Sports Then and Now

The 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame induction class is quite interesting as it includes a recent star with a questionable history and then several greats from past eras who waited far too long for Hall of Fame induction.

Based on career numbers and post season success, there seems little doubt that David Ortiz has the credentials to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame. However, given that many other greats from recent eras with similar association with the steroid era have been shunned by the Hall of Fame electorate, it seems a bit odd (and perhaps hypocritical) that Ortiz is being inducted in his first year of eligibility.

It seems clear that the reason Ortiz is being inducted in the same year that Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens roll off the ballot after a decade of receiving below the voter threshold is related almost totally to likeability. Even before they became the poster boys for the steroid era, Clemens and Bonds were seen as surly and self-absorbed. They were unquestionably among the top talents of their era, but that was not enough for either of them. When their bodies started the natural breakdown associated with baseball players in their 30s, they fought back with banned substances and ultimately posted otherworld numbers into their 40s.

The career of Ortiz is quite different. He was an inconsistent power-hitter in six seasons with the Minnesota Twins. In 2002 he posted career-high numbers in home runs (20), RBI (75), Slugging Percentage (.500) and OPS (.839), but still struggled against left-handed pitchers (.203 average, .637 OPS) and was released following the season in a cost-cutting measure.

As they say, “the rest is history”. Ortiz signed with the Boston Red Sox as a free agent in December 2002 and quickly became a key component of the most successful era of Boston Red Sox baseball in 100 years. He helped the Red Sox break the Curse of the Bambino by winning the 2004 World Series and ultimately won three World Series rings with the Red Sox.

Ortiz was one of the most consistent sluggers in baseball from 2003 until his retirement in 2016. He averaged 34.5 home runs and 109 RBI in 14 seasons with the Red Sox.

After waiting for 45 years after his retirement, the Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is finally taking his rightful place as a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Before injuries cut short his Hall of Fame worthy career, Tony Oliva was one of the best hitters in baseball and combined with Hall of Famers Rod Carew and Harmen Killebrew to make the Minnesota Twins a perennial American League contender during the late 1960s.

Discovered on the baseball fields of Cuba by a Minnesota Twin scout, Oliva came to the United States in 1961 and within three years the American League Rookie of the Year. There have been many great MLB players from Cuba, including a new generation of stars today, but it is hard to argue that there has been a better player from the island in MLB than Oliva.

The progressive jackpot is where the real money is at in online casinos. These jackpots keep growing until someone wins, and they can reach into the millions. Just imagine becoming an instant millionaire!

If you’re looking to hit the login joker123 progressive jackpot, you can do a few things to improve your chances. Here are our top tips:

1. Wait until the jackpot is high to play

You want to wait until the jackpot is as high as possible before you start playing. The higher the jackpot is, the higher your profit will be if you win. If you see a progressive jackpot starting to get big, start playing and hope for the best!

Stay away from low jackpots because the return on your investment isn’t as high. Instead, peak into your favorite online casino’s lobby to see their current jackpots before playing.

2. Play the maximum number of coins

If you want to win the progressive jackpot, you need to play the maximum number of coins. This is because the progressive jackpot is only available to those playing the maximum number of coins.

So, if you want to have a chance at winning the progressive jackpot, make sure you’re playing the maximum number of coins. Betting the max will also give you a better chance of winning the regular jackpot.

3. Look for special promotions

Some online casinos offer special promotions to put extra money into the progressive jackpot. These promotions can be in the form of a bonus or a contest. To take advantage of these offers, you need to be on the lookout for them.

The best way to find out about these promotions is to sign up for the online casino’s newsletter. This way, you’ll be the first to know about any special offers that could help you win the progressive jackpot.

There are many different methods for treating your sports injury from over-the-counter pills to physical therapy. Discovering regular treatment options can be especially helpful, such as anti-inflammatory medications, and alternative treatments, such as water spas. Below are a few treatments to improve your health.

Hot/Cold Packs

A hot or cold pack is the easiest, safest method used to reduce an injury’s pain and inflammation. Contrast therapy is the process of alternating heat with cold every few moments to improve the recovery process. The heat expands the blood vessels and increases circulation to the injured site while the coldness reduces the pain and swelling.

Massages

Sports massaging is recommended to relieve stress and tension in damaged muscles and joints. This is a treatment of physical therapy that is common for people with neck, back, and shoulder pain. Many injuries can cause inflammation, so it’s important to be delicate when treating muscle pain. Massaging relieves pain, reduces tension, and increases the range of motion. As a result, the injury heals faster and reduces scar tissue.

Participating in sports has been shown to provide significant benefits to the physical and emotional health of those who participate. It is a significant aspect that helps to contribute to our overall health and happiness. On the other hand, some people are just not cut out for sports, and they would rather sit back and watch the action unfold on TV or even watch it on the field.

Being a spectator is, unfortunately, often associated with the lazy. However, watching sports is not something that only the lazy do. People who have a lot on their plates throughout the week working different jobs such as nursing, teaching, building homes, or manufacturing hardware for barn doors, for example, often make time to relax by watching their favorite sporting events during the weekend. 

Watching sports has a favorable effect on your overall health and well-being, but that’s not all. If you watch sports with family and friends, you can create unforgettable memories. This article discusses how watching sports with friends and family creates memories.

Watching sports with family creates a familiar atmosphere

Have you ever gone to your favorite joint to watch a game on your own, and it did not feel as great even if your favorite team won? But when you watch the game with your friends or family, there is a familiar environment; it just feels better with them.

If you support different teams, there is a chance that you will be ridiculing each other throughout the game, which makes the experience even more fun. While watching sports, you get to share a drink or two with friends, making the event even more memorable.

Owning a gun comes with an increased level of responsibility and caution. You cannot be lenient about gun safety if you only handle guns and don’t shoot them. Whether you sell, manufacture, collect, or shoot guns, you have to maintain safety for all types of firearms. Below are a few ways you can optimize safety when handling a firearm.

1. Handle Your Gun Responsibly

Whether the gun has bullets or not, treat it as if it’s loaded. Don’t let anyone handle the gun if they lack basic safety knowledge and training. Do not automatically assume that a gun is unloaded or test it to see if it’s loaded or not.

This tip requires that you know how to operate the gun properly. Understand the basic mechanical components of how to load the bullets, how to unload, how to handle malfunctions, what to do if a bullet gets jammed, etc.

Not every firearm’s make and model is the same, so take the time to learn about your particular gun before handling it. Most gun shop owners or gun suppliers have in-depth knowledge of the guns they sell. Before you purchase a gun, discuss the necessary safety precautions with the seller to ensure that you understand everything you need to know about that particular weapon. If you’re new to handling guns, ask for recommendations that are good for beginners.