Keeping The American Sport's Competitive Spirit Alive: Part III Of A III Part Series

This is part three of a three-part series on America's competitive nature and its love of sports, in particular the love of boxing and baseball. In part two, we examined the history of boxing, now we examine the history and America's love for its national past time, baseball.

Baseball

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Though Abner Doubleday is famed for having invented the sport, baseball is a sport derived from the English game of "rounders." It became a popular, professional sport just before the Civil War. Abner had nothing to do with its invention. In fact, Alexander Cartwright from the state of New York invented the game we know as baseball today in 1845, though it has undergone a few changes since then. The first known baseball game in America took place in 1846. The New York Baseball Club beat the Knickerbockers by a score of 23 to 1.

Keeping The American Sport's Competitive Spirit Alive: Part III Of A III Part Series

The first organized baseball league began in 1857. The 16 team league was known as The National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP). The league grew to include over 400 teams. The Cincinnati Red Stockings were the most popular, well-known team, and they became the first "pro" team in Major League Baseball (MLB). The "league" emerged after the Civil War with 6-8 teams until the Golden Era of baseball began in the 1920's with the emergence of Babe Ruth and the Bronx Bombers. When Babe Ruth swatted 60 home runs in 1927, the nation was captivated.

Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees rescued baseball from what was known as the "dead ball era". The dead-ball era went from almost 1900 to 1919, and was known for low-scoring games dominated by pitchers like Cy Young, the game's most winning all time pitcher to this day, though there were some excellent average hitters like Ty Cobb, who carried an astonishing.366 batting average over his entire career. The dead-ball era ushered in the construction of astronomical stadiums that were built specifically for baseball games to be played. These parks included Fenway Park in Boston which still exists, as does Comiskey Park and Wrigley Field in Chicago. It also included stadiums that are long gone as are the teams that played in them such as Brooklyn's Ebbets Field.

In 1936, The Baseball Hall of Fame was constructed in Cooperstown, New York to honor the history of the game. It inducted 4 great dead-ball era players and the man who changed the game: Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and the Babe. Babe Ruth, the man who built Yankee Stadium, who put an end to the dead-ball era with his long home runs, and the American icon who made baseball America's favorite sport. Joe Dimaggio was one of the first baseball icons besides Babe Ruth. He set a hitting record that captured America's heart one hit at a time as he set the consecutive game hitting streak in 1941. Dimaggio had a hit in 56 consecutive games. In 1947 Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, and in Willie Mays, the "Say Hey Kid" hit the "shot heard round the world" in the 1951 World Series during the prime of his Hall of Fame career. Television provided a great boon to the sport's popularity in the 1950's.

Babe Ruth set some slugging records that lasted for decades. His 60 home runs in 1927 were the most hit in a single season until Roger Maris of the Yankees hit 61 homers in 1961. The home run record chase was so traumatic for Maris that he lost much of his hair during the season. His teammate, Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle was the heir apparent to the Babe's record, but Maris beat him to it. Babe Ruth's career home run record of 714 was the most by any player until April 8, 1974 when Hank Aaron finally broke the record. Though Aaron received death threats because many deranged bigots didn't want to see an African-American break the white Ruth's hallowed record, Aaron prevailed and ended up hitting 755 home runs. That record stood until Barry Bonds broke it. He ended up hitting 762 long balls. Though his legacy is tainted by alleged steroid abuse, and both he and hitters like Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's many hitting records are considered tainted as they all played during what is now being called the steroid era. This was a period from the early 1990's to the early 2000's. Though McGwire, Sosa, and even bonds helped save the popularity of the sport.

The 1994 labor dispute canceled the World Series for the first time since 1904, and many fans were disturbed by the fact that a strike cost America its beloved post season. Baseball's popularity took a massive hit because of the distasteful labor negotiations and the outcome of those negotiations.

Cal Ripken Jr. was the first player to help rescue baseball's popularity when he broke Lou Gherig's iron man streak by playing in 2131 consecutive games on September 6, 1995. The record had stood for 56 years, and Ripken's 2632 consecutive games played record will likely never be broken. The chase of Gherig's record brought a good deal of fanfare, and the festivities when he broke the record shined a spotlight on the game, but the chase of Maris' home run record by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa ultimately restored the game's popularity. As McGwire and Sosa battled all summer long during 1998, exchanging the home run lead, it became apparent that one of the two was going to eclipse the single season home run record of 61. In fact, they both broke the record, and America was enthralled as the long balls kept leaving the park, day after day after day. Then, on September 8th, 1998 McGwire hit his 62nd home run to be the first to break the twenty-seven year old record. Sosa congratulated McGwire with a big hug as McGwire played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Sosa played for the Cubs and they were playing each other in that historic game. McGwire ended up with the record with 70 home runs, 4 more than Sosa's 66 total. McGwire's record was broken 3 years later when Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs in 2001.

America loved and watched every minute of the home run chase, as the country has loved and adored baseball and boxing for so many years. Why? Simply because competition engenders winners and America was built by and filled with competitors and winners. It's why the nation is so strong and vibrant and why it has been this way for so many years. We are a competitive people who will ourselves to succeed and work hard to see that we do. Watching the competitors on the field or in the ring is like watching an extended family member succeed or fail. We simply enjoy the effort. Now if, you don't mind, I think I'll go pop a cold one and cook myself a hot dog and watch my team compete. It's the all American way to spend a relaxing evening!

Keeping The American Sport's Competitive Spirit Alive: Part III Of A III Part Series Katy Perry - #VEVOCertified, Pt. 7: Katy on California Gurls Tube. Duration : 1.22 Mins.
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Sports Nutrition & Health - 5 Foods All Athletes Should Eat

There are several foods all athletes should eat in the days before an event to ensure peak performance. They include:

1. Whole grains-whole grain food such as cereal, bagels, pasta, and bread give good,long-lasting energy to the whole body. As the most important food group, athletes should eat many whole grain carbohydrates before an event.

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2. Peanut butter-peanut butter is a good source of protein and essential fats, and it is easy to carry and eat on the go. Other protein sources will work as well, such as lean meat or dairy; the important thing is to get adequate protein before and after a work out. Protein helps the body in maintaining aerobic metabolism instead of anaerobic metabolism, which prevents the body from taking protein from lean tissue. Adequate protein speeds recovery and helps in actual performance situations.

Sports Nutrition & Health - 5 Foods All Athletes Should Eat

3. Fresh fruits and Vegetables-fresh produce is a great way to get vitamins and minerals that help the body function as normal. They are usually fat-free and contain lots of energy for the body to use during exercise. Some fruits, such as bananas, contain potassium, a mineral that regulates water levels in the body and stabilizes muscle contraction. Low potassium levels can lead to muscle cramps and fatigue, so eating potassium-rich foods is a good idea. However, it is important to regulate potassium intake, because too much too quickly can lead to a heart attack. Athletes should take in 435 milligrams of potassium for every hour they exercise. While potassium does not aid in actual performance, it speeds recovery and should be considered as one of the most important supplements to an exercise program.

Another benefit of fruits and vegetables is iron. Chick peas, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, apricots, and figs are all good sources of iron, a nutrient that prevents fatigue, headaches, lack of stamina, and boosts the immune system. Athletes are generally at risk for anemia, having too little iron in the blood, because of the amount iron used in exercise. Recommended daily intakes are 6-11 milligrams, a number easily attained by eating leafy green vegetables or foods rich in vitamin C.

4. Calcium-Rich Foods-foods such as cheese, yogurt, and milk contain necessary calcium, which creates strong bones and protects athletes from injury. These dairy products are also a good source of protein, but they should be eaten well before an event, as they take some time to process. If the body does not tolerate dairy well, supplements should be included to ensure that athletes receive the recommended daily intake of 1000 milligrams. As an example, a cup of skim milk provides about 300 milligrams of calcium.

5. Fiber-Rich Foods-Fiber is the nutritional component that keeps athletes full and regulates the digestive tract. Many of the foods already mentioned include fiber, but it is important for coaches to know which foods help athletes regulate fiber levels. Examples of fiber-rich foods include whole grains, apples, berries, almonds, and legumes. A simple way to determine the necessary amount of fiber is to add 5 to the athlete's age. For example, a 10-year-old athlete needs about 15 grams of fiber daily. After the age of 15, athletes need 20-25 grams of fiber a day.

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