What I Know And Remember About Baseball - Teaching

When teaching baseball or any other sport regardless of age, the players in ability to understand what the coach is trying to express is sole responsibility of the coach. Teaching involves respect, clarity, organization, motivation and context.

People learn by example, Coaches who are respectful of children are not just modeling a skill or behavior, they are meeting the emotional needs of those children, and create the conditions for children to respond whole heartedly.

Clarity, to effectively communicate using clear ideas, clear goals, clear questions and clear conclusions. This level of interaction is truly age dependant but as a coach you must identify and speak to each players level of clarity. Relate to the age and reference level of your players.

Coaches are not teachers replete with pedagogy that work for every player. Granted, in the High School ranks and beyond this changes, but the majority of players do so through the recreational leagues where Dads, Moms, Uncles, Aunts and Grandparents of all backgrounds volunteer for the joy and frustration of being the coach.

Be prepared for practice with written notes and time schedule. Organization is likely the most critical aspect of any type of teaching. With all that is involved with being the coach, pen can paper can be your greatest allies. Organization is also a quality you can expect from your players.

As the leader, when you present a well formed and organized practice, game or gathering, your players see the success that is gained from organization. It will never be obvious, and you will never have a player come up and thank you for being an organizational icon. But they will learn, and all advances in being personally responsible and organized will always be a benefit.

There are many situations in baseball that can only be taught in situational settings. For regularly successful practices routine is king. For a portion of every practice, set aside time for drills and skills that everyone can perform correctly. This repetitive success is the building block for situational success. Routine drills also bring the team together as a whole as every ones efforts are focused on the singular event.

Cooperative effort may also be a solution for conveying a concept or skill. There are times where having a senior player take a role in teaching a skill to the team. Not only will they be able to communicate on the correct level, but again we provide a superior opportunity to practice leadership and build self esteem.

Skill drills can do a lot for a player. It is an excellent opportunity for the coaches to examine the individual movements of each player and corrections as needed. The downside is that most drills do not involve the context of the game. Within the practice regime it is critical to combine multi skill activities into drills.

Once the skill is placed into the context of the game, players can readily identify the significance of the drill. If someone known to you walked up and told you to walk 2 blocks south then 1 block west, it is likely you would not walk at all. Now if this same person gave you the same instruction with the context, I found a bag of cash and you can keep it, it is highly likely that you would briskly walk the 3 blocks.

A great drill for all ages above t-ball is the practice steal. No batter, with a good lead off first the runner heads for second when the pitcher releases, catcher makes the throw to second where the tag is made.

This drill helps the pitcher get over the worries of a runner stealing, catcher gets a real action throw to second, the catch and tag are evident and your runner under the watchful eye of the coach makes the perfect slide.

Way off the beaten path is having the players perform a skit. Players read from the script as they act out the events on the diamond. Not only does an exercise like this really change things up, but it also provides the opportunity to practice a little public speaking, humm, homework, social skills and baseball at the same time, nice.

Fun, clarity, organization, motivation and context, these are the keys to effective teaching at any level. Be prepared to take it easy on yourself if the plan you created does not seem to work. Allow yourself the grace to make changes on the fly. Enlist the help of others to convey concepts that elude your ability.

Mr. Dowdy is the father of 3 and after re-entering competitive baseball with his oldest that lead to frustration of finding suitable glove, he became an Official Distributor for NW Kelley USA Baseball you can also click over to Hirsch Group for more news/tips/articles.

The History Of The Baseball Bat

Baseball was a very young sport in the mid-eighteen hundreds, so batters usually made their own bats. This led to a lot of experimentation with the shape and size of the baseball bat. It didn’t take long for players to learn that the best bats were those with rounded barrels. With all the shapes and sizes being used, some rule had to be established about the bat. In 1859, it was established that baseball bats could be no larger than two and a half inches in diameter, though they could be any length. After ten years, a restriction of 42 inches was put on the length of the baseball bat, but still no regulations governing the shape.

1884: The Louisville Slugger is Born

Baseball bat’s most popular name, still to this day, is the Louisville Slugger. Seventeen-year-old John Hillerich watched Pete Browning break his bat at an 1884 Louisville game. John observed as Pete Browning got frustrated, and after the game offered to make him a new bat. Pete Browning joined John Hillerich at his father’s woodworking shop, where Pete supervised the construction of his new bat. Browning went three for three with his new bat. Word spread quickly, but not as quickly as the demand did once everyone knew about these bats. It wasn’t long before each baseball bat that John and his father constructed was slapped with the famous Louisville Slugger trademark.

Evolution of Regulations

In the 1890s, bats could no longer be flat at the end, according to the rules committee. They increased the diameter by a quarter of an inch as well, making the maximum diameter two and three quarters of an inch. In the early nineteen hundreds, one of the greatest players, Honus Wagner, was the first player paid to have his name burned into Louisville Slugger bats. Despite the continual evolution of the regulations regarding the size and shape of bats, the bats of today look much like the ones of a hundred years ago, the biggest difference being that today’s bats are much lighter and have thinner handles.

The Rise of Aluminum

William Shroyer patented the first metal baseball bat in 1924, though they were not seen in baseball until introduced by Worth in 1970. Worth soon produced the first aluminum one-piece bat, and the first little league aluminum bat. Easton introduced a much stronger bat in the late ‘70s . These skyrocketed the popularity of aluminum bats, though they were not allowed in major league games. In 1993, both Easton and Worth introduced titanium bats, and in 1995 Easton and Louisville Slugger introduced the lightest grade of aluminum bats available to date. Continuing developments include double walled bats, and scandium-aluminum bats.

No matter what kind of baseball bat a player uses today, the sport remains one of the world’s favorites. Not many can resist the sunny days and cool nights in the stands, with the cracking sound, fans on their feet, and the smell of hot dogs in the air.

Billy is a contributer to Big Show Baseball: The MLB Blog which includes a section with information on Buying Baseball Bats and Baseball Bat Facts

Bettor Up! It’s Baseball Season!

Are you ready for some baseball? Some baseball, you said! It’s a 7-month, 162-game season, which means there’s plenty of opportunity to place your wagers. In fact, from April 4th through October there’s rarely a day on the calendar that doesn’t have at least a few MLB games.

Along with the large volume of games, there comes a variety of betting choices. Basic bets include the money line, run line and over/under, while numerous propositions are also offered. As with any other type of sportsbook wagering, many of these bets can be parlayed in an attempt to increase your return.

MONEY LINE:

The most common baseball wager is the money line. A typical money line for baseball would look like this:

Florida Marlins D. Willis+120
New York Mets T. Glavine-130

The top team is the away team. Next to each team the scheduled starting pitcher is listed. The plus symbol in front of the number indicates this team is the underdog, while the minus symbol denotes the favorite. The home team in a wager is always listed below or last, unless otherwise noted.

With the money line above, for every $10 you wager on the Marlins, if they win, you’d get $12 plus your original wager of $10 for a total return of $22. In putting money on the Mets, you would have to wager $13 to win $10 for a total return of $23. In wagering on baseball, for the bet to have action the starting pitchers listed must start the game, otherwise all bets are off and returned.

RUN LINE:

The run line combines the money line with a point spread, which is usually set at 1 ½ runs. Point spreads are used to even the playing field and to make wagering just a bit trickier. The run line also incorporates the money line, which means the payoff varies according to the line. The money line has changed due to the point spread, but the point spread is what counts here, making the Mets the favored club. A typical run line for the game between Florida and NY would be:

Florida Marlins + 1 ½ -190
New York Mets -1 ½ +165

This means if you put money on Florida, they can lose by a run and you still win. The bookmaker has spotted Florida one-and-a-half runs. If you place a wager on the Mets, they’ll have to win by 2 runs in order for you to collect. If the final score is Florida 3, New York 4, those who placed cash on the Marlins win. Mets’ bettors are left needing another run for their team to win and to get a return on their investment.

However, note how the point spread changes the money line. With the run line you must wager $19 to win $10 and get a total return of $29 on Florida. In betting the Mets, a $10 bet will yield $16 and a return of $26. By favoring one team over the other with the point spread, you now have to wager more to get a return on the underdog and less to receive money on the favorite.

OVER/UNDER:

The over/under bet is based on the number of runs both teams will score in one game. The over/under on the Marlins and Mets might be listed as 7 ½. If you bet the over on this contest that means you’re putting cash on the chance that more than seven runs will be scored by both teams. Placing money on the under will only result in a payoff if the total runs scored totals less than 7. The payoff is indicated by yet another money line. Along with analyzing each team’s offense, bookmakers consider the pitchers involved. With Dontrelle Willis (LHP) on the mound for the Marlins and Tom Glavine (LHP) taking the ball for the Mets, the over might be -110 and the under +120. In this scenario, the expected result is under 6 runs. Winning on the under with a $12 bet will increase your cash by $10 for a total return of $22, while hitting on the over with a $10 wager, you’ll win $11 for a return of $21.

Usually with any baseball wager the following rules apply:

* The starting pitchers who are listed must start the game or there is no action.
* The game must go nine innings (or 8 ½ if the home team is ahead) or there is no action.

When putting together all the online betting options on this game, you’ll usually see something like this:

6:05 pm Pitchers RunLine Total MoneyLn
959 Florida Marlins D. Willis -R-190-120 +120
960 New York Mets T. Glavine -R -1½ +165 7 ½ +110 -130

PARLAY:

A parlay bet involves combining the outcomes of two or more bets in a single wager. One type of parlay might string together the outcomes of three different games in one $20 wager. For the parlay to payoff, you must win all of your bets. If you’re wrong on even one of your choices, you lose. You may parlay within one game, amongst various contests or amongst various sports, combining baseball, basketball, and NASCAR wagers.

People like to parlay their bets because the payoffs are much higher than on individual wagers. Your return is larger due to the fact that with a parlay you are automatically reinvesting your winnings. A $10 wager may have a $16 payoff, but using that same $10 bet in a parlay that includes 3 wagers would result in a payoff of approximately $120. Although the risk is certainly greater, many bettors feel the chance of garnering a greater return is worth it.

PROPOSITIONS:

Propositions or “props” are bets that focus on one specific aspect of the game or an entire season. Prop bets include two or more outcomes and are not related to the final score of a game. Wagers on who will win the batting crown, whether or not anyone will hit .400 or better, and how many pitchers will win 20 or more games this year are all examples of props. Other propositions include putting money on whether or not Mark McGwire will be elected to the Hall of Fame in 2007, whether or not Barry Bonds will break Hank Aarons’ homerun record, and who will get more Hall of Fame votes in 2007—Cal Ripken or Tony Gwynn?

These wagers may carry a money line and if you hit one, it can be very lucrative. Betting $10 on Derrick Jeter (+2500) having the highest batting average in the majors would result in a $250 payday. Basic odds or multipliers may also be used to calculate a payoff. Whatever method is used, it will be stated clearly with the proposition.

There are also props you can play each day, which usually pit the totals of one player against another player or one team against another club. The odds for propositions based on a seasonal outcome will change throughout the season. Your payoff odds are the ones you were given when you placed your wager. It’s rare that you’ll be allowed to parlay a prop bet (props that can be combined are called “exotics.”)

These are some of the more popular wagers you can place on a ball game. Some are certainly riskier than others, but all of these different bets can be researched prior to putting your money down. Before wagering, take some time to check out the landscape, understand the risks and potential payoffs, and study the teams or individuals on which you’re placing your cash. There are no guarantees, but an educated better with a solid long-term plan has more of a chance of winning than someone who acts on emotion and in a scattershot manner.

Have fun and play ball!

This article was written by Paul Mroczka for http://www.thegreek.com/. The Greek Sportsbook & Casino is a must have sports betting and entertainment portal with one of the largest wagering menus available online. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link pointing to http://www.thegreek.com/.

Unusual Baseball Statistics

Statistics - I love ‘em

I have been fascinated by some of the statistics that have been amassed by some of the major leaguers. Viewing some players numbers has amazed me. My Baseball memorabilia are these amazing stats.

Here are a few achievements I thought might interest you.

Rogers Hornsby
From 1921 to 1925 he batted 2679 times -
He hit safely 1078 times
And averaged .402 during this five year run. Not too shabby

From ages 36 to 41 - his final six years in the Majors
he batted 350 times total
Hit safely 105 times and fell 70 hits short of
3000 hits for his career. Maybe he could have planned better

Lou Gehrig
From 1930 to 1934 he drove in 813 runs
An average of 162 RBIs per year - Enough said
The man was a run producing machine

Ty Cobb
He had 1937 RBIs in his career
He never hit more than 12 home runs in a single year
Seven times he knocked in over 100 runs

Runs Batted In
These following stats are based on a per game basis
Here are a few of the highest numbers
As you can see - no one player averaged one run per game
Lou Gehrig .921
Hank Greenburg .915
Joe Dimaggio .885
Jimmy Foxx .859
Hey where’s The Babe?

These RBIs are based on a per at bat basis
Here are some of the highest
Babe Ruth .263
Lou Gehrig .249
Hank Greenburg .249

I hope you enjoyed these unusual stats.

Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. What do you like about baseball? Do you love inspiring quotes, unusual statistics or heartwarming baseball stories? If you love baseball you will love this ezine. http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com/index.php?tag=isnare To contact Aron - aron@baseballsprideandjoy.com

The History Of Baseball

Baseball is often referred to as the Great American Pastime and it is funny to think that the exact history of baseball is vastly unknown. General historians mostly believe that it is roughly based on an English game called rounders. The game grew in popular in the north east around the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. The precise name of the sport had adjusted several times from “base”, to “roundball” to “cricket” throughout the beginnings of baseball history.

At that same timeframe of the early nineteenth century a number of cities began to form teams and leagues. The sport began to grow in popularity enough that the players and patrons of the game decided that they really needed to formalize the specifics of the game. So in 1845 Alexander Cartwright began formulating a list of rules that all teams are to follow by and ironically enough a number of those rules are still followed today. Cartwright is believed to have been the actual founder of the game and not Abner Doubleday say baseball historians. Cartwright was a fireman that formulated the basic premise of the sport and is credited with creating the first teams that used to play in New York with other fireman. He was credited with forming the Knickerbockers Baseball Club which sculpted baseball history. He then decided to follow the riches of the California Gold Mine and began spreading the game westward. His travels helped to expand this new game throughout the country.

The very first game of record actually took place a year after Cartwright developed his team in 1846. Ironically his team the Knickerbockers lost to the Baseball Club in a game at the Elysian Fields in Hoboken, NJ. As word spread of this interesting game it became more popular and began to have many more participants. So in the 1850’s a number of teams in the northeast came together to discuss rules and expanding the game and in 1858 they created the National Assoc. of Baseball Players, which is recognized as the first baseball league ever created in the history of baseball.

The sport blossomed in the late 1850’s as membership grew from 100 to over 400 teams and then the Civil War came about. The 1860’s civil war time decimated the interest in baseball as there was obviously no time for baseball. Yet, interestingly enough baseball began to travel to other areas throughout the country. Once the war ended the sport began to blossom again. Teams grew and cities throughout the country began to take interest and began to play one another.

The NABP was initially supposed to only be comprised of amateur athletes but like any sport it became very competitive and the best players were compensated which obviously has stood the time of baseball history. The sport began to change in 1869 when the Cincinnati Red Stockings (soon to be the Cincinnati Reds) decided to become the first professional team and pay there players. The Wright brothers who owned the team decided to recruit the best talent from around the country and they challenged all comers. They were so good that they went 65 and 0. With such little competition the idea of creating a completely professional league was sparked and in 1871 the National Association was developed.

Then in 1876 the National League was created as the National Association was dissolved. The National League which is still in existence today had a stronghold on all the major cities of the time and maintained the best players. In the early 1900’s the American and National league were formed which as we all know still remains. These changes in the 1900’s established the two leagues, the world series and established player contracts. The history of baseball had firmly been formed and was well on its way to establishing itself as the Great American Pastime.

http://www.RecruitCity.com

A Little About Baseball History

There is evidence to suggest that in terms of baseball history, people played games that involved a stick and a ball, right back to the early days of civilization. Ancient cultures in Persia, Egypt, and Greece played ball and stick games for recreation and as part of special ceremonies where celebrations were rituals. Ball and stick games of this type spread throughout Europe in the Middle Ages and became even popular as different varieties took hold. Europeans brought ball and stick games to the American colonies as early as the 1600s. Until the late 1700s, however, they were widely considered children’s games.

By the early 1800s, a variety of ball and stick games had also become popular in North America. Many people in northeastern cities such as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia played cricket, but rounders also began to take hold. Rounders most closely resembled modern baseball as we know it now.

This early version of baseball history then known as rounders, required a batter to strike a ball and run around bases without being caught out. Balls that were caught on the fly, or in some cases after one bounce, were commonly known as outs.

Varieties of rounders also involved the practice of plugging, soaking, or stinging the batter. This was where fielders could put runners out by throwing the ball at them as they ran between the bases. People used various names to describe it rounders depending on what part of the country you were in. It was also known as town ball, one o’ cat, and base ball (hence the now shortened version we know as baseball).

Americans began playing baseball in informal competitions in the early 1800s. By the 1860s, the sport, was being described as America's "national pastime." In 1845 Alexander Cartwright and the members of the New York Knickerbocker Base Ball Club, devised the first rules and regulations for the modern game of baseball. The first game was held at the Elysian Fields, in New Jersey.

In 1858, the National Association of Base Ball Players, the first organized baseball league with tournaments and competitions between clubs was formed and in 1876 the first major league, the National League, was formed. This allowed states to play against other states. State teams were fed players from local leagues where the cream of the crop was selected to play for the states League team. Baseball is know one of the most popular sports in the country.

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