Baseball Heroes Field

Monday, October 28, 2013

Real Baseball heroes: Ichiro Suzuki

Ichiro Suzuki usually known simply as Ichiro (born October 22, 1973), is a Japanese-born professional baseball outfielder who currently plays for the New York Yankees. Originally a player in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), Ichiro moved to the United States in 2001 to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, with whom he spent 11 seasons. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including MLB's single-season record for hits with 262. He had 10 consecutive 200-hit seasons, the longest streak by any player, surpassing Wee Willie Keeler's streak of eight. Between his career hits in Japan's and America's major leagues, Ichiro stands at third place all-time in top-flight hits, trailing only Pete Rose and Ty Cobb. Before playing in the MLB, Ichiro played nine years for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan's Pacific League. Posted by Orix after the 2000 season, Ichiro became Seattle's right fielder. The first Japanese-born position player to be signed to the major leagues, Ichiro led the American League (AL) in batting average and stolen bases en route to being named AL Rookie of the Year and AL Most Valuable Player (MVP). Ichiro is the first MLB player to enter the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (The Golden Players Club). He is a ten-time All-Star and won the 2007 All-Star Game MVP Award for a three-hit performance that included the event's first-ever inside-the-park home run. Ichiro won a Gold Glove Award in each of his first ten years in the major leagues, and has had seven hitting streaks of 20 or more games, with a high of 27.

NPB statistics

Batting average .353
Home runs 204
Runs batted in 529
Hits 1,278
Runs 658
Stolen bases 199

MLB statistics

(through 2013 season)
Batting average .319
Home runs 111
Runs batted in 695
Hits 2,742
Runs 1,261
Stolen bases 472

Career highlights and awards

NPB

7× NPB All-Star (1994–2000)
3× PL MVP (1994–1996)
7× Golden Glove Award (1994–2000)
7× Best Nine Award (1994–2000)
3× Matsutaro Shoriki Award (1994–1995, 2004)
3× Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize (1994–1995, 2001)
7× PL Batting Champion (1994–2000)
5× PL Safe Hit Champion (1994–1998)
5× PL On-base Champion (1994–1996, 1999–2000)
1995 PL Stolen Base Champion
1995 PL RBI Champion
Japan Series Champion (1996)

MLB

10× All-Star (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
10× Gold Glove Award (2001–2010)
3× Silver Slugger Award (2001, 2007, 2009)
2× AL batting champion (2001, 2004)
AL MVP (2001)
AL Rookie of the Year (2001)
AL stolen base leader (2001)
Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award (2005)
MLB All-Star Game MVP (2007)

MLB Records

262 hits, single season
225 singles, single season

Baseball Achievements

4,000 hits combined in NPB and MLB

*from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichiro_Suzuki

Friday, October 25, 2013

The history of baseball: The National and American League

The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, which took in most of the National Association teams, but which sought to rid baseball of gambling, drunkenness, and rowdyism. Its constitution provided that a club forfeit its franchise if it sold alcoholic beverages or played Sunday baseball. The National League began with eight charter members: Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Hartford, Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Louisville.
By 1882, when the American Association became a rival to the National League, there had been some shifts in membership. The two leagues drew up a national agreement, a loose pact covering player and territory rights and relations with minor leagues. Following player disputes in 1891, four clubs then in the American Association- St. Louis, Louisville, Baltimore and Washington- merge with National League in 1892, to form a new 12-club league called the National League and Association. It was St. Louis' third appearance in the league; the Missouri city was represented in 1876-1877 and 1885-1886. In the 19th century, National League franchise also were held, at various times, by clubs in providence; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Buffalo; Troy, N.Y.; Syracuse; Cleveland; Worcester, Mass.; Kansas City; Mo,; Pittsburgh; and Brooklyn.
The 12-club league lasted from 1892 until 1899, when it was reduced to eight teams by dropping Cleveland, Baltimore, Washington, and Louisville. The National League then unquestionably ran the baseball world.

The American League. The reduction by the National League gave Byron Bancroft Johnson, president of the Western League, the opportunity to establish a second major League, the opportunity to establish a second major league, the American League. The move to put second clubs in Philadelphia and Boston and to take up vacated territory in Baltimore and Washington set off a bitter baseball was in 1901-1902, in which the American League raided the National League for many of its top stars. It began in 1901 with clubs in the four eastern cities listed above and with western clubs in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and Milwaukee. In 1902 the Milwaukee club was shifted to St. Louis, and in 1903 the Baltimore club was moved to New York.
The American League emerged victorious in the struggle. When a pact was drawn up in Cincinnati in January 1903, the two leagues established the National Commission made up of the league presidents and headed by a chairman.
The establishment of the American League and the rivalry between the two leagues were to increase popular interest in the game greatly and to give it its most famous and distinctive annual event, The climactic World Series.

Teams now:

American League

Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Minnesota Twins
New York Yankees
Oakland A's
Seattle Mariners
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Texas Rangers
Toronto Blue Jays

National League

Arizona Diamondbacks
Atlanta Braves
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Colorado Rockies
Florida Marlins
Houston Astros
Los Angeles Dodgers
Milwaukee Brewers
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
St. Louis Cardinals
Washington Nationals

*from Encylopedia Americana

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The history of baseball

Abner Doubleday

Origin and Early History. Legend holds that baseball was invented in Cooperstown, N.Y., in 1839 by Abner Doubleday. On Dec. 30, 1907, a special committee, consisting of prominent baseball executives and including two United States senators, confirmed Cooperstown as the game's birthplace and Doubleday its originator.
But baseball historians today place little credence in the Cooperstown-Doubleday Story, and feel that the Special Baseball Commission of 1906-1907 did an incompetent job. Various investigators have shown that the term "baseball" was used approximately a century before 1839. For example, a description of a game called "base-ball" appeared in the Little Pretty Pocket Book, a popular children's book published in 1744. A game similar to the one supposedly invented by Doubleday was described in the Boy's Own Book by William Clarke, a volume published in London in 1829, and The Book of Sports, written by Robin Carver and published in Boston in 1834.

Henry Chadwick

During the contoversy over the origin of baseball in the early 1900's, Henry Chadwick maintained that American baseball was merely a glorified version of the British game of rounders, which was, in turn, an offshoot of cricket. Today Chadwick's thesis is generally accepted by students of baseball. Though baseball grew up in the United States and has many American embellishments, it unquestionably is an adaptation of a game that had been played for centuries, in Which a batsman hit a thrown ball and ran around one or more bases, which might be rocks, stakes, posts, inverted milking stools, or canvas bags. The game of rounders was brought to the United States from England in the 18th century. It was nit standardized, having many variations and names. It was called round ball, goal ball, post ball, town ball and baseball. Fields could be any size, and there was no set number of bases in addition to home base.

Alexander J. Cartwright

The American now given credit for playing the largest part in the evolution of modern baseball is Alexander J. Cartwright, who in 1845 drew up a set of rules having much in common with the present-day game. He drew a diagram of a ball field with 90-foot base lines and had the batter stand at home plate instead of in a separate batters box some distance from the plate. His rules prohibited the retirement of a runner by "plugging"-hitting him with a thrown ball when off base. The rules nevertheless differed in many respects from those of modern baseball. For example, balls caught on a first bounce constituted an out ; pitchers were restricted to throwing the ball underhanded; run were called aces; and the first team to score 21 aces won.
Cartwright was a member of the New York Knickerbockers Base Ball Club, and his rules were primarily for the use of this club. But other clubs in New York and elsewhere quickly adopted them. It is evident that other teams were playing a good brand of ball, for in the first baseball game in record, played in Elysian Fields, Hoboken, N.J., on June 19, 1846, a team called the New York's, playing under Cartwright's rules on a diamond of his specifications, defeated the Knickerbockers (23 to 1 in four innings).

Alfred J. Reach

Early baseball was played by young men of means and social position. (Much the same was true, at the time, of cricket in England). However, baseball had a general appeal and, in the 1850's, artisans and challenged the socialites. The first convention of baseball clubs was held in New York in May 1857, to straighten out differences between what had become known as the New York game and the Massachusetts game, and, on March 10, 1858, the National Association of Baseball Players was organized. These meetings changed the scoring unit from aces to runs, and gave victory to the team ahead after nine innings. The game was still basically amateur, although at times money sometimes was passed under the table to induce strong-playing "amateurs" to join certain clubs. In 1864, Alfred J. Reach became the first avowed professional.

Harry Wright

During the Civil War, baseball was played extensively behind the lines. Many boys from farms, factories, and
counting houses, who received their first introduction to the game, were later to carry it back to their communities. After the war the game spread like wildfire. In 1869 the Red Stockings of Cincinnati, Ohio became the first all-professional team. The club, organized by Harry Wright, had an annual payroll of about $9,300. The team played the entire 1869 season without defeat (56 victories and 1 tie) and stretched its winning streak to 79 in 1870 before losing to the Brooklyn Atlantics.
The first professional baseball league, the National Association of Professional Base-Ball Players, was formed on March 4, 1871, and lasted five seasons, the Boston club winning the championship four times. It became a rowdy league. There was open gambling on games, liquor selling in parks, bribery, and other chicanery.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Equipment and Uniforms

All Players on a team wear uniforms identical in color trim, and style. The uniform usually consist of knee stockpins, knickers, and a half-sleeved shirt, under which a long-sleeved jersey is worn. The shirt usually displays the name of the team and number, or a number plus a last name, to identify the players. A visored cap, often with team initials, completes the uniform. Players wear oxford-styler shoes with spiked soles. The regulation baseball is a sphere formed by winding yarn around a core of cork and rubber; its cover consists of two stripes of tightly stitched white cowhide (formerly horsehide). The ball must weigh not less than 5 or more than 5^1/4 ounces and measure not less than 9 or more than 9^1/4 inches in circumference. The bat, a smooth, round stick generally made of ash, can be no point than 2^3/4 inches in diameter at its thickest point and no more than 42 inches in length. Each of the infielders (except the first baseman), each outfielder, and the pitcher wear on one hand a flexible leather finger gloves with some padding. the catcher uses a heavily padded glove with a cleft between the thumb and index finger and wears a chest protector, shin guards, and a wire mast to protect his face. The first basemen uses a glove smaller and more flexible than the catcher's. At bat, the player usually wears a plastic helmet as a skull protector.

Bat
A rounded, solid wooden or hollow aluminum bat. Wooden bats are traditionally made from ash wood, though maple and bamboo is also sometimes used. Aluminum bats are not permitted in professional leagues, but are frequently used in amateur leagues. Composite bats are also available, essentially wooden bats with a metal rod inside. Bamboo bats are also becoming popular.

Ball
A cork sphere, tightly wound with layers of yarn or string and covered with a stitched leather coat.

Base
One of four corners of the infield which must be touched by a runner in order to score a run; more specifically, they are canvas bags (at first, second, and third base) and a rubber plate (at home).

Glove
Leather gloves worn by players in the field. Long fingers and a webbed "pocket" between the thumb and first finger allows the fielder to catch the ball more easily.

Catcher's mitt
Leather mitt are worn by catchers. It is much wider than a normal fielder's glove and the four fingers are connected. The mitt is also better-padded than the standard fielder's glove.

First baseman's mitt
Leather mitt worn by first basemen. It is longer and wider than a standard fielder's glove. The four fingers are connected and the glove is rounded like a catcher's mitt. A first baseman's mitt has a bit more padding than a standard fielder's glove

Batting gloves
Gloves often worn on one or both hands by the batter. They offer additional grip and eliminate some of the shock when making contact with the ball.

Batting helmet
Helmet worn by batter to protect the head and the ear facing the pitcher from the ball. Professional models have only one ear protector (left ear for right-handed batters, right ear for lefties), amateur and junior helmets usually have ear protectors on both sides, for better protection from loose balls, and to reduce costs to teams (all players can use the same style of helmet).

Baseball cap
Hat worn by all players. Designed to shade the eyes from the sun, this hat design has become popular with the general public.

Catcher's helmet
Protective helmet with face mask worn by the catcher. Newer styles feature a fully integrated helmet and mask, similar to a hockey goalie mask. More traditional versions were a separate mask worn over a helmet similar to a batting helmet, but with no ear protection and worn backwards.

Uniform
Shirt and pants worn by all players, coaches and managers. Each team generally has a unique pattern of colors and designs. Traditionally, the home team's uniform is predominantly white with the team's nickname, and the visiting team's is predominantly gray with (usually, but not always) the team's city. Teams often have white, gray and colored jerseys; colored jerseys can be worn at home or on the road, depending on the team's preference.

Sliding shorts
Padded support shorts sometimes worn to protect the thighs when the player slides into the bases. Some sliding shorts contain a pocket for a cup. This is so the player does not have to wear a jockstrap and sliding shorts.

Sunglasses
Worn to shade the sun from the eyes.

Baseball Cleats
Baseball specific shoes worn by the player for better traction. The cleats themselves are either rubber or metal.

Baseball Doughnut
A weighted ring that fits over the end of a baseball bat, used for warming up during a baseball game. A doughnut can help increase bat speed.