data-mm-id=”_g5g0am5bq”>In November 1944, baseball found itself without a commissioner following the death of Kenesaw Mountain Landis. While searching for a successor, owners were nervous their players would be made eligible for the military draft to help support World War II in Europe. Thus, they decided they needed someone with weight to throw around in Washington on their side. On April 24, 1945, former Kentucky Senator Albert "Happy" Chandler was named commissioner of baseball. Of course, the war officially ended seven months after Chandler was named commissioner, so he didn't need to pull any strings to keep players from the war (that we know about). Much did happen under his watch, however. The Mexican Baseball League was offering big money to any MLB players who would come play down south. Chandler threatened anybody who took them up on that offer with a five-year ban from the league. While it didn't dissuade everyone, it may have kept people like Ted Williams from taking the cash and warmer climate over staying in the states; Williams, Stan Musial, and Phil Rizzuto were among the biggest names to decline Mexico's offer. Chandler also oversaw the breaking of the color barrier in baseball. While he didn't appear to do much to push the matter, he approved Branch Rickey's contract signed by Jackie Robinson despite facing pressure from other owners to deny it. Once Robinson was in the league, Chandler took steps to defend him from the racism heading his way from within baseball itself; he threatened the Philadelphia Phillies and their manager with disciplinary action after they attacked Robinson with racist taunts and slurs in the midst of a game in the early days after he broke the color barrier. He also supported Cardinals owner Ford Frick's decision to suspend any Cardinals player who went on strike in protest of Robinson's presence in the league. In addition, Chandler was in charge when the league sold its first broadcasting rights to World Series games. In 1947, he sold the Fall Classic's radio rights for $475,000 and used that money to create a pension fund for players. Two years later, he negotiated a longer rights contract, signing a seven-year deal with Gillette and the Mutual Broadcasting System worth $4.375 million for the rights to broadcast the World Series. He ensured, again, that all that money went to the players' pension fund. In 1950, he struck a six-year television deal with Gillette and the MBS worth $6 million. All proceeds were deposited in the fund. Chandler ultimately resigned in 1950 after the owners refused to extend his contract. While his run as commissioner was relatively short, he presided over two of the biggest developments in baseball's long history: the breaking of the color barrier and the first big-money negotiations of broadcasting rights. Not too bad for a senator-turned-commissioner.
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data-mm-id=”_5gli9nkh0″>As they try to cement their position in this season's College Football Playoff, Ohio State couldn't have asked for a more favorable late-season schedule.This week, they faced a Maryland Terrapins team that basically amounted to an early-season FCS cupcake. The results on the field showed it — a 73-14 victory in which the game was effectively decided after the first quarter. During that first quarter, an Ohio State defense missing the services of defensive end Chase Young held the Terrapins to a single yard of offense, while the special teams attempted and recovered an onside kick while up two touchdowns.This has to put a scare in Ohio State's next opponent, an even more hapless Big Ten school on their second head coach of the season – Rutgers.For…
data-mm-id=”_n1jabjt7f”>It is altogether possible we have seen the last of Drew Brees on an NFL field?According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, retirement is still a possibility for the 41-year old New Orleans Saints quarterback, who is now an unrestricted free agent. Dan Graziano just said Drew Brees could still retire, which puts the Saints in an awkward position with Teddy Bridgewater, the draft and free agency, though I do think Brees will come back.— Brian Giuffra (@brian_giuffra) February 9, 2020Two weeks ago, just before he suited up for the Pro Bowl, Brees set a timetable on when he would make his ultimate decision. While he did not rule out retirement, he did rule out the possibility of playing for a team other than the Saints."At this stage of my career, it's not a g…
data-mm-id=”_5x6rl753c”>Major League Baseball's unwritten rules guys are up in arms and their target is Fernando Tatis Jr., who happens to be the most exciting player in baseball. The San Diego Padres were crushing the Texas Rangers, 11-3, in the top of the eighth Monday night, when Tatis stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. Pitcher Juan Nicasio got behind Tatis 3-0, and proceeded to lay a fastball down the middle. Tatis launched it into the right-center field bleachers for a grand slam. It was his MLB-leading 11th home run of the year. Fernando Tatis Jr.El Niño.The face of baseball. pic.twitter.com/Y5VF5EIBKt— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 18, 2020The Rangers were not pleased. Texas manager Chris Woodward appeared to bark at the Padres, then Ian Gibaut replaced Nica…
data-mm-id=”_1f6otvn87″>The metrics can evolve to become an advanced species, but the round-tripper is still the king of the baseball world. It's a binary event. Either something is a home run or it is decidedly not. In a world of gray and nuance, a ball's flight is judge, jury, and executioner. More times than not the carom off the bat is deemed insufficient of such marvel. There is nothing else like it in sports, where the defense tips their caps without moving a muscle to impede such a free trip through enemy territory. It's a classic bit in this American fabric, a blank canvas for symbolism among our more creative minds. The home run is mighty in force but quaint in the abstract. Mankind can go to space and go to every corner of the Internet and still the homer has …
data-mm-id=”_qubgwj0wm”>On Tuesday, Bari Weiss' publication, The Free Press, published an article from Ethan Strauss about twins Haley and Hanna Cavinder, the wildly popular college basketball players for Miami. To say it was controversial would be putting things mildly. Strauss spent time with the women and interviewed them for the article. The piece's thesis was that the twins were an example of everything wrong with NIL in women's sports, and that they've earned their money solely because of their looks. In response, they took to social media to blast Strauss and the article he produced. Hanna Cavinder posted to Twitter that they were mislead about the premise of the article and only agreed to do it because of the proposed idea. https://t.co/JLPU6Swa9i pic.twitte…
data-mm-id=”_z9jjrtcda”>It's been a weird night in New Jersey as all the A-list celebrities of the world watched Zach Wilson hang with Patrick Mahomes. After falling behind 17-0, the New York Jets found their rhythm and found themselves down 20-12 with 30 seconds left in the half. Facing a fourth-and-one at the Kansas City Chiefs' 34-yard line, Robert Saleh decided a field goal was in order and sent Greg Zuerlein out for a long-range attempt. His drive hugged the right side of the fairway the entire time before meeting a swift end against the upright, sending an unusually loud and satisfying doink throughout the stadium. Not a fan of the field goal decision and the doink makes it worse…#Jets playing very conservatively right now. pic.twitter.com/Z7fXJ4YjHU— JPAFootball (@…
data-mm-id=”_y6ghfwlrv”>The Philadelphia Eagles trailed the Dallas Cowboys 17-14 at the half on Sunday, and while that was worrisome, the bigger concern is Jalen Hurts' left knee. The Eagles' quarterback has been dealing with a knee issue he doesn't want to discuss, but he appeared to re-injure it on Sunday when he took a hit late in the second quarter. The injury came on a play that eventually went down as a sack for Micah Parsons, but it happened because DeMarcus Lawrence's helmet hit Hurts' knee. Check this out:Jalen Hurts limps off the field after Micah Parsons sack #eaglesvscowboys pic.twitter.com/6JHrHeHEolРђћ Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhiferNFL) November 5, 2023Here's a closer look:It shouldРђЎve been a personal foul penalty on DeMarcus Lawrence f…
data-mm-id=”_adz8a60f3″>Ron DeSantis had a press conference on Thursday to address … something woke, I'd imagine. During the press conference, one of the assembled media members asked the diminutive governor a question that mocked him for wearing lifts in his shoes. The assembled media chuckled and DeSantis even had to laugh at it. Journalist and screenwriter Corey Hill asked DeSantis to reconcile speaking out against gender-affirming care and people choosing their own identity when he wears lifts to choose his own height. It was a funny question. Here's video:My friend @NewsCHill just asked DeSantis how he can square his opposition to gender affirming care and people identifying with the gender of their choosing with his choice to wear heels to identify with the height of …
data-mm-id=”_kkz7rskpk”>The Dallas Cowboys will take on the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2 preseason game at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night.The Cowboys will look to bounce back after a 13-12 loss to the Rams last week, there were some bright spots for Dallas on both offense and defense. Trey Lance went 25 of 41 for 188 yards while rushing for 44 yards.Meanwhile, the Raiders are hungry for a win after their one-point loss to the Vikings. They are still searching for QB1 in Vegas, and this week Gardner Minshew will get the start with Adian O'Connell playing backup.WATCH: TO CATCH THE COWBOYS VS RAIDERS LIVE CLICK HEREDallas Cowboys vs. Las Vegas RaidersDate: Saturday, August 17Time: 7:00 p.m. ETTV Channel: NFL Network, CBS (KTVT-Dallas, TX)FOX (KVVU-Las Vegas, NV)Live Stream: …
data-mm-id=”_wuzeuak4p”>The Roundup returned earlier this week for the first time since the previous TBL team published one of these back in April. Here's today's version…Texas coach Steve Sarkisian announced Arch Manning will start at quarterback for the Longhorns on Saturday…Mel Kiper called for the NFL to "outlaw" a popular defensive trend…Nine-time All-Star Craig Kimbrel (5.33 ERA this year) was designated for assignment by the Orioles…Disgraced Jon Gruden wants a second chance at coaching college football…An insane fantasy football revenge plot could lead to five years in prison for a Philadelphia native…Rory McIlroy’s weird year continued at the DP World Tour’s 2024 BMW PGA Championship…U.S. Presidents Cup captain Jim Furyk had some not-so-k…