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Baseball players are the sports persons who are skilled at playing baseball and play the game as an amateur or professional. Baseball is a bat and ball game that is played between two teams consisting of nine players each. The teams take turns batting and fielding. Baseball in its modern form evolved from a series of older bat and ball games in England in the 18th century and later spread to different parts of the world. Baseball became the national sport of the U.S. by the late 19th century and is today popular in North America, Central and South America, East Asia and Europe. Baseball is a sport of precision. The end result of a game depends heavily on the accuracy of the players—a pitcher’s throw, the batter’s swing of a bat, and the runners’ speed. Baseball players should adopt a multi-dimensional approach towards training as they need to develop their explosive strength, build their core strength and improve their agility and feet movement. A baseball player's diet is also of great significance. Proper nutrition and consumption of adequate amounts of fluids is essential for enabling the players to reach their highest level of performance. Read on to learn about the life and works of various famous baseball players from all over the world.
Derek Jeter is an American former baseball player whose popularity had made him one of the most marketed sportsmen of his generation during his playing career. Since 2017, he has been playing a key role as part owner and the chief executive officer of the Miami Marlins. Also a well-known philanthropist, Jeter created a charitable organization called Turn 2 Foundation.
Bryce Harper is an American baseball player who currently plays for the Philadelphia Phillies of MLB. Renowned for hitting home runs on Opening Day, Harper holds a unique record of being the first player in the history of MLB to hit five home runs on Opening Days before the age of 25.
Mike Trout is an American baseball player. An eight-time MLB All-Star, Mike Trout is widely regarded as one of the best Major League Baseball (MLB) players of the current generation and one of the best young players in baseball history. He is also one of the most popular American sportsmen, with endorsement deals worth $2.5 million in his kitty
Baseball player Hank Aaron, also known as Hammer or Hammerin' Hank, is remembered for his stint with the MLB teams Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers. He also competed as part of the Negro League team Indianapolis Clowns. He was named to The Sporting News 100 Greatest Baseball Players.
Lou Gehrig was an American baseball player. Nicknamed The Iron Horse for his durability and prowess as a hitter, Lou Gehrig played for the New York Yankees of the Major League Baseball (MLB). His life and career inspired the 1942 film The Pride of the Yankees in which he was portrayed by actor Gary Cooper.
David Ortiz is a Dominican-American former baseball player who played primarily for the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball. Nicknamed Big Papi for his strength, Ortiz is considered one of the greatest clutch hitters ever. Also regarded as one of the greatest designated hitters for Boston Red Sox, Ortiz helped the team end its 86-year World Series championship drought.
Justin Verlander is an American baseball player who has played for the Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. An eight-time MLB All-Star, Verlander has won prestigious awards like the Babe Ruth Award. He has also been an important member of the US national team, helping his side win the silver medal at the 2003 Pan American Games.
Ichiro Suzuki is a Japanese former baseball player who played as an outfielder in top-level professional leagues, including Major League Baseball (MLB). Also a popular player at the Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, Suzuki became the first MLB player to be inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
Professional baseball player Mickey Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees. He played as a center fielder, right fielder, and first baseman. Regarded by many as the greatest switch hitter in baseball history, he won the Triple Crown in 1956 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
The celebrated former baseball player whose Major League career spanned 27 years, retired with record 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters. Nicknamed Ryan Express, Nolan Ryan played as a pitcher and had long stints with Houston Astros and California Angels. A member of the American National Baseball Hall of Fame, he is the principal owner of Ryan Sanders Sports and Entertainment.
Roberto Clemente was a Puerto Rican baseball player who represented the Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball (MLB). Apart from being a popular player, Clemente was also a great humanitarian whose impact is still being felt in MLB. Since his untimely death at the age of 38, Clemente has been the subject of several documentaries, articles, and books.
An eight-time MLB All-Star, Clayton Kershaw is an American professional baseball player, often described as the best pitcher in the history of baseball. Also known for his humanitarian work, Clayton Kershaw has been honored with the Branch Rickey Award and Roberto Clemente Award. A prolific donator, Kershaw donated $260,000 to build an orphanage called Hope's Home.
Ted Williams was an American baseball player who spent his entire 19-year MLB career with the Boston Red Sox. A nineteen-time All-Star and two-time Triple Crown winner, Ted Williams is widely considered one of the greatest hitters in the history of baseball. In 1991, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
MLB player Joseph Jefferson Jackson, or Shoeless Joe, was associated with the Philadelphia Athletics, the Cleveland Naps/Indians, and the Chicago White Sox. He was dragged into the Black Sox Scandal, through which the 1919 Chicago White Sox team members conspired to fix the World Series, leading him to be banned.
Willie Mays is considered one of the all-time greats of baseball. His breathtaking catch of Vic Wertz’s fly ball is etched as a great movement in the history of the sport. Associated with New York / San Francisco Giants for about two decades, the former center fielder with record Major League Football putouts, features in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Miguel Cabrera is a Venezuelan baseball player who currently plays for the Detroit Tigers of MLB. An 11-time MLB All-Star, Cabrera claimed the MLB Triple Crown in 2012, becoming the first player to achieve the feat in 45 seasons. He has also won two American League MVP awards among other honors since his debut in 2003.
Baseball left-handed pitcher Sanford Koufax played for the MLB team Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers for 12 seasons. He was the youngest Baseball Hall of Fame inductee and the first three-time Cy Young Award winner. He skipped pitching for a 1965 World Series game because it fell on Jewish festival Yom Kippur.
Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian-American former baseball player who played for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). A five-time World Series champion and thirteen-time All-Star, Rivera was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019. He is also considered one of the most dominant relievers in the history of the major league.
Legendary baseball pitcher Satchel Paige was part of the MLB and the Negro League Baseball. The National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee began his career playing for the Chattanooga Black Lookouts and later played for teams such as the Cleveland Indians. He was the American League’s first black pitcher.
Currently the manager of the Italian national baseball team, Mike Pizza played in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for sixteen seasons, winning a total of ten Silver Slugger Awards. Beginning his career with Los Angeles Dodgers, he exploded on the national season in the very next year, eventually joining New York Mets, recording 427 home runs during his spectacular MLB career.
American football player Deion Sanders is considered one of the strongest pass defenders of the game. He was an electrifying athlete and played in the National Football League for 14 seasons. He played for teams like Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens. He is now a coach and a sports analyst. He’s also a rapper.
Former professional baseball and football player Bo Jackson has the distinction of being the only professional athlete in history to be named an All-Star in both the sports. Considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, he pursued his other interests following his retirement from sports in the 1990s. He has acted in a few TV shows, playing minor characters.
Former professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez is considered one of the best baseball players in American baseball history. In his 22 years career, he created numerous records and won both awards and appreciation; however he also attracted a lot of controversies. Primary amongst them were his use of performance enhancing drugs.
Chuck Connors was an American actor, professional baseball and basketball player. Connors is one of 13 athletes to have played in both National Basketball Association and the Major League Baseball. As an actor, he contributed to the success of the popular Western television program The Rifleman. Also known for his charity work, Connors helped found the Chuck Connors Charitable Foundation.
Affectionately called Sho Time and the Japanese Babe Ruth, Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani is known for his successful stint with the MLB team Los Angeles Angels. Earlier, while with the Hokkaido-Nippon Ham Fighters, he set the record for the fastest-ever pitch thrown by a Japanese player.
