| Just when you think the sports world has
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| | record that would stand for 34 years.
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| produced every possible bizarre trade
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| | That wasn't the only notable achievement
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| imaginable, they still manage to top
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| | in 1927; Walt Disney also brought the
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| themselves ...A broadcaster for a rabbit.
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| | first cartoon rabbit to the silver
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| And a cartoon rabbit, at that.When
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| | screen.Oswald the Lucky Rabbit looked
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| baseball journeyman Harry Chiti got dealt
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| | like a rip-off of Felix the Cat, and he
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| to the New York Mets for a player to be
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| | probably was. However, cartoon characters
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| named later, little did he know that
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| | were a novelty back then, so Oswald
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| player would be him. The Chicago Cubs
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| | enjoyed a measure of commercial success.
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| could spare a backup catcher during the
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| | In fact, Disney was certain he could
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| early season, and apparently, the Mets
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| | expand the rabbit's fame if he had a
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| saw enough of Chiti afterward. So, when
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| | bigger budget, which is why he traveled
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| they later gave a list of players from
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| | to Universal Studio's head office and
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| which to choose in order to complete the
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| | requested as much. The studio refused,
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| deal, Chiti's name was there. Perhaps
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| | even showing their power by cutting the
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| their choice said something about the
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| | budget by 20% and telling Disney to like
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| other players, but there can be no doubt
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| | it or lump it. Chagrined, Disney quit and
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| that the Cubs got equal value in
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| | decided to work independently. He was
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| return.At least that transaction was a
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| | certain he could create another cartoon
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| player-only deal, albeit only one
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| | character to help him realize his visions
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| player.Transactions involving no players
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| | of commercial success.We now see that the
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| have had various impacts on the teams
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| | empire built around the fame of Mickey
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| involved. An obvious example was a swap
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| | Mouse never forgot its origins.When the
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| between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland
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| | ABC network decided to move Monday Night
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| Indians. In mid-season, they managed to
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| | Football to its subsidiary, ESPN,
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| trade managers. Jimmy Dykes was shipped
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| | long-time broadcaster Al Michaels decided
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| to the Tribe, with Joe Gordon moving to
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| | he didn't want to accompany it. He
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| the Motor City, making it the only deal
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| | expressed a preference to remain paired
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| of its kind in North American sports
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| | with virtuoso analyst John Madden, who
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| history. Both were probably disoriented
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| | left to join NBC, which had acquired the
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| for the rest of the season, but they'd
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| | NFL's Sunday Night Football broadcast
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| surely agree that it beat being fired,
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| | rights.Michaels' career was launched at
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| which is usually what happens when teams
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| | the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid,
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| want to jettison their skipper.However,
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| | New York. He exclaimed to the USA, "Do
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| there was a more notorious no-player
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| | you believe in miracles? Yes!" when the
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| deal. It might have happened more
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| | American hockey team completed the
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| discreetly, except it affected New York
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| | biggest upset in team sports history by
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| Yankees. The year was 1972, and while
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| | defeating the Soviet Union's juggernaut
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| half a decade had passed from The Summer
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| | and paved the way to an improbable gold
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| of Love, pitchers Mike Kekich and Fritz
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| | medal. One of the best in the business,
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| Peterson kept its spirit alive. They and
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| | Michaels ultimately moved to the prime
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| their wive were close friends. Really
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| | time of Monday Night Football and stayed
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| close. So close, in fact, that during
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| | there for 20 years.NBC saw his addition
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| spring training of the next season, they
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| | to their broadcast team as a natural
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| wound up making a trade of their own.
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| | move. ABC saw an opportunity, too, and
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| When Marilyn Peterson changed houses with
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| | the idea of a trade was broached.ABC is
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| Susanne Kekich, it was news which made
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| | owned by the Disney empire. They noted
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| more than the agate type in America's
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| | NBC's association with Universal and
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| newspapers.Said Yankees general manager
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| | decided it was time to bring Oswald the
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| Lee MacPhail, "We may have to call off
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| | Lucky Rabbit home. Dick Ebersol,
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| Family Day."A bag of baseballs isn't
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| | president of NBC Sports, did a
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| nearly as hot for headline fodder. So,
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| | double-take. He accepted the trade
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| when minor-leaguer Tim Fortugno was
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| | package for Michaels containing cable
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| unceremoniously moved to another team in
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| | rights to golf's Ryder Cup through 2014
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| return for one of those bags, we can only
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| | and expanded access to Olympic
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| imagine that the amount of $2500 in cash
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| | highlights, but he had never even heard
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| got tossed into the deal to make him feel
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| | of the cartoon rabbit.Michaels took being
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| better.Much more cash was put on the
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| | swapped for a cartoon pioneer in stride.
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| table in 1919 for an emerging star named
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| | "Oswald is definitely worth more than a
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| Babe Ruth. The Boston Red Sox had just
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| | fourth-round draft choice," Michaels
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| completed a lousy season and owner Harry
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| | said, referring to the compensation that
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| Frazee wanted to unload salaries. He also
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| | New York's Jets got for releasing head
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| had his eye on Broadway, so he sold Ruth
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| | coach Herman Edwards to the Kansas City
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| to the Yankees for $125,000 and a
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| | Chiefs.Walt Disney's daughter, Diane
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| $300,000 loan (with Fenway Park serving
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| | Miller, is thrilled, saying "Having
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| as the collateral). Frazee used the
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| | Oswald around again is going to be a lot
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| proceeds to stage 'No No Nanette,' the
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| | of fun."And so it came to pass that the
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| sprightly musical that gave the world
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| | strangest sports trade to date was
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| tunes such as 'Tea for Two' and can still
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| | sealed. NBC got the polished veteran it
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| be found up in lights to this day. This
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| | wanted, while Disney could be hoping
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| is the deal that gave rise to the Curse
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| | their re-acquisition can earn a Comeback
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| of the Bambino, which may have affected
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| | of the Year award.For Oswald, it's going
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| the Red Sox for so many years, but Frazee
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| | to be a brand new ballgame.J Square
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| did very well by it.Ruth justified his
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| | Humboldt is the featured columnist at
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| title as the Sultan of Swat in 1927,
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| | Longer Life's website, which provides
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| becoming the first player in history to
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| | information designed to improve the
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| hit 60 home runs in a season, a revered
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| | quality of living.
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