Hard to believe this fella with a .222 career minor league batting average will be in Cooperstown. Who is it?
The kid from Perrysburg, OH, was a scrapper, but when it came to hitting catcher Jim Leyland just couldn’t keep up. He spent parts of seven seasons in the Minor Leagues in the Detroit Tigers’ system, advancing as high a AA, but finished with a .222 batting average over 446 games. He had but 36 extra base hits and only 102 RBIs over those seven seasons.
What he could do, it turns out, was manage a little bit.
Detroit Tigers’ skipper, Jim Leyland, seen here before 2013 AL Playoff action at Oakland. (Photo by Jean Fruth)
Beginning as a 26-year-old with Detroit’s Rookie League Bristol team, Leyland spent the next 11 seasons the Tigers system before Tony LaRussa brought him to Chicago to help with his White Sox. Leyland then found his way to Pittsburgh (1986-96), Florida (1997-98), Colorado (1999) and Detroit (2006-13. All together, he managed 4,897 games over 33 seasons, including 3,499 in the Major Leagues (22 seasons).
He was manager of the year three times (1990, 1992, and 2006), won three Pennants (1997, 2006, and 2012), and the World Series in 1997 with the Marlins.
Now, after a lifetime in baseball, Leyland will have a plaque haning in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY, after being voted in by the Contemporary Baseball Era Non-Players Committee. His induction, along with the other three members of the Class of 2024 (Adrian Beltre, Todd Helton, and Joe Mauer) is July 21.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Between them, these two hands have held nine Wimbledon championship trophies. Who do they belong to?
Before they became a couple, Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi were pretty decent tennis players. Between them, they won Wimbleon nine times. OK, Graf won eight and Agassi one, but they’re both career Golden Slam winners (all four tennis Grand Slam events and an Olympic Gold Medal). Graf actually won all five in 1988 making her the only tennis player to have accomplished that feat.
The duo combined to win 30 Grand Slam singles championships (Graf 22 and Agassi 8) and began dating shortly after Graf won her final, the 1999 French Open. They wed October 22, 2001, with only their mothers attending as witnesses. Together have two two adult children.
Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, played a charity mixed doubles match in May 2009 against Kim Clijsters and Tim Henman on Wimbledon’s Centre Court to test its newly installed roof. (Photo by Chris Eason/Wikimedia Commons)
The photo from which this week’s Fan Teaser was created occurred when the pair were playing an exhibition mixed doubles match on May 17, 2009, as a way to christen the renovations to Wimbledon’s Centre Court which then debuted its retractable roof.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
Attempting to go Around the World in 80 Sporting Events means visiting some wonderful destinations and witnessing some monumental moments. Clockwise from upper left, the scoreboard at the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews’ Old Course; Roberto Clemente’s jersey in the Baseball Hall of Fame; downtown Cooperstown, NY; the Swilcan Bridge at St. Andrews; the author and the Stanley Cup at the Hockey Hall of Fame; and the Hoosiers’ gym in Knightstown, IN.
As noted in the previous installment, once some foundational guardrails were in place, it was up to me to determine what Around the World in 80 Sporting Events would encompass. That is, what events/venues would rise to the level of iconic for inclusion?
Fortunately, by the time I’d arrived at this point in the planning stages I was well into the second season of hosting the podcast, “Conversations with Sports Fans,” so I knew what a lot of other folks felt were notable sporting events. Plus, many just nominate themselves because of the significance around the event.
What follows is a list by sport. The number in parentheses next to the sport are the total events in that category. At the bottom of each grouping is a brief explanation (where needed) of what’s included.
Baseball (17)
One hopes any trip to Wrigley Field ends with “Cubs Win!”
St. Louis Cardinals-Chicago Cubs Game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL (Completed! Read about it here.)
New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox Game at Fenway Park in Boston, MA
San Francisco Giants-Los Angeles Dodgers Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA
MLB World Series Game in Toronto (Completed! Read about it here.)
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY (Completed! Read about it here.)
Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City, MO (Completed! Read about it here.)
Banana Ball in TBD
Men’s College World Series in Omaha, NE (Completed! Read about it here.)
Little League Boys World Series in South Williamsport, PA (Completed! Read about it here.)
“Field of Dreams” Film Site in Dyersville, IA (Completed! Read about it here.)
Midnight Sun Game in Fairbanks, AK (Completed! Read about it here.)
Nippon Baseball League Game in Japan (Completed! Read about it here.)
Korean Baseball Organization Game in South Korea (Completed! Read about it here.)
MLB Grapefruit League Game(s) in Florida
MLB Cactus League Game(s) in Arizona
World Baseball Classic Game(s) in TBD
Caribbean Series Game(s) in TBD
Baseball was the first sport I was really exposed to so it should come as no surprise it’s the one that has the most events. … The three longest standing and, perhaps, most fierce rivalries in the game are the three listed above. In a perfect world I’d attend a game in all six locations, but this world is neither perfect nor free so I had to make a difficult decision and chose the three oldest ballparks. … Cooperstown is as close to Valhalla for me as I’ll find and I’ve heard way too much about the Negro Leagues Museum to not include it. … As noted previously, I have history in Fairbanks so returning there for the Midnight Sun Game (game time, 10 p.m., no artificial lighting used) seems fitting. … The remainder are all opportunities for me to experience baseball through the lens of other cultures.
Basketball (16)
New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY (Completed! Read about it here.)
Duke University at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC
Kansas University at Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, KS (Completed! Read about it here.)
Butler University at Hinkle Field House in Indianapolis, IN (Completed! Read about it here.)
UCLA at Pauley Pavilion in Brentwood, CA
A Big 5 Game at the Palestra in Philadelphia, PA
Indiana High School Basketball (preferably an early-round tournament game) (Completed! Read about it here.)
“Hoosiers’ Gym in Knightstown, IN (Completed! Read about it here.)
Maui Invitational Games in Lahaina, HI
Men’s NCAA Final Four Games in TBD
Women’s NCAA Final Four Games in TBD
Men’s NCAA Tournament Opening Week in Las Vegas, NV
Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers in TBD
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA (Completed! Read about it here.)
UConn Women’s Basketball Game at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, CT (Completed! Read about it here.)
Calvin vs. Hope Men’s Basketball in “The Rivalry” in Holland, MI
Growing up in basketball-mad Indiana, having 14 basketball events should not shock anyone either, I’d guess. … With a nod to my Hoosier roots, seeing the gym where “Hoosiers” was filmed is a must, as is a high school game, and a visit to Butler’s Hinkle Field House. … The five other venues I’d like to visit are, simply, those that captured my fascination through years of fandom. They are old-school gyms that anytime the networks have been there have tugged at me to pay homage someday. … The Maui Classic has been such a part of Thanksgiving week for me that I want to experience that environment in person. … Some might call the inclusion of the Women’s Final Four the Caitlin Clark effect, but I’ve been tuning into those games for the better part of a decade. Clark sucked me into some more early round action, but I love the current women’s college game and believe it’s time I see some in person, including a pilgrimage to Storrs, CT, to see UConn in Gampel Pavilion.
Football (16)
It’s long been a dream to see a Rose Bowl in person.
Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving Day Game (Completed! Read about it here.)
Ohio State-Michigan (The Game) in Ann Arbor, MI (Completed! Read about it here.)
Auburn-Alabama (The Iron Bowl) in Tuscaloosa, AL (Completed! Read about it here.)
Ole Miss-Mississippi (The Egg Bowl) in Oxford, MI (Completed! Read about it here.)
USC-Notre Dame in South Bend, IN (Completed! Read about it here.)
Army-Navy Game in TBD
Texas High School Football Game in Odessa, TX (Completed! Read about it here.)
Oklahoma-Texas at Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX (Completed! Read about it here.)
Dallas Cowboys Game in Arlington, TX (Completed! Read about it here.)
Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, WI (Completed! Read about it here.)
The Rose Bowl and Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA (Completed! Read about it here.)
NCAA FCS National Championship Game in Nashville, TN (Completed! Read about it here.)
Super Bowl in TBD
Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup in Winnipeg, MB (Completed! Read about it here.
A North Dakota State Bison (a FCS powerhouse) Game in the Fargodome (Completed! Read about it here.)
Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH (Completed! Read about it here.)
Of North America’s four major sports, football is probably the one I’m least likely to view from contest beginning to end. That said, Keith Jackson and John Madden made it enjoyable and Brent Musburger telling spectators “you’re looking live at (fill-in-the-blank)” made many games feel more significant than they actually were. … The Rose Bowl has been the quintesseential college football dream for this midwesterner and it needs to come with the Parade as a nod to my late mother who loved watching each year. … If I have my druthers, the Texas high school game will be at Permian in Odessa where “Friday Night Lights” was based. And, as fate has it this year, Permian’s home on a Friday, the Red River Rivalry is on Saturday, and the Cowboys host the Lions on Sunday. … Still to be determined is which rival I see the Packers host at Lambeau Field. What say you sports fan nation?
Hockey (11)
NHL Winter Classic in TBD
Montreal-Toronto Game in Toronto, ON (Completed! Read about it here.)
Calgary-Edmonton Game in Edmonton, AB
New York Rangers Game at Madison Square Garden in NY (Completed! Read about it here.)
2026 World Junior Tourament in St. Paul, MN
U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, MN
Minnesota High School Hockey Game in TBD
Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, ON (Completed! Read about it here.)
Stanley Cup Trophy Presentation in TBD
Michigan State University-University of Michigan at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor
University of Maine-University of New Hampshire at Alfond Arena in Orono, ME
I may be a Hoosier native, but my most formative years were in metro-Detroit (aka Hockeytown) and I covered college hockey for the Ann Arbor News and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner so there’s some hockey love within. I’m not as enamored with the Winter Classic as I am the Rose Bowl, but some of the images from New Year’s Days past have been too cool. … Similar to the baseball rivalries above, there were the two I most wanted to see and a decision was needed for which city to see them. Edmonton was the Detroit Red Wings’ nemesis a few seasons in the 1980s so it’d be neat to see it in person and Toronto is drivable and that gives it the nod. … Every year during college hockey season, handful of players from U-M would head off the World Juniors. With the advent of streaming services it’s become more accessible and it comes to the U.S. in 2026. … Much like high school basketball in Indiana and football in Texas, hockey in Minnesota borders on a religion so it seems natural to want to check it out. … There’s only one trophy in sport I’d like to see presented and that’s the Stanley Cup. It might mean having to do multiple cross-continental flights and pay obscence resale ticket prices to do it, but I’m here for the challenge.
Golf (8)
The 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.
The Masters in Augusta, GA
PGA Championship in Newtown Square, PA
U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina (Completed! Read about it here.)
The Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland (Completed! Read about it here.)
The Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in Long Island, NY (Completed! Read about it here.)
The President’s Cup at Royal Montreal in Montreal (Completed! Read about it here.)
The Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Jonese Golf Club in Gainesville, VA (Completed! Read about it here.)
Pebble Beach Pro-Am in Pebble Beach, CA
My dad was and is an avid golf fan and that’s no doubt rubbed off on me, though my playing days are long behind me. That said, there are four Major Championships, so it follows that they all should be patronized. The men’s and women’s team competitions are captivating to me and the scenery at Pebble Beach is virtually unparalleled.
Tennis (4)
Australian Open
French Open
Wimbledon
U.S. Open
Four Grand Slam events = four tennis tournaments to visit.
Futbol/Soccer (5)
World Cup 2026 logo.
Men’s World Cup Match(es) in North America (2026)
English Premier League Match(es) in TBD
Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco (2025)
South American World Cup Qualifying in Argentina (Completed! Read about it here.)
European Soccer Match(es) [Champions League, Europa League, or Bundesliga/La Liga/Ligue 1/Serie A] in TBD
We’ll call it the “Ted Lasso” effect. I do enjoy my weekend mornings checking out soccer from across the pond, plus many of my friends have clubs they follow. … As far as the African and South American matches, we can’t very well call this project Around the World in 80 Sporting Events and not get to six of the seven contintents can we?
Motor Sports (6)
Daytona 500 in Daytona, FL
Indianapolis 500 in Indianapolis, IN (Completed! Read about it here.)
Formula 1 in TBD (preferably overseas)
NASCAR Bristol Night Race in Bristol, TN
NASCAR Cup Semifinal in Martinsville, VA (Completed! Read about it here.)
AMA Supercross in Detroit, MI
The first three were pretty straightfoward. The final two, I’m relying on my NASCAR friends Frank and Kevin to not steer me wrong (see what I did there;-)
Horse Racing (3)
Kentucky Derby in Louisville, KY
Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, MD
Belmont Stakes, in Saratoga, NY
I’m sure the Breeder’s Cup is a phenomenal event, but these are the three races that have piqued my curiosity through the years (typically in descending order as well).
Others (10)
The peloton from Stage 5 of the 2024 Tour de France (Video from Tim Parker)
Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy (2026)
Iditarod Sled Dog Race in Alaska
Boston Marathon in Boston, MA
Championship Boxing Match(es) (Completed! Read about it here.)
Tour de France
Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, OK
Rodeo at Frontier Days in Cheyenne, WY (Completed! Read about it here.)
NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament in Madison, WI (Completed! Read about it here.)
The timebound nature of this quest (a goal of completing by 2027) prevents me from getting to a Summer Olympics (Los Angeles in 2028 is on my list of next things to do!) so the Winter will be enjoyable. … I’ve already referenced my Alaska history so seeing the start (or the finish) of the Iditarod beckons. … The Boston Marathon and Tour de France are both so noteworthy I believe they must be sampled in person. … I’ve long enjoyed the WCWS and welcome the opportunity to swelter in the blazing sun and occasional severe weather alerts around my birthday someday. … I’d not call myself a rodeo fan, but seeing an event such as this as part of Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming just seems right.
My math teaching friends have no doubt calculated there are actually 87 events listed. This is, in fact, accurate. I’m of the belief I need to overplan and cut (or swap out) as the process unfolds. Myriad things can occur between now and the proposed completion of this venture so it’s good to have options in the event something comes up.
Anyhow, let the gnashing of teeth begin. What am I missing? What am I overvaluing? Should it be Vikings-Packers or Bears-Packers at Lambeau? Do you want to attend any of these events with me? Let me know in the comments or by emailing me at hilldouglast@gmail.com.
(About the Series: Based upon my Conversation with guest Derek Meinecke, I’m going back in time to be in the stands at 10 sporting events. This week, it’s #6. You’re able to find links to the previous installments below.)
Bjorn Borg celebrates the final point of the 1980 Wimbledon Championship against John McEnroe.
I’ve written previously about the special place the Wimbledon Championships hold in my heart. It’s neither because I’ve ever been there nor because I’m a hardcore tennis fan. Basically, my fondness was borne of tennis being about the only thing on the television each Fourth of July weekend at my grandmother’s lake cottage in northern Indiana before frolicking in the water was allowed.
Strawberries and cream nothing; more like Fruit Loops and 2% milk for me!
Anyhow, on July 5, 1980, I was a 13-year-old rising eighth grader. I may have been camped in front of my grandmother’s 19-inch color RCA TV along the shores of Oliver Lake, watching Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe battle for the Championship. Honestly, I can’t remember.
Borg celebrates the win on his knees while McEnroe laid out in an effort to salvage a point in the fourth-set tiebreaker.
The point is, I wish I was. Heck, I wish I was at Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club which is why I’m climbing into the way back machine to head back in time to witness this epic 3 hours, 53 minute 5-set masterpiece.
As much as anything, I want to be there for the fourth-set tiebreaker that McEnroe won, 18-16. The tiebreaker alone lasted over 20 minutes. It was like watching the final round of Rocky on repeat. McEnroe fended off championship point after championship point before ultimately prevailing to force the fifth set.
Check out the fourth-set tiebreaker seen here in its entirety.
I’ve never been a spectator at a professional tennis match, but I suspect this one would’ve kept me in my seat and engaged. Seeing two future Hall of Famers at the height of their game playing in a Grand Slam final on what has to be considered the sport’s most iconic venue on the planet (sorry, Roland Garros) seems a no-brainer for me to head back in time to witness in person.
The full final match of the 1980 Wimbledon Championship.
While the celebratory fist pump has probably been around since basketball shorts were made of silk and had belt buckles, this guy took it to a whole other level.
A happy early 71st birthday to one of America’s male tennis legends – Jimmy Connors. Connors’ birthday is September 2nd and he’ll no doubt cast a glance at the proceedings in Flushing Meadows, NY, as the U.S. Open will be closing in on its second week of action.
The image for this week’s Fan Teaser is taken from his improbable 1991 U.S. Open run when, as a 39-year-old, he was admitted as a wildcard entrant and then progressed to the semifinals where he was ousted by Jim Courier. At the bottom, today, is video of an epic point in his quarterfinal matchup with Paul Haaruis.
Fun fact we didn’t know until doing some Connors’ research, he only played in two Australian Opens (1974, winner, and 1975, runner-up) as it was not common until the mid-1980s for high-ranked non-Aussies to travel to Melbourne for the tournament.
Jimmy Connors knew how to play to the crowd (and pump himself up) and frequently deployed the fist pump to do both.
Connors breaks Paul Haaruis during the 1991 U.S. Open.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
As I slowly got sucked in for all 4 hours and 42 minutes of the Wimbledon Men’s Championship this weekend, a random thought crossed my mind.
Is the groundsman at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club reacting the same way to the huge swaths of dirt patches that have developed in their treasured patch of grass the same way our parents did when, through repeated front yard summer baseball/Wiffle ball games, similar dirt patches developed where the batter’s box was?
And, if so, what are the consequences for the players? Do they need to change their position for service/return as we did for homeplate? Are they obligated to help with reseeding/regrowing next spring?
Just wondering:-)
Cheers to Carlos Alcaraz and Marketa Vondrousova on their victories and helping provide the viewing world with a remarkable fortnight.
Curls get the girls! Or in this case, an irradiated arm from swinging dead cat guts around. Gotta name both the wildly impressed grinning gal and Mr. Bicep.
Riggs had won the trifecta at Wimbledon in 1939, claiming the men’s singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles titles. He then lost much of his prime to World War II.
Three decades later, Riggs – the consumate self-promoter – found a way to elevate his name again by taunting female tennis players. Initially, this led to him playing Margaret Court in 1972 (Riggs won, 6-2, 6-1) before the King match occurred the following year in the Houston Astrodome before over 30,000 spectators and estimates of 90 million tuning in via television. King won the match, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs promote 1973’s Battle of the Sexes.
Albeit a lower quality, here is the ABC Sports telecast of the match. (As a Special Bonus: Howard Cosell is on the microphone.)
Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
In many ways, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg were Wimbledon for the better part of a decade.
Between the two they won eight of the nine Wimbledon Championships contested between 1976-1984. (Borg won five straight [’76-’80]). Perhaps the most memorable of all the matches contested (they met in only two Wimbledon finals, 1980 and 1981) was the fourth-set tiebreaker of that 1980 championship. With Borg leading the match two sets to one, McEnroe prevailed 18-16 in this epic 20-plus minute tiebreaker, before falling 8-6 in the decisive fifth set. (See the entire tiebreaker below.)
Just for fun, here is John McEnroe’s commencement address to the Stanford University Class of 2023 from last month. It is, shall we say, on brand for Johnny Mac.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
I’ve written in this space before about my repeated rejections from the fine folks at Augusta National in my annual sisyphean pursuit to win the drawing for The Masters tickets.
In an effort to enhance my chances of seeing one of these “must see” events I added to my annual lottery pursuits the “Wimbledon Ticket Ballot.”
Last week I received the image below and, in the words of Ian Eagle – the new voice of NCAA March Madness on CBS and Turner: “Rejected!”
But at least I have this going for me … if I’m so inclined.
These boots were made for winnin’.Serena Williams during the 2004 U.S. Open Championships. (Photo by Al Bello)
While the year’s first tennis major championship enters its second week in Melbourne, Australia, we felt it appropriate to take a look back at Serena Williams, a 7-time Aussie singles champion, 4-time doubles champ, and 1-time mixed doubles winner. Always one to make a statement on the tennis court – with both her play and her fashion sense! – Williams certainly accomplished that with these high tops and one-piece number from the 2004 U.S. Open. Arguably the greatest female tennis player ever, she has 23 Grand Slam titles to support whatever on-court ensemble she chose. Vogue magazine published a piece two years ago highlighting 39 of these outfits. Check it out here.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you by the early kickoff on Sunday.
