The book, Throwing Strikes, by R.A. Dickey is a fascinating biography about the author, a 39yearold knuckle ball pitcher who currently plays Major League Baseball for the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team. R.A. Dickey tells the story in an informal, conversational writing style written in first person about his struggles in the beginning of his baseball career, and how he miraculously turns his career around after getting advice and working with his idol, Phil Niekro, a former Atlanta Braves ballplayer who was nicknamed "Knucksie" because of his usage and skill level with the knuckleball.
Throwing Strikes was first copyrighted in 2013, which coincidentally is the same year that
R.A. Dickey, at age 38 received the Cy Young award — becoming the first knuckleball pitcher to receive the award. This was a huge accomplishment for Dickey because no other knuckleball pitcher had been recognized previously as an outstanding pitcher in the League.
The author R.A. Dickey, begins by telling his story about his rough life growing up in Nashville,
Tennessee and then following his boyhood dream of becoming a baseball player. He started out his baseball career as a top MLB prospect after playing for Team USA in the 1996 Summer Olympics in
Atlanta and earning a bronze medal. A lot of the top baseball scouts started looking at him more seriously after that, and the Texas Rangers recruited and signed him quickly. R.A. Dickey was known for blowing batters away with his powerful pitch. He had a good couple of years but then got into a big slump – he began to have trouble with his throw. Another set back was that an Xray revealed a major problem with his throwing arm. It seemed like his future in baseball was over before it even began.
Officially in a m...
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...r reading the book, the one thing I wish the author included more of, was detail on R.A.
Dickey’s lessons with Phil Niekro. Did they sit together and watch tapes of Dickey pitching in real games? Or did Phil Niekro consult and give R.A. Dickey pitching lessons on a regular basis to teach him what he needed to tweak? I can relate to this, as I see a baseball coach every Sunday morning to work on my swing and pitching. If my baseball coach sees that my form is wrong, he instructs me on what I need to do better.
I idolize R.A. for inspiring me and helping me to improve my knuckleball pitch. After reading this book, I truly hope and believe that R.A. Dickey — once he retires from baseball — will be honored as one of the greatest knuckleball pitchers in the MLB. His story to never give up, no matter what life throws at you is one that should be told over and over again.
Babe Ruth is still a very well-known person in history today, even almost one-hundred years later. He did not only change the way people viewed negro baseball leagues, but he also gained a large reputation for his ability to play baseball, obviously due to his amazing abilities. Ruth’s ability to play was almost impossibly good, in fact, he was even titled “athlete of the century” for his ability. With that ability and power that he had once he won, he would become a
In the August 30, 1905 edition of Detroit’s Free Press, the sportswriters ran a small blurb announcing the arrival of a Detroit Tigers rookie, Ty Cobb. They stated, “Cobb left the South Atlantic League with a batting average of .328. He will not pile up anything like that in this league, and he doesn’t expect to” (Allen 177). Their prediction ironically rung true. Cobb hit better than their projected .328 batting average twenty times in his twenty four seasons (McCallum 217). Tyrus Raymond Cobb’s prolific career leads many fans and historians to believe that he deserves the title of greatest hitter of all time. However, some critics would argue that Ted Williams warrants this distinction. Unfortunately for Williams and his fans, the hitting prowess of Williams falls short of Cobb’s. While Williams arguably displayed a great hitting ability, Cobb remains the better batsman.
Roger spent four years in the minor leagues playing for Fargo-Moorhead, Keokuk, Tulsa, Reading, and Indianapolis before making it to the major leagues.
As the decade opened up with the year 1950, the Yankees were celebrating an American League Pennant and a World Series victory from the previous year. It was apparent in 1950 that the team had not taken too much time off as the team posted a 98-56 regular season record, winning their second straight Pennant and a trip to the World Series where they would match up against the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1950, the Phillies were known as the Whiz kids because of their youth and amazing talent, but in the series against the Yankees they were swept in 4 games thanks to Joe DiMaggio- a legend in Major League baseball- and Phil Rizzuto- a shortstop who would enjoy one of his most productive seasons as well as the honor of earning American League MVP. Whitey Ford, a rookie pitcher for the Yanks, also enjoyed a stand out career, winning all 9 of his starts and losing only one game in relief. (Baseball History)
Cal Ripken, Jr., was the perfect baseball player. He would play when he had the flu and even when he had a sprained ankle.
...ll's perfect warrior. Here stands baseball's perfect knight." Ford Frick saw in The Man what many people in modern times have completely forgotten. Musial truly is baseball’s perfect warrior and baseball’s perfect knight. Musial influenced baseball in the 40s through the 60s by being a good citizen to his country, showing humility on and off the field, and being the ideal face of the franchise. (Posnanski, Remembering The Man?, Baseball Almanac)
He says that he has to-do list every game of what to put out, when to put it out, and where to put it. He puts out gum, sugar free gum, Big League Chew, bats, helmets, and towels. He does that every game and makes sure it is exactly where it’s supposed to be. Brian helped Hank Bishop get out of his very bad slump. Hank was nearing 500 home runs near the end of the season, he had 499. He kept striking out so Brian told him what was wrong. Whenever Hank came over to Brian’s house Brian waited until the end and took him to his room and showed him what was wrong with his swing. Brian said “You need to lower your hand a little, you have them too high up”. They went to the nearby baseball field and fixed it that night. Hank did that their last home game of the season and hit his 500th home
“Smokey Joe” Wood was selected because of what he did in the 1912 season. It was easily his best of his career, and it’s also arguably one of the greatest seasons by any pitcher ever. He won an astonishing thirty-four games while only losing five. He had a 1.91 ERA (Earned Run Average) while striking out 258 batters. Since 1900 there has only been 21 times a pitcher has won over thirty games. Wood’s thirty-four win season is the sixth highest total; however, after this season he was never again able to reach this level of success in his career. He won 117 of th...
Certainly one aspect of Cobb’s life, his hard work, successful career, determination, dedication, and ability, is remarkably admirable. But the other side of Cobb, his irascible nature, racist attitude, and volatile temper, has created a little doubt as to whether he is in fact a hero. However, looking at Cobb for what he accomplished in baseball, and how he accomplished his goals, through hard work and determination, gives him my vote for the best player to ever grace the great american pastime, “Baseball”
Cox was appointed the managing job of the Yankees Class A team in Fort Lauderdale in 1971. Within all of his 6 seasons, not one of his teams finished lower than fourth. He continued with the Yankees system until 1978. He ended up with winning the Eastern League pennant and championship with the club in West Haven in '72 and with the Syracuse club won the International League's Governor's Cup in '76. His last year with the Yankees he was the first base coach before going to manage the Braves.
Rader states that baseball was founded by Abner Doubleday in 1839 at Cooperstown, New York. In the next couple decades, the game developed the simple concept of bases. After having bases introduced into the game, the kids in bigger cities started club based teams which played each other. These teams started to develop a personal passion and respect for baseball which led them to adopt written rules. He conveys the idea of fellowship within the team and how the players celebrated all aspects of the game. He gives an example of a club team called the New York Knickerbockers and how they celebrated with their opponents and teammates whether they won or l...
With the contributions that Babe Ruth brought to revolutionize baseball, help aided the United States, and help the survival of sports are the reason why he should be Time Person of the Year. He as an indiviual has brought and contributed alot to this nation and to sports that no other person has ever done in history. I personally learned much about his success and accomplishments that myself would really consider him a main influence in history.
"He was like a hunter stalking a bear, a whale, or maybe the sight of a single fleeing star the way he went after that ball (Malamud, 162)." Since he is young, Roy Hobbs has great ability and amazing talent in baseball. However, just like a tragic hero in Greek myth, those ones who fight for their honor, but fail because of their hubris or the desire of being such immortal and an aspects of not accepting the truth and reality, Roy Hobbs' hubris, ambition and a desire for fame and his fortune really tell that he is a tragic hero.
Hank Aaron was a famous baseball player who was respectful to his teammates and his fans. His nickname was “Hammerin’ Hank”. At one time he led the league in the most home runs. He was born in a poor family and then grew up to be a great professional baseball player. He became one of the most admired baseball players in Major League history.
Branch Rickey was often referred to as “The Deacon or Mahatma” of baseball, he was born in Ohio December 20th, 1881 and expired on December 9th, 1965. He was known to be very articulate and was politically and socially conservative. Rickey was a former baseball player who landed several different managing positions for the St. Louis Browns and Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers of