1.
American League
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The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League, is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a league based in the Great Lakes states. It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season,25 years after the formation of the National League. At the end of season, the American League champion plays in the World Series against the National League champion. Through 2016, American League teams have won 64 of the 112 World Series played since 1903, the 2016 American League champions are the Cleveland Indians. The New York Yankees have won 40 American League titles, the most in the history, followed by the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland Athletics. Originally a minor league known as the Western League, the American League later developed into a major league after the American Association disbanded, in its early history, the Western League struggled until 1894, when Ban Johnson became the president of the league. Johnson led the Western League into major league status and soon became the president of the newly renamed American League, babe Ruth, noted as one of the most prolific hitters in Major League Baseball history, spent the majority of his career in the American League. The American League has one notable difference versus the National League, in 1902, the Milwaukee Brewers moved to St. Louis and were renamed the St. Louis Browns. In 1902, The Cleveland Bluebirds were also renamed the Cleveland Broncos, in 1903, the Broncos were renamed the Cleveland Naps. In 1915, the Naps were renamed the Cleveland Indians, in 1903, the Baltimore Orioles moved to New York and were renamed the New York Highlanders. In 1913, the Highlanders were renamed the New York Yankees, in 1904, the Chicago White Stockings were renamed the Chicago White Sox. In 1908, the Boston Americans were renamed the Boston Red Sox, in 1954, the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore and were renamed as the Baltimore Orioles. In 1955, the Philadelphia Athletics moved to Kansas City and were renamed as the Kansas City Athletics, in 1961, the league expanded and added two teams as the Los Angeles Angels and the Washington Senators, expanding the league to 10 teams. The original Senators team moved to Minneapolis/St, Paul in 1961 and were renamed as the Minnesota Twins. The Angels team name changed to the California Angels in 1966, then to the Anaheim Angels in 1997, the Kansas City Royals and the Seattle Pilots were added to the American League, expanding the league to 12 teams. In 1970, the Seattle Pilots moved to Milwaukee and were renamed the Milwaukee Brewers, in 1972, the Washington Senators relocated to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and were renamed the Texas Rangers. In 1977, the league expanded to fourteen teams, when the Seattle Mariners, in 1998, the Tampa Bay Rays was added to the American League and at the same time, the Milwaukee Brewers were switched to the National League, leaving the American League with 14 teams
2.
1969 Major League Baseball season
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The 1969 Major League Baseball season was celebrated as the 100th anniversary of professional baseball, honoring the first professional touring baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings. It was the first season of what is now called the Divisional Era, the winners of each division would compete against each other in a League Championship Series, then best-of-five, to determine the pennant winners that would face each other in the World Series. In a year marked by the expansion of the decade, the New York Mets. East Division with a league-best 100–62 record, and sweeping the N. L, West Division Champion Atlanta Braves in three games in the first National League Championship Series, the Miracle Mets became the first expansion team to win a pennant. East Division Champion Orioles, holders of the best record in baseball, West Division Champion Minnesota Twins in three games in the first American League Championship Series. The upstart Mets upset the heavily favored Orioles and won the World Series title in five games, in an effort to counteract a trend of low-scoring games, Major League Baseball adopted two measures during the Baseball Winter Meetings held in December 1968. The strike zone was reduced to the area over home plate between the armpits and the top of the knees of a batter. Also, the height of the mound was reduced from 15 inches to 10 inches. A save became an official MLB statistic to reward relief pitchers who preserve a lead while finishing a game, MLB called for a four-team expansion to take place in 1971 at the 1967 Winter Meetings, the first expansion since 1962. However, there was a complication, influential U. S, the Leagues agreed and moved expansion up to 1969, with the AL putting one of its new franchises in Kansas City. Ewing Kauffman won the bidding for that franchise, naming it the Kansas City Royals, the other AL team was awarded to Seattle. A consortium led by Dewey Soriano and William Daley won the bidding for the Seattle franchise, and named it the Seattle Pilots, a salute to the harbor pilots of the Puget Sound maritime industry. In the NL, one franchise was awarded to San Diego, California, arnholdt Smith, former owner of the AAA Pacific Coast Leagues San Diego Padres, won the bidding for the San Diego franchise, also naming it the Padres. Charles Bronfman, owner of Seagram, won the bidding for the Montreal franchise, naming them the Expos and this was the last NL expansion until the 1993 season. As part of the 1969 expansion, each league was to be split into two divisions of six each, with each league holding a best-of-five League Championship Series to decide the pennant. The AL was divided purely along geographic lines, but when it came to assign divisions in the NL and this alignment also addressed concerns that putting the leagues three strongest clubs—St. Louis, San Francisco, and the Cubs—in the west would result in divisional unequity, the Padres and Expos each finished with 110 losses and at the bottom of their respective divisions. The Royals did better, finishing 69–93 and in fourth in the AL West, the legal fallout of the battle would lead eventually to the expansion for the 1977 season
3.
Yankee Stadium (1923)
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Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in the Bronx, a borough of New York City. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees, one of the citys Major League Baseball franchises, from 1923 to 1973, the stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the home of the New York Giants football team from 1956 through the first part of the 1973–74 football season. It has also known as The Big Ballpark in The Bronx, The Stadium. The stadium was built from 1922 to 1923 for $2.4 million, Yankee Stadium opened for the 1923 MLB season and at the time, it was hailed as a one-of-a-kind facility in the country for its size. Over the course of its history, it one of the most famous venues in the United States, having hosted a variety of events. The stadium went through many alterations and playing surface configurations over the years, the condition of the facility worsened in the 1960s and 1970s, prompting its closing for renovation from 1974 to 1975. The renovation significantly altered the appearance of the venue and reduced the distance of the outfield fences, in 2006, the Yankees began building a new $2.3 billion stadium in public parkland adjacent to the stadium. The price included $1.2 billion in public subsidies, the design includes a replica of the frieze along the roof that was in Yankee Stadium. Monument Park, a Hall of Fame for prominent former Yankees, was relocated to the new stadium, Yankee Stadium closed following the 2008 baseball season and the new stadium opened in 2009, adopting the Yankee Stadium moniker. The original Yankee Stadium was demolished in 2010, two years after it closed, and the 8-acre site was converted into a park called Heritage Field, the new Yankee stadium opened in 2009 and is currently used by the NY Yankees. The Yankees had played at the Polo Grounds in upper Manhattan since 1913, however, relations between the two teams were rocky, with the Giants harboring resentment towards the Yankees. For the 1920 season, the Yankees acquired star slugger Babe Ruth and in his first year with his new team, by the middle of 1920, the Giants had issued an eviction notice to the Yankees, which was soon rescinded. In 1921, the Yankees won their first American League pennant and this exacerbated Giants owner Charles Stonehams resentment of the Yankees and reinforced his insistence that the Yankees find another place to play their home games. The Giants derisively suggested that the Yankees relocate to Queens or some other out-of-the-way place, tillinghast LHommedieu Huston and Jacob Ruppert, the Yankees owners since January 1915, decided to build their own stadium. They did so at considerable financial risk and speculation, Baseball teams typically played in 30, 000-seat facilities, but Huston and Ruppert invoked Ruths name when asked how the Yankees could justify a ballpark with 60,000 seats. The total bill for construction of the stadium was $2.5 million, Huston and Ruppert explored many areas for Yankee Stadium. Of the other sites being considered, the Hebrew Orphan Asylum, consideration was also given to building atop railroad tracks on the West Side of Manhattan and to Long Island City, in Queens
4.
George Steinbrenner
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George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseballs New York Yankees. During Steinbrenners 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history and his outspokenness and role in driving up player salaries made him one of the sports most controversial figures. Steinbrenner was also involved in the Great Lakes and Gulf Coast shipping industry, known as a hands-on baseball executive, Steinbrenner earned the nickname The Boss. He had a tendency to meddle in daily on-field decisions, former Yankees manager Dallas Green gave him the derisive nickname Manager George. He died after suffering an attack in his Tampa home on the morning of July 13,2010. Steinbrenner was born in Rocky River, Ohio, the son of Rita. His mother was an Irish immigrant who had changed her name from OHaley to Haley, the elder Steinbrenner later became a wealthy shipping magnate who ran the family firm operating freight ships hauling ore and grain on the Great Lakes. George III was named after his grandfather, George Michael Steinbrenner II. Steinbrenner had two sisters, Susan and Judy. Steinbrenner entered Culver Military Academy, in Northern Indiana, in 1944 and he received his B. A. from Williams College in 1952. While at Williams, George was a student who led an active extracurricular life. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and he joined the United States Air Force after graduation, was commissioned a second lieutenant and was stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base in Columbus, Ohio. Following honorable discharge in 1954, he did post-graduate study at The Ohio State University and he met his wife-to-be, Elizabeth Joan Zieg, in Columbus, and married her on May 12,1956. The couple had two sons, Hank and Hal, and two daughters, Jessica Steinbrenner and Jennifer Steinbrenner-Swindal, while studying at Ohio State, he served as a graduate assistant to legendary Buckeye football coach Woody Hayes. The Buckeyes were undefeated national champions that year, and won the Rose Bowl, Steinbrenner served as an assistant football coach at Northwestern University in 1955, and at Purdue University from 1956 to 1957. Steinbrenner worked hard to revitalize the company, which was suffering hardship during difficult market conditions. In its return to profitability, Kinsman emphasized grain shipments over ore, a few years later, with the help of a loan from a New York bank, Steinbrenner purchased the company from his family. He later became part of a group purchased the American Shipbuilding Company
5.
Gabe Paul
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He also served as president of the Indians and Yankees. Born in Rochester, New York, and of Jewish descent, Paul got his start in the game at age ten as a batboy for the Rochester Tribe of the AA International League and later attended Monroe High School. Eventually, he worked for Warren Giles, who became manager of the renamed Rochester Red Wings when the St. Louis Cardinals purchased the team in 1928. When Giles took over the front office of the Cincinnati Reds in 1937, after returning from military service during World War II, Paul was promoted to vice president. In October 1951, when Giles was elected president of the National League, the Reds were then a losing outfit with a weak farm system. Paul rebuilt the minor league department and began to scout and sign African-American, the Reds broke the baseball color line on April 17,1954, when Chuck Harmon and Nino Escalera made their debuts. They were the seventh of the eight National League clubs to integrate. In 1956 at age 20, Frank Robinson, the clubs first black superstar, had the best rookie season in NL history, hitting 38 home runs, scoring a league-leading 122 runs, and compiling an OPS of.936. In addition, the Reds produced Cuban stars such as outfielder Tony González, second baseman Cookie Rojas, the Cincinnati team of the mid-1950s—then temporarily nicknamed the Redlegs because of the anti-communism of the time—captured the countrys imagination as a team of sluggers. Paul was named Executive of the Year by The Sporting News, Paul brought to Houston fellow Cincinnati executives Tal Smith, Bill Giles and Paul Florence and began to lay the foundation for the teams 1962 debut, but he did not stay long. He clashed with majority owner Roy Hofheinz and reportedly had an offer from the Cleveland Indians to take over their front office. So in April 1961, Paul returned to Ohio to assume command of the Indians, the Indians of the early 1960s were a middle-echelon team in the American League that had contended for a pennant only twice since its 1954 AL title. On November 26,1962, Paul became a part-owner, as well as president, treasurer and general manager, on multiple occasions, the Indians were rumored to be headed elsewhere. In 1964, the board of directors authorized Paul to investigate transferring the Indians to one of three cities, Oakland, Dallas or Seattle. But a new lease with the city of Cleveland staved off the move. On the field, Paul brought to Cleveland pitching stars Sam McDowell and Luis Tiant and, in 1965, reacquired Colavito in a bid to win more games, but, after an encouraging 1968 season, the Indians plummeted in the standings. For a while, Paul gave up his general manager title to field manager Alvin Dark in an effort to change the clubs fortunes. Pauls tenure with the Indians is described in detail in the book Portrait of a Franchise, finally, in 1973, Paul sold his interest in the Indians and became part of Steinbrenners Cleveland-based syndicate that purchased the Yankees from CBS
6.
Billy Martin
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Alfred Manuel Billy Martin was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees and he also had notable managerial tenures with several other AL squads, leading four of them to division championships. Martin had a playing career in the 1950s, highlighted by his years with the Yankees during which he performed at a high level in appearances in the World Series. He was also selected for the American League All Star team in 1956, in these years his infamous propensity for fisticuffs became established, both on and off the baseball field. As a manager, Martin was known for turning losing teams into winners, however, he was criticized for not getting along with veteran players and owners, burning out young pitchers, and for having an addiction to alcohol. During the 1969 through 1988 period as a manager, Martin totaled 1,253 victories with a.553 winning percentage, Martin was born Alfred Manuel Pesano, Jr. to Alfred Manuel Pesano, Sr. and Joan Salvini Jenny Pesano in Berkeley, California. He was of Portuguese and Italian descent, as his father was a native of the Azores, Alfred, Sr. abandoned the family eight months later, for this reason, Jenny always referred to Alfred, her second husband, as the jackass. Eventually, Jenny changed the name to Martin. He began being called Billy after his grandmother started calling him Bello, as Martin grew up in West Berkeley his mother took careful notice not to let her son know his actual name, not wanting him to know he shared the same name with Alfred Pesano. While attending Berkeley High School, Martin tried out for and began playing for the Oakland Junior Oaks, affiliated with the Pacific Coast Leagues Oakland Oaks club. After graduation in 1946, he was signed by Eddie Leishman, also a Berkeley native, to play for him for Idaho Falls the Class D Pioneer League, hitting.254 in 32 games. Late in the 1947 season, he was signed to the Oaks, where his manager was Casey Stengel, Martin played for the Oaks in 1948 and 1949. When Stengel became the manager of the New York Yankees in 1949 he had the Yankees obtain Martin in 1950 and that year, Martin batted.250 in 34 games. Martin began his league career in 1950 as a second baseman for the Yankees. As a player, he was known for making clutch plays, in the 1952 World Series, he made a game-saving catch on an infield popup in Game 7. In the 1953 season, Martin had career highs in runs, RBIs, doubles, triples. He was the most valuable player of the 1953 World Series, as he batted.500 with a.958 slugging percentage, Martin was an All-Star in 1956. In 1958, Martin led the league in hits, with 13
7.
WPIX
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WPIX, channel 11, is a television station located in New York City. Owned and operated by Tribune Media, WPIX is an affiliate, the stations studios and offices are located in Midtown Manhattan, and its transmitter is based at the Empire State Building. WPIX is also available as a regional superstation via satellite and cable in the United States, the station first signed on the air on June 15,1948, it was the fifth television station to sign on in New York City and was the markets second independent station. It was also the second of three stations to launch in the New York market during 1948, debuting one month after Newark-based independent WATV, since 1948, WPIXs studios and offices have been located in the Daily News Building at Second Avenue and East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan. In its earliest years, WPIX maintained a studio at 110 Central Park South. British businessman Robert Maxwell bought the Daily News in 1991, Tribune retained WPIX and WQCD, the radio station was sold to Emmis Communications in 1997. To generations of New York children, channel 11 was also the home of memorable personalities, jazz singer Joya Sherrill hosted a weekday childrens show, Time for Joya. Channel 11 produced the Magic Garden series, which ran on the station from 1972 to 1984, in the late 1970s and 1980s, PIX Games were played during commercial breaks of afternoon programs, in which kids would call into the station for the chance to play for prizes. From its early years through the 1960s, WPIX, like the two major independents in New York – WOR-TV and WNEW-TV – struggled to acquire other programming. In 1966, WPIX debuted The Yule Log, which combines Christmas music with a loop of logs burning inside a fireplace. Airing on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas morning initially until 1989, the film was made in 1966 and was shot at the Gracie Mansion, WPIX revived the Yule Log due to viewer demand in 2001, and has proven to be just as popular. Several of Tribunes other television stations have carried the WPIX version, complete with its audio soundtrack, Channel 11 also airs a live broadcast of Midnight Mass from St. Patricks Cathedral every Christmas Eve. The stations famous Circle 11 logo – predating the existence of the World Trade Center, by the mid-1970s, WPIX emerged as the second highest-rated independent station in the area, behind WNEW-TV. The running gag in these ads was the fact that Tillman was constantly surrounded by – but never noticed – objects resembling a giant 11, in 1978, WPIX was uplinked to satellite and became a superstation that was distributed to cable providers throughout the U. S. Two years later, WPIX began operating on a 24-hour programming schedule, during the late 1980s, WPIX fell to sixth place in the ratings among New Yorks VHF stations, behind WNYW and a resurgent WWOR. In 1994, the became the exclusive home of the New York City Marathon. On November 2,1993, the Warner Bros, Television division of Time Warner and the Tribune Company announced the formation of The WB Television Network. WPIX could have been considered The WBs flagship station – however this is a designation in name only, the station was verbally branded as The WB, Channel 11, until it was simplified to WB11 in 1997
8.
Phil Rizzuto
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Philip Francis Phil Rizzuto, nicknamed The Scooter, was an American Major League Baseball shortstop. He spent his entire 13-year baseball career with the New York Yankees, a popular figure on a team dynasty which captured 10 AL titles and seven World Championships in his 13 seasons, Rizzuto holds numerous World Series records for shortstops. His best statistical season was 1950, when he was named the American Leagues Most Valuable Player, despite this offensive peak, Rizzuto was a classic small ball player, noted for his strong defense in the infield. The slick-fielding Rizzuto is also regarded as one of the best bunters in baseball history, after his playing career, Rizzuto enjoyed a 40-year career as a radio and television sports announcer for the Yankees. His idiosyncratic style and unpredictable digressions charmed listeners, while his lively play-by-play brought an energy to his broadcasts. He was well known for his trademark expression Holy Cow, Rizzuto was born on September 25,1917 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of a streetcar motorman. There has been confusion about his year of birth, stemming from Rizzutos shaving a year off the date at the beginning of his pro career, after Rizzutos death, the New York Post broke a story reporting Rizzutos actual year of birth as 1916. However, it was reported that the New York City Department of Health said Rizzutos official birth certificate is, in fact. Rizzuto was signed by the New York Yankees as a free agent in 1937. His nickname, at times attributed to Yankees broadcaster Mel Allen, was bestowed on Rizzuto by minor league teammate Billy Hitchcock because of the way Rizzuto ran the bases. After being named the Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News in 1940 while playing with the Kansas City Blues, Rizzutos rookie season ended in the World Series, and though he hit poorly, the Yankees beat the Dodgers. Like many players of the era, his career was interrupted by a stint in the United States Navy during World War II, from 1943 through 1945, he played on a Navy baseball team alongside Dodgers shortstop Reese, the team was managed by Yankees catcher Bill Dickey. In 1947 Rizzuto recorded a.969 fielding average, breaking Crosettis 1939 team record for shortstops of.968 and he broke his own record the following year with a.973 mark. Several clubs lost players with others mentioned including the Yankees, and Phil Rizzuto was rumored to be considering a $100,000, for that matter, a number of players on various teams had begun moonlighting in winter playing for Cuban teams. The New York Herald Tribune sent one of its star sportswriters, Rutherford Rud Rennie, down to Mexico to see what was up with the invigorated Mexican League, by that time they had hired a trio of Mariachi musicians wearing sombreros to play outside at least one American stadium. The Tribs Rennie sent several dispatches from Mexico, liking some things about the scene, court papers alleged that he had been seen in the Yankees locker room talking with his good friend Phil Rizzuto and other players and advocating contract-jumping. Hours later, the Dodgers and Giants owners hastened into court also, perhaps at least partially caused by the court action and negative attention, the Yankees finished third in 1946 and Rizzutos average went down to.257. By 1947, Commissioner Chandler let Americans return to their clubs with no penalty
9.
New York Yankees
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The Essendon Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League, the sports premier competition. Formed in 1871 as a club and playing as a senior club since 1878. It is historically associated with Essendon, a suburb in the north-west of Melbourne, dyson Heppell is the current team captain. A founding member club of both the Victorian Football Association, in 1877, and the Victorian Football League, in 1896, the club claims to have over at least one million supporters Australia wide. Essendon has won 16 VFL/AFL premierships which, along with Carlton, is the most of any club in the competition, the club was founded by members of the Royal Agricultural Society, the Melbourne Hunt Club and the Victorian Woolbrokers. The Essendon Football Club is thought to have formed in 1872 at a meeting it the home of a well-known brewery family, the McCrackens, whose Ascot Vale property hosted a team of local junior players. Robert McCracken, the owner of several city hotels, was the founder and first president of the Essendon club and his son, Alex, Alex would later become president of the newly formed VFL. Alexs cousin, Collier, who had played with Melbourne, was the teams first captain. The club played its first recorded match against the Carlton second twenty on 7 June 1873, Essendon played 13 matches in its first season, winning seven, with four draws and losing two. The club was one of the junior members of the Victorian Football Association in 1877. During its early years in the Association, Essendon played its matches at Flemington Hill. In 1878, Essendon played in the first match on what would be considered by modern standards to be a field at Flemington Hill. In 1879 Essendon played Melbourne in one of the earliest night matches recorded when the ball was painted white, in 1883 the team played four matches in Adelaide. In 1891 Essendon won their first VFA premiership, which they repeated in 1892,1893 and 1894, one of the clubs greatest players, Albert Thurgood played for the club during this period. Essendon was undefeated in the 1893 season, at the end of the 1896 season Essendon along with seven other clubs formed the Victorian Football League. Essendons first VFL game was in 1897 was against Geelong at Corio Oval in Geelong, Essendon won its first VFL premiership by winning the 1897 VFL finals series. Essendon again won the premiership in 1901, defeating Collingwood in the Grand Final, the club won successive premierships in 1911 and 1912 over Collingwood and South Melbourne respectively. The nickname first appeared in print in the local North Melbourne Advertiser in 1889 and it was known firstly as Essendon Town and, after 1905, as Essendon
10.
1976 Kansas City Royals season
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The 1976 Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing first in the American League West with a record of 90 wins and 72 losses and they lost in the 1976 American League Championship Series to the New York Yankees, three games to two. September 29,1975, Harmon Killebrew was released by the Royals, november 12,1975, Nelson Briles was traded by the Royals to the Texas Rangers for Dave Nelson. March 3,1976, Roger Nelson was signed by the Royals as a free agent, ken Phelps was drafted by the Royals in the 15th round. Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball,1976 Kansas City Royals at Baseball Reference 1976 Kansas City Royals at Baseball Almanac
11.
Chris Chambliss
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Carroll Christopher Chambliss is an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball from 1971 to 1988 for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and he served as a coach for the Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, and Seattle Mariners. Chambliss won the American League Rookie of the Year Award with the Indians in 1971 and he was an All-Star with the Yankees in 1976, the same year he hit the series-winning home run in the 1976 American League Championship Series. He was a member of the Yankees 1977 and 1978 World Series championship teams, Chambliss went on to win four more World Series championships as the hitting coach for the Yankees in 1996,1998,1999, and 2000. Chambliss was born in Dayton, Ohio, on December 26,1948 and he was the third of four sons born to Carroll and Christene Chambliss. His father was a chaplain in the United States Navy, leading the family to many times during Chris childhood. They settled in Oceanside, California, where Chris attended high school, Chris and his brothers all played baseball on the Oceanside High School baseball team. Chambliss enrolled at MiraCosta College, a college, where he played college baseball. Despite being selected in the Major League Baseball Drafts of 1967 and 1968 by the Cincinnati Reds and he transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles, where he continued his college baseball career with the UCLA Bruins baseball team in 1969. That season, he led the Bruins with 15 home runs and 45 runs batted in, during the summer, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots of the Alaska Baseball League, which won the National Baseball Congress championship. Chambliss had a.583 batting average in the NBC tournament and was named the tournaments Most Valuable Player, the Cleveland Indians selected Chambliss with the first overall pick in the January 1970 Major League Baseball Draft. The Indians assigned him to the Wichita Aeros of the Class AAA American Association, with the Aeros, Chambliss batted.342, which led the league. With Ken Harrelson serving as the Indians first baseman, the Indians had Chambliss play in the outfield for Wichita in 1971 and he debuted in the majors in 1971, and was named AL Rookie of the Year. Chambliss played first base and was known as a clutch hitter throughout his career. Chambliss was traded to the New York Yankees from the Indians in April 1974, along with pitchers Cecil Upshaw and Dick Tidrow for Fritz Peterson, Fred Beene, Tom Buskey, and Steve Kline. Chris Chambliss was once quoted as saying, If youre not having fun, Chambliss appeared in the 1976 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In the 1976 American League Championship Series against the Kansas City Royals, Chambliss was the hitting star of the 1976 ALCS, as he also hit a two-run homer in Game 3 to help the Yankees win that Game 5 to 3. He hit an ALCS record.524 with 2 home runs, in the 1976 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, Chambliss hit.313 with one RBI
12.
Walk-off home run
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In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game. Thus the losing team must then walk off the field immediately afterward, the winning runs must still be counted at home plate. Because the home team always bats last, any kind of walk off scenario, although the concept of a game-ending home run is as old as baseball, the adjective walk-off attained widespread use only in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The first known usage of the word in print appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on April 21,1988, Section D, Page 1. Chronicle writer Lowell Cohn wrote an article headlined What the Eck. about Oakland reliever Dennis Eckersleys unusual way of speaking, For a translation, I go in search of Eckersley. I also want to know why he calls home runs street pieces. Sportscasters also use the term walk-off hit if any kind of hit drives in the run to end the game. It is a stretch of the term to call a hit a walk-off when what ends the game is not the hit. Starting in the 1990s, a grand slam that erases a three-run deficit has come to be known as an ultimate grand slam. There have been 28 such instances documented in major league history – all taking place during the season,15 of those coming with two outs. No player has accomplished more than once. Of the 28 home runs, only Roberto Clementes was hit inside the park, pirates manager/third base coach Bobby Bragan instructed him to stop at third, but Clemente ran through the stop sign to score the winning run. Alan Trammells June 21,1988 and Chris Hoiles May 17,1996 grand slams occurred under the situation, bases loaded. This was later referred to as the ultimate, ultimate grand slam, the most recent ultimate grand slam was by Rajai Davis, who performed the feat in the ninth inning as the Detroit Tigers beat the Oakland Athletics 5–4 on June 30,2014. Lindy McDaniel of the Chicago Cubs, in 1963, to Bob Aspromonte of the Houston Colt. 45s on June 11, and to Jim Hickman of the New York Mets on August 9. Lee Smith of the California Angels, in 1995, to Mark McGwire of the Oakland Athletics, on June 30, and to Albert Belle of the Cleveland Indians on July 18. Francisco Rodríguez of the New York Mets, in 2009, to rookies Everth Cabrera of the San Diego Padres, on August 7, Rodríguez is the only pitcher to surrender two game-winning grand slams to two rookies
13.
Pennant (sports)
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A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been used in all types of athletic levels, high school, collegiate. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the colors of a particular team. Often graphics, usually the mascot symbol, as well as the name were displayed on pennants. The images displayed on pennants were either stitched on with contrasting colored felt or had screen-printing, today, vintage pennants with rare images or honoring special victories have become prized collectibles for sporting enthusiasts. While pennants are typically associated with teams, pennants have also been made to honor institutions and vacation spots. In Major League Baseball, a pennant typically refers to such a flag flown specifically by the National League or American League championship team of a given season, the last few weeks of the regular American professional baseball season are known as a pennant race. This is a holdover from the time when the championships were determined by the team with the best record at the end of the regular season. In Australian sports, the flag is used in the same context. The pennant is waved around in the crowd to support to the sport team they are cheering for
14.
1976 World Series
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The 1976 Reds became --and remain – the only team to sweep an entire multi-tier postseason. The Reds are also the last National League team to win back-to-back World Series and it also marked the second time that the Yankees were swept in a World Series. This World Series was the first in which the designated hitter rule, the use of the DH wound up benefiting the Reds, who were able to get utility infielder Dan Driessens bat in the lineup. Driessen hit.357 with one home run, elliott Maddox, Carlos May, and Lou Piniella shared the role for the New York Yankees. Game 1, played at Cincinnatis Riverfront Stadium, marked the first time the DH was used in a National League ballpark, Game 2, also at Riverfront Stadium, was the first World Series weekend game to be scheduled at night. After spending the last two years sharing home field with the New York Mets at Shea Stadium, the New York Yankees returned home to a rebuilt and modified Yankee Stadium. George Steinbrenner had now owned the team for three years, since 1973, with Billy Martin serving the first of his five stints as manager since 1975. The heart of the team was Yankee captain, Thurman Munson, whose grit, third baseman, Graig Nettles, and first baseman, Chris Chambliss were the key run producers, while speedy outfielders Roy White and Rivers set the table for the power hitters. Super free agent Catfish Hunter headed the staff while reliever Sparky Lyle led the A. L. in saves with 23, the Yankees finished 10 1⁄2 ahead in the A. L. East advancing to the World Series by beating the Kansas City Royals in the game of the playoffs on a ninth-inning walk-off home run by Chambliss. The defending champion Cincinnati Reds were piloted by Sparky Anderson who had a lineup led by second baseman Joe Morgan. Morgan went on to win his second-straight National League Most Valuable Player award, but Foster would go on to win the 1977 MVP award, giving the Reds six MVPs in an eight-year stretch. Bench won MVP honors in 1970 &72 while Rose took home the hardware in 73, the Reds led the NL in every significant offensive category including runs scored, batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and stolen bases. On the mound, the Reds relied on left-handers Don Gullett and Fred Norman to pacify the Yankee hitters in Games 1 and 2, respectively. Gullett had come back from an injury to start Game 1 but had to leave the game in the eighth inning due to a twisted ankle while Norman out-pitched ace Hunter in Game 2. Game 3 in New York pitted effective 1976 NL Rookie of the Year Pat Zachry for the Reds against newly acquired Yankee, Ellis only lasted 3 1⁄3 innings, exiting in the fourth after a home run by Driessen. Game 4 was delayed a day due to rain, but the Reds were ready for the sweep, Benchs 2 run home run gave the Reds a 3–1 lead. In the bottom of the eighth, a frustrated Billy Martin threw a baseball from the dugout onto the field towards home plate umpire Bill Deegan, causing his ejection from the game
15.
1963 Los Angeles Dodgers season
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The 1963 Los Angeles Dodgers were led by pitcher Sandy Koufax, who won both the Cy Young Award and the Most Valuable Player Award. October 14,1962, Norm Sherry and Dick Smith was purchased from the Dodgers by the New York Mets, november 26,1962, Stan Williams was traded by the Dodgers to the New York Yankees for Bill Skowron. November 30,1962, Tim Harkness and Larry Burright were traded by the Dodgers to the New York Mets for Bob Miller, january 24,1963, Scott Breeden was traded by the Dodgers to the Cincinnati Reds for Don Zimmer. April 1,1963, Duke Snider was purchased from the Dodgers by the New York Mets, june 24,1963, Don Zimmer was purchased from the Dodgers by the Washington Senators. July 20,1963, Ed Roebuck was traded by the Dodgers to the Washington Senators for Marv Breeding, Note, Pos = Position, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg. = Batting average, HR = Home runs, RBI = Runs batted in Note, G = Games played, AB = At bats, H = Hits, Avg
16.
The Bronx
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The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City, within the U. S. state of New York. Since 1914, the Bronx has had the boundaries as Bronx County, a county of New York. The Bronx is divided by the Bronx River into a section in the west, closer to Manhattan. East and west street addresses are divided by Jerome Avenue—the continuation of Manhattans Fifth Avenue, the West Bronx was annexed to New York City in 1874, and the areas east of the Bronx River in 1895. Bronx County was separated from New York County in 1914, about a quarter of the Bronxs area is open space, including Woodlawn Cemetery, Van Cortlandt Park, Pelham Bay Park, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Bronx Zoo in the boroughs north and center. These open spaces are situated primarily on land reserved in the late 19th century as urban development progressed north. The name Bronx originated with Jonas Bronck, who established the first settlement in the area as part of the New Netherland colony in 1639, the native Lenape were displaced after 1643 by settlers. This cultural mix has made the Bronx a wellspring of both Latin music and hip hop. The Bronx, particularly the South Bronx, saw a decline in population, livable housing, and the quality of life in the late 1960s. Since then the communities have shown significant redevelopment starting in the late 1980s before picking up pace from the 1990s until today, the Bronx was called Rananchqua by the native Siwanoy band of Lenape, while other Native Americans knew the Bronx as Keskeskeck. It was divided by the Aquahung River, the origin of Jonas Bronck is contested. Some sources claim he was a Swedish born emigrant from Komstad, Norra Ljunga parish in Småland, Sweden, who arrived in New Netherland during the spring of 1639. Bronck became the first recorded European settler in the now known as the Bronx and built a farm named Emmanus close to what today is the corner of Willis Avenue. He leased land from the Dutch West India Company on the neck of the mainland north of the Dutch settlement in Harlem. He eventually accumulated 500 acres between the Harlem River and the Aquahung, which known as Broncks River or the Bronx. Dutch and English settlers referred to the area as Broncks Land, the American poet William Bronk was a descendant of Pieter Bronck, either Jonas Broncks son or his younger brother. More recent research indicates that Pieter was probably Jonas nephew or cousin, the Bronx is referred to with the definite article as The Bronx, both legally and colloquially. The region was named after the Bronx River and first appeared in the Annexed District of The Bronx created in 1874 out of part of Westchester County
17.
Shea Stadium
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Shea Stadium /ˈʃeɪ/) was a stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City. Built as a stadium, it was the home park of Major League Baseballs New York Mets from 1964 to 2008. Shea Stadium was named in honor of William A. Shea and it was demolished in 2009 to create additional parking for the adjacent Citi Field, the current home of the Mets. The origins of Shea Stadium go way back to the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants relocations to the U. S. west coast, OMalley preferred to pay construction costs himself so he could own the stadium outright. He wanted total control over revenue from parking, concessions, New York City, in contrast, wanted to build the stadium, rent it, and retain the ancillary revenue rights to pay off its construction bonds. Additionally, OMalley wanted to build his new stadium in Brooklyn, in 1960, the National League agreed to grant an expansion franchise to the owners of the New York franchise in the abortive Continental League, provided that a new stadium be built. Mayor Robert Wagner, Jr. had to wire all National League owners. On October 6,1961, the Mets signed a 30-year stadium lease, rent for what was originally budgeted as a $9 million facility was set at $450,000 annually, with a reduction of $20,000 each year until it reached $300,000 annually. The Mets inaugural season was played in the Polo Grounds, with plans calling for the team to move to a new stadium in 1963. In October 1962, Mets official Tom Meany said, Only a series of blizzards or some other unforeseen trouble might hamper construction and that unforeseen trouble surfaced in a number of ways, the severe winter of 1962–1963, along with the bankruptcies of two subcontractors and labor issues. The end result was both the Mets and Jets played at the Polo Grounds for one more year. After 29 months and $28.5 million, Shea Stadium opened on April 17,1964, the stadium opened five days before the 1964-65 New York Worlds Fair, across Roosevelt Avenue. Although not officially part of the grounds, the stadium sported steel panels on its exterior in the blue-and-orange colors of the Fair. The panels were removed in 1980, in accordance with New York City law, Shea Stadium was dismantled, rather than imploded. The company with the rights to sell memorabilia was given two weeks after the game to remove seats, signage and other potentially saleable and collectable items before demolition was to begin. The seats were the first, followed by other such as the foul poles, dugouts, stadium signage. After salvaging operations concluded, demolition of the ballpark began on October 14,2008, on October 18, the scoreboard in right field was demolished, with the bleachers, batters eye and bullpens shortly thereafter. By November 10, the field, dugouts and the rest of the field level seats had been demolished, by mid-December, all of the Loge level seats and a good portion of the Mezzanine level seating were gone as well, leaving only the outer shell remaining
18.
Queens
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Queens is the easternmost and largest in area of the five boroughs of New York City. Coterminous with Queens County since 1899, the borough of Queens is the second-largest in population, with a census-estimated 2,339,150 residents in 2015, approximately 48% of them foreign-born. Queens County also is the second-most populous county in the U. S. state of New York, behind the borough of Brooklyn. Queens is the fourth-most densely populated county among New York Citys boroughs, if each of New York Citys boroughs were an independent city, Queens also would be the nations fourth most populous city, after Los Angeles, Chicago, and Brooklyn. Queens is the most ethnically diverse area in the world. Queens was established in 1683 as one of the original 12 counties of New York and it was named after the Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza, Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland. It became a borough of New York City in 1898, and from 1683 until 1899, Queens has the most diversified economy of the five boroughs of New York City It is home to JFK International Airport and LaGuardia Airport. These airports are among the busiest in the world, causing the airspace above Queens to be the most congested in the country, attractions in Queens include Flushing Meadows Park, Citi Field, the US Open tennis tournament, Kaufman Astoria Studios, Silvercup Studios, and Aqueduct Racetrack. European colonization brought Dutch and English settlers, as a part of the New Netherland colony, First settlements occurred in 1635 followed by early colonizations at Maspeth in 1642, and Vlissingen in 1643. Other early settlements included Newtown and Jamaica, however, these towns were mostly inhabited by English settlers from New England via eastern Long Island subject to Dutch law. After the capture of the colony by the English and its renaming as New York in 1664, the Flushing Remonstrance signed by colonists in 1657 is considered a precursor to the United States Constitutions provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights. The signers protested the Dutch colonial authorities persecution of Quakers in what is today the borough of Queens, originally, Queens County included the adjacent area now comprising Nassau County. It was a county of New York State, one of twelve created on November 1,1683. The county was named after Catherine of Braganza, since she was queen of England at the time, the county was founded alongside Kings County, and Richmond County. On October 7,1691, all counties in the Colony of New York were redefined, Queens gained North Brother Island, South Brother Island, and Huletts Island. On December 3,1768, Queens gained other islands in Long Island Sound that were not already assigned to a county, Queens played a minor role in the American Revolution, as compared to Brooklyn, where the Battle of Long Island was largely fought. Queens, like the rest of Long Island, remained under British occupation after the Battle of Long Island in 1776 and was occupied throughout most of the rest of the Revolutionary War. Under the Quartering Act, British soldiers used, as barracks, even though many local people were against unannounced quartering, sentiment throughout the county remained in favor of the British crown
19.
New York Mets
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The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the National League East division. The Mets are one of two Major League clubs based in New York City, the other is the New York Yankees. One of baseballs first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New Yorks departed NL teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. The Mets colors are composed of the Dodgers blue and the Giants orange, during the 1962 and 1963 seasons, the Mets played their home games at the Polo Grounds. From 1964 to 2008, the Mets home ballpark was Shea Stadium, in 2009, they moved into their current ballpark, Citi Field. In their 1962 inaugural season, the Mets posted a record of 40–120, the Mets made the playoffs in 2006 when they came within one game of the World Series, losing to the eventual champion St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. The Mets missed the playoffs with losses on the last day of the season in 2007 and 2008. The Mets made the playoffs in 2015 for the first time in nine years, the team again returned to the playoffs in 2016, this time with a wild card berth. This is the teams second playoff appearance, the first occurring during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. With the threat of a New York team joining a new third league, for the first two years of its existence, the team played its home games at the historic Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan. In 1964, they moved into newly constructed Shea Stadium in Flushing, Queens, in 2009, the club moved into Citi Field, adjacent to the former Shea Stadium site. During their history, the Mets have won two World Series titles, five National League pennants and six National League East titles, the Mets also qualified for the postseason as the National League wild card team in 1999,2000, and 2016. The Mets have appeared in five World Series, more than any other team in MLB history. Their two championships are the most titles among expansion teams, equal to the tallies of the Toronto Blue Jays, Miami Marlins, the Mets held the New York baseball single-season attendance record for 29 years. They broke the Yankees 1948 record by drawing nearly 2.7 million spectators in 1970, the Mets broke their own record five times before the record was regained by the Yankees in 1999. The 1962 Mets posted a 40–120 record, a record for the most losses in a season since 1899, in 1966, the Mets famously bypassed future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson in the amateur draft, instead selecting Steve Chilcott, who never played in the majors. But the following year, they acquired future Hall of Famer Tom Seaver in a lottery, in 1973, the Mets rallied from 5th place to win the division, despite a record of only 82–79
20.
Boston Red Sox
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The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League East division. The Red Sox have won eight World Series championships and have played in 13, founded in 1901 as one of the American Leagues eight charter franchises, the Red Sox home ballpark has been Fenway Park since 1912. The Red Sox name was chosen by the owner, John I. Taylor, around 1908, following the lead of previous teams that had known as the Boston Red Stockings. Boston was a dominant team in the new league, defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first World Series in 1903 and winning four more championships by 1918. Following their victory in the 2013 World Series, they became the first team to win three World Series trophies in the 21st century, including championships in 2004 and 2007. Red Sox history has also marked by the teams intense rivalry with the Yankees. The Boston Red Sox are owned by Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Liverpool F. C. of the Premier League in England. The Red Sox are consistently one of the top MLB teams in road attendance. From May 15,2003 to April 10,2013, the Red Sox sold out every home game—a total of 820 games for a professional sports record. Neil Diamonds Sweet Caroline has become an anthem for the Red Sox, the name Red Sox, chosen by owner John I. Taylor after the 1907 season, refers to the red hose in the team uniform beginning 1908. Sox had been adopted for the Chicago White Sox by newspapers needing a headline-friendly form of Stockings. The team name Red Sox had previously used as early as 1888 by a colored team from Norfolk. The Spanish language media sometimes refers to the team as Medias Rojas, the official Spanish site uses the variant Los Red Sox. The Red Stockings nickname was first used by a team by the Cincinnati Red Stockings. Managed by Harry Wright, Cincinnati adopted a uniform with white knickers and red stockings and earned the famous nickname, the Boston Red Stockings won four championships in the five seasons of the new National Association, the first professional league. Other names were used before Boston officially adopted the nickname Braves in 1912
21.
Bill Virdon
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William Charles Virdon is an American former professional baseball outfielder, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball. Virdon played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 through 1965 and he served as a coach for the Pirates and Houston Astros, and managed the Pirates, Astros, New York Yankees, and Montreal Expos. After playing in Minor League Baseball for the Yankees organization, Virdon was traded to the Cardinals and that year, Virdon won the National League Rookie of the Year Award. He slumped at the beginning of the 1956 season, and was traded to the Pirates, a premier defensive outfielder during his playing days as a center fielder for the Cardinals and Pirates, Virdon led a strong defensive team to the 1960 World Series championship. In 1962, Virdon won a Rawlings Gold Glove Award, following the 1965 season, he retired due to his desire to become a manager. Virdon managed in Minor League Baseball until returning to the Pirates as a coach in 1968 and he served as manager of the Pirates in 1972 and 1973, before becoming the manager of the Yankees in 1974. During the 1975 season, the Yankees fired Virdon, and he was hired by the Astros, after being fired by the Astros after the 1982 season, Virdon managed the Expos in 1983 and 1984. Virdon won The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award in 1974, his full season working for the Yankees. He returned to the Pirates as a coach following his managerial career, william Charles Virdon was born in Hazel Park, Michigan, on June 9,1931. His parents, Bertha and Charles Virdon, were originally from Missouri, but moved to Hazel Park during the Great Depression, when he was 12 years old, his family moved to West Plains, Missouri. Virdon attended West Plains High School and he competed in American football, basketball, and track and field for the school. As West Plains did not compete in baseball, Virdon traveled to Clay Center, Kansas, to play for their American Amateur Baseball Congress team as a center fielder and he enrolled at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. Virdon attended a tryout held by the New York Yankees in Branson, Missouri. Virdon played for the Norfolk Tars in the Class B Piedmont League in 1951, the Yankees assigned him to Kansas City in 1953, but he struggled, batting.233. While he played in Kansas City, Virdon was diagnosed with astigmatism, when Kansas City manager Harry Craft noticed Virdon reading while wearing glasses, Craft told him to wear them while he played. The Yankees demoted Virdon to the Birmingham Barons in the Class AA Southern Association, in 42 games for Birmingham, Virdon had a.317 batting average. According to Hal Smith, his roommate with Birmingham, Virdon changed his approach to hitting, prioritizing line drives to all parts of the field, rather than trying to hit for power. Virdon remained stuck behind Mickey Mantle on the Yankees depth chart for center field, while Gene Woodling, the Yankees traded Virdon to the St. Louis Cardinals before the 1954 season with Mel Wright and Emil Tellinger for veteran outfielder and All-Star Enos Slaughter
22.
Pittsburgh Pirates
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The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the National League Central division. Founded on October 15,1881 as Allegheny, the franchise has won five World Series championships, the Pirates are also often referred to as the Bucs or the Buccos. They also won the 1971 World Series, led by the talent of Roberto Clemente, overall, the Pirates have won five World Series and lost two. They would then advance to the NL Division Series round, where they lost in 5 games to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pirates would continue their success and make the playoffs in both 2014 and 2015, losing in the Wild Card Game both times. Professional baseball has been played in the Pittsburgh area since 1876, the teams of the era were independents, barnstorming throughout the region and not affiliated with any organized league, though they did have salaries and were run as business organizations. On October 15,1881, the strongest team in the joined the American Association as a founding member to begin play in 1882. Their various home fields in the 19th century were in a city called Allegheny City. After five mediocre seasons in the A. A, Pittsburgh became the first A. A. team to switch to the older National League in 1887. At this time, the team renamed itself the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, at that time, owner-manager Horace Phillips sold the team to Dennis McKnight, Phillips stayed on as manager. Before the 1890 season, nearly all of the Alleghenys best players bolted to the Players Leagues Pittsburgh Burghers, the Players League collapsed after the season, and the players were allowed to go back to their old clubs. However, the Alleghenys also scooped up highly regarded second baseman Lou Bierbauer, although the Athletics had failed to include Bierbauer on their reserve list, they loudly protested the Alleghenys move. In an official complaint, an AA official claimed the Alleghenys signing of Bierbauer was piratical and this incident quickly accelerated into a schism between the leagues that contributed to the demise of the A. A. Although the Alleghenys were never found guilty of wrongdoing, they made sport of being denounced for being piratical by renaming themselves the Pirates for the 1891 season, the nickname was first acknowledged on the teams uniforms in 1912. The Pirates were a team in the early 1900s, winning National League pennants from 1901–1903. They again won the NL in 1925 and 1927 and the World Series in 1925, after a slow period, they returned to dominance and won the 1960 World Series,1971 World Series and 1979 World Series. They won Eastern Division titles from 1990–1992 but did not return to the post-season after that until 2013, on Opening Day 2015 the Pirates loss to the Cincinnati Reds represented its 10, 000th franchise loss since moving to the NL. This made the Pirates the fourth MLB team to achieve distinction, following the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves
23.
Dock Ellis
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Dock Phillip Ellis, Jr. was an American professional baseball player. A pitcher, Ellis played in Major League Baseball from 1968 through 1979 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers, and New York Mets. In his MLB career, he had a 138–119 win–loss record, a 3.46 earned run average, Ellis threw a no-hitter on June 12,1970. He later stated that he accomplished the feat under the influence of LSD, reporters at the game say they do not believe the claim. Ellis was the pitcher for the National League in the All-Star Game in 1971. That year, the Pirates were World Series champions, joining the Yankees in 1976, he helped lead the team to the 1976 World Series, and was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year in the process. Ellis was an individual who advocated for the rights of players. He also had a substance abuse problem, and he acknowledged after his retirement that he never pitched without the use of drugs, after going into treatment Ellis remained sober and devoted the remainder of his life to counseling drug addicts in treatment centers and prisons. He died of an ailment in 2008 at the age of 63. Ellis attended Gardena High School in Gardena, California, at the age of 14, he began drinking and using drugs. Ellis played for the basketball team, recording 21 assists in one game. However, Ellis refused to play for the Gardena High School baseball team, when Ellis was caught drinking and smoking marijuana in a high school bathroom during his senior year, the school agreed not to expel him if he agreed to play for the schools baseball team. He appeared in four games and was named all-league, Ellis then attended Los Angeles Harbor College, a junior college. At the age of 17, Ellis was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia, the diagnosis was later changed to sickle cell trait. He was arrested for stealing a car, and given probation, brewer, working as a scout for the Pirates, signed Ellis to the Pirates, as a result of the arrest, the Pirates offered Ellis $500 a month and a $2,500 signing bonus. Ellis played for the Batavia Pirates of the Class A New York–Pennsylvania League in 1964, the next season, he played for the Kinston Eagles of the Class A Carolina League and the Columbus Jets of the Class AAA International League. Ellis pitched in a game for the Pirates against the Cleveland Indians in July. After the season, the Pirates added Ellis to their 40-man roster, in 1966, Ellis played for the Asheville Tourists of the Class AA Southern League, pitching to a 10–9 win–loss record, a 2.77 earned run average, and an All-Star Game appearance
24.
Los Angeles Angels
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The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are an American professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League West division. The Angels have played games at Angel Stadium of Anaheim since 1966. Wrigley, the owner of the Chicago Cubs at the time, in 2009, the Angels won the AL West division championship for the third straight season. The team name started in 1892, in 1903, the name continued in L. A. through the PCL. After the Angels joined the Major Leagues, some players from the Angels PCL team joined the Major League Angels in 1961. The Angels were one of two teams established as a result of the 1961 Major League Baseball expansion, along with the second incarnation of the Washington Senators. The team then moved in 1962 to newly built Dodger Stadium, which the Angels referred to as Chavez Ravine, the teams founder, entertainer Gene Autry, owned the franchise for its first 36 years. During Autrys ownership, the made the playoffs three times, but never won the pennant. When The Walt Disney Company took control of the team in 1997, it extensively renovated Anaheim Stadium, the City of Anaheim contributed $30 million to the $118 million renovation with a renegotiated lease providing that the names of both the stadium and team contain the word Anaheim. The team was renamed the Anaheim Angels and became a subsidiary of Disney Sports, under Disneys ownership and the leadership of manager Mike Scioscia, the Angels won their first pennant and World Series championship in 2002. In 2005, new owner Arturo Moreno added Los Angeles to the name in order to better tap into the teams history. He also stated that as Los Angeles is the second largest market in the U. S. its addition would benefit the team greatly. In compliance with the terms of its lease with the city of Anaheim, which required Anaheim be a part of the teams name, local media in Southern California tend to omit a geographic identifier and refer to the team as the Angels or as the Halos. The Associated Press, the most prominent news service in the U. S. refers to the team as the Los Angeles Angels, the mantra Win One for the Cowboy is a staple that is deeply rooted in Angels history for fans. The saying refers to the Angels founder and previous owner, Gene Autry, years went by as the team experienced many losses just strikes away from American League pennants. Autrys #26 was retired as the 26th man on the field for the Angels, Angel Stadium of Anaheim is nicknamed The Big A. It has a section in center field nicknamed the California Spectacular, each game begins with the song Calling All Angels by Train being played on the P. A. with Norman Greenbaums Spirit in the Sky being played during the teams starting lineup announcement
25.
Mickey Rivers
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John Milton Mickey Rivers is an American former baseball player who played in Major League Baseball from 1970 to 1984 for the California Angels, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers. As a member of the Yankees, he was part of their two World Series champions, both over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Mick The Quick was generally known as a speedy leadoff hitter who made contact and was an excellent center fielder, with a below-average throwing arm. The legend of Mick the Quick began during his days at Miami-Dade Community College. An exceedingly fast and athletic outfielder, Rivers emerged as one of the stars of the baseball team and his teammates and coaches later discovered Rivers asleep under a nearby tree—in full uniform no less. Originally signed by the Atlanta Braves, Rivers began his big league career in 1970 with the Angels playing center field and third base, Rivers played part-time in his first few years, until becoming the starter in 1974. He led the league in both years and swiped a career-high 70 bases in 1975, tops in the American League. Along with Ed Figueroa, Rivers was dealt to the Yankees in the 1975-76 off-season for Bobby Bonds, Figueroa won 19 games and Rivers enjoyed a career year. Rivers was named to the All-Star team, batted.312, stole 43 bases, Rivers placed third in the Most Valuable Player voting behind teammate Thurman Munson and George Brett and was named an outfielder on The Sporting News AL All-Star team. Rivers posted good numbers in his two full seasons as a part of the Bronx Zoo, including a.326 batting average in 1977. There he set the record for hits by a Ranger with 210 in 1980. He concluded his career in 1984 with a.295 lifetime average,267 stolen bases, while Rivers played for them, the Yankees won the World Series in 1977 and 1978, both times against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They also won the 1976 pennant, but lost in the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, Rivers posted a.308 average in his 29 postseason games. Bill James ranked Mickey Rivers as the 59th greatest center fielder of all time, Rivers was honored with many of his teammates from the 1977 World Series champion New York Yankees, in the Yankee Old Timers Game in 2007. In The Bronx Is Burning, the ESPN minseries based on the 1977 Yankees, he was portrayed by Leonard Robinson, when Reggie Jackson once remarked to a reporter that he had an IQ of 160, Rivers responded, Out of what, a thousand. “Me and George and Billy, ” Rivers said, “we’re two of a kind. ”Since his playing career ended, Rivers has trained racehorses in his native Florida. His son, Mickey Rivers Jr. played minor league baseball in the Rangers organization, and his daughter Rhonda is a teacher in the Houston area
26.
Willie Randolph
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Willie Larry Randolph is an American former Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played from 1975 to 1992 for six different teams and he has joined ESPN as a postseason baseball analyst, beginning in September 2013. He will mainly be on Baseball Tonight, and provide updates during Monday and Wednesday night September network telecasts. At the end of his career, he ranked fifth in major league history in games at second base, ninth in putouts, seventh in assists, eighth in total chances. Upon retiring as a player, he joined the Yankees as a coach for eleven years and he later served as manager of the New York Mets from 2005 to June 2008. Randolph grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from Samuel J. Tilden High School and he made his major league debut in 1975, and was, at age 21, the sixth-youngest player in the National League. In December 1975 he was traded by the Pirates with Ken Brett, Randolph spent 13 of his 18 seasons as a player with the Yankees and was co-captain of the Yankees with Ron Guidry from 1986 to 1988. He later played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics and he was selected to six All-Star teams over his career. As a career number 2 hitter in the order, he use of his skills as bunter. Randolph was also a defensive player, known especially for his ability to turn the double play. He was the Yankees starting second baseman on the 1977 and 1978 World Series Championship teams. In 1980 Randolph led the league in walks and was second in the AL in on-base percentage, eighth in stolen bases and ninth in runs and he also batted.332 leading off the inning, and.340 with men in scoring position. In 1987 he batted.305 and led the league in at bats per strikeout and he also batted.366 in tie games, and.345 in games that were late and close. In December 1988 he signed as an agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Randolph led the Dodgers in battling average and hits in 1989, in May 1990 he was traded by the Dodgers to the defending-world champion Oakland Athletics for Stan Javier. Later that year, Randolph and the As won the American League pennant, in April 1991 he signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers. That year, Randolph was second in the AL on-base percentage and he batted.373 with runners in scoring position. In December 1991 he signed as an agent with the New York Mets
27.
Cleveland Indians
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The Cleveland Indians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Indians compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League Central division. Since 1994, they have played at Progressive Field, the teams spring training facility is at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Arizona. The Indians current World Series championship drought is the longest active drought, the name Indians originated from a request by club owner Charles Somers to baseball writers to choose a new name to replace Cleveland Naps following the departure of Nap Lajoie after the 1914 season. The name referenced the nickname Indians that was applied to the Cleveland Spiders baseball club during the time when Louis Sockalexis, common nicknames for the Indians include the Tribe and the Wahoos, the latter being a reference to their logo, Chief Wahoo, a controversial Native American caricature. The teams mascot is named Slider, the franchise originated in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1894 as the Grand Rapids Rustlers, a minor league team in the Western League. The team moved to Cleveland in 1900 and changed its name to the Cleveland Lake Shores, one of the American Leagues eight charter franchises, the major league incarnation of the club was founded in Cleveland in 1901. Originally called the Cleveland Bluebirds, the played in League Park until moving permanently to Cleveland Stadium in 1946. At the end of the 2016 season, they had a regular season record of 9. In 1857 baseball games were a spectacle in Clevelands Public Squares. City authorities tried to find an ordinance forbidding it, to the joy of the crowd, – Harold Seymour 1865–1868 Forest Citys of Cleveland 1869–1872 Forest Citys of Cleveland From 1865 to 1868 Forest Citys was an amateur ball club. During the 1869 season, Cleveland was among several cities which established professional baseball teams following the success of the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first fully professional team. In the newspapers before and after 1870, the team was called the Forest Citys. In 1871 the Forest Citys joined the new National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, ultimately, two of the leagues western clubs went out of business during the first season and the Chicago Fire left that citys White Stockings impoverished, unable to field a team again until 1874. Cleveland was thus the NAs westernmost outpost in 1872, the year the club folded, Cleveland played their full schedule to July 19 followed by two games versus Boston in mid-August and disbanded at the end of the season. 1879–1881 Cleveland Forest Citys 1882–1884 Cleveland Blues In 1876, the National League supplanted the NA as the professional league. Cleveland were not among its members, but by 1879 the league was looking for new entries. The Cleveland Forest Citys baseball team was then re-created, the National League required distinct colors for the 1882 season, so the Cleveland Forest Citys became the Cleveland Blues
