baseball

Big League Chew: Phils Out-Spit Yanks

Ken Carbone — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:30:49 -0500

To quote the late, great sportscaster Jim McKay, "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" never looked better than in high-definition TV. The pristine, crystal clarity of the widescreen image adoringly captures an athlete's grace, strength, speed and--in the case of baseball--his saliva.

Major League Baseball is the expectorator sport.

Infographic of the Day: Yankees vs. Phillies as They (Probably) Face Off in the World Series

Cliff Kuang — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:54 -0400

If the Yankees win to tonight, they'll bag the American League Pennant, and head to the World Series, where they'll face the Philadelphia Phillies, with game 1 next Wednesday. You can expect a brain-deadening amount of analysis--all of which is probably going to boil down to these two handy graphics.

Infographic of the Day: How to Name a Baseball Team

Kelsey Keith — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:26:36 -0400

Craig Robinson hits a home run with this colorful Venn diagram cataloging the origin of baseball team names. Though I'm still unsure why athletes in Chicago wear white socks and those in Boston wear red, or what an "Athletic," a "National," or a "Royal" looks like, it's fascinating to see the connections between otherwise unrelated mascots (Astros, Brewers, Mariners, Rangers, Royals?).

Fast History: 80th Anniversary of Babe Ruth’s 500th Homerun

Clay Dillow — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:00:00 -0400

When Babe Ruth became the first player to hit 500 homeruns at Cleveland’s League Park 80 years ago, it was just another day at the office for the oft-smashing Bambino. But for baseball-crazy America, it was ballpark magic. Eight decades later, baseball isn’t doing quite as well. Audiences have declined this season, and while economic woes are partially to blame, there’s also a lack of compelling stories this season; no Barry Bonds controversy, no risen-from-the-ashes Devil Rays, no slugger seeking admittance to the 500 club.

The 80th Major League All-Star Game

Clay Dillow — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:00:00 -0400

Though the nation is in a mid-summer slump, the national pastime and Mr. October himself are teaming up for a morale boost tonight at the 80th Major League All-Star Game, where Barack Obama will throw the ceremonial first pitch. But Major League Baseball and the President are both playing from behind. Stadium and television baseball audiences have declined this season, while Obama, stimulus package in hand, has failed to ignite a rally.

The Year's Best Illusion Explains Why Curve Balls Confuse Batters

Cliff Kuang — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:26:24 -0400

The Best Illusion of the Year was just announced, and the grand prize goes to a trippy demonstration of how curve balls flummox batters. Four visual researchers--Arthur Shapiro, Zhong-Lin Lu, Emily Knight and Robert Ennis--collaborated on the illusion.

Smart Design's Dan Formosa on the Power of People, Simplicity and Gossip

Alissa Walker — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:48:36 -0400

iFive: Apple's New iPhone and Chicago's Spire Are Rising and Google's Old Wonder Boy Is Falling in Today's Innovation News

David Lidsky — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:17:30 -0400

While you slept, innovation brushed up his resume and begged Google CEO Eric Schmidt to let him come home. Here's today's top innovation news:

The Stadium of the Future

Fast Company Staff — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:00:00 -0400

LIVE/WORK/STAY/PLAY

Sports may be the focus here, but it shouldn't be the only option. Offices, stores, restaurants, bars, hotels, and condos have to be built in conjunction with the ballpark. The community is part of the design, giving the area as much life on nongame days as it has during a match.

NO PARKING ZONE

HOK Imagines the Ballpark of the Future

Zachary Wilson — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:00:00 -0400

He's pumped up. He's high maintenance. And though you know he costs too much, you hope the fan turnout will make it worth the price. No, he's not your new all-star baseball player -- he's your new all-star baseball stadium.

The Curious Case of Manny Ramirez

Rip Empson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:35:04 -0500

Top Money Earners in Sports

Ellen Gibson — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:00:15 -0400

James Andrews has become a hidden force in sports -- rescuing careers, changing the outcome of games, and making billions for stars and teams -- by mending the world's best athletes. Here's a list of the top money earners, and insight on how Andrews helped them get there.

Dr. James Andrews' All-Star Baseball Team

Ellen Gibson — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:00:04 -0400

“Phat Albert” tore a ligament in his right elbow in 2003 but has played through the pain. After the 2007 season, he consulted with Dr. Andrews and was given three options: reconstruction, arthroscopy, or rest and “self-monitoring.” He opted for the third, stating, “If it blows out, it’s going to blow out.” So far, so good. He’s an MVP candidate this year.

The Most Valuable Team

Rip Empson — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:10:28 -0400

Baseball in 2028

Robert Braathe — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:09:46 -0500

1988 - First Night Game at Wrigley Field

2008 - New Yankee Stadium and Citi Field Built, featuring state of the art multimedia, food service, and convention space

2028 - ?????

1988 saw Wrigley Field have its first night game. This seemed to start a trend of restoring old ballparks (like Fenway) and building new parks to reflect the old times (Camden Yards, PNC Park, AT+T Park).