Memorial Day 2023

  When you don’t have a hard deadline, there can be some time for yourself. This weekend, with the weather so gorgeous in New Jersey, free time led the completion of some home projects, a walk around the Duke Farms preserve, a 50th anniversary party with a Springsteen tribute band and a lot of barbecuing by ourselves or with friends. A couple of phone calls with friends to catch up on their lives. I even found time for a long needed nap on Memorial Day. 

Yes, it was Memorial Day weekend. The unofficial start to the summer season for the Jersey Shore. The local streets around Union and Morris Counties were devoid of significant traffic. People seemed to be relaxing and, I hope, having fun. 

Memorial Day has always had much meaning to me. My father was a World War II veteran. I knew of those who lost their lives fighting against enemies who wanted to conquer the world. I also knew some who perished in Vietnam. 

In Highland Park, where I lived for much of my first 27 years, there was always a parade which originated in New Brunswick, crossed the bridge over the Raritan River, proceeded up the hill and ended at the World War I monument at the V intersection of Woodbridge Avenue and Route 27. There were the high school bands from both municipalities, tanks, military men, kids—a cornucopia of life in my little neck of the woods. My father would buy a poppy from a V.F.W. person to place on his visor—a salute to those who didn’t come home. 

This was a solemn holiday, unlike the fireworks and festivities of the Fourth of July. The President would travel to Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was a time for reflection and remembrance. 

To me, it was highly ironic that near this Memorial Day, the head of the Oath Keepers, an Ivy League-educated man, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his heinous role in the January 6th storming of the U.S. Capitol. His seditious conduct, and that of those who followed him and who are under suspicion for their roles in abetting the riot, are a sad part of history which shows that some have shunted asidethe basic freedoms which those who are honored on this weekend sought to save. 

I am not going to say that living a fun lifestyle on Memorial Day is sacrilegious. Hardly. As long as we continue to remember what this day stands for.

In sports, Memorial Day meant it was a measuring stick for how MLB teams were faring. It used to be a day when doubleheaders ruled and large crowds filled the stadiums. I went to a Memorial Day twin bill when the Yankees hosted the Washington Senators. New York was in its decline and the Senators always stunk. 

Yet the crowd was festive. Taps was played to honor the fallen. It was a celebration of what this country stood for. 

Now, there are no more single-admission doubleheaders on any of the holidays. The profits the clubs used to make can be recouped in single games, and the TV networks would have major issues trying to accommodate a full day of baseball. 

Look at the Yankees. San Diego made a rare appearance in the Bronx. Friday night’s game drew over 40,000 and the Saturday and Sunday games were sellouts. No need for a regularly scheduled doubleheader. Evidently those events are reserved for Division III baseball in their seasons which have now morphed into the Division III College World Series, beginning on Friday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with Centennial Conference powerhouse Johns Hopkins as the top seed. 

Where were the Yankees on Memorial Day? Playing a night game in Seattle after flying out after their 10-7 win over the Padres. The Mets had the day off. So much for tradition. 

Yes, the Indianapolis 500 was run. On Sunday. The Coca Cola 500, a NASCAR staple, didi go off on Memorial Day like it always does. Tradition has a place in the South, where Memorial Day originated as a tribute to Union soldiers who died in South Carolina at the hands of the Confederates, and were interred by free and enslaved black people who honored those who had been so harshly treated. This led to the original name of Decoration Day, whereby graves of war dead were decorated with flowers. 

Lest I forget that this is a sports blog, one of the great games of NBA playoff history happened Saturday night. The Boston Celtics found themselves at a 3-0 deficit in their series against the Miami Heat. The Celtics clawed their way back into the series with wins in Gamers 4 and 5. 

Game 6 was in Miami. The Heat fans were in a raucous mood, ready to celebrate late into the night on South Beach and other favorite party spots. 

Except nobody told the Celtics that they were going to lose. Boston spurted to some significant leads, which would evaporate with the persistence of the home team.  The tension in the last few minutes was palpable, as the leads switched back and forth. 

Miami’s star, Jimmy Butler, was fouled on a final three point attempt with his team trailing. A review of the play established that Butler had been fouled in the act of shooting and his feet were behind the line. He was duly awarded three free throws. 

What the review also showed was that the 2.1 seconds which remained on the clock when it was stopped was incorrect. The reply officials put back 0.9 seconds to play. There would be 3.0 seconds left after Butler finished his third foul shot. 

Butler face the pressure squarely. He sank all three attempts. The Heat led 103-102. 

Boston had one more chance. Taking the ball out at half court, the team relied on star Jayson Tatum to hit the winning shot. Except that the Heat’s defense rose to the occasion and Tatum missed. 

What happened next was miraculous, fortuitous or just the plain luck of that four leaf clover on the Celtics logo. You can choose the right word fitting your view of the play. 

Tatum’s shot caromed off the rim high enough that teammate Derrick White snuck past Miami’s Max Strus, quickly gathered the ball and banked it into the rim. At first, there was pandemonium. The home crowd and the TNT crew believed that the shot came after time elapsed. A graphic went up showing that Miami had won and advanced to the NBA Finals. 

However, White knew differently. He and Tatum signaled that the basket was good and they awaited the video review. Which confirmed that White’s shot had left his hands with 0.1 second left—before the backboard light went on signifying that the game was over. Boston had survived. There would be a Game 7 on Memorial Day.

In the history of the NBA Playoffs, 150 teams had failed to win after trailing 3-0 in a series. The Celtics are the fourth to bring a series to a seventh game in this manner. But they are also the first to play the deciding game on their home floor. With their boisterous home crowd behind them. The question remained—had the Green and White’s luck run out or did they continue the momentum they had seized with White’s dramatic shot? 

Miami raced out to an early lead with better shooting from beyond the arc—Boston had shot atrociously from long range in this game, carrying over the terrible shooting in Game 6. Even when Boston closed the gap to single digits in the third period, the Heat were resilient. 

The streak is now 151-0. The Miami Heat will face the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. It will be a contrast of styles. Don’t count out Miami in this one. Coach Eric Spoelstra knows how to press the right buttons with his players. 

South Florida will host the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals, as the Florida Panthers will play the Vegas Golden Knights. Two teams which barely made the lost-season, versus two teams where there are plenty of mountains nearby. Underdogs. Sizable favorites. Let the games begin.  

Hope you had a nice, respectful and fun Memorial Day 2023.