As expected, it's all Michael all the time around here these days. With so much bling around his neck, the Incredible Phelps looms now as the most accomplished - if not the greatest - athlete to ever come out of Maryland, and if medals are the measure, he's the greatest Olympian ever. Someday, in Baltimore, there will be a new aquatic center named for him - hopefully in the lower level of the new downtown arena - with a magnificent, life-size bronze of MP in Speedo at the entrance.
We should all savor this for as long as possible.
The Incredible Phelps has brightened a kind of schlumpy year around here, and everywhere else.
Thank you, MP.
But, while all eyes of the world are focused on Phelps' success in Beijing, I need to point ahead to the silver anniversary of another sports feat that, while certainly not on the level of Phelps' performance in the Olympics, deserves our attention and brightens our memories. I mention this today so that, by next Sunday, we can at least get a cake and a few balloons ordered.
It was Aug. 24, 1983, when Tippy Martinez, then a relief pitcher for the Orioles, picked three runners off base - in one inning.
Among my friends around town, this stands as one of the greatest sports stories of all time, and it happened at Memorial Stadium in a season - unfortunately, the last of its kind in these parts - that ended with the Orioles winning the World Series.
I don't know if the 2008 Orioles of Camden Yards are planning a 25th-anniversary commemoration of this specific feat - they're home against the Yankees next Sunday - but they ought to. There's got to be video of Tippy's trifecta somewhere; a tribute on the big screen would seem appropriate.
Here's what happened: The Orioles were playing the Blue Jays on 33rd Street. The home team was losing, 4-3, in the top of the 10th inning when Martinez, a lefty, arrived in relief. Strange things had happened in the game. The manager, Joe Altobelli, had made a bunch of moves and Lenn Sakata, an infielder, ended up catching, something he hadn't done since Little League. That's an important part of the story.
The Blue Jays' base runners were, of course, cocky. Martinez was not known for a particularly strong move to first, and Sakata later said he had trouble seeing through the catcher's mask. The Toronto player on first, Barry Bonnell, had hit a single off the previous Orioles pitcher and was eager to steal. But Martinez nailed him with a throw to the Orioles' first baseman, Eddie Murray.
