Van de Velde Is Not Alone
1951 Dodgers, 2004 Yankees and 1941-42 Maple Leafs Also Collapsed
Jean Van de Velde is not alone. The 1951 Dodgers, the 2004 New York Yankees and the 1941-42 Toronto Maple Leafs also suffered a memorable collapse of major proportions.
The dictionary offers a number of definitions for the word “collapse.” For the purpose of this article, let’s use collapse as a noun with this definition – “a sudden complete failure; breakdown.”
Why think of the word collapse now in regard to sports? Tomorrow, Thursday, July 19, the 136th edition of The Open Championship (the British Open), begins at the Carnoustie Golf Links.
Located on the coast of Scotland, Carnoustie is one of the most challenging links-style golf courses in the world. The Open Championship was last played at Carnoustie in 1999. The end of that tournament brings to mind a collapse.
Jean Van de Velde of France took a three-shot lead to the final hole, a par four. But he encountered disaster that was a combination of his own doing – bad decisions and bad execution – as well as bad luck. He carded a triple-bogey seven that dropped him into a tie for the lead with Justin Leonard of the United States and Paul Lawrie of Scotland.
Lawrie shot 67 in the final round to wipe out the largest deficit in the history of a major golf championship – 10 strokes -- and earn a place in the playoff. Lawrie then won the four-hole playoff. Lawrie won the major championship that Van de Velde lost.
Van de Velde had one hole measuring 499 yards separating him from winning a major championship that also is the oldest professional golf tournament in the world. Van de Velde unfortunately is remembered for a collapse of major proportions with a lot on the line.
Van de Velde Is Not Alone
Some examples follow of the many athletes and teams who are also remembered for a collapse.
OK, so this one’s a bit obscure. Dorando Pietri of Italy was the first runner to enter the stadium in the marathon in the 1908 Olympics. The finish line was just a short distance away.
According to Wikipedia, “Pietri took a wrong turn, collapsed, was helped up by doctors, wobbled and fell three more times before being half-carried across the finish line by race officials.”
Pietri was disqualified after a protest by United States officials. Johnny Hayes of the US, who was second across the finish line and first across completely under his own power, was awarded the gold medal. In Pietri’s defense, running a marathon is a serious physical undertaking whether the year is 1908 or 2007.
Nigel Mansell was a great driver. He won a championship in both Formula 1 (1992) and CART (1993). However, the 1991 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix had to be one of his worst moments.
Mansell was leading the race comfortably on the last lap when he waved to the fans. Shortly thereafter, the car ground to a halt. Nelson Piquet of Brazil was gifted the win while Mansell picked up one point for finishing sixth.
What happened? According to Wikipedia, Mansell reportedly turned off the engine accidentally while waving, “although the team (Williams-Renault) gave an explanation involving a flaw in the programming of their gearbox software which made it unable to deal with bulky downshifts.”
Only two teams have squandered a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series in the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, the 1941-42 Detroit Red Wings, the first team to so collapse, get the edge because there was more on the line.
The Red Wings won the first three games of the finals against the Toronto Maple Leafs before losing the next four. In Game 7, the Red Wings had a 1-0 lead with 13 minutes remaining in the third period, but ended up losing 3-1.
The 1974-75 Pittsburgh Penguins matched the dubious accomplishment, blowing a 3-0 lead in games in a quarterfinal series against the New York Islanders, who won Game 7 in Pittsburgh, 1-0.
The most successful team in the history of professional sports – the New York Yankees – also are the first Major League Baseball team to blow a 3-0 lead in games in a best-of-seven playoff series. It happened in the 2004 American League Championship Series at the hands of the arch-rival Boston Red Sox.
The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies led the National League by 6.5 games with 12 to play. The Phillies lost 10 in a row before winning the last two. They finished in a tie for second place. The St. Louis Cardinals won the pennant and then the World Series. (For more information about the Philadelphia Phillies and losing baseball, please read Suite101 article, "Phils Are the Biggest Losers.")
The 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers led the hated New York Giants by 13.5 games as late as August 11. The Giants were white-hot down the stretch, winning 36 of the last 43 games, including 12 of the last 13, to finish the regular season in a tie with Brooklyn for first place in the National League. (For more information about the 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers, please read Suite101 article, "The Dodgers Will Win by Twenty.")
The Giants then won the three-game playoff for the pennant, two games to one, on Bobby Thomson’s dramatic three-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 3.
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