Many professional athletes, both past and current, have taken up the mantle of issues that are close to their own hearts. Sports stars including Warrick Davis, Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi, Kristi Yamaguchi and Brett Favre all run their own charities, dedicated to a range of causes, from education to home ownership.

Perhaps no sports organization is more socially-involved, though, than the New York Yankees. In 2011, the Yankees organization donated money to aid in hurricane relief and to aid those affected by Texas’ destructive wildfires. Closer to home, the Yankees take part in multiple community social programs, such as Wake Up! NYC, a New York City-area program that deals with truancy and getting involved with the school system to ensure that area children get an education. They also support Highbridge Voices, a program aimed at keeping kids inspired by engaging them in the performing arts, and Healthy Home Plate, a program aimed at promoting healthful eating and lifestyle habits amongst area youth, with events held in participants’ honor at Yankee Stadium.

Although many of us don’t have the means to make substantial donations to charity organizations or relief efforts, and don’t have the celebrity to convince entire communities of kids to eat well or stay in school, we all have the ability to exert social influence in smaller ways. People all across the country have the ability to get involved in the school system as volunteers or tutors, to launch programs that encourage healthy eating and proper exercise amongst the youth in their own communities, or to start a health fair or a blood drive for a local blood collection agency. Though it may not seem like much of a game-changer, the work done on a small-scale in communities all across the country can lead to big changes nationwide.

As individuals, we also have the ability to donate blood and food on a regular basis to ensure that those resources are kept in stock for when they become needed. Blood banks and food banks all across the country are running low on supply, and every individual donation has impact. Social responsibility can be as simple as making a bi-monthly visit to the local Red Cross to donate blood, or buying a few extra cans of vegetables at the grocery store each visit to donate to your local food bank. You can find donation centers, or the times and locations of area blood drives, on the Red Cross blood donation website at http://www.redcrossblood.org/. Local food donation spots can be found on the Feeding America website: http://feedingamerica.org/foodbank-results.aspx.

Outside of our own local communities, even if we can’t get away to donate our time, we have the option to donate financially to organizations, even if it may be on a smaller scale than the Yankees. Many organizations can make a $5 donation go a long way, and it takes only 100,000 donations at $5 a piece to equal the Yankees’ total donation to the relief efforts in the south. If you want to give to disaster relief, you can donate through the Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html. Or, consider donating to a cause that you believe in, such as human rights, the arts or education. Lists of charities by category can be found on websites such as Charity Navigator – http://www.charitynavigator.org/ – or Charity Vault – http://www.charity-charities.org/.

Even though sports figures and organizations like the Yankees may have greater financial means and more recognizable names than individual citizens, when it comes to social responsibility, we can all take a page out of the Yankees’ playbook.

Author Byline:

Sean is tech-enthusiast that invests more time and money in new toys than he does on rent.  When he’s not learning the latest tricks for his gadgets find him contributing to ATTSavings or on Twitter @SeanTR.

Image by Lawrence’s Pictures

Article source: Be Socially Responsible Like the Yankees

Before I even followed baseball, in my house there were two things known about sports: the New York Yankees and Sandy Koufax. My father would often regale me with stories of his brother sneaking him into the bleachers at Yankee Stadium to watch I started following baseball by watching the pre-game introductions to a World Series game before having to get back to school. Even today, I find something quite thrilling about the players lining up along the baselines before each World Series game (although it has lost a little something being played at night).

Baseball is our national pastime, despite the fact that it evolved from an English game called Townball.

As for the game as we know it today, it is Alexander Cartwright who first devised the present-day rules. He put them into practice in 1845 in what is considered the first organized game, at Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey. As for the myth of Abner Doubleday creating the game (the reason the Hall of Fame is in his hometown of Cooperstown, New York), it is simply that – a myth. His descendants helped spread the story, although probably not to deceive. Most likely Doubleday spread the (then) little-known game among those who had never heard of it. Therefore to many, he was the creator.

The reason this has been the national pastime is in how the game has been passed from one generation to another. This has been best exemplified in the film “Field of Dreams“. No matter what conflicts exist between father and son, quite often they can still find a common ground talking about baseball. Please watch the film, particularly at the end. If you understand that, you’ll understand the enduring appeal of baseball (Ladies, I feel those who understand the film also understand men. It is one of the two movies known to make some men cry).

I have found this ability of baseball to bond to be true myself. When your team is pulling out an exciting win, I find the stands filled with all types of cultures, all ages, both genders, high-fiving and cheering as one; and societal differences are suspended for that brief period of time.

When I was young, my father took me to one game a year during his vacation. My first game, I got to see Hank Aaron (later the all-time home run king). The next year was my 1st “real” game-my 1st Yankee Stadium game. The history, the mystique, the majesty, “The House That Ruth Built”: 73 years after it’s opening, those participating in this years World Series still speak of The Stadium with awe.

Unfortunately, although the game has always been for everyone, Major League Baseball has not.

For over 60 years, African-American’s were kept out of the game. There never was a specific rule. As a matter of fact, before the so-called “Gentlemen’s Agreement” Cap Anson pushed for in the 1868, blacks did play in the majors, and a couple in the 1880′s ( Moses and Welday Walker). With nowhere to play professionally, the Negro Leagues were born. This is beautifully covered in the book “Only The Ball Was White” (I read this when I was 11, and it is still fresh in my mind today). But for some 60 years, African-Americans had to wait until 1947, when Jackie Robinson led the way back to the majors with grace, dignity, determination and great skill. This year’s tribute to Jackie is something everyone should note , in or out of baseball.

One additional note: In all the midst of all deserved tributes to Jackie, let’s not forget New Jersey’s Larry Doby, who played for the Cleveland Indians 11 weeks after Robinson’s debut, having to deal with the same situation in the American League cities.

Unfortunately we will never know the greatness of players such as Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson or Ray Dandridge other than books and docudramas (such as HBO’s “The Soul of the Game”).

This is far from baseball’s only blemish. The one crisis with the largest ramifications for the future of baseball was the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, when some members of the Chicago White Sox threw the World Series to the Cincinnatti Reds. The integrity of the game (and it’s future existence) is called into question when gambling on games is involved (something Pete Rose has never grasped). As a result of this, baseball was teetering, and a commissioner was named-Kennesaw Mountain Landis. Landis ruled with an iron fist, but unfortunately was instrumental in keeping blacks out of the majors.

George Herman “Babe” Ruth

His outstanding talents rekindled the interest of baseball fans, and they quickly returned to the ballparks. In 1920, the year of the “Black Sox” trial, the “Bambino” hit more home runs that season than all but two TEAMS. From that point on, baseball has remained the #1 team sport in America, despite several strikes and one drug scandal in recent years.

As for that last sentence, those situations have made me recently question my fervor for baseball, as many others also have. I mean, here I am, rooting, cheering, and giving my money to a bunch of millionaires who are working for multimillionaires. Many of these players are younger than I am, and I’m still looking up to some of them. And sooner or later, they will go on strike again, breaking our hearts again. Both owners and players alike seek and even demand our loyalty and support, without any reciprocation. Many of us now ask – why continue?

I think about these things, and tell myself I’ll stop this soon; that’s it’s just another entertainment business, that there’s no emotional tie.

But every so often, when watching the Yankees pull one out in the ninth, I find myself a 7-year-old boy again, rooting my team onto victory. I mean – hey… it’s baseball!

Samet Bilir writes about technology trends, digital camera reviews, and photography, such as camera lenses and latest dslr cameras. To read more articles from him visit his website at chi-photography.com.

Article source: History of Baseball in the United States

The word “rivalry” barely comes close to describing what happens between these two teams. This matchup has become virtual warfare on the field and in the media. Many feel that the hatred between these two teams is at an all-time high. Let’s take a look at the history behind this rivalry and some key moments that have added fuel to the fire of the Yankees and Sox war.

• You must first understand how valuable Babe Ruth was to Boston. The Babe played for the Red Sox from 1914 to 1919, and played primarily as a pitcher. The Red Sox captured the 1918 World Series behind Ruth’s 0.87 ERA. The next year Ruth sported a lofty .322 batting average.

• You should know exactly how Ruth became a New York Yankee. The owner of the Red Sox, Harry Frazee, sold Ruth to the Yankees for a $300,000 loan and $125,000 in cash. He used the money to open a musical called “No, No, Nanette.” The Babe went on to have great success with the Yankees, and a rivalry was born.

• The Red Sox were never able to recover from losing Ruth, and “The Curse of the Bambino” was born. From 1923 to 1932 the Red Sox finished last every year except two, and lost 111 games that final year. Meanwhile in New York, Ruth smacked a then record 60 homers in 1927, a record that stood for 34 years. The Babe ended his career with the Boston Braves in 1935. His home run total while in Boston was 26, while he smashed 688 in the Yankee pinstripes.

• Save for the last eight seasons, there is a stark contrast between each team’s World Series successes. From 1936 to 1962, New York took home 16 World Championships. The Red Sox would reach the Series four times, in 1946, 1967, 1975 and 1986, losing each time. By the time the 21st century was upon us, the Bronx Bombers had 25 championships, while the Red Sox were still searching for their first title since 1918.

• Bear in mind that Babe Ruth wasn’t the only superstar the Red Sox have let get away that ultimately found their way into Yankee championship history. Roger Clemens was a multiple Cy Young award winning superstar for the Red Sox, only to have the Red Sox let him walk away and become a member of the Blue Jays. He went on to win two Cy Young awards as well as the pitcher’s version of the Triple Crown with the Jays. The Rocket moved on to the Bombers and won his first championship as a member of the Yankees in 1999.

Don’t give up on this rivalry just because the Red Sox have won a few World Series and broken the dreaded curse. This rivalry will live on for as long as these two organizations are putting teams on the field.

Fan of Red Sox/ Yankees? Did you know most players have Twitter profiles/Facebook pays? You can perform free people search on them and find their profiles immediately. See it for yourself.

Article source: Red Sox/Yankees Rivalry Still as Strong as Ever

Baseball has often been referred to as America’s pastime. It is one of the oldest sports that got it’s start in this nation in the 1840′s to 1850′s. When many people try to consider something that is American they often think about baseball. That is where the statement of “It’s as American as baseball and apple pie” came from. Baseball is still popular today and has a big following now all around the world. Fans of baseball have many things to keep them happy with fantasy leagues that offer camps where they can do baseball hitting drills and baseball instruction from major league baseball coaching staffs, to the famous Baseball hall of Fame in New York.

The 2009 World Series just finished with the New York Yankees beating the Philadelphia Phillies in six games . The state of New York had the original professional baseball team and also has the baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, NY. So, as you can see, the state of New York loves the sport of baseball and both of their professional teams of the Yankees and the Mets.

If you are a big fan who doesn’t reside in New York State, you should make plans to go to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Many groups of friends or even baseball teams make a field trip to go there on a vacation . It is also a Wonderful spot for families. For the big fans, a fun and exciting time to go is in July when they perform the induction ceremony of the new players entering the hall of fame. They have a ceremony at the Clark Sport Center near the museum and several special events related to the induction at the museum. At the museum, they also have a huge store full of everything related to baseball that you could ever think of .

Another fun thing for baseball fans to do is to attend a fantasy baseball league camp. This is for the person that is a loyal fan of a specific team and enjoys playing fantasy baseball on their own . This camp is usually attended by the adult male aged 25-50 that wants to chance to meet their favorite professional players and some of the coaches and actually be able to throw a ball and play a bit of baseball with them. They also receive baseball playing suggestions such as they would at a typical sports camp. This can be said to be a thrill of a lifetime for these supporters of baseball getting to not only step foot on a major baseball field but to be playing with the major league baseball players too .

Whether you are a former professional baseball player or simply a child playing in their first year of little league, baseball is something that brings many generations of people together. going to a place like Cooperstown gives all of the things you could ever wish to see about the love of baseball that so many people hold close to their hearts. Fantasy camps also provide the fans a great experience to play with the pros .

Article source: Plan a Great Trip To Cooperstown, NY Or Go To A Fantasy Baseball Clinic

Bobby In Beantown

Coming off an epic collapse to finish last season without a playoff berth, the Boston Red Sox made a change at manager. Disgruntled, in part, by the alleged lack of discipline under former manager Terry Francona, the Red Sox decided to make a U-turn and hired the polarizing, notoriously hard-nosed Bobby Valentine. With some players already grumbling about the new spring training policies imposed by Valentine, it’s no sure thing that the gamble will pay off. Valentine has a reputation as a stubborn, eccentric disciplinarian; attributes that may not go over well in the traditionally relaxed Red Sox clubhouse.

Miami Marlins

Like the Heat in the NBA last year, Miami was far and away the biggest noisemaker during the offseason. With high-profile additions in Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Carlos Zambrano and Heath Bell, as well as a much-publicized courtship of Albert Pujols, the Marlins appear to have committed themselves to becoming the National League’s version of the New York Yankees. Combined with an already talented roster featuring the likes of Hanley Ramirez, Mike Stanton, Josh Johnson and others, the future looks bright indeed on South Beach.

To complete the transformation, along with the influx of talent and the new “Miami” branding, the Marlins will have a shiny new home to play in beginning this season. Located on the former site of the Orange Bowl, Marlins Park will be the sixth stadium to feature a retractable roof. It also boasts several attractions, such as aquariums built into the backstop, a swimming pool, and a large home run celebration feature. Whether the traditionally low profile, low payroll Marlins can succeed with their new high-roller persona remains to be seen.

Old Faces, New Places

In addition to the rash of moves made by the Miami Marlins, this offseason also featured a number of major transactions involving some of the game’s best players. Most notable, of course, was the mammoth, 10-year contract signed by Albert Pujols with the Anaheim Angels. For the first time in 11 years, Albert will don a uniform other than the Cardinals’ this spring. While his production is expected to hold steady over the first several years of his deal, serious questions remain as to whether even the best player in the game is worth such an outlandish contract.

In one of the more surprising twists of the offseason, the Detroit Tigers will take the field this spring with new first baseman Prince Fielder. Former first baseman Miguel Cabrera is expected to switch back to his original position, third base, which has many analysts wondering whether the bulky slugger is physically capable of playing the position. In fact, rumors have circulated that the Tigers may plan to rotate Cabrera and Fielder at first base and designated hitter, alleviating the concerns about Cabrera’s fielding skill.

Yu Darvish

Perhaps the most highly touted Japanese prospect since Daisuke Matsuzaka, 25 year old fireballer Yu Darvish is expected to bolster a Texas Rangers rotation left devoid of aces after Cliff Lee and C.J. Wilson departed in successive years. The young prospect has been dominant in recent years while pitching in Japan, and the Rangers are hoping his size, at nearly six and a half feet, and his command of six quality pitches will translate to the Major Leagues. The highly publicized signing will have the added benefit of detracting some of the attention away from Josh Hamilton’s most recent relapse once position players report.

Rich Spaulding is President of Gold Star Games, offering cornhole bags and games.

Article source: 2012 Spring Training – What’s Hot