Cast your vote... best Montana Sports Moment

[Blgs Griz Fan]

It's not about boxing and not about the Orioles. It is about a Montana athlete that had a positive effect on his sport at the highest level. Dave McNalley without a doubt had the best sports moment (s) in Montana.

 

[Brock Landers]

It's not about boxing and not about the Orioles. It is about a Montana athlete that had a positive effect on his sport at the highest level. Dave McNalley without a doubt had the best sports moment (s) in Montana.

Well you could say that Eric Bergoust had a positive effect on his sport at the highest level in the world

 

[Blgs Griz Fan]

Bergoust may well have but McNalley definitely did. I believe you can find the ball Dave, a pitcher, hit for a grand slam home run in the World Series in the Baseball Hall of Fame. McNalley was probably the best athlete of his high school class. He was encouraged to concentrate on baseball and not other sports because of his pitching talent.
That being said, I have met Dave and talked with Dave. I know he was one of the nicest most grounded people around.

 

[cclarkblues]

Bergoust may well have but McNalley definitely did. I believe you can find the ball Dave, a pitcher, hit for a grand slam home run in the World Series in the Baseball Hall of Fame. McNalley was probably the best athlete of his high school class. He was encouraged to concentrate on baseball and not other sports because of his pitching talent.
That being said, I have met Dave and talked with Dave. I know he was one of the nicest most grounded people around.

His cousin Rand was an awful athlete. Hung out all the time making maps.

 

[OldtiredGRiz]

Bergoust may well have but McNalley definitely did. I believe you can find the ball Dave, a pitcher, hit for a grand slam home run in the World Series in the Baseball Hall of Fame. McNalley was probably the best athlete of his high school class. He was encouraged to concentrate on baseball and not other sports because of his pitching talent.
That being said, I have met Dave and talked with Dave. I know he was one of the nicest most grounded people around.

The ball and the bat McNally used are indeed in the MLB Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. I looked at them when I was there with my son in 2006. McNally was one of my childhood heroes, so it was a big moment for me to see the display; my son (11 at the time) was far more interested in the big names -- Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, etc -- but even he showed some quiet reverence as I told him about Dave McNally. McNally is also a member of a record setting pitching staff that will likely never be matched -- four 20-game winners in 1971. McNally, Palmer, Cuellar and Dobson. For those reasons and the childhood memories that Mr. McNally gave me, he gets my vote.

 

[griz71]

if dave mcnally and his 1966 orioles don't win it would be an insult to the sports intellect of montanans.
he should be listed twice.

he pitched game 3 of the 1970 world series and went the full nine innings. he also hit a grand slam home run in that game to put baltimore up 3 games to none. as listed he also pitched a complete game, 4-hit 1-0 shutout in game 4 of the 1966 series against don drysdale to sweep the dodgers.

NOW THAT IS IMPRESSSIVE!!!! :clap: :thumb:

 

[AllWeatherFan]

That was one of the WORST title fights in the history of the sport. Thousands of empty seats, thousands of dollars lost by promoters. Could have been the greatest sporting event but Montanans completely dropped the ball by not even showing up.

Yes, they clearly should have held the fight in Plentywood.

 

[getgrizzy]

in the six years from 1966 to 1971 mcnally went 107-44 with four 20-win season and four trips to the world series winning two (l.a. and cinc.) and losing two (n.y. mets and pitts.). he had 1.95 era in '68 and won 24 games in '70.

balt. lost the '71 series to pittsburgh, but mcnally was 2-1 with a 1.98 era. he was 4-2 in world series games overall with a 2.34 era. vs. pittsburgh he started and won game 1 and started and lost game 4 when nelson briles 2-hit the orioles in 4-0 shutout. he got out of a bases loaded jam in relief in the top of the tenth in game 6 to collect his second win.

 

[Spanky]

....and the best thing about Dave was he was a true gentleman without an ego.

 

[Blgs Griz Fan]

Spanky, you're absolutely right about that. Dave McNalley was agreat competitor but he was also a true gentleman.
Billings Legion program had a pitching coach named Ed Bayne and he taught them how to pitch, to compete, to win, and to be gentlemen. Eddie Bayne is a legend in Billings.
McNalley should win this one.

 

[GrizLA]

The Montana athletes that stand out to me are both from Butte....both skaters..both represented the US in the Olympics, both were national champions....Sylvia White and I just cannot remember the other girl's name..Maureen, something...I remember how proud I was to see them marching and the announcer saying that both came from "the richest hill on earth"....a nice moment for two nice kids from Butte Hi..

 

[GrizLA]

Bergoust may well have but McNalley definitely did. I believe you can find the ball Dave, a pitcher, hit for a grand slam home run in the World Series in the Baseball Hall of Fame. McNalley was probably the best athlete of his high school class. He was encouraged to concentrate on baseball and not other sports because of his pitching talent.
That being said, I have met Dave and talked with Dave. I know he was one of the nicest most grounded people around.

The ball and the bat McNally used are indeed in the MLB Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. I looked at them when I was there with my son in 2006. McNally was one of my childhood heroes, so it was a big moment for me to see the display; my son (11 at the time) was far more interested in the big names -- Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, etc -- but even he showed some quiet reverence as I told him about Dave McNally. McNally is also a member of a record setting pitching staff that will likely never be matched -- four 20-game winners in 1971. McNally, Palmer, Cuellar and Dobson. For those reasons and the childhood memories that Mr. McNally gave me, he gets my vote.

True. But what does that have to do with Montana sports?

 

[getgrizzy]

Bergoust may well have but McNalley definitely did. I believe you can find the ball Dave, a pitcher, hit for a grand slam home run in the World Series in the Baseball Hall of Fame. McNalley was probably the best athlete of his high school class. He was encouraged to concentrate on baseball and not other sports because of his pitching talent.
That being said, I have met Dave and talked with Dave. I know he was one of the nicest most grounded people around.

The ball and the bat McNally used are indeed in the MLB Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. I looked at them when I was there with my son in 2006. McNally was one of my childhood heroes, so it was a big moment for me to see the display; my son (11 at the time) was far more interested in the big names -- Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, etc -- but even he showed some quiet reverence as I told him about Dave McNally. McNally is also a member of a record setting pitching staff that will likely never be matched -- four 20-game winners in 1971. McNally, Palmer, Cuellar and Dobson. For those reasons and the childhood memories that Mr. McNally gave me, he gets my vote.

True. But what does that have to do with Montana sports?

mcnally was from montana. are you saying that since it didn't occur in the boundaries of montana that it doesn't have anything to do with montana?

 

[OldtiredGRiz]

Bergoust may well have but McNalley definitely did. I believe you can find the ball Dave, a pitcher, hit for a grand slam home run in the World Series in the Baseball Hall of Fame. McNalley was probably the best athlete of his high school class. He was encouraged to concentrate on baseball and not other sports because of his pitching talent.
That being said, I have met Dave and talked with Dave. I know he was one of the nicest most grounded people around.

The ball and the bat McNally used are indeed in the MLB Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. I looked at them when I was there with my son in 2006. McNally was one of my childhood heroes, so it was a big moment for me to see the display; my son (11 at the time) was far more interested in the big names -- Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, etc -- but even he showed some quiet reverence as I told him about Dave McNally. McNally is also a member of a record setting pitching staff that will likely never be matched -- four 20-game winners in 1971. McNally, Palmer, Cuellar and Dobson. For those reasons and the childhood memories that Mr. McNally gave me, he gets my vote.

True. But what does that have to do with Montana sports?

It is exactly the same situation that you posted about regarding the two figure skaters from Butte -- native Montanans performing on a national stage. McNally from Billings, the figure skaters from Butte; in both cases, you have athletes from Montana competing in a venue outside the State of Montana. However, I would still argue that it is a Montana sports moment, just as with the figure skaters and the Billings Little League team, because the persons involved are Montanans. The skaters marching in is a moment, so to select one moment, I will take McNally hitting the grand slam in the World Series game -- no other pitcher has done that and the ball and bat are in the Hall of Fame.

 

[Spanky]

I knew Eddie Bayne who built a powerhouse program in Billings. Dave was his greatest, in my view, but there were others.

 

[Blgs Griz Fan]

One last thing. Dave returned to Montana and to Billings after his retirement. He bought a business, was an outstanding member of the community and helped with the area kids. That is not to say others on the list have doen similar things. It is just to show why McNalley should get the votes to win.

 

[Hammer]

The Montana athletes that stand out to me are both from Butte....both skaters..both represented the US in the Olympics, both were national champions....Sylvia White and I just cannot remember the other girl's name..Maureen, something...I remember how proud I was to see them marching and the announcer saying that both came from "the richest hill on earth"....a nice moment for two nice kids from Butte Hi..

Yes Sylvia is Martin White's sister. Former gov Judy Martz was a skater with that group as well.

 

[BelierPeaux]

That was one of the WORST title fights in the history of the sport. Thousands of empty seats, thousands of dollars lost by promoters. Could have been the greatest sporting event but Montanans completely dropped the ball by not even showing up.

Yes, they clearly should have held the fight in Plentywood.

There was definitely more to the flop than that. A lot of the blame was on Dempsey for not committing early enough and as a result the people that were supposed to book trains to Shelby and fill the stands didn't show, amongst other things. There were plenty of people that wanted in but were shut out. They wound up busting the gates to get in. That is if what I recall reading a while back is accurate.

 

[Spanky]

Blgs Griz Fan....after Dave returned, frequently he would play tennis with my son at the racquet club. After playing, they would sit and talk. Dave would take his world series ring off and let my son wear it during their visits. Usually, the conversations were about tennis..not baseball.

 

[WaGriz4life]

One last thing. Dave returned to Montana and to Billings after his retirement. He bought a business, was an outstanding member of the community and helped with the area kids. That is not to say others on the list have doen similar things. It is just to show why McNalley should get the votes to win.

+1. The whole McNally family is class