1.
Indianapolis
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Indianapolis, is the capital and largest city of the U. S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. It is in the East North Central region of the Midwestern United States, with an estimated population of 853,173 in 2015, Indianapolis is the second most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and 14th largest in the U. S. The city is the economic and cultural center of the Indianapolis metropolitan area, home to 2 million people and its combined statistical area ranks 26th, with 2.4 million inhabitants. Indianapolis covers 372 square miles, making it the 16th largest city by area in the U. S. The city grew beyond the Mile Square, as completion of the National Road and advent of the railroad solidified the position as a manufacturing. Indianapolis is within a single-day drive of 70 percent of the nations population, Indianapolis has developed niche markets in amateur sports and auto racing. The city is perhaps best known for hosting the worlds largest single-day sporting event. The city is notable as headquarters for the American Legion and home to a significant collection of monuments dedicated to veterans and war dead, the most in the U. S. outside of Washington, D. C. Since the 1970 city-county consolidation, known as Unigov, local government administration has operated under the direction of an elected 25-member city-county council, Indianapolis is considered a high sufficiency global city. In 1816, the year Indiana gained statehood, the U. S. Congress donated four sections of land to establish a permanent seat of state government. Two years later, under the Treaty of St. Marys and this tract of land, which was called the New Purchase, included the site selected for the new state capital in 1820. The availability of new lands for purchase in central Indiana attracted settlers. Although many of these first European and American setters were Protestants, few African Americans lived in central Indiana before 1840. The first European Americans to permanently settle in the area that became Indianapolis were either the McCormick or Pogue families, on January 11,1820, the Indiana General Assembly authorized a committee to select a site in central Indiana for the new state capital. The state legislature approved the site, adopting the name Indianapolis on January 6,1821, in April, Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham were appointed to survey and design a town plan for the new settlement. Indianapolis became a seat of county government on December 31,1821, a combined county and town government continued until 1832, when Indianapolis incorporated as a town. Indianapolis became an incorporated city effective March 30,1847, Samuel Henderson, the citys first mayor, led the new city government, which included a seven-member city council. In 1853, voters approved a new city charter provided for an elected mayor
2.
Triple-A (baseball)
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Triple-A is the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Mexico. Before 2008, Triple-A leagues also fielded teams in Canada, a total of 30 teams play in the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League, with 14 teams in the IL and 16 in the PCL. The MLB-independent Mexican League fields 16 teams, interleague play between the International League and Pacific Coast League occurs twice each season. In July, each leagues All-Star team competes in the Triple-A All-Star Game, in September each leagues regular season champions play each other in the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game to determine an overall champion of Triple-A baseball. The Triple-A classification was created before the 1946 season, prior to then, the top level of the minors had been designated as Double-A since 1912. The modern Double-A classification also dates to 1946, when the former Class A1 level was renamed, Triple-A teams main purpose is to prepare players for the Major Leagues. ESPN wrote in 2010, Winning is nice, but secondary, players on the 40-man roster of a major league team are eligible for promotion to the major league club once the major league roster expands on September 1. For teams in contention for the postseason, these create the flexibility needed to rest regular starters in late regular-season games. For those not in contention, using such players lets the teams evaluate them under game conditions, teams at this level are divided into three leagues, the International League, the Pacific Coast League, and the MLB-independent Mexican League. The Mexican League fields teams throughout Mexico, the International League traditionally fielded teams in the Northeastern United States, and now fields teams in the Midwest and South as well. The Pacific Coast League originally fielded teams on the West Coast, each of the 30 Major League Baseball teams has an affiliation with one Triple-A team in the United States. However, Mexican Triple-A teams are not included in the farm team system. The Triple-A All-Star Game is a game held between the two affiliated Triple-A leagues—the International League and the Pacific Coast League. Each league fields a team composed of the top players in their respective leagues as voted on by fans, the media, the event has taken place every year since 1988 when the first Triple-A All-Star Game was played in Buffalo, New York. Prior to 1998, a team of American League-affiliated Triple-A All-Stars faced off against a team of National League-affiliated Triple-A All-Stars, traditionally, the game has taken place on the day after the mid-summer Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The game is meant to mark a symbolic halfway-point in the season, both Triple-A leagues share a common All-Star break, with no regular-season games scheduled for two days before the All-Star Game itself. Some additional events, such as the All-Star Fan Fest and Triple-A Home Run Derby, take each year close to. It was originally held annually at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, since 2011, the game has been held in a different Triple-A city each year
3.
International League
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The International League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the eastern United States and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level and it was so named because it had teams in both the United States and Canada. However, since the relocation of the Ottawa Lynx to Allentown, Pennsylvania, to become the Lehigh Valley IronPigs for the 2008 season, all of the leagues teams are now based in the U. S. The New York State and Ontario leagues merged in 1886 to form the International League, the league collapsed soon afterwards, when the Northern teams claimed that it was too onerous to travel to the South and formed the International Association. Teams and league names came and went over the years, the League was also affected by the effort to establish the Federal League as a new third major league in 1914-1915, with franchises being added and dropped and new stadiums/ball parks built. In 1954, a franchise was awarded to Havana, Cuba, another foray into the Caribbean failed when the newly created team in San Juan, Puerto Rico, added in 1961, had to be moved to Charleston, West Virginia, in mid-season. In 1971, an International League all-star team beat the New York Yankees in a game in Rochester, New York. In 1984, the all-stars lost to the Cleveland Indians in 11 innings before 11,032 fans in Columbus, Ohio, the International League and the American Association, another Triple-A league that operated in the Midwest, voted in 1988 to play inter-league games. The league also split into two divisions that year, the inter-league concept ended in 1992, but the two league divisions remained. In further inter-league play, in 1988, the three Triple-A leagues, the other being the Pacific Coast League, met to play the first Triple-A All-Star Game, one team was made up of All-Stars from American League affiliates and the other of National League affiliates. Beginning in 1998, a team of IL All-Stars faced off against a team of PCL All-Stars and this game was the first of its kind. It was played in the Buffalo Bisons new stadium, Pilot Field, since 2006, the league champion has met to play the PCL champion in the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game, a single Triple-A Championship game. Previous class championship series included the Junior World Series, the Triple-A Classic, List of Governors Cup champions In 1933, the International League introduced a new playoff system, awarding the winner the Governors Cup. This has become the recognized International League champion, italics indicate team is now defunct. International League baseball awards List of sports attendance figures Harry Simmons International League official website Triple-A Baseball official website
4.
American Association (20th century)
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The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997. In both incarnations, it comprised teams primarily from Midwestern and South Central United States, later, its teams would also compete in the Triple-A World Series and Triple-A Classic, and its players in the Triple-A All-Star Game. By 1961, the league was down to six clubs, after the 1962 season, the American Association disbanded, and some of its member teams were distributed between the Pacific Coast League and the International League, while others folded. The Indianapolis Indians were first assigned to the IL but then, in a geographic oddity, the Dallas Rangers, the Denver Bears, and the Oklahoma City 89ers also went to the PCL. After the 1997 season, the American Association disbanded for the second time, the Iowa Cubs, Nashville Sounds, New Orleans Zephyrs, Oklahoma City 89ers, and Omaha Royals joined the West Coast Pacific Coast League starting with the 1998 season. The Buffalo Bisons, Indianapolis Indians, and Louisville Redbirds became part of the International League, the Buffalo Bisons were the last league champions in 1997, and the trophy is still in their possession. On and off, from 1905 to 1975, the American Association champion played against the champion from the International League in the Junior World Series, the champions from these two leagues and the Pacific Coast League also met during 1983 at the Triple-A World Series. From 1988 to 1992, the AA and IL voted to play games during the season. From 1988 until the demise in 1997, players from all three Triple-A leagues were selected to play in the mid-season Triple-A All-Star Game. One team was made up of All-Stars from American League affiliates and the other of National League affiliates
5.
Pacific Coast League
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The Pacific Coast League is a Minor League Baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern, and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball and it is officially named the Pacific Coast League of Professional Baseball Clubs, Inc. The PCL maintains its headquarters in Round Rock, Texas, during the first half of the 20th century, the Pacific Coast League developed into one of the premier regional baseball leagues. With no major league baseball team existing west of St. Louis, although it was never recognized as a true major league, its quality of play was considered very high. During 1945 the league voted to become a major league, some players made a career out of the minor leagues. One of the better known was Frank Shellenback, whose Major League pitching career was brief, many former major-league players came to the PCL to finish their careers after their time in the majors had ended. The mild climate of the West Coast, especially California, allowed the league to play longer seasons, sometimes starting in late February and this allowed players to hone their skills, earn an extra month or two of pay, and reduce the need to find off-season work. The longer playing season also allowed for games on the schedule. Teams sometimes played more than 200 games in a single season, during the 1905 season the San Francisco Seals set the all-time PCL record by playing 230 games. Even just prior to the 1958 reshuffling, the league was playing 170–180 games per season, one consequence of such lengthy seasons was that a number of the all-time minor-league records for season statistical totals are held by players from the PCL. In 1952, the PCL became the minor league in history to be given the Open classification. This limited the rights of major clubs to draft players from the PCL. The shift to the Open classification came just as minor league teams from coast to coast suffered a drop in attendance. The hammer blow to the PCLs major league dreams came in 1958, when the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, as a result, three of the PCLs flagship teams were immediately forced to relocate to smaller markets. Additionally, the PCL lost customers to the league teams which now occupied the same territory. The league never recovered from these blows, the Pacific Coast League reverted to Triple-A classification in 1958, and soon diminished in the public eye to nothing more than another minor league. The Oakland Oaks had moved to Canada two years before the arrival of the Giants, the San Diego Padres and Seattle Rainiers were displaced by Major League teams in 1969, but by this time the PCLs decline was already far advanced. The league now stretches from Western Washington to Middle Tennessee, despite its name, the league now has as many teams east of the Mississippi as it does near the Pacific coast
6.
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
7.
Milwaukee Brewers
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The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team and are based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The team is named for the association with the brewing industry. Since 2001, the Brewers have played their games at Miller Park. The team was founded in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots, an team of the American League, in Seattle. The Pilots played their games at Sicks Stadium. After only one season, the relocated to Milwaukee, becoming known as the Brewers. In 1998, the Brewers joined the National League and they are the only franchise to play in four divisions since the advent of divisional play in Major League Baseball in 1969. The teams only World Series appearance came in 1982, after winning the ALCS against the California Angels, the Brewers faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, losing 4-3. In 2011, the Brewers won the NLDS versus the Arizona Diamondbacks 3–2, the Brewers were part of the American League from their creation in 1969 through the 1997 season, after which they moved to the National League Central Division. Milwaukee had previously been a National League city when its team was the Milwaukee Braves, in 1981, Milwaukee won the American League East Division in the second half of the strike-shortened season. In the playoffs, they lost the series to the New York Yankees. In 1982, Milwaukee won the American League East Division and the American League Pennant, in the Series, they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, four games to three. In 1998, the Brewers changed leagues, going from the American League to the National League, in 2008, for the first time in the 26 years since their World Series appearance, the Brewers advanced to postseason play by winning the National League wild card. They were eliminated in the National League Division Series by the eventual World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies, on September 23,2011, the Milwaukee Brewers clinched their first division title in 29 years. The first Brewers uniforms were hand-me-downs from the Seattle Pilots, because the move to Milwaukee received final approval less than a week before the start of the season, there was no time to order new uniforms. However, the outline of the Pilots logo remained visible, the uniforms had unique striping on the sleeves left over from the Pilots days. The cap was a version of the Milwaukee Braves cap in blue. Ultimately, it was decided to keep blue and gold as the team colors, the Brewers finally got their own flannel design in 1971
8.
Cincinnati Reds
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The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the National League Central division. They were a member of the American Association in 1882. The Reds played in the NL West division from 1969 to 1993 and they have won five World Series titles, nine NL pennants, one AA pennant, and 10 division titles. The team plays its games at Great American Ball Park. Bob Castellini has been executive officer since 2006. The origins of the modern Cincinnati Reds can be traced to the expulsion of a team bearing that name. Both were important activities to entice the citys large German population, while Hulbert made clear his distaste for both beer and Sunday baseball at the founding of the league, neither practice was actually against league rules in those early years. On October 6,1880, however, seven of the eight team owners pledged at a league meeting to formally ban both beer and Sunday baseball at the regular league meeting that December. Only Cincinnati president W. H. Kennett refused to sign the pledge, when these attempts failed, he formed a new independent ballclub known as the Red Stockings in the Spring of 1881, and brought the team to St. Louis for a weekend exhibition. The Reds first game was a 12–3 victory over the St. Louis club, upon arriving in the city, however, Caylor and Thorner discovered that no other owners had decided to accept the invitation, with even Phillips not bothering to attend his own meeting. By chance, the duo met a former pitcher named Al Pratt, the ploy worked, and the American Association was officially formed at the Hotel Gibson in Cincinnati with the new Reds a charter member with Thorner as president. The club never placed higher than second or lower than fifth for the rest of its tenure in the American Association, the National League was happy to accept the teams in part due to the emergence of the new Players League. This new league, a failed attempt to break the reserve clause in baseball. Because the National League decided to expand while the American Association was weakening and it was also at this time that the team first shortened their name from Red Stockings to Reds. The Reds wandered through the 1890s signing local stars and aging veterans, during this time, the team never finished above third place and never closer than 10½ games. At the start of the 20th century, the Reds had hitting stars Sam Crawford, seymours.377 average in 1905 was the first individual batting crown won by a Red. In 1911, Bob Bescher stole 81 bases, which is still a team record, like the previous decade, the 1900s were not kind to the Reds, as much of the decade was spent in the leagues second division
9.
Montreal Expos
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The Montreal Expos were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball franchise located outside the United States and they played in the National League East Division from 1969 until 2004. Following the 2004 season, the relocated to Washington, D. C. Named after the Expo 67 Worlds Fair, the Expos originally played at Jarry Park Stadium before moving to Olympic Stadium in 1977, the Expos failed to post a winning record in any of their first ten seasons. The team won its division title in the strike-shortened 1981 season. The team was sold in 1991 by its majority, founding owner, Charles Bronfman, felipe Alou was promoted to the teams field manager in 1992, becoming MLBs first Dominican-born manager. He led the team to four winning seasons, including 1994, Alou became the Expos leader in games managed. The aftermath of the 1994 strike initiated a downward spiral as the Expos chose to sell off their best players, Major League Baseball purchased the team prior to the 2002 season after the club failed to secure funding for a new ballpark. In their final two seasons, the team played 22 home games each year at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On September 29,2004, MLB announced the franchise would relocate to Washington, D. C. for the 2005 season, the Expos posted an all-time record of 2,753 wins,2,943 losses and 4 ties during their 36 years in Montreal. Vladimir Guerrero led the franchise in both runs and batting average, and Steve Rogers in wins and strikeouts. Three pitchers threw four no-hitters, Bill Stoneman, Charlie Lea, and Dennis Martínez, professional baseball in Montreal dates back to 1890 when teams briefly played in the International Association. A second attempt at hosting a pro team failed in 1895, the Montreal Royals of the Eastern League were subsequently founded in 1897 and played 20 seasons. The Royals were revived in 1928 and were purchased by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1939 to serve as one of their Triple-A affiliates, under Dodgers management, the Royals won seven International League championships and three Junior World Series titles between 1941 and 1958. In 1946, Jackie Robinson joined the Royals and led the team to a Junior World Series title in advance of his breaking baseballs colour barrier one year later. Almost immediately upon the Royals demise, Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau, on May 27,1968, National League president Warren Giles announced the league would add expansion teams in San Diego and Montreal at a cost of US$10 million each. With the franchise secured, Snyder built a group of six partners led by financier Jean-Louis Lévesque. Lévesque was originally tapped as chairman and the face of the ownership group since he was a francophone
10.
Chicago White Sox
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The Chicago White Sox is an American professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the American League Central division. The White Sox play their games at Guaranteed Rate Field. They are one of two league clubs in Chicago, the other is the Chicago Cubs, who are a member of the National League Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf. One of the American Leagues eight charter franchises, the Chicago team was established as a major baseball club in 1900. The club was called the Chicago White Stockings, but this was soon shortened to Chicago White Sox. The team played games at South Side Park before, in 1910. The White Sox won the 1906 World Series with a team dubbed the Hitless Wonders, and the 1917 World Series led by Eddie Cicotte, Eddie Collins. The 1919 World Series was marred by the Black Sox Scandal, in response, Major League Baseballs new Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned the players from Major League Baseball for life. In 1959, led by Early Wynn, Nellie Fox, Luis Aparicio and manager Al Lopez and they won the AL pennant in 2005, and went on to win the World Series. The White Sox originated as the Sioux City Cornhuskers of the Western League, in 1894, Charles Comiskey bought the Cornhuskers and moved them to St. Paul, Minnesota, where they became the St. Paul Saints. In 1901, the Western League broke the National Agreement and became the new major league American League, the very first season in the American League ended with a White Stockings championship. However, that would be the end of the season as the World Series did not begin until 1903, the franchise, now known as the Chicago White Sox, made its first World Series appearance in 1906, beating the crosstown Cubs in six games. The White Sox would win a pennant and second World Series in 1917, beating the New York Giants in six games with help from stars Eddie Cicotte. The Sox were heavily favored in the 1919 World Series, huge bets on the Reds fueled speculation that the series had been fixed. This set the franchise back, as they did not win another pennant for 40 years. The White Sox did not finish in the half of the American League again until after club founder Charles Comiskey died and passed ownership of the club to his son
11.
Philadelphia Phillies
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The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball franchise based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, the Phillies compete in Major League Baseball as a member club of the National League East division. Since 2004, the home has been Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies have won two World Series championships and seven National League pennants, the first of which came in 1915, the franchise has also experienced long periods of struggle. The 77 season drought is the fourth longest World Series drought in Major League Baseball history, the longevity of the franchise and its history of adversity have earned it the dubious distinction of having lost the most games of any team in the history of American professional sports. Despite the teams lack of success historically, they are one of the more successful franchises since the start of the Divisional Era in Major League Baseball. The Phillies have won their division 11 times, which ranks 6th among all teams and 4th in the National League, the franchise was founded in Philadelphia in 1883, replacing the team from Worcester, Massachusetts in the National League. The teams spring training facilities are located in Clearwater, Florida and its Double-A affiliate is the Reading Fightin Phils, which plays in Reading, Pennsylvania, and its Triple-A affiliate is the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, which plays in Allentown, Pennsylvania. After being founded in 1883 as the Quakers, the changed its name to the Philadelphias. This was soon shortened to Phillies, Quakers continued to be used interchangeably with Phillies from 1883 until 1890, when the team officially became known as the Phillies. Player defections to the newly formed American League, especially to the cross-town Philadelphia Athletics, poor fiscal management after their appearance in the 1915 World Series, however, doomed the Phillies to sink back into relative obscurity, from 1918 to 1948 they only had one winning season. Though Chuck Klein won the Most Valuable Player Award in 1932 and the National League Triple Crown in 1933, after lumber baron William B. Cox purchased the team in 1943, the Phillies rose out of the standings cellar for the first time in five years. As a result, the fan base and attendance at home games increased, but it soon became clear that not all was right in Coxs front office. Eventually Cox revealed that he had been betting on the Phillies, the new owner, Bob Carpenter, Jr. scion of the Delaware-based DuPont family, tried to polish the teams image by unofficially changing its name to the Bluejays. However, the new moniker did not take, and it was dropped by 1949. This led to the advent of the Whiz Kids, led by a lineup of players developed by the Phillies farm system that included future Hall of Famers Richie Ashburn. In contrast, the Philadelphia Athletics finished last in 1950 and long-time manager Connie Mack retired, the team struggled on for four more years with only one winning season before abandoning Philadelphia under the Johnson brothers, who bought out Mack. They began play in Kansas City in 1955, as part of the deal selling that team to the Johnson brothers, the Phillies bought Shibe Park, where both teams had played since 1938
12.
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
13.
History of the Boston Braves
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The Atlanta Braves, a current Major League Baseball franchise, originated in Boston, Massachusetts. This article details the history of the Boston Braves, from 1871 to 1952, the Boston Franchise played at South End Grounds from 1871 to 1914 and at Braves Field from 1915 to 1952. Braves Field is now Nickerson Field of Boston University, the franchise, from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta, is the oldest continuous professional baseball franchise. The Cincinnati Red Stockings, established in 1869 as the first openly all-professional baseball team, the original Boston Red Stockings team and its successors can lay claim to being the oldest continuously playing team in American professional sports. Two young players hired away from the Forest City club of Rockford, Illinois, turned out to be the biggest stars during the NAPBBP years, pitcher Al Spalding and second baseman Ross Barnes. Led by the Wright brothers, Barnes, and Spalding, the Red Stockings dominated the National Association, the team became one of the National Leagues charter franchises in 1876, sometimes called the Red Caps. Boston came to be called the Beaneaters by sportswriters in 1883, although somewhat stripped of talent in the National Leagues inaugural year, Boston bounced back to win the 1877 and 1878 pennants. The Red Caps/Beaneaters were one of the dominant teams during the 19th century. For most of time, their manager was Frank Selee. The 1898 team finished 102-47, a record for wins that would stand for almost a century. The team was decimated when the American Leagues new Boston entry set up shop in 1901, many of the Beaneaters stars jumped to the new team, which offered contracts that the Beaneaters owners didnt even bother to match. They only managed one winning season from 1900 to 1913, in 1907, the Beaneaters eliminated the last bit of red from their stockings because their manager thought the red dye could cause wounds to become infected. The American League clubs owner, Charles Taylor, wasted time in changing his teams name to the Red Sox in place of the generic Americans. The all-white outfits gave rise to the sobriquet Doves in 1907, however, clever monikers did nothing to change the National League clubs luck. The team adopted a name, the Braves, for the first time in 1912. Their owner, James Gaffney, was a member of New York Citys political machine, Tammany Hall, two years later, the Braves put together one of the most memorable seasons in baseball history. After a dismal 4-18 start, the Braves seemed to be on pace for a last place finish, on July 4,1914, the Braves lost both games of a doubleheader to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The consecutive losses put their record at 26-40 and the Braves were in last place,15 games behind the league-leading New York Giants, who had won the previous three league pennants
14.
Victory Field
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Victory Field is a minor league ballpark in Indianapolis, Indiana that is home to the Indianapolis Indians of the International League. Victory Field opened on July 11,1996 with the Indians falling to the Oklahoma City 89ers 5-3 in front of 14,667 fans and it replaced Bush Stadium, which had also been called Victory Field for some 25 years of its existence. The new park seated 13,300 fans when it was originally opened, however, in 2005, a 1,000 seat bleacher section was removed to make room for a picnic area. The name reflects the victory of the United States in World War II, the opening of Victory Field in 1996 was the catalyst for a revitalization of downtown Indianapolis. A record 16,168 fans were in attendance on July 22,2000 to witness the Indians lose to the Columbus Clippers 6-5, NCAA Division I baseball teams Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Indiana Hoosiers played a game at Victory Field on April 21,2015. The IHSAA uses Victory Field for its baseball State Final matches, Victory Field is considered one of the finest facilities in all of Minor league baseball. It has been recognized as the Best Minor League Ballpark in America by Baseball America, recently, it was ranked #6 by Baseball America in their 2015 survey. Victory Field also features 28 luxury suites, five suite-level party areas, most notably, crews installed a new HD video display that spans the left field wall and measures 6 1⁄2 feet tall by 120 feet wide. The new digital board, which has the highest resolution of any display in Minor League Baseball, features interactive messages, advertisements, the Indians invested approximately $600,000 in the new digital display which was designed by Brookings, South Dakota-based Daktronics. Info from the official site Ballpark Digests Visit to Victory Field Victory Field Views - Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues
15.
Bush Stadium
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Owen J. Bush Stadium is the name of a former baseball stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was home to the Indianapolis Indians from 1931 to 1996 and it was also home to a few Negro League teams, as well as a Continental Football League team, the Indianapolis Capitols, who won the league championship in 1969. The stadium started life as Perry Stadium, named for club owner Norm Perry, construction was completed by Osborn Engineering, who also constructed Fenway Park. The Indians played their first game in the ballpark on September 5,1931 and it was renamed Victory Field in 1942 in reference to World War II. In 1967 the ballpark was sold to the city of Indianapolis, later that same year it was renamed for former major league baseball player and Indianapolis native Donie Bush, who had served as president of the Indians from 1955 to 1969. English ivy was planted on the outfield walls of Perry Stadium prior to its opening. P. K. Wrigley liked the appearance of the ivy, the ivy in Indianapolis remained after the stadium became Victory Field and then Bush Stadium, but was discontinued in 1996, when the Indians moved to the current Victory Field ballpark downtown. During the 1930s, Perry Stadium was home to many Negro League teams and these included the ABCs, American Giants, Athletics and Crawfords. Later, it would be home to the Indianapolis Clowns, a team that was well known for comical antics. The Clowns won the Negro American League championship in 1952, with the help of Hank Aaron and they played in Indianapolis from 1944 to 1962. Later, the Clowns featured Toni Stone, the first female Negro League player in history, even after the Indianapolis Indians integrated in 1952, the Clowns continued to play at then-Victory Field. It was vacated by the ballclub when they moved to the new downtown ballpark Victory Field in mid-season 1996, the official site states that the older Victory Field was given that name celebrating the United States’ victory in World War II. Since the name was first used in 1942, it would originally have been intended to encourage victory, Indianapolis hosted the Pan Am Games in 1987 and the baseball events were held at Bush Stadium. In 1997, Tony George, president of the nearby Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leased the property, the ivy was removed from the outfield walls around this time. As happened with a venture involving Philadelphias Baker Bowl several decades earlier. The property closed and the fell into disrepair, with no apparent future. The Indy Parks Department had control of the land, which was zoned as a park, at the time, it was estimated that renovations, which would include removal of asbestos and lead paint, could cost around $10 million. Between 2008 and 2011 the Stadium was used as a site for cars traded in as part of the Cash for Clunkers program
16.
Minor League Baseball
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All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses. Most are members of the organization known as Minor League Baseball. Several leagues, known as independent baseball leagues, do not have any links to Major League Baseball. Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball teams may enter into a PDC for a two- or four-year term. At the expiration of a PDC term, teams may renew their affiliation, or sign new PDCs with different clubs, though many relationships are renewed and endure for extended time periods. Minor League teams that are owned directly by the major league club do not have PDCs with each other and are not part of the reaffiliation shuffles that occur every other year, several more independent leagues operate in the United States and Canada. The earliest professional baseball association, the National Association of 1871 to 1875 and this system proved unworkable, however, as there was no way to ensure competitive balance, and financially unsound clubs often failed in midseason. This problem was solved in 1876 with the formation of the National League, with a membership which excluded less competitive. Professional clubs outside the National League responded by forming regional associations of their own, there was a series of ad hoc groupings, such as the New England Association of 1877 and the Eastern Championship Association of 1881. These were loose groups of independent clubs which agreed to play a series of games for a championship pennant, the first minor league is traditionally considered to be the Northwestern League of 1883 to 1884. Unlike the earlier minor associations, it was conceived as a permanent organization and it also, along with the National League and the American Association, was a party to the National Agreement of 1883. Included in this was the agreement to respect the reserve lists of clubs in each league, teams in the National League and the American Association could only reserve players who had been paid at least $1000. Northwest League teams could reserve players paid merely $750, implicitly establishing the division into major and minor leagues, over the next two decades, more minor leagues signed various versions of the National Agreement. Eventually, the minor leagues joined together to negotiate jointly, in the late 1890s, the Western League run by the fiery Ban Johnson decided to challenge the National Leagues position. Representatives of the different minor leagues met at the Leland Hotel in Chicago on September 5,1901, in response to the National–American battle, they agreed to form the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, called the NAPBL, or NA for short. The purpose of the NA at the time was to maintain the independence of the leagues involved, several did not sign the agreement and continued to work independently. Powers was made the first president of the NAPBL, whose offices were established in Auburn, in 1903, the conflict between the American and National Leagues ended in the National Agreement of 1903. The NAPBL became involved in the stages of the negotiations to develop rules for the acquisition of players from their leagues by the National
17.
Indiana
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Indiana /ɪndiˈænə/ is a U. S. state located in the midwestern and Great Lakes regions of North America. Indiana is the 38th largest by area and the 16th most populous of the 50 United States and its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th U. S. state on December 11,1816, before becoming a territory, varying cultures of indigenous peoples and historic Native Americans inhabited Indiana for thousands of years. Indiana has an economy with a gross state product of $298 billion in 2012. Indiana has several areas with populations greater than 100,000. The states name means Land of the Indians, or simply Indian Land and it also stems from Indianas territorial history. On May 7,1800, the United States Congress passed legislation to divide the Northwest Territory into two areas and named the section the Indiana Territory. In 1816, when Congress passed an Enabling Act to begin the process of establishing statehood for Indiana, a resident of Indiana is officially known as a Hoosier. The first inhabitants in what is now Indiana were the Paleo-Indians, divided into small groups, the Paleo-Indians were nomads who hunted large game such as mastodons. They created stone tools made out of chert by chipping, knapping and flaking, the Archaic period, which began between 5000 and 4000 BC, covered the next phase of indigenous culture. The people developed new tools as well as techniques to cook food, such new tools included different types of spear points and knives, with various forms of notches. They made ground-stone tools such as axes, woodworking tools. During the latter part of the period, they built mounds and middens. The Archaic period ended at about 1500 BC, although some Archaic people lived until 700 BC, afterward, the Woodland period took place in Indiana, where various new cultural attributes appeared. During this period, the people created ceramics and pottery, an early Woodland period group named the Adena people had elegant burial rituals, featuring log tombs beneath earth mounds. In the middle portion of the Woodland period, the Hopewell people began developing long-range trade of goods, nearing the end of the stage, the people developed highly productive cultivation and adaptation of agriculture, growing such crops as corn and squash. The Woodland period ended around 1000 AD, the Mississippian culture emerged, lasting from 1000 until the 15th century, shortly before the arrival of Europeans. During this stage, the people created large urban settlements designed according to their cosmology, with mounds and plazas defining ceremonial
18.
Rochester Red Wings
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The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the top minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, the Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester. Founded in 1899, it is the oldest continuously operating sports franchise in North America below the league level. The Red Wings were an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals for 32 years, soon after the 2002 season ended, the Red Wings became the top affiliate of the Twins. The franchise played from 1929 through 1996 at Silver Stadium and moved to Frontier Field in 1997, the game was held at Pawtuckets McCoy Stadium, beginning on April 18,1981. It was suspended just after 4 a. m. the next morning, and Rochester lost, 3–2, when the game resumed on June 23. Baseball in Rochester dates back to 1877 with the Rochesters of the International Association, the current franchise has been playing in Rochester since 1899, when the team was known as the Rochester Bronchos and won the Eastern League championship in its inaugural season. The Red Wings became the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1929, aside from the affiliation, the Cardinals also owned the Wings and their stadium, then known as Red Wing Stadium. The early years of the Cardinals and Red Wings saw the Red Wings very much a power house, the team was managed by Billy Southworth, and from 1929–1931, the team won the International League championship. In a true statement of how dominant a team they were, they won 103 games in 1929,105 games in 1930, the team would remain competitive for many years, with 1935 and 1937 being the only years that they lost more games than they won. The return of Billy Southworth in 1939 brought another championship to Rochester. Lean times were ahead for Rochester, with the 1940s finding the Red Wings on the half of the standings. Even former famed pitcher Burleigh Grimes couldnt change the teams fortunes and he lasted a little more than a season and a half when he was replaced by Benny Borgmann. The team would capture three more championships in the Cardinals era, those coming in 1952,1955, and 1956. In the fall of 1956, the Cardinals ceased to operate the Red Wings, the attempt was successful as RCB purchased both entities from the Cardinals on February 27,1957, in an event that was dubbed the 72 Day Miracle. The Green Bay Packers of the National Football League are the most notable example of this distinction, in 1959, the Red Wings were involved in one of minor league baseballs most infamous games. While playing in Havana, Cuba, the Red Wings July 25 game against the Havana Sugar Kings was interrupted at midnight by gunfire and fireworks in celebration of the 26th of July Movement. Rochesters Frank Verdi, standing in as coach in place of manager Cot Deal, who had been ejected earlier in the game, was grazed by a bullet, as was Leo Cárdenas
19.
Donie Bush
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Owen Joseph Donie Bush, was an American professional baseball player, manager, team owner, and scout. He was active in baseball for 65 years from 1905 until his death in 1972. Bush was the shortstop for the Detroit Tigers from 1908 to 1921. He was recognized as one of the best defensive shortstops of the dead-ball era and he had more putouts, assists, and total chances than any other shortstop of the era, and his 1914 totals of 425 putouts and 969 chances are still American League records for shortstops. He also led the American League in assists by a shortstop on five occasions, as a batter, Bush did not hit for high batting average but was regularly among the Major League leaders in drawing bases on balls, sacrifice hits, stolen bases, and runs scored. At the time of his retirement in 1923, Bushs 1,158 bases on balls ranked second in Major League history and his 337 sacrifice hits still ranks fifth in Major League history, and his 1909 total of 52 sacrifice hits is the fourth highest in Major League history. His 1927 Pittsburgh Pirates won the National League pennant and lost to the 1927 Yankees in the World Series, Bush was also a co-owner of the Louisville Colonels and Indianapolis Indians, president of the Indians, and a scout for the Boston Red Sox. He was given the title King of Baseball during Major League Baseballs 1963 winter meetings and he was known as Mr. Baseball in Indianapolis and was an inaugural inductee of the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame. Bush was born in 1887 in Indianapolis, Indiana and he was the son of Irish-American parents and raised on the east side of Indianapolis. His father died when Bush was a child, and at the time of the 1900 United States Census, Bush was living with his mother, Bush was one of the best defensive shortstops of the dead-ball era. He collected more putouts, assists, and total chances than any other shortstop of the era and his 1914 total of 969 chances is also still the American League record. He also led the American League in assists by a shortstop on five occasions,1909,1911,1912,1914, Bush also holds the Major League record for most career triple plays with nine. Bushs triple plays came on May 4,1910, April 24,1911, May 20,1911, September 9,1911, April 6,1912, August 23,1917, August 14,1919, May 18,1921, and September 14,1921. As a batter, Bush ranked among the American League leaders in bases on balls 12 straight years, from 1909 through 1920 and his career high was 118 bases on balls in 1915. During the decade from 1910 to 1919, no Major League player had more bases on balls than Bush, at the time of his retirement in 1923, Bush had 1,158 walks, second best in Major League history trailing only Eddie Collins. Bush also collected 337 sacrifice hits in his career, ranking him fifth on the all-time Major League leader list and he led the league with 52 sacrifice hits in 1909 and hit another 48 in 1920. In 1920, Baseball Magazine rated Bush among the top ten players in Major League Baseball over the past decade in the categories of waiters, run-getters, and base-stealers. Bush was also one of the shortest players in the Major Leagues at five feet, six inches, Bush once said, I used to tell em it aint how big you are, its how good you are
20.
The Indianapolis Star
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The Indianapolis Star is a morning daily newspaper that began publishing on June 6,1903 in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It has been the major daily paper in the city since 1999. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting twice, in 1975 and 1991 and it is currently owned by the Gannett Company. The Indianapolis Star was founded on June 6,1903, by Muncie industrialist George F. McCulloch as competition to two other Indianapolis dailies, the Indianapolis Journal and the Indianapolis Sentinel and it acquired the Journal a year and two days later, and bought the Sentinel in 1906. Daniel G. Reid purchased the Star in 1904 and hired John Shaffer as publisher, later replacing him, in the ensuing court proceedings, Saffer emerged as the majority owner of the paper in 1911 and served as publisher and editor until his death in 1943. Central Newspapers, Inc. and its owner, Eugene C, pulliam—maternal grandfather of future Vice President Dan Quayle—purchased the Star from Shaffers estate on April 25,1944 and adopted initiatives to increase the papers circulation. In 1944, the Star had trailed the evening Indianapolis News, in 1948, Pulliam purchased the News and combined the business, mechanical, advertising, and circulation operations of the two papers, with the News moving into the Stars building in 1950. The editorial and news operations remained separate, Eugene S. Pulliam took over as publisher upon the death of his father in 1975, a role he retained until his own death in 1999. In September 1995, the staffs of the Star and the News merged. In 1999, the News ceased publication, leaving the Star as the major daily paper in Indianapolis. Soon thereafter the trustees of Central Newspapers, Inc. the owner of the Star and other newspapers in Indiana and Arizona, on July 27,2012, it was announced that The Indianapolis Star would relocate from its headquarters at 307 North Pennsylvania Street. It was later announced that the new location would be the former Nordstrom department store in Circle Centre Mall and this move took place from the summer to fall of 2014. The former location had been used since 1907, the Star has won the Pulitzer Prize twice for investigative reporting. In 1975, the Star was honored for its 1974 series on corruption within the Indianapolis Police Department and it was cited again in 1991 for its 1990 series on medical malpractice. The Indianapolis Star has the largest and most advanced printing presses in the nation. The Pulliam Production Center at 8278 N. Georgetown Road on the northwest side of Indianapolis cost $72 million and covers 200,000 square feet, the press hall that houses the four MAN Roland Geoman presses has 30,672 square feet on two levels. Each of the presses weighs 2,100 short tons, stands seven stories tall, with all four presses running,300,000 papers can be printed in just one hour. The Pulliam Production Center allows tours of the facility, part of the newspapers masthead displays the text of 2 Corinthians 3,17, Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty
21.
Indianapolis News
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The Indianapolis News was an evening newspaper published for 130 years, beginning December 7,1869, and ending on October 1,1999. The Great Hoosier Daily, as it was known, at one time held the largest circulation in the state of Indiana and it was also the oldest Indianapolis newspaper until it closed and was housed in the Indianapolis News Building from 1910 to 1949. The Indianapolis News was a paper, and its decline matched a growing circulation of the morning newspaper. Prior to the closing, there had been a merging of the newspaper staff with the Star. From 1959 through 1974, conservative writer M. Stanton Evans was an editor of the News and he was an editorial writer from 1959 to 1960, rising to editor at age 26. When he became editor, he was the nations youngest editor of a daily newspaper
22.
Roger Maris
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Roger Eugene Maris was an American professional baseball player who played four seasons in the minor leagues and twelve seasons in the major leagues. Maris played right field on four Major League Baseball teams, from 1957 through 1968, Maris set the MLB record for home runs during the 1961 season with 61, breaking Babe Ruths single-season record of 60 home runs in 1927. This record was challenged by then-baseball commissioner Ford Frick, who said that Maris needed to break the record in 154 games instead of the current schedule of 162 games. His accomplishment of 61 home runs in a season back to the forefront in 1998. Maris began playing in the leagues in 1953. He reached the leagues in 1957 playing for the Cleveland Indians. He was traded to the Kansas City Athletics during the 1958 season and he finished his MLB career playing for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1967 and 1968. Maris was an American League All-Star from 1959 through 1962, an AL Most Valuable Player in 1960 and 1961, Maris appeared in seven World Series, five as a member of the Yankees and two with the Cardinals. Roger Eugene Maras was born on September 10,1934 in Hibbing, Minnesota, Maris parents, Rudolph S. Rudy Maras and Corrine, were both of Croatian origin. Roger had a brother, Rudy who was a year older, the Maras family moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota in 1942 and to Fargo, North Dakota in 1946, where he attended Fargo Central High School. Maris parents had a turbulent marriage and divorced in 1960 and his father died in Fargo in 1992 at age 81. After Maris retired from baseball he moved to Gainesville, Florida, Corrine Maras died in 2004 at the age of 90. Maris transferred to Shanley High School at Fargo in 1950, and he met his future wife, Patricia, in the tenth grade, while both were attending a high school basketball game. Roger and Rudy Maris Jr. both participated in sports including American Legion baseball during the summers while in Fargo, in 1950, Roger led his North Dakota legion team to the state championship. He was a player with the Fargo-Moorhead Twins of the Northern League in 1952. In football, Roger still holds the high school record for most return touchdowns in a game. Maris was recruited to play football at the University of Oklahoma and he decided to go there, but after visiting the campus, he returned to Fargo where he wanted to stay the most and be near his brother who was sick with polio. He decided finally on a baseball career, in 1953, he was invited to the Cleveland Indians tryout camp where he was viewed by the Cleveland Indians general manager, Hank Greenberg
23.
Bernie Carbo
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He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was raised in the Detroit suburb of Livonia and graduated in 1965 from Franklin High School, Carbo was an outfielder who started his career with Cincinnati. He had been the Reds number-one draft pick in the inaugural 1965 draft, in his 1970 rookie season, Carbo posted career highs in batting average, home runs, runs batted in, hits, on-base percentage, slugging average, OPS and games played. Carbo was selected Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News, then, he was traded to Boston in 1973. The Cardinals sent Carbo and Rick Wise to the Red Sox for Reggie Smith and Ken Tatum. He said of coming to Boston, When I first met Mr. Yawkey, he was shining shoes in the clubhouse, said Carbo, while playing for the Red Sox, he was a part of the Buffalo Heads, with Bill Spaceman Lee and Ferguson Jenkins. Carbo would also carry around a giant stuffed gorilla that was named Mighty Joe Young, the gorilla sat next to him in the middle seat on planes. Carl Yastrzemski wanted the gorilla placed on the bat rack in the dugout, the 1975 World Series matched the Red Sox with the heavily favored Cincinnati Reds, who were looking for their first title since 1940. Boston had also suffered a drought by not winning a Series since 1918, the clubs battled back and forth, with the Reds winning three of the first five games. Carbo was excited to see some of his old teammates, Carbo would be on the bench, and his former teammates were sympathetic. Clay Carroll inscribed a picture for him and it read Good luck in the World Series. After Game 3, when Carbo hit a run off him, Carbo said, They told me Carroll was in here and just went crazy. Game 6 was postponed three days because of rain, Carbo did not join his teammates for batting practice at Tufts University because he said he couldn’t find it. He spent the part of Game 6 working on his Louisville Slugger. I’m sitting there and I’m whittling this bat, I took a lathe, Rick Wise is sitting next to me and says, ‘You know, you can’t use that bat. It doesn’t have an emblem on it. ’ So as the game was going I took a magic marker, thats how I kept myself amused. In Game 6, with two outs and two batters on base in the inning, Roger Moret was scheduled to bat. Darrell Johnson told Carbo to get ready, and I said, Hey, I’m not going to hit
24.
George Foster (baseball)
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George Arthur Foster is an American former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1986. One of the most feared right-handed sluggers of his era, he was a key piece of the Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine that won consecutive World Series in 1975 and 1976. Foster led the National League in home runs in 1977 and 1978, and in RBIs in 1976,1977 and he won the NLs Most Valuable Player Award in 1977 and a Silver Slugger Award in 1981. He famously began using a bat during his prime because he wanted to integrate the bat rack in Cincinnati. After two seasons in their system, he debuted with the Giants at twenty years old in September 1969. He went two-for-five with one run batted in as a pinch hitter and that year on September 22, Willie Mays pinch hit for Foster and scored his career home run number 600. Foster returned to the Giants in September of the following year, Foster was immediately inserted into the starting line-up in center field, as starting center fielder Bobby Tolan was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. He returned to a role in 1972, platooning in right field with César Gerónimo. The nucleus of the Big Red Machine began coming together that season, however, Foster appeared in games one and five of the World Series against the Oakland Athletics, but did not log an at-bat. He spent the 1973 season with the Reds triple A affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians and he was not part of the Reds post-season roster. Tolan had suffered through a poor 1973 season in which he batted just.206, Foster, Merv Rettenmund and rookie Ken Griffey all took turns filling the hole the trade created in right field in 1974, with Foster batting.264 with seven home runs and 64 RBIs. Early in the 1975 season, Reds manager Sparky Anderson shifted perennial All-Star Pete Rose to third base, Foster soon won the everyday job with a.300 batting average,23 home runs and 78 RBIs. With Foster now in left, the piece of the Big Red Machine was in place. The Reds won 108 games that year, tying the 1970 World Series champion Baltimore Orioles for the most regular season wins that decade and they dominated the Pirates in the 1975 National League Championship Series, out-scoring their opponent 19–7 to sweep the series in three games. For his part, Foster batted.364 and scored three runs, the Boston Red Sox proved a far tougher opponent in the World Series, as the Reds needed seven games to win their first World Series title since 1940. Foster went two-for-six and drove in two runs in the game six of the World Series at Fenway Park. His most memorable moment was on the field, the game was tied, and with the bases loaded and no outs in the ninth inning, reigning MVP and Rookie of the Year Fred Lynn lifted a ball down the left field line. Foster made the catch near the stands for the first out of the inning, denny Doyle tagged up on the play, and was out at home on a strong throw from Foster
25.
Ray Knight
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Charles Ray Knight is an American former right-handed Major League Baseball corner infielder best remembered for his time with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets. He is now a studio analyst and occasional game analyst for MASNs coverage of the Washington Nationals, Knight made his major league debut with Cincinnati as a September call-up in 1974. He spent all of 1975 and 1976 with the triple A Indianapolis Indians before returning to the majors in 1977, during that time, the Reds won both World Series titles. Knight responded with a.318 Batting average,10 home runs,79 RBIs and 64 runs scored to finish fifth in National League Most Valuable Player balloting. On May 13,1980, Knight broke out of an 0-for-15 slump by homering twice in the fifth inning of a 15-4 win over the Mets and he was the first Red to ever hit two home runs in one inning. Aaron Boone matched the feat August 9,2002 and he made his first All-star appearance in 1980, hitting a single off Tommy John in his first at-bat. In 1981, Knight batted.259 with six runs and 34 RBIs. Following the season, he was traded to the Houston Astros for César Cedeño to accommodate Johnny Benchs move from behind the plate to third, Knight split his time between third and first base with the Astros. He made the All Star team once again in 1982, and was used at third base in the game, however, he made more appearances at first than he did at third during the regular season. Knight platooned third base with the newly acquired Howard Johnson for the 1985 and 1986 seasons, in his first full season with the Mets, Knight batted only.218 with six home runs and 36 RBIs. During the off-season, the Mets attempted to trade Knight to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Lee Mazzilli, Knight came out of the gate eager to prove the Mets wrong, crushing six home runs and batting.306 with twelve RBIs in the month of April. On July 22, Knight incited a bench clearing brawl at Riverfront Stadium against his former teammates, eric Davis pinch-running for Reds player/manager Pete Rose in the tenth inning stole second and third base. Knight took the throw from Mets catcher Gary Carter late, brought his glove to Davis face, a stare off ensued, followed by a right cross from Knight. The benches emptied and as a result of all the ejections from this fight, back-up catcher Ed Hearn was brought into the game, roger McDowell replaced Jesse Orosco on the mound, and Orosco went into right field. They traded positions with two outs in the eleventh, and McDowell traded positions with left fielder Mookie Wilson with one out in the 12th and this rotation continued for the remainder of the game, which the Mets won in fourteen innings. The Mets won 108 games in 1986 and took the National League East convincingly by 21.5 games over the Phillies, for the season, Knight batted.298 with eleven home runs and 76 RBIs to earn NL Comeback Player of the Year honors. Knight batted only.167 in the 1986 National League Championship Series against his former teammates, in the World Series, however, Knight broke out with a.391 batting average and five RBIs. The Mets won the 1986 World Series in seven games over the Boston Red Sox, the Orioles finished sixth in the American League East in 1987, narrowly avoiding a hundred losses
26.
Delino DeShields
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Delino Lamont DeShields is a former Major League Baseball player. He enjoyed a 13-year career as a second baseman, playing with five teams and he is currently the manager for the Louisville Bats in the Cincinnati Reds organization. DeShields was born in Seaford, Delaware and played for Seaford High School, DeShields became the regular second baseman for the Montreal Expos in 1990, finishing in second place for the NL Rookie of the Year award. He suffered from a slump in 1991, but went on to post his two best years in 1992 and 1993, hitting.294 and averaging 45 stolen bases. On November 19,1993, DeShields was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for then-prospect Pedro Martínez, in retrospect, this is considered one of the worst trades in Dodgers history. DeShields hit a mediocre.241 during his three years in Los Angeles, while Martinez went on to win three Cy Young Awards and established himself amongst the greatest pitchers of all time. In 1996, DeShields signed as an agent with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2001, he was the last out in Hideo Nomos no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles, DeShields is the co-founder of the Urban Baseball League. He also travels with Oil Can Boyd to promote baseball in African American communities, DeShields was the manager for the Dayton Dragons, a single-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds organization for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. On December 12,2012, it was announced that DeShields would become the manager for the Cincinnati Reds AA minor league team, on December 1,2014 DeShields became manager of the Louisville Bats, replacing Jim Riggleman. Delino DeShields is married to Michelle Elliott DeShields, an educator and his eldest child, Delino DeShields, Jr. was drafted with the 8th overall pick by the Houston Astros in the 2010 MLB draft. At age 15, Diamond was the youngest member of the gold medal-winning United States team at the 2010 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship, DeShields tips his cap after every managerial win in tribute to Little League coach Peter Kilroy, who was the original baseball role model in his life. Named State Baseball Player of the Year in 1986, inducted into the Eastern Shore Baseball Foundation Hall of Fame and Museum in 2010
27.
Marquis Grissom
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Marquis Deon Grissom is a former American Major League Baseball center fielder. Grissom was born in Atlanta, Georgia and he attended Lakeshore High School in Atlanta Ga, and excelled in high school baseball. Grissom played baseball at Florida A&M University, and in 1988 and he had been considered a prospect as both a pitcher and an outfielder, but the Expos decided to have him abandon the mound and work solely as a position player. He made his debut with the Jamestown Expos of the New York–Penn League that fall and advanced quickly through the system. He showed steady improvement for the few seasons, gradually developing into a star as Montreals leadoff hitter and center fielder. He led the National League in stolen bases in 1991 and 1992, was a member of the NL All-Star team in 1993 and 1994, and won four consecutive Gold Gloves, the first coming in 1993. Against the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 28,1991, Grissom caught Chris Gwynns fly ball for the out of Dennis Martínezs perfect game. The Expos enjoyed success on the field, but a strike ended the 1994 season before the playoffs, in April 1995, the Expos traded Grissom to the Atlanta Braves, in exchange for pitcher Esteban Yan and outfielders Roberto Kelly and Tony Tarasco. They returned to the classic the next season, but failed to defend their title against the New York Yankees. Teams financial motivations continued to affect the course of Grissoms career, the deal worked out well for Cleveland, as the team went all the way to the World Series, ultimately losing to the Florida Marlins in seven games. Grissoms production declined as he spent three seasons with the club, and a trade in the spring of 2001 made him a Los Angeles Dodger. Grissom continued to struggle that year, but he enjoyed a strong season as a part-time player in 2002. On September 16,2002, the Dodgers had a game against the San Francisco Giants. In the top of the 9th inning, he robbed Rich Aurilia of a potential game-tying home run to protect the 7–6 victory, the Giants went on to make the playoffs and the Dodgers did not. As a free agent he subsequently attracted the attention of the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco signed Grissom, and he enjoyed two more productive seasons as their starting center fielder. The Giants were successful as well, winning the NL West in 2003, marquis won the 2003 Willie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership. Grissoms production dipped again in 2005, and in a season of struggles by the Giants, on January 3,2006, the Chicago Cubs signed him to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training as a non-roster player. On March 28,2006, Grissom retired after a 17-year career and he currently resides in College Park, Georgia
28.
Randy Johnson
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Randall David Randy Johnson, nicknamed The Big Unit, is a former American left-handed pitcher who played from 1988 to 2009 for six teams in Major League Baseball. He played primarily for the Seattle Mariners and the Arizona Diamondbacks and his 303 career victories rank as the fifth-most by a lefthander in major league history, while his 4,875 strikeouts place him second all-time behind Nolan Ryan and are the most by a lefthander. He holds five of the seven highest single-season strikeout totals by a lefthander in modern history, Johnson won the Cy Young Award five times, second only to Roger Clemens seven, and he is one of two pitchers to win the award four consecutive times. In 1999 he joined Pedro Martínez and Gaylord Perry in the feat of winning the award in both the American and National Leagues. He is also one of five pitchers to pitch no-hitters in both leagues, with his second no-hitter in 2004, he became the oldest pitcher in major league history to throw a perfect game. He is one of the few pitchers in history to record a win against all 30 MLB franchises. One of the tallest players in league history at 6 feet 10 inches. He regularly approached – and occasionally exceeded –100 miles per hour during his prime and he also threw a hard, biting slider. Randy won the triple crown in 2002. Johnson was named co-MVP of the 2001 World Series, with three pitching victories, leading the Diamondbacks to a championship in only their fourth year of play. His.646 career winning percentage ranks sixth among lefthanders with at least 200 decisions and he also finished his career first in strikeouts per nine innings pitched, third in hit batsmen, and tenth in fewest hits allowed per nine innings pitched. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, his first year of eligibility, Johnson was born in Walnut Creek, California, to Carol Hannah and Rollen Charles Bud Johnson. By the time he entered Livermore High School, he was a star in baseball and basketball, in 1982, as a senior, he struck out 121 batters in 66 innings, and threw a perfect game in his last high school start. He also played on a Bercovich team that assembled top players from throughout California, after high school, he was drafted in 1982 by the Atlanta Braves in the 4th round and offered $50,000 to sign. Instead, Johnson accepted an athletic scholarship to play baseball for the University of Southern California. While at USC, he also played 2 years of basketball and he was a starter at USC under coach Rod Dedeaux, but often exhibited control problems. Johnson was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the round of the 1985 Major League Baseball draft. After joining the Mariners during the 1989 season, Johnson led the AL in walks for three seasons, and hit batsmen in 1992 and 1993
29.
Larry Walker
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Larry Kenneth Robert Walker is a Canadian former professional baseball right fielder in Major League Baseball. During his 17-year career, he played for the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies and he has also coached for the Canadian national baseball team since 2009. Inducted into Canadas Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and other Canadian sports halls of fame and he contributed 72.6 Wins Above Replacement and his SLG ranks 12th all-time. He is one of only 19 hitters in history to accomplish a. 300/. 400/.500 batting line with at least 5,000 career plate appearances, among right fielders, his 150 assists rank 17th all-time and 40 double plays turned rank ninth. Walker won three National League batting championships, was a five-time All-Star, won seven Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, a Lou Marsh Trophy, and the 1997 NL Most Valuable Player Award. Frequent injuries tamped down his performance, as he appeared in 150 or more games in a season just once, born in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia, Walker had NHL goaltender aspirations as a youth but baseball became the sport of choice. The Expos signed him to play professionally in 1984 in spite of lacking experience, by 1992, he became one of the teams leaders, and was an All-Star selection, Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner each for the first time. In 1994, he batted.322 and an NL-leading 44 doubles as the Expos raced to the majors best record and he signed with the Rockies as a free agent after the season, where his greatest productivity and achievements followed. During a five-year period from 1997 to 2001, Walker won an NL MVP and he became the only player in history reach both a.700 SLG and 30 stolen bases in the same season. In 1999, Walker led the leagues in all three of each in a.379 batting average.458 OBP, and.710 SLG. He won the batting again in 2001, and was again in 2002. He missed 375 games from 1996 to 2004 due to injury, desiring a trade to a contending team, the Rockies sent Walker to St. Louis in the middle of their 105-win season in 2004 and he made his first World Series appearance. He announced his retirement from playing baseball after Game 6 of the 2005 National League Championship Series, currently active on the American Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, he has appeared seven times but has not gained election. Following his playing career, Walker has served as a guest instructor for the Cardinals and coached the Canadian national team in three World Baseball Classic appearances, among others. Born in Maple Ridge, a suburb of Greater Vancouver in British Columbia, to parents of Scottish descent, Larry, Sr. the five men often played together in a fastpitch softball league. Walker grew up playing ice hockey and dreamed of a career in the National Hockey League as a goaltender and he played hockey and volleyball at Maple Ridge Secondary School, baseball was not offered. He sharpened his skills by blocking shots against friend and future Hockey Hall of Famer Cam Neely, brother Carey, also a goaltender, was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens. At the age of 16, Walker was offered tryouts with Junior A teams in Regina, Saskatchewan, and Kelowna, British Columbia, other offers Walker received were from Western Hockey League teams, including Swift Current, which he toured
30.
Triple-A World Series
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The first Series was held in 1983 as a round-robin tournament. It was revived as a series from 1998 to 2000. The first Triple-A World Series was held in 1983 as a round robin tournament featuring the champions of each of the International League, the American Association, the Tidewater Tides won the 1983 series, 3-1, against the PCLs Portland Beavers and the AAs Denver Bears. A revived Triple-A World Series was held from 1998 to 2000 between the International League and the Pacific Coast League, after the realignment of Triple-A from three leagues to two and it matched Triple-A Baseballs two league champions in a best-of-five series to determine an overall Triple-A Champion. The Series, was played at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada during the week of September and was televised live, worldwide. Additional hospitality events, such as dinner cruises, Las Vegas shows, cocktail parties, and golf outings, made the event memorable for sponsors, fans, players, and executives alike. Just a few months after apparently sealing the deal on a version of the Triple-A World Series for 2001. Sparse attendance was a problem, games were held on weekdays, the final series in 2000 even included two games played at noon in 100-degree heat. Fans of the teams had insufficient time to arrange plans to attend the event. During the 2000 event, average attendance hit a three-year low of 2,311. At the end of the original deal, a new plan was hastily hammered out to buy the event time to work out a better situation for 2002. It was decided that the event would be cut from a five-day midweek event to a series to be played Friday through Sunday. It was hoped that this arrangement would allow baseball fans from all over to make plans for a brief, meanwhile, plans also were in the works to try to move the event to a new site in 2002. Options initially included Cooperstown, New York, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and that proposal was supported by the IL owners, but shot down by those of the PCL. Despite the attraction of baseball history and charm, Doubleday Field was small, old, had no lights, and fell well below Triple-A standards. Other ideas included allowing venues to bid on the event on a year-by-year basis, the latter idea was the one that has been most ardently embraced by players, fans, and the PCL. But it also posed the most logistical problems because of the lack of preparation time, after the final Triple-A World Series in 2000, the International League and the Pacific Coast League returned to ending their seasons after the crowning of their champions. The two leagues contested a new, single game, Triple-A interleague championship in 2006, the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game is an on-going success, with three wins by the International Leagues champion, and six wins by the Pacific Coast Leagues champion, since 2006
31.
White River State Park
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White River State Park covers 250 acres in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, on the western edge of the downtown area at 801 West Washington Street. It is also one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, restoration on this area began in the late 1980s, when public attention fell on the Indiana Central Canal. One of the focal points of the park, Indiana Tower, was never constructed. 1980 – Accepted for inclusion on the National Register for Historic Places,1981 – Renovations complete and reopens as the Parks headquarters and Visitors Center. White River State Park Visitors Center 2003 – Opens, Indianapolis Zoo 1988 – Park’s first attraction established. White River Gardens 1999 – Opens, Historic Washington Street Pedestrian Bridge & Art Sculptures in the Park 1916 – Opens as part of the National Road. 1994 – Historic National Road U. S.40 previously linking the U. S. from East to West start renovations,1999 – Art Sculptures in the Park begins. NCAA Headquarters & NCAA Hall of Champions Museum 1999–2000 – Relocated to Indianapolis from Kansas City, National Federation of State High School Associations Headquarters 1999–2000 – Relocated to Indianapolis from Kansas City. Indiana State Museum 2002 – Opens, the IMAX 3D Theatre @ White River State Park 1996 – Opens as Indianas only IMAX theatre. 1996-Present – Operates as the largest IMAX in Indiana, congressional Medal of Honor Memorial 1999 – Opens and dedication. Military Park 1822 – Indianapoliss 1st documented 4th of July Celebration,1852 – First Indiana State Fair. 1861 – Civil War encampment until 1865, present day – Home to many charity events, festivals, outdoor concerts, etc. Indiana Historical Society 1830 – Founded,1999 – A neighbor of White River State Park located just east of West Street that opened in 1999. State Capitol Building and Government Complex & Cafeteria Not one of the Parks attractions, eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art 1989 – Opened as the park’s second attraction. 2005 – Opens expanded gallery space, state-of-the-art education facility, performance/special event areas, victory Field Baseball Park 1996 – Opens as home of the Indianapolis Indians playing games from April to September. 2005 – Triple-A affiliate of MLB Pittsburgh Pirates, the Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn @ White River State Park Concert Series 2004 – Opens Inaugural Summer Concert Season as Indianapoliss world-class Outdoor Concert Venue. 2006 – Named one of the top 100 outdoor concert venues in the world by Pollstar magazine,2007 – Named one of the top 100 outdoor concert venues in the world by Pollstar magazine, doubles concert attendance with 50, 000+ spectators, includes 11 shows. 2008 – Once again, named one of the top 100 outdoor concert venues in the world by Pollstar magazine,2009 – Named one of the top 100 outdoor concert venues in the world by Pollstar magazine and another great season with over 50,000 spectators at 12 shows
32.
Oklahoma City Dodgers
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The Oklahoma City Dodgers are a Minor League Baseball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers and they play at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, located in the Bricktown Entertainment District in downtown Oklahoma City. The team was known as the Oklahoma City 89ers from 1962 to 1997 when the team played at All Sports Stadium at the state fairgrounds. It first competed in the American Association in 1962, moved to the PCL from 1963 to 1968, in 1998, the team rejoined the PCL and became known as the Oklahoma RedHawks. In 1999, a name change resulted in the Oklahoma City RedHawks. Since the Los Angeles Dodgers purchased a share of the prior to 2015. Oklahoma City won the PCL championship in 1963 and 1965 as the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Colt. 45s/Astros, Oklahoma City has been home to professional baseball for all but a few years since 1904, when the Metropolitans were established as the citys first team. Oklahoma Citys teams and names have changed numerous times since, the team became known as the Indians in 1909 before returning to the original Mets name in 1910 and reverting again to the Indians name in 1911. Oklahoma City was home to the Senators in 1912, after one year without a baseball team, Oklahoma Citys squad became the Boosters in 1914. The Senators name returned from 1915 to 1916, but the Boosters name came back in 1917, the Oklahoma City Indians name returned in 1918 and the team name stuck until 1957. Oklahoma Citys current baseball franchise began competing in 1962 as the Oklahoma City 89ers following a period without professional baseball in the area. The franchises original name made reference to the Land Run of 1889, in July 1961, Spec Richardson, who was then general manager of the Houston Buffs, met with Oklahoma City officials and boosters, and agreed to move the team. After a unanimous approval from the American Associations board of directors, eventually, the Astros sold the team to Tulsa businessman, P. C. In 1973, a connection with the Cleveland Indians was established. A later affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies lasted from 1976 until 1982, in 1983, the Texas Rangers became the parent club, a relationship that would continue as the 89ers adopted new colors and uniforms along with the nickname RedHawks in 1998. The team was renamed the RedHawks after the hawk, a bird of prey commonly seen throughout Oklahoma. When announcing the new name, team officials noted the raptors four-foot wingspan and migration patterns, a hawk is also part of the states official song. Prior to the 2009 season, the once again named itself after its home city
33.
Luxury box
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Luxury boxes and club seating constitute the most exclusive class of seating in arenas and stadiums, and generate much higher revenues than regular seating. A Luxury box is a special seating section located within stadiums, arenas and other sporting. They are typically located in the midsection of a stadium grandstand, some have glass panels that can be opened, in order for the spectators to feel closer to and more immersed in the action of the event. The inside of a luxury box typically includes a bar, televisions, a seating area. The boxes are usually catered, with guests enjoying corporate hospitality, with champagne, canapés, shrimp, the lease to a box usually comes with allocated parking spaces at the venue and access is usually provided with separate entrances, away from the general public gates. Luxury boxes are a significant source of revenue for most professional sports teams, while originally widespread among North American major pro sports, this trend is also gaining popularity in Europe. For instance, Emirates Stadiums revenue from premium seating and corporate boxes alone is nearly as high as the revenue from Arsenal F. C. s previous stadium at Highbury. Most luxury boxes are leased by contract on a yearly basis and these methods usually grant access to the box by the leaseholder or owner for every event held at the venue. A few venues rent them on a per-event basis, prices vary from US$5,000 up to the millions of dollars depending on the venue and events held there. Luxury boxes that are rented on an event basis can range from US$500 for low-key events to up to at least US$250,000 for high-end events such as sporting final matches. Also, the location of the box and how many people the box can hold usually makes up the price, standing room tickets may also be purchased at an additional fee but are usually less money than an actual suite ticket. If a normal box ticket with a seat costs US$500 per ticket then standing room tickets might be around US$250–US$300 per ticket. These tickets will allow people in a box, but they wont have seats. Average private box rental prices for events based on location, matchup. Typical luxury boxes for most events fall within the following ranges, The stadium with the most luxury boxes is the Estadio Monumental U in Lima. The first stadium to contain a luxury box was the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway constructed their first luxury boxes in 1973 as part of the existing motel complex on the grounds. One unique set of boxes is located on the campus of Boston College. The schools main indoor arena, Conte Forum, is attached to its football venue
34.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
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Oriole Park at Camden Yards, often referred to simply as Camden Yards or Oriole Park, is a Major League Baseball ballpark located in Baltimore, Maryland. Home to the Baltimore Orioles, it is the first of the major league ballparks constructed during the 1990s and early 2000s. It was completed in 1992 to replace Memorial Stadium, the park is situated in downtown Baltimore, a few blocks west of the Inner Harbor in the Camden Yards Sports Complex. The Orioles celebrated the ballparks 20th anniversary during the 2012 season, historically, Oriole Park at Camden Yards is one of several venues that have carried the Oriole Park name for various Baltimore franchises over the years. Prior to Camden Yards, the predominant design trend of big league ballparks was the symmetrical multi-purpose stadium, Memorial Stadium, the Orioles home since they moved from St. Louis in 1954, was an early example of such a design. In 1984, the Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis, in part because Baltimore, the master plan was designed by international design firm RTKL. The stadium design was completed by the architectural firm Populous, which had pioneered retro ballparks on the league level four years earlier with Pilot Field in Buffalo. Populous original design was similar to the new Comiskey Park. However, at the urging of architectural consultant Janet Marie Smith, construction began in 1989, and lasted 33 months. Former Orioles owner Eli Jacobs favored naming the new field Oriole Park, after considerable debate a compromise was reached to use both names. The ballpark opened on April 6,1992 with the Orioles hosting the Cleveland Indians, the first run scored at Camden Yards occurred when Chris Hoiles hit a ground rule double that brought in Sam Horn. The Orioles went on to win the game 2-0 on Rick Sutcliffes shutout, Camden Yards hosted the 1993 MLB All-Star Game. On September 6,1995, Camden Yards witnessed Cal Ripken, Jr. s record-setting 2, exactly one year later, Eddie Murray blasted his 500th home run there. Two orange seats stand out from the dark green plastic chairs. One, located at Section 96, Row 7, Seat 23 in the right-center field bleachers, commemorates the spot where Murrays 500th home run landed. The other, Section 86, Row FF, Seat 10 in the left field bleachers, was the spot for Ripkens 278th home run as a shortstop. That home run was hit on July 15,1993, Ripken finished his career with 345 home runs as a shortstop and 431 overall. On October 8,1995, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass at Camden Yards as part of his visit to Baltimore, after the 2008 season, a new HD video display and scoreboard were installed below the right field bleachers
