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World Table Tennis Day celebrated with fanfare in Gujarat India successfully hosted the global flagship celebration of World Table Tennis Day 2026 in Kapadwanj, Gujarat, marking a historic first for the country and commemorating 100 years of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).Centred around the theme “Health & Well-Being” and the slogan “Table Tennis Moves You,” the event showcased how table tennis can serve as a simple, accessible tool to promote physical activity, mental wellness, and social inclusion. The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College.  | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College.  | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The celebration was held in the presence of ITTF President Petra Sörling; Vita Dani, Governing Board Member of ITTF Foundation; ITTF Foundation Director Leandro Olvech; Sharath Kamal, five-time Olympian and ITTF Foundation ambassador, commentator Adam Bobrow, and representatives from ESN Spinsight.ALSO READ | U Mumba TT retains title-winning coaching duo; Chakraborty set for Ultimate Table Tennis debut in Season 7Sörling said: ”India’s hosting of World Table Tennis Day 2026 is a proud moment for our global table tennis family. The message of this day is as simple as the sport itself: everyone is welcome at the table. Whether you play for fun, for fitness, for friendship, or with the ambition to reach the very top, this day is yours.”“As the ITTF marks its centenary, this is the vision we carry forward: a sport that welcomes everyone, regardless of age, ability, or background. Today, in Kapadwanj, we see the real, positive impact table tennis can have in connecting communities. That is what our sport has offered the world for 100 years, and what it will continue to offer for the next hundred.”Kapadwanj’s selection as host city reflected more than three years of sustained grassroots work through the Smash Barriers programme, implemented locally by Kapadwanj Kelavani Mandal in partnership with Dani Sports Foundation. The initiative has been using table tennis as a tool for inclusion, health, and community development, engaging children, youth, families, and persons with disabilities.World Table Tennis Day 2026 served as a culmination of this ongoing effort, offering a live, on-ground showcase of how sport can create lasting, community-led impact. The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College. The event was designed as an interactive and inclusive experience.The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time.Key highlights included inclusive table tennis activities across age groups and abilities, exhibition matches, cultural performances rooted in the local context, and a special “100 Years of ITTF” showcase celebrating the sport’s global legacy.Reflecting on the occasion, Vita Dani said, “The health benefits of table tennis are truly unmatched, and it remains one of the most accessible sports in the world. To celebrate a sport so close to my heart, in a place that means so much to me, makes this moment incredibly special. What adds to the significance is marking 100 years of the federation, and for India to have the honour of hosting and celebrating this milestone makes it even more meaningful.”Published on Apr 23, 2026 #World #Table #Tennis #Day #celebrated #fanfare #Gujarat

World Table Tennis Day celebrated with fanfare in Gujarat

India successfully hosted the global flagship celebration of World Table Tennis Day 2026 in Kapadwanj, Gujarat, marking a historic first for the country and commemorating 100 years of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

Centred around the theme “Health & Well-Being” and the slogan “Table Tennis Moves You,” the event showcased how table tennis can serve as a simple, accessible tool to promote physical activity, mental wellness, and social inclusion.

World Table Tennis Day celebrated with fanfare in Gujarat India successfully hosted the global flagship celebration of World Table Tennis Day 2026 in Kapadwanj, Gujarat, marking a historic first for the country and commemorating 100 years of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).Centred around the theme “Health & Well-Being” and the slogan “Table Tennis Moves You,” the event showcased how table tennis can serve as a simple, accessible tool to promote physical activity, mental wellness, and social inclusion. The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College.  | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College.  | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The celebration was held in the presence of ITTF President Petra Sörling; Vita Dani, Governing Board Member of ITTF Foundation; ITTF Foundation Director Leandro Olvech; Sharath Kamal, five-time Olympian and ITTF Foundation ambassador, commentator Adam Bobrow, and representatives from ESN Spinsight.ALSO READ | U Mumba TT retains title-winning coaching duo; Chakraborty set for Ultimate Table Tennis debut in Season 7Sörling said: ”India’s hosting of World Table Tennis Day 2026 is a proud moment for our global table tennis family. The message of this day is as simple as the sport itself: everyone is welcome at the table. Whether you play for fun, for fitness, for friendship, or with the ambition to reach the very top, this day is yours.”“As the ITTF marks its centenary, this is the vision we carry forward: a sport that welcomes everyone, regardless of age, ability, or background. Today, in Kapadwanj, we see the real, positive impact table tennis can have in connecting communities. That is what our sport has offered the world for 100 years, and what it will continue to offer for the next hundred.”Kapadwanj’s selection as host city reflected more than three years of sustained grassroots work through the Smash Barriers programme, implemented locally by Kapadwanj Kelavani Mandal in partnership with Dani Sports Foundation. The initiative has been using table tennis as a tool for inclusion, health, and community development, engaging children, youth, families, and persons with disabilities.World Table Tennis Day 2026 served as a culmination of this ongoing effort, offering a live, on-ground showcase of how sport can create lasting, community-led impact. The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College. The event was designed as an interactive and inclusive experience.The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time.Key highlights included inclusive table tennis activities across age groups and abilities, exhibition matches, cultural performances rooted in the local context, and a special “100 Years of ITTF” showcase celebrating the sport’s global legacy.Reflecting on the occasion, Vita Dani said, “The health benefits of table tennis are truly unmatched, and it remains one of the most accessible sports in the world. To celebrate a sport so close to my heart, in a place that means so much to me, makes this moment incredibly special. What adds to the significance is marking 100 years of the federation, and for India to have the honour of hosting and celebrating this milestone makes it even more meaningful.”Published on Apr 23, 2026 #World #Table #Tennis #Day #celebrated #fanfare #Gujarat

The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College.  | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

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The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College.  | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The celebration was held in the presence of ITTF President Petra Sörling; Vita Dani, Governing Board Member of ITTF Foundation; ITTF Foundation Director Leandro Olvech; Sharath Kamal, five-time Olympian and ITTF Foundation ambassador, commentator Adam Bobrow, and representatives from ESN Spinsight.

ALSO READ | U Mumba TT retains title-winning coaching duo; Chakraborty set for Ultimate Table Tennis debut in Season 7

Sörling said: ”India’s hosting of World Table Tennis Day 2026 is a proud moment for our global table tennis family. The message of this day is as simple as the sport itself: everyone is welcome at the table. Whether you play for fun, for fitness, for friendship, or with the ambition to reach the very top, this day is yours.”

“As the ITTF marks its centenary, this is the vision we carry forward: a sport that welcomes everyone, regardless of age, ability, or background. Today, in Kapadwanj, we see the real, positive impact table tennis can have in connecting communities. That is what our sport has offered the world for 100 years, and what it will continue to offer for the next hundred.”

Kapadwanj’s selection as host city reflected more than three years of sustained grassroots work through the Smash Barriers programme, implemented locally by Kapadwanj Kelavani Mandal in partnership with Dani Sports Foundation. The initiative has been using table tennis as a tool for inclusion, health, and community development, engaging children, youth, families, and persons with disabilities.

World Table Tennis Day 2026 served as a culmination of this ongoing effort, offering a live, on-ground showcase of how sport can create lasting, community-led impact.

The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time.

The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

lightbox-info

The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College. The event was designed as an interactive and inclusive experience.

The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time.

Key highlights included inclusive table tennis activities across age groups and abilities, exhibition matches, cultural performances rooted in the local context, and a special “100 Years of ITTF” showcase celebrating the sport’s global legacy.

Reflecting on the occasion, Vita Dani said, “The health benefits of table tennis are truly unmatched, and it remains one of the most accessible sports in the world. To celebrate a sport so close to my heart, in a place that means so much to me, makes this moment incredibly special. What adds to the significance is marking 100 years of the federation, and for India to have the honour of hosting and celebrating this milestone makes it even more meaningful.”

Published on Apr 23, 2026

#World #Table #Tennis #Day #celebrated #fanfare #Gujarat

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India successfully hosted the global flagship celebration of World Table Tennis Day 2026 in Kapadwanj, Gujarat, marking a historic first for the country and commemorating 100 years of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

Centred around the theme “Health & Well-Being” and the slogan “Table Tennis Moves You,” the event showcased how table tennis can serve as a simple, accessible tool to promote physical activity, mental wellness, and social inclusion.

The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College. 
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

lightbox-info

The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College. 
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The celebration was held in the presence of ITTF President Petra Sörling; Vita Dani, Governing Board Member of ITTF Foundation; ITTF Foundation Director Leandro Olvech; Sharath Kamal, five-time Olympian and ITTF Foundation ambassador, commentator Adam Bobrow, and representatives from ESN Spinsight.

ALSO READ | U Mumba TT retains title-winning coaching duo; Chakraborty set for Ultimate Table Tennis debut in Season 7

Sörling said: ”India’s hosting of World Table Tennis Day 2026 is a proud moment for our global table tennis family. The message of this day is as simple as the sport itself: everyone is welcome at the table. Whether you play for fun, for fitness, for friendship, or with the ambition to reach the very top, this day is yours.”

“As the ITTF marks its centenary, this is the vision we carry forward: a sport that welcomes everyone, regardless of age, ability, or background. Today, in Kapadwanj, we see the real, positive impact table tennis can have in connecting communities. That is what our sport has offered the world for 100 years, and what it will continue to offer for the next hundred.”

Kapadwanj’s selection as host city reflected more than three years of sustained grassroots work through the Smash Barriers programme, implemented locally by Kapadwanj Kelavani Mandal in partnership with Dani Sports Foundation. The initiative has been using table tennis as a tool for inclusion, health, and community development, engaging children, youth, families, and persons with disabilities.

World Table Tennis Day 2026 served as a culmination of this ongoing effort, offering a live, on-ground showcase of how sport can create lasting, community-led impact.

The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time.

The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

lightbox-info

The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The programme unfolded over two days, beginning with community visits and field immersions on April 22 across local institutions and neighbourhoods, followed by the main celebration on April 23 at Dani College. The event was designed as an interactive and inclusive experience.

The celebration brought together around 400 participants, including children, youth, families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, with approximately 200 people actively engaged at any given time.

Key highlights included inclusive table tennis activities across age groups and abilities, exhibition matches, cultural performances rooted in the local context, and a special “100 Years of ITTF” showcase celebrating the sport’s global legacy.

Reflecting on the occasion, Vita Dani said, “The health benefits of table tennis are truly unmatched, and it remains one of the most accessible sports in the world. To celebrate a sport so close to my heart, in a place that means so much to me, makes this moment incredibly special. What adds to the significance is marking 100 years of the federation, and for India to have the honour of hosting and celebrating this milestone makes it even more meaningful.”

Published on Apr 23, 2026

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Smart Glasses Are Eyeing the One Thing People Hate More Than Being Spied On<div> <p>If you don’t like the idea of someone <a href="https://gizmodo.com/ices-smart-glasses-are-a-worst-case-scenario-2000749003">recording you discreetly</a>, you probably don’t like <a href="https://gizmodo.com/we-need-to-talk-about-smart-glasses-2000661487">smart glasses</a>. Video and photo capture are easily some of the most divisive aspects of the form factor, if not <em>the </em>most divisive. However divisive the recording part is, though, there <em>are</em> unifying aspects of smart glasses with cameras—things that fans and critics can hate together. Take subscriptions, for example.</p> <p>As noted by <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/latitude-52-n-smart-glasses-from-ex-oneplus-engineers-have-a-hidden-cost/">Wired</a>, <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/latitude52n/latitude-52n-smart-ai-glasses-for-travel-and-adventure">L’Atitude 52°N</a>, a smart glasses company that successfully crowdfunded last year, just launched its Berlin model of AI specs, which is set to go on sale May 26, and they have one tiny little quirk that I haven’t seen yet, or at least not to this extent: the AI features on the smart glasses (a good deal of the stuff that might actually convince you to buy them) will all be paywalled after a year’s trial.</p> <figure id="attachment_2000749994" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2000749994" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-2000749994 size-full" src="https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/berlin-2.jpg" alt="Berlin smart glasses" width="1920" height="1280" srcset="https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/berlin-2.jpg 1920w, https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/berlin-2-336x224.jpg 336w, https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/berlin-2-1280x853.jpg 1280w, https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/berlin-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/berlin-2-672x448.jpg 672w, https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/berlin-2-960x640.jpg 960w, https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/berlin-2-1600x1067.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 1258px) calc((100vw - 3.68rem) * 2 / 3), 800px"/><figcaption id="caption-attachment-2000749994" class="wp-caption-text">© L’Atitude 52°N</figcaption></figure> <p>Per Wired, which spoke to L’Atitude 52°N CEO Gary Chen, there’s no word on how much the $399 smart glasses’ subscription will cost, but if you don’t pay up, Berlin will be limited to “base features,” which include playing music and capturing media. I guess anyone interested in buying Berlin will have to be okay with a looming, unknown cost down the road.</p> <p>It’s an interesting choice for a company that positions its smart glasses as being ideal for travel, pitching stuff like an “AI tour guide” that uses computer vision to provide information on your surroundings as a centerpiece of that travel functionality. Outside of a tour guide, the Berlin smart glasses also appear to lean into translation and a voice assistant in the AI department.</p> <p>On the bright side—call it transparency if you want—at least Chen is being honest about future ambitions to squeeze recurring profits out of anyone who buys the company’s smart glasses. A lot of the time, that’s just an unacknowledged minefield customers unknowingly step onto when buying any gadget with a cloud service.</p> <p>If you’re okay with potentially having to cough up a monthly sum to get the most out of your smart glasses, the Berlin look like a decent pair, but not quite the best. There’s no screen, but there’s a 12-megapixel camera, which is the same as the <a href="https://gizmodo.com/ray-ban-meta-gen-2-review-still-the-best-non-display-smart-glasses-2000664295">Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses</a>, though there’s a significant difference in capture resolution. The Berlin have a max recording resolution of 1080p, while the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses can record in 3K. They do look stylish, or at the very least unique, and if they can compete on open-ear audio, they might be a worthy consideration even with that very annoying subscription caveat.</p> <p>I’m skeptical that smart glasses are practical enough to justify paying for monthly, but I guess the only way to find out is by adding to everyone’s already Sisyphean monthly subscription budget.</p> </div>#Smart #Glasses #Eyeing #People #Hate #Spiedsmart glasses,wearables

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Deadspin | Larry Fitzgerald thanks all of Arizona: ‘You gave me a home’ Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026. One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home. After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl. Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison. Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad: People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life. But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story. It’s a thank-you letter. I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today. The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes. I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention. You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word. For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it. Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from. It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry. You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain. On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way. When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough. Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for. Belonging. And that sense of belonging changed me. After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own. So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton. It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything. Thank you, Arizona. Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own. Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man. You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football. You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong. Most of all, you gave me a home. With love and gratitude, (signed) Larry Fitzgerald HOF 26 –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #homePro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026.

One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home.

After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl.

Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison.

Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad:

People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life.

But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story.

It’s a thank-you letter.

I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today.

The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes.

I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention.

You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word.

For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it.

Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from.

It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry.

You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain.

On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way.


When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough.

Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for.

Belonging.

And that sense of belonging changed me.

After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own.

So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton.

It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything.

Thank you, Arizona.

Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own.

Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man.

You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football.

You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong.

Most of all, you gave me a home.

With love and gratitude,

(signed)

Larry Fitzgerald

HOF 26

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home">Deadspin | Larry Fitzgerald thanks all of Arizona: ‘You gave me a home’ Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026. One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home. After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl. Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison. Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad: People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life. But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story. It’s a thank-you letter. I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today. The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes. I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention. You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word. For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it. Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from. It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry. You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain. On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way. When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough. Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for. Belonging. And that sense of belonging changed me. After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own. So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton. It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything. Thank you, Arizona. Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own. Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man. You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football. You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong. Most of all, you gave me a home. With love and gratitude, (signed) Larry Fitzgerald HOF 26 –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home

When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.

The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.

The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.

That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.

On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.

Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.

But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.

I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.

One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.

There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.

I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.

Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making">Larry Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame induction is 25 years in the making When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it. #Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making

Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.

TOSS

Tiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XIs

Nellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky Bhasker

Tiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T Natarajan

Published on Aug 09, 2026

#TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings">TNPL 2026 Live: All-round batting display propels Nellai Royal Kings to 206/8 Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.TOSSTiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.PLAYING XIsNellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky BhaskerTiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T NatarajanPublished on Aug 09, 2026 #TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings

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