When You Know, You Know

I consider the 1970s to be when I came of age. I got married, had our first born, and was at seminal sporting events that could remain the envy of anyone. Will list the sporting events, in no particular order, although the photo at the right gives away my ranking, or at least a tie for first, if you can recognize the fighters and place the date. And the outcome.

•1972: Stanley Cup finals at Madison Square Garden. No, the Rangers didn't win, Boston did, 4 games to 2. But, I did get to see the Cup paraded around MSG ice by Boston. The Cup is very shiny. Just the wrong team was holding it.

•1973,1977,1978: At Belmont for each of the '70s Triple Crown Races. Been going to the track since the Belmont Stakes of 1968 won by Stage Door Johnny. And continuing with that tradition of attendance, made sure to attend every Belmont Stakes—at least until the management at NYRA invokes a complete reserved seat basis for anyone who wanted to sit on anything other than a toilet seat.

The most exciting of the three Triple Crowns, and probably a first place tie for the pictured sporting event above, was Secretariat's devastating margin of victory in winning the race and the final time. When I look up from this desktop computer in my home office, I see the large black and white photo I have of Ron Turcotte looking at the tote board and his posted time as he glides to victory, nearly a 1/16th of a mile (110 yards) over the second place horse.

The victory is so historic that they've put up a "Secretariat Pole" in blue and white colors of Meadow Stable, at the spot where the second place horse, Twice Worthy, was when Big Red crossed the finish line. That is unprecedented.

I keep the chart of that race framed, as well as a photo a friend of the track photographer, Bob Coglianese, took that shows Secretariat, all alone rounding the far turn as he begins to achieve what will be a 31-length lead. It's a fantastic photo I picked up in a store on Broadway in Saratoga Springs. Bob's son Adam, now the track photographer, told me it was taken by a friend of his father.

The photo is so outstanding because at that point there are no other horses in view. It looks like a workout, except the rider is wearing the silks of Meadow Stable. 

When Affirmed beat Alydar for the third time with a margin of victory that was photo finish close, I uttered what were prophetic words: "It will be a long time before you ever see that again."

I was right in that it took getting to 2015 when American Pharoah did the trick and won the Triple Crown, dramatically, but nowhere near as dramatically as Affirmed. I had long since stopped going to Belmonts by then.

Seattle Slew's 1977 Belmont kept his unlikely unbeaten streak alive. I was not a fan of Seattle Slew, thinking he was more lucky than good, but he proved a durable horse, racing as a 4-year-old, as did Affirmed, and easily got into the Hall of Fame. Triple crown winners will always make the Hall of Fame.

When you go into Saratoga the back way through Henning Road to take advantage of free parking, there are signs, markers, along the dusty road for each Triple Crown winner. You might park near Citation's marker adjacent to the Oklahoma training track, or some other winner. Sir Barton's marker is the first, as it should be.

•!971: Ali/Frazier I is pictured above. I was there with three $20 tickets, last row of the Blue Seats, as high up as you can go, received in the mail directly from Madison Square Garden box office.

I've written about this before, but will emphasize that it was the hardest ticket in town to get, and I had three. My friend from work and my father were with me.

Apocryphal, or not, I heard that the bibulous, cigar waving, hat wearing, full of shit boxing writer Bert Sugar didn't even have a ticket. Mayor Lindsay was in perhaps the 20th row on the floor. Sinatra and Burt Lancaster patrolled ringside, Sinatra with his Nikon acting like Sports Illustrated photographer Neil Leifer. As the ring announcer Johnny Addie proclaimed, "Everyone is here." I was too.

Rahaman Ali has passed away at 82, Who Hung Up His Gloves to Help a Brother Become 'the Greatest.' the NYT obit of August 5th tells us.

It's a six column obit, not spanning many column inches, with one picture of Rahaman with Ali at the "Thrilla in Manilla" fight against Joe Frazier.

I read what is a perfunctory obit by Alex Taub awaiting to read what I know about Rahaman Ali's fighting. Taub tells us Rahaman won his first fight on the same card as when Ali beat Liston for the heavyweight championship in Lewiston, Maine. 

Rahaman went on "to earn a middling record of 10 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw. Rahaman retired in 1972." [Boxing Record has him winning 14, 7 by KOs, 3 losses and one draw. Boxing records are very slippery.] So what's missing?

I know from my reviewing the fight program from that night that I have many copies of, Ken Norton of San Diego, California was on the card of Ali/Frazier I, but was substituted for another fighter.

What's missing is that Rahaman fought on the same card as Ali/Frazier I on March 8, 1971, a Monday night against Danny McAlinden, a 6-round loss on points.

This did not make it into the obit. Neither Alex Traub, or his editor William McDonald, knew this. They missed it.

When you know, you know    

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