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Deadspin | Tigers put RHP Casey Mize (adductor), SS Javier Baez (ankle) on IL Apr 17, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize (12) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images Detroit Tigers’ right-hander Casey Mize and shortstop Javier Baez were placed on the injured list on Wednesday after both were hurt during Tuesday’s loss to the Atlanta Braves. Mize, 27, is on the 15-day IL with a right adductor strain. The 2025 All-Star appeared to be in pain after a second-inning strikeout, then departed in the third after a throw to first base. He is the Tigers’ eighth pitcher to join the IL and second piece of the team’s Opening Day rotation, joining Justin Verlander (left hip inflammation). On the IL since April 4, Verlander threw a bullpen session Wednesday. “Probably the most optimistic news we can get on Casey, that it’s a Grade 1,” Detroit A.J. Hinch told reporters before Wednesday’s game in Atlanta. Baez, a three-time All-Star, landed on the 10-day IL after his right cleat appeared to stick in the dirt as he slid feet-first into first base in the fifth after hitting a slow ground ball. In obvious pain, the 33-year-old veteran was lifted from the game. “Javy’s (injury) is a pretty significant ankle sprain, so I don’t know what that means in terms of timeline, other than it’s a minimum of 15 days and if he’s back by then, that’s great. If it takes longer, it’s because of swelling and soreness,” Hinch said. Mize is 2-2 with a 2.90 ERA in six starts in 2026, striking out 35 with 11 walks and posting a 1.194 WHIP over 31 innings. Over six seasons with the Tigers, who selected him No. 1 overall in the 2018 draft, Mize is 25-27 with a 4.11 ERA over 95 games (93 starts). In 471 innings, he has 400 strikeouts, 132 walks and a 1.282 WHIP. In 2026, Baez is hitting .256 with a pair of homers and six RBIs in 24 games. Drafted No. 9 overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 2011 draft, he is a .252 hitter with 195 home runs, 691 RBIs and 116 stolen bases over a 13-year career. Along with the Cubs (2014-21) and Tigers (2022-present), Baez has also played for the Mets (2021). With Baez out, rookie prospect Kevin McGonigle is the lone healthy shortstop on the Tigers’ roster until Zach McKinstry (left hip/abdominal inflammation) returns. The team’s No. 6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Hao-Yu Lee, is another short-term option with Baez and McKinstry sidelined. In corresponding moves, the Tigers recalled left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus and third baseman Jace Jung from Triple-A Toledo. Jung, 25, was in Wednesday’s lineup against the Braves as the designated hitter in his season debut, with McGonigle getting the start at shortstop. Jung was a first-round pick (12th) of the Tigers in 2022 and debuted in 2024. In 55 games over two seasons entering Tuesday, Jung hit .190 with six RBIs. De Jesus, 29, made the Opening Day roster as a reliever, posting a 1-0 record and a 10.13 ERA in six appearances spanning eight innings. He made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Miami Marlins, posting an 11.37 ERA in two relief appearances. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Tigers #put #RHP #Casey #Mize #adductor #Javier #Baez #ankle

Deadspin | Tigers put RHP Casey Mize (adductor), SS Javier Baez (ankle) on IL
Deadspin | Tigers put RHP Casey Mize (adductor), SS Javier Baez (ankle) on IL Apr 17, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize (12) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images Detroit Tigers’ right-hander Casey Mize and shortstop Javier Baez were placed on the injured list on Wednesday after both were hurt during Tuesday’s loss to the Atlanta Braves. Mize, 27, is on the 15-day IL with a right adductor strain. The 2025 All-Star appeared to be in pain after a second-inning strikeout, then departed in the third after a throw to first base. He is the Tigers’ eighth pitcher to join the IL and second piece of the team’s Opening Day rotation, joining Justin Verlander (left hip inflammation). On the IL since April 4, Verlander threw a bullpen session Wednesday. “Probably the most optimistic news we can get on Casey, that it’s a Grade 1,” Detroit A.J. Hinch told reporters before Wednesday’s game in Atlanta. Baez, a three-time All-Star, landed on the 10-day IL after his right cleat appeared to stick in the dirt as he slid feet-first into first base in the fifth after hitting a slow ground ball. In obvious pain, the 33-year-old veteran was lifted from the game. “Javy’s (injury) is a pretty significant ankle sprain, so I don’t know what that means in terms of timeline, other than it’s a minimum of 15 days and if he’s back by then, that’s great. If it takes longer, it’s because of swelling and soreness,” Hinch said. Mize is 2-2 with a 2.90 ERA in six starts in 2026, striking out 35 with 11 walks and posting a 1.194 WHIP over 31 innings. Over six seasons with the Tigers, who selected him No. 1 overall in the 2018 draft, Mize is 25-27 with a 4.11 ERA over 95 games (93 starts). In 471 innings, he has 400 strikeouts, 132 walks and a 1.282 WHIP. In 2026, Baez is hitting .256 with a pair of homers and six RBIs in 24 games. Drafted No. 9 overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 2011 draft, he is a .252 hitter with 195 home runs, 691 RBIs and 116 stolen bases over a 13-year career. Along with the Cubs (2014-21) and Tigers (2022-present), Baez has also played for the Mets (2021). With Baez out, rookie prospect Kevin McGonigle is the lone healthy shortstop on the Tigers’ roster until Zach McKinstry (left hip/abdominal inflammation) returns. The team’s No. 6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Hao-Yu Lee, is another short-term option with Baez and McKinstry sidelined. In corresponding moves, the Tigers recalled left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus and third baseman Jace Jung from Triple-A Toledo. Jung, 25, was in Wednesday’s lineup against the Braves as the designated hitter in his season debut, with McGonigle getting the start at shortstop. Jung was a first-round pick (12th) of the Tigers in 2022 and debuted in 2024. In 55 games over two seasons entering Tuesday, Jung hit .190 with six RBIs. De Jesus, 29, made the Opening Day roster as a reliever, posting a 1-0 record and a 10.13 ERA in six appearances spanning eight innings. He made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Miami Marlins, posting an 11.37 ERA in two relief appearances. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Tigers #put #RHP #Casey #Mize #adductor #Javier #Baez #ankleApr 17, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize (12) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers’ right-hander Casey Mize and shortstop Javier Baez were placed on the injured list on Wednesday after both were hurt during Tuesday’s loss to the Atlanta Braves.

Mize, 27, is on the 15-day IL with a right adductor strain. The 2025 All-Star appeared to be in pain after a second-inning strikeout, then departed in the third after a throw to first base. He is the Tigers’ eighth pitcher to join the IL and second piece of the team’s Opening Day rotation, joining Justin Verlander (left hip inflammation). On the IL since April 4, Verlander threw a bullpen session Wednesday.

“Probably the most optimistic news we can get on Casey, that it’s a Grade 1,” Detroit A.J. Hinch told reporters before Wednesday’s game in Atlanta.

Baez, a three-time All-Star, landed on the 10-day IL after his right cleat appeared to stick in the dirt as he slid feet-first into first base in the fifth after hitting a slow ground ball. In obvious pain, the 33-year-old veteran was lifted from the game.

“Javy’s (injury) is a pretty significant ankle sprain, so I don’t know what that means in terms of timeline, other than it’s a minimum of 15 days and if he’s back by then, that’s great. If it takes longer, it’s because of swelling and soreness,” Hinch said.


Mize is 2-2 with a 2.90 ERA in six starts in 2026, striking out 35 with 11 walks and posting a 1.194 WHIP over 31 innings. Over six seasons with the Tigers, who selected him No. 1 overall in the 2018 draft, Mize is 25-27 with a 4.11 ERA over 95 games (93 starts). In 471 innings, he has 400 strikeouts, 132 walks and a 1.282 WHIP.

In 2026, Baez is hitting .256 with a pair of homers and six RBIs in 24 games. Drafted No. 9 overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 2011 draft, he is a .252 hitter with 195 home runs, 691 RBIs and 116 stolen bases over a 13-year career. Along with the Cubs (2014-21) and Tigers (2022-present), Baez has also played for the Mets (2021).

With Baez out, rookie prospect Kevin McGonigle is the lone healthy shortstop on the Tigers’ roster until Zach McKinstry (left hip/abdominal inflammation) returns. The team’s No. 6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Hao-Yu Lee, is another short-term option with Baez and McKinstry sidelined.

In corresponding moves, the Tigers recalled left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus and third baseman Jace Jung from Triple-A Toledo.

Jung, 25, was in Wednesday’s lineup against the Braves as the designated hitter in his season debut, with McGonigle getting the start at shortstop. Jung was a first-round pick (12th) of the Tigers in 2022 and debuted in 2024. In 55 games over two seasons entering Tuesday, Jung hit .190 with six RBIs.

De Jesus, 29, made the Opening Day roster as a reliever, posting a 1-0 record and a 10.13 ERA in six appearances spanning eight innings. He made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Miami Marlins, posting an 11.37 ERA in two relief appearances.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Tigers #put #RHP #Casey #Mize #adductor #Javier #Baez #ankle

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Apr 17, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize (12) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers’ right-hander Casey Mize and shortstop Javier Baez were placed on the injured list on Wednesday after both were hurt during Tuesday’s loss to the Atlanta Braves.

Mize, 27, is on the 15-day IL with a right adductor strain. The 2025 All-Star appeared to be in pain after a second-inning strikeout, then departed in the third after a throw to first base. He is the Tigers’ eighth pitcher to join the IL and second piece of the team’s Opening Day rotation, joining Justin Verlander (left hip inflammation). On the IL since April 4, Verlander threw a bullpen session Wednesday.

“Probably the most optimistic news we can get on Casey, that it’s a Grade 1,” Detroit A.J. Hinch told reporters before Wednesday’s game in Atlanta.

Baez, a three-time All-Star, landed on the 10-day IL after his right cleat appeared to stick in the dirt as he slid feet-first into first base in the fifth after hitting a slow ground ball. In obvious pain, the 33-year-old veteran was lifted from the game.

“Javy’s (injury) is a pretty significant ankle sprain, so I don’t know what that means in terms of timeline, other than it’s a minimum of 15 days and if he’s back by then, that’s great. If it takes longer, it’s because of swelling and soreness,” Hinch said.

Mize is 2-2 with a 2.90 ERA in six starts in 2026, striking out 35 with 11 walks and posting a 1.194 WHIP over 31 innings. Over six seasons with the Tigers, who selected him No. 1 overall in the 2018 draft, Mize is 25-27 with a 4.11 ERA over 95 games (93 starts). In 471 innings, he has 400 strikeouts, 132 walks and a 1.282 WHIP.

In 2026, Baez is hitting .256 with a pair of homers and six RBIs in 24 games. Drafted No. 9 overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 2011 draft, he is a .252 hitter with 195 home runs, 691 RBIs and 116 stolen bases over a 13-year career. Along with the Cubs (2014-21) and Tigers (2022-present), Baez has also played for the Mets (2021).

With Baez out, rookie prospect Kevin McGonigle is the lone healthy shortstop on the Tigers’ roster until Zach McKinstry (left hip/abdominal inflammation) returns. The team’s No. 6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Hao-Yu Lee, is another short-term option with Baez and McKinstry sidelined.

In corresponding moves, the Tigers recalled left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus and third baseman Jace Jung from Triple-A Toledo.

Jung, 25, was in Wednesday’s lineup against the Braves as the designated hitter in his season debut, with McGonigle getting the start at shortstop. Jung was a first-round pick (12th) of the Tigers in 2022 and debuted in 2024. In 55 games over two seasons entering Tuesday, Jung hit .190 with six RBIs.

De Jesus, 29, made the Opening Day roster as a reliever, posting a 1-0 record and a 10.13 ERA in six appearances spanning eight innings. He made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Miami Marlins, posting an 11.37 ERA in two relief appearances.

–Field Level Media

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Lowering the marathon mark: Researcher says sub 2-hour record could be reduced by 5 minutes <div id="content-body-70923407" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Only days after the first sub-2 hour marathon , an Australian university professor who has devoted much of his career to studying times over the 42.195-kilometer (26.2-mile) event says the mark could improve by more than five minutes.</p><p>On Sunday, Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, bettering the previous men’s world record by 65 seconds. He held off Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who was running his first official marathon and finished in 1:59.41 — the first two men to complete a marathon in under 2 hours.</p><p>Sawe, who arrived home to a hero’s welcome in Kenya on Wednesday, broke the previous mark held by his countryman, Kelvin Kiptum, who died in a car accident in February 2024.</p><p>Simon Angus of Melbourne’s Monash University, who describes himself as a data scientist and economist, analyses the historical progression of the men’s and women’s world marathon records. He first predicted in a 2019 research paper that the first sub 2-hour men’s time wouldn’t be achieved until 2032.</p><p>In 2023, he revised that prediction to March 2027. With the weekend times in London, Angus says with further modeling, a new benchmark could be 1 hour, 54 minutes – five minutes, 30 seconds faster than Sawe ran in London.</p><p>That kind of time would set a whole new benchmark.</p><p>“I think that should stand a very long test of time. I wouldn’t expect this in my children’s lifetime,” Angus told <i>The Associated Press</i> in an interview Thursday. “We could be running a different kind of marathon, at the hypothecial, theoretical limit.</p><p>“There could be rule changes… what kinds of material in the shoes or singlets, feedback technology. It’s a tussle between technology advances and doping control.”</p><p>Angus added that often the most-talented runners are able to take advantage of improving technologies.</p><p>“In trying to achieve a marathon world record, there are so many different areas of innovation,” Angus said. “There is a huge amount of money being spent on nutrition, training, shoe technology. What it means is that when someone puts their face a little bit in front, they get the benefit of those technological improvements.”</p><p>Angus wrote in an analysis published in <i>The Conversation Australia</i> this week that his “ statistical framework “ uses an assumption that, over time, performance gains become harder to achieve.</p><p>“Any of us who have aimed to improve on our local park run time will know all too well how hard it becomes to eke out more performance gains after the initial euphoria of the first week or two’s improvements is over,” he wrote.</p><p>A record also was established in the women’s race in London on Sunday, with Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa winning in 2:15:41 to defend her title in the fastest-ever time in a women’s-only marathon.</p><p>Angus said that because there have been fewer women’s-only marathons, it has been more difficult to publish data on them.</p><p>“Women’s times are in a gray space,” Angus said, but still predicted a time of 2 hours, 10 minutes — about five minutes faster than Assefa’s time on Sunday — as one that eventually could be established.</p><p>The 47-year-old Angus is a married father of three who has run training marathons most recently in just under three hours.</p><p>He said he received word about the sub-2 hour London result — the time he predicted wouldn’t happen initially for another six years — about 9 p.m. Sunday local time in Melbourne, just after the race finished.</p><p>“A friend texted and the first thing he said is ‘you are going to have a lot of work to do,’” Angus said. “I thought they’ll break the world record but there’s no way they’ll do sub-2. Then I checked and thought, ‘now I probably need to get on to it.’”</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 30, 2026</p></div> #Lowering #marathon #mark #Researcher #2hour #record #reduced #minutes

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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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