Bottom of the Bird Cage 6/10

It’s the 161st day of the year.

It was on June 10, 1829 the first boat race between Oxford and Cambridge was held. The eight-man crews from the colleges have now met every year since 1856 with the exception of two World Wars. They row each spring on the Thames with over 250,000 people watching live and a reported 7 to 9 million watching on television. Oxford won the 2009 race.

It was on June 10, 1854 that the first graduates were honored at the U.S. Naval Academy.

And it was on June 10, 1944 that Joe Nuxhall (left) pitched two-thirds of an inning for the Cincinnati Reds in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. At the time, Nuxhall was just 15 years and 316 days old, making him the youngest person to play in the major leagues in modern baseball history.

Nuxhall was so young that the Reds had to get permission from his high school principal so that he could play that spring. World War II had depleted the pool of available players and Reds scouts were initially interested in signing Nuxhall’s father Orville. When he turned down that chance, they signed his son instead.

That first appearance was not a good one for Nuxhall. Down 13-0 to the Cardinals, the Reds went with the youngster and he had five walks, allowed two hits, threw a wild pitch and gave up five runs. After the game, he was sent down to the Southern League to play with the Birmingham Barons.

He wouldn’t get back to the majors for several years, but he played for 16 seasons in the major leagues, including spending the 1961 season with the Kansas City Athletics. Nuxhall finished his career with a 135-117 record and a career ERA of 3.90.

Once he retired, Nuxhall went into the Reds broadcasting booth and stayed there for three decades. He passed away in 2007 at the age of 79.

From the New York Times: As a defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo knew how devastating a pass rush could be when he designed the one the Giants used to end a perfect season and achieve one of the greatest Super Bowl upsets. So it was no surprise that when Spagnuolo began his head coaching career this year, his new team — the St. Louis Rams — drafted an offensive tackle.

Spagnuolo learned from bruising National Football Conference East battles with the Giants and the Eagles that big men win games, and that the only way to stop the big players racing toward the quarterback was to get even bigger players with quick hands and nimble feet to block them. The stunning results against the Patriots in the Super Bowl two years ago proved the point.

“When the Giants beat the Patriots, that game was a wake-up call for the league,” said Eric DeCosta, the Ravens’ player personnel director. “The Giants had such a fearsome pass rush, it wore New England down. Teams saw that and realized that if you can’t protect your quarterback, you have no chance to win.”

MORE

I’m not sure there’s a new importance being placed on offensive tackles in the league because of the Giants victory over the Patriots. I think it’s always been a priority with good football people. Left tackle, pass rusher off the edge, quarterback, cover corner … those are the key positions in football and have been for decades.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:  The Steelers’ Super Bowl ring keeps getting bigger, and Joe Greene, who picked up his sixth last night, could not decide which he likes more. You have six kids, you love them all equally. “There is no best,” Greene said.

The latest, which weighs in at 3.7 ounces and contains 63 diamonds that go 3.61 carats, is Greene’s and the Steelers’ biggest, by far, dwarfing their ring from Super Bowl XL. Counting all the diamonds, it was another whiteout night across town in Pittsburgh. “It is a beautiful ring,” said Greene, who earned four as a Hall of Fame defensive tackle for the Steelers and two more as a scout. “Beautiful, beautiful ring.”

Greene is one of five club employees who have earned six rings, including Dan Rooney and scout Bill Nunn. At one time, 22 players owned four Super Bowl rings, earned over six seasons in the 1970s.

Last night, the two-ring club of modern Steelers numbered 28 members, including linebacker Larry Foote. After the Steelers granted his wish to be released so he could sign with his hometown Detroit Lions, Foote rejoined them for one final time for their ring ceremony inside Heinz Field’s East Club Lounge. He skipped their White House visit May 21, but said there was no way he would miss this trip.

MORE

To the winner go the spoils. Check out Thursday’s Cup O’Chiefs for a look at the ring. To call it gaudy doesn’t do it justice. But then the Steelers don’t care, because it’s a Super Bowl ring and they are the only people getting one this year.

From the Associated Press: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Seahawks coach Jim Mora are ready for a big trek — up Mount Rainier. Mountaineering great Ed Viesturs will lead the climb up the 14,411-foot peak July 5. The group hopes to plant a flag at the summit three days later. The climb is to benefit the United Way of King County, Washington.

Also to make the climb behind Viesturs, who has summited all 14 of the world’s 26,000-plus-foot peaks without supplemental oxygen, are Seahawks chief executive officer Tod Leiweke, Jon Fine, president and CEO of United Way of King County, and climbing guide Peter Whittaker, among others.

The National Park Service says Mount Rainier is the most heavily glaciered peak in the contiguous United States. Reaching the summit requires a vertical elevation gain of more than 9,000 feet over a distance of eight or more miles. Thousands of climbers reach the summit each year. Some have perished in accidents such as falling into icy crevasses.

MORE

While Mt. Ranier is not the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states, it may be the most dangerous because of snow and glacial conditions and the steepness of the climb. It’s not like climbing Everest, but if Goodell and Mora reach the summit it will be a helluva accomplishment.