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Men's Professional Softball Leagues
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, several men's professional slow-pitch softball leagues were formed in the United States to build on the growth and talent in the booming men's amateur game during this period. The American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL) was the first such league, launching in an era of experimentation in professional sports leagues. The APSPL was formed in 1977 by former World Football League executive Bill Byrne, who would go on to found the Women's Professional Basketball League. Former New York Yankees star Whitey Ford was the first APSPL commissioner. In 1980, three teams, the Milwaukee Schlitz, the Fort Wayne Huggie Bears and Cleveland Stepien's Competitors, broke away to form the North American Softball League (NASL), under the leadership of Cleveland owner Ted Stepien, who owned 6 of the 8 teams in the league (only Fort Wayne and Milwaukee had non-Stepien ownership in the new league), while the APSPL continued with just 6 teams. Former Ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Softball
Softball is a Variations of baseball, variation of baseball, the difference being that it is played with a larger ball, on a smaller field, and with only underhand pitches (where the ball is released while the hand is primarily below the ball) permitted. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the #Professional leagues, professional level. The game was created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hancock (softball), George Hancock. There are two rule sets for softball generally: ''slow-pitch softball'' and ''fastpitch softball, fastpitch''. Slow-pitch softball is commonly played recreationally, while women's fastpitch softball was a Summer Olympic Games#List of Olympic sports, Summer Olympic sport and can be Women Professional Fastpitch, played professionally. Softball was not included in the 2024 Summer Olympics but will return for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Depending on the variety being played and the age and gender of the players, the particulars of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terminal Tower
Terminal Tower is a 52-story, , landmark skyscraper located on Public Square in the downtown core of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. Built during the skyscraper boom of the 1920s and 1930s, it was the second-tallest building in the world when it was completed. Terminal Tower stood as the tallest building in North America outside of New York City from its completion in 1927 until 1964. It was the tallest building in the state of Ohio until the completion of Key Tower in 1991, and remains the second-tallest building in the state. The building is part of the Tower City Center mixed-use development, and its major tenants include Forest City Enterprises, which maintained its corporate headquarters there until 2018, and Riverside Company. Ownership The tower, owned by Forest City Realty Trust since 1983, was purchased by Cleveland's K&D Group on September 15, 2016 for $38.5 million (equivalent to $ in ). K&D added a mixed-use element to the building, converting 11 of the lower, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ralph Garr
Ralph Allen Garr (born December 12, 1945), nicknamed "Road Runner", is an American former professional baseball player, scout, and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from through — most notably as a member of the Atlanta Braves — and eventually with the Chicago White Sox and California Angels. Garr's career year was , when he was a National League (NL) All-Star and won the NL batting title. Garr was a free swinger who could confound defenses by hitting to all parts of the outfield. He batted .300 or better five times during his career. In 2006, Garr was inducted into the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame. Face in the Crowd Garr was born in Monroe, Louisiana, and worked as a shoe shine boy at a local barber shop growing up. After graduation from Lincoln High School in Ruston, Louisiana, he attended historically black Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana. In , as a second baseman for the Grambling State Tigers baseball team, Garr led ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rick Wilson (basketball)
Richard Wilson (born February 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1978 to 1980. College career Wilson graduated from Atherton High School in Louisville, Kentucky. He played collegiately for the University of Louisville from 1974 to 1978. As a freshman, Wilson was a reserve on the Cardinals' 1975 Final Four team. Wilson then entered the starting lineup for the rest of his Louisville career. As a sophomore, he averaged 14.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game and led the Cardinals to the 1976 National Invitation Tournament. As a junior, Wilson teamed with senior backcourt mate Phil Bond and led the Cardinals back to the 1977 NCAA tournament, where they lost to UCLA. In his senior year, the 1977–78 season, Wilson averaged 17.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists as he led the Cardinals to a Metro Conference championship and was named MVP of the 1978 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bob Lurtsema
Robert Ross Lurtsema (born March 29, 1942) is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks. He played in two Super Bowls with the Vikings. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Lurtsema attended Ottawa Hills High School and initially went to Michigan Tech in 1962 on a basketball scholarship, but started playing football and lettered in the sport as a Huskie in the 1962 season. Lurtsema transferred to Western Michigan University to continue his collegiate career, lettering in football as a Bronco in 1965. Undrafted after graduating, Lurtsema played for the 1966 Harrisburg Capitals of the Atlantic Coast Football League, which was a taxi squad affiliated with the Baltimore Colts. Don Shula, Colts coach, had drafted Bubba Smith in 1967, blocking an opportunity for Lurtsema. Shula arranged a trade to the New York Giants. Lurtsema said of Shula, "I owe everything to Shula. He basically set up my whole ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Billy "White Shoes" Johnson
William Arthur Johnson (born January 27, 1952), better known as Billy "White Shoes" Johnson, is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) from 1974 through 1988. A 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time NFL Team selection, Johnson was one of the first players to display elaborate celebrations in the end zone. Early life Johnson earned the nickname "White Shoes" in high school in the Chichester School District in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, where he dyed his shoes as part of a dare. Johnson attended Division III school Widener College in Pennsylvania, where he was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. As a 5'9", 170-pound sophomore, Johnson was named to the 1972 Associated Press College Division All-American team. Johnson was drafted by the Houston Oilers, in the 15th round of the 1974 NFL draft. Professional career Houston Oilers Johnson joined the Houston Oilers as a kickoff returner, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and the highest professional level of American football in the world. Each NFL season begins annually with a NFL preseason, three-week preseason in August, followed by the NFL regular season, 18-week regular season, which runs from early September to early January, with each team playing 17 games and having one Bye (sports), bye week. Following the conclusion of the regular season, seven teams from each conference, including the four division winners and three Wild card (sports), wild card teams, advance to the NFL playoffs, playoffs, a single-elimination tournament, which culminates in the Super Bowl, played in early February ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Milt Pappas
Milton Steven Pappas (May 11, 1939 – April 19, 2016) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from through . Nicknamed "Gimpy", the 17-year veteran pitched for the Baltimore Orioles (–), Cincinnati Reds (–), Atlanta Braves (–) and Chicago Cubs (–). A control specialist, Pappas pitched in 520 games, starting 465, with 209 wins, 164 losses, 43 shutouts, 1,728 strikeouts and a 3.40 ERA in 3,186 innings pitched. He was a three-time All-Star player for the Orioles and was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1985. He was also a member of the 1960s Baltimore Orioles Kiddie Korps. Baltimore Orioles Pappas was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Greek parents, and his birth name was Miltiades Stergios Papastergios. In , as a senior at Cooley High School, Pappas was scouted by several teams and signed with the Orioles at the suggestion of Hal Newhouser, a former star pitcher for the Detroit Tigers who liv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny Callison
John Wesley Callison (March 12, 1939 – October 12, 2006) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons and is best known for the 10 years he spent with the Philadelphia Phillies as a right fielder, from 1960 through 1969. He was an All-Star for three seasons and four All-Star games. He led the National League (NL) in triples twice and doubles once, and gained his greatest prominence in the season in which he was named the MVP of the All-Star Game and he was the runner-up for the NL Most Valuable Player Award. He also led the NL in outfield assists four consecutive times and in double plays once, and ended his career among the top five Phillies in home runs (185) and triples (84). Early years Born in Qualls, Oklahoma, Callison batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was signed by the Chicago White Sox out of East Bakersfield High School in 1957, being assigned to the Class-C Bakersfield Bears in the California ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Curt Blefary
Curtis Leroy "Clank" Blefary (July 5, 1943 – January 28, 2001) was an American professional baseball left fielder who played in Major League Baseball for the Baltimore Orioles (1965–1968), Houston Astros (1969), New York Yankees (1970–1971), Oakland Athletics (1971–1972) and the San Diego Padres (1972). A native of Brooklyn, New York, he batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was the 1965 Rookie of the Year. In 1969, he and teammate Don Wilson became the first interracial roommates in National League history. Early life Blefary was born on July 5, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Mahwah, New Jersey and attended Mahwah High School. He was a three-sport star (baseball, basketball and football), and received All-state baseball honors in 1960. He was captain of the school's baseball team as a senior. As a senior, he switched from playing third base to playing catcher. Baseball Career The New York Yankees signed Blefary as an amateur free agent in 1962. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jim Rivera
Manuel Joseph "Jungle Jim" Rivera (July 22, 1921 – November 13, 2017) was an American professional baseball outfielder. In 1944, he was found guilty of attempted rape and sentenced to life in prison. He played baseball on the prison baseball team, and caught the attention of the Atlanta Crackers owner who worked to secure a parole for him. Rivera's sentence was later reduced, and after five years in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary he was paroled in 1949, and upon his release he was signed by the Crackers. He played for three Major League Baseball (MLB) teams over ten seasons: the St. Louis Browns (1952), Chicago White Sox (1952–1961), and Kansas City Athletics (1961). Early life Rivera was born to Puerto Rican immigrants in Brooklyn in New York City, and grew up in Spanish Harlem in Manhattan. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kentucky Bourbons
The Kentucky Bourbons were a professional softball team that played in two men's professional softball leagues between 1977 and 1982 at Bishop David Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. The Bourbons, Cincinnati Suds and Pittsburgh Hardhats were the only three teams to play all 6 seasons of professional softball. Bourbons in the APSPL The American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL) was formed by former World Football League executive Bill Byrne, who would go on to form the Women's Professional Basketball League. Former New York Yankees player Whitey Ford was brought on to serve as league commissioner. The Bourbons were owned by Don Rardin Sr., who started the team in 1977, but then sold the club the following year to Larry Gatti, who owned several McDonald's franchises in the Louisville, Kentucky area. Both men had sons who would be all-pro players for the Bourbons. In the 1977 APSPL season the Bourbons won the Central Division finishing eight games ahead of the Cleveland ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
