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.
Brian Cashman
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Brian McGuire Cashman is an American baseball executive for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. He has served as the General Manager and Senior Vice President of the Yankees since 1998, during Cashmans tenure as assistant general manager and vice president and general manager, the Yankees have won seven American League pennants and five World Series championships. Cashman began working with the Yankees organization in 1986 as an intern while still in college and he was named assistant general manager in 1992, helping to run the team while owner George Steinbrenner was suspended from baseball. He succeeded Bob Watson as the general manager in 1998. Cashman was born in Rockville Centre, New York, and raised in Washingtonville and he was raised in an Irish Catholic family, as the middle of five children born to Nancy and John Cashman. He became a fan at a young age, attending a summer camp hosted by Bucky Dent before starting high school. He grew up as a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, while visiting his grandmother in Florida, he served as a batboy for the Dodgers during spring training in 1982, with the help of former Dodger Ralph Branca, a family friend. The Cashman family moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where his father managed Castleton Farm, Cashman described moving out of Washingtonville before starting high school as the best thing to happen to, to get out of there. Cashman attended Lexington Catholic High School before moving to the Washington and he attended Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda, Maryland, graduating in 1985. Cashman played baseball and junior varsity basketball at both schools, and added football in his senior year and he was a four-year starter at second base and the teams leadoff hitter. He set a record for most hits in a season. He earned a degree with a major in history in 1989. George Steinbrenner, the owner of the New York Yankees, met John Cashman when he managed Pompano Park in Pompano Beach, Florida, through another family friend, John helped Brian obtain a position with the Yankees organization as an intern in 1986. He worked in the minor league scouting department, after Cashman graduated from Catholic, the Yankees offered him a position as a baseball operations assistant, which he accepted. Steinbrenner was banned from baseball in July 1990 for hiring a gambler to investigate Dave Winfield, gene Michael, then the Yankees General Manager, took over daily operations of the Yankees, and Cashman played a role in assisting him. He was promoted to assistant farm director that year, and to major league administrator in 1991, Michael named Cashman an Assistant General Manager in 1992. He remained in the role after Bob Watson succeeded Michael as general manager in 1995, the Yankees won the 1996 World Series. In February 1998, Watson resigned from the Yankees, and Cashman was named Senior Vice-President and he agreed to a one-year contract for $300,000, and became the second-youngest general manager in MLB history
6.
Joe Torre
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Joseph Paul Joe Torre is an American professional baseball executive, serving in the capacity of Major League Baseballs chief baseball officer since 2011. A former player, manager and television commentator, Torre ranks fifth all-time in MLB history with 2,326 wins as a manager. With 2,342 hits during his career, Torre is the only major leaguer to achieve both 2,000 hits and 2,000 wins as a manager. From 1996 to 2007, he was the manager of the New York Yankees, Torres lengthy and distinguished career in MLB began as a player in 1960 with the Milwaukee Braves, as a catcher, first baseman and third baseman. He also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets until becoming a manager in 1977 and his managerial career covered 29 seasons, including tenures with the same three clubs for which he played, and the Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, until 2010. From 1984 to 1989, he served as a color commentator for the California Angels. After retiring as a manager, he accepted a role assisting the Commissioner of Baseball as the vice president of baseball operations. A nine-time All-Star, Torre won the 1971 National League Most Valuable Player Award after leading the leagues in batting average, hits. After qualifying for the playoffs just once while managing the Mets, Braves and his clubs compiled a.605 regular season winning percentage and made the playoffs every year, winning four World Series titles, six American League pennants, and ten AL East division titles. In 1996 and 1998, he was the AL Manager of the Year and he also won two NL West division titles with the Dodgers for a total of 13 division titles. In 2014, Torre was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Joseph Torre was born July 18,1940, in Brooklyn, New York and his siblings include two older brothers, Frank Torre, and Rocco, and an older sister, Marguerite. Torre followed in his brother Frank Torres footsteps when he was signed by the Milwaukee Braves as a free agent in 1960. In his first season in the leagues with the Class A Eau Claire Bears. Torre made his league debut late in the season on September 25,1960. He was assigned to the Triple A Louisville Colonels for the 1961 season where, however, those plans were changed when Crandall injured his throwing arm in May 1961, forcing the Braves to promote Torre to the major leagues with just over a year of minor league experience. Torre rose to the occasion, hitting for a.278 batting average with 21 doubles and 10 home runs and he finished the season ranked second to Billy Williams in the 1961 National League Rookie of the Year voting. Crandall resumed his role as the number one catcher in 1962 while Torre stayed on as the back-up catcher, by the 1963 season, the Braves had begun to play Crandall at first base as Torre had taken over the starting catchers role
7.
WCBS-TV
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WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS Television Network, located in New York City. WCBS-TV is owned by the CBS Television Stations division of CBS Corporation, WCBS-TVs studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is based at the Empire State Building, both in midtown Manhattan. In the few areas of the eastern United States where a CBS station is not receivable over-the-air, WCBS is available on satellite via DirecTV and Dish Network. WCBS-TVs history dates back to CBS opening of experimental station W2XAB on July 21,1931 and its first broadcast featured New York Mayor Jimmy Walker, Kate Smith, and George Gershwin. The station had the first regular seven-day broadcasting schedule in American television, among its early programming included The Television Ghost, Helen Haynes and Piano Lessons. Announcer-director Bill Schudt was the only paid employee, all other staff were volunteers. W2XAB pioneered program development including small-scale dramatic acts, monologues, pantomime, on November 8,1932, W2XAB broadcast the first television coverage of presidential election returns. The station suspended operations on February 20,1933, as monochrome television transmission standards were in flux, W2XAB returned with an all-electronic system in 1939 from a new studio complex in Grand Central Station and a transmitter atop the Chrysler Building broadcasting on channel 2. W2XAB transmitted the first color broadcast in the United States on August 28,1940, on June 24,1941, W2XAB received a commercial construction permit and program authorization as WCBW. The station went on the air at 2,30 p. m. on July 1, one hour after rival WNBT, making it the second authorized fully commercial television station in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission issued permits to CBS and NBC at the time and intended WNBT and WCBW to sign on simultaneously on July 1. WCBWs initial broadcast was the first local newscast aired on a station in the country. Its assigned frequency was 60–66 MHz, now known as channel 3, program schedules were irregular through the summer and early fall of 1941. Regular daily operations began on October 29 and WCBW received a license to cover its construction permit. After the war, the FCC re-allocated the television and FM bands, WCBW closed down its operation on the old channel 2 at the end of February 1946 in order to move to a new channel 2 at 54–60 MHz. It quickly began operation on the new frequency, where it remained from the spring of 1946 until the end of analog full power television service in the spring of 2009. On February 26,1951, WCBS-TV became the first station to broadcast a regularly scheduled feature film series, on August 11,1951, WCBS-TV broadcast the first baseball game on color television, between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves from Ebbets Field. As were all programs at the time, it was transmitted via a field-sequential color system developed by CBS
8.
YES Network
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The Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network is an American cable and satellite television regional sports network that is owned by 21st Century Fox and Yankee Global Enterprises. YES Networks offices are based at the Chrysler Building in Midtown Manhattan, YES programs, including Yankees and Nets pre- and post-game shows, are produced in studios that are located in Stamford, Connecticut. YES is the product of a company founded in 1999 called YankeeNets, created out a merger of the business operations of the Yankees. Cablevision attempted to buy the Yankees outright, but could not agree to terms with George Steinbrenner. YankeeNets discussed multiple options with potential partners to stay with Cablevision or start its own network. The ultimate decision was to start its own network, ending the monopoly that Cablevision had held on local New York sports. The Yankees success in the late 1990s was a key factor in the decision, YES launched on March 19,2002, under the ownership of YankeeNets and Goldman Sachs, the latter of which served as minority partner. At that time, the current website domain, YesNetwork. com, was registered by a seminar training company called the Yes. As a result, the YES cable channel temporarily used the domain yesnetworktv. com for its website, Network to purchase the YesNetwork. com domain. In late 2003, the Yankees and Nets decided to part ways, the sale did not include the Nets ownership stake in YES, which remained with the pre-merger owners of the team. As part of the sale, the Nets signed a deal to keep the teams game telecasts on YES. In 2004, YankeeNets was renamed Yankee Global Enterprises LLC, which owns the Yankees, therefore, the Yankees technically do not own YES. The Yankees, however, receive a fee from YES that is somewhat higher than MSG previously paid. In early 2006, the design and maintenance of YesNetwork, as a result, YES gained the streaming rights to carry a limited amount of game highlights on its website, in addition to post-game interviews. In 2007, Goldman Sachs share in the network was put up for sale for estate taxes reasons, in November 2012, News Corporation agreed to terms on acquiring a 49% stake in YES. As a consequence, each of the previous owners had their ownership stakes reduced. News Corporations interest in YES was transferred to 21st Century Fox, on January 25,2014, 21st Century Fox became the networks majority owner by purchasing an additional 31% share of YES Network, increasing the companys ownership interest from 49% to 80%. In 2014, the YES Network announced an average 223,000 households in Yankees game broadcasts, other original programming featured on YES includes, Boston vs
9.
Michael Kay (sports broadcaster)
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Kay is a native of the New York City borough of the Bronx, and a nephew of actor Danny Aiello. Kay began reporting as a youth at the Bronx High School of Science and he received the Yankees beat writing assignment in 1987. In 1989, Kay left the Post for the Daily News, at this time, Kay also served as the Madison Square Garden Network Yankee reporter starting in 1989. From 1992 to 1999, he served as MSGs locker room reporter for the New York Knicks. He had previously worked for the network as a contributor on the news-format sports show MSG SportsDesk, Kay spent a decade partnered with Sterling as the radio announcers of the team on WABC. Kay and Sterling also paired together in 1998 for Sports Talk with John Sterling and Michael Kay, during the baseball season, the duo hosted Yankee Talk, a weekend pre-game radio show. From 1992 to 1993 Kay hosted his own show on WABC, Kay continued during that time as a spot reporter on ABC Radio, doing off-season shows with Sterling and as a fill-in sports reporter on WABC-TV. When ESPN Radio began leasing WEVD radio in 2002, Kay was chosen to host a radio show on the newly rechristened 1050 ESPN Radio. When WCBS acquired the rights to the Yankees broadcasts in 2002, Kay moved to the debuting YES Network on television. Kay has been the Yankees lead television play-by-play announcer ever since, Kay has worked with a series of partners on YES, often with three or four different partners in the same season. Most have been former players, including Ken Singleton, David Cone, Al Leiter, Paul ONeill, Jim Kaat, John Flaherty, Joe Girardi, Lou Piniella. Kay calls approximately 125 games a year for the YES Network, in 2008, Major League Baseball invited Kay to call the Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium during that years All Star festivities. On September 21,2008, he joined Jon Miller and Joe Morgan to call the seventh inning of ESPNs broadcast of the home game at Yankee Stadium against the Baltimore Orioles. Kay and Sterling also provided commentary for Nintendo 64s All-Star Baseball video games from 1999 to 2001. In 2002, he began hosting a talk show on WEPN. He also hosts the YES Networks CenterStage, a sports and entertainment interview-format show, during baseball season, Kay frequently broadcasts live from the vicinity of the stadium that the Yankees are playing in that evening. From 2009 until 2011, the 6,00 hour had been co-titled New York Baseball Tonight throughout the baseball season, Kay did not usually appear during that hour if he was broadcasting a Yankee game that evening. Don La Greca often hosted this segment and appeared with Kay on the rest of The Michael Kay Show
10.
Jim Kaat
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His 25-year career spanned four decades. Kaat was an All-Star for three seasons and a Gold Glove winner for sixteen seasons and he was the American League leader in shutouts in 1962, and the AL leader in wins and complete games in 1966. In addition to his 283 career wins, he has three 20-win seasons and he has written a best-selling book, Still Pitching, and has started a sports management company, Southpaw Enterprises, Inc. solely representing pitchers. He missed getting inducted in 2015 by 2 votes, none of the candidates on the ballot were elected. The Committee meets and votes on ten selected candidates from the 1947 to 1972 era every three years, Kaat attended Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and pitched for the Flying Dutchmen baseball team, before being signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent in 1957. Kaat would spend all of 1957 and 58 in the minor leagues before breaking into the majors in 1959. After pitching in 16 games spread out over the two seasons, Kaat became a permanent member of the pitching staff when the team moved west in 1961 to become the Minnesota Twins. On July 24,1963 Jim Kaat threw a complete-game shutout, the combination has only happened three times in Minnesota history and Kaat did it twice. On July 23,1964, he gave up two runs to Bert Campaneris, who was making his major league debut in the game. Kaat was a member of the 1965 Twins team that won the American League pennant and he started three games in the 1965 World Series, matching up with Sandy Koufax on all three occasions, including a complete game victory in Game 2. His best season was in 1966, when he won a league-leading 25 games and he finished fifth in the MVP voting and was named the American League Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News. Kaat was an All-Star three times, and won the Gold Glove Award for defensive skill a record 16 consecutive times and his record for career Gold Gloves by a pitcher is now second to Greg Madduxs 18. Kaat used the baseball glove for 15 seasons. With the Cardinals in 1982, Kaat earned his only World Series ring working in four out of the bullpen in the 1982 World Series. In 1983 he became the last major league player to have played in the 1950s, Kaat is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have appeared in Major League games in four decades. At the time of his retirement, Kaats 25-year career was the longest of any pitcher in league history. He is now third all-time, behind Nolan Ryans 27 seasons, Kaat also set a 20th Century record by playing during the administrations of seven U. S. Presidents – Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Jr. Jimmy Carter and this mark was equaled by Nolan Ryan when he retired after the 1993 Season – the first year of the administration of Bill Clinton
11.
Ken Singleton
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Kenneth Wayne Singleton is an American former professional baseball player and current television sports commentator. He played as an outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, born in Manhattan, New York City, and raised in nearby Mount Vernon, Singleton played both baseball and basketball in high school. He also played baseball in the Bronx Federation League at Macombs Dam Park, Singleton was drafted out of Hofstra University by the New York Mets as the third overall pick in the 1st round of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft. He made his league debut with the Mets on June 24,1970 at the age of 23. In April 1972, he was part of a package traded to the Montreal Expos for Rusty Staub. Singletons best year of the three in Montreal was 1973, when he led the league in percentage and collected 23 home runs,103 RBIs. Singleton was acquired along with Mike Torrez by the Baltimore Orioles from the Expos in exchange for Dave McNally, Rich Coggins and pitcher Bill Kirkpatrick on December 4,1974. During his ten years in Baltimore, Singleton played the best baseball of his career as the Orioles won two pennants, in 1979 and 1983, and won the 1983 World Series. In 1977, he posted a career-high.328 batting average, in 1979 he had career-highs with 35 home runs and 111 RBIs. Singleton played in his major league game on September 25,1984. He had a career.980 fielding percentage, Singleton ranks among the Orioles all-time leaders in numerous offensive statistics. An All-Star in 1977,1979 and 1981, he won the Roberto Clemente Award in 1982 and his highest finish in the Most Valuable Player Award balloting was in 1979, when he finished second to Don Baylor. He was third in 1977, behind Al Cowens and the winner, currently, Singleton is a commentator for the New York Yankees on the YES Network, serving as both a color commentator and play-by-play announcer. He also worked as an announcer for Yankee games on the MSG Network, before the inception of YES and joined the Yankees broadcasting team in 1997. His famous calls include This one is gone for a run and Lookout. for a hard hit foul ball into the crowd or dugout. He will also call a pitch a chuck and duck for a ball hit right back toward the pitcher. He also calls a pitch down the heart of the plate a cookie, Singleton is a cousin of former NBA player and current Los Angeles Clippers head coach Glenn Doc Rivers, and the father of former minor league outfielder Justin Singleton. Singleton grew up in a house in Mount Vernon, New York, according to broadcast references, Singleton still resides in the Baltimore area
12.
Bobby Murcer
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Bobby Ray Murcer was an American Major League Baseball outfielder who played for 17 seasons between 1965 and 1983, mostly with the New York Yankees, whom he later rejoined as a longtime broadcaster. A Gold Glove winner and five-time All-Star, Murcer led the American League in on-base percentage in 1971, a left-handed hitter, Murcer had a career.277 batting average, finishing with 252 home runs and 1,043 RBIs. He hit.301 with runners on third base and he was only the third New York Yankee to earn $100,000 per season, and at 26 years of age was the youngest American League player to earn a six-figure salary. Murcer made the All-Star teams from 1971 through 1974 in the American League and he also won a Gold Glove in 1972. He was noted for excelling at the delayed steal in which, as the catcher catches the ball or is about to throw the ball back to the pitcher, the thought is that the second baseman and shortstop will be back on their heels and slow to cover the bag. After working with Mickey Mantle, he was known as an excellent drag bunter. At his retirement, Murcers 252 career home runs were tied for 72nd place on the home run list. At his death, Murcer was tied for 183rd on the all-time list, against Hall of Fame pitchers, Murcer hit.291 with 17 homers and 65 RBIs in 447 at bats. If Tommy John and Bert Blyleven are inducted, Murcers numbers total 553 at bats with 20 home runs,76 RBIs, in the 1970s, Murcer drove in 840 runs, the 9th most in the major leagues during that span. Murcers 119 outfield assists led all major league outfielders for that decade, ahead of Bobby Bonds, Rusty Staub, Amos Otis, Reggie Smith, José Cardenal, Del Unser, and Reggie Jackson. His 198 homers tied for 17th in the leagues for the 1970s. During the 1970s, he led his club in home runs six times. In MLB history only 24 players hit above.275 while also hitting 250 or more runs, driving in more than 1,000 runs. Among that elite group only Murcer, George Brett, and Rogers Hornsby struck out fewer than 1,000 times, Murcer played on the football, baseball, and basketball teams as a sophomore at Southeast High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In his junior year, he made the All-district football team and he also helped Southeast High to the conference championship in baseball. As a senior, Murcer showed his abilities by making All-State in both football and baseball and was All-City in basketball and baseball. As a senior Murcer hit.458 and struck out only once, later, in the winter of 1964, he signed a letter of intent to play for the Oklahoma Sooners, but in the spring of 65 he signed a $20,000 bonus contract with the Yankees. Murcer signed a contract with Yankees scout Tom Greenwade, the scout who signed fellow Oklahoman Mickey Mantle
13.
Paul O'Neill (baseball)
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Paul Andrew ONeill is a retired right fielder and Major League Baseball player who won five World Series while playing for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees. In a 17-year career, ONeill compiled 281 home runs,1,269 runs batted in,2,107 hits, and a lifetime batting average of.288. ONeill won the American League batting title in 1994 with a.359 average and was a five-time All-Star in 1991,1994,1995,1997 and 1998, ONeill is the only player to have played on the winning team in three perfect games. He was in right field for the Reds for Tom Brownings perfect game in 1988. He caught the final out in the Yankees David Wells perfect game in 1998, a native of Columbus, Ohio, ONeill attended Brookhaven High School. ONeill and his family were fans of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball, on a visit to the Reds Crosley Field shortly before it closed, six-year-old Paul had his picture taken wearing a Reds batting helmet and holding a toy bat. Over his shoulder could be seen Roberto Clemente of the opposing Pittsburgh Pirates, like Clemente, ONeill would become a right fielder and wear uniform number 21. His older sister is Molly ONeill, a chef and cookbook author who was a food writer for The New York Times in 2000. He was also a high school basketball player earning all-state honors in his senior year 1981. ONeill was drafted by the Reds in the round of the 1981 Major League Baseball draft. ONeill made his debut on September 3,1985 and singled in his first at-bat. For the rest of the 1985 season, ONeill played in five games with four hits and he spent most of the 1986 season in the minors. He played only in three games with the Major League team during 1986 and did not get a hit in the majors that year, ONeill split his time between the minors and the Major League team in 1987. He appeared in 84 games for the Reds that year, batting.256 with seven runs and 28 RBI. In 1988, his first full season with the Reds, ONeill played 145 games, jeltz would score anyway on a passed ball, but the incident is remembered as one of the all-time baseball bloopers. A broadcaster quipped, The Cincinnati Bengals are on the phone, ONeill played 117 games in 1989 batting.276 with 15 home runs and 74 RBI. In 1990, ONeill played in 145 games batting.270 with 16 home runs and 78 RBI, ONeill batted.277 during the 1990 postseason with a home run and 5 RBI as the Reds won the World Series over the Oakland Athletics. ONeill clashed with Reds manager Lou Piniella, who wanted ONeill to change his swing to hit home runs
14.
Joe Girardi
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Joseph Elliott Girardi is an American professional baseball manager for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Formerly a catcher, Girardi played for the Chicago Cubs, the Colorado Rockies, the Yankees, in 2006, he managed the Florida Marlins and was named the National League Manager of the Year. Girardi, the son of Jerry, a former blue collar worker and United States Air Force veteran. He attended East Peorias Neil Armstrong grade school, and Peorias Sacred Heart/Father Sweeney and he then attended Academy of Our Lady/Spalding Institute in Peoria, Illinois, where he played quarterback for the football team and catcher for the baseball team. He went on to play baseball at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and he was the first freshman to be elected president of a fraternity at Northwestern. The Chicago Cubs drafted Girardi in the round of the 1986 Major League Baseball draft. He spent four seasons in the Cubs minor leagues system before making his league debut. In 1986, Girardi batted.309 in 68 games with the Peoria Chiefs of the Midwest League, in 1989, he also played for the Águilas del Zulia in the Venezuelan Winter League. Girardi made his Major League debut for the Cubs on April 4,1989, during his rookie year with the Cubs, Girardi batted.248 with a home run and 14 RBI in 59 games played. In 1990, he played in 133 games, batting.270 with a run and 38 RBI. In 1991, he played in only 21 games, batting.191 with 6 RBI, in 1992, he played in 91 games, batting.270 with a home run and 12 RBI. The Cubs left Girardi unprotected in the 1992 expansion draft and the Colorado Rockies chose him, during his first year with the Rockies in 1993, he played in 86 games batting.290 with five triples, three home runs, and 31 RBI. In 1994, he played in 93 games batting.276 with four triples, four home runs, in 1995, he played in 125 games batting.262 with a career-high 8 home runs and 55 RBI. Girardi was traded in 1995 to the New York Yankees for pitcher Mike DeJean, on May 14,1996, Girardi caught Dwight Goodens no-hitter. Girardi played in 124 games during the 1996 season, batting.294 with 2 home runs and 45 RBI. In Game 6 of the 1996 World Series, Girardi hit an RBI triple off of Greg Maddux that eventually led the Yankees winning the World Series for the first time since 1978, when the Yankees made 25-year-old prospect Jorge Posada his backup, Girardi became his mentor. The two catchers split time for the Yankees through 1999, in 1997, Girardi played in 112 games batting.264 with a home run and 50 RBI. During the World Series-winning 1998 season, he played in 78 games batting.276 with 3 home runs and 31 RBI, on July 18,1999, Girardi caught David Cones perfect game
15.
WCBS (AM)
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WCBS, often referred to as WCBS Newsradio 880, is a radio station located in New York City. Owned by CBS Radio, the broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of CBS Radio News. The stations studios are located in the combined CBS Radio facility in the Hudson Square area of Manhattan, WCBS broadcasts in the HD format. The stations history back to 1924, when Alfred H. Grebe started WAHG at 920 AM. WAHG was a station in New York, and was one of the first commercial radio stations to broadcast from remote locations including horse races. After a short time broadcasting CBS programming three days a week, CBS president William S. Paley purchased WABC and it became a subsidiary of CBS. Soon after this purchase the station moved to a new frequency, this time to 860 AM, the station also moved its studios into the CBS headquarters at 485 Madison Avenue. The station, still operating as WABC, featured a mix of local interest programming, ethnic content and music programs from CBSs national feed. As time went by, WABC turned more and more to the programming provided by CBS and its affiliates. In 1939, the operations were moved across 52nd Street from the headquarters to the new CBS Studio Building. As a result, this station has no relation to the longtime ABC radio flagship station on 770 AM that began in 1921 as WJZ, and has operated as WABC since 1953. During this time WCBS featured well-known personalities including Arthur Godfrey, future CBS News President Bill Leonard, author Emily Kimbrough, one cause célèbre involving WCBS emerged in the 1950s. One of its hosts, John Henry Faulk, was part of an anti-blacklisting wing that took over leadership of the flagship New York chapter of the broadcasters union AFTRA. After Faulk and WCBS came under pressure from anti-Communist group Aware, Faulk and attorney Louis Nizer sued Aware, Inc. for libel, a case often considered one of the key turning points in the battle against McCarthyism. Faulk was supported by fellow CBS broadcaster Edward R. Murrow, according to Murrow biographer Joe Persico, Murrow gave Faulk the money he needed to retain Nizer as his lawyer. The controversy became the subject of the 1975 CBS television movie Fear on Trial, since 1924, WCBS has been known for announcing the time consistently every three minutes. This is because during the early 20th century, not all listeners had reliable time pieces and they relied on synchronising their clocks up with the radio almost every day. To this day, WCBS announces the time frequently, on the hour, WCBS plays the iconic and distinctive CBS network ding indicating that the time is on the hour
16.
John Sterling (sportscaster)
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John Sterling is an American sportscaster best known as the radio play-by-play announcer of Major League Baseballs New York Yankees. He has announced every Yankees game since 1989, Sterling grew up on Manhattans Upper East Side, in the East 80s. He was the son of advertising executive Carl H. T. according to the 1940 U. S. Census, John was one year old and living with the family in Manhattan when the census was taken on April 4. Sterling began his career in Baltimore, where he served as the play-by-play announcer for the then-Baltimore Bullets for the 1970–71 NBA season. He also did play-by-play for Morgan State University football, a role that he held from 1971 to 1978, Sterling came to New York broadcasting as a talk show host with WMCA in 1971. He later served as the voice for the WHAs New York Raiders, the WFLs New York Stars, the NHLs New York Islanders. Sterling also did a stretch with the Yankees as pre-game host on WMCA and WINS radio, from 1975 through 1980, Sterling announced Nets and Islanders games for WMCA, WVNJ, WOR-TV, and SportsChannel New York, continuing his WMCA talk program until 1978. After his initial stint in New York, Sterling spent nine years in Atlanta hosting a sports show on WSB radio and covering the Braves. In 1989, Sterling returned to New York to broadcast the games for the Yankees on WABC radio and he has been with the Yankees ever since, currently calling games on WFAN radio and its affiliates in the New York Yankees Radio Network. Since 2005, he has been paired with Suzyn Waldman, past announcing partners include, Jay Johnstone, Joe Angel, Michael Kay, in 2013, the Yankees announced a move to WFAN over the next ten years, and Sterling was retained. His contract was extended through the 2017 season on February 12,2016, Sterlings association with the Yankees is not limited to announcing live games over the radio. He is also host of the YES Networks Yankeeography series, which produces biographies of New York Yankees, among several nominations, Sterling has received two Emmy Awards for the series. He also hosts the introductions and recaps for Yankees Classics, in addition, Sterling has a nightly commentary feature on WCBS-TV newscasts called Sterling on Sports, in which he gives his take on a recent sporting event or sports news item. This commentary airs nightly during the 6,15 PM sports report, Sterling and former broadcasting partner Michael Kay commonly work together representing the Yankees. They announce the annual Yankees Old-Timers Day and they have presided at the Key to the City ceremonies following Yankee World Series victories in 1996,1998,1999,2000 and 2009. The pair often serve as masters of ceremonies on and off the field for major Yankee events, Sterling has several idiosyncrasies that mark his broadcasts as distinctive, very unusual, if also divisive. Following the final out of a Yankees victory, Sterling calls Ballgame over, the length of the word the is held longer after dramatic victories, as well as after victories resulting in championships. The phrase evolved from Sterlings call of Mel Halls game-winning three-run homer in the inning on May 27,1991
17.
Charley Steiner
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Charles Harris Charley Steiner is an American sportscaster and broadcast journalist. He is currently the main voice for the Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network. Originally from the New York City area, Steiner attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, after graduating from Bradley in 1971, he hosted his first sports show on KSTT radio in Davenport, Iowa. A year later, Steiner moved to New Haven, Connecticut, in 1977, Steiner relocated to WERE in Cleveland, Ohio, where he served as a sportscaster and later news director. While in Cleveland, he received his first television exposure when WKYC-TV hired him as a sports commentator, Steiner entered the New York market in 1978 at WXLO-FM where he did newscasts for, among others, then-morning host and future actor Jay Thomas. He later moved over to sister station WOR for several years as its morning drive sportscaster and he was also the play-by-play voice for the USFLs New Jersey Generals from 1983 to 1985, and for the NFLs New York Jets in 1986 and 1987. It was during his time with RKO Radio that he was involved in a fracas at the conclusion of a conference after John McEnroe had won his semifinals match at Wimbledon in 1981. Throughout the tournament, McEnroe had consistently requested not to discuss the status of his relationship with then-girlfriend Stacy Margolin, Steiner confronted Whittaker to say, Cmon, man, you are just messing it up for everybody else. We want to get our quotes, right at that point, Nigel Clarke, another British reporter who then worked for the Daily Mirror, stuck his index finger in Steiners face. Clarke then got up on a chair and attempted to rain punches down on Steiner, surprisingly, Steiner later was personally thanked by the head of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, who also had a disdain for the British tabloids. Steiner joined ESPN in 1988, primarily as an anchor on SportsCenter, in addition to those duties, he served as the networks lead boxing analyst. Steiner was involved in comical situations during his tenure on SportsCenter. Amused by hearing Lewis terrible rendition of the song, Steiner simply could not contain himself and began chortling during the SportsCenter show that night, unable to stop until the show ended. His famous comment on the event was that the song had apparently written by Francis Scott Off-Key. Steiner was featured in a series of well-known television promos from ESPNs This is SportsCenter comical promo campaign and he later screamed this phrase at Wrigley Field after singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame on August 31,2005. A second promo featured Steiner being traded from ESPN to Melrose Place in exchange for actor Andrew Shue, Steiner starred in a third promo with boxer Evander Holyfield. In the final scene, an angry Holyfield is seen roaming the halls of ESPN screaming, come on out and get your whoopin. Steiner is seen cowering under a desk, in probably his funniest promo for the This is SportsCenter campaign, Steiner talks about how at ESPN the personalities can cover the sports that they enjoy and he says that his is boxing
18.
WADO
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WADO is a radio station in New York City. Owned by Univision Radio, it broadcasts a Spanish-language news talk format and its transmitters are located in Carlstadt, New Jersey. This station was launched as WGL on January 30,1927, WGL president Colonel Lewis Landes stated on the inaugural broadcast, The International Broadcasting Corporations aim is to adhere to truth, to be free of partisanship, religious or political. WGL was the first station to protest the frequency allocations of the Federal Radio Commission in May 1927, WGL was authorized to move to 1170 AM, but wanted to go to 720, occupied by WOR. When WOR was awarded the 710 frequency, both went to court, with WOR eventually winning the case. Finally in June 1927, WGL moved to 1020 AM and shared time with Paterson station, in August 1927, studio manager Charles Isaacson announced one of the citys first attempts at local news coverage. WGL was organizing listeners to volunteer as radio reporters and call the station with breaking news stories, on September 16,1928, WGL changed calls to WOV and was sold to Sicilian-born importer John Iraci. The WGL call sign was picked up by a Fort Wayne station. WOVs initial programming was aimed at an audience, but by the mid-1930s, it strengthened its ethnic ties. WOV soon became the dominant Italian voice in the Northeast through its affiliation with share-time station WBIL, the station was owned by WOV Broadcasting until 1959, when it was sold to Bartel Broadcasters, at which time the station was renamed WADO. During the day, WADO broadcast R&B music, at night, they ran Italian programming. By 1962, some Spanish programming was run on weekends, by 1963, the only English programming found on WADO was in Sunday religious broadcasts. In 1964, WADO began broadcasting completely in Spanish from 5 a. m. to 8 p. m. by 1970, Spanish had replaced the Asian format. In terms of music, the played a blend of Spanish MOR. They evolved to a Spanish Adult contemporary and Oldies format by the mid-1970s and they dropped Italian programming in 1971. WADO currently broadcasts all games of the New York Jets, and certain games for the New York Yankees, New York Knicks, the station was sold to Command Broadcasting in 1979. In 1986, Heftel bought the station, and over the three years, moved to a Spanish language adult contemporary and talk format. By the early-1990s, WADO was a Spanish news and talk station, in March 1996 they bought WPAT and put a Spanish MOR format there, which would later grow to cover additional languages such as Korean
19.
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
20.
Tampa Bay Rays
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The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball as a member of the American League East division, since its inception, the teams home venue has been Tropicana Field. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays began play in the 1998 Major League Baseball season and their first decade of play, however, was marked by futility, they finished in last place in the American League East in all but the 2004 season, when they finished second-to-last. Since then, the Rays have been consistent contenders, gaining postseason berths in 2010,2011, the Tampa Bay Rays chief rivals are the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. Regarding the former, there have been several notable on-field incidents, the Rays also have an intrastate rivalry with the National Leagues Miami Marlins, whom they play in the Citrus Series. Unlike in the case of Green Bay, Wisconsin, there is no municipality known as Tampa Bay, the Tampa Bay in the names of local professional sports franchises denotes that they represent the entire region, not just Tampa or St. Petersburg. Former civic leader and St. Petersburg Times publisher, Jack Lake, the notable influences Lake held in the sport are what led to the serious discussions that changed St. Petersburg from a spring training location to a major league city. He spoke to anyone who would listen about his desire to see the city of St. Petersburg have a Major league baseball team and his colorful direction dominated the mindset in both sports and business circles dating back to 1966. He was said to have the foresight and prominence to make it happen, local leaders made many unsuccessful attempts to acquire a major league baseball team in the 1980s and 1990s. The Florida Suncoast Dome was built in St. Petersburg in 1990 with the purpose of luring a major league team and that same year two separate groups, one in Tampa and another in Sarasota, were seeking to get an expansion team. When MLB announced that it would add two teams for the 1993 season, it was widely assumed that one of the teams would be placed in the Dome. However, in addition to the application from St. Petersburg, the two National League teams were awarded to Denver and Miami instead. In 1992, San Francisco Giants owner Bob Lurie agreed in principle to sell his team to a Tampa Bay-based group of investors led by Vince Naimoli, who would then move the team to St. Petersburg. However, at the 11th hour, MLB owners nixed the move under pressure from San Francisco officials, finally, on March 9,1995, new expansion franchises were awarded to Naimolis Tampa Bay group and a group from Phoenix. The new franchises were scheduled to play in 1998. The Tampa Bay area finally had a team, but the stadium in St. Petersburg was already in need of an upgrade. In 1993, the stadium was renamed the Thunderdome and became the home of the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team, after the birth of the Rays, the naming rights were sold to Tropicana Products and $70 million was spent on renovations. The records of the Rays last five seasons in Major League Baseball and these statistics are current through the 2016 MLB season
21.
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
22.
2004 American League Division Series
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They were, New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins, Yankees win series, 3–1. Boston Red Sox, Red Sox win series, 3–0, the higher seed had the home field advantage. The Angels received home field advantage rather than the Twins due to their winning the season series 6–4 against Minnesota, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox went on to meet in the AL Championship Series. The Red Sox became the American League champion, and defeated the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series for their first World Championship since 1918, New York won the series, 3–1. Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York Pitching dominated in Game 1 as Mike Mussina faced Johan Santana, the Twins got on the board first when Shannon Stewart singled home Michael Cuddyer. Then in the sixth, Jacque Jones hit a home run to make it 2–0. The Yankees got nine hits and numerous walks but never capitalized on Santana, Juan Rincón, as of 2016, this is the last postseason game won by the Twins. Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York Brad Radke faced Jon Lieber in a game for the Yankees. It was arguably the best game of the series, in the top of the first, Justin Morneau doubled in Torii Hunter to give the Twins a 1–0 lead. In the bottom of the first, Derek Jeter led off the game with a home run to make it a 1–1 game. A single by Cuddyer and a sac fly by Henry Blanco made it 3–1 Twins, but Gary Sheffield would tie the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the third. Alex Rodriguez gave the Yankees the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a home run. He would also add in another run by singling home Miguel Cairo to make it 5–3 Yankees, a passed third strike allowed the Twins to tie the game. Torii Hunter would single to put runners on first and second, Mariano Rivera came in but the Twins were still able to tie the game. A single by Morneau and a double by Corey Koskie would be the tying-run scorers. However, the ground-rule double cost the Twins a run and would never be able to score that run as Jason Kubel, the game went into extra innings and in the top of the 12th, Torii Hunter hit the go-ahead solo home run. The Twins were on the verge of putting the Yankees down two games to none, heading home, but Twins manager Ron Gardenhire made the already questionable move of leaving closer Joe Nathan in for a third inning of work. Nathan got the first out, but then walked Cairo and Jeter on four pitches each, Nathan clearly had nothing left, but was still left in the game to pitch to Alex Rodriguez, who hit a ground-rule double that tied the game
23.
2004 American League Championship Series
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The 2004 American League Championship Series was the Major League Baseball playoff series to decide the American League champion for the 2004 season. It was played between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, at Fenway Park and the original Yankee Stadium, the Red Sox became the first team in MLB history to come back from a 0–3 deficit to win a seven-game series. In Game 1, Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina pitched a game through six innings. A home run by John Olerud helped the Yankees win Game 2, the Yankees gathered 22 hits in Game 3 on their way to an easy win. The Yankees led Game 4 by one run in the inning, but a steal of second base by Red Sox base runner Dave Roberts. A home run by David Ortiz then won it for the Red Sox in extra innings, Ortiz also won Game 5 with a single in the fourteenth inning. Curt Schilling pitched seven innings in Game 6 for the Red Sox, David Ortiz was named the Most Valuable Player of the series. During the offseason, they traded Casey Fossum, Brandon Lyon, Jorge de la Rosa, Manager Grady Little was also fired and replaced with Terry Francona due to poor decisions that Little made during the previous seasons playoffs. The Red Sox also signed a closing pitcher, Keith Foulke, going into the all-star break, the Red Sox were seven games behind the Yankees for the division lead with a record of 48–38, but led the wild card. The team fell behind up to 10½ games in the division during the month of August, however, the Yankees held strong and won the division, finishing three games ahead of the Red Sox. The Red Sox won the AL Wild Card to obtain a spot in the playoffs, entering the postseason, first baseman Kevin Millar was asked to compare the team with the previous seasons team, to which he responded, Im pretty sure were five outs better than last year. The Red Sox would sweep the Anaheim Angels in three games, but at a cost, in the first game of the series, Schilling would be hurt by a line drive hit off his foot, leaving the rest of his postseason play in doubt. The 2004 Yankees began the season in Tokyo with a split against the Rays, playing a much anticipated game against the Red Sox, the team lost the game 6–2 and 6 out of the first 7 games to their rivals. After falling as many as 4½ games behind the Red Sox on April 25, by the end of June, they had a commanding 8½ game lead in the AL East lead over the Sox after sweeping them with a dramatic 5–4 walk-off 13-inning victory. After the All-star break, the Yankees traded José Contreras to the White Sox for Esteban Loaiza, Contreras was signed away from the Red Sox before the 2003 season, but he failed to live up to expectations. With a 10½ game lead in the week of August. The team held off the Red Sox to claim the division, the results were pretty much the same as the Yankees took the Division Series in 4 games, setting up the rematch. The Red Sox and Yankees had met 45 times in the two years, with Boston holding a 23–22 lead
24.
Major League Baseball
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Major League Baseball is a professional baseball organization, the oldest of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. A total of 30 teams now play in the National League and American League, the NL and AL operated as separate legal entities from 1876 and 1901 respectively. After cooperating but remaining legally separate entities since 1903, the merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball in 2000. The organization also oversees Minor League Baseball, which comprises about 240 teams affiliated with the Major League clubs, with the World Baseball Softball Confederation, MLB manages the international World Baseball Classic tournament. Baseballs first professional team was founded in Cincinnati in 1869,30 years after Abner Doubleday supposedly invented the game of baseball, the first few decades of professional baseball were characterized by rivalries between leagues and by players who often jumped from one team or league to another. The period before 1920 in baseball was known as the dead-ball era, Baseball survived a conspiracy to fix the 1919 World Series, which came to be known as the Black Sox Scandal. The sport rose in popularity in the 1920s, and survived potential downturns during the Great Depression, shortly after the war, baseballs color barrier was broken by Jackie Robinson. The 1950s and 1960s were a time of expansion for the AL and NL, then new stadiums, Home runs dominated the game during the 1990s, and media reports began to discuss the use of anabolic steroids among Major League players in the mid-2000s. In 2006, an investigation produced the Mitchell Report, which implicated many players in the use of performance-enhancing substances, today, MLB is composed of thirty teams, twenty-nine in the United States and one in Canada. Baseball broadcasts are aired on television, radio, and the Internet throughout North America, MLB has the highest season attendance of any sports league in the world with more than 73 million spectators in 2015. MLB is governed by the Major League Baseball Constitution and this document has undergone several incarnations since 1875, with the most recent revisions being made in 2012. Under the direction of the Commissioner of Baseball, MLB hires and maintains the sports umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, MLB maintains a unique, controlling relationship over the sport, including most aspects of Minor League Baseball. This ruling has been weakened only slightly in subsequent years, the weakened ruling granted more stability to the owners of teams and has resulted in values increasing at double-digit rates. There were several challenges to MLBs primacy in the sport between the 1870s and the Federal League in 1916, the last attempt at a new league was the aborted Continental League in 1960. The chief executive of MLB is the commissioner, Rob Manfred, the chief operating officer is Tony Petitti. There are five other executives, president, chief officer, chief legal officer, chief financial officer. The multimedia branch of MLB, which is based in Manhattan, is MLB Advanced Media and this branch oversees MLB. com and each of the 30 teams websites. Its charter states that MLB Advanced Media holds editorial independence from the league, MLB Productions is a similarly structured wing of the league, focusing on video and traditional broadcast media
25.
Alex Rodriguez
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Alexander Emmanuel A-Rod Rodriguez is a Dominican-American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Rodriguez was one of the sports most highly touted prospects and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. During his 22-year career, Rodriguez has amassed a.297 batting average,696 home runs, over 2,000 runs batted in, over 2,000 runs scored, and over 3,000 hits. He is a 14-time All-Star and has won three American League Most Valuable Player Awards, ten Silver Slugger Awards, and two Gold Glove Awards, Rodríguez is the career record holder for grand slams with 25. The Mariners selected Rodriguez first overall in the 1993 MLB draft, in 1996, he became the Mariners starting shortstop and finished second in voting for the AL MVP Award. Rodriguezs combination of power, speed, and defense made him a cornerstone of the franchise, the 10-year, $252 million contract he signed was the richest in baseball history. He played at a level in his three years with Texas, highlighted by his first AL MVP Award win in 2003. Prior to the 2004 season, Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees, in his first four seasons with New York, he was twice more named AL MVP. After opting out of his following the 2007 season, Rodriguez signed a new 10-year, $275 million deal with the Yankees. He became the youngest player ever to hit 500 home runs and he won his first World Series in 2009, which was the first year of the new Yankee Stadium. The following year, he became the leader in home runs by a player of Hispanic descent. In recent years, Rodriguez has been hampered by hip and knee injuries and he played his final game as a Yankee on August 12,2016. In August 2013, MLB suspended him 211 games for his involvement in the scandal, had the original suspension been upheld, it would have been the longest non-lifetime suspension in Major League Baseball history. After an arbitration hearing, the suspension was reduced to 162 games, Rodriguez was born in the Washington Heights section of New York City, to a Dominican family. When he was four, Rodriguez and his parents moved to the Dominican Republic, then to Miami, Rodriguezs favorite baseball players growing up were Keith Hernandez, Dale Murphy, and Cal Ripken Jr. and his favorite team was the New York Mets. In 100 games he batted.419 with 90 steals, westminster went on to win the high school national championship in his junior year. He was first team prep All-American as a senior, hitting.505 with nine runs,36 runs batted in. He was selected as the USA Baseball Junior Player of the Year, in 1993, Rodriguez became the first high school player to ever try out for the United States national baseball team
26.
Texas Rangers (baseball)
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The Texas Rangers are an American professional baseball team based in Arlington, Texas, located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Rangers franchise is currently a member of the West division of the American League in Major League Baseball, since 1994, the Rangers have played in Globe Life Park in Arlington in Arlington, Texas. The teams name is borrowed from the law enforcement agency of the same name. After the 1971 season, the new Senators moved to Arlington, Texas, in 2010, the Rangers advanced past the Division Series for the first time, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays. Texas then brought home their first American League pennant after beating the New York Yankees in six games, in the 2010 World Series, the franchises first, the Rangers fell to the San Francisco Giants in five games. They repeated as American League champions the year, then lost the 2011 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. At the winter meetings that year, it awarded a new team to Los Angeles as well as a new team in the nations capital and this new team adopted the old Senators name, but was considered an expansion team since the Twins retained the old Senators records and history. The Senators and Angels began to fill their rosters with American League players in an expansion draft, the team played the 1961 season at old Griffith Stadium before moving to District of Columbia Stadium. For most of their existence, the new Senators were the definition of futility, the teams struggles led to a twist on a joke about the old Senators--Washington, first in war, first in peace and still last in the American League. Frank Howard, known for his home runs, was the teams most accomplished player. Ownership changed hands several times during the stay in Washington and was often plagued by poor decision-making and planning. Owner Elwood Richard Quesada once wondered why he should have to pay his players because he believed they didnt belong in the majors and he later agreed to a 10-year lease at D. C. Stadium — a move that would back to haunt the Senators. In 1963, Quesada sold his stake in the club and resigned, Washington stockbrokers James Johnston and James Lemon owned the team briefly, suffering massive financial losses. Johnson died in 1967 and Lemon sold the team a year later to hotel and trucking executive Bob Short, Short named himself general manager and hired Hall of Famer Ted Williams as manager. Although Williams had never coached or managed at any level of baseball, Williams kept them in contention for most of the season, their 86–76 record would be their only winning season in Washington. The success though was brief, as Short borrowed most of the $9.4 million he had used to pay for the team, as the Senators general manager, Short was forced to make many questionable trades to lower the debt and acquire amounts of the much-needed revenue. As a result, the team fell back into the American Leagues cellar position
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Alfonso Soriano
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Alfonso Guilleard Soriano is a Dominican former professional baseball left fielder and second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and Washington Nationals, and in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Soriano began his career with Hiroshima in 1996, but signed with the Yankees as a free agent in 1998 and was assigned to play in minor league baseball. The next year, he was the Most Valuable Player in the All-Star Futures Game, the Yankees traded Soriano to the Rangers after the 2003 season, and the Rangers traded Soriano to the Nationals after the 2005 season. He signed a contract as an agent with the Cubs before the 2007 season. The Cubs traded Soriano to the Yankees in 2013, and the Yankees released him in 2014, Soriano was a seven-time MLB All-Star, and won the All-Star Game MVP Award in 2004. He won the Silver Slugger Award four times and he played primarily as a second baseman for the Yankees and Rangers before being converted to an outfielder with the Nationals. Soriano is one of only 54 major league players to hit 400 or more home runs. Soriano began his baseball career in Japan with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Soriano spent 1996 playing in Japan in the minor Western League, in 1997, he was promoted to the varsity team, and, wearing uniform number 74, he appeared in nine games, batting.118 with two walks. Soriano disliked the intense Japanese practice schedule, and the Carp denied him an increase from $45,000 to $180,000 per year. Like Hideo Nomo and Hideki Irabu, who had previously left Japan to play in the United States and this prompted Carp executives to file an injunction against Soriano, and to send letters to MLB teams demanding that they cease all negotiations with him. After the Nomo case, NPB officials had amended the Working Agreement without consulting any MLB officials in an attempt to prevent the situation from recurring. Since MLB had not agreed to any changes to the agreement, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig declared that MLB would recognize Soriano as an agent on July 13,1998. Soriano signed as an agent with the New York Yankees in 1998, starting his career as an infielder, first as a third baseman. Soriano was named to the All-Star Futures Game in 1999 and he won the games most valuable player award after hitting two home runs in the contest. He played in New York for five seasons and his first hit in MLB came in 1999 when he hit a game-winning home run against Norm Charlton of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He finished in place for Rookie of the Year honors in 2001
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Randy Choate
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Randol Doyle Randy Choate is an American former professional baseball pitcher. The New York Yankees selected him in the 1997 Major League Baseball draft from Florida State University. Choate made his MLB debut for the Yankees in 2000, and also pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Rays, Florida/Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers and he won the 2000 World Series with the Yankees, beating the New York Mets. As a left-handed relief pitcher, Choate appeared mainly in matchups against left-handed hitters and his pitching style featured a sidearm-delivery style that hid the ball effectively from left-handed hitters, while only marginally so against right-handed hitters. His repertoire featured almost exclusively a sinking fastball and slider combination, Choate was born in San Antonio, Texas. He attended Churchill High School in San Antonio, and was a letterman in baseball and he then attended Florida State University, where he was a third team College All-American in 1996 and a second team College All-American and Atlantic Coast Conference All-Star in 1997. Choate was drafted by the New York Yankees in the round of the 1997 Major League Baseball draft. He split 1998 between the Greensboro Bats and the Tampa Yankees and spent all of 1999 with Tampa before being promoted to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 2000. Choate made his Major League debut on July 1,2000, as a member of the New York Yankees, retiring the only batter he faced in a 6–1 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field. In his 22 games for the Yankees that year, Choate had a record of 0–1 with a 4.76 ERA, and was a part of the World Series-winning club. After a career best 3–1 record with 3.35 ERA in 2001, he was effective in 2002 and 2003. He also spent considerable time in the minors with Columbus, the Yankees traded Choate to the Montreal Expos with Nick Johnson and Juan Rivera for Javier Vázquez on December 16,2003. The following March 27, the Expos then traded him to the Arizona Diamondbacks for pitcher John Patterson, Choate appeared in 74 games for the Diamondbacks, the most number of games by a left-handed pitcher in Diamondbacks history and the fourth-highest by any pitcher in franchise history. He also achieved a 2–4 record with a 4.62 ERA, in 2005 and 2006, Choate played in 90 games. Choate later signed a league contract with the Minnesota Twins on January 9,2007. He signed a league contract to return to the Diamondbacks in April 2007. The Diamondbacks purchased his contract from Tucson on June 26,2007, on November 14,2007, the Milwaukee Brewers signed him to a one-year contract. During spring training 2008, Choate broke a bone in his left hand, in mid-June, he began his rehab assignment in the minors
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Mike Lamb
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Michael Robert Lamb is an American former professional baseball third baseman and first baseman. Lamb stands 61 and weighs 205 pounds, Lamb attended Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, California and California State University, Fullerton. He was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 7th round of the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft, Lamb made his Major League Baseball debut on April 23,2000, for the Rangers. He played for the Rangers until February 5,2004, when he was traded to the New York Yankees for minor leaguer Jose Garcia. Before playing a game for the Yankees, the Houston Astros acquired Lamb from the Yankees for minor leaguer Juan DeLeon on March 25,2004, in 2005, he saw more playing time due to regular first baseman Jeff Bagwells injury. In 2005, he batted.233 with 10 home runs and 50 RBI, on December 14,2007, Lamb signed a two-year deal with the Minnesota Twins. On August 25,2008, he was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Eddie Guardado and he was released on September 4, and then signed with the Milwaukee Brewers the following day. Lamb became an agent at the end of the 2008 season. On December 9, however, he re-signed a new contract with the Brewers, on April 1,2009, after turning down a Triple-A assignment, Lamb was released by the Brewers. On April 25,2009, the New York Mets signed Lamb to a league contract. He spent the entire 2009 season in the minor leagues, on February 11,2010, Lamb signed a minor league contract with the Florida Marlins, and was added to the Major League roster on April 3. On May 6,2010, Lamb was designated for assignment, Lamb signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees on June 22,2011, after beginning the season with the Camden Riversharks of Atlantic League. He was assigned to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
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Derek Jeter
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Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American former professional baseball shortstop who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A five-time World Series champion, Jeter is regarded as a figure of the Yankees success of the late 1990s and early 2000s for his hitting, baserunning, fielding. He is the Yankees all-time career leader in hits, doubles, games played, stolen bases, times on base, plate appearances and at bats. His accolades include 14 All-Star selections, five Gold Glove Awards, five Silver Slugger Awards, Jeter became the 28th player to reach 3,000 hits and finished his career sixth all-time in career hits and the all-time MLB leader in hits by a shortstop. The Yankees drafted Jeter out of school in 1992. The following year, he became the Yankees starting shortstop, won the Rookie of the Year Award and he consistently placed among the AL leaders in hits and runs scored for most of his career, and served as the Yankees team captain from 2003 until his retirement in 2014. Throughout his career, Jeter contributed reliably to the Yankees franchise successes and he holds many postseason records, and has a.321 batting average in the World Series. Jeter has earned the nicknames of Captain Clutch and Mr. November due to his play in the postseason. Jeter is one of the most heavily marketed athletes of his generation and is involved in several product endorsements and his personal life and relationships with celebrities have drawn the attention of the media throughout his career. Teammates and opponents alike regard Jeter as a professional and one of the best players of his generation. Jeter was born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey, on June 26,1974 and his mother, Dorothy, an accountant, is of Irish, as well as some German and English, ancestry. His father, Sanderson Charles Jeter, Ph. D. a substance abuse counselor, is African-American and they met while serving in the United States Army in Germany. His father played baseball at Fisk University in Tennessee as a shortstop, when Jeter was a child, his parents made him sign a contract every year that defined acceptable and unacceptable forms of behavior. Dorothy instilled a positive attitude in her son, insisting that he not use the word cant and it was a baseball family, and Jeters younger sister Sharlee was a softball star in high school. The Jeters lived in New Jersey until Derek was 4 years old, at which point they moved to Kalamazoo, Jeter and Sharlee lived in Kalamazoo with their parents during the school year and spent their summers with their grandparents in New Jersey. Attending New York Yankees games with his grandparents, Jeter became a fan of the team. Watching Yankees player Dave Winfield inspired him to pursue a career in baseball, Jeter attended Kalamazoo Central High School, where he ran cross country in the fall, played basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring. Jeter posted high batting averages for the baseball team, he batted.557 in his sophomore year
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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
