Portal:Sports and games/Selected article/2007
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David Ortiz is a Major League Baseball designated hitter who plays for the Boston Red Sox (since 2003). Previously, Ortiz played for the Minnesota Twins (1997-2002). Nicknamed "Big Papi", Ortiz bats and throws left-handed. He wears the number 34 in honor of Kirby Puckett, a Hall of Famer who also played for the Minnesota Twins.
Bullfighting or tauromachy is a tradition that involves, most of the time, professional performers who execute various formal moves with the goal of appearing graceful and confident, while masterful over the bull itself; these manoeuvers are performed at close range, concluding (in Spanish-style bullfighting) with the death of the bull by a well-placed sword thrust as the finale; whereas in Portugal the finale consists of a unique tradition called the pega where men (Forcados) are dressed in a traditional costume, of damask or velvet, with the long knit hats also worn by the famous Ribatejo campinos (cowboys).
Labeled as a blood sport and considered a traditional event by some, or an example of animal cruelty by others, the practice generates heated controversy in many areas of the world, including Spain where the "classic" bullfighting was born. There is contention between supporters of bullfighting — who claim it is a long held and culturally important tradition — and animal rights groups — who oppose bullfighting due to the suffering of the bull and horses during the bullfight.
The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. These games were the first modern Olympic Games and the first Games since Roman emperor Theodosius I banned the Ancient Olympic Games in 393 as part of the Christian campaign against paganism. They were held between Monday, April 6 and Wednesday, April 15, 1896.
An 1894 congress organized by Pierre de Coubertin in Paris established the International Olympic Committee and appointed the Greek capital of Athens as the host city. The Greeks had little experience with organizing sports events, and initially had financial troubles as well, but managed to have everything ready in time.
Although the number of participating athletes was low by current standards, it had the largest international participation for any sports event to that date. In spite of the absence of many of the time's top athletes, the Games were a success with the Greek public. The athletic highlight for the Greeks was the marathon victory by their compatriot Spiridon Louis. The most successful competitor in terms of victories was German wrestler and gymnast Carl Schuhmann.
After the Games, De Coubertin and the IOC were petitioned by, among others, Greece's King George and some of the American competitors in Athens to hold all following Games in Athens. However, the 1900 Summer Olympics were already planned for Paris and, barring the so-called Intercalated Games of 1906, the Olympics did not return to Greece until the 2004 Summer Olympics.
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL) and are the current National Football Conference Champions. The Bears have won nine Professional American Football league championships (eight NFL Championships and Super Bowl XX), trailing only the Green Bay Packers, who have twelve. The Bears have the most enshrinees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with 26 members.
The club was founded in Decatur, Illinois, in 1919 and moved to Chicago in 1921. The team played home games at Wrigley Field on Chicago's North Side through the 1970 season. With the exception of the 2002 season, they have played their home games at Chicago's Soldier Field every year since 1971. The stadium is located next to Lake Michigan and was recently remodeled in a modernization that has attempted to bring stadium amenities expected by today's fans to a historic Chicago building. The team has a fierce, long-standing rivalry with the Packers, whom they have played in over 170 games.
The Rugby World Cup is the premier international rugby union competition. The event is organized by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board (IRB), and is contested by the men's national teams. The inaugural tournament was held in 1987, hosted by both Australia and New Zealand, and is now contested every four years.
The winners are awarded the William Webb Ellis Cup, named after the Rugby School pupil credited speciously with the game's invention. The tournament is one of the largest international sporting competitions in the world. The title of world champion is currently held by England, who won the 2003 tournament held in Australia. The next Rugby World Cup will be hosted in France during September and October of 2007.
A trick play, also known as a gadget play, is a play in American football that uses deception and unorthodox strategies to fool the opposing team. Trick plays are highly risky, usually with a large potential for a loss of yards or turnover, but the payoff is often high with large gains and even touchdowns.
Trick Plays take advantage of the fact that nearly all American football plays are either a pass from the quarterback or a run by the halfback. As a result, defenses will think pass when the quarterback has the ball and run when the running back has it. Trick plays try to do something different in these situations. Trick plays are unusual plays, and therefore tend only to work if they are unanticipated.
In college football, the Boise State Broncos used several trick plays in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl:
- Trailing Oklahoma 35-28 with less than 20 seconds left in regulation and the ball at midfield, the Broncos executed a hook-and-ladder play. Quarterback Jared Zabransky connected with wide receiver Drisan James on a 15-yard pass over the middle. James then lateraled to Jerard Rabb, who ran the rest of the way for the touchdown with 7 seconds left. They successfully converted the extra point to force overtime.
- In overtime, with the Broncos down 42-35, they faced a fourth-and-2 from the Oklahoma 6-yard line. They lined up in the shotgun, but sent Zabransky into motion and snapped to backup wide receiver Vinny Peretta, who was playing as a running back. He then ran an option pass, throwing to tight end Derek Schouman for the touchdown that narrowed the lead to 42-41.
- Broncos coach Chris Petersen then opted to go for two to win the game rather than kick the extra point to send the game to a second overtime. Zabransky faked a pass to a wide receiver on the far right side with his bare right hand; all the while holding the football behind his back with his left hand. He handed the ball off behind his back to star running back Ian Johnson, who ran into the end zone untouched to complete the two-point conversion and win the game.
Yasser Seirawan (born March 24, 1960) is an American Grandmaster and chess author, best known as a player for having won the 1979 World Junior Chess Championship and four times between 1981 and 2000 the United States Chess Championship and as an activist for having in 2002 negotiated an ultimately-scuttled agreement to unite the world chess championship.
Seirawan was born in Damascus, Syria, to an Arab father and English mother and lived for a short time in Nottingham before immigrating with his family to the United States in 1967. He began playing chess aged twelve years and captured the Washington junior championship soon thereafter, in 1973. Seirawan honed his game over the years following at a Seattle coffeehouse frequented by Latvian chess master Viktors Pupols before winning the world junior championship at the age of nineteen. Seirawan defeated Swiss Grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi, then the world's second-ranked player, in a tournament in 1980 and was invited to train with Korchnoi in Switzerland in preparation for the latter's 1981 world championship rematch with Russian Grandmaster Anatoly Karpov; Seirawan would himself defeat world champion Karpov in 1982. Having won the United States championship jointly with Walter Browne in 1981, Seirawan won the title outright in 1986 and was a member of the bronze medal-winning United States team at the Chess Olympiad contested in Dubai in that year.
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By the 19th century, the standard form for playing cards had become fixed in most of Europe and America. French cards used hearts, diamonds, spades and clubs. German cards used acorns, leaves, hearts and bells. It was at this time that designers in Germany, France and England began to draw small figures around the pips.
The first transformation playing cards were created by D.W. Soltan and D. Berger in 1801 as illustrations for a German edition of Hudibras. The cards illustrated were the 2 of hearts, 3 of hearts, 5 of hearts and 8 of hearts. In 1803, John Nixon published the first complete set (52 cards) of transformed cards. Titled Metastasis, this collection was also published as illustrations on sheets of paper.
Transformed cards became particularly popular in Victorian England. Their influence can be seen in John Tenniel's illustrations for Through the Looking Glass. Noted novelist and gambler William Makepeace Thackeray designed 21 card himself.
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He was chosen runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year twice, and as recently as 2004 was the world's highest-paid footballer. He was Google's most searched of all sports topics in both 2003 and 2004. Such global recognition has made him an elite advertising brand and a top fashion icon.
Beckham was captain of England from 15 November 2000 to 2 July 2006. He made 58 appearances as captain, and ended his tenure in that role after the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals. He continued to make contributions for the England national team in 2007 competitions.
Beckham's career began when he signed a professional contract with Manchester United, making his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17. During his time there, United won the Premiership title six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. He left Manchester United to sign for Real Madrid in 2003, where he remained for four seasons.
In January 2007, it was announced that Beckham would leave Real Madrid and sign a five-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. He played his final match with Real on 17 June, after which the team was awarded the 2006-07 La Liga championship.
Beckham's contract with the Galaxy, effective 1 July 2007, gave him the highest salary of any MLS player in history. He debuted for the team on 21 July in a friendly versus Chelsea FC at the Home Depot Center.
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The Kinston Indians are a minor league baseball team in Kinston, North Carolina. The team, a High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, plays in the Carolina League. Professional baseball in Kinston dates back to 1908 when they fielded a team in the Eastern Carolina League. Kinston adopted the name "Indians" at the start of their relationship with Cleveland, in 1987. They are currently one of the oldest and most successful franchises in their circuit.
Baseball has been popular in Kinston since the late nineteenth century, and it fielded many excellent amateur clubs. Despite this, the small city was unable to sustain a viable professional team until the mid-1920's. Earlier attempts included an aborted campaign in the Class D Eastern Carolina League in 1908 and an "outlaw league" team in 1921 and 1922. The latter was notable for being managed by former major league pitcher George Suggs and College Football Hall of Fame member Ira Rodgers. Due to the efforts of the city's business leaders, former local amateur star Elisha Lewis, and George Suggs, the town secured a team in the Virginia League for the 1925 season.
This Class B team played in a newly renovated stadium designed by Suggs known as West End Park. Named the "Eagles", the squad had very little success against the rest of the league. Despite their lack of wins, the team was successful enough at the gate that they proved the town was capable of sustaining a professional team. Kinston stayed three years in the Virginia League and then moved on to a newly reformed Eastern Carolina League. This later affiliation would collapse along with the stock market in 1929. Among the members of these 1920's Eagles teams was a young catcher named Rick Ferrell who would have a long playing career and even longer front office career in the major leagues. In 1984, he became the only former Kinston player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Another player, Frank Armstrong, eventually decided that baseball was not for him. He gave up baseball for a career in the armed services and became one of the most decorated generals in the history of the Air Force.
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Among his achievements, Woods has held the number one position in the world rankings for the most consecutive weeks and for the greatest total number of weeks. He has been awarded PGA Tour Player of the Year a record eight times, and he has led the money list seven times (one behind Jack Nicklaus' record). He has been named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year four times, a record he shares with Lance Armstrong.
With the announcement, "Hello World," Tiger Woods became a professional golfer in August 1996, and signed endorsement deals worth $40 million from Nike and $20 million from Titleist. He played his first round of professional golf at the Greater Milwaukee Open tying for 60th place, but went on to win two events in the next three months, and qualify for the Tour Championship. Woods was named Sports Illustrated's' 1996 Sportsman of the Year and PGA Rookie of the Year.
The following April, Woods won his first golf major, The Masters, by a record margin of 12 strokes, became the youngest Masters winner, and the first winner of African or Asian descent. He set a total of 20 Masters records and tied 6 others. He won another three PGA Tour events that year, and on June 15, 1997, in only his 42nd week as a professional, rose to number one in the Official World Golf Rankings, the fastest ever ascent to world No. 1. He was named PGA Player of the Year, the first golfer to win the award the year following his rookie season.
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Fighting in ice hockey is an established aspect of ice hockey in North America, with a long history involving many levels of amateur and professional play and including some notable individual fights. Although a definite source of criticism, it is a considerable draw for the sport, and some fans attend games primarily to see fights. Fighting is usually performed by one or more enforcers on a given hockey team and is governed by a complex system of unwritten rules that players, coaches, officials, and the media refer to as "the code". Some fights are spontaneous, while others are premeditated by the participants. While officials tolerate fighting during hockey games, they impose a variety of penalties on players who engage in fights. Unique to North American professional team sport, the National Hockey League (NHL) and most minor professional leagues in North America do not eject players outright for fighting but major European and collegiate hockey leagues do. Therefore, the vast majority of fights occur in the NHL and other North American professional leagues.
Physical play in hockey, consisting of allowed techniques such as checking and disallowed techniques such as elbowing, high sticking, and cross-checking, is inextricably linked to fighting. Broadly speaking, fighting exists in organized ice hockey to help deter overly rough play, to allow teams to protect their star players, and to create a sense of solidarity among teammates.
It is possible for players to become notable solely for their fighting ability. These players are known as "enforcers." The debate over allowing fighting in ice hockey games is ongoing, with most players, administrators, and fans favoring condoned fisticuffs. Despite its potentially negative consequences, such as heavier enforcers (or "heavyweights") knocking each other out, administrators like NHL commissioner Gary Bettman are not considering eliminating fighting from the game, since most players consider it essential. Additionally, the majority of fans oppose eliminating fights from professional hockey games. However, considerable opposition to fighting exists and efforts to eliminate it continue.
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