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Former MLB players play at Greystone to help preserve Rickwood Field

Former MLB players play at Greystone to help preserve Rickwood Field

Yahoo06-05-2025

HOOVER, Ala. (WIAT) — Over 20 former MLB players hit the golf course to help preserve the nation's oldest existing professional ballpark.
The Friends of Rickwood hosted the second annual Rickwood Field Golf Classic on Monday. Dozens of golfers, including Willie Mays' son, played 18 holes at the Greystone Founders course. Some of the former big leaguers swinging clubs were Tim Hudson, Mike Mordecai and Kenny Lofton.
Esquire piece on Alabama mayor who took his life after being outed for secret online life wins Pulitzer Prize
Organizers said even though the event is young, word is getting out.
'People who had never heard of us before know of us,' said Gerald Watkins, the executive director of the Friends of Rickwood. 'So it's a lot easier sell, and we reached out to these players, and one of the benefits we have is the players had such a good time last year. They're telling their friends.'
Mays would have turned 94 on Tuesday.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Matt Chapman's walk-off homer sends Giants to a fourth consecutive one-run victory
Matt Chapman's walk-off homer sends Giants to a fourth consecutive one-run victory

New York Times

time19 minutes ago

  • New York Times

Matt Chapman's walk-off homer sends Giants to a fourth consecutive one-run victory

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'I wouldn't love to play them every single day, but, yeah, it's going to serve us because we know how to play those games,' Chapman said. 'We know what it takes to come out on top. When the pressure is on, you got to make a play or take a good at-bat. Everything's heightened in those moments.' 'Yeah, torture,' Logan Webb said. 'It's torture baseball here.' You cannot reincarnate a World Series championship season like 2010, when the Giants eked and squeaked their way to so many nail-biters that announcer Duane Kuiper made on-air appeals to the Geneva Convention. You cannot define every contour of a season, either, when 98 games remain on the schedule. But this current team continues to groove to a tune that includes some heavy sampling from its past. The Giants played their sixth consecutive one-run game on Saturday — their longest streak since an eight-game run in 2014, when they won their last World Series championship. 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'I always think about what Greg Maddux says about getting to 0-2. You get one chance to strike them out and then you go back to just trying to get them out. That's always been part of my mindset.' The team's mindset and mood were different following Webb's previous start against the San Diego Padres when they lost 1-0 and their lack of offensive production was threatening to drag down their season. Then changes were made. Perhaps it's more than a coincidence that the Giants haven't lost in four games since replacing LaMonte Wade Jr. with Dom Smith at first base in addition to adding backup catcher Andrew Knizner and outfielder Daniel Johnson. Smith has made the most noticeable impact with his situational at-bats as well as his defensive contributions at first base. He caught a foul pop against the netting in Friday's extra-inning victory over the Braves. On Saturday, he helped to snuff out a potentially troublesome ninth inning behind Tyler Rogers when he made a diving attempt at a ground ball and somehow recovered in time to take a throw from second baseman Casey Schmitt. That defensive effort helped the Giants maintain a one-run deficit. They only managed three hits, including a home run from Wilmer Flores, in eight innings against Braves right-hander Bryce Elder. But Atlanta stayed away from closer Raisel Iglesias, who had a 6.75 ERA after blowing the last of a six-run lead to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday. Instead, the Braves handed the assignment to right-handed curveball specialist Pierce Johnson, who had thrown a game-ending wild pitch the previous night. Advertisement Johnson gave up a one-out single to Heliot Ramos and retired Flores to bring the Giants to their last gasp. Then Johnson did worse than bounce another curveball. With a 1-1 count to Chapman, he hung one. 'His go-to is that curveball,' said Chapman, whose drive landed in the third row of the left field bleachers. 'I had a feeling that's what he was going to lean on in that situation.' Chapman circled the bases to a cacophony of cheers, then arrived home to a water-splashing, jersey-ripping pile of bodies. It was his first walk-off hit as a Giant and his third career walk-off home run. He'd hit a pair of them for Melvin with the Oakland A's over a six-week span in 2019. 'I think Chappy's going to hit a home run any time,' Webb said. 'I thought Flo was going to do it, too. But I guess it was Chapman's day.' Chapman was asked for his thoughts about the Giants' winning streak coming on the heels of a mini roster overhaul. Did those moves stir a sense of urgency in the clubhouse? 'It's funny, you know?' Chapman said. 'How things can change super quickly.' (Top Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

LA Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals odds, picks and predictions
LA Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals odds, picks and predictions

USA Today

time34 minutes ago

  • USA Today

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Red Sox beat Yankees, 10-7 as Story has 5 RBIs, Crochet strikes out Judge three times
Red Sox beat Yankees, 10-7 as Story has 5 RBIs, Crochet strikes out Judge three times

CBS News

time38 minutes ago

  • CBS News

Red Sox beat Yankees, 10-7 as Story has 5 RBIs, Crochet strikes out Judge three times

Trevor Story had five RBIs, Garrett Crochet struck out Aaron Judge three times and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 10-7 on Saturday night to even their weekend series at one game apiece. Story hit a three-run double for 5-3 lead in a five-run third against Ryan Yarbrough (3-1) and, after the Yankees closed to 10-7, added a two-run single in the ninth off Ian Hamilton. In his first career start at Yankee Stadium, Crochet (6-4) allowed a season-high five runs and six hits in six innings, striking out nine and walking one. He has 32 strikeouts in his last three starts. Judge went 0 for 4, dropping his major league-leading average to .390. AL East-leading New York lost for the fourth time in 13 games, and hitting coach James Rowson was ejected in the fourth for arguing balls and strikes. Rookie Kristian Campbell hit RBI singles in consecutive at-bats to help the Red Sox win for the fifth time in 14 games since Alex Bregman strained his right quadriceps. Abraham Toro had an RBI single and Romy González hit a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who went 7 for 18 with runners in scoring position. Austin Wells hit a three-run homer and an RBI single for the Yankees, who fell behind 8-3. J LeMahieu hit a two-run single in the eighth off Justin Wilson, and Aroldis Chapman retired three straight batters for his 10th save in 11 chances, falling over first base as he stepped on the bag for the final out. Anthony Volpe did not start because of a bruised elbow, pinch ran in the eighth and moved to shortstop, Yarbrough allowed eight runs and nine hits in four innings as his ERA climbed from 2.83 to 4.17. Key Moments Before Story doubled. González hit a ground ball to shortstop Oswald Peraza, who attempted to get the out at third instead of throwing to first. Key Stats Judge struck out three times for the fifth time this season. Up Next Boston RHP Hunter Dobbins (2-1, 4.06 ERA) starts Sunday night against New York LHP Carlos Rodón (8-3, 2.49), who is 7-0 with a 1.27 ERA in his last nine starts.

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