STARTING FIVE

apropos of nothing: Will Rogers’ first tweet: “I never meta man I didn’t like.”

1. Wintour is Coming

The Costume Institute Gala, a.k.a., The Met Gala, took place last night at New York City’s top spot to play hide-and-go-seek, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its other pseudonym? The “Taylor Swift Awkwardly Encounters an Ex-Boyfriend or Two” Gala.

As mentioned here last year, it’s the second leg of the East Coast Celebutante Triple Crown (White House Correspondents’ Dinner, last Sat; Robin Hood Foundation Gala, next Monday). This list of the “Top 100 Events in the United States” is pretty cool –even if DragonCon failed to make the list.

2. “Everywhere in the World They Hurt Little Girls”

Timely words from Cersei, the latest Lannister to belatedly flash an empathetic side, as she corrects Prince Oberyn. Sunday’s Game Of Thrones was, as Andy Greenwald brilliantly writes in his Grantland recap, Cersei’s showcase. She’s the keeper of the hearth, the one we’ll always find in the Red Keep trying to manage both her own yearnings and the family’s elusive grasp of power.

And now she and Margaery have something in common: a dead king husband whom they never wanted to share a bed with.

Speaking of which, how poignant that those words flowed from her mouth in the midst of the Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria, where it’ll take more than just one Liam Neeson to settle the score.

3. Samardizija Melancholia

Cub ace Jeff Samardzija, making his seventh start of the season, goes nine innings, allows three hits and one unearned run, scores the Cubs’ lone run, and gets…a no decision. The cross-town rival White Sox won in 12 innings.

Samardzija now has the second-lowest ERA in baseball (1.62, behind only Johnny Cueto of the Reds), but remains winless. He’s the first pitcher since at least the 19th century to pitch seven starts to begin a season, give up three or fewer runs in each start, and still be winless.

Meanwhile, Jean Machi, a middle reliever for the San Francisco Giants, is 5-0 despite having pitched a total of 17 innings–with no starts.

4. The World’s Most Famous Ariza

Washington Wizard forward Trevor Ariza goes six-for-six from beyond the arc as the Wiz win their first second-round playoff contest since 1982, 102-96, at Indiana. Roy Hibbert, again (!), had zero points and zero rebounds. It’s as if he’s begging to be inducted into Club Trillion.

5. The World’s Most Famous Arenado

Nolan Arenado, third baseman for the scorching hot Colorado Rockies, who has a 25-game hit streak. No, I’d never heard of him, either. And he’s not even the hottest Rocky: shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is batting .846 at Coors Field with runners in scoring position, which is just nutty.

 

 

The Hall

Charter Inductees: Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner 1937:  Tris Speaker, CF; Cy Young, P ; 1938: Grover Cleveland Alexander, P; Eddie Collins, 2B 1939:Nap Lajoie, 2B; Joe Jackson, LF; 1940: Billy Hamilton, OF; Cap Anson, 1B; 1941: Wee Willie Keeler, RF; George Sisler, 1B; 1942: Rogers Hornsby, 2B; Pie Traynor, 3B; 1943: Mickey Cochrane, C; Frankie Frisch, 2B 1944: Ed Walsh, P; Old Hoss Radbourn, P 1945: Lou Gehrig, 1B; Kid Nichols, P 1946: Ed Delahanty, LF; Lefty O’Doul 1947: Pud Galvin, P; John McGraw, INF 1948: Carl Hubbell, P; Addie Joss, P 1949: Harry Heilman, OF/1B; Monte Ward, P/SS 1950: Cool Papa Bell, CF; Jimmie Foxx, 1B 1951: Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown, P; Josh Gibson, C 1952: Paul Waner, RF; Charlie Gehringer, 2B 1953: Mel Ott, RF; Hank Greenberg, 1B 1954: Eddie Plank, P; Dan Brouthers, 1B 1955: “Wahoo” Sam Crawford, OF; John Clarkson, P 1956: Chief Bender, P; Bill Dickey, C 1957: Sam Rice, RF; Joe DiMaggio, CF 1958: Bill Terry, 1B; Heinie Manush, LF 1959: Dizzy Dean, P; Tim Keefe, P 1960: Gabby Hartnett, C; Mickey Welch, P 1961: Bob Feller, P; Ducky Medwick, LF 1962: Luke Appling, SS; Jesse Burkett, LF 1963 Jackie Robinson, 2B; Zack Wheat, LF 1964: Jake Beckley, 1B; Rube Waddell, P 1965: Ralph Kiner, 1B; Lefty Grove, P

1966: Ted Williams, LF; Smoky Joe Wood, P/OF 1967: Roy Campanella, C; Max Carey, OF 1968: Goose Goslin, LF; Rabbit Maranville, SS 1969: Stan Musial, 1B/OF 1970: Ferris Fain, 1B; Earle Combs, CF 1971: Warren Spahn, P; Yogi Berra, C 1972 Satchel Paige, P; Sandy Koufax, P 1973: Robin Roberts, P; Whitey Ford, P 1974: Mickey Mantle, CF; Eddie Mathews, 3B 1975: Lefty Gomez, P; Hack Wilson, CF 1976: Jack Pfiester, P; Johnny Mize, 1B 1977: Ernie Banks, SS; Mickey Welch, P 1978: Roberto Clemente, RF; Chuck Klein, RF 1979: Willie Mays, CF; Luis Aparicio,  SS 1980: Al Kaline, RF; Enos Slaughter, RF 1981: Bob Gibson, P; Harmon Killebrew, 1B 1982: Hank Aaron, RF; Frank Robinson, OF 1983: Brooks Robinson, 3B, Juan Marichal, P 1984: Hoyt Wilhelm, P; Arky Vaughan, SS 1985: Lou Brock, LF; Pete Browning, OF 1986: Sidd Finch, P 1987: Willie McCovey, 1B, Roger Maris, RF 1988: Willie Stargell, 1B, Catfish Hunter, P 1989: Earl Averill, CF, Billy Williams, LF 1990: Johnny Bench, C, Carl Yastrzemski, LF 1991: Jim Palmer, P, Joe Morgan, 2B 1992: Rod Carew, 2B; Gaylord Perry, P 1993: Reggie Jackson, RF, Tom Seaver, P 1994: Phil Niekro, P, Rollie Fingers, P 1995: Pete Rose, INF, Mike Schmidt, 3B 1996: Steve Carlton, P, Denny McLain, P 1997: Jim Rice, LF, Don Sutton, P 1998: Dick Allen, 1B, Dave Parker, RF 1999: Nolan Ryan, P, George Brett, 3B 2000: Robin Yount, SS, Carlton Fisk, C 2001: Kirby Puckett, CF, Mark Fidrych, P 2002: Ozzie Smith, SS, Gary Carter, C 2003: Eddie Murray, 1B, Tommy John (Surgery) 2004: Paul Molitor, INF, Dennis Eckersley, P 2005: Wade Boggs, 3B, Ryne Sandberg, 2B 2006: Hughie Jennings, SS, Herman Long, SS 2007: Cal Ripken, Jr, SS, Tony Gwynn, RF 2008: Tanner Boyle, SS, Crash Davis, C 2009: Rickey Henderson, LF, Duke Snider, CF

2010:

Lee Smith, P; 1980-1997, Cubs, 7 others

Though the 6’6″ Smith was the first reliever to record 400 career saves and held the all-time Saves record from 1993 until 2006, he is not in the Hall of Fame, while Goose Gossage and Bruce Sutter are. That’s weird. Smith, a seven-time All-Star, retired with 478 saves, which is third all-time.

Garry Maddox, CF; 1972-1986, Phillies

“Two-thirds of the Earth is covered by water; the other one-third is covered by Garry Maddox. That quote, coined by reporter Ray Didinger, belongs in its own Hall of Fame. Maddox was an eight-time Gold Glove winner in centerfield for the Phils. While not a slugger, he stroked 337 doubles and 62 triples in his career. Served in Vietnam from 1968-70, where chemical exposure left his skin highly sensitive, hence the beard.