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batting practice texas rangers: Last Chance in Texas John Hubner, 2008-04-29 A powerful, bracing and deeply spiritual look at intensely, troubled youth, Last Chance in Texas gives a stirring account of the way one remarkable prison rehabilitates its inmates. While reporting on the juvenile court system, journalist John Hubner kept hearing about a facility in Texas that ran the most aggressive–and one of the most successful–treatment programs for violent young offenders in America. How was it possible, he wondered, that a state like Texas, famed for its hardcore attitude toward crime and punishment, could be leading the way in the rehabilitation of violent and troubled youth? Now Hubner shares the surprising answers he found over months of unprecedented access to the Giddings State School, home to “the worst of the worst”: four hundred teenage lawbreakers convicted of crimes ranging from aggravated assault to murder. Hubner follows two of these youths–a boy and a girl–through harrowing group therapy sessions in which they, along with their fellow inmates, recount their crimes and the abuse they suffered as children. The key moment comes when the young offenders reenact these soul-shattering moments with other group members in cathartic outpourings of suffering and anger that lead, incredibly, to genuine remorse and the beginnings of true empathy . . . the first steps on the long road to redemption. Cutting through the political platitudes surrounding the controversial issue of juvenile justice, Hubner lays bare the complex ties between abuse and violence. By turns wrenching and uplifting, Last Chance in Texas tells a profoundly moving story about the children who grow up to inflict on others the violence that they themselves have suffered. It is a story of horror and heartbreak, yet ultimately full of hope. |
batting practice texas rangers: Texas Rangers Zac Robinson, 2011-06-30 The Texas Rangers may not always win, but they’re usually really exciting. Now you can read about them in the completely original Sports by the Numbers series. The Rangers have managed four playoff appearances heading into 2011, and became the A.L. champs in 2010. In all, the club has finished over .500 just 18 times. But it’s more than made up for any lack of success in the win column with great players, amazing moments, crazy characters, tremendous plays, and wild games. Kenny Rogers had quite a night in July 1994. And how excited were we on October 1, 1996, thanks to John Burkett? Nolan Ryan’s first bid at win number 300 failed, but late-inning heroics saved the day. Oddibe McDowell and Bengie Molina have something in common. Michael Young has racked up a few hits in Arlington, and Mickey Rivers did as well. All these stories and so much more can be found in a unique format that provides 250 numbers, 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. |
batting practice texas rangers: Texas Rangers Bob Italia, 1997 Examines the history and notable players of the baseball team that began in Washington, D.C., as the Senators. |
batting practice texas rangers: Cast Your Nets Dr. Mark Henry Miller, 2007-12-26 What others find in CAST YOUR NETS It is said that a good sermon is delivered with the Bible in one hand and the daily newspaper in the other. Mark Miller adds a fishing rod to the mix, salting his wise reflections on ministry, faith, and life with insights that can only come while patiently waiting for the elusive yet exciting tug of the Spirit or a sockeye. John Thomas, General Minister and President, United Church of Christ Mark Henry Miller notices little things that the rest of us often miss: the person in the corner who doesn't go along with what others see as a consensus, the surprising kind act by the contentious opponent, the fish swimming upstream. And he thinks about what he has noticed and shares what he has learned. He shows us how to reflect in the midst of practice, which is essential to effective ministry. William McKinney--President, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA Mark writes with wit, humor, and grace. His insights will stay with you long after the reading is done. --Jim Thayer, novelist and professor Short, pithy, inspirational stories for everyday ministry--a good source for daily devotional material, provocative meeting openers or sermon illustrations. Each epistle has an easily grasped point that touches a deep spiritual issue or practice of both ministry and everyday life lived with intentional faithfulness. Paul Forman, United Church of Christ Minister Mark Henry Miller's always insightful, sometimes whimsical pastoral epistles are a delight and a challenge to read - challenging our everyday way of seeing things and letting us glimpse a bit of what might be if we only have eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts to love. Joanne Carlson Brown, Methodist Minister |
batting practice texas rangers: Baseball Bits Dan Schlossberg, 2008-05-06 A book that covers all the bases! Everything fans want to know about the Great American Pastime... Written and compiled by baseball expert Dan Schlossberg, this book is chock-full of the best trivia, information, and fun facts about the game. Featuring interviews with players, managers, and other baseball professionals, as well as never-before-told stories, Baseball Bits is sure to hit a home run with just about anyone who's interested in the game. But that's not all, because beyond the stories and trivia, the die-hard fan also wants the most recent information that affects this season. Inside each book is a password that lets readers log onto a website for up-to-the-minute information only available there. The site is guaranteed to be updated at least once a month-more frequently during the season-to provide readers with everything they need to know about the current season, including: * The latest trades, and how they'll affect particular Teams * The best players' current stats * Who is about to break major records |
batting practice texas rangers: A Baseball Gaijin Aaron Fischman, 2024-06-18 Like many American boys, Tony Barnette yearned to one day make it to “The Show,” playing baseball professionally. The Arizona State pitcher was drafted in 2006 by the in-state Diamondbacks. Gradually ascending the minor-league ladder, it looked like this was the beginning of a blessed life, where he could play the game he loved on the grandest of stages in front of family and friends. But things don’t always work out the way we want. On the verge of achieving his lifelong dream after notching a league-high 14 wins in Triple A, Tony looked ahead to 2010 with optimism. That’s when Japan came calling, offering a significant salary hike in exchange for forgoing a likely forthcoming big-league debut. The Diamondbacks agreed to release Tony so he could play for Tokyo’s Yakult Swallows, the renowned Yomiuri Giants’ intra-city rivals. At the time, the only thing he had in common with the country was a love for baseball. He did not know the language and was unfamiliar with Nippon Professional Baseball and essentially everything else. On his own in a strange land, the burning desire to one day make the major leagues never subsided. He knew the odds were against him, as less than one quarter of gaijin (Japanese for “foreigner”) ballplayers who go to Japan appear in the majors at any point thereafter. First-year struggles led to multiple demotions and his end-of-year release. But when you’re chasing a dream, you expect to encounter several obstacles. Tony refused to be deterred. Over six seasons in Japan, the starter became a reliever and then a closer. After a strong 2015 season, in which he guided his long-suffering Swallows to the Japan Series, he finally got the call he had been waiting for. Signing with the Texas Rangers in December, Tony would make his first major-league appearance on April 5, 2016, at age thirty-two. He’d go on to pitch four seasons with the Rangers and Chicago Cubs, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Through extensive research and reporting, Aaron Fischman worked directly with Tony to tell his story of perseverance, determination, and never giving up on your dream. |
batting practice texas rangers: Baseball and Rhetorics of Purity Michael L. Butterworth, 2010-08-13 Butterworth argues that baseball cannot be viewed as an innocent diversion or escape and that by promoting myths of citizenship and purity, post-9/11 discourse concerning baseball ironically threatens the health of the democratic system. Instead, he highlights how the game on the field reflects a more complex and diverse worldview, and he makes a plea for the game's recovery, both as a national pastime and as a site for celebrating the best of who we are and who we can be. --Book Jacket. |
batting practice texas rangers: Baseball's Most Wanted Floyd Conner, 2006 An irreverent look at a side of baseball not usually found on the sports pages, with more than 700 entries and 70 lists |
batting practice texas rangers: The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip, 2nd Josh Pahigian, Kevin O'Connell, 2012-03-27 The most entertaining and comprehensive guide to every baseball fan’s dream road trip—including every new ballpark since the 2004 edition—revised and completely updated! |
batting practice texas rangers: Sho-Time Jeff Fletcher, 2022-07-19 The story behind Major League Baseball’s two-way playing phenomenon and his rise from early days in Japan to his historic 2021 MVP season. Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels is playing baseball like no other major leaguer since Babe Ruth. His dominance as a two-way player—an electric pitcher and an elite slugger—made him the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player, the only player ever selected as an All Star as both a pitcher and hitter, and a member of Time 100’s most influential people of 2021. In Ohtani’s first two-way game of the 2021 season, he threw a pitch at 100 mph and hit a homer that left his bat at 115 mph, a confluence of feats unmatched by anyone else in the sport. He racked up eye-popping achievements all year. But awards and numbers tell only part of his amazing story. In Sho-Time, award-winning sportswriter Jeff Fletcher, who has covered Ohtani more than any other American journalist, charts Ohtani’s path through Japanese baseball to a championship with the Nippon-Ham Fighters, the recruiting war to bring him to the majors, his 2018 AL Rookie of the Year campaign, subsequent injury-riddled seasons, and then his historic 2021 season. Along the way, Fletcher weaves in the history of two-way players—including Babe Ruth and unsung Negro Leagues players like “Bullet” Joe Rogan, Martín Dihigo, and Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe—and the Japanese athletes who preceded Ohtani in the majors. With insight from Japanese and American baseball front office personnel, managers, scouts, athletic trainers, ballplayers, and more, Sho-Time breaks down the physics of Ohtani’s game, his technologically advanced training, his international fame, and the role he and teammate Mike Trout are playing to lead baseball into the next generation. Praise for Sho-Time “Jeff Fletcher masterfully chronicles not only what Ohtani accomplished in ‘21, but also provides the full context to his achievements. . . . Fletcher’s book is the definitive look at Ohtani’s two-way majesty.” —Ken Rosenthal, Senior Writer at The Athletic “Historians will be talking about Shohei Ohtani’s 2021 season for decades, and thankfully the baseball gods arranged for Jeff Fletcher to be there to cover baseball’s best two-way player ever in the midst of a pandemic, to bear witness and mine details and write with grace about the sport’s most incredible individual performance.” —Buster Olney, ESPN “The essential portrait of baseball’s most captivating player. . . . Fletcher goes beyond the carefully scripted press conferences, revealing in vivid detail the challenges and triumphs of a baseball journey like no other.” —Tyler Kepner, The New York Times |
batting practice texas rangers: The Hitting Edge Tom Robson, 2003 Hitting can be tough enough without trying to follow confusing technical advice and pet philosophies. Keep it simple, and keep making contact. Take the knowledge available in this book with you to every at-bat, and you'll have The Hitting Edge.--BOOK JACKET. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (Third Edition) Paul Dickson, 2011-06-13 The definitive work on the language of baseball—one of the “Five Best Baseball Books” (Wall Street Journal). Hailed as “a staggering piece of scholarship” (Wall Street Journal) and “an indispensable guide to the language of baseball” (San Diego Union-Tribune), The Dickson Baseball Dictionary has become an invaluable resource for those who love the game. Drawing on dozens of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century periodicals, as well as contemporary sources, Dickson’s brilliant, illuminating definitions trace the earliest appearances of terms both well known and obscure. This edition includes more than 10,000 terms with 18,000 individual entries, and more than 250 photos. This “impressively comprehensive” (The Nation) book will delight everyone from the youngest fan to the hard-core aficionado. |
batting practice texas rangers: 100 Things Rangers Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die Rusty Burson, 2012-04 Being a Rangers fan is about more than watching the team win the big game, and this book helps fans get the most out of it. Taking 40 years of Rangers history, the book distills it to the absolute best and most compelling moments, identifying the personalities, events, and facts every Rangers fan should know without hesitation. Numbers with huge import, such as 8, 34, and 1972; nicknames such as Pudge, Juan Gone, and Ryan Express; plus memorable moments, singular achievements, and signature calls all highlight the list. Experiences are another important part of the fabric of being a fan, so the book also includes things Rangers fans should actually see and do before they join Billy Martin and others at the Pearly Gates. From having a brew at the best Rangers bars in Texas to discovering the boyhood home of Nolan Ryan and finding the best food at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, this book contains numerous tips and suggestions for enjoying all aspects of Rangers fandom. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Amazing Baseball Adventure Josh Pahigian, 2017-02-01 A visually stunning road trip through pro baseball’s wacky, wondrous, and revered ballpark attractions Exploding scoreboards, treetop seats, and neon skylines are just three of the more than 100 ballpark design features, field eccentricities, historic displays, traditions, concession items, and even super-fans and mascots profiled in this armchair baseball journey. Combining engaging storytelling with fun sidebars and beautiful color photos, author Josh Pahigian captures the essence of each ballpark treasure—from the retractable lighthouse at the Portland Sea Dogs’ Hadlock Field to the Sausage Race at the Brewers’ Miller Park to Fenway Park’s Green Monster and even to the delicious biscuits served by the aptly named Montgomery Biscuits. From the Rookie Leagues to the Majors, there are more than 250 professional baseball parks in the United States where fans partake in special game-day rituals, eat unique foods, laugh along with the zany mascot, marvel at the park’s special features, and revel in a communal experience that removes them for a few hours from life’s daily grind. The Amazing Baseball Adventure brings to life the very best of these cherished ballpark features, the ones that motivate fans to return again and again to baseball cathedrals large and small. |
batting practice texas rangers: A Father's Fight Robbie Parker, 2024-11-19 How one father, determined to reclaim his daughter's memory, brought down Alex Jones. On December 14, 2012, Robbie Parker's daughter Emilie was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary, a tragedy that changed Robbie's life and our country forever. By the next day, Alex Jones was on air claiming the shooting was a hoax. So begins Parker's David and Goliath story, a tale of hope and resilience amid hatred and division. While Robbie and his family spent the next decade attempting to grieve, Jones's fans harassed them, calling them crisis actors. The hatred pushed Robbie inward, disconnecting him from the world and his family. Four years after Sandy Hook, an Infowars listener accosted Robbie three thousand miles away from Newtown, Connecticut, repeating the same lies Alex Jones had spread for years. Soon after, seventeen students were murdered at Florida's Marjory Stonemason Douglas High School. Robbie and his wife spoke with one of the victims' parents and learned they were also being bombarded with hateful messages. He realized he could no longer avoid this terrifying reality, and with the help of Sandy Hook parents, lawyers, and supporters, Robbie stood up to Alex Jones in court to heal and reclaim his daughter's memory. A Father's Fight is more than a memoir; it's a stirring portrait of an unbreakable human spirit. It's a testament to a father's love and perseverance in the face of insurmountable grief. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Batboy Mike Lupica, 2010-03-09 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Heat, Travel Team and Million-Dollar Throw. Brian is living every baseball kid's dream: he is a batboy for his hometown Major League team. Brian believes that it's the perfect thing to bring him and his big-leaguer dad closer together. And if that weren't enough, this is the season that Hank Bishop, Brian's baseball hero, returns to the Tigers for the comeback of a lifetime. The summer couldn't get much better! Until Hank Bishop starts to show his true colors, and Brian learns that sometimes life throws you a curveball. |
batting practice texas rangers: Dugouts and Diamonds Jim Reeves, 2022-06-29 This deep dive on the Texas Rangers by Jim Reeves, an award-winning, ex-sports columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, captures all the drama, humor, craziness and pathos. And tells how this journalist got his riveting stories. ''Few writers know baseball and people like Reeves, who has produced an intimate and entertaining recollection far removed from other grinding sports franchise histories. The Texas Rangers he portrays are humorous, heroic, and, quite often, heartbreakers. It's all here, from front office wheeling and dealing to zany clubhouse and press box moments; serious superstars to whimsical wannabes. In a word: Delightful.'' --Carlton Stowers, three-time Edgar Award winner and author of Oh Brother How They Played the Game' |
batting practice texas rangers: A Talk in the Park Curt Smith, 2011-07 In the largest collection of Voices in any sports book, A Talk in the Park features the favorite stories of baseballs most famous and beloved announcers in their own words. |
batting practice texas rangers: Last Time Out John Nogowski, 2022-07-01 Most sports fans know that Ted Williams ended his major league career with style, swatting a home run in his final at bat. But what about Babe Ruth? Ty Cobb? Joe DiMaggio? Willie Mays? How did some of baseball's greatest players bow out of The Game? Last Time Out answers that question as it examines how the greatest players in baseball history left the game they once ruled. The stories of these men and how they finished their careers, never collected anywhere before now, show another side of the men whose achievements on the field made them legends. After hours and hours of research, through biographies, microfilm, magazines, and memories, award-winning sportswriter John Nogowski culled the stories of the final games of 25 of The Game's greatest athletes-Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, Ty Cobb, Jackie Robinson, Dizzy Dean, Satchel Paige, Carlton Fisk, Bob Feller, Joe Morgan, and Carl Yastrzemski are among those featured. This impressive work recounts the circumstances surrounding these final games and puts you in a box seat to witness and sense the moment as these glorious careers ceased, most often with little fanfare. Whether it be Shoeless Joe Jackson, Lou Gehrig, Pete Rose, or Cal Ripken, Jr., Last Time Out beautifully captures in words and photographs the essence of these players' last time in uniform and celebrates the magic of the game these famed players mastered and loved. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Year the Giants Won the Series Joseph Sutton, 2011-05 San Francisco writer Joseph Sutton has written an amazing book: The Year The Giants Won The Series. Drawn from his personal journal, his observations of the San Francisco Giants' climb to win the 2010 World Series will remind you over and over again how a bunch if ragtag ballplayers became champions of the world against all odds. Interspersed with comments from his notes of twenty years ago as little league coach for his young son Ray's teams, Sutton enhances the importance that baseball has in cementing relationships between father and sons, and some daughters too. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Last of His Kind Andy McCullough, 2024-05-07 The definitive biography of Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, examining the genesis of his brilliance, his epic quest to win the World Series, and his singular place within the evolving baseball landscape—based on exclusive interviews with Kershaw and more than 200 others. More than any baseball player of his generation, Clayton Kershaw has embodied the burden of athletic greatness, the prizes and perils that await those who strive for it all. He is a three-time Cy Young award winner, the first pitcher to win National League MVP since Bob Gibson, and a surefire, first-ballot Hall of Famer. Many of his peers consider him the greatest pitcher to ever climb atop a big-league mound. In an age when baseball became more impersonal, a sport altered by adherence to algorithms and actuarial tables, Kershaw personified the game’s lingering humanity, with his joy and suffering on display each October as he chased a championship. He pitched through pain, placing his future at risk on the game’s grandest stages. He endeared himself to teammates and foes alike with his refusal to make excuses, with his willingness to shoulder the blame when he failed. And he only further impressed them when he returned, year after year, even as his body broke down from the strain of his profession. The journey captivated fans in Los Angeles and beyond, so much so that when the Dodgers finally won a title in 2020, the baseball world exulted in his triumph. The Last of His Kind traces Kershaw’s path from a boyhood fractured by divorce to his development as one of the most-heralded pitching prospects in Texas history to his emergence in Los Angeles as the spiritual heir to Sandy Koufax. But the book also charts Kershaw’s place in baseball’s changing landscape, as his own stubbornness butted against the game’s evolution. The story of baseball in the 21st century can be told through Kershaw’s career, from his apprenticeship with icons like Joe Torre and Greg Maddux, to his wary relationship with the implementation of analytics, to his victimhood in the 2017 sign-stealing scandal at the hands of the Houston Astros. The game has changed so much during Kershaw’s illustrious career. To understand how baseball is played today, and how it got that way, you must understand the journey of Clayton Kershaw. |
batting practice texas rangers: Lucky Me Eddie Robinson, C. Paul Rogers, 2015-10-01 Eddie Robinson's career lasted sixty-five years and spanned the era before and during World War II, integration, the organization of the players union, expansion, use of artificial turf, free agency, labor stoppages, and even the steroid era. He was a Minor League player, a Major League player, a coach, a farm director, a general manager, a scout, and a consultant. During his six and a half decades in baseball, he knew, played with or against, or worked for or with many of baseball's greats, including Hank Aaron, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, Rogers Hornsby, Mickey Mantle, Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker, George Steinbrenner, Casey Stengel, Bill Veeck, and Ted Williams. The lively autobiography of Robinson, Lucky Me highlights a career that touched all aspects of the game from player to coach to front-office executive and scout. In it Robinson reveals for the first time that the 1948 Cleveland Indians stole the opposition's signs with the use of a telescope in their drive to the pennant. This edition features a new afterword by C. Paul Rogers III. |
batting practice texas rangers: Sweet '60 Bill Nowlin, Clifton Blue Parker, 2013-04 Sweet ’60: The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates is the joint product of 44 authors and editors from the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) who have pooled their efforts to create a portrait of the 1960 team which pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the last 60 years. Game Seven of the 1960 World Series between the Pirates and the Yankees swung back and forth. Heading into the bottom of the eighth inning at Forbes Field, the Yankees had outscored the Pirates, 53-21, and held a 7–4 lead in the deciding game. The Pirates hadn’t won a World Championship since 1925, while the Yanks had won 17 of them in the same stretch of time, seven of the preceding 11 years. The Pirates scored five times in the bottom of the eighth and took the lead, only to cough it up in the top of the ninth. The game was tied 9–9 in the bottom of the ninth. At 3:36, Bill Mazeroski swung at Ralph Terry’s slider. As Curt Smith writes in these pages: “There goes a long drive hit deep to left field!” said Gunner. “Going back is Yogi Berra! Going back! You can kiss it good-bye!” No smooch was ever lovelier. “How did we do it, Possum? How did we do it?” Prince said finally, din all around. Woods didn’t know—only that, “I’m looking at the wildest thing since I was on Hollywood Boulevard the night World War II ended.” David had toppled Goliath. It was a blow that awakened a generation, one that millions of people saw on television, one of TV’s first iconic World Series moments. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Thematic Evolution of Sports Journalism's Narrative of Mental Illness Ronald Bishop, 2023-03-24 This book explores the evolution of how sports journalists have covered the struggle of professional athletes who have experienced mental illness. Combining historical research and narrative analysis, Ronald Bishop interrogates whether sports journalists have finally begun to cover the experience of mental illness with sufficient depth. |
batting practice texas rangers: Sports Illustrated Great Baseball Writing Editors of Sports Illustrated, 2012-10-30 When Sports Illustrated was launched in 1954, baseball was, indisputable, the national pastime, its stars America's epic heroes, its rivalries the era's mythology. As baseballs fortunes rose and fell over the next 50 years - and then rose again to new heights, drawing more than 65 million fans to ballparks in 2004 - the game never failed to produce great drama and inspired storytelling. This collection is a virtual Hall of Fame from the pages of SI, bringing together the stories of baseball's greatest heroes (Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Sandy Koufax) and villains (Ty Cobb, Pete Rose, Denny McLain) and characters (Casey Stengel, Max Patkin, Yogi Berra); its legendary quests (the home run chases of Roger Maris, Hank Aaron, Mark McGwire, and Barry Bonds; the thrilling pennant races, from the Dodgers - Giants in 1951 to the Yankees-Red Sox in 1978); its world-class writers (Frank Deford, Mark Kram, George Plimpton, Peter Gammons, and Tom Verducci) and its own players writing from the inside about their game (Ted Williams, Jim Brosnan, and Jim Bouton). In the wake of SI's acclaimed Fifty Years of Great Writing comes this baseball anthology worthy of Cooperstown. |
batting practice texas rangers: Houston Astros Jose de Jesus Ortiz, 2006 Aces in Orbit chronicles the excitement and energy Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens brought to the Astros, pushing the organization to its first World Series and the first World Series in the state of Texas. It chronicles the last two historic seasons, beginning with the sensitive negotiations that led Pettitte and then Clemens to Houston before the 2004 season. It details the overwhelming expectations that almost buried the 2004 Astros, prompting the firing of manager Jimy Williams before a 36-10 finish put the Astros in the World Series with the best finish in baseball in over 50 years. The book also chronicles the disappointing departures of 2004 postseason and regular-season stars Jeff Kent and Carlos Beltran, who bolted via free agency and left the 2005 Astros seemingly with no hope. Many experts and even several of the players assumed the Astros would finish near the bottom of the standings, especially after All-Star Lance Berkman missed the first month of the season |
batting practice texas rangers: Kingdom Quarterback Mark Dent, Rustin Dodd, 2023-08-22 Fresh off of a gutsy, thrilling 2023 Super Bowl win for the Kansas City Chiefs, two inspiring stories that fit perfectly together—a biography of superstar quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, who brought the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl win in fifty years in 2020 as well as a second in 2023, along with the historical struggles and recent resurgence of the former “Paris of the Plains,” Kansas City. There is nobody like Patrick Mahomes. In three seasons, he has won a Super Bowl and competed in another, earned the titles of First Team All-Pro, NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and league MVP, and turned the Kansas City Chiefs from famed playoff failures into the most successful team in the NFL. With his unique and groundbreaking playing style, and winning personality both on and off the field, Mahomes has become a truly transcendent quarterback in a journey that mirrors and accentuates the rebirth of the once swingin’ cow town of Kansas City, Missouri. Once an adventure-filled jazz epicenter and nightlife hub to rival New Orleans, Kansas City’s wild edges and captivating neighborhoods were snuffed out in pursuit of a suburbanized dream that largely left out people of color. It’s been a long road attempting to move past the scars of segregation and overcome the city’s flyover reputation, but Kansas City is now poised to make a comeback, and no other person or team embodies that hope like Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City and Mahomes represent the story of the midwestern American city—how they grew, how they shaped the country, how the sport of football came to mean so much to them, how they failed, and how they are changing. Kansas City–area natives Mark Dent and Rustin Dodd have written for outlets such as The New York Times, The Kansas City Star, and Texas Monthly, bringing their deep connection to the city, football expertise, and polished writing skills to create a serious book about a very entertaining subject—the rebirth of a city, a team’s triumph, and how Patrick Mahomes, and the team he led, were exactly what was needed to bring Kansas City back together again. |
batting practice texas rangers: We Got to Play Baseball Greg Olson, Ocean Palmer, 2012-03-01 We Got to Play Baseball is a remarkable collection of favorite memories from 60 Hall of Famers, All Stars, veteran ballplayers, managers, coaches, umpires and others directly involved in Major League Baseball. Their stories range from the 1950s to current day. As a teammate, Gregg was a terrific story teller and always fun to be around. Baseball is filled with wonderful stories and Otter has done a great job of pulling them together into one place. He asked his many friends in the game to contribute their story and the result is a fun, enjoyable book that provides us with insights into the world of the big leaguers that aren't often shared. - Cal Ripken, Jr., Hall of Famer With this collection of stories, Gregg has brought back a lot of fantastic memories and reminded me how much fun a major league clubhouse can be. - Jim Abbott, Major League pitching star There is nothing like a good baseball story - and nothing like hearing a good baseball story from an actual player who was there. Gregg Olson knew even in his playing days that the clubhouse culture was unique, and he has given fans a true inside look with We Got to Play Baseball, gathering his own stories and the stories of many others. Fans will love reading about players' pranks, travel high jinks and much more. - Ken Rosenthal, FOX SportsT |
batting practice texas rangers: Big 50: Detroit Tigers Tom Gage, Alan Trammell, 2017-04-01 The Big 50: Detroit Tigers: The Men and Moments that Made the Detroit Tigers is an amazing, full-color look at the 50 men and moments that made the Tigers the Tigers. Award-winning beat writer Tom Gage recounts the living history of the Tigers, counting down from No. 50 to No. 1. Big 50: Tigers brilliantly brings to life the Tigers' remarkable story, from Ty Cobb and Kirk Gibson to the rollercoaster that was the Bless You Boys era to Justin Verlander's no-hitters and up to today. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Game from Where I Stand Doug Glanville, 2010-05-06 Doug Glanville, a former major league outfielder and Ivy League graduate, draws on his nine seasons in the big leagues to reveal the human side of the game and of the men who play it. Filled with sharp insights, keen observations, and great stories, his book is championship caliber. —The Philadelphia Inquirer In The Game from Where I Stand, Glanville shows us how players prepare for games, deal with race and family issues, cope with streaks and slumps, respond to trades and injuries, and learn the joyful and painful lessons the game imparts. We see the flashpoints that cause misunderstandings and friction between players, and the imaginative ways they work to find common ground. And Glanville tells us with insight and humor what he learned from Jimmy Rollins, Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, Barry Bonds, Curt Schilling, and other legendary and controversial stars. In his professional career, Glanville experienced every aspect of being a player—the first-round pick, the prospect, the disappointment, the can't-miss, the cornerstone, the veteran, the traded, the injured, the comeback kid. His eye-opening book gives fans a new level of understanding of day-to-day life in the big leagues. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Cubs and the White Sox Dan Helpingstine, 2014-01-10 Beginning with the premise that there is no other rivalry in team sports like that between the Cubs and the White Sox this work traces the history of the antagonism (and, at times, open hostility) between the fans of the two clubs. Of special interest is the baseball culture that is fostered in Chicago, as well as a recounting of the memorable on-field moments between the two teams. There are 50 photographs and two essays that deal with the question of bias at the Chicago Tribune. |
batting practice texas rangers: Bat Boy Matthew McGough, 2005-05-03 Most of us have dreamed of sitting in the dugout with our favorite baseball team, and at sixteen Matt McGough was no different. A few months after sending a blind application letter to George Steinbrenner, on Opening Day 1992 Matt found himself walking into the legendary Yankee clubhouse. There, amid the chaos and excitement, he was greeted by none other than his idol Don Mattingly — who promptly played a prank on him.Thus began two years of adventures and misadventures, from being set up on a date by the bullpen to playing blackjack on the team plane to studying for an exam at 3 am in Yankee Stadium. Through these often hilarious experiences, and especially through his friendships with the ballplayers, Matt learned priceless lessons about honor, responsibility, and the importance of believing in oneself. A magical tale of what happens to a young man when his fondest dream comes true, Bat Boy wonderfully evokes that twilight time just before adulthood, ripe with possibility, foolishness, and hard-won knowledge. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Ultimate Minor League Baseball Road Trip , An enthusiastic, irreverent, but exhaustive guidebook to all the stadiums of Minor League Baseball, following up on the success of the first Ultimate Baseball Road Trip book, which was dedicated to Major League stadiums. |
batting practice texas rangers: Time Briton Hadden, 1999-09 |
batting practice texas rangers: American Sports in an Age of Consumption Cory Hillman, 2016-08-16 Sports are not what they used to be. New publicly funded stadiums resemble shopping malls. Fans compete for cash prizes in fantasy sports leagues. Sports video games are now marketing and public relations tools and team logos have become fashionable brands. The larger social meanings sports hold for fans are being eclipsed by their commercial function as a means to sell merchandise and connect corporate sponsors with consumers. This book examines how the American consumer culture affects professional and collegiate sports, reducing fans to consumers and trivializing sports themselves. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Santurce Crabbers Thomas E. Van Hyning, 2015-09-02 The first owner of the Santurce Crabbers, Pedrin Zorrilla, was a visionary, with many Negro League and big league contacts (he signed up Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Roy Campanella, Ray Dandridge and Leon Day in the first decade). Santurce was the most successful winter league team of the 1950s, with three Caribbean Series titles. Roberto Clemente, Ruben Gomez, Willie Mays, Willard Brown and Bob Thurman played for the Crabbers. Tom Lasorda used to pitch for them. Santurce set up working agreements with the Giants, Orioles, Dodgers and Astros, among other teams. Earl Weaver and Frank Robinson were team managers; several Hall of Famers were early-career Crabbers. Orlando Cepeda and Tony (Tany) Perez played their entire winter league careers with Santurce. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Five Gifts Laurie Nadel, 2018-04-03 Once a seasoned journalist but now a distinguished scholar and practicing psychotherapist, Dr. Laurie has immersed herself in the academic study of suffering, in addition to the depth her own life story provides . . . . When it comes to teaching how to get up after being knocked down, how to not just survive life's hardest blows but eventually thrive, nothing beats a teacher who has learned through personal experience. I'll be surprised if you don't find this book highly readable and the information in it unusually accessible and easy to understand, digest, and put to use. Dr. Laurie Nadel touches off many new sunbursts of thought as she guides us through what we need to know about coping with life's most troubling times. --From the Foreword by Dan Rather As the frequency and intensity of catastrophic events continue to surge, organizations provide guidelines for how to pack a Go-Kit in case of emergency. The Five Gifts is like an emergency 'Go-Kit' for the mind, packed with information and insight that can minimize and prevent long-term psycho-spiritual damage from a traumatic event. It's a field guide for the heart and soul to guide you through to cycles of damage and recovery that can be useful before, during, and after a tragic loss, trauma, or disaster. In a nationwide Google survey Dr. Nadel commissioned for this book, 33% of those surveyed identified their greatest fear as a terrorist attack, followed by displacement from their homes. As this upsurge in violent episodes continues, the numbers show a greater likelihood that you, or someone close to you, will be directly affected by a traumatic event. But what if you had access to a mind-body-spirit 'Go-Kit' before disaster strikes? In The Five Gifts, Dr. Nadel wisely maps out a path integrating what she has learned from over two decades of working with people damaged by a trauma event. Her own life was impacted by the World Trade Center attacks of September 11, 2001 and Hurricane Sandy on October 29, 2012. The Five Gifts contains interviews with people whose lives were directly impacted by such major news events as the Rwanda genocide, the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, the tsunami in Bali, and the Boston Marathon terrorist bombing. Although you can never be fully prepared for a shocking, traumatic event, this book will provide information, ideas, insight and tools to build the emotional stamina and clarity needed to cope with acute stress responses and emotional aftershocks If you are open to receiving the gifts of Humility, Patience, Empathy, Forgiveness, and Growth, The Five Gifts will lead you safely through disaster and traumatic minefields. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Big 50: Toronto Blue Jays Triumph Books, 2021-05-04 The Big 50: Toronto Blue Jays is an extensive and dynamic look at the 50 top moments and figures that make the Blue Jays the Blue Jays. In this revised and updated edition, longtime sportswriter Shi Davidi recounts the living history of the Blue Jays, counting down from No. 50 to No. 1. The Big 50: Toronto Blue Jays brilliantly brings to life the Blue Jays remarkable story, from Dave Stieb and Roy Halladay to the roller-coaster that was Roberto Alomar to Joe Carter's 1993 World Series&–winning home run and the unforgettable 2016 postseason. |
batting practice texas rangers: The Chicken Runs at Midnight Tom Friend, 2018-10-02 Discover the nearly unbelievable true story of how a goofy catchphrase spoken by a coach's dying daughter inspired the 1992 Pittsburgh Pirates in game seven of the National League Championship Series and later became a sign from heaven to a grieving family at the end of game seven of the 1997 World Series. As a Major League Baseball coach, Rich Donnelly was dedicated, hardworking, and successful. But as a husband and father, he was distant, absent, and a failure. He'd let baseball take over his life, and as a result, his family suffered--that is, until the day he received some harrowing news. Dad, I have a brain tumor, and I'm sorry. These words from his seventeen-year-old daughter, Amy, turned his world upside down. Now, more than ever, he was determined to put his family first. The time they spent together in the months before Amy's death were moments that Rich and his family will treasure forever, but they'll especially remember the inside joke that became a catchphrase for not only the Donnelly family but also the Pittsburgh Pirates as they played in the National League Championship Series that year: The chicken runs at midnight. This book shares the heartwarming story behind the odd catchphrase--and how it still lives on as a symbol for never giving up--and proves that God can work in any person's life, even despite their mistakes and failures. As you learn more about Amy's incredible story, you'll discover: The life-changing power of forgiveness How to find peace and joy in the midst of loss The gift of God's grace Weaving baseball history with personal memoir, this book is one that will make you thrill to victory, believe in hope, and stand up to cheer for what is good in people's lives. It reminds us that God can work in our lives even when we think it's too late to change--and sometimes he sends us signs from heaven, if we only have eyes to see. Praise for The Chicken Runs at Midnight: The Chicken Runs at Midnight is a beautiful story of baseball, family, and faith. Tom Friend does a wonderful job of weaving these three themes together and telling you a story that will give you the chills. You will cry; you will laugh; and you will tell the story over and over again--just as I have. --Craig Counsell, manager of the Milwaukee Brewers The Chicken Runs at Midnight is the kind of heartwarming story all of us need, not just baseball fans. In our loud, busy world, it's a poignant reminder of what is truly important. --Tom Verducci, bestselling author of The Yankee Years and The Cubs Way |
batting practice texas rangers: Boys' Life , 1987-09 Boys' Life is the official youth magazine for the Boy Scouts of America. Published since 1911, it contains a proven mix of news, nature, sports, history, fiction, science, comics, and Scouting. |
Batting (baseball) - Wikipedia
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher.
10 Baseball Batting Tips To Hit Like the Pros - Baseball Training World
In this post, we will take a look at 10 baseball tips for hitting like the pros. 1. Choose the Right Batting Gloves and Bat. 2. Have Confidence at the Plate. What does it mean to have the right …
2025 MLB Player Hitting Stat Leaders
The official source for player hitting stats, MLB home run leaders, batting average, OPS and stat leaders
Batting Order Strategy In Baseball: Batting Line-Up Explained
Jun 14, 2024 · Mastering the batting order in baseball is a blend of art and science, determining the flow and potential success of a game. This post will explore strategies behind the lineup, …
Proper Batting Stance for Baseball (6-Step Guide) - Baseball …
Jun 16, 2020 · All good baseball hitters first learn the proper batting stance . While there are many variations, our six step guide will make sure you're ready for every pitch.
How To Take Batting Practice - The Ultimate Guide | JustBats
Sep 19, 2023 · Taking batting practice is an essential component of a baseball player's journey toward mastery. By preparing mentally and physically, choosing the right practice setup, …
How to Swing a Baseball Bat: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
Nov 1, 2024 · The pros on ESPN might make it look easy, but in reality baseball is a difficult sport that requires a lot of conditioning, muscle memory, and hand-eye coordination. However, …
BATTING | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
BATTING definition: 1. the act of trying to hit the ball, especially in baseball or cricket: 2. in cricket, the part…. Learn more.
Baseball Batting Rules and Other Baseball Rules to Know
May 20, 2023 · Discover the art of batting in baseball with our comprehensive guide. Learn the rules, types of batters, and scoring strategies. Explore the infield fly rule, fair and foul balls, …
Good Batting Average Explained – Baseball Mode
Feb 22, 2024 · Baseball uses batting averages to compare batters' success across different eras and determine the batting champion in a season. However, it's important to note that this stat …
Batting (baseball) - Wikipedia
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher.
10 Baseball Batting Tips To Hit Like the Pros - Baseball Training World
In this post, we will take a look at 10 baseball tips for hitting like the pros. 1. Choose the Right Batting Gloves and Bat. 2. Have Confidence at the Plate. What does it mean to have the right …
2025 MLB Player Hitting Stat Leaders
The official source for player hitting stats, MLB home run leaders, batting average, OPS and stat leaders
Batting Order Strategy In Baseball: Batting Line-Up Explained
Jun 14, 2024 · Mastering the batting order in baseball is a blend of art and science, determining the flow and potential success of a game. This post will explore strategies behind the lineup, …
Proper Batting Stance for Baseball (6-Step Guide) - Baseball …
Jun 16, 2020 · All good baseball hitters first learn the proper batting stance . While there are many variations, our six step guide will make sure you're ready for every pitch.
How To Take Batting Practice - The Ultimate Guide | JustBats
Sep 19, 2023 · Taking batting practice is an essential component of a baseball player's journey toward mastery. By preparing mentally and physically, choosing the right practice setup, …
How to Swing a Baseball Bat: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
Nov 1, 2024 · The pros on ESPN might make it look easy, but in reality baseball is a difficult sport that requires a lot of conditioning, muscle memory, and hand-eye coordination. However, …
BATTING | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary
BATTING definition: 1. the act of trying to hit the ball, especially in baseball or cricket: 2. in cricket, the part…. Learn more.
Baseball Batting Rules and Other Baseball Rules to Know
May 20, 2023 · Discover the art of batting in baseball with our comprehensive guide. Learn the rules, types of batters, and scoring strategies. Explore the infield fly rule, fair and foul balls, …
Good Batting Average Explained – Baseball Mode
Feb 22, 2024 · Baseball uses batting averages to compare batters' success across different eras and determine the batting champion in a season. However, it's important to note that this stat …