×
Deadspin | Michigan heavy favorite to complete dominant title run vs. UConn Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) high fives forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) during the second half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images UConn has won two of the past three national championships but will enter Monday night’s title game against Michigan as a heavy underdog. That’s because the top-seeded Wolverines have blitzed through their first five games of the NCAA Tournament, winning by an average of 21.6 points. That includes an 18-point dismantling of fellow No. 1 seed Arizona on Saturday night in a game that wasn’t even as close as the final score. UConn, the No. 2 seed in the East, followed a dramatic upset of No. 1 Duke in the Elite Eight with a systematic breakdown of No. 3 seed Illinois. Still, the Huskies will enter Monday night as the underdog for their third consecutive game. Michigan was a consensus 7.0-point favorite across major sportsbooks on Sunday, with the Wolverines seeking to become the first Big Ten team to win the national title since the 1999-2000 season. The line was sitting at 6.5 points at both BetMGM and DraftKings, where the line opened at 7.5. The total points line at 144.5 at both books. At DraftKings, the shortest odds on the winning margin was Michigan to win by 3-6 points at +425, followed by a Wolverines victory by 10-13 points at +450. UConn’s shortest odds for a victory were 3-6 points at +800. The Wolverines are the 10th Big Ten team to reach the final in a season that began this century, but the most recent team to cut down the nets remains Michigan State in 1999-2000. Michigan looking to complete a turnaround that saw the program stumble to an 8-24 finish just two years ago. UConn is in the final for the third time in four years, but will go up against a Michigan team that already is the first in history to score at least 90 points five times in a single NCAA Tournament. “We know it’s just one more, so we’re going to try to get it,” Michigan’s Aday Mara said after Saturday’s beat down of Arizona. The Huskies certainly have recent history on their site, and coach Dan Hurley will enter Monday night with a 350-179 career coaching record along with that pair of national titles. No program has won three in a four-year span since the 1972-75 UCLA Bruins. UConn has 18 wins this season in which it has held its opponent under 40 percent shooting, and the Huskies held Illinois to 33.9% shooting from three-point range on Saturdya. “We’re a group of fighters. It’s not appealing to everyone,” Hurley said. “I’m sure there’s some people in here that it’s off-putting for. But we are a group of fighters. We are incredibly tough. We’ve got incredible will. We go into these games, we’re ready for battle. “Again, for us it’s not a game that we’re just kind of running around in uniforms throwing the ball around, hoping it goes in. That’s not what we’re doing out there. We’re fighting. It’s a life-and-death struggle for us to get to Monday night for the opportunity to win a championship, and then just to be able to prolong this season with each other and to make the people of Connecticut proud, to make the university proud and all the former great players.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Michigan #heavy #favorite #complete #dominant #title #run #UConn

Deadspin | Michigan heavy favorite to complete dominant title run vs. UConn
Deadspin | Michigan heavy favorite to complete dominant title run vs. UConn Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) high fives forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) during the second half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images UConn has won two of the past three national championships but will enter Monday night’s title game against Michigan as a heavy underdog. That’s because the top-seeded Wolverines have blitzed through their first five games of the NCAA Tournament, winning by an average of 21.6 points. That includes an 18-point dismantling of fellow No. 1 seed Arizona on Saturday night in a game that wasn’t even as close as the final score. UConn, the No. 2 seed in the East, followed a dramatic upset of No. 1 Duke in the Elite Eight with a systematic breakdown of No. 3 seed Illinois. Still, the Huskies will enter Monday night as the underdog for their third consecutive game. Michigan was a consensus 7.0-point favorite across major sportsbooks on Sunday, with the Wolverines seeking to become the first Big Ten team to win the national title since the 1999-2000 season. The line was sitting at 6.5 points at both BetMGM and DraftKings, where the line opened at 7.5. The total points line at 144.5 at both books. At DraftKings, the shortest odds on the winning margin was Michigan to win by 3-6 points at +425, followed by a Wolverines victory by 10-13 points at +450. UConn’s shortest odds for a victory were 3-6 points at +800. The Wolverines are the 10th Big Ten team to reach the final in a season that began this century, but the most recent team to cut down the nets remains Michigan State in 1999-2000. Michigan looking to complete a turnaround that saw the program stumble to an 8-24 finish just two years ago. UConn is in the final for the third time in four years, but will go up against a Michigan team that already is the first in history to score at least 90 points five times in a single NCAA Tournament. “We know it’s just one more, so we’re going to try to get it,” Michigan’s Aday Mara said after Saturday’s beat down of Arizona. The Huskies certainly have recent history on their site, and coach Dan Hurley will enter Monday night with a 350-179 career coaching record along with that pair of national titles. No program has won three in a four-year span since the 1972-75 UCLA Bruins. UConn has 18 wins this season in which it has held its opponent under 40 percent shooting, and the Huskies held Illinois to 33.9% shooting from three-point range on Saturdya. “We’re a group of fighters. It’s not appealing to everyone,” Hurley said. “I’m sure there’s some people in here that it’s off-putting for. But we are a group of fighters. We are incredibly tough. We’ve got incredible will. We go into these games, we’re ready for battle. “Again, for us it’s not a game that we’re just kind of running around in uniforms throwing the ball around, hoping it goes in. That’s not what we’re doing out there. We’re fighting. It’s a life-and-death struggle for us to get to Monday night for the opportunity to win a championship, and then just to be able to prolong this season with each other and to make the people of Connecticut proud, to make the university proud and all the former great players.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Michigan #heavy #favorite #complete #dominant #title #run #UConnApr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) high fives forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) during the second half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

UConn has won two of the past three national championships but will enter Monday night’s title game against Michigan as a heavy underdog.

That’s because the top-seeded Wolverines have blitzed through their first five games of the NCAA Tournament, winning by an average of 21.6 points. That includes an 18-point dismantling of fellow No. 1 seed Arizona on Saturday night in a game that wasn’t even as close as the final score.

UConn, the No. 2 seed in the East, followed a dramatic upset of No. 1 Duke in the Elite Eight with a systematic breakdown of No. 3 seed Illinois. Still, the Huskies will enter Monday night as the underdog for their third consecutive game.

Michigan was a consensus 7.0-point favorite across major sportsbooks on Sunday, with the Wolverines seeking to become the first Big Ten team to win the national title since the 1999-2000 season.

The line was sitting at 6.5 points at both BetMGM and DraftKings, where the line opened at 7.5. The total points line at 144.5 at both books. At DraftKings, the shortest odds on the winning margin was Michigan to win by 3-6 points at +425, followed by a Wolverines victory by 10-13 points at +450. UConn’s shortest odds for a victory were 3-6 points at +800.

The Wolverines are the 10th Big Ten team to reach the final in a season that began this century, but the most recent team to cut down the nets remains Michigan State in 1999-2000. Michigan looking to complete a turnaround that saw the program stumble to an 8-24 finish just two years ago.


UConn is in the final for the third time in four years, but will go up against a Michigan team that already is the first in history to score at least 90 points five times in a single NCAA Tournament.

“We know it’s just one more, so we’re going to try to get it,” Michigan’s Aday Mara said after Saturday’s beat down of Arizona.

The Huskies certainly have recent history on their site, and coach Dan Hurley will enter Monday night with a 350-179 career coaching record along with that pair of national titles. No program has won three in a four-year span since the 1972-75 UCLA Bruins.

UConn has 18 wins this season in which it has held its opponent under 40 percent shooting, and the Huskies held Illinois to 33.9% shooting from three-point range on Saturdya.

“We’re a group of fighters. It’s not appealing to everyone,” Hurley said. “I’m sure there’s some people in here that it’s off-putting for. But we are a group of fighters. We are incredibly tough. We’ve got incredible will. We go into these games, we’re ready for battle.

“Again, for us it’s not a game that we’re just kind of running around in uniforms throwing the ball around, hoping it goes in. That’s not what we’re doing out there. We’re fighting. It’s a life-and-death struggle for us to get to Monday night for the opportunity to win a championship, and then just to be able to prolong this season with each other and to make the people of Connecticut proud, to make the university proud and all the former great players.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Michigan #heavy #favorite #complete #dominant #title #run #UConn

Sports news

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) high fives forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) during the second half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

UConn has won two of the past three national championships but will enter Monday night’s title game against Michigan as a heavy underdog.

That’s because the top-seeded Wolverines have blitzed through their first five games of the NCAA Tournament, winning by an average of 21.6 points. That includes an 18-point dismantling of fellow No. 1 seed Arizona on Saturday night in a game that wasn’t even as close as the final score.

UConn, the No. 2 seed in the East, followed a dramatic upset of No. 1 Duke in the Elite Eight with a systematic breakdown of No. 3 seed Illinois. Still, the Huskies will enter Monday night as the underdog for their third consecutive game.

Michigan was a consensus 7.0-point favorite across major sportsbooks on Sunday, with the Wolverines seeking to become the first Big Ten team to win the national title since the 1999-2000 season.

The line was sitting at 6.5 points at both BetMGM and DraftKings, where the line opened at 7.5. The total points line at 144.5 at both books. At DraftKings, the shortest odds on the winning margin was Michigan to win by 3-6 points at +425, followed by a Wolverines victory by 10-13 points at +450. UConn’s shortest odds for a victory were 3-6 points at +800.

The Wolverines are the 10th Big Ten team to reach the final in a season that began this century, but the most recent team to cut down the nets remains Michigan State in 1999-2000. Michigan looking to complete a turnaround that saw the program stumble to an 8-24 finish just two years ago.

UConn is in the final for the third time in four years, but will go up against a Michigan team that already is the first in history to score at least 90 points five times in a single NCAA Tournament.

“We know it’s just one more, so we’re going to try to get it,” Michigan’s Aday Mara said after Saturday’s beat down of Arizona.

The Huskies certainly have recent history on their site, and coach Dan Hurley will enter Monday night with a 350-179 career coaching record along with that pair of national titles. No program has won three in a four-year span since the 1972-75 UCLA Bruins.

UConn has 18 wins this season in which it has held its opponent under 40 percent shooting, and the Huskies held Illinois to 33.9% shooting from three-point range on Saturdya.

“We’re a group of fighters. It’s not appealing to everyone,” Hurley said. “I’m sure there’s some people in here that it’s off-putting for. But we are a group of fighters. We are incredibly tough. We’ve got incredible will. We go into these games, we’re ready for battle.

“Again, for us it’s not a game that we’re just kind of running around in uniforms throwing the ball around, hoping it goes in. That’s not what we’re doing out there. We’re fighting. It’s a life-and-death struggle for us to get to Monday night for the opportunity to win a championship, and then just to be able to prolong this season with each other and to make the people of Connecticut proud, to make the university proud and all the former great players.”

–Field Level Media

Source link
#Deadspin #Michigan #heavy #favorite #complete #dominant #title #run #UConn

Previous post

FIDE Candidates 2026 Standings: Vaishali sits second, Sindarov extends lead after Round 7 <div id="content-body-70823501" itemprop="articleBody"><p>India’s R. Vaishali jumped in the standings to sit sole second after beating China’s Tan Zhongyi in the seventh round of the FIDE Women’s Candidates in Cyprus on Sunday.</p><p>Meanwhile in the Open section, young Uzbek Javokhir Sindarov extended his sole lead with a draw with Netherlands’ Anish Giri.</p><div class="fact-box"><h5 class="main-title"> Standings – After Round 7 </h5><h5 class="sub-title">Open</h5><p> 1. Javokhir Sindarov – 6 </p><p> 2. Fabiano Caruana – 4.5 </p><p> 3. Anish Giri – 3.5 </p><p> 4. R. Praggnanandhaa – 3.5 </p><p> 5. Wei Yi – 3 </p><p> 6. Matthias Bluebaum – 3 </p><p> 7. Hikaru Nakamura – 2.5 </p><p> 8. Andrey Esipenko – 2 </p><h5 class="sub-title">Women’s</h5><p> 1. Anna Muzychuk – 4.5 </p><p> 2. R. Vaishali – 4 </p><p> 3. Zhu Jiner – 3.5 </p><p> 4. Aleksandra Goryachkina – 3.5 </p><p> 5. Kateryna Lagno – 3.5 </p><p> 6. Divya Deshmukh – 3.5 </p><p> 7. Bibisara Assaubayeva – 3 </p><p> 8. Tan Zhongyi – 2.5 </p></div><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 04, 2026</p></div> #FIDE #Candidates #Standings #Vaishali #sits #Sindarov #extends #lead

Next post

Small child gets caught taking selfie

Related Posts

Two-time CY Young winner, Tarik Skubal, is on the fast track to returning to baseball, as he recovers from elbow surgery way ahead of schedule. Skubal is already back to some light throwing after receiving arthroscopic surgery that normally sidelines pitchers for three months.

You never want to rush a pitcher back, especially one as good as Skubal, but if you’re the Tigers, you are doing everything in your power to get him back out on the diamond. Currently, the Tigers are tied with the Royals at 19-25 for last place in the AL Central.

Only being 4.5 games back in a weak AL Central isn’t cause for concern, but this window of Detroit baseball hangs in the balance of this season. It seems unlikely that Skubal will be staying in Detroit in 2027, and missing the playoffs in his final season would be an incredibly tough pill to swallow.

The Tigers are dealing with injuries all over the field at the moment, so having an ace like Skubal in the lineup who can steal starts is so important. Keider Montero transforming into a frontline starter has been one of the few bright spots in the Tigers’ starting rotation, as Framber Valdez has been a bit inconsistent when he isn’t suspended.

Outside of a beaten-up pitching staff, a Tigers lineup that was one of the toughest outs in baseball last year has quickly regressed to the mean. Detroit sent four position players to the All-Star Game last year, and I don’t think that will be the case this year.

Riley Greene is having a career year, largely in part due to his massively improved eye at the plate. His walk rate has more than doubled, going from 7% to 14.2% this year, and I think that has improved every other part of his game.

Also, rookie Kevin McGonigle has had a tremendous start to his pro career, but has cooled off in the month of May, slashing just .195/.327/.220 over his last 41 ABs. Outside of these two, it has been an ice-cold start to the year for the Tigers’ offense.

You’d love to make one last playoff run with this group before Skubal likely takes his talents to Los Angeles; however, if the offense doesn’t get going, he could easily be a trade deadline candidate as well. If Skubal is back pitching in only a month, his trade value would go right back to being sky high, and contenders might be willing to overpay for a potential playoff run. It’ll be intriguing to see how the beginning of Summer kicks off for the Tigers, and if they can stay afloat without their ace.

#Tarik #Skubals #Fast #Recovery #Tigers #Hope #Central #Race #Deadspin.com">Tarik Skubal’s Fast Recovery Gives Tigers Hope in AL Central Race | Deadspin.com Two-time CY Young winner, Tarik Skubal, is on the fast track to returning to baseball, as he recovers from elbow surgery way ahead of schedule. Skubal is already back to some light throwing after receiving arthroscopic surgery that normally sidelines pitchers for three months.You never want to rush a pitcher back, especially one as good as Skubal, but if you’re the Tigers, you are doing everything in your power to get him back out on the diamond. Currently, the Tigers are tied with the Royals at 19-25 for last place in the AL Central.Only being 4.5 games back in a weak AL Central isn’t cause for concern, but this window of Detroit baseball hangs in the balance of this season. It seems unlikely that Skubal will be staying in Detroit in 2027, and missing the playoffs in his final season would be an incredibly tough pill to swallow.The Tigers are dealing with injuries all over the field at the moment, so having an ace like Skubal in the lineup who can steal starts is so important. Keider Montero transforming into a frontline starter has been one of the few bright spots in the Tigers’ starting rotation, as Framber Valdez has been a bit inconsistent when he isn’t suspended.Outside of a beaten-up pitching staff, a Tigers lineup that was one of the toughest outs in baseball last year has quickly regressed to the mean. Detroit sent four position players to the All-Star Game last year, and I don’t think that will be the case this year.Riley Greene is having a career year, largely in part due to his massively improved eye at the plate. His walk rate has more than doubled, going from 7% to 14.2% this year, and I think that has improved every other part of his game.Also, rookie Kevin McGonigle has had a tremendous start to his pro career, but has cooled off in the month of May, slashing just .195/.327/.220 over his last 41 ABs. Outside of these two, it has been an ice-cold start to the year for the Tigers’ offense.You’d love to make one last playoff run with this group before Skubal likely takes his talents to Los Angeles; however, if the offense doesn’t get going, he could easily be a trade deadline candidate as well. If Skubal is back pitching in only a month, his trade value would go right back to being sky high, and contenders might be willing to overpay for a potential playoff run. It’ll be intriguing to see how the beginning of Summer kicks off for the Tigers, and if they can stay afloat without their ace. #Tarik #Skubals #Fast #Recovery #Tigers #Hope #Central #Race #Deadspin.com

unlikely that Skubal will be staying in Detroit in 2027, and missing the playoffs in his final season would be an incredibly tough pill to swallow.

The Tigers are dealing with injuries all over the field at the moment, so having an ace like Skubal in the lineup who can steal starts is so important. Keider Montero transforming into a frontline starter has been one of the few bright spots in the Tigers’ starting rotation, as Framber Valdez has been a bit inconsistent when he isn’t suspended.

Outside of a beaten-up pitching staff, a Tigers lineup that was one of the toughest outs in baseball last year has quickly regressed to the mean. Detroit sent four position players to the All-Star Game last year, and I don’t think that will be the case this year.

Riley Greene is having a career year, largely in part due to his massively improved eye at the plate. His walk rate has more than doubled, going from 7% to 14.2% this year, and I think that has improved every other part of his game.

Also, rookie Kevin McGonigle has had a tremendous start to his pro career, but has cooled off in the month of May, slashing just .195/.327/.220 over his last 41 ABs. Outside of these two, it has been an ice-cold start to the year for the Tigers’ offense.

You’d love to make one last playoff run with this group before Skubal likely takes his talents to Los Angeles; however, if the offense doesn’t get going, he could easily be a trade deadline candidate as well. If Skubal is back pitching in only a month, his trade value would go right back to being sky high, and contenders might be willing to overpay for a potential playoff run. It’ll be intriguing to see how the beginning of Summer kicks off for the Tigers, and if they can stay afloat without their ace.

#Tarik #Skubals #Fast #Recovery #Tigers #Hope #Central #Race #Deadspin.com">Tarik Skubal’s Fast Recovery Gives Tigers Hope in AL Central Race | Deadspin.com

Two-time CY Young winner, Tarik Skubal, is on the fast track to returning to baseball, as he recovers from elbow surgery way ahead of schedule. Skubal is already back to some light throwing after receiving arthroscopic surgery that normally sidelines pitchers for three months.

You never want to rush a pitcher back, especially one as good as Skubal, but if you’re the Tigers, you are doing everything in your power to get him back out on the diamond. Currently, the Tigers are tied with the Royals at 19-25 for last place in the AL Central.

Only being 4.5 games back in a weak AL Central isn’t cause for concern, but this window of Detroit baseball hangs in the balance of this season. It seems unlikely that Skubal will be staying in Detroit in 2027, and missing the playoffs in his final season would be an incredibly tough pill to swallow.

The Tigers are dealing with injuries all over the field at the moment, so having an ace like Skubal in the lineup who can steal starts is so important. Keider Montero transforming into a frontline starter has been one of the few bright spots in the Tigers’ starting rotation, as Framber Valdez has been a bit inconsistent when he isn’t suspended.

Outside of a beaten-up pitching staff, a Tigers lineup that was one of the toughest outs in baseball last year has quickly regressed to the mean. Detroit sent four position players to the All-Star Game last year, and I don’t think that will be the case this year.

Riley Greene is having a career year, largely in part due to his massively improved eye at the plate. His walk rate has more than doubled, going from 7% to 14.2% this year, and I think that has improved every other part of his game.

Also, rookie Kevin McGonigle has had a tremendous start to his pro career, but has cooled off in the month of May, slashing just .195/.327/.220 over his last 41 ABs. Outside of these two, it has been an ice-cold start to the year for the Tigers’ offense.

You’d love to make one last playoff run with this group before Skubal likely takes his talents to Los Angeles; however, if the offense doesn’t get going, he could easily be a trade deadline candidate as well. If Skubal is back pitching in only a month, his trade value would go right back to being sky high, and contenders might be willing to overpay for a potential playoff run. It’ll be intriguing to see how the beginning of Summer kicks off for the Tigers, and if they can stay afloat without their ace.

#Tarik #Skubals #Fast #Recovery #Tigers #Hope #Central #Race #Deadspin.com

In episode three of this series, I began a two-part exploration of the encounter between Toronto’s George Bell and Boston’s Bruce Kison on June 23rd, 1985. Having visited Kison side of things, we will now consider the life and times of George Bell.

In the late 1970s scouts all around major league baseball began descending upon the Dominican Republic, which had suddenly been identified as highly lucrative territory. The DR was home to countless talented young ball players and those ball players due to the country’s dire economic conditions were highly exploitable.

With the unemployment rate around 40% teams realized they could sign players for a lot less than American prospects asked for. And if those Dominican players did happen to get signed by a major league team, they were sent to the states socially isolated by the language barrier and dependent upon agents who were often crooked and looking to swindle ‘em all over again.

A cruel irony recalled by George Bell, one of those young Dominican players, was that while navigating this labyrinth of shameless exploitation, he was the one looked at with suspicion. American players found any reason they could to dislike him. His English wasn’t polished enough, he was too this, not enough that, didn’t play the game the right way.

In 1982, while playing for minor league Syracuse, Bell stepped in against Lynn McGlothen, an 11 year Major League vet pitching in AAA ball in the hopes of one last call up. In a game years earlier while pitching for the Cardinals, McGlothen beamed one New York Mets batter then brushed back another three innings later, then hit that batter too. The intent was so transparently clear that the Mets Dave Kingman charged the mound straight from the dugout.

McGlothen did not hesitate to throw at a batter if he had the inclination and he seemed to resent George Bell for the same superficial reasons everybody else did. Bell was a hotdogger. It was decided. McGlothen drilled him in the face, fracturing his cheek and jawbones. While his teammates stormed the field to exact revenge, Bell arrived on the ground certain that his career in baseball, his one chance at a better life was over.

“He’s dead,” Bell thought of McGlothen, not because Bell would kill him or because his teammates would, but because fate would one day catch up with him.

Two years later, McGlothen lost his life in a fire. His friend was also killed with everyone else escaping the home. Bell who’d fully recovered and made his way to the majors, addressed the tragedy sometime after seemingly unprompted. He expressed his sympathies for the friends and loved ones of those who died then said in McGlothen’s fate, “People like that decide it. They have a bad heart. No way they can stay alive.”

You might find those words to be callous, even cruel. I mean I do. Then again, I doubt either of us have persevered through the circumstances Bell did only for somebody to break his face and potentially ruin his life just for playing baseball with a little bit too much swagger.

Baseball was George Bell’s one and only chance at a better life, the sort of life we’d wish for anybody, and he was fiercely, sometimes even violently protective of that chance.

#HISTORY #CHARGING #MOUND #EPISODE #GEORGE #BELL">THE HISTORY OF CHARGING THE MOUND, EPISODE 4: GEORGE BELL In episode three of this series, I began a two-part exploration of the encounter between Toronto’s George Bell and Boston’s Bruce Kison on June 23rd, 1985. Having visited Kison side of things, we will now consider the life and times of George Bell.In the late 1970s scouts all around major league baseball began descending upon the Dominican Republic, which had suddenly been identified as highly lucrative territory. The DR was home to countless talented young ball players and those ball players due to the country’s dire economic conditions were highly exploitable.With the unemployment rate around 40% teams realized they could sign players for a lot less than American prospects asked for. And if those Dominican players did happen to get signed by a major league team, they were sent to the states socially isolated by the language barrier and dependent upon agents who were often crooked and looking to swindle ‘em all over again.A cruel irony recalled by George Bell, one of those young Dominican players, was that while navigating this labyrinth of shameless exploitation, he was the one looked at with suspicion. American players found any reason they could to dislike him. His English wasn’t polished enough, he was too this, not enough that, didn’t play the game the right way.In 1982, while playing for minor league Syracuse, Bell stepped in against Lynn McGlothen, an 11 year Major League vet pitching in AAA ball in the hopes of one last call up. In a game years earlier while pitching for the Cardinals, McGlothen beamed one New York Mets batter then brushed back another three innings later, then hit that batter too. The intent was so transparently clear that the Mets Dave Kingman charged the mound straight from the dugout.McGlothen did not hesitate to throw at a batter if he had the inclination and he seemed to resent George Bell for the same superficial reasons everybody else did. Bell was a hotdogger. It was decided. McGlothen drilled him in the face, fracturing his cheek and jawbones. While his teammates stormed the field to exact revenge, Bell arrived on the ground certain that his career in baseball, his one chance at a better life was over.“He’s dead,” Bell thought of McGlothen, not because Bell would kill him or because his teammates would, but because fate would one day catch up with him.Two years later, McGlothen lost his life in a fire. His friend was also killed with everyone else escaping the home. Bell who’d fully recovered and made his way to the majors, addressed the tragedy sometime after seemingly unprompted. He expressed his sympathies for the friends and loved ones of those who died then said in McGlothen’s fate, “People like that decide it. They have a bad heart. No way they can stay alive.”You might find those words to be callous, even cruel. I mean I do. Then again, I doubt either of us have persevered through the circumstances Bell did only for somebody to break his face and potentially ruin his life just for playing baseball with a little bit too much swagger.Baseball was George Bell’s one and only chance at a better life, the sort of life we’d wish for anybody, and he was fiercely, sometimes even violently protective of that chance. #HISTORY #CHARGING #MOUND #EPISODE #GEORGE #BELL

Post Comment