Former MLB right fielder, Tony Gwynn, and statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history, will appear at the 2013 Hall of Fame Spectacular held on July 26-27 at the Tunnicliff Inn located at 34-36 Pioneer Street in Cooperstown, NY. Gywnn will be available to meet fans and sign autographs on July 26 & July 27 between 2-3:30. Baseball great, Tony Gwynn, was inducted ino the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. Gwynn is one of our more popular athlete speakers, says PFP Sports & Celebrity Talent booking agency. ... Read More
Baseball Great Tony Gwynn to Appear at 2013 Hall of Fame Spectacular in Cooperstown
July 10, 2013 By
Can Joe Mauer Hit 400 Batting Mark?
September 11, 2009 By
Each year there seems to be one or two baseball players who catch the attention of the sports world and stir conversation about the hallowed .400 batting mark.
This year, that talk has centered around Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer, who is currently hitting .363. History tells us that he’ll likely fall short – it’s arguably the most difficult record in sports to break.
The last player to hit .400 was the great Ted Williams, who achieved the feat in 1941. Williams entered the last day of the season with a batting average of .39955, which would have been rounded up to .400, making him the first man to hit .400 since Bill Terry in 1930. ... Read More
Baseball All Star Games Favorite Moments
July 14, 2009 By
Of all the All-Star games, I enjoy watching baseball’s version the best. I’ve been fortunate to attend eight of the Mid-Summer Classics. It’s very exciting to see all of the current stars on the field at once.
Nothing will compare to last year’s All Star game in New York, which will go down in history as one of the all-time greats. First of all, anytime you have a big event in New York, it’s going to be special. Secondly, the night was filled with tributes to Yankee Stadium, which was being closed at season’s end to make room for the new ballpark next door. Lastly, the game was an absolute classic with the American League defeating the National League, 4-3, in 15 innings. The game took 4 hours, 50 minutes and was the longest All-Star Game in history.
Commissioner Bud Selig and Major League Baseball have attempted to make the game relevant by giving home-field advantage during the World Series to the winning league. Back in the day, the game was full of intensity and it really meant something to the winning players. Over time, the game’s importance diminished as it became more of a show than a game. You hear a lot of debate as to whether this is good or not. Personally, I think it would be more fair to give the team with the best record home-field advantage but I don’t have much of an issue since it’s brought a bit of intensity back to the game.
A few of my favorite moments from previous All-Star games…
1) In 1970, Pete Rose, playing at home in Cincinnati, attempted to score but had to get past catcher Ray Fosse. The ensuing collision not only helped solidify Rose’s reputation as “Charlie Hustle”, it had the unfortunate consequence of injuring Fosse’s shoulder. Rose was called safe at home and the National League won the thriller, 5 -4. Fosse went onto play nine more seasons but was never the same.
2) In 2001, Cal Ripken Jr. played in the last of his 19 All-Star games. The game was basically a Cal Ripken lovefest. In the third inning, Ripken made his first plate appearance and was greeted with a standing ovation. Ripken then homered off the first pitch from Chan Ho Park and ended up with All Star MVP honors.
3) In 1999, baseball honored the All-Century Team prior to the game at Fenway Park, with such greats on-hand as Mike Schmidt, Brooks Robinson, Bob Gibson and Johnny Bench. However, the highlight of the evening occurred when the great Ted Williams was driven out to home plate and threw out the first pitch with the help of Tony Gwynn.
Will this year’s game produce any classic moments? I can’t guarantee that. However, St. Louis is rolling out the red carpet and, at the very least, I’m sure the pre-game ceremony will produce a goose-bump moment or two. Plus, Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols is having one of the greatest years in the history of baseball, so I assume he’s going to be a big part of the game and broadcast.
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