Tag Archives: Sports

Hits versus Home Runs

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Which Is More Difficult: Amassing 3,000 Hits, or 500 Home Runs?

By Dan Peterson, Life’s Little Mysteries Contributor
11 July 2011 5:10 PM ET

 

derek jeter

With a third inning home run to left field, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter became the 28th member of baseball’s exclusive 3,000 career hit club on July 9. While this season has been one of Jeter’s worst at the plate — he’s hitting about 50 points below his lifetime batting average — he was still one of the quickest to join the club in terms of career at-bats.

While Jeter is fawned over by media and fans alike, do the other 27 members get the kind of respect they deserve? After all, chicks dig the long ball, and the 25 members of the rival 500 home run club seem to get more love from the crowd. Driving one out of the park gets everyone on their feet, fireworks go off, mascots go crazy and teammates give high fives. Knocking a ground ball up the middle for a single just doesn’t generate the same level of excitement.

So, which stat should get the most respect, 3,000 hits or 500 home runs? Which is career highlight is tougher to achieve?

Jeter is the only active player with 3,000 hits, but two active players have more than 500 home runs. Now that Jeter has passed 3,000, there are only three active players within even 300 hits (10 percent) of reaching 3,000; by the same measure, there are no current players within 50 home runs of eclipsing 500.

At one time, 500 homers seemed the tougher benchmark: Six players already had 3,000 hits before the Babe Ruth became the first player with 500 home runs in 1929. But as the long ball became a bigger part of the game, the scales tipped. It took the home run club members an average of 7,782 at-bats to reach their milestone. Getting to 3,000 hits, however, is a longer journey, requiring an average of 9,937 at-bats. (Jeter did it in 9,604 at-bats.)

The score is even clearer if you look at recent history. In the last 30 years, 12 players have joined the 3000 hit club (44 percent of the total), while 13 sluggers have made it to 500 home runs (52 percent). Baseball’s battle with steroids certainly played a part in this recent surge of long ball hitters, and many fans now slightly devalue the 500 home run achievement due to the drug use.

So, the debate goes on as to the most impressive baseball stat, hits versus home runs. Unless you’re a pitcher. A hurler might argue that either the 19 members of the 300 win club or the 16 players with at least 3,000 strikeouts are the sport’s real heroes.

fr/http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/3000-hits-500-home-runs-derek-jeter-1846/

Sports & Society

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Kelly Murumets

President and CEO, ParticipACTION

The Power of Sport
Posted: 8/31/11 11:08 AM ET

One thing I really loved about this summer is seeing people of all ages being active. The sanctity of home or the indoor gym was traded for the park, swimming pool or bike path. I spent eight days with 24 teenagers, aged 16 to 18, from all over the world in the Colorado Rockies. We climbed a 13,000 foot mountain, hiked, camped, rock climbed, repelled and whitewater rafted. I absolutely loved the experience — physical activity in the spectacular mountainous outdoors. And, even more so, I loved my time with these kids. What we shared was unbelievably special!

Next year, a huge event will add another layer of enjoyment to July through September, when the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games take place. Canadians will join others from around the world to revel in the drama and glory of the Games. The pride of where you live and where you come from will bring nations together.

But have you stopped to think about what the true common denominator of the Games is? It is not necessarily athleticism, competition or even patriotism. It is sport.

Whether at a global, national or grassroots community level, sport is a universal language that is understood by all. The boundaries of sport — whether via its technical rules or acceptable behaviours — are consistent. Sport has life lessons to teach, and if you are a participant rather than just a spectator, you gain even more. Unfortunately, sport participation is on the decline in our country. Over the past two decades, sport participation rates in Canadian youth aged 15 to 18 dropped from 77 per cent to 59 per cent -‐ and in adults, from 45 per cent to 28 per cent.As you know, I always say that we are in the midst of a physical inactivity crisis and Canadians simply need to move more. Sport has a huge role to play in facing this crisis head-on for the simple reason of it being active at its core. But it provides numerous benefits beyond health improvement. Social benefits, including camaraderie, opportunities for mentorship and even crime reduction, can all be linked to the uptake of sports activities. Sport makes significant contributions to the well-being of youth — socially, as well as physically.

to read more, go to:   http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/kelly-murumets/power-of-sport_b_941654.html?ir=Sports

 

Lessons fr/Diana Nyad

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3 Lessons From Diana Nyad’s Failed Swimming Attempt

Posted: 8/14/11 02:33 PM
by Danny Groner

For a short time this week, the world rallied behind a 61-year-old woman hoping to swim from Cuba to Florida. But Diana Nyad’s dream came to a disappointing end on Tuesday because of wind, currents and asthma problems, according to reports. After swimming for 29 hours, Nyad called it quits, 53 miles short of her destination. In spite of Nyad’s failure, commentators — and Nyad herself — have found lessons and inspiration inside of the mission. Here, the best takes:

  • Chicago Sun-Times editorial: “We see a stirring triumph… So what if she missed by miles and hours? Nyad has provided baby boomers approaching Medicare with some valuable lessons on how to think about age and the limits of the body.” It concludes, “If there’s been a more inspiring athletic performance this year — harnessing an indomitable spirit to the all-too-domitable flesh — we missed it.