To say that baseball is America’s favorite pastime would be an understatement. Americans’ love affair with baseball goes much deeper. Despite growing competition in viewership from NFL and NBL, Major League Baseball (MLB) remains a money-spinner. According to Forbes, MLB generated $10.3 billion in baseball-related revenues in 2018. 

Baseball is America’s game, and from the early days, famous players enjoyed a fanatical following. In the 1920s, fans would travel thousands of miles to catch a glimpse of Babe Ruth, the legendary Boston Red Sox left-handed pitcher. From the early days of the sport, popular players including Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle had become mystical national figures.  

If you are a baseball fan, it can never hurt to learn some more about your favorite sport. After all, it is always fun to learn something new about that you love. 

With this in mind, here are some interesting tidbits in baseball’s history that you should know:

1. Hazy Origins 

The debate on where and when baseball came to the U.S continues up to date. The earliest mention on the record was in a legal order given in 1791 by authorities in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It simply banned the playing of baseball around government buildings. 

Little wonder then Massachusetts boasts one of the most successful baseball teams, the Boston Red Sox, founded in 1901. The Red Sox have won nine World Series championships. Their latest victory was in 2018. 

2. Did Abner Doubleday Invent Baseball? 

If you love baseball, the name Abner Doubleday is likely familiar. Early reports had indicated that in the summer of 1839, Doubleday invented the game known as baseball in Cooperstown, New York. 

Doubleday later went on to become a Civil War hero, but it has now emerged he didn’t invent America’s favorite sport. Why? The young military recruit was still at West Point in 1839. Intense research shows the Myth of Doubleday in baseball remains just that, a myth. 

3. The First Baseball Game, 1845

The New York Knickerbockers have a place in baseball history as the first club to implement modern rules of the game. In 1845, the club formulated and strictly upheld the Knickerbocker Rules. 

Most clubs in New York adopted these rules to create what became the “New York Game.” This is an important tidbit from baseball history even as you catch up with the latest baseball news on Sportsbet.io. 

4. The First World Series

1903 marked a monumental time for baseball in the First World Series pitting Pittsburgh and Boston. This was a nine-game series which Boston 5-3. 

This was only possible after a new National Agreement between different leagues and the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL). 

5. The BizzareMerkle Incident, 1908 

If you have followed baseball keenly, you might have come across the mention of Fred Merkle or Bonehead Merkle.  

It was September 23, 1908 and on this day the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs had a crucial game in the Polo Grounds New York. 

Merkle, a rookie with the Giants, was on first base with Moose his teammate on third and with two outs and the game tied. It was tense and when Al Bridwell for the New York Giants cleverly socked a single to win the game, it seemed over. 

Well, Merkle the rookie instead of advancing to second base ran towards the clubhouse. Reason? He wanted to avoid spectators mobbing the field, and this was customary. 

In the confusion that followed, Johnny Evers the Cubs second baseman convinced the umpire that he had retrieved the ball and touched second base to force Merkle out and nullify the run scored. The umpire agreed and ordered the game replayed at the end of the season. 

Well, the rest is history; the Chicago Cubs went on to win that game, the pennant and the World Series. It was to remain the only World Series win for the Chicago Cubs until 2016. 

Merkle received criticism for the rest of his career despite evolving into one of the best players in the league. 

6. Jimmy Pearsall’s Wrong Way, 1963

There’s so much to write about Jimmy Pearsall, but in summary, he was eccentric in every way. The Two-time All-Star Jimmy Piersall was not only a baseball player but an artist in gloves and this showed in 1963 when he celebrated his 100^th home run. 

The player ran the bases in the correct order but facing backward to celebrate. His character was out-of-this-world, and his life became the basis of a book and movie Fear Strikes Out. 

7. The “Dodging” Baseball’s L.A. Dodgers

Ever thought about the name of your favorite baseball team? If you are a fan of the L.A. Dodgers, you might be interested in learning the origin of their name. 

The team originally founded in Brooklyn got its name from the amazing skill residents of the city showed in dodging trolley streetcar system. 

Brooklyn in 1892 was an independent city, and it undertook to replace horse-drawn trolley lines with the faster electric trolley lines. 

Sportswriters at first referred to the team from Brooklyn as the “Trolley dodgers” which eventually became “the Dodgers.”  

It was something you couldn’t see in any other city and a natural name for a team from the borough.

Wrap Up 

There’s so much to learn about baseball, and this information makes you an even better sports fan.  It gives you good grounding as a baseball fan as you can understand the journey this popular sport has taken. 

A meal replacement is anything that intends to replace the traditional meal. The most common forms of meal replacement include drinks, shakes, protein bars, etc. 

The primary aim of a meal replacement shake is to provide you all the nutrients of a full meal and fight your hunger. The most common meal replacement shakes are the one that comes prepared in a can or bottle. You can also prepare your shake by mixing it with water or milk. 

Losing weight is less exercise and more nutrition. The better your nutrition is, the faster you’ll lose weight. And, eating a well-balanced diet is too difficult when compared to doing exercise every day. This is where most people get frustrated and get demotivated. You can try this BMI Calculator App to see where you should be for age and size.

Besides, preparing a healthy meal requires time and effort. This is why people with a busy schedule are not able to follow the diet strictly. This is where meal replacement shakes come into the picture. 

Unlike protein bars which contains protein as a major component, meal replacement shakes contain a good amount of protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals as per the our friends as FitnessVolt.com explain.

Advantages of Meal Replacement Shakes

Weight Loss: Meal replacement shakes limit the calorie intake but provide all the necessary nutrients to the body. 

Helps Avoid Unhealthy meals: Meal replacement shakes helps reduce the temptation to indulge in fast foods or other unhealthy meals. 

Convenience: When it comes to convenience, meal replacement shakes have a definite advantage over traditional meals. Most of the times, no preparation is required. 

Portable: Meal replacement shakes come in handy when traveling. You can make sure that you’re not eating unhealthy meals and getting the right nutrients even when traveling.  

Disadvantages of Meal Replacement Shakes

Sustainability: Trying to lose weight solely with meal replacement shakes is not advisable.

They are short-term solutions: Meal replacement shakes are good for short-term weight loss goals. The best long-term weight maintenance program includes regular work-outs, detailed weight loss diet, and regular quality medical care. 

Liquid diets aren’t satisfying: Drinking calories might trigger cravings. However, this varies from person to person. 

They’re repetitive: No one loves to eat or drink the same thing every day. 

Meal replacement shakes were started to provide nutrients to astronauts. As they won’t have access to fresh foods when they’re in outer space. Other people who may benefit from meal replacement shakes include:

• Those with limited access to fresh food (natural disaster survivors)
• Those recovering from illness or surgery
• People struggling with an eating disorder
• Those who have trouble retaining weight

Can You Make Meal Replacement Shakes at Home?

Yes, you can prepare your own meal replacement shakes at home. You can experiment with a variety of combinations of natural ingredients and flavors you like. Let’s have a look at some of the most common meal replacement shakes that can be easily prepared at home. 

Mango & Almond Smoothie

This antioxidant smoothie can provide enough vitamin C to your body, slow down aging, and can keep your skin healthy. 

Required Ingredients

• ½ cup milk (whole 3.5%) (~4 oz)
• 2 Tbsp protein powder (~⅔ oz)
• 2 tsp almond butter (plain, without added sugar) (~⅓ oz)
• ½ cup mango (diced) (~3 oz)
• ½ cup berries, any kind (frozen or fresh) (~2 ¼ oz)
• 2 Tbsp water
• 2 ice cubes (~⅓ oz)

How to prepare? 

• Cut the mango into small pieces
• Add all the ingredients into the blender and blend until it becomes smooth
• Keep it in a refrigerator (to improve the taste)

Spiced Oatmeal Smoothie

This smoothie will help you keep your gut happy.

Required Ingredients

• 2 tsp almond butter (plain, without added sugar) (~⅓ oz)
• 1 tsp honey or agave syrup (~¼ oz)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ apple (~2 ¾ oz)
• 3 Tbsp Greek Yogurt, plain (low-fat) (~2 oz)
• ½ cup buttermilk (or skim milk) (~4 oz)
• 3 Tbsp rolled oats (uncooked) (~¾ oz)
• 1 ice cube (~⅛ oz)
• a tiny bit of cinnamon
• a tiny bit of raw cocoa powder (~⅛ oz)

How to Prepare?

• Chop the apple into small pieces
• Add all the ingredients into the blender
• Blend until it gets smooth
• Add a fine dusting of cinnamon on top to enhance the taste

You can search Google for more recipes. However, the best way to lose weight is by focusing on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, balanced calorie deficit, regular physical activity, balanced hormones, and quality food. 

Conclusion

Incorporating meal replacement shakes once or twice a day can help you lose weight. However, don’t make it a habit to rely on meal replacement shakes. Make sure you eat traditional meals whenever possible. Also, focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle for better results. 

Every year new company appears on the online gambling market. This is caused by the general trend of the popularity of slots. These gambling entertainments are in demand both in Europe and in Asia.

What is the difference between providers?

The classification distinguishes several parameters:

• Extension of presence in the market

NetEnt and Microgaming Studios have been working in the gambling industry since the nineties. Younger companies, for example, ELK Studios, Quickspin, Red Rake appeared in the “new” time.

• Assortment of active portfolio

If hundreds of emulators are presented in the provider’s clip, this does not mean quality. Individual studios are focused on a specific segment of games, which may include three-dimensional devices or machines with a plot and a multi-level structure.

• Software technology.

The era of flash games is gradually moving away. This technology has been replaced by the HTML5 framework. Thanks to this, video slots are available to users of mobile devices.

• Bonus options and jackpot volumes.

Large providers separately promote a line of progressive simulators.

These are quick hits where the gain reaches several million dollars. A vivid example is the Mega Moolah device from Microgaming, which every year helps several lucky ones to become millionaires.

Top 5 Casino Slot Developers

• NetEnt

The Swedish developer has been on the market for over 20 years. The company launched its first online slot in 2002. The main focus of the software developer is technical and graphic innovations.

• Endorphina

A provider from the Czech Republic, who has been on the market since 2010, focuses on trending topics. The developer catalog includes plot emulators built around real characters and representatives of popular culture.

• Microgaming

This studio, founded in 1994, can be called a pioneer in literally everything. It was Microgaming that released the first progressive slot machine, presented a multi-level bonus structure, which includes not only the game by chance, but also scatters, wilds and other prize cards.

• BetSoft

A direct competitor to NetEnt is heading for 3D graphics.

• Red Tiger Gaming

This gaming studio entered the top ratings recently. Red Tiger Gaming mainly releases Asian culture slots.

When we take a peek at the MLB leaderboards at any time during the year, it’s easy to gravitate towards the names we’re most familiar with. Plus, it’s hard to look past guys like Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Gerrit Cole and others after getting a glimpse of the ridiculous things they’ve been doing on the mound.

One of the most interesting things about baseball, though, is that any hurler can get hot and unexpectedly find themselves on a leaderboard or two. Now that we’re more than a month removed from the 2019 All-Star Game and the second half is officially rolling, there are quite a few pitchers performing well so far — they’re just not the guys who normally grab a ton of headlines along the way. And, even though we might upset a few New York fans, we’re going to steer clear of listing some of the obvious. If you’d like to get stats and odds on those guys, check out New York sportsbooks.

That’s why we’re here, though — to shed some light on those who are getting great results and deserve a little credit for it. The following six hurlers have been performing well enough to be rubbing elbows with some of baseball’s biggest names since the second half began. 

Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals

An intriguing young arm in the Cardinals rotation, Flaherty was anticipated to take a step forward after posting a 2.4-fWAR campaign in 151 innings last season. His overall statistics in 2019 are on track to do that (2.3 fWAR in 128.1 innings), but it wasn’t without some major first-half issues.

In the 97 innings he accumulated prior to the All-Star break, Flaherty struggled to a 4.64 ERA, 1.86 homers allowed per nine innings (20 total), and a .313 wOBA against. However, in his most recent 31.1 innings (prior to Tuesday’s start), those numbers have improved to 0.86, 0.29 (1), .202, respectively.

He’s managed to improve his WHIP by 0.50 while watching his strikeout-to-walk ratio climb from 18.5% to 28.6%. Flaherty also traded surrendering line drives for more ground balls, but his hard-hit rate allowed is still up over 40.0%.

The right-hander has used his slider slightly more often, but the value of that offering has gone up exponentially. After being valued at -0.15 per 100 pitches in the first half, it’s all the way up at 4.43 per 100 pitches since the midsummer classic.

Reynaldo Lopez, Chicago White Sox

It’s been two different seasons in one upon looking at Reynaldo Lopez’s splits. Entering the All-Star break, the 25-year-old owned a 6.34 ERA and 1.58 WHIP through 98 innings. In the 38 frames that have followed the midsummer classic, those numbers are down to 2.13 and 1.21, respectively. Opposing hitters have watched their wOBA against Lopez drop more than 100 points in the process, too (.376 to .270).

There’s been a clear change in his batted-ball profile, as Lopez is allowing hard contact at just a 28.3% clip (37.8% in first half). That’s helped offset the fact that his line-drive rate allowed has risen from 19.9% to 25.7%, but he’s also seen a six-percentage-point rise in ground-ball rate.

When looking at his pitch value per 100 pitches (via FanGraphs), all four of Lopez’s offerings have improved from the first to the second half of play. This has been helped by significantly decreasing his changeup usage, a pitch that opposing hitters have recorded a 162 wRC+ against this year. His usage of the changeup has gone down about 10 percentage points, with the difference mostly going to his slider (17.6% in first half, 24.8% in second half).

That pitch has produced a 96 opponent wRC+ in 2019, tied with his curveball for the lowest of all offerings in his arsenal.

Cal Quantrill, San Diego Padres

Most of the rookie spotlight in San Diego belongs to Fernando Tatis Jr., and honestly, everybody can understand why. Especially when he makes ridiculous plays like the one he did on Monday night.

But you know what? Cal Quantrill has put together a nice little campaign of his own, even though it won’t make any waves in the National League Rookie of the Year race. Through 16 appearances (11 starts), the right-hander has posted a 5-3 record with a 3.21 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 19.7% strikeout rate, 6.2% walk rate, and 1.0 fWAR while tossing 70 innings.

His 4.55 SIERA shows a bit of concern, which makes sense because he’s allowed hard contact at a 39.8% rate to go along with a 20.8% line-drive rate and just a .266 BABIP.

This solid rookie campaign has been made possible by a ridiculously effective second half, which includes a 0.93 ERA and .207 wOBA against in 29 innings. Although his strikeout rate has gone down a couple percentage points, he’s paired it with improved control — his walk rate has gone from 7.3% in the first half to 4.5% in the second half. However, both his hard-hit rate allowed (40.5%) and fly-ball rate allowed (37.8%) have increased in the second half, but his homers allowed per fly ball rate has dropped from 17.9% to 3.2%.

Yu Darvish, Chicago Cubs

It feels weird putting Yu Darvish on this list, but he’s struggled so much that it seems as if what he’s been doing since the All-Star break has actually gone under the radar a bit.

While one would think it’s difficult to have just a 4-6 record through 24 starts and 132 innings, that’s exactly where the right-hander stands at the moment. His 4.43 season-long ERA doesn’t look all that wonderful, but it could’ve been a lot worse after the kind of first half he had.

Through his first 97 innings, Darvish struggled to a 5.01 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. Since returning from the All-Star break, those numbers have dropped dramatically to 2.83 and 0.77, respectively, in 35 frames. A huge change has come in his strikeout and walk rates. Darvish is whiffing 35.1% of hitters in the second half after posting just a 26.5% clip in the first half. What’s more dramatic of a change is his walk rate: after allowing 11.7% of hitters to reach via the free pass prior to the midsummer classic, that number is all the way down to 1.5% (!) at the moment.

He’s accomplished this by getting ahead in the count much more often. His first-pitch strike rate has risen more than eight percentage points in the second half to 67.9%. That’s been paired with a rise of about nine percentage points in chase rate, bringing that number to 39.3% at the moment.

This is the pitcher the Cubs were hoping they acquired two winters again when Darvish signed a six-year, $126 million contract.

Sports injuries happen – whether it’s due to contact sports incidents or just muscle sprain, intense athletics will often lead to injuries. Sports injuries are a large part of why teams and leagues have to invest in sports insurance. Each sport has different potential liabilities, so insurance packages are typically sold by sport – football insurance, basketball insurance, and so on – to match the needs of each sport. 

While you can’t stop all injuries from happening, there are certain measures you can take as a player, coach, or sports league administrator to reduce the occurrence of injury. Take these preventative steps to reduce sports injuries so that the game can go on as planned.

Warm Up and Cool Down

Before every practice or game, players should warm up with light exercise before getting into the sport itself. Warm up drills physically warm your body up and increase blood flow through your muscles. They also get your heart rate up, helping to prep you for the upcoming workout. Make sure all players warm up for 10 to 15 minutes with light movements that utilize the muscles you’ll use during the sport itself. The same warm up doesn’t work for different sports if different movements or muscle groups are being targeted. 

You should also do cool down exercises after games and practices to stretch out muscles and gradually slow down. Cool down exercises can help your body adjust back to normal and feel out any problem areas or potential injuries from the game. 

Stretch 

Stretching is absolutely vital to prevent injuries. All players should stretch before and after every game and practice to relieve tightness in the muscles and prepare for exercise. Dynamic stretches are the best way to warm up and stretch out muscles before exercise. Dynamic stretches incorporate stretching and movement, and studies have shown that they are significantly more effective in preparing your muscles for the upcoming exercise. Focus on the muscles that you will use during the game or practice. Look for stretches that mimic the muscle movement you’ll be practicing so that the proper muscles are ready. Stretching will improve flexibility, so you can move better while playing sports without pulling or tearing muscles. 

Wear the Appropriate Gear

Wearing the right safety equipment makes a huge difference when it comes to preventing injuries – that’s why most gear was made in the first place. Regardless of what sport you’re playing, there’s probably gear that you’ll need. Every sport requires the right kind of shoes – make sure players wear the proper foot attire for traction and to reduce the chances of foot or ankle injury. 

Depending on what sport you’re playing, there is other equipment like pads, shin guards, mouth guards, and so on. Sports like football require a helmet. If you’re injury prone or have experienced sports injuries before, you may want to take extra steps to prevent further injury. Extra protective gear won’t hurt, and it could be the factor that saves you from another injury. 

Understand the Rules and Risks

Knowing and following the rules of your sport will prevent injuries. Coaches should instruct players on all rules, fouls, and any other regulations of the game. This will not only result in a cleaner game, but it could prevent injuries. Explain to players why certain rules are in place and how they are meant to keep players safe. A rule will likely be followed more closely if players understand that it is for the health of the players on the field. Knowing the risks for injury can help players, coaches, referees, and volunteers to be more vigilant. 

Rest

Humans need rest after intense physical exercise. Even if you’re on a serious training schedule, it is vital to rest after workouts and take rest days in general to let your body recover. Overworking your body will only hurt it in the long run. Take days off to recuperate. Players should also be sure to get ample sleep each night to recover, and stay hydrated. Proper rest can make all the difference, and it will prime your body for the next big game. 

Don’t Play If You’re Hurt

If you’re hurting, don’t play. It can be hard to take yourself out of the game, but if a minor injury springs up or something feels off, it’s better to rest. Pushing through pain could exacerbate the problem and turn your injury into something more serious. It’s better to miss one practice or game to recover rather than push through it and end up hurt for multiple games or even the season. 

Take preventative steps to protect your body from injury when you’re playing sports. Sports injuries can be serious, and could leave you on the bench for the season or even for life. Take care of your body so that you can keep playing and having fun on the field, whatever your sport may be.