Ode to the Old Ballparks

I love old baseball stadiums. As far as I’m concerned their cathedrals to the greatest sport on earth.

Five NASCAR Drivers Decline President Obama's White House Invitation

Who really wants to hang with a guy who has dragged down the country in a Socialist malaise?



SB Nation.com



President Barack Obama will honor NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and the 11 other Chase drivers from last year in a White House ceremony on Wednesday – but nearly half of the 2010 playoff contenders won't be there.



NASCAR said Thursday that five drivers – Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart – will not be attending the White House visit due to "schedule conflicts."



I’m sure some WH lackey will demand these NAS 5 be banned from driving for insulting the president.



Memeorandum

Video: Russian Dmitry Starodubtsev pole snaps while pole vaulting at the 2011 World Championships

Maybe his pole was made in China?



Ology.som



In spite of the extremely erotic headline, this is just a cool video. It's even cooler since no one got hurt. Does that make it less cool?



Dmitry Starodubtsev is a Russian pole vaulter who was competing at the IAAF World Championships in South Korea when his pole snapped as he was attempting to clear 5.75 meters.



No dice.

Former Orioles pitcher Mike Flanagan 'committed suicide by shooting himself in the face'

This is so sad!



I used to watch Flanagan pitch against the Yankees and wished he would be traded to the Mets. This is really shocking news and so unnecessary to take your own life because a team is lousy.



But, I can’t help feeling there’s more to this story that’s being reported.



Daily Mail



Mike Flanagan, a former Cy Young winner and part of the Baltimore Orioles' 1983 World Series championship team, died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot at his home. He was 59.



Authorities found a body outside Flanagan's home in Monkton, Maryland on Wednesday afternoon after his anxious wife, who hadn't heard from him since an upset 1 am phone call, sent a neighbor to find him. The neighbor in turn called 911.



Hours later, the Orioles confirmed that Flanagan — who served the team as a pitcher, front office executive and television broadcaster — was dead.



Baltimore County Police Chief James Johnson told The Baltimore Sun Thursday that the death was an apparent suicide.



'I was contacted late afternoon [Wednesday] and informed that it appears we had a suicide,' Johnson said.



A source told the paper that Flanagan had shot himself in the face, making the identification process take longer.



Flanagan is survived by his wife Alex and daughters Kathryn, Kerry and Kendall.



Police said Thursday he was upset about financial issues.

'I am so sorry to hear about Mike's passing. He was a good friend and teammate,' said Hall of Fame third baseman Cal Ripken Jr., a former teammate of Flanagan's. 'Mike was an Oriole through and through and he will be sorely missed by family, friends and fans. This is a sad day.'



Flanagan was a crafty left-hander who went 167-143 with a 3.90 ERA over 18 seasons with Baltimore and Toronto. He didn't possess an overpowering fastball, but won a fair share of games by depending on a slow curve, a sinker and a changeup.



More here



News report here

World Premier Video: The Last Tradition’s quick tour of New York Mets Hall of Fame

I went to see my beloved New York Mets today and the game went from very memorable to very painful. No need to give a blow by blow description other than the Mets were losing 7- 1, took the lead 9 – 7, and ended up losing 11 – 9 to the Milwaukee Brewers.



It’s been that kind of a season.



However, while the Mets were losing, I decided to take a visit to the Mets Hall of Fame. This is the first video I ever uploaded to YouTube from my HTC EVO Smartphone. The photo of the exterior of Citi Field is also taken by me.



The voice you hear giving a guided tour of the Mets Hall of Fame is me.







So, it’s not exactly Spielberg quality, but it’s a first for this blog. Maybe this can be the start of a new kind of reporting for TLT.

Violent crash ends NASCAR race at the Glen

The Sporting News

Keselowski was second when the yellow flag froze the field. Kyle Busch, who lost the lead on the final restart on Lap 91 of 92, came home third, followed by Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano.



Kevin Harvick, Juan Pablo Montoya, AJ Allmendinger, Jeff Burton and Jimmie Johnson completed the top 10.



“I’ve fought so much to get here, to finally win and be here in victory lane is a dream come true,” said Ambrose, who made the most of his vaunted road-racing skills on Monday. “I flew the kids home (Sunday, when the race was postponed)—it was their first day of school—and this kind of makes up for it.



“To win in the Cup series is an incredible feeling, and I’m very, very proud.”

More here

Video of incredible feat: Mike Laga Foul Ball: Cardinals Player Hit Ball Out Of Old Busch Stadium In 1986

1986 was the year my beleoved Mets won their last championship. I thought I watched every game that year that was on TV because I remember not having cable.



However, I don’t remember this incident at all. But, seeing is believing.



The Huffington Post



On Sept. 15, 1986, legend has it that Mike Laga of the St. Louis Cardinals crushed a foul ball out of the old Busch Stadium. Of course, as The FYC pointed out in 2005, nobody remembers witnessing the titanic clout with their own eyes and there has never been any video evidence of the at-bat.. until now.



Thanks to Joe Sports Fan, there is finally proof of Laga's extraordinary accomplishment.



The clip below is from a New York Mets highlight tape and it not only shows Laga's incredible foul ball, but it also shows the fans giving him a standing ovation. Scroll down to watch the video.

The Mike Laga Foul Ball from JoeSportsFan.com on Vimeo.

Video: Giants, Phillies Brawl Fight : Benches Clear After Pitch Hits Shane Victorino

The defending World Champions San Francisco Giants didn’t appreciate the hurting the Philadelphia Phillies have been putting on’em.

Or maybe the Giants are pissed that they haven’t been winning since they traded for Carlos Beltran.

The Huffington Post

Benches cleared in the top of the sixth inning during Friday night's game between the Phillies and Giants after San Francisco reliever Ramon Ramirez hit Shane Victorino in the back with a pitch.

Victorino began walking toward the mound and Giants catcher Eli Whiteside stepped in front of him. Placido Polanco raced in from second base and was tackled by Whiteside, who along with Victorino was ejected. Ramirez also was tossed.

Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff was in the middle of the scrum and Phillies leadoff man Jimmy Rollins shoved San Francisco bench coach Ron Wotus as they exchanged words.
More here

Alex Rodriguez under investigation by MLB for high stakes poker game playing

Baseball has a well documented history going back to the 1919 Black Sox scandal in which eight players were banned for life for throwing the World Series.

Back in the day, ballplayers and gamblers had a cozy relationship and often many a game was thrown so gamblers can collect on huge bets.

Since then MLB has signs posted in every locker-room specifically warning players against getting involved in any form of gambling

But, who says Arod is particularly bright?

The Sporting News

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, currently rehabbing in Miami after knee surgery July 11, could face suspension if reports are true that he took part in illegal, underground poker games in California, allegations that Major League Baseball is taking “very seriously,” ESPNNewYork.com reported Wednesday.

“We're talking to people involved in the investigation, and we're taking this very seriously,” an MLB executive who spoke to ESPNNewYork.com on condition of anonymity. “Because he had been warned about this before, I would say a possible suspension would be very much in play.”

MLB said Wednesday that investigators with the commissioner's office will interview Rodriguez. Yahoo! Sports, citing an anonymous source close to Rodriguez, reported Wednesday night that Rodriguez will cooperate in the probe.

The allegations, first published by RadarOnline.com, are that Rodriguez played in at least two of the games, one of which took place at the Beverly Hills mansion of a record executive at which “a fight nearly broke out” when one of the poker players refused to pay up after losing “more than a half-million dollars.”

More here

Pirates lose to Braves on horrible call by umpire Jerry Meals

This was a terribel call. Pirates got hosed. One of the worst calls I ever seen.

9-Year old Jayden makes outstanding catch at Little League game

Reminds me of the catch Ron Swaboda made in the 1969 World Series

The Huffington Post

Well, this kid is going to be pretty good. In the clip above, a 9-year-old kid named Jayden robs his opponent of a hit by making an incredible diving catch during a little league game.

The rest of the players on the field and the parents watching gave Jayden an applause as he threw the ball back to the pitcher. This is the type of highlight that is routinely shown on SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays.




Here’s Swaboda’s catch




Mets need to sign that kid now!

Roberto Alomar, Bert Blyleven and Pat Gillick inducted in Hall of Fame

I saw Alomar play and he could do it all. He had speed, power, an excellent fielder, and a switch hitter to boot. At one point in his era of the 90s, he was the best player in baseball.

Blyleven throw the nastiest curve in baseball history. He was always tough on the mound and racked up a bunch of strikeouts.

Pat Gilick was the thinking man’s GM that knew how to build a championship baseball team such was Toronto Blue Jays 2 championships in the early 90s. And he’s the GM that turned the Philadelphia Phillies into a powerhouse.

Sporting News

With Puerto Rican flags waving in the breeze and many of his countrymen cheering in appreciation, Roberto Alomar was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday.

Speaking first in his native Spanish, the third Puerto Rican player to be enshrined, along with Orlando Cepeda and Roberto Clemente, said he felt proud to be a Puerto Rican.

"I always played for my island," he said at Sunday's ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., before adding "It is a true blessing to be able to share this moment with all of you. I have you in my heart."

The governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuno, took a moment to congratulate Alomar, saying that his induction "is an honor for all Puerto Ricans." He thanked Alomar for representing his Caribbean homeland well in the big leagues.

Alomar, a member of the Toronto Blue Jays' World Series championship teams in 1992 and 1993, is the first player to enter the Hall of Fame wearing a Blue Jays cap and just the 20th second baseman to be inducted.

"I did not know how nervous I would be," said Alomar, who was bypassed in his first year of eligibility and on his second try was named on 90 percent of ballots cast, becoming the 26th player to garner at least 90 percent in any election. "Suddenly, I feel speechless."

The switch-hitting Alomar won a record 10 Gold Gloves at second base, was a 12-time All-Star and a career .300 hitter. Full of baseball smarts and grace, he's also linked with one of the game's most tawdry moments — he spit on umpire John Hirschbeck during an argument in 1996. The two have long since moved past that, and Hirschbeck was invited to come on Sunday. He had to decline because he's working a game in St. Louis.

Also inducted Sunday was right-hander Bert Blyleven, the first Dutch-born player to be enshrined. He thanked his late father and 85-year-old mother for the drive and determination he needed to succeed.

Blyleven, whose amazing curveball frustrated batters, finished with 287 wins, 3,701 strikeouts, 60 shutouts and a pair of World Series rings — in 1979 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and 1987 with the Twins.

Blyleven's path toward the Hall was a slow, steep one — he drew the backing of only 14.1 percent one year — but on his 14th try became the first pure starting pitcher to get selected by the BBWAA since Nolan Ryan in 1999.

Blyleven's father, who died of Parkinson's in 2004, fell in love with baseball and the Dodgers after the family moved to Southern California in the late 1950s.

"I wish he was here," Blyleven said. "But you know, mom, I know he's up there looking down right now."

Front-office guru Pat Gillick was the other inductee. His teams posted winning records in 20 of his 27 seasons as a general manager and advanced to the postseason 11 times. He was general manager when the Blue Jays won World Series titles in 1992 and 1993 and the Phillies in 2008.

U.S. women’s soccer team does a Labron James’s choke at World Cup and loses to Japan

I say Labron James purposely because when it was crunch time these ladies choked it away like James disappearing in the 4th quarter when his team needed him.

Don’t give me Japan rising from despair after what happened with Tsunami and earthquake, this was a choke pure and simple.

Sporting News

Japan, a grieving nation for months, finally can rejoice, finally have something to celebrate.

The Japanese rallied twice to tie the United States and send the Women's World Cup final into penalty kicks -- and then won 3-1 in the shootout.

Shannon Boxx, Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath all missed shootout tries for the Americans, who squandered dozens of chances throughout the game and blew a lead just six minutes from winning their third World Cup title.
When asked to explain the three missed penalty kicks, U.S. coach Pia Sundhage simply responded: "You don't; you can't. Sometimes in, sometimes out."

More here

Video: Derek Jeter’s 3,000th hit a home run, Hollywood style

For all of Derek Jeter’s detractors, and I’m not one of them, he more often than not rises to the occasion. That’s what makes him a great player. He may not have gaudy numbers like other player, but when playoff time comes around, Jeter is a clutch performer that outshines everyone else.

He’s always been a class act!

And to his credit, he’s accomplished something noYankee player has ever done, not Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, or Mantle has ever entered the 3,000 hit club!


Sporting News

After Jeter knocked a single in the first inning to pull himself to 2,999 career hits, he came up in the bottom of the third against Tampa Bay Rays lefthander David Price and, for the second time in the game, worked the count full. He then reached down and launched a low breaking ball into the stands in left field, his third homer of the year.

The homer, appropriately hit at 2 p.m. ET, tied the score at 1 and sent the Yankee Stadium crowd into a frenzy. Jeter was greeted at home plate with hugs and high-fives from Yankees teammates, who were joined by teammates from the bullpen. The ovation lasted nearly five minutes, and even Rays players stepped onto the field to clap and show their appreciation of Jeter's accomplishment.
Jeter is just the 28th player in major league history to reach 3,000 hits. He is the first Yankee to accomplish the feat and the sixth-youngest to get there, behind Ty Cobb, Hank Aaron, Robin Yount, Pete Rose and Tris Speaker. He is the 11th player to have all 3,000 hits with one team.

The hit also marked something of a full circle for Price. The first hit Price allowed in his major league career was a homer to Jeter on Sept. 14, 2008.

More here






3,000Hit Club

Pete Rose
4,256 .303 May 5, 1978
Cincinnati Reds
1963–1986 Single
[14]

Ty Cobb†
4,191[b]
.366 August 19, 1921
Detroit Tigers
1905–1928 Single
[15]

Hank Aaron†
3,771 .305 May 17, 1970
Atlanta Braves
1954–1976 Single
[16]

Stan Musial†
3,630 .331 May 13, 1958
St. Louis Cardinals
1941–1944,
1946–1963 Double
[17]

Tris Speaker†
3,514 .345 May 17, 1925
Cleveland Indians
1907–1928 Single
[18]

Carl Yastrzemski†
3,419 .285 September 12, 1979
Boston Red Sox
1961–1983 Single
[19]

Cap Anson†
3,418[a]
.334 July 18, 1897[a]
Chicago Colts
1871–1897 Unclear
[20]

Honus Wagner†
3,415 .328 June 9, 1914
Pittsburgh Pirates
1897–1917 Double
[21]

Paul Molitor†
3,319 .306 September 16, 1996
Minnesota Twins
1978–1998 Triple
[22]

Eddie Collins†
3,315 .333 June 6, 1925
Chicago White Sox
1906–1930 Single
[23]

Willie Mays†
3,283 .302 July 18, 1970
San Francisco Giants
1951–1973 Single
[24]

Eddie Murray†
3,255 .287 June 30, 1995
Cleveland Indians
1977–1997 Single
[25]

Nap Lajoie†
3,242 .338 September 27, 1914
Cleveland Naps
1896–1916 Double
[26]

Cal Ripken, Jr.†
3,184 .276 April 15, 2000
Baltimore Orioles
1981–2001 Single
[27]

George Brett†
3,154 .305 September 30, 1992
Kansas City Royals
1973–1993 Single
[28]

Paul Waner†
3,152 .333 June 19, 1942
Boston Braves
1926–1945 Single
[29]

Robin Yount†
3,142 .285 September 9, 1992
Milwaukee Brewers
1974–1993 Single
[30]

Tony Gwynn†
3,141 .338 August 6, 1999
San Diego Padres
1982–2001 Single
[31]

Dave Winfield†
3,110 .283 September 16, 1993
Minnesota Twins
1973–1995 Single
[32]

Craig Biggio
3,060 .281 June 28, 2007
Houston Astros
1988–2007 Single
[33]

Rickey Henderson†
3,055 .279 October 7, 2001
San Diego Padres
1979–2003 Double
[34]

Rod Carew†
3,053 .328 August 4, 1985
California Angels
1967–1985 Single
[35]

Lou Brock†
3,023 .293 August 13, 1979
St. Louis Cardinals
1961–1979 Single
[36]

Rafael Palmeiro
3,020 .288 July 15, 2005
Baltimore Orioles
1986–2005 Double
[37]

Wade Boggs†
3,010 .328 August 7, 1999
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
1982–1999 Home run
[38]

Al Kaline†
3,007 .297 September 24, 1974
Detroit Tigers
1953–1974 Double
[39]

Derek Jeter*
3,001 .312 July 9, 2011
New York Yankees
1995-present Home run
[40]

Roberto Clemente† 3,000 .317 01972-09-30September 30, 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates 1955–1972 2 !Double [41]

Video: Tragedy at the Ballpark-Fan falls to his death trying to catch ball at Texas Rangers game

This is a very terrible accident. As a baseball fan, things like this are not supposed to happen.

The Sporting News

A fan died Thursday when he fell from the left field stands during the Texas Rangers' game against the Oakland A's. The Rangers announced the death, which resulted when the man tried to catch a ball tossed into the stands.

The accident occurred one year and one day after another fan was seriously injured after he fell from the second deck at Rangers Ballpark, The Dallas Morning News noted.

Thursday's victim was not immediately identified.

Rangers president Nolan Ryan confirmed the death with the following statement:

"We are deeply saddened to learn that the man who fell has passed away as a result of this tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."


According to the Morning News and other reports, the accident occurred in the second inning. With the A's at bat, Conor Jackson hit a foul ball that went into left field. Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton retrieved the ball and tossed it toward the stands.


According to the Morning News and other reports, the accident occurred in the second inning. With the A's at bat, Conor Jackson hit a foul ball that went into left field. Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton retrieved the ball and tossed it toward the stands.

More here

39 Online.com

What started as a light-hearted blooper, ended in tragedy at the ballpark in Arlington.

30-year-old Shannon Stone, a firefighter and Ranger`s fan from Brownwood, fell to his death while trying to catch a ball thrown into the crowd by Ranger`s left-fielder Josh Hamilton. Stone was at the game with this son and as he caught the ball just over the railing he lost his balance falling head first more than 20-feet.

Initially Stone appeared alright, but he died in route to a Fort Worth hospital due to cardiac arrest.

More here

I don't know how much longer these videos are staying up.

Margo Dydek 7 ft fmr WNBA basketball player dies of heart attack at 37

This is very sad.

Daily Mail

A seven-foot-tall former women's basketball star has died of a heart attack at the age of 37.

Margo Dydek, who was pregnant with her third child, collapsed at her home in Brisbane, Australia, last week.

The Poland-born former WNBA star was put in a medically induced coma but died earlier this morning.

Cathy Roberts, the operations manager for the Northside Wizards in the Queensland Basketball League, where Dydek was head coach, said that Dydek was at an early stage in her pregnancy and that her unborn child had also died.

Dydek was the No. 1 pick in the 1998 WNBA draft by the Utah Starzz. She also played for San Antonio, Connecticut and Los Angeles.

The seven-foot-two Dydek, who was affectionately nicknamed 'Large Marge', was once said to be the tallest active professional female basketball player in the world.

She held the record for most blocks in a WNBA career, with 877 in 323 games, and led the league in blocks nine times, from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2005-07.

On August 27, 2008 Dydek signed with the Los Angeles Sparks following time away from basketball due to the birth of her first son in April 2008.



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