Posts tagged ‘MLB’
Former big leaguer Sanderson now models Christ as player agent
You�d think a longtime major league pitcher � especially one who made millions of dollars as a 19-year veteran, former All-Star and member of multiple playoff teams � would kick back and relax for awhile after retiring. Maybe travel to exotic locations or buy a mansion and sip daiquiris by the pool.
Not Scott Sanderson.
�I took three weeks off after my last game and then started representing players,� he said. �I knew later in my career that this is what I wanted to do.� (more…)
Jones maturing in faith in twilight of career
Todd Jones vividly remembers his worst outing ever.
It was June 1, 2007, and the Detroit Tigers were at Cleveland. The Indians were threatening to close a 9-5 deficit in the eighth inning, so Detroit manager Jim Leyland brought in Jones, the team�s veteran closer, to nail the game shut. Two runs scored before Jones retired the side, but the Tigers spotted him two more runs in the top of the ninth.
It wasn�t enough. Jones imploded in the bottom of the ninth, surrendering a three-run homer to Victor Martinez and two more runs to absorb a bitter 12-11 loss.
�That was nice,� Jones recalled, sarcastically. �There�s usually one game a year where a fan leans over and says, �Mr. Jones, are sure you�re right-handed?�� (more…)
Top 12 Evangelicals in Sports
You can stay home on Sunday to watch football, skip Tuesday night prayer meeting for the baseball game of the week, and miss Saturday’s church retreat in favor of a pro golf tournament–chances are, you’ll still hear about Jesus. Evangelical athletes populate the major sports, and many of them enjoy the chance to be outspoken about their faith–thanking God for that winning field goal, late-inning homerun, or 18-foot putt.
We’ve scanned the sporting world to come up with a gallery of some of the most dominant athletes and coaches working today. Each of these men and women work hard, as their Bibles tell them, “to win the prize,” both in their sports and in their faith. (more…)
Putting His Faith in Telling the Truth
Considering that his old buddy Roger had thrown him under the stagecoach five days earlier, Andy Pettitte was in a tolerant mood about Clemens on Monday, even if it fell slightly short of turning the other cheek.
Pettitte still loves Clemens like a brother, he said, even if Clemens testified at a Congressional hearing that Pettitte “misremembered” that little conversation they had in 1999 about human growth hormone. Pettitte has testified under oath that Clemens admitted using the stuff, and Clemens has denied it. A small misunderstanding between buddies.
“The truth will set you free,” Pettitte said, quoting Christ’s words in John 8:32. Pettitte’s manager, Joe Girardi, had used the same phrase earlier in the day. Pettitte has played a bit loose with details in the recent past, but Monday he seemed chastened, horrified, by his public exposure, and seemed to need a public forum to set himself free. Always quick to note that he is not very smart, Pettitte did it four or five times during a news conference that was remarkable not only for its length of 57 minutes, but also for its tone of humility. Pettitte rarely preaches in the clubhouse. His references to his Christian faith generally come out in the context of the life he is living, which has always seemed controlled and sober and decent. (more…)
For Trey Hillman, Royals’ Job is ‘a blessing from above’
Trey Hillman read the letter from the 49-year-old high school coach asking for advice on how he, too, could realize his dream of becoming a major league manager.
“He assumed I was plucked off the street,” says Hillman, 45, the Kansas City Royals’ rookie manager. “So I called him. I’m not going to sit there and tell him it’s not possible, but I also educated him about where I’d come from.”
Hillman, hardly a household name in American baseball, was plucked from the other side of the world, ending a 21-year odyssey that began as a Class AA utility infielder who didn’t foresee a big-league playing career. What followed was scouting, coaching, 12 years of managing in the minor leagues and a career-altering five seasons in Japan. (more…)
Zips assistant coach Brian Donohew shares love of sport and spirituality on mission trip
Brian Donohew first learned about Score International during a baseball coaches convention in Florida in January 2006.
The sports-themed mission group sounded interesting, like something the University of Akron assistant baseball coach ought to consider someday. Donohew picked up a flier to take home and to share with his wife.
After the couple’s promising initial conversation, the flier was left on a table and soon buried in a pile with other things to do. As months went by, it would get moved around from table to table, room to room.
But it was never thrown away.
”Every time I saw it, I’d think about it,” Bonnie Donohew said. ”A couple of times I thought I’d just get rid of it, but for some reason, I never did.” (more…)
Faith brings Texas Rangers’ Hamilton back from the brink
Just past 8 a.m. on a gray Eastern Carolina Friday, Josh Hamilton’s silver GMC truck, grinding gravel into grit, rumbles into the alley directly across Market Street from the Ava Gardner Museum.
His ash-colored sweatpants are streaked with grease, the residue of eating a chicken biscuit while driving 40 miles from his home in Cary at the crack of dawn. As he enters a hollowed out jewelry store turned batting cage, Hamilton yanks a Rangers royal blue fleece shirt over his head.
“I like this color,” he says from under the shirt. “It really brings out the blue in my eyes.”
Just then, his sturdy, heavily tattooed forearms emerge and his head breaks free. He is 6-4, 240 pounds and has a smile that would have made one of the sirens Gardner portrayed on the screen swoon. (more…)
In Baseball Now, More Teams Pray Before They Play
Here is an older article from September 18,2005 about the faith of players on the Washington Nationals:
A sober voice interrupted, “Chapel, 10:45.”
Church and Cepicky nodded. Another player burped. Another swallowed a light blue pill. Another swatted his bat at a teammate’s bare behind.
“Chapel in thirty minutes,” Jon Moeller said, working his way — locker to locker, broad back to back — around the room, distributing a leaflet: “What God Has Done For You.” Moeller, 36, is the chapel leader for the Nationals baseball team. On Sundays, before they play, they pray. (more…)
Cy Young Winner Peavy tries to make a difference in others’ lives
This story is from 11/29/07
San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy was the unanimous selection for the National League’s Cy Young Award.
Peavy led the league in wins, earned run average and strikeouts, going 19-6 with a 2.54 ERA.
Sharing the Victory, the official magazine of the Fellowship of Christian Atheletes, recently featured Peavy in a story.
“Because I’m a baseball player, I’ve had some opportunities,” Peavy said in the story. “And I realize what a blessing it is to be able to stand up and challenge people to let God’s light shine through them and to make a difference.
“That’s what I think we’re called to do as Christians: to make a difference in other people’s lives and to take other people to Heaven with us,” he continued. “We’re called to tell them about the good news that we have—that you can have such a peace and be at peace with yourself knowing that your sins are forgiven. That it’s not about how good we can be, but about this gift that we have of eternal life through Jesus Christ. And there is no greater opportunity than to lead somebody to the Lord.”
Major League Baseball Stars Put Faith in the Spotlight
Article from March, 2007:
Some of the nation’s top athletes from Major League Baseball (MLB) are sharing and revealing their faith in an upcoming film that premieres today in Phoenix.
All-stars such as catcher Mike Piazza, pitcher Tom Glavine, National League Championship MVP Jeff Suppan, Royals Captain Mike Sweeney, and many more will star in Champions of Faith: Baseball Edition, where each player will discuss how their relationship with Christ has shaped their careers within professional baseball.
According to a preview, “these superstars of America’s favorite pastime speak frankly about family, faith, sacrifice, leadership, humility and the many virtues and spiritual lessons they have learned from the game.”
Including within the movie will be high-definition game highlights alongside the players’ testimonies, which will allow viewers to see the public and personal lives of the subjects and how God has affected those.
Contained in the video is inspirational, uplifting music from famed singer, Bob Dylan, who had a powerful conversion in his life late in his singing career. He is known as one of the greatest songwriters in history. (more…)
Jesus Christ's Superstars - Celebrities, Athletes, Actors who use their spotlight to honor God. 