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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Jackie Robinson is rightfully lauded for breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier in 1947. But there were many unsung players who paved the way for Robinson's momentous breakthrough.
By Chris Opfer
Who's on first? And how did he get there? Believe it or not, there are dozens of ways for baseball players to get to first base.
Baseball is a game of inches, and umpires hold the tape measure. Sometimes they succeed, other times not. When they don't, it's not hyperbole to say that umpires are perhaps the most vilified people in sports.
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Don't feel frustrated if you find the infield fly rule tricky to figure out. Even umpires sometimes get confused by it. Here's why.
This is one of those rituals with a dozen different "surefire" recipes. We'll look at what really works – and what's only half-baked – when it comes to breaking in a baseball glove.
By Julia Layton
They may sound like a group of characters in a Dr. Seuss book, but the yips are actually a serious malady for many athletes. What's behind this bewildering problem?
Spring training reminds fans of how baseball used to be – cozy ball fields, lower prices and players willing to sign autographs and chat a little. But spring training is also a multimillion dollar tourist attraction for Florida and Arizona.
By Dave Roos
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A well-known baseball poem celebrates "the sound of the crack of a bat." What makes baseball bats crack – and break? And how do you find the sweet spot?
Some combos make sense to us. There's Homer and Marge. Bagels and cream cheese. Vasectomies and March Madness. Wait, what?
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
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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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
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
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.
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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?
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.
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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?
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?
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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?