorite #1: Madison Square Garden
Bonus Chapter - Rucker Park’s Helicopter
Thank You & Affiliate Disclosure FREE Books
Podcast – MIKE on Sports!
Meet the MIKE Makers
Acknowledgements As highlighted on the cover, this book is fun, informative and witty.
The light hearted stories in each chapter are told by me - a Trademarked cartoon character named MIKE – aka Mike Raffone.
New York sports fans love my colorful stories, candid comments and creative content about the Big Apple’s most popular sports icons.
Plus, the unique sports comics that accompany each chapter cleverly capture the essence of the featured player, team, play, sports expression, or in this case, New York sports icon.
As an added bonus, you’ll always find FREE stuff in each of my sports comic books. See the back of this book for details.
In addition to featuring a revered Rucker Park icon in the bonus chapter, there are FREE sports comic books for safe downloading. Check out my author profile on Amazon.com, follow me on Twitter, fan me on Facebook and subscribe to my podcast – MIKE on Sports!
MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports!
Leading off New York Sports Icons is one of Major League Baseball’s greatest power hitters ever.
This Hall of Fame slugger may be best known for wearing the traditional pinstripes of the New York Yankees during the late 1970’s.
Plus, he endeared himself to New York sports fans by playing with an edge, walking with a chip on his shoulder, speaking with unwavering confidence and delivering his best at the most appropriate times.
Reggie Jackson swings into this FREE sports comic book in the #10 spot. He may have starred for baseball’s most successful franchise during the spring and summer months. But, Jackson flourished on the baseball field during the fall for not only the New York Yankees, but the Oakland A’s as well.
That’s when he earned his nickname Mr. October.
New York Yankees teammate Thurmon Munson first used the title when questioned during the 1977 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Munson told a reporter to interview Jackson. He referred to the Yankee right fielder’s history of fantastic post-season games and said, “Go ask Mr. October.”
A 1999 Cooperstown Hall of Fame inductee, Reginald Martinez Jackson enjoyed a stellar 21-year Major League Baseball career.
Jackson retired in 1987 as a 14-time All-Star who hit 563 dingers, drove in 1,702 runs and batted .262 with 2,584 total hits.
The 1973 American League MVP also had his number 9 jersey retired in Oakland and his number 44 jersey retired in New York. Pretty great accomplishments, indeed!
A clutch hitting right fielder, Jackson had the ability to perform his best during post-season play.
Mr. October ranks as the only baseball player ever to be named World Series Most Valuable Player for two different teams. Jackson first won the award in 1973 with the Oakland A’s. He won it again in 1977 with the New York Yankees.
Reggie Jackson’s World Series numbers are incredible.
New York Yankees’ fans will never forget this amazing right fielder and his Fall Classic heroics. In 27 overall career World Series appearances, Mr. October belted 10 home runs, drove in 24 runs and batted an impressive .357. It’s no surprise that he even won five world titles. However, in perhaps the greatest offensive performance in World Series history, Jackson hit three consecutive first pitch home runs off of three different Dodger hurlers to lead the Bronx Bombers to victory in the deciding Game 6 of the 1977 World Series.
In a Boys of Summer sport, this Hall of Famer rightfully earned his fitting autumn nickname – Mr. October – as well as his spot at #10 in New York Sports Icons.
If you’re interested in authentic Reggie Jackson or New York Yankees sports memorabilia, click on the logo above.
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MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports!
One of the greatest NHL players ever skates into the #9 spot in New York Sports Icons. He earned his fitting nickname – the Messiah – in the Big Apple in 1994.
The Messiah moniker was a clever adaptation of New York Rangers’ hockey savior Mark Messier’s name.
That’s because New York sports fans attribute the Rangers’ first Stanley Cup Championship in 1994 to a 33-year-old hockey Hall of Famer. Messier boldly led his team to “Hockey’s Promised Land.”
Messier’s lore got its genesis just prior to facing elimination in Game 6 of the 1994 NHL Eastern Conference Finals against the New Jersey Devils. Messier audaciously predicted a Rangers’ victory in the same fashion as Babe Ruth prophesied his “called shot” and Broadway Joe Namath predicted his “Super Bowl III guarantee.” Ensuring that his “prophecy” came to fruition, the Rangers’ long awaited hockey messiah found the back of the net three times in the decisive third period to close out the series.
Messier cemented his legacy as a New York sports legend when the Rangers advanced to defeat the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals. It marked the New York franchise’s first title in its 54 year history. The Messiah’s goal in the second period of Game 7 turned out to be the deciding factor in the Rangers’ victory.
Winning Stanley Cup Trophies was not new to Messier. He remains the only player in NHL history to captain two different teams to championships. The 26-year NHL vet won five titles when he played in his hometown in Alberta, Canada with the Edmonton Oilers.
Also known as Moose because of his strength and aggressiveness on the ice, the rugged Hockey Hall of Famer did more than accumulate team awards.
A 15-time all-star, Messier also won the sport’s highest individual accolades during his lengthy NHL career. He won the Hart Trophy in both 1990 and 1992 as league MVP. He was also awarded the Conn- Smythe Trophy as MVP of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals.
A crowd favorite, Messier pocketed two ESPY awards for Best NHL Player and for Outstanding Performance Under Pressure.
The NHL acknowledged Messier’s storied career by naming one of its annual trophies the Mark Messier Leadership Award. And, Hockey News recognized him as #12 on its list of greatest players ever.
In 2007, the Hockey Hall of Fame inducted the Messiah in his first year of eligibility. The hockey legend’s staggering NHL career statistics guaranteed his spot. The former Ranger and Oiler retired as second all-time in regular season points (1,887), playoff points (295) and regular season games (1,756). Though he may be remembered as one of hockey’s best players to never have won an Olympic medal, Mark Messier will never be forgotten as New York’s hockey Messiah.
Because of his brilliant play and leadership that led the Rangers’ to its first Stanley Cup Championship in 1994, Mark Messier is an easy open net goal at #9 in New York Sports Icons.
If you’re interested in authentic Mark Messier or New York Rangers sports memorabilia, click on the logo above.
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MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports!
Yogi Berra jumps into the #8 spot in New York Sports Icons.
The famously deceased Major League Baseball player, coach and manager spent most of his celebrated career in the Big Apple with the New York Yankees and New York Mets organizations.
Even today, more than 40 years after playing his last game, the beloved Berra is still immediately recognized by a single name.
His mononym – Yogi - is as much synonymous with baseball as it is with ridiculously funny sports quotes.
A childhood friend in St. Louis, MO originally gave baseball great Lawrence Peter Berra his now famous Yogi nickname. He said Berra looked like an Eastern Indian snake charmer. Later, during his 19-year career as a player, New York Yankees great Yogi Berra regularly charmed American baseball fans.
The 15-time Major League Baseball all-star's performance on the baseball field has always marveled baseball fans. From his rookie season in 1949 until his recent passing baseball fans, especially those in New York, have adored Yogi Berra for his excellence as a player as well as his transparency and approachability as a player.
Inducted into Cooperstown in 1972, Yogi Berra may be the game's greatest catcher. A member of baseball's All-Century Team, Berra racked up impressive career totals of 385 home runs, 1,430 runs batted in and a .285 batting average.
Fellow Hall of Famer Mel Ott described Berra by remarking, “He stopped everything behind the plate and hit everything in front of it.”
A three-time American League Most Valuable Player, Yogi Berra also won thirteen World Series Championships with the Yankees. Between 1947 and 1978, he won eleven as a player and two as a coach.
One of baseball's most colorful and irritating trash talkers, Yogi was equally famous for his funny expressions.
Yogi butchered the English language by misusing similar sounding words. He also said some things that didn’t really make sense.
Berra’s expressions or Yogi-isms like, "it ain't over 'til it's over,” “a nickle ain't worth a dime anymore,” “ I really didn't say everything I said," and “baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical,” made him one of the sport’s most endearing players.
Because his expressions form a category of their own, Yogi’s colorful quotes comprise a chapter all of their own in another one of my sports comic books - Favorite Sports Quotes – available on Amazon.
Berra coined some of the funniest and head scratching sports quotes of all-time. So crazy were his remarks, many sports fans wondered if he ever really made the comments attributed to him. “Pair up in threes.”
“The other team could make trouble for us if they win.”
“It’s déjà vu all over again.”
“If you come to a fork in a road, take it.”
“I usually take a two hour nap from one to four.”
“If people don’t want to come to the ballpark, how are you going to stop them?”
“You can observe a lot by watching.”
“Always go to other people’s funerals or they won’t go to yours.”
One of Berra’s most memorable Yogi-isms, "the future ain't what it used to be," is partially correct. When fans look back on #8's career, Yogi’s remarkable playing past and memorably playful nature may never be duplicated by a future Major League Baseball player.
Yogi Berra may have said, “A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.”
No worries.
Reading about my #8 New York Sports Icon won’t cost you a penny.
That’s because it’s FREE. If you’re interested in authentic Yogi Berra or New York Yankees sports memorabilia, click on the logo above.
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MIKE - thee ultimate talking head on sports!
On April 15, 1997 Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig mandated an unprecedented edict. It was never before witnessed in any American professional sport.
Selig ordered all Major League Baseball teams to officially retire the #42 jersey in honor of Brooklyn Dodgers’ great Jackie Robinson.
That’s why former Brooklyn Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson easily slides in at #7 here in New York Sports Icons.
Selig’s historic move recognized Jackie Robinson on the 50th anniversary of his 1947 debut.
On that day Robinson became the first black baseball player in the modern era to cross the color barrier that existed in the sport. Its hard for us to image today, but Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson’s bold, courageous decision to break the color line in 1947 opened the gates for other worthy, yet unfairly discriminated against, black baseball players.
Thanks to Robinson, other talented black baseball players quickly followed and begun playing on other previously all white teams in Major League Baseball.
As a player with the Brooklyn Dodgers, #42’s fortitude also kindled dialogue beyond the baseball diamond when it came to our country’s ugly segregation policies. Many attribute that Robinson’s brazen baseball move of crossing the color barrier helped propel the long overdue and ultimately successful Civil Rights Movement.
Robinson’s heroic and individually spectacular personal life story warrants his inclusion in this book.
The major motion picture 42 released in April 2013 chronicled Robinson’s struggles and success as one of America’s most respected athletes ever.
When he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 as a 28 year-old rookie, #42 overcame significant public scrutiny as well as regular cruel and unnecessary racial abuse. He was the target of ugly taunts, knock- down pitches and hateful insensitivity directed at him because of his skin color.
However, the Dodgers’ tough talking manager Leo Durocher took a firm stand in defense of Robinson. Also, legendary Dodgers shortstop Pee Wee Reece’s comment in support of Jackie Robinson will never be forgotten. While standing with his arm draped around Robinson’s shoulders, Reece said, “You can hate a man for many reasons. Color is not one of them.”
The son of a Georgia sharecropper and a Southern California domestic laborer, Jackie Robinson immediately proved his mettle and demonstrated his athletic excellence. Despite the racial abuse he suffered, Robinson rose above the fray. Instead of fighting back on the low ground, he immediately made an impact on Major League Baseball and quickly became a rising star.
Robinson was voted Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year in 1947. Soon after, he won both the National League batting title and the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949.
Jackie played his entire ten year career with the Brooklyn Dodgers and became a first-time ballot Hall of Fame inductee. Robinson’s career accomplishments included six all-star games, a World Series title in 1955 and impressive lifetime stats of a .311 batting average, 1,518 hits, 137 home runs, 734 runs batted in and 197 steals.
In addition to being selected to Major League Baseball’s All-Century team, Jackie Robinson was named #44 on The Sporting News’ list of top 100 baseball players ever.
After formally hanging up his baseball cleats in 1956, this remarkable athlete added to his legacy as a cultural icon.
Robinson is widely admired and credited for overcoming other barriers beyond the baseball diamond. He broke additional color lines that existed in mainstream America at the time.
ABC Sports hired Jackie Robinson as the first ever black sportscaster ever to cover Major League Baseball.
In the late 50s, Robinson crossed a business barrier and became the first ever black Vice President of a major United States corporation when appointed to the position by Chock full ‘o Nuts Coffee.
Before his death in 1972, Robinson accumulated a never-to-be duplicated resume as a distinguished retired athlete. Besides his Major League Baseball Hall of Fame induction, Robinson chaired the NAACP.
Plus, he received our country’s two single greatest non-sports related individual honors; i.e. the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Medal of Honor. TIME Magazine named Jackie Robinson among the top 100 most influential people of the 20th Century.
TIME Magazine’s ranking not only honored a most worthy athlete, but also a courageous American who helped transition our country away from its ugly discriminatory past.
Few would dispute that Jackie Robinson is not just a New York Sports Icon, but #42 is also a great American hero.
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MIKE - thee ultimate talking head on sports!
Jazz singer George Benson crooned about the neon lights shining bright on Broadway. But, New York’s neon lights were never brighter than when New York Jets QB Joe Namath stole the spotlight during the 1968- 69 NFL season.
Just a short cab drive away from New York City's theatre district, Broadway Joe Namath was the main event at Shea Stadium where the New York Jets played.
Namath talked big, played bigger and lived life even larger. That’s why he steps out on the stage in the #6 spot in New York Sports Icons.
As chronicled in an HBO Sports documentary, Broadway Joe led his underdog New York Jets team to an upset Super Bowl III victory in 1969 over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Miami's famed Orange Bowl. Sherman Puckett, Namath's teammate with the Jets, first called Namath Broadway Joe. Puckett saw how Namath loved the New York nightlife and the attention of the New York press.
Plus, Namath was not shy. He wore an assortment of full length fur coats on the Jets sidelines during games. This all happened before the NFL set specific rules on what NFL players could wear on game days.
In both his personality and appearance, Joe Namath was no member of the New York Jets’ chorus line. He was the highly costumed star and the central figure on his talented NFL team.
And, in New York City, he was the toast of the town. Broadway Joe Namath began forty years ago the path of sports celebrity that today’s modern athletes like LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Kobe Bryant, Eli Manning, Tom Brady and others have followed.
In addition to dominating sports and entertainment headlines off the field, Namath excelled on the turf too. NFL.com rated this two-time AFL MVP and five-time AFL All-Star among the top 100 football players of all time.
Though #12 last laced 'em up on the football field in 1977, Namath's reputation still lingers, especially among New York sports fans.
Since the late 1960s, many Broadway shows have come and gone in New York City. But, the curtain has never fallen on one of sports' most unforgettable celebrities - Broadway Joe Namath.
It should be surprise to see Broadway Joe Namath’s name at #6 on the marquee of New York Sports Icons. If you’re interested in authentic Joe Namath or New York Jets sports memorabilia, click on the Sports Memorabilia logo above.
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MIKE - thee ultimate talking head on sports!
My #5 choice in New York Sports Icons arises from the year 1970 when this basketball legend provided New York Knicks fans with perhaps the most memorable entrance in Big Apple sports history.
Over 40 years later, Knicks fans still vividly recall when an injured Willis Reed limped out of the dark tunnel from his locker room and onto Madison Square Garden’s brightly lit center court.
Many fans can even recite New York Knick radio announcer Marv Albert describing Willis Reed's entrance prior to Game 7 of the NBA Finals. “Now here comes Willis... and the crowd is going wild!”
Despite a torn lower leg muscle, Reed’s courage to play on May 8, 1970 energized Knicks fans and inspired his teammates during Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The Garden erupted early in the game when the hobbled Knicks lefty center scored the game’s first two baskets. Though he did not play much during the remainder of the game, Reed’s heroics helped the New York Knicks defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 113 – 97. That’s when the Knicks captured the franchise’s first ever NBA crown.
That NBA Finals victory capped an incredible year for the under-sized Reed. At 6’9” Reed battled against the league’s much taller opponents like 7-footers’ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain.
During the 1969-70 season, Reed guided the Knicks to their best record in team history. In doing so, he became the first NBA player in league history to be named MVP of the NBA regular season, the NBA All-Star Game and the NBA Finals.
During his entire 11-year career, #19 played in the pivot for only the Knicks. Drafted as the #8 pick in the second round out of Grambling State University, Reed compiled a brilliant NBA resume. When he retired in 1975, his career numbers included 18.7 points per game and 12.9 rebounds per game in 650 total games.
The seven-time NBA all-star repeated as NBA champion in 1973. In that year the Knicks upgraded their roster by adding Jerry Lucas to an already formidable frontcourt and signing Earl “The Pearl” Monroe to pair with Walt “Clyde” Frazier as the NBA’s best backcourt.
Voted as one of the 50 greatest NBA players ever, Reed continued in the game after he officially stopped playing. He coached in both the college and professional ranks at Creighton University and St. John’s University as well as the Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks.
Willis Reed enjoyed his greatest sidelines success when he was appointed Senior Vice President and General Manager of the New Jersey Nets. The NBA Hall of Famer’s front office basketball knowledge was instrumental in helping the Nets advance to the NBA Finals in both 2002 and 2003.
Since Reed’s retirement in 1975, the Knicks’ franchise fortunes have never really flourished again at the same level. However, the muscular lefty remains New York’s most beloved Knick, and the city’s never-to-be-forgotten 1970 NBA Finals hero.
Without a noticeable limp long gone, Willis Reed makes his expected grand entrance into the #5 spot in New York Sports Icons.
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MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports!
Nearly a century ago, baseball fans swooned whenever this Sultan of Swat stepped into the batter’s box.
He steps up to the plate as my #4 selection in New York Sports Icons.
Perhaps the most famous Major League Baseball player ever, George Herman Babe Ruth was for years the sport’s undisputed home run king and most beloved big leaguer.
Vivid recollections of Ruth’s exploits are still enthusiastically told today eight decades after his retirement.
And even though he last played in 1935, Ruth’s impact on the sport has endured. Yankee Stadium, where Babe’s #3 was retired in 1948, is known as “the House that Ruth Built.”
Baseball’s record books catalogue his successes from the 1920s and 1930s as tops in several statistical categories.
Sports collectors long for everything attached to him. To this day, baseball conversations still recall stories about him – fact as well as fiction.
The chubby faced Ruth attracted fans with a big bat, bigger smile and clever, colorful quotes. Ruth was once questioned if his huge 1927 baseball salary, which amounted to more than US President Herbert Hoover’s salary at the time, was too high. Ruth confidently responded, “No, I had a much better year than him!”
During his incredible career, Babe enjoyed much better success than nearly every other major leaguer who played the game during the same period.
As a pitcher, Ruth compiled a 94-46 record and an impressive 2.28 ERA.
As a batter, this Sultan of Swat retired with a lifetime .342 average. He also had a .690 slugging percentage and 714 home runs. His record stood unmatched until Henry Aaron broke it in 1974.
Sports Illustrated named him the greatest athlete of the 20th Century.
The Sporting News recognized Ruth as the greatest baseball player of all time. And, the Associated Press voted this 1927 American League MVP and four-time World Series champion the Athlete of the Century.
Off the field, sports collectors still swing for the fences for this Sultan of Swat’s impressive swag.
A 1927 Babe Ruth bat brought in nearly $600,000. One of Ruth’s button-down New York Yankees road jerseys yielded a staggering $4 million. Babe Ruth’s incredible career blazed a path to his immediate entry into Cooperstown in 1936. No baseball player ever has ruled over pitchers from the batter’s box like this legendary Sultan of Swat.
And for nearly an entire century, no athlete has left as lasting an impression on a sport as Babe Ruth - #4 in New York Sports Icons.
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MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports!
At #3 in New York Sports Icons, former New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter retired in 2014 as one of Major League Baseball’s most admired and respected players ever.
This extraordinary individual will always be remembered for his incredible career in New York as well as for earning two clever and noteworthy nicknames – Captain Clutch and Mr. November.
Historically, Jeter excelled in the post-season. He won five World Series championships and batted an impressive .351. The Yankee shortstop also played in a total of 152 post-season games. During that time, he made 679 plate appearances and collected 191 hits. No wonder why Derek Jeter got the label Captain Clutch. Jeter collected another appropriate nickname as a result of the tragic circumstances surrounding the postponement of the 2001 World Series.
Due to the shocking September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, the Fall Classic between the New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks was delayed. Games were pushed back until late October. The Yankees won Game 4 of the series when Derek Jeter hit a walk-off home run in the 10th inning. This extra-inning game took place for the first time in MLB history during the month of November.
The Yankee Stadium scoreboard recognized Jeter’s historic moment and immediately referred to him as Mr. November. The name stuck.
Over and above his remarkable post-season statistics and his historic November home run, Jeter has served as a terrific role model. After 18 years with the New York Yankees franchise, Jeter is expected to be a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee.
This 1996 American League Rookie of the Year and 2000 World Series Most Valuable Player made 12 All-Star appearances. Mr. November also collected four Silver Slugger Awards and won five Gold Gloves.
Legendary baseball coach Don Zimmer rightfully called Jeter “the all- time Yankee.” Upon his retirement in 2014 season, Jeter ranked as the all-time New York Yankees leader in hits, games played, stolen bases and at bats.
In addition to his amazing baseball exploits, Derek Jeter’s leadership and ever present smile have made him one of the most successful product spokesmen in sports.
Not just baseball fans loved him. But, global brands like Nike, Gillette, Ford, VISA and Gatorade have paid Mr. November plenty to endorse their products - no matter what month of the year it is.
However, my final memory of Derek Jeter in a baseball uniform will be the beautifully odd way a bitter adversary and its fan base sent off one of its hated divisional rivals’ legendary players. It proved just how strong of an impact the Yankee shortstop imparted upon the game
The now officially retired 40 year-old played his last game in pinstripes before a normally raucous and adversarial crowd at Fenway Park.
But, the usually hostile Red Sox Nation showed the Yankees shortstop the same deserving RE2PECT acknowledged in an epic Nike ad as well as the same level of gratitude demonstrated at Yankee Stadium in a fitting send off for the Yankee captain only a week earlier.
Boston’s genuine tipping of the hat to Jeter not only warmed the hearts of every baseball fan on the planet. It also revealed the heart, class and respect of Red Sox Nation, the Yankees’ avowed antagonist that Jeter battled during his entire MLB career.
In a pre-game ceremony, Beantown sports legends Carl Yastzremski, Paul Pierce and Bobby Orr publicly declared their admiration for perhaps Major League Baseball’s most beloved player.
Boston Red Sox management took the Jeter adulation a step higher by donating $22,222,22 to the certain Hall of Famer’s Turn Two Foundation.
Baseball historians will etch in MLB annals Jeter’s .310 career batting average, 3,465 hits and multiple World Series titles.
However, as a lifelong New York Yankees basher, I will choose to remember legendary Mr. November in the same way Boston Red Sox fans did at Fenway Park by earnestly and enthusiastically chanting the name of Captain Clutch – #3 in New York Sports Icons.
Derek Jeter! Derek Jeter! Derek Jeter! Derek Jeter! Derek Jeter! If you’re interested in authentic Derek Jeter or New York Yankees sports memorabilia, click on the Sports Memorabilia logo above.
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MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports!
Overlooking the Harlem River in the South Bronx, a more modern version of its legendary predecessor, Yankee Stadium, rests comfortably in the #2 spot in New York Sports Icons.
Built in 1923, the “House that Ruth Built” or the “Big Ballpark in the Bronx” has literally moved directly across the street from the original structure. Today, the bigger and splashier $1.5B stadium sits proudly on East 161st Street.
The gleaming new structure still evokes awesome memories of the New York Yankees’ glory years.
Winners of 27 World Series Championships, the Bronx Bombers are the most winning franchise in Major League Baseball history. Proving that copying is the highest form of flattery, the new Yankee Stadium closely resembles its predecessor which hosted some of the greatest baseball players ever.
In addition to the original home run king Babe Ruth, the Bronx Bombers’ franchise boasts 34 players and 9 managers elected into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.
Over the years, baseball legends wearing Yankees’ pinstripes have included Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Ron Guidry and, most recently, Derek Jeter.
Such was the success of the franchise that the Yankees have honored a total of 17 former players over the decades. Their retired numbers are displayed in the new stadium’s Monument Park in center field.
It’s no surprise why fans also refer to the park as the “Cathedral of Baseball.” Inside the stadium, the Great Wall located between Gates 4 and 6 showcases Yankees’ history, tradition and memorabilia.
Another stadium highlight is the Yankee Museum Ball Wall which features signatures of former Yankee greats.
The new sustainable Yankee Stadium debuted in 2009. While adhering to a strict green compliance initiative, it was constructed with 11,000 pieces of Indiana limestone, granite and concrete.
Every aspect of the new stadium follows stringent standards to lower carbon footprints. Energy efficient lighting, water saving restrooms and a focus on recycling all materials utilized in the food stalls set the bar for future environmentally friendly sports venues.
The late George Steinbrenner, who bought the New York Yankees in 1973 for $8.8 million, is primarily credited with restoring the fortunes of the franchise. He rebuilt it into one of the most admired and valuable teams in all of sports, transforming a teetering franchise into a sports entertainment powerhouse. Steinbrenner’s vision to erect a new state-of-the-art ballpark has made the Yankees baseball’s most prized franchise. According to Forbes Magazine, the organization’s worth exceeds $1.6B or twice the value as its closest competitor.
The new Yankee showplace seats 49,642 fans for baseball including 4,300 club seats and 68 luxury suites. Surprisingly, its opening was not immediately embraced. Baseball pundits criticized the park, viewing it as a launching pad for the inordinate amount of home runs belted out of its ordinary 318’ LF, 314’ RF and 408’ CF dimensions.
Sportswriter Peter Gammons called the home run happy park one of the biggest jokes in Major League Baseball. Sportscaster Buster Olney mocked that the park’s design was a veritable wind tunnel.
Despite initial criticism and the preponderance of dingers, the HR frenzy abated. Yankee Stadium soon shone brightly as the jewel it was constructed to be among American ballparks.
As a footnote, Yankee Stadium serves as home to more than baseball’s Evil Empire. The new stadium hosted the 2014 NHL Winter Classic and it has served as the permanent venue for the annual December college football Pinstripe Bowl.
The stadium is now the new home of the city’s Major League Soccer franchise the New York City FC.
Sports fans expect that the long tradition of baseball excellence will continue in the South Bronx. They also anticipate that new history will be made in baseball and in other sports, too.
That’s because the tradition rich, awesome atmosphere in which to watch baseball, football, hockey and soccer in a state-of-the-art environmentally friendly ballpark make Yankee Stadium a no brainer at #2 in New York Sports Icons. If you’re interested in authentic Yankee Stadium or New York Yankees sports memorabilia, click on the Sports Memorabilia logo above.
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MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports!
Billed as the “world’s most famous arena,” Madison Square Garden is an easy pick for my #1 spot in New York Sports Icons.
The current multi-purpose facility in midtown Manhattan sits strategically above Penn Station, a vibrant transportation hub with rail access to Amtrak, L.I.R.R. and New Jersey Transit.
However, few sports fans outside of Manhattan know that the current Madison Square Garden, which opened on February 11, 1968, is actually the fourth Madison Square Garden in New York City history.
The original Garden, named after former US President James Madison, debuted in 1874 on New York’s eastside. This first venue was roofless and used for hosting boxing matches. It also featured bicycle races held on its banked oval velodrome. In 1890, a second arena replaced the original structure, this time constructed with a roof. Also located on the city’s eastside, this second Madison Square Garden served as New York’s only indoor sports and entertainment facility.
In 1925, Madison Square Garden’s owner Tex Rickard decided to build another arena several blocks away designed primarily for boxing.
Rickard was a sports entertainment visionary whose intent was to build several Madison Square Gardens across the United States.
However, the 1929 Stock Market Crash thwarted his zealous plans and only the Boston Madison Square Garden would become a part of Rickard’s ambitious expansion plans.
New York’s third Madison Square Garden appeared on 8th Avenue and 49th Street in the city’s Hell’s Kitchen district and thrived until 1968.
Then, the Pennsylvania Railroad opted to tear down its above ground complex on 7th Avenue in midtown Manhattan to make way for what would become the “world’s most famous arena.”
Today’s Madison Square Garden - the fourth – has flourished as the premier sports and entertainment destination in the world. The newest Madison Square Garden’s continuous use prompted a $200 million upgrade in 1991 and a whopping $1 billion complete renovation between 2011 and 2013.
With state-of-the-art features like an in-house broadcast studio, massive LED video displays, plus wider concourses, better lighting and a bevy of food options, today’s newly renovated Garden is poised to carry on its unparalleled tradition.
The larger sports arena in the Garden is home not only to New York professional sports teams like the NBA Knicks, NHL Rangers, WNBA Liberty and the PLL Titans. It also hosts basketball games for the Big East Conference’s Red Storm of St. John’s University. In addition, the Garden’s smaller Theatre Room hosts the annual NFL and NBA Drafts as well as smaller concerts and other special events.
As chronicled in the recently released ESPN 30 for 30 documentary When The Garden Was Eden, this midtown Manhattan sports mecca has hosted some of the finest moments in New York sports’ history.
A few of the celebrated events have included the 1972 and 1994 Stanley Cup Finals, the 1970 and 1973 NBA Finals, Wrestlemania 1985 and two decades of Big East Championship Tournaments.
Professional rodeos, tennis tournaments and indoor track and field championships have also been held here.
Las Vegas has recently become the go-to destination for championship fights. However, with a boxing legacy spanning four buildings and an 82 year history, Madison Square Garden has laid claim to hosting the best pugilists on the planet.
Boxing luminaries like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Bernard Hopkins, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson and Jack Dempsey have all competed for crowns in Madison Square Garden. Even the Brown Bomber Joe Louis fought in the Garden on 12 separate occasions.
The March 8, 1971 “Fight of the Century” was perhaps the Garden’s greatest event. It pitted a 31-0 Muhammad Ali against a 26-0 Joe Frazier. Lasting 15 rounds, the bout exceeded every fan’s expectations. After the judges’ unanimous decision, Frazier was awarded the Heavyweight Championships Belt, much to Ali’s dismay.
Though probably best known for its incredible sporting events, Madison Square Garden also ranks as the third busiest music venue in the world.
A line-up of “who’s who?” musical acts has performed there to include: Elvis, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, The Police’s final show and honorary resident Billy Joel. With more than 320 events per year, the Garden has also hosted the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus and both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.
More than just a legendary sports venue, Madison Square Garden earns its indisputable title as the world’s most famous arena.
That’s why it gets top billing at #1 in New York Sports Icons.
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MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports!
For the few who actually witnessed this player elevate off the asphalt in New York City’s famed Rucker Park during the 1960s, the origin of his Helicopter nickname became immediately apparent.
Herman Helicopter Knowings effortlessly flies into the Bonus Chapter of New York Sports Icons.
Helicopter may be a surprising choice since so few basketball fans outside of New York City ever heard of this incredible athlete.
But, his nickname is certainly clever and fitting.
Herman Knowings hung higher in flight than Michael Jordan ever did and leapt loftier and lingered longer in the air than LeBron James ever could. Herman Helicopter Knowings hovered above all other players he faced on a basketball court. Helicopter plied his trade on the streets of New York City where he became an urban legend.
Unfortunately, few photos of the soaring hoopster in action are available. His basketball lore is primarily passed on through the years by word of mouth.
For example, one time NBA great Bernard King recalled with a smile, “When I was in the ninth grade, I saw Helicopter with my own two eyes pick a quarter off the top of the backboard.”
With a supposed 50” vertical jump, the 6’4” Knowings cultivated his streetball cred on the legendary courts of Rucker Park.
That’s the same park in Harlem where Kevin Durant once dropped 66 points in an unexpected summer league appearance.
Located across the street from the old Polo Grounds at the corner of West 155th Street and 8th Avenue, Rucker Park has long since been considered the mecca of New York City basketball.
It’s also the inspiration for today’s travelling Streetball Tour.
Knowledgeable New York City basketball fans consider Knowings to be the best streetball player of all-time.
However, a few other notable streetballers are routinely mentioned in the same breath as Helicopter.
Earl The Goat Manigault, Richard Pee Wee Kirkland and Joe The Destroyer Hammond earned their reputations as highly entertaining Rucker Park legends on the New York City asphalt courts as well. None of the three played professionally, either.
However, Herman Helicopter Knowings is widely regarded as the best basketball player to NEVER play in the NBA. A 6’4” whirlybird of a player, Knowings frequently appeared suspended over the action taking place below the rim. He effortlessly swiped away any shot attempted in his direction. His incredible shot blocking ability included rejecting three consecutive shots from three different NBA players during a game before a raucous Rucker crowd.
Rucker Park legend maintains that Helicopter once went for a ball fake in the lane and hung in the air so long, the ref was forced to call a three second violation on the play.
This asphalt god from Gotham seemed to breathe the same rarified air of Michael Jordan. He also pre-empted the Human Highlight Reel that Dominique Wilkins was to later become.
Today, Knowings would more than likely be a YouTube sensation or a reality television star.
Sadly, Herman Knowings died in 1980 at the age of just 37. It was ironic that the phenomenon known as the Helicopter would be killed on the ground. He died in a car wreck on the same city streets he so easily flew above while playing the game he loved.
Though not as widely recognized as other choices in this book, the real Rucker Park hero Herman The Helicopter Knowings is not an urban myth.
He’s a most deserving bonus pick for New York Sports Icons.
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MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! Thank you for downloading this FREE MIKE sports comic book.
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FREE sports comic books can be safely downloaded at no charge by clicking on the cover images of books on the following pages.
You will be directed to the www.theemike.com web site where you can safely download PDFs of the FREE books. Click on yellow cover above to safely download FREE MIKE Sports Comic Books from the www.theemike.com web site. Click on purple cover above to safely download FREE MIKE Sports Comic Books from the www.theemike.com web site. MIKE on Sports! Podcast
Click on the yellow cover to listen and subscribe to MIKE on Sports!
The podcast is for every American sports fan - especially those who like to laugh or learn something unique about sports. It's loaded with clever quips and fun sports stuff you should know that ESPN and other sports networks fail to report.
MIKE on Sports! offers great sports humor, short sports stories and interesting sports history that never really grab the headlines. Meet the MIKE Makers, Jim and Maura Sweeney, as well as the other contributors to this unique sports property. Jim Sweeney – Author
Born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey, Jim grew up with a passion for sports and fun. Participating in baseball, basketball, swimming, soccer and street hockey as a kid, Jim wound up playing basketball at Boston College where he captained the Eagles from 1977 – 1980 and received the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the nation’s top NCAA basketball under six feet tall.
After a 20-year-career in sales, Jim closed the computer agency he founded to pursue a fun career in sports entertainment. Jim developed MIKE as an alter-ego sports personality and has penned dozens of sports comic books under the MIKE name.
Jim also blogs regularly on national sports sites under the MIKE name and has launched the popular podcast - MIKE on Sports!
Now in his fifties and living on the West Coast of Florida, Jim continues to play basketball regularly and always finds time for fun.
Jim serves as the Head of USA for FIMBA – Federation of International Masters Basketball Association.
Sweeney is also a three time World Masters Basketball Champion and a seven time USA Masters Basketball Champion. http://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdsweeney Maura Sweeney – Publisher
A successful podcaster, Huffington Post contributor and public speaker, Maura became the driving force in encouraging her husband out of a highly successful business and into the pursuit of his dream – to create MIKE into the sports world’s ultimate talking head.
Maura is MIKE’s co-creator and publisher.
For more on Maura – http://www.maura4u.com Alex Salsberg - Illustrator
Cartoonist Alex Salsberg is the man behind Poke Gravy Studios in Boston. An ardent New England Patriots fan, Alex has created animation and illustration for many clients including Nickelodeon and National Lampoon.
Alex has drawn the cover and most of the artwork in the book. His work can be seen at www.PokeGravy.com. In addition to blogs, books and a popular podcast, MIKE is expected to be seen and heard on television, the web, radio and Jumbotrons.
MIKE is a registered Trademark. MIKE and all the artwork in this book are the property of New Vision Entertainment, LLC.
Special thanks to these MIKE contributors:
Kevin Riley – Animator Greg Stauffer – Studio Production Dave Rittenhouse – Studio Production Amy O’Hara-Cusick – Legal