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The All Star Game I’ll Never Forget

I’ll always remember that july night of 1970. Dad sent me to hit the sack a lot of times. Tom Seaver, Jim Palmer, Jim Merritt and Sam McDowell kept the game scoreless until the sixth frame. Dad pumped his right fist when Ray Fosse scored the first run on Carl Yastrzemski single against Gaylord Perry. “Let’s go guys”. I approached to the TV set. “That team isn’t going to win this game”. Dad wrinkled his forehead. “Which one?” “The American League”. Dad showed me the way to my bedroom. “Ok, ok, Dad. Maybe the American League could win”.

In the bottom of the seventh the National League got the bases loaded but only scored once. Dad hit the palm of his left hand with his right fist when Willie McCovey grounded into doubleplay. He started to whistle “Take me out to the ballgame” when Brooks Robinson smacked a triple against Bob Gibson that put the score 4-1.

When Roberto Clemente lined out a sacrifice fly to tie the game 4- 4 in the bottom of the ninth, Dad took me to my bedroom. “Come on Dad! Are you afraid that your team lose?”

The intensity of the extrainning grabbed Dad’s eyes into the TV set. This let me watch the game from behind the sofa. At the bottom of the twelfth inning, Pete Rose and Bill Garbarkewitz hit singles after two outs. Dad moved his eyes back. I hid under the sofa. Jim Hickman batted a single to centerfield. Rose passed through third base as a train. Fosse stepped in front of home plate to wait Amos Otis’ throw. Rose collided against Fosse and made him roll over the ground. The Nacional league won 5-4. The collision impact made me shout. “Yooohoo. The National League won”. Dad looked at me and the chase started. I ran harder than Pete Rose and jumped over my bed. I’ve heard of other All Star games but none as intense as that one of 1970.

Alfonso Tusa. Cumanà. Venezuela. 1961. Chemical Technician. Colaborator in El Nacional daily journal at the sections: Letters, Word games, New signatures. On August 2004, he got the price to the best letter sent to El Nacional for “An errand in Bebedero” (“Un mandado en Bebedero”). On October 2004, his baseball novel “Expectations between Lions and Navigators” (“Esperanzas entre Leones y Navegantes”), was the runner up at the first contest of Literature and Baseball organized by the Venezuelan Winter League of Professional Baseball. On August 2005, his article “An unforgettable home run” was published at the web page athomeplate.com. On December 2005, his article “Nestor Chavez. His pitching performance in 1967” . (“El Làtigo Chàvez en 1967” ) was published in the magazine Gente en Ambiente. On January 2006, his baseball research chronicle “A magical season” (“Una temporada màgica”) got the first place at the second contest of Literature and Baseball organized by the Venezuelan Winter League of Professional

Tips for Good Fielding When Pitching In Baseball

Pitchers and managers should pay a great deal of attention to the techniques of fielding the ball around the mound. After the ball leaves his hands, the pitcher becomes an infielder. Like the other infielders, he has a spot to go to on every play.

The hardest thing for a young pitcher to learn is to go to his left on every ball hit to his left and to start immediately! Very often, the batter will hit a sharp bouncer between the first and second basemen. Both will try for it. This leaves 1st base open. It’s the pitcher’s job to get to 1st ahead of the runner and take the throw if the ball is fielded. He can’t possibly make it, however, unless he starts running to his left at the crack of the bat. If he’s not going to be involved in the play, on the other hand, all he has to do is stop.

To cover the base, the pitcher runs as fast as he can for a spot near the foul line that is about 10 feet to the home plate side of 1st. When he gets near this spot, he turns left so he can run along the inside of the base line (not in the base line). After catching the ball, he looks down for the base, hits the 2nd base side of the sack with his right foot and springs toward 2nd, out of the way of the oncoming runner.

With runners already on base, the pitcher, after tagging 1st, should quickly face the infield to keep them from advancing.

The beginning pitcher has a difficult time remembering that his feet should be parallel after delivering the ball to the plate. This will enable him to move right, left or straight ahead to field batted balls. It will also make it easier for him to knock down or catch those line drives that come right at him! Sometime a big pitcher has this trouble: his pitching foot comes down ahead of his striding foot. When this happens, the striding foot should quickly be brought up even with the pitching foot.

On a bunt with a runner on 1st, or on 3rd, the pitcher is responsible for everything in front of him that is out of reach of the catcher. With a runner on 2nd, he takes everything that is to his right of the imaginary line to the plate (first baseman takes everything on the left). These fielding areas are diagrammed in Chapter 14.

A swinging hit to the pitcher’s box with a runner on 1st can get a pitcher in hot water if he always tries for the double play with less than two out. Unless it’s a hard smash, the pitcher should ignore the runner going to 2nd and concentrate on putting out the batter. (He has little chance of getting the runner going to 2nd and if he misses he will have runners on 1st and 2nd with less than two out, instead of a runner on 2nd with an additional out in the scorebook.)

Pitchers should let the other infielders handle pop-ups in the area of the mound, and think only about covering an open base if necessary.

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National League Central

The East Coast-biased sports media likes to hype the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox rivalry as the ultimate baseball event every time the two teams meet, but they seem to forget that the defending world champions are in the National League Central, along with some of baseball’s most exciting rivalries and dynamic players. The St. Louis Cardinals enjoyed an incredible postseason in 2006 as Albert Pujols led the Redbirds to the franchise’s 10 th world title. But the Cards will not have an easy time even winning the NL Central this year as the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers and even the Pittsburgh Pirates all appear to have the firepower to win the division. With baseball tickets to see these teams in action, you get to enjoy some of Major League Baseball’s brightest stars, like Ken Griffey Jr., Alfonso Soriano and Albert Pujols. And if you are tired of the Yankees vs. Red Sox, then get Cubs vs. Cardinals tickets to see the National League’s best rivalry.

In addition to several World Series contenders, the NL Central also has some of the best ballparks in baseball. Chicago Cubs tickets will get you into historic Wrigley Field, while St. Louis Cardinals tickets allow you to see the champs play at the new Busch Stadium. Pittsburgh Pirates tickets are good for entry to acclaimed PNC Park or Reds tickets let you experience Great American Ball Park . And if you want protection from the elements, then pick up some Brewers tickets and head out to Miller Park or buy your Houston Astros tickets for Minute Maid Park and enjoy a game with the luxury of a retractable roof.

The NL Central also offers some great history – the Pirates, Cardinals, Reds and Cubs have all been around since the 1800s and some of baseball’s most legendary players have suited up for those clubs, like Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith, Pete Rose, Honus Wager, Roberto Clemente and Ernie Banks. If you want to see some great action, you can’t go wrong with National League Central baseball tickets.

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Ticket Specialists Baseball Tickets

MLB is heating up around the country from Florida, the home of the Marlins to Los Angeles where the Dodgers are off to a very impressive start of 15-11. Boston Red Sox Tickets are harder than usual to get this year with their new Super Star Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Windy City is not enjoying the spring at Wrigley Field, with the way the Chicago Cubs are playing and the new coach, Lou Piniella. The Cubs spent a lot of money this off season, and were not expecting the team to under-perform. The Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, and the Atlanta Braves are currently leading the MLB with the best overall team records right now. The New York Mets look very promising this season, and currently have a record of 15-9 with Carlos Beltran leading them along. The New York Yankees, with one of the highest payrolls, are currently in last place in their division, and second to last in the American League! Can’t remember the last time I’ve seen that! Now a question remains inside of Yankees fans, will George Steinbrenner fire Joe Torre at one point during the season, if the Yankees do not improve? Guess we will have to wait and see as the MLB gets more exciting as each day gets closer to the World Series!

Joe DiMaggio Baseball Memorabilia - An ABC For The New Collector

For most baseball fans, the excitement derived from the sport is simply all about the love for the game. But for the really passionate baseball enthusiast, collecting baseball memorabilia is the thing that makes the sport a worthwhile enterprise instead of just a favorite pastime. No wonder then that collecting baseball memorabilia has evolved into a multi-million dollar pursuit; an investment if you must.

In the field of collecting baseball memorabilia, few names in baseball can be called hot items or choice picks. And among the top names that most collectors try to get their hands on is Joe DiMaggio. He was and still is one of the most revered and popular players of the sport. An inducted member of the baseball Hall Of Fame, he had set records in baseball during his time, some of which are still impressive even at present standards and have yet to be broken by the new generation of sluggers.

If you plan to collect Joe DiMaggio baseball memorabilia, always bear in mind that the condition of each piece of memorabilia is the most important factor to consider. Rare Joe DiMaggio pieces that have been neglected over the years or, worse, pieces that are bogus will be greatly devalued, if not found totally good-for-nothing. Therefore, always be on your toes when buying Joe DiMaggio baseball memorabilia; remember counterfeiters abound in the field of baseball memorabilia collecting.

Before you start buying Joe DiMaggio baseball memorabilia, it is a good idea learn the basic grading systems used for valuing baseball collectibles. It is only through this standard grading system that you can decide if a Joe DiMaggio baseball memorabilia is worth keeping or not. This grading system will also determine the price of your Joe DiMaggio baseball memorabilia.

For instance, keep in mind that a bat actually used by Joe DiMaggio in a game will not have the same appraised value compared to the same item issued for display intentions only. A ball that has Joe DiMaggio’s signature on it will be valued based on the quality of the item and, of course, the clarity of the signature. Needless to say, for all signed collectibles, the authenticity of Joe DiMaggio’s signature is the most important factor to consider in putting value to the particular item. The rareness of the item is also given weight as to how much a Joe DiMaggio baseball merchandise is worth.

Joe DiMaggio baseball cards are among the most common memorabilia items bought and sold in the baseball souvenir market. Unfortunately, baseball cards can be the most delicate type of baseball memorabilia. Proper care must be ensured to preserve the priceless value of Joe DiMaggio baseball cards. Always remember to keep rare Joe DiMaggio cards away from wet surfaces; keeping your cards in plastic sleeves away from light may keep Joe DiMaggio’s image good as new.

Surely, even for some people who are not fervent believers of baseball, collecting baseball memorabilia can be a great source of amusement and, yes, investment return. At the very least, the feeling of being in the company of avid fans who have mountains of baseball collectibles and stories can be magnificent, if not depictive of a true American tradition. So it is always a good idea to have a stash of baseball memorabilia; and your collection can not be any good unless you have Joe DiMaggio baseball memorabilia.

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Major League Baseball Tickets - How to Get the Best Seats in the Stadium

There is no better thrill than attending a baseball game in person. Baseball is America’s classic pastime and has been enjoyed for generations and generations. Watching a game of baseball in person gets you closer to the heart and soul of the game than watching it on television. If you have never seen a baseball game in person then you are missing out on the feel of being in a stadium full of fans, hearing the crack of the bat, and enjoying the real outdoors and sunny weather.

There is also the thrill of catching a foul ball, or catching a home run. And when at a baseball game, you know that your favorite team can hear your cheers. Watching a baseball game on television is a passive activity. Being at the game makes you an active part of the action. You are part of the sights and the sounds. You are actually a part of what the people watching the game from their home see on their television.

Many baseball games go down in history as legendary events. There are no bragging rights in saying you saw that legendary games on television; you need to actually be there. Have you ever wished you had witnessed some of the greatest events in baseball history, such as home run race victories, milestone at bats, no hitters, extra inner World Series victories, and classic comebacks? There is no replacement for actually being there, seeing it happen in person, and being a part of the roar of the crowd that other people wish they could be a part of.

Seeing a baseball game in person is also a great way to spend the day or night with your family or friends. Sitting on the couch watching the game on television is no substitute to going to the game with some of your best friends, coworkers, or family members. Seeing a baseball game in person is a bonding experience, and something that your family will always remember. It is an American rite of passage to be taken to a baseball game by your father, and that is something you do not want your son or daughter to miss out on. Your children only get one childhood, and there is no going back once they have missed out on a treasured experience. Hot Seats makes buying baseball tickets easy and inexpensive, so there is no excuse to not attend a baseball game in person.

Since 1984, Hot Seats Ticket Service has been a top-quality provider of upfront seating for sports, concerts, and special events. The key to our success is fast, friendly, reliable service. Be sure to visit us for the best selection in nationwide major league baseball tickets you can order over the Internet.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Kirby

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Goose Gossage - Hall Of Fame Ballot

By David A Hughes

If you have heard the cries of frustration reverberating across the country since Tuesday’s 2007 Hall Of Fame inductee’s were announced then I’m sure you won’t be surprised to find their troublesome tones originate from the mile high city of Colorado Springs. Yes, Gossage has been well and truly goosed again!

The Writers Association have found themselves in this columnists crosshair’s on more than one occasion this winter and it was in all honestly a complete shock to see them once again in the firing line after the results of this year’s ballot were publicized.

Why? Merely because probability said the electorate could no longer ignore the 22 big league seasons of one of greatest relief pitchers of the last 30 years. Yet, despite being considered by many to be one of the best firemen of his era, as well as a pitching pioneer who helped define the role of the 21st century setup/closer, Goose Gossage still waits for the gates of Cooperstown to open 12 years after throwing his last Major League pitch. That is simply unfathomable when you consider he was every bit the equal of Bruce Sutter who already has his plaque hanging on the same wall as Whitey Ford and Red Ruffling.

Goose’s votes may have more than doubled to reach 71.2 percent since his first appearance on the ballot in 2000, which apparently makes him a virtual lock next year since no candidate who has surpassed the 70% marker has been unsuccessful, but the question is, should it have ever reached a 9th ballot in the first place? Many would say it should never have reached a 2nd when you look at the career achievements of the 9 time All Star, who tallied 310 career saves with a 3.01 ERA between 1972-1994. If it wasn’t for the Writers Association’s short sighted opinions regarding relievers then that would probably be the case and I would not be writing this column. But the fact is the two time fireman of the year who intimidated his contemporaries with his demeanour and heavy duty fastball is not sitting pretty in the hall with his 1978 World Series glory where he should be, despite Rollie Fingers and Dennis Eckersley breaking down the walls of prejudice in the 90s.

Instead he waits one more year for the Writers Association to recognise his services to baseball. The writers who for many years have not known what to make of the setup/closer role, and apparently still don’t. The same writers who managed to pay Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn the ultimate disservice this week by not presenting them with a 100% undisputed vote. Wouldn’t you like to talk with the voters who thought someone else was more worthy than these two legends? When the 2nd best batting average in history is not good enough to garner a unanimous vote you have to wonder what these people are looking for.

When you consider that maybe it not so surprising that Gossage lost out after all? And while we continue to question the credibility of the Writers selection criteria we can only hope the words of Al Pacino in Godfather Part 2 are ringing in their heads: “ I swear on the lives of my children, give me one last chance to redeem myself and I will sin no more.

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How To Run A Youth Baseball All Star Team

By Marty Schupak

You’ve just completed an exhausting 20-25 game schedule complete with a few rain make-up games at inopportune times. The season had everything including controversies among other teams, your own parents, league board members, and other headaches. Your reward for coping with all of this, and leading your team to the league championship, is to coach the 11-12 year old All Star team. Think your phone rang a lot during the season? You haven’t seen, or heard, anything yet. Your first duty as coach is to inform your spouse that your long awaited vacation will have to be postponed because your league needs you. You also discuss putting off the repair of your washer machine because, with All Stars, the laundry room is now on call 24 hours a day.

Picking your league All Star team can be an incredibly emotional time that may result in hurt feelings that extend beyond the season, and sometimes for years. Some leagues have incorporated having the players vote for part of the All Star team. Many leagues have the coaches decide in a meeting run by the league commissioner (or player agent). The first priority is to decide the number of players to draft on the team. If your league charter defines this number, then this is what you have to follow. Otherwise this decision has to be made at this meeting. Issues need to be discussed, such as: is it required by the league charter to have everyone play; and how much are they required to play? This issue can become a headache, as the substituting of players will sometimes be a distraction for the coach in charge during the game. Usually, prior to this meeting, the head coach has his assistant coaches assigned by the league. This can be a problem because sometimes coaches would rather take their regular season assistants than two other assigned head coaches that they have never worked with before. I would prefer the latter even though you are discussing strategies with two other people you might have learned to detest during the season. During All Stars, the coaches on the bench who were adversaries during the year always seem to get along as long as the team keeps playing.

Once the coaches and team are made, it is imperative that the head coach (or manager) hold a parents meeting. This meeting is even more important then your regular season team parents meeting. The meeting should be a requirement and not last more than 10 or 15 minutes. The key points for the coach to stress to the parents are that because your child is an All Star, he is expected to play any position on the field (except maybe pitcher & catcher). The point of this is that many of the players were their team’s shortstops during the season and they are asked to play the outfield. You need to assure parents (and even the players) that it is imperative that all nine positions are equally important. Other points that should be discussed should be about playing time. I always told parents that I won’t be popular as a coach at the conclusion of All Stars for every family but that the league entrusted me to use my judgment whether they think it is right or wrong. I always stress that I can only guarantee the minimum required playing time and that you should consider this if you are going to cancel vacation plans for these All Star games.

Practices should be run a couple of ways. You will probably have in your mind the batting order and fielding positions. I would urge all coaches to mix things up in the practices and try players at different positions. There will be some minor unexpected absentees and you should be ready for this as coach.

The All Star games themselves can be some of the highest pressured tension in youth sports. Neighboring leagues will be in attendance and players will have expected nervousness. You can cut your regular warm ups short and take the team in the outfield and play any silly type of game you can think of. I have always used a game where I divide the team in half, and with a hard ball for each team, the teammates must pass the ball to each other using only their neck. This meaningless sounding game helps to relax the players, and for 11 and 12 year olds, this might be the best warm up for them.

All Stars are the highlights for some players and leagues. Aside from all of the potential problems and arguing, if your All Star team ends up going on a nice winning streak, there is nothing like it. Getting far into any tournament will require some luck. If your team gets eliminated, this is where, as a coach, you have to give them the “ultimate” pep talk. Now some teams continue to play in other local tournaments, which is great way to end the season.

http://www.YouthSportsClub.com

http://www.VideosForCoaches.com

Marty Schupak has coached youth baseball for 18 years and is the video creator of “The 59 Minute Baseball Practice”, “Backyard Baseball Drills”, “Winning Baseball Strategies”, “Hitting Drills & Techniques” and author of the popular book, “Youth Baseball Drills”. He is a principle for Videos For Coaches and is also President of the Youth Sports Club, a group dedicated to making sports practices and games more enjoyable for kids.

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A Babe Ruth Baseball Bat Sells For $1.3 Million!

By Terry Edwards

As incredible as it may sound, the old baseball bat that Babe Ruth used in hitting a home run in the very first game at Yankee Stadium, sold for nearly $1.3 million at an auction recently.

Sotheby’s auction house sold the bat on December 2, 2006 at their auction. No other baseball bat in history has ever come close to selling for as much as this one used by the immortal Babe Ruth.

In fact, the second highest bat that has ever been sold was one that went for $577,610 in 2001. It was a bat used by the infamous “Shoeless” Joe Jackson. You may remember him as being one of the players who were banned from baseball for their part in the famous Chicago White Sox scandal in 1919.

Who purchased the Babe’s bat? At the moment the buyer is not known. It is believed that the person is a supposed collector and hobbyist of baseball collectables. What may be even more incredible is that a spokesman for the buyer told reporters afterwards that they were prepared to pay an even higher amount for the baseball bat.

In a bit or irony, the bat was used to hit the home run on April 18, 1923, in a game against who else, but their arch rivals, the Boston Red Sox. What is even more ironic is the fact that the bat sold for what it nearly cost to build Yankee Stadium at the time. The original Yankee Stadium was built at a cost of $2.4 million dollars. Hard to imagine isn’t it?

How did the Babe Ruth baseball bat survive the test of time to get to this point? The story goes that Babe Ruth’s agent, a woman by the name of Christy Walsh, originally gave the bat away in a home run contest many years ago. The player who won the bat held onto it through his death, and in his will, gave it to his personal nurse. She decided to try and sell the bat and use the funds to open up a cafe that she has always dreamed of doing. With a little help from others, Sotheby’s became involved and the rest is now history.

Although this is the most expensive bat ever sold, it is not the most expensive price that has been paid for a piece of baseball memorabilia. The record holder? Currently, the record is $3 million for the baseball that Mark McGwire hit for home run #70 in 1998. The buyer was a comic book artist by the name of Todd McFarlane.

You can find out more about the Babe Ruth Baseball Bat as well as more information on all types of bats at http://www.Ball-Bats.InfoFromA-z.com

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