An arrest has been made in the theft of a Jackie Robinson statue later found dismantled and burned
A 45-year-old man was arrested in the theft of a bronze Jackie Robinson statue that was cut off at the ankles and found days later smoldering in a trash can in a city park in Kansas, police announced Tuesday.
Why Shohei Ohtaniโs heavily-deferred contract could be model pro athletes ask for going forward
Ohtani has decided to defer $680 million of the contract until after his playing days are over, meaning heโll take in roughly $2 million of salary each year for the duration of the contract that will run through 2033.
Texas Rangers win first World Series title with 5-0 victory over Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5
Nathan Eovaldi pitched six gutsy innings, Mitch Garver broke a scoreless tie with an RBI single in the seventh and the Texas Rangers won their first World Series championship by beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game 5.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg throws first pitch at Missionsโ season opener; Nolan Ryan comments on new ownership
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg threw out a ceremonial first pitch to San Antonio Spurs great and Hall-of-Famer David Robinson at the San Antonio Missions season opener Tuesday night at Wolff Stadium.
OโConnor softball wins first UIL State title; DโHanis sweeps softball, baseball titles for first time since 2019
O'Connor capped their magical season with the program's first UIL State title, while D'Hanis repeated their incredible performance in 2019 by claiming both the softball and baseball Class 1A State titles.
Is this prep baseball team from Michigan REALLY countryโs best? Evidence suggests yes
Whenever any high school baseball rankings come out, itโs hard to ever see a team in those rankings not from states such as Florida, Texas, California, Arizona, Mississippi or Georgia. But for most of the year, St. Maryโs was ranked No. 1 in the country by MaxPreps.
Light of inspiration: Detroit Edison baseball team advances to state championship against all odds
Itโs hard enough for any school to get to a state baseball final, let alone a school in a city where prep baseball is an afterthought. But the improbable nature of Edisonโs run goes even further than that.
5 reasons we might not see another 3,000-hitter in baseball for a while, if ever
The camera phones were raised high and the anticipation was buzzing through the stadium. When it finally happened, nearly 40,000 fans in Detroit cheered, got goosebumps, and even cried tears of joy that they got to be part of baseball history on Saturday.
Smithson Valley baseballโs season ends in UIL Class 6A State semifinals against Rockwall Heath
Making the program's first appearance in the state baseball tournament since 2005, Smithson Valley fell behind early and was unable to mount a late comeback in a loss to Rockwall Heath in the Class 6A semifinals on Friday night.
Smithson Valley baseball preparing for first UIL State Tournament appearance since 2005
After defeating Los Fresnos in a one-game, winner-take-all Regional Final on Friday, the Smithson Valley baseball hit the practice field on Monday to prepare for the program's first berth in the UIL Class 6A State tournament since 2005.
Smithson Valley baseball defeats Los Fresnos, returns to UIL State tournament
After yet another rain delay forced the final innings to be postponed until Friday afternoon, Smithson Valley baseball survived another rally to defeat Los Fresnos in their one-game Regional Final playoff at Cabaniss Field.
Smithson Valley baseball gets sendoff prior to Regional Final against Los Fresnos
The Smithson Valley baseball team was shown a lot of love by their hometown community, as they officially left on a chartered bus headed for Corpus Christi to take on Los Fresnos in a one-game Regional Final playoff on Thursday at 4 p.m.
HIGHLIGHTS: Smithson Valley baseball completes regional semifinal sweep of Eagle Pass
The Smithson Valley baseball team returned to play on Saturday and completed the two-game sweep of Eagle Pass, racking up 19 hits in a 13-6 victory and punching their tickets to the UIL Class 6A Regional Final for the first time since 2005.
HIGHLIGHTS: Smithson Valley baseball takes game 1, Navarro, Marion start Regional Semifinal series
Smithson Valley scores three runs in the top of the 6th to defeat Eagle Pass in game one of their best-of-three Class 6A Regional Semifinal, while Navarro takes on Calallen in Class 4A and Marion comes up short in a pair of close contests with London in Class 3A.
HIGHLIGHTS: OโConnor softball roars past Judson in game 1, Reagan and Navarro baseball keep seasons alive
In the fourth round of the UIL Class 6A softball playoffs, O'Connor scored 6-runs in the bottom of the 6th inning to defeat Judson in game 1, while the Reagan and Navarro baseball teams keep their seasons alive with game two victories over Smithson Valley and Canyon Lake respectively.
HIGHLIGHTS: Alamo Heights baseball, OโConnor softball advance in playoffs
In the Area Round of the high school baseball playoffs, Alamo Heights roars past Eagle Pass Winn with a 9-1 victory, while Johnson battles Round Rock looking to keep their season alive. In the high school softball playoffs, O'Connor jumps out to an early lead and survives a late rally to top Brennan and advance to the Regional Semifinals.
Roberto Clemente: More than Latin Americaโs baseball star
Roberto Clemente was the first Latino to be inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The legacy of Roberto Clemente is still treasured today, proven nearly 50 years after his death. In fact, the Orange County School Board unanimously voted to rename the facility Roberto Clemente Middle on Sept. 21, coincidentally during Hispanic Heritage Month. Becoming baseballโs most prominent Afro-LatinoRoberto Clemente started his Major League Baseball career with the Pittsburg Pirates. The son of a sugarcane worker, Clemente began his professional baseball career just after finishing high school.
Astrosโ Baker gets COVID-19 vaccine after initial reticence
Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker Jr. walks out to the infield for the national anthem before Game 7 of a baseball American League Championship Series between the Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)HOUSTON โ Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker said he had been vaccinated against COVID-19 as the team began spring training Thursday. But the 71-year-old Baker, who is Black, understands the reticence of some in his community to get the vaccine because of this countryโs history with medical studies on Black people without permission. โI was very aware of the experiment and so was my mom and dad,โ Baker said. Though Baker decided getting the vaccine was right for him, he wonโt try to change the mind of people who are โstaunchly againstโ getting it.
San Antonio Missions unveil 2021 schedule, first home game on May 18
SAN ANTONIO โ Minor league baseball will officially return to the Alamo City in May. On Thursday afternoon, a week removed from announcing their reunion with the San Diego Padres to play Double-A baseball, the San Antonio Missions unveiled their 2021 schedule. San Antonio opens this yearโs campaign with 12 straight road games, two six-game series against Corpus Christi and Midland starting on Tuesday, May 3. https://t.co/e20KFaG3sV โ๏ธโพ pic.twitter.com/1UszCdNfbu โ San Antonio Missions (@missionsmilb) February 18, 2021San Antonio will play exactly half of their 120 scheduled games at home. The Missions have three vital stretches of 12 straight home games starting in mid June, early July and the latter stages of August.
San Antonio Missions reunite with Padres, sign 10-year development license
SAN ANTONIO โ Double-A baseball is returning to the San Antonio area courtesy of a familiar franchise. On Thursday afternoon, the San Antonio Missions announced via press release that they have signed a โprofessional development license (PDL) with San Diego Padresโ and will operate as their Minor League Affiliate for the upcoming season. โWe are excited to come to an agreement with the San Diego Padres,โ Missions President Burl Yarbrough said in the press release. We look to continue that success with San Diego for many years to come. We are thrilled to have professional baseball back in San Antonio for the 2021 season.โโWeโre thrilled to continue our established relationship with San Antonio,โ explained Padres Senior Director of Player Development Sam Geaney.
If he were alive in 2021, baseball great Satchel Paige would have lots to celebrate
(Photo by The Stanley Weston Archive)If Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Satchel Paige were alive today (he died in 1982), 2021 would already be a great year for him. First came the news at the end of 2020 that MLB retroactively will give the Negro Leagues Major League status. During his induction speech at the Hall of Fame, he explained how he developed that rubber arm as a youngster playing minor league baseball in Canada. โWe played up in Canada and if I didnโt pitch every day, they didnโt want the ball club,โ Paige said during his speech, according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. I pitched, in all, 165 ball games in a row because if I didnโt pitch, they didnโt want the club in town, let alone there.
AP source: Astros agree to $7M, 2-year deal with Castro
(AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)HOUSTON โ Catcher Jason Castro has agreed to a $7 million, two-year contract with the Houston Astros, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Thursday because the deal had not been announced. Castro played for both the Angels and the Padres last season where he appeared in 27 games and hit .188 with two homers and nine RBIs. He spent the previous three seasons with the Twins where he played 208 games and hit .229. Castro had his best years with the Astros where he 617 games and was named to the All-Star game in 2013.
AP source: Springer agrees to $150M, 6-year deal with Jays
A slow free agent market saw only 21 of 181 players who became free agents following the World Series enter Tuesday with finalized agreements. Toronto has been linked to most of the top free agents this winter, but now has the one it wanted most. It's not clear where the Blue Jays will begin the 2021 season. The Blue Jays have had to overpay free agents to play in Canada before, but the Springer contract will be just the second $100 million-plus deal in team history. Vernon Wells and the Blue Jays agreed to a $126 million, seven-year contract in 2006.
Can you bat 1.000 on this quiz about the designated hitter?
Former designated hitter David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox reacts during a team workout on February 20, 2020 at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida. Itโs likely on this day 48 years ago, there wasnโt much fanfare for a seemingly minor vote taken by owners of American League baseball teams. On Jan. 11, 1973, owners of American League clubs, by an 8-4 margin, voted to adopt the designated hitter. Last year, it was instituted in the National League for the first time, but only due to the shortened-season caused by the pandemic. Take this quiz and try to bat 1.000.
What happens to record book, now that Negro Leagues have been given Major League status?
But arguably the greatest player in the history of the Negro Leagues, Josh Gibson, hit .466 in 1943 for the Homestead Grays. Career batting average. The three players with the best career batting averages are Ty Cobb (.367), Rogers Hornsby (.358) and Joe Jackson (.356). There 24 known no-hitters from the Negro Leagues, according to author Dirk Lammers, which would raise the all-time total from 305 to 329. Numerous players who played in both the Negro Leagues from 1920-48 and the Major Leagues will have their stats padded.
Morganโs Wonderland opens first inclusive field
SAN ANTONIO โ Morganโs Wonderland is once again ensuring that everyone can play together by teaming up with the YMCA on Sunday to open its first ever inclusive field. The field allows anyone, regardless of their physical or mental ability, to play on it. According to a statement by the park, the field is capable of hosting baseball and softball games. You can watch the full story in the video player above. Related: Morganโs Wonderland celebrates 10th anniversary with virtual gala
Exclusive look: Showtimeโs โBad Hombresโ explores border politics surrounding binational baseball team in Laredo
The Tecolotes play home games both in Laredo and across the border in Nuevo Laredo. Bad Hombres explores the contentious U.S.-Mexico border relations through the lens of the world's only binational baseball team. You donโt realize how fun a baseball game can be until you go down to Mexico and check one out. One of the inescapable visuals is the cartel violence in Nuevo Laredo that threatens both the baseball team and the film crew. Laredo and Nuevo Laredo come united for one team.
Baseball legend Joe Morganโs legacy includes remarkable season in San Antonio
Joe Morgan was an invaluable member of the โBig Red Machine,โ one of the most dominant lineups in Major League Baseball history. His legacy on the game of baseball is enormous, but before he made his mark on the biggest stage, Morgan had a brief, yet memorable, stint in San Antonio. The organization currently known as the Missions had rebranded themselves as the San Antonio Bullets in 1963, a decision that was made in tandem with their new association to the parent teamโs gun-themed name. In 1964, Joe had one of the best seasons in San Antonio baseball history while leading the San Antonio Bullets to a Texas League Pennant. pic.twitter.com/eMCyTWum1J โ San Antonio Missions (@missionsmilb) October 12, 2020With the Bullets, Morgan tore up the Texas League.
Pittman-Sullivan Park has rich baseball history that hosted community teams
SAN ANTONIO โ Before blacks were welcomed in Major League Baseball, many talented athletes resorted to playing in the Negro Leagues, and on neighborhood teams. โI feel we really got started because we couldnโt go play in other leagues,โ said former minor/major league baseball player Odie Davis III. And they were teaching us sportsmanship, and responsibility,โ said former Denver Heights Bears baseball player, James Napper. Odie Davis III got the chance to play in the major leagues for the Texas Rangers and the Cleveland Indians. RELATED: South Texas Negro League baseball featured local talent who created legacy on East Side