Baseball

A true story of demographic change in a northern inner ring suburb...A WINNING BASKETBALL TEAM THAT REFLECTED THIS CHANGE...AND MANY LONG-TIME FANS AND CITIZENS WHOEMBRACED THE TEAM AND THe CHANGE...REVIVING MEMORIES OF GLORY YEARS AND A TRUE STORY OF A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLEWHO SAW THE changes in the BASKETBALL PROGRAM AS A PROBLEM...AND INFLUENCED A NEW ADMINISTRATIONTO FIRE THE COACH This book is a story of high school basketball, youth sports, sports-parents, booster clubs, open enrollment, a northern inner ring suburb, and demographic change. It is also a book that is about a race issue that is timely and topical.

The 1972 Texas Rangers were a culmination of decades of trying to get a major-league team in Dallas-Fort Worth. The area has a long history with baseball, going back to the 1800s, and minor-league teams played in both cities right up until the Rangers arrived with Ted Williams at the helm.High expectations were quickly dashed. Just how bad were those early Rangers teams? When reporter Mike Shropshire wrote a book about covering the Rangers from 1973 to '75, he titled it Seasons In Hell. Twenty years later, the Rangers still hadn't made the playoffs. Counting the decade when the franchise was known as the Washington Senators, the team did not go to the playoffs for the first 35 years of its existence.In this book you will learn...Nolan Ryan played in the MLB for how many presidential administrations? (More than you'd think.)Who was the first and only Rangers pitcher to ever throw a perfect game?When the Texas Rangers play the Houston Astros, what is the series called?Back in 1998, former Ranger Alex Rodriguez was asked by a reporter who his dream date would be with. All these stories and so much more can be found in a unique format that provides with each telling a story about Ranger history: facts, anomalies, records, coincidences, and enthralling lore and trivia from the legends, stars, and even the forgotten players.This book isn't just for the diehard Rangers fan. It's for every fan who enjoys watching the Rangers and wants to learn more about their favorite team.

The life story of Jake Daubert, who left the coal mines of Pennsylvania to become a two-time major league batting champion.Jake Daubert could have followed the path of two of his brothers and died as a young coal miner. Instead he died as an active baseball player. Baseball provided an escape from the dangerous coal mines of Pennsylvania, but it couldn't save him from an undiagnosed genetic condition that cut short his life as one of the best players of the Deadball Era. Jake died in 1924 after a 15-year career during which he had a lifetime .303 batting average, set a National League record for career sacrifices that still stands, won a most valuable player award, was a two-time batting champion, and won NL titles with Brooklyn and Cincinnati and a World Series championship with the Reds in 1919 over the infamous Chicago Black Sox.After his wife convinced him to follow his baseball dream, Jake became baseball's premier first baseman in an era that produced some of the all-time greats, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Zack Wheat, all Hall-of-Famers. Despite Jake's stellar career, he didn't join them in the Hall of Fame, perhaps because of his conflicts with team owners and his active union role as a defender of players' rights.Time has relegated Jake to baseball obscurity, but 100 years ago, he was a star known as much for his clean living, intelligence, and integrity as he was for his batting and defensive skills.

Following an epic failure of the International League's Triple-A Marlins (1956-60), baseball made its triumphant return in 1962, spearheaded by Bill Durney, attorney Ron Fine, and businessman Bill Meranda. Albeit at the lowest rung of the minor leagues, the second-generation Marlins joined the Class D Florida State League making an immediate splash and drawing fans back to Miami Stadium.In 1963, the FSL acquired A level where Miami would remain until 1991, overseen by major league clubs counting the Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, and independent ownership.Over 30 seasons, hardball experienced a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, not to mention a brief foray of Triple-A baseball in 1979 with the short-lived Miami Amigos of the Inter-American League. Baseball reached its zenith from 1969-72 when the Marlins/Orioles captured four consecutive league championships under the leadership of the iconic Woody Smith. Several years of hardship and poor fan support due to the deteriorating conditions of the stadium and surrounding neighborhood. Despite the trials and tribulations, several players donning the Miami uniform graduated to the big leagues including all-time greats; Ferguson Jenkins, Cal Ripken Jr., Don Baylor, Eddie Murray, and Dennis Martinez.A vibrant ownership group purchased the team in 1989 renaming the club the Miracle eventually relocating the team to Pompano Beach. Through the aggressive campaigning of businessman Wayne Huizenga major league baseball arrived in south Florida in 1993, thus ending the storied history of minor league baseball in the area.

SERMON ON THE MOUND will guide you into your greatness! It is a collection of inspirational, instructional, and interactive pitches for faith-based athletes to up their success. You will get fundamental guidance to strengthen your game and spiritual growth from Mikeís decades of experiences as a ballplayer and a believer. Baseball Pastor Mikeís unique intertwining of baseball analogies, rhymes, and biblical principles will have you learning, laughing, and leaning on God more. It will motivate deeper appreciation for the game while not overlooking God. Each chapter inning has set ups, baseball situations, intriguing stories, bible study sermons, post-game inner views, questions, and closing prayer. The Ball Playerís Prayer Focus is lit! The final inning will have you dealing at the plate looking great on the field and in life! Athletes of all types (players, parents, coaches, teams plus the entire baseball and Christian community) would greatly benefit from this book. Mike Harris has been a leader in ministry and in multiple communities for decades. He has a Bachelorís Degree in Pastoral Counseling, Sports Psychology, Biblical Studies from Palm Beach Atlantic University, a campus minister and assistant head coach. Mike is a former professional baseball player, multi-year minor league all-star, coach, scouting supervisor (Cardinals & White Sox). Baseball Pastor Mike founded Miracles Baseball Academy of Houston, a Non-Profit Christian baseball organization, Diamond Baseball Training developing thousands via camps, coaches clinics, private and group instructions. Placed hundreds in college/universities, dozens in pro baseball including his own son; Senior advisor, camp director, former program director for nationally known Scorpions Baseball. Baseball Pastor Mike is an ordained minister, author, speaker, chaplain, consultant, missionary, serves on several boards. Recipient of the Presidential Achievement Award for his community efforts. He and his wife Liz resides in Houston, Texas. They are gratefully blessed with children and grandchildren.

This book is from the view of a coach, trainer, and an umpire. There is a lot of work to be done on how youth sports are handled. It seems we have lost the real reason we have our kids get involved--for the fun of it. The fun has been replaced with stress and the pressure to be perfect. This book has opinions and examples of what can be learned from sports. Maybe a parent or a coach see themselves in the book, good or bad. And maybe, one step at a time, we can start to change the culture in youth sports.It is a different world that the kids have to deal with today. Peer pressure, academic pressure, family pressure, and self-imposed pressure. The one place that should be a safe haven is whatever sport they choose to play and have fun. But, sometimes, adults take that away.The chapters in this book relate in some way to most all of us. "Why Stress Them Out" (mistakes do happen at all levels, and it is okay); "Be a Teacher First" (if you are a good teacher, coaching becomes easier); "This Is Their Time" (adults' actions should not take away from the kids' joy); "Learn from the Game" (respect, commitment, work ethic, passion, fair competition); "Help Them Succeed" (don't ask them to do what they are not ready for); "Let Them Be Their Best" (today's best might not be the same as yesterday's best, but it was their best today). Ability is what you are capable of; motivation determines what you do; attitude determines how you will do it.

In 1934, Ed Bolden's Philadelphia Stars joined the new Negro National League II (NNL2), which had been founded one year earlier. After fending off their intrastate-rivals, the Pittsburgh Crawfords, the Stars claimed the NNL2's second-half championship and faced the first-half champions for the title. They defeated the Chicago American Giants to claim the NNL2 crown.Over two dozen SABR members researched the Stars' history for this book, which includes biographies of as many of the team's players as possible, even those who participated in only a single game. The 1934 Stars featured future Hall of Famers Raleigh "Biz" Mackey and Jud Wilson; stalwarts like Phil Cockrell, Webster McDonald, and Chaney White; shooting star Stewart "Slim" Jones; and temporary fill-ins like Frederick Coleman and Clifford "Whip" Irons.Majority owner Ed Bolden, a vital figure in the history of Philadelphia baseball, and minority owner/booking agent Eddie Gottlieb-who is better known to basketball fans-are both featured, as well, along with the history of the Stars' home ballpark in 1934, Passon Field, named after another prominent local baseball entrepreneur. Also included is a complete season timeline, articles about select games such as the epic September 9 Satchel Paige-Slim Jones pitching duel at Yankee Stadium, and a comprehensive write-up of the NNL2 championship series complete this portrait of the 1934 title-winning team.

The New York Times bestselling author of The Matheny Manifesto offers the definitive guide to coaching youth baseball and instilling positive values on and off the field.Long before he became manager of the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals, Mike Matheny grasped the core values of what really mattered when it came to playing baseball. It wasn't attention from fans or the trophy at the end of a season that guided his morals, but the hard-won discipline, labor, and humility that he incorporated into every game he played. Now, in The Dad Coach, Matheny puts his philosophy into action and provides a step-by-step template for coaches and parents to develop solid fundamentals and a strong sense of character in their players, including:Age-specific drills and exercises to develop skills, along with practice plans to help young ballplayers improveGame preparation and evaluation techniques to help coaches stay on track and keep kids engagedAdvice on making coaching a meaningful experience and investment of timeMore than seventy QR codes leading to instructional videos featuring Matheny and other Dad Coach advocates Drawing on Matheny’s playing and coaching expertise at every level of the game, The Dad Coach is an engaging and essential resource for anyone, regardless of experience, who wants to coach their players to success in baseball and life.

The best resource for projecting future performance of minor league athletes--essential for fantasy league baseball players. The first book of its kind to fully integrate sabermetrics and scouting, the 2024 Minor League Baseball Analyst provides a distinctive brand of analysis for more than 1,000 minor league baseball players. Features include scouting reports for all players, batter skills ratings, pitch repertoires, performance trends, major league equivalents, and expected major league debuts. A complete sabermetric glossary is also included. This one-of-a-kind reference is ideally suited for baseball analysts and those who play in fantasy leagues with farm systems.

On February 11th, 2021, The North Carolina Central Baseball team walked into a meeting with the university's athletic director, expecting to be told they were canceling the upcoming season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, they were told their school was canceling baseball altogether, and that the 2021 season would be its last for the Eagles. Across the nation, historically black colleges and university baseball programs, are on the chopping block. This is the true story of the events leading up to that fateful day and how the NCCU baseball family persevered over the following months. Assistant Coach and author, Ed Porcelli, gives a first-hand account of how the players, coaches, friends, and baseball alumni of NCCU baseball, dealt with the loss of its program. What was the real reason as to why the administration decided to drop baseball? Was this really a financial decision due to the covid pandemic, or were there other factors at play? Be in the dugout, with the players and coaches, as Central enjoys its best and last season representing the Eagles. Presidential photographer Al Drago illustrates the many different emotions of the players during their final season, capturing the last moments of the Eagles, before their inevitable extinction.

In the fifty years that have passed since Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run and supplanted Babe Ruth as baseball's home run king, his legend and legacy have only grown. Humble and modest to a fault, he always insisted that he didn't want people to forget Babe Ruth but only to remember Henry Aaron. Though he never had the benefit of playing in the media spotlight of New York or Los Angeles, he remains the career leader in total bases, runs batted in, and All-Star selections; shares records for home runs by brothers (with Tommie Aaron) and by teammates (with Eddie Mathews); and is remembered with respect and admiration for his outspoken advocacy of civil rights for all minorities.   Written by a lifelong Braves fan who became a sportswriter, this book traces Aaron's odyssey from the segregated south to the baseball world revolutionized by Jackie Robinson, who became an early an important ally against bigotry and prejudice. It reveals how the New York Giants nearly beat the Boston Braves in signing Aaron, when the young slugger caught his first break, and why he changed his hitting style after the Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta. Though he never won a Triple Crown or hit for the cycle, he won virtually every major honor, including an MVP award, a World Series ring, and a berth in the Baseball Hall of Fame. But he should have won more, as the author contends he was often taken for granted by voters (nine of whom left him off their Cooperstown ballots!).   Turn these pages to find out what home run Aaron considered his greatest, what pitcher proved his easiest mark, and what managers he liked or disliked the most. Even the disappointments are included -- his team's move south, its inability to establish a dynasty, and his quests to become a manager, general manager, or even Commissioner of Baseball. This is also a book of personal tragedy: the death of a child, a difficult divorce, and the stunning loss of the 43-year-old brother-in-law who became the first black GM. Not to mention the deluge of hate mail as it became obvious that he was approaching the most cherished record in sports.   Through it all, Henry Louis Aaron kept his composure, preferring to let his bat do the talking. He lacked the notoriety of Willie, Mickey & the Duke but he just might have been the best player in baseball history. He's certainly in the conversation.