Sports
Sports are an integral part of our culture and give many of us a reason to cheer and jeer. Learn about the history of sports and how your favorite sports really work.
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The Negro Leagues may have been borne out of discrimination, but for generations of African-American ballplayers, they offered a real chance at fame and autonomy. How did the leagues start, and how was the color line finally broken?
By Julia Layton
Their athletic feats are the stuff of legend. Their dedication and fortitude boggle the minds of mere mortals. See the photos and learn the stories of 16 competitors who rose to the podium as they represented their countries in global competition.
From the start of professional sports, there have been scandals, but some remain in the public consciousness more than others. Here are 10 we can't forget.
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It's just a piece of cardboard with a picture of a baseball player on it, right? If you look at some of the price tags on these rare mementos, along with some of the history behind them, you'd think twice.
By Jeff Harder
Baseball's biggest stage, the World Series, takes place in the fall between the American League and National League champions. How do you get to the October Classic?
By Brian Boone
Baseball is known as the great American pastime. Learn about some of baseball's most famous -- and infamous -- players and teams.
Major League Baseball is made up of two different leagues: the American League and the National League. How did the National League get its start, and how has it thrived to this day?
By Dave Roos
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Most baseball fans know about the existence of Major League Baseball and the two leagues that comprise it. But do most fans know about the one major difference between them?
Baseball has a lot of fans, but how many of them know exactly what a player does once he takes the field? Do they know what they use to do their jobs? Here's a primer.
Without the obstruction rule, Major League Baseball would be more of a contact sport -- or even resemble the NFL. But what exactly is off limits?
By Mark Boyer
It's hard to truly gun it for first if you're worried about screeching to a halt once you get there. What are the rules regarding overrunning first base?
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What determines whether a ball is fair or foul? And who determines it?
By Chris Opfer
For those who find baseball as exciting as watching paint dry, knowing a little something about the sport just might increase your interest level. Let's start off with a basic explanation of the nine positions.
A double play is any combination of two outs in one single play. So how do the fielders make that happen?
By Chris Opfer
The strike zone is one of the most subjective and disputed elements in the game of baseball. Why is that?
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Anything called an error can't be good. But if it doesn't directly affect the score of a game, then why does it even exist? And how do you make one?
Everyone expects professional athletes to make a mistake once and while. But what happens when a player seems to lose their talent almost completely, suddenly and for no good reason?
Maybe you feel the cold hand of death creeping toward you at this very moment; or maybe you think you've got some time before the final strike is called. Either way, see these fields before you go.
A foul-tip is an unusual sight in baseball -- to begin with, the batter has to foul the ball directly back to the catcher's mitt. If he catches it, it's a strike, not a foul. What rules govern this weird play?
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Ever wonder why players sometimes run outside the first-base running lane in baseball without getting called out? As it turns out, the rules of that road aren't always clear.
Baseball has a pretty colorful history, especially its curses. From the goat-plagued Chicago Cubs to a Japanese team's strange encounter with Colonel Sanders, we'll take a look at 10 of the most famous (and bizarre).
In professional baseball, getting sent down to the minors is more common than you might imagine. But there are some big-name players who got sent back that just might surprise you.
What is it about losing streaks that make them so compelling? Is it the emotional turmoil, the trainwreck aspect or just the desire to laugh at people doing things badly? In any case, here are five really bad baseball losing streaks.
By Dave Roos
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Upsets are part of what makes baseball interesting. These are five of the most dramatic.
By Mark Boyer
In the 2000s, America's pastime lost its luster when it was revealed that prominent players were using performance-enhancing drugs. How does the MLB prevent such abuse these days?