sports

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The Grand Slam Single and Other Home Runs That Didn't Count

After Nelson Cruz’s dramatic walk-off grand slam on Monday, there’s been a lot of talk about whether or not it was really the first walk-off slam in postseason history. You see, Robin Ventura also hit a home run with the bases loaded to end Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS, in the 15th inning no less. However, he was never credited with a home run because as he rounded first base, teammate Todd Pratt (who had been on first base) turned around and hugged Ventura. As the rest of his Mets teammates poured onto the... READ ON

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5 Odd Balls

Sure, you know your footballs, baseballs, tennis balls and basketballs. But what about the lesser-known balls? Let's take a closer look at some, er, odd balls now. 1. Jai Alai... READ ON

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Wild Wednesday

Last night was one of those nights when you're thankful for the new-ish MLB TV, which allowed me to watch all three extra-inning games simultaneously. If you're a baseball fanatic, last night goes down in the books as, perhaps, the most exciting finish to the regular season in history. Technology made it possible to watch the Rays beat the Yankees, the Phillies beat the Braves and the Orioles beat the Red Sox, all in extra innings, all with much on the line. The best stat I've seen about the probability of... READ ON

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Puzzle-Master Will Shortz on Table Tennis

I've been hearing Will Shortz on NPR for years, doing the Sunday puzzle. He's also, of course, crossword editor for the New York Times so I've been doing those puzzles for years as well. It was a surprise to me to learn that Shortz is not just a puzzle nerd, but also a table tennis (ahem, "ping-pong" to us nonprofessionals) nerd too. He's rather accomplished at it. Shortz and his friend and table tennis colleague Robert Roberts recently opened a table tennis club in Westchester. You can learn a bit... READ ON

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How The Los Angeles Dodgers Helped to Snuff Out Communism

2011 has been a difficult year for the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the owners going through a messy divorce (who gets the house? Who gets the team?) and attendance down, the Dodgers filed for Chapter 11 as Major League Baseball stepped in to assume day-to-day operations of the team. But all this pales by comparison to the drama surrounding the move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles and the site known as Chavez Ravine where Dodgers Stadium was built. In the Beginning Chavez Ravine was comprised of three... READ ON

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11 Prominent Authors Who Excelled in Sports

Some of the most important literary figures of the last century had previously made a name for themselves in athletics. Here are the stories of a halfback who became a beatnik, an Olympic-hopeful wrestler who became leader of the Merry Pranksters, and nine other athletically gifted writers. 1. Ken... READ ON

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Marvin Gaye, Detroit Lions Wide Receiver?

We’ve heard plenty (probably too many) athletes try to become musicians. But what happens when it goes the other... READ ON

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Whatever Happened to Play?

When browsing Bill Simmons’ new long-form sports site, Grantland, I found myself wondering two things. First, what is a “Grantland”? And second, didn’t the New York Times try this... READ ON

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The Greatest Basketball Team You've Never Heard Of

In the opening chapter of his book, On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance, NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recounts the time a reporter asked him what profession he would have chosen if he hadn’t become a pro basketball player. “A history teacher,” answered the 7-foot-2 master of the skyhook, who describes his favorite subject as “a living road map of where others have been, what mistakes they’ve made, and how we can avoid those same mistakes ourselves.”... READ ON

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Why Michael Jordan's Fancy New Sneakers Cost $5,000 Per Game

Who doesn’t love Air Jordans? They’re favorites of everyone from basketball players to the fashion conscious. When the shoes first hit the market, though, they had a high-profile naysayer: NBA Commissioner David Stern. Nike released the first design of its instant-classic line of Air Jordan sneakers on September 15, 1985. On October 18th of that year, Stern officially barred Michael Jordan from wearing his signature kicks during games. Stern wasn’t just being an arbiter of fashion, though. He... READ ON