Josh Gibson and Baseball
Josh Gibson hit over 900 or 800 home runs in his career, depending on whose information you consult. His average was over .350. So why do we not hear Gibson's name mentioned in the recent discussion about baseball's best player ever that has surrounded Barry Bonds or at least as the greatest home run hitting catcher ever with Mike Piazza? This is because Josh Gibson played in the Negro Leagues.
from http://baseballguru.com/jholway/analysisjholway43.html
Talk of Gibson's greatness has been glaringly absent from mainstream reporting on baseball. Let me share with you three examples of this error that I have encountered recently. The first occurrence I noticed recently was in a book published to commemorate the anniversary of the Yankee Stadium. In a section entitled, "the longest home runs hit in Yankee Stadium," Gibson is omitted entirely, although some of his home runs have certainly been among the longest balls ever hit in (or out of) that stadium. The second occurrence was in a recent New York Times article about Barry Bonds and his quest for the Major League home run record. It states, "as Barry Bonds builds a case as the best player ever, he also makes a run at being the most controversial and most unaccepted" (Jenkins). The most recent example was in a New York Times article regarding Mike Piazza, the catcher and slugger for the New York Mets. The article begins: "Mike Piazza, who has been playing more at first base than behind the plate these days, was honored last night for hitting more home runs as a catcher than anyone in baseball history" (Dicker). There are no mentions of Gibson, who played catcher throughout his career. His omission is his stake as the most unaccepted baseball great and his home run hitting prowess is the proof of his greatness. His exclusion from major league baseball is part of his legacy and one of the reasons his career deserves another look.
Josh and His Family Come to Pittsburgh
The story of Josh Gibson is one that captures the story of many African Americans in the midst of what is now known as the Great Migration. It begins in Georgia, but moves north to Pittsburgh in 1821 when his father, Mark Gibson, begins work in one of Andrew Carnegie's steel factories. After three years of saving money, he sends for the rest of his family - his wife and three children, including the 12 year old Josh.
Do you like Craig Kimbrel and the Atlanta Braves as much as I do? At the age of 4 Craig Kimbrel started off his baseball career. He didn’t play tee ball like most kids, he went straight to coach pitch. Between the ages of 4-12 Craig played with the Civic league team in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama. He played in the Babe Ruth league from the age of 12-16. Growing up through baseball Craig’s positions were 3rd base and outfield, not pitcher. Kimbrel played high school ball for Lee High in Huntsville, Alabama.
Ewoh (2009) explained that in the late 18th century, conspiracy theorists began speculating that the Illuminati had survived their suppression and become the masterminds behind the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. The Illuminati was accused of being subversives who were attempting to secretly orchestrate a revolutionary wave in Europe and the rest of the world in order to spread the most radical ideas and movements of the Enlightenment. Then in the 19th century, fear of an Illuminati conspiracy was a real concern for European ruling classes and their oppressive reactions to the very revolutions they wanted to prevent. (p. 6)
Roger Clemens is arguably one of the greatest pitchers ever in Major League Baseball history. Clemens has built an astounding and exciting career filled with impressive statistics that may rarely be duplicated. His career extends from the early 1980’s into the new millennium, and continues today. During this stretch, nicknamed “The Rocket”, he won more Cy Young awards, seven, than any other pitcher in MLB history. The Cy Young award is given annually to the League’s best pitcher. In 2003 he won the 300th game of his career. He is only one of four MLB pitchers in all time to pass the 4,000 strikeout mark.
David Ortiz is an icon because of his contributions to the welfare of children and to baseball. His charity raises money to give kids medical care that they need or don’t have access to, and trains doctors and nurses. He has made significant contributions to baseball by changing the designated hitter’s role and donating equipment to children in need. If more wealthy people followed Ortiz’s humanitarian values, many of our current problems like poverty, racism and education imbalance would most likely not exist.
For this rhetorical analysis paper I chose one of my favorite, and most famous, sports speeches of all time, Lou Gehrig’s farewell to baseball address. Lou Gehrig was a famous baseball player in the 1920’s and 30’s. Lou didn’t really need to use a attention getting introduction, he was well known and loved by so many that people piled into Yankee Stadium to watch and listen to him give this speech. Although he didn’t need an attention getter, he began his speech with one of the greatest baseball quotes of all time, “Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” (Gehrig, 1939) Every single time I hear or read that opening line it sends chills down my spine and stops me for a moment to reflect on everything that is going on in my own life.
To begin, one can question the Illuminati’s decision to emerge from their solitude and become the focal point of the world. The Illuminati, as stated in the book, had been deemed nonexistent for decades. Nevertheless, they make their presence known by committing a murder on the world’s foremost and premier scientist, Leonardo Vettra. Moreover, the Illuminati loot an unstable weapon of mass destruction. One reason the Illuminati materialize and commit these crimes is to fulfill their desires and uphold their beliefs. First, they want the world to know that the Illuminati are active, thriving, and proficient at causing carnage. This expresses that the Illuminati are preparing for a greater attack on mankind by establishing fear into humanity.
First, Anti Social Personality Disorder is a mental condition that can cause a person to think and behave in a destructive manner. “Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is characterized by a pattern of socially irresponsible, exploitative, and guiltless behavior. ASPD is associated with co-occurring mental health and addictive disorders and medical comorbidity.” (Black, 2015) People with ASPD have a habit of antagonizing and manipulating others but also have no awareness for what is right and what is wrong. One tends to disregard the feelings and wishes of others. “ASPD typically begins during childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood.” (Kivi, 2012) ASPD usually is noticed around 8 years old, but it is categorized as a conduct disorder. Though children can be treated in what doctors may think is ASPD, children will not be completely diagnosed with the title of ASPD until at least 18 years of age. In time those with ASPD behavior usually end up turning criminal.
...dying their origin, how they work, and their ultimate goal proves that there does exist a secret society that controls the world and is planning world domination. The Illuminati has been around for thousand of years, but is only now being revealed. Tactics used by the Illuminati such as private funding, manipulation, and fear all aid the cult in governing the new world order. The many individuals involved in the crimes committed by the Illuminati are being attacked by media ultimately revealing themselves for who they truly are. The Illuminati is not a topic most people care to hear about, however it needs to be discussed. The Illuminati does control the world and it’s occupants, however the people hold the power to end their empire for good, all it takes is becoming informed about the Illuminati and refusing to be used to complete their plan for world domination.
Crack! Back, back, back the ball goes. Home run! Who hit it? It was Jackie Robinson, the first black baseball player in the major league. Many people would agree Jackie was one of the best players to ever swing a bat. However, he faced many difficulties on his journey to becoming a professional baseball player. Without Jackie playing in the pros, baseball and civil rights wouldn’t be the way it is today. Baseball may have taken a long time to not be made up of mainly white players. Jackie was a beacon of hope to black people in the fact that they could compete and succeed in a white man’s sport.
...mental disorder is not the same as a definition of that mental disorder, and even though PPD indeed synonymous with antisocial personality disorder, they are different terms for the same disorder (Hart & Cook, 2012). Another argument is that PPD could be caused by a combination of different personality disorders, and not just one, as well as many environmental patterns, not just genetic (Association for Psychological Science, n.d.).
Breaking the Racial Barrier in Baseball Although Jackie Robinson was not the best African-American baseball player of his time, his attitude and ability to handle racist harassment led the way for the rest of his race to play Major League Baseball, amongst other sports. Being accepted into professional sports also helped African-Americans become more easily accepted into other aspects of life. Jackie's impact in the world for the black population is enormous. According to Jessie Jackson, "A champion wins a World Series or an Olympic event and is hoisted on the shoulders of the fans.
According to Merriam Webster dictionary an antisocial personality disorder or APD is a personality disorder that is characterized by antisocial behavior exhibiting pervasive disregard for and violation of the rights, feelings, and safety of others starting in childhood or the early teenage years and continuing into adulthood. It has been proven that some violent offenders often commit crimes mainly because of their psychological state of mind. Individuals who suffer from antisocial personality disorders generally are intelligent and charming however, they are severely troubled. This disorder prevents any type of relationship to anyone to be created and often find them in trouble. “this often masks a disturbed personality that makes them incapable of forming enduring relationships with others and continually involves them in such deviant behaviors as violence, risk taking, substance abuse, and impulsivity.” (Siegel, 2009 pg.148).
Over six million African Americans moved from the South to the North in aspiration of seeking a better life and a fresh start. Black Boy, by Richard Wright, is the story of a young black boy, Richard, that is piloting himself through the Jim Crow South. Richard grew up in a primarily black community with his mom, Ella, and his younger brother, Alan. When he is finally introduced to the white population he is surprised to see how the blacks and whites interact. Due to his skin color, Richard is treated unfairly which makes it harder for him to thrive. As Richard comes of age, he is left to support his family. With no help or advice from his father, Richard labors many jobs in hopes of obtaining enough money to move himself and his family to
While the Freemasons have always been shrouded in curiosity and mystery, Masons have always worked with the best intentions for their communities. According to a Masonic lodge located in Illinois, "Freemasonry is defined as […] applying the principles of operative Masonry and architecture to the science and art of character building" which means that the Masons, rather than working for selfish goals, instead work on building their character and making themselves better men. The majority of conspiracy theories about the Freemasons were bred in fear of the unknown. Dan Brown author of The Lost Symbol best expressed how fear of the unknown leads to prejudice when he wrote, "Don't tell anyone, but on the pagan day of the sun god Ra, I kneel at the foot of an ancient instrument of torture and consume ritualistic symbols of blood and flesh. […] And if any of you care to join me, come to the Harvard chapel on Sunday, kneel beneath the crucifix, and take Holy Communion. […] Open your minds, my friends. We all fear what we do not understand” (Brown). Often times, the intentions of the...
People ask why I would choose this topic, because it’s a very controversial topic to do and it would come with criticism. Even though it is a topic that’s surrounded around controversy it’s a great topic to choose and talk about. People just fear what they don’t understand and a lot of people don’t understand the Illuminati--so that’s why they fear it and rather avoid anything dealing with it.