Noel Murless

Sir Charles Francis Noel Murless (24 March 19109 May 1987) was a British racehorse trainer.
He began his career as a in 1935 at Hambleton Lodge in Yorkshire before moving to Hambleton House after the war, at one time sharing premises with Ryan Price. In 1947, he moved south, first to Beckhampton, Wiltshire (where he was champion trainer in his first season) and then onto Warren Place, Newmarket (where his one-time son-in-law Henry Cecil would later train).
Murless had nineteen classic wins in England and two in Ireland. Of these there were three Epsom Derby wins, with Crepello (1957), St. Paddy (1960) and Royal Palace (1967). Like his Warren Place successor, he also had an outstanding record in The Oaks, saddling no less than five winners: Carrozza (1957), Petite Etoile (1959), Lupe (1970), Altesse Royale (1971) and Mysterious (1973). His greatest horse was Royal Palace who preceded his Derby success by winning the 2,000 Guineas, to which he added the Eclipse and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes the following year.
In 1952 he became manager of Eve Stud, owned by Sir Victor Sassoon, and was the mastermind behind its racing success. Murless purchased the property from Sir Victor's widow in 1970 and named it Woodditton Stud. Sir Noel continued the practice of standing stallions there, including the top-class racehorses Connaught and Welsh Pageant. The stallion tradition was maintained when the stud was sold to Mr Yong Nam-Seng of Singapore in 1981.
Training career - Hambleton.
Noel Murless commenced training in 1935 when his first winner was Rubin Wood in the Lee Plate at Lanark Racecourse. He first made his mark as a Trainer after the Second World War in 1947 when winning two famous handicaps, the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot with Oros and the Steward's Cup at Glorious Goodwood with Closeburn. Oros was a "top class mile handicapper". Closeburn was just below the very best sprinters of 1947 and was placed in the Cork and Orrery and July Cup before winning the Stewards Cup under a record weight at the time for a 3-year-old of 8-10.He went on to win the Challenge Stakes in October then run over 6 furlongs. The Bloodstock Breeders Review of 1947 said of Closeburn "The credit of breeding the winner goes to his young trainer who, at the end of the season, followed Fred Darling as the "Master" of the famous Beckhampton stable".
Training career - Beckhampton.
1948 was Noel Murless first season at Beckhampton in Wiltshire taking over from Fred Darling. There was immediate success with Queenpot winning the 1,000 Guineas and The Cobbler taking second place in the
2,000 Guineas. Three winners at Royal Ascot included a two-year-old Abernant, who was to become one of the finest sprinters of the second half of the century. Other significant winners of the year included Goblet, in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket and the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, Gold Mist in Doncaster's Portland Handicap and Royal Forest in the Dewhurst Stakes. The move to Beckhampton also led to King George VI becoming one of Noel Murless's owners who he trained 3 winners for in 1948. Noel was Champion Trainer for the first time in 1948 and also had three (Abernant, Royal Forest and Faux Tirage) out of the first four in the Two Year Old Free Handicap for the year.
Noel Murless trained another three years at Beckhampton but was not entirely happy according to his biographer Tim Fitzgeorge-Parker. Those three years did lead to a second classic winner with Ridge Wood in the 1949 St Leger and the dominance of the sprinting ranks by Abernant who won the King Stand at Royal Ascot in 1949; July Cup at Newmarket, King George Stakes at Goodwood and Nunthorpe Stakes at York in both 1949 and 1950.
Training career - Warren Place.
Noel Murless moved to Warren Place in Newmarket towards the end of the 1952 Flat season. Although there were no immediate classic winners the quality of horses was expected to improve as new high spending owners became patrons of the yard. These new owners included the Aga Khan, his son Aly Khan who had offered support prior to the move. Noel according to his biography said of Prince Aly Khan he was "highly intelligent, a first class judge of a horse and of form and breeding". Winners in 1953 included the Cork and Orrery with Blood Test at Royal Ascot and Buckhound in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket. The Queen's Landau won the Rous Memorial Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Sussex Stakes at the Glorious Goodwood festival in 1954. In the same year at Royal Ascot Gordon Richards won the King Edward VII Stakes on Rashleigh trained by Noel. This race lead ultimately to the up-and-coming young new jockey of the time having his licence removed for 6 months. That jockey was Lester Piggott who in 1955 would take over as Stable jockey for Noel following Sir Gordon Richards retirement. Piggott and Murless together would be a dynamic combination in British Flat Racing for the next decade.
A major owner of horses at Warren Place was Sir Victor Sassoon whose Eve Stud Noel managed. In 1955 Victor Sassoon sent the yearling Crepello to Warren Place. Crepello was to win the Dewhurst Stakes in 1956 and the Two Thousand Guineas plus the Derby in 1957.
1967 was probably Noel Murless most successful year as a trainer. Victories included three of the home classics, Eclipse and King George. He was Champion trainer. A win for the Queen's Hopeful Venture in the Wood Ditton at the Craven meeting was followed by victories in the two tradition 1,000 Guineas trials for Cranberry Sauce in the Nell Gwynn and Royal Saint in the Fred Darling. Busted who had been drafted into the stable to lead the classic colts won the Coronation Stakes over 10f at Sandown in April and was deemed too good to continue as a lead horse. The Two Thousand Guineas was won by Royal Palace and the following day Fleet was victorious in the One Thousand Guineas. Royal Palace went on to win the Derby whilst Busted won the Eclipse, King George VI Diamond Stakes and Prix Foy before tendon injury prevented an attempt at the Arc. 63 races were won with winning stakes of £279,775
Noel Murless retired in 1976 as trainer of horses and was knighted the following year.


Bo Levi Mitchell

Bo Levi Mitchell (born March 3, 1990) is a professional Canadian football quarterback for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He signed with the Stampeders in 2012 and became the team's starting quarterback for the 2014 season, setting a number of club and league records including best record for a first time starting quarterback in league history (12 wins, 1 loss). He won the 102nd Grey Cup in 2014, the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award in 2016 and 2018, and the 106th Grey Cup in 2018. With his second Grey Cup win as starter, he became the first QB to start and win multiple Grey Cup games with the Stampeders organization.
Early years.
Mitchell graduated from Katy High School in Katy, Texas in 2008. As a senior in 2007, he passed for 2,451 yards and 37 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He led Katy to a 16–0 undefeated season and a state championship. He was named to the "Houston Chronicle"'s Houston Top 110. Mitchell chose to attend SMU over an offer from Hawaii. Mitchell was also recruited by Eastern Washington.
College career.
SMU.
Mitchell played two seasons at SMU, starting all 19 of the games he played. In his career, he completed 385-of-676 passes (57.0 percent) for 4,590 yards (241.6 per game) with 36 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. His efficiency rating was 121.8.
As a sophomore in 2009, he started SMU's first seven games before suffering an injury and being replaced by freshman Kyle Padron. Mitchell completed 56 percent of his passes for 1,725 yards, 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, for a passing efficiency rating of 117.9. However, SMU was 3–4 in those seven games before winning five of its last six to finish 8–5.
Eastern Washington.
As a junior in 2010, Mitchell transferred to Eastern Washington University, which had previously recruited Mitchell out of high school. He helped lead EWU to victory in the FCS Championship Game, a 20–19 come-from-behind victory over the University of Delaware, the school's first national championship in football. He was named the game's Most Outstanding Player after throwing three touchdown passes in the final 16 minutes of the game and had 302 total passing yards in the game as well.
In the 2011 season, Mitchell led the FCS in four statistical categories, including passing yards (4,009) and touchdown passes (33) on his way to breaking four school records. He broke EWU's record for single season passing yards with 4,009, which ranks 17th in FCS history and fifth in Big Sky Conference history. Mitchell went on to win the Walter Payton Award as the best offensive player in the FCS and was also named the 2011 Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Mitchell was also named to seven All-America teams this season, earning first team honors on six of them. He was the top quarterback on teams selected by The Sports Network, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp, Associated Press, Phil Steele Publications and Beyond Sports College Network.
Professional career.
Calgary Stampeders.
Mitchell went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft. On April 30, 2012, the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League signed Mitchell to a free agent contract. Mitchell saw limited playing time in the 2012 CFL season, playing as a 3rd-string backup behind Drew Tate and Kevin Glenn and ahead of Brad Sinopoli. He began the 2013 CFL season as the 3rd-string QB. Mitchell came on in the third-quarter after Kevin Glenn left with an injury (Drew Tate was already injured) and helped the Stamps to overcome a 24-point deficit to defeat the Alouettes on July 20, 2013.
In his first CFL start, on July 26, 2013, Mitchell completed 29 of 33 attempts while passing for 376 yards, in a big win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Mitchell won the Gibson's Finest Offensive Player of the Week for this performance. The 2013 season proved to be a breakout season for Mitchell. He played significant time at quarterback in 5 of the games, and appeared in another 7 games. His completion percentage was an impressive 69.6%, throwing for 1,156 yards with 10 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions: a quarterback rating of 111.2.
On January 14, 2014, Mitchell signed a contract extension with the Stampeders, which was set to keep him in Calgary through 2016. On June 14, 2014, Mitchell began the 2014 pre season with the Calgary Stampeders. The first week/game he played one quarter and ended the night with 76 passing yards in a 23–20 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. On June 20, 2014 in the second week of pre season against the BC Lions Mitchell threw for 100 yards, 0 TD'S and 2 INT. On June 23, he was named the starting QB for their week 1 game against the Montreal Alouettes. On opening day, Bo Levi Mitchell gave the Calgary Stampeders their first win of the season 29–8 against the Montreal Alouettes. Mitchell had 313 passing yards and 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. On Thursday, July 24, 2014, Bo Levi Mitchell tied Jeff Garcia's CFL record for consecutive career starts, going 7–0, with a 26–22 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos. On November 23, 2014, in his first playoff start, Mitchell led the Stampeders to a victory in the Western Final over division rival Edmonton Eskimos, earning them a berth in the 2014 Grey Cup. He and the Calgary Stampeders would go on to defeat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20–16 in the 102nd Grey Cup. Mitchell was named Grey Cup MVP. On March 3, 2015, his 25th birthday, Mitchell signed an extension with the Stampeders to keep him in Calgary through the 2018 season.
In Mitchell's second full season as the Stampeders starting quarterback he posted career highs in many passing categories leading the Stampeders to a 14–4 record, good enough for second place in the West Division behind the Edmonton Eskimos who beat them via a tiebreaker. Mitchell set personal bests in completions, attempts, yards, and touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named a CFL West All-Star. After knocking off the BC Lions in the West Semi-Final the Stamps were eliminated by the Eskimos who would go on to win the 103rd Grey Cup.
Mitchell continued to improve in the 2016 season setting career highs in passing attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns. Mitchell started in 17 games in the regular season before being rested for the final game of the season after leading the Stamps to a 15–1–1 record, including a 15-game unbeaten streak which set a CFL record for most consecutive wins by a starting quarterback. Mitchell and the Stampeders dismantled the BC Lions in the West Division Final, winning 42–15 and advancing to the Grey Cup in the process. Prior to the Grey Cup game Mitchell was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player. Mitchell and the Stampeders played in three consecutive Grey Cup matches starting in 2016, losing the first two (104th Grey Cup and 105th Grey Cup) before winning the 106th Grey Cup 27-16 over the Ottawa Redblacks. Similar to the 2014 season, Mitchell was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player and Grey Cup Most Valuable Player. In 2018 he became the fastest quarterback to 60 wins in CFL history, only taking 72 starts to do so, surpassing Ken Ploen who had previously held the record with 60 wins, with 78 starts. Shortly after winning the Grey Cup Mitchell announced that he would be pursuing NFL opportunities before signing another CFL contract.
Mitchell was set to become a free agent in February 2019, having decided to explore NFL opportunities before re-signing with the Calgary Stampeders organization. He attended his first NFL workout on December 5, 2018 with the Minnesota Vikings, with more than five teams inviting him to a workout and ten inquiring about him in the days and weeks subsequent to his first NFL workout. Mitchell later said he decided he would reject an offer from the Vikings because a team official told him they did not want a quarterback controversy. Mitchell also worked out for the Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and Chicago Bears. During the 2019 CFL free agency, Mitchell officially became a free agent and had not yet been signed by an NFL team with CFL teams beginning to offer contracts such as the Toronto Argonauts, the Edmonton Eskimos and the Saskatchewan Roughriders with the minimum contract being offered to Mitchell being rumored around $750,000 per season.
On February 12, 2019, Mitchell re-signed with the Calgary Stampeders, in a four-year deal worth $2.8 million. Mitchell suffered a pectoral injury in Week 3 and was subsequently placed on the six-game injured reserve list. By mid-August Mitchell was appearing to be close to a return, however, he was placed back on the 6-game injured reserve list on August 16, 2019 after suffering a minor setback. He was taken off the 6-game injured reserve list 13 days later, on August 29, 2019 and made his return to the starting lineup that weekend.


Chuck Howard

Charles (Chuck) Howard (1933-November 21, 1996) was an American television executive, and a pioneer in television sports broadcasting.
Biography.
Early life and career.
Howard was born in 1933. He graduated from Duke University in 1955, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
Following his college graduation, Howard entered the management training program at Chase Manhattan Bank. In 1960, he made an abrupt career turn and became a production assistant at Edgar J. Scherick's company, Sports Programs, Inc., the forerunner to ABC Sports.
ABC Sports.
In 1961, Roone Arledge charged him with scouting sports events throughout the world in an effort to discover sports that had a loyal following but might be unknown to American television viewers. The result was the April 21, 1961 debut of ABC's "Wide World of Sports", the groundbreaking television sports anthology program.
Arledge, Howard and commentator Jim McKay created the show on a week-by-week basis during its first year of broadcast, establishing a sports television tradition in the process.
Howard went on to become a vice president for programming at ABC Sports and covered nine Olympic Games, the Super Bowl, World Series, British Open, Kentucky Derby, Indianapolis 500 and NCAA football—as well as Acapulco cliff diving, Demolition Derby, rodeos, bobsled racing, arm wrestling and Evel Knievel's daredevil antics.
Howard is credited with being the first to use a split screen and an isolated camera to highlight a part of a play away from the main action.
On April 8, 1967, due to an AFTRA strike, Howard and director Chet Forte filled-in as commentators for Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. He oversaw the broadcast of the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, notable for the massacre of 11 Israeli team members by Palestinian terrorists.
Departure from ABC and later career.
In 1986, Howard left ABC and became the executive producer for the Big Ten Conference's football and basketball broadcasts. In 1991, he was named the executive producer at Trans World International, overseeing such events as the New York City Marathon, the America's Cup, and world coverage of the Masters golf tournament, as well as figure skating and tennis events.
Death.
Howard died of brain cancer on November 21, 1996 in Pound Ridge, New York.
Honors.
"Wide World of Sports" became the longest-running continuing series on ABC, and it won numerous Peabody Awards and Emmy Awards. Howard himself won 11 Emmy Awards as a producer.
In 2009, Chuck Howard was one of the eight inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in New York, New York


Tetsuya Yoneda

Tetsuya Yoneda (, born March 3, 1938 in Tottori, Japan) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher who spent most of his career with the Hankyu Braves in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He was so tough that he was known as Gasoline Tank and also "Human Tank". Yoneda was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Career.
Yoneda attended Sakai High School. He was signed out of high school by the Hanshin Tigers, but his selection was invalidated after Hankyu complained of an impropriety; he then signed with Hankyu.
Yoneda won 21 games at age 19, and 23 games at age 20 in 1958. That year he also tossed 11 shutouts, a Pacific League record that still stands.
Yoneda led the Pacific League (PL) in losses in 1959 with 24 (despite a 2.12 ERA and 20 complete games, including five shutouts). He led the Pacific League in strikeouts in 1962 with 231. In 1963 Yoneda again led the PL in losses with 23. In 1966 Yoneda led the PL in wins with 25, and innings pitched with 310.
In 1968 Yoneda went 29-13, with a 2.79 ERA and 237 strikeouts. He had 22 complete games and 6 shutouts, winning the Pacific League Most Valuable Player Award. The Braves made it to the Japan Series three striahgt years, from 1967–1969, losing all three times to the Yomiuri Giants.
During his career, Yoneda won 20 or more games eight separate times. In total he won 350 games and accumulated 3,388 strikeouts. He is the career victories and strikeout leader for right-handed pitchers, and #2 on both all-time lists behind Masaichi Kaneda. Yoneda was also a strong hitter for a pitcher, slugging 33 home runs in his 22 seasons in NPB.
Yoneda was a founding member of Meikyukai in 1978.


Rajat Chauhan

Rajat Chauhan (born 30 December 1994) is an Indian archer. Chauhan won a silver medal in the World Archery Championships in Copenhagen, becoming the first Indian to win an individual medal in compound archery at the World Championships. He won the Gold Medal Asian Games 2014 in Incheon in the men's compound archery team event along with Abhishek Verma and Sandeep Kumar. In 2014 he also became the first Indian compound archer to qualify for the Archery World Cup final, and in 2015 reached the final of the 2015 World Archery Championships.
Other Achievements.
 2015 Asian Archery Championships: Men's Individual
 2015 Asian Archery Championships: Men's Team


Dennis Sarfate

Dennis Scott Sarfate (born April 9, 1981) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has also played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, and Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Hiroshima Toyo Carp and Saitama Seibu Lions of NPB. While an average reliever in the MLB, Sarfate became one of the greatest closers in NPB history after moving his career overseas. Sarfate holds several NPB records, including most saves in a season and most by a foreign-born pitcher. As of 2020, his 234 career saves rank fifth-most in NPB history. He has been a 3× NPB All-Star, a 3× Pacific League saves leader, a 5× Japan Series Champion, won the Japan Series Most Valuable Player Award, won the Pacific League MVP Award, and won the Matsutaro Shoriki Award.
Early life.
Sarfate was born in Queens, New York, to Dennis Sarfate and Linda Williams. He has a sister, Jaime, and a sister Jennifer.
Amateur career.
Sarfate graduated from Gilbert High School in Gilbert, Arizona in 1999. He was an All-American and First Team All-State, after going 10-2 with a 1.75 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 81 innings in his senior year. He was the "Scottsdale Tribune" Pitcher of the Year in 1999.
The Texas Rangers selected Sarfate in the 15th round of the 1999 MLB draft. He did not sign, enrolling in college. He attended Arizona State University in 2000, majoring in sports psychology, and Chandler-Gilbert Community College in 2001.
Professional career.
Milwaukee Brewers.
The Milwaukee Brewers selected Sarfate in the ninth round of the 2001 MLB Draft. In 2003, pitching for the Beloit Snappers in the Midwest League he was 12-2 with a 2.84 ERA in 26 starts, and 140 strikeouts (2nd in the league) in 139.2 innings.
He made his MLB debut on September 3, 2006. Sarfate pitched in eight games for the Brewers, with a 4.32 earned run average (ERA), and 11 strikeouts in 8.1 innings.
Houston Astros.
The Brewers traded Sarfate to the Houston Astros on September 11, 2007, for cash considerations. After beginning his professional career as a starter, Sarfate spent 2007 as a relief pitcher. He made seven relief appearances for Houston, and was 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 8.1 innings.
Baltimore Orioles.
On December 12, 2007, the Astros traded Sarfate along with designated hitter/left fielder Luke Scott, pitchers Matt Albers and Troy Patton, and third baseman Michael Costanzo to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for shortstop Miguel Tejada.
Sarfate also began 2008 as a relief pitcher. On July 28, 2008, he was moved to the Orioles' starting rotation. He returned to the bullpen after just four starts, in which he went 0-2 while allowing 18 runs in just 15 innings. Overall, in 57 games he was 4-3 with a 4.74 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 79.2 innings.
Sarfate began 2009 in the Orioles' bullpen, but was sent to the AAA Norfolk Tides in the International League in May after posting a 6.49 ERA in eight appearances. He was called up again in September, and pitched much better, posting a 3.48 ERA over 12 relief appearances. Overall, he was 0-1 in 20 relief appearances with a 5.09 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 23 innings.
In 2010, Sarfate pitched at AAA Norfolk, where he was 2-2 with 20 saves (tied for 7th in the International League) and a 2.73 ERA in 47 games, as he struck out 72 batters in 56 innings. He was named an MiLB Organization All Star.
Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
In 2011, Sarfate signed with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan's Central League. Sarfate quickly became one of the top closers in Japanese baseball. He was a 2011 All Star. In 2011 he was 1-3 with 35 saves (2nd in the Japan Central League) and a 1.34 ERA in 57 games. In 2012 he was 2-5 with 9 saves (9th in the league) and a 2.90 ERA in 47 games.
Saitama Seibu Lions.
He spent one season with the Saitama Seibu Lions in 2013. Sarfate was 9-1 with 10 saves (7th in the Japan Pacific League) and a 1.87 ERA (8th) in 58 games (7th).
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
In 2014, Sarfate joined the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, and got the final save of the 2014 Japan Series. He was a 2014 All Star. For the season he was 7-1 with 37 saves (2nd in the Japan Pacific League) and a 1.05 ERA (3rd) in 64 games (3rd).
In 2015, Sarfate closed out the 2015 Japan Series as well, as the Hawks won their second championship in a row. For the season he was 5-1 with 41 saves (leading the league) and a 1.11 ERA (4th) in 65 games (3rd).
During the 2016 season, Sarfate recorded 43 saves, a new record for most single-season saves in the Pacific League. He was named a 2016 All Star. For the season he was 0-7 with a 1.88 ERA (7th in the league) in 64 games (2nd).
On April 2, 2017, Sarfate recorded his 178th save in Japan, setting a new record for most saves by a foreign pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball history. The record was previously held by Marc Kroon of the Yomiuri Giants (177). On July 4, 2017, Sarfate recorded his 200th save, becoming the sixth pitcher in NPB history to reach that threshold and the first foreign pitcher. On September 5, 2017, Sarfate earned his 47th save of the season, breaking the record for most single-season saves in Japanese baseball history. He finished the season leading the league with 54 saves, as he was 2-2 with a 1.09 ERA (4th in the league) in 66 games (2nd). Sarfate earned two saves and a win in the 2017 Japan Series, and won the Japan Series Most Valuable Player Award. He won the Pacific League MVP. He also received the Matsutaro Shoriki Award, for the year's greatest contribution to Japanese professional baseball.
Sarfate had season-ending surgery on his right hip in April 2018, after pitching six innings. He missed the 2019 season as well. His 234 career saves rank fifth-most in NPB history.
On October 14, 2020, Sarfate underwent hip reoperation and spent the 2020 season in rehabilitation.


Gurmayum Anita Devi

Gurmayum Anita Devi is a noted mountaineer from Indian state of Manipur. She was awarded Padma Shri award by Government of India in 2004 . She was also awarded the 1994 National Adventure Award for being part of historic 1993 Indo-Nepalese Women's Everest Expedition.


Don Ohlmeyer

Donald Winfred Ohlmeyer Jr. (February 3, 1945September 10, 2017) was an American television producer and president of the NBC network's west coast division, notable for firing Norm Macdonald from "Saturday Night Live". Ohlmeyer also directed the Olympics and other sporting events and worked for ABC and ESPN.
He was a professor of television communications at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He served as ombudsman for ESPN.com for 18 months; that term ended in January 2011.
Early life.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Ohlmeyer grew up in the Chicago area and attended Glenbrook North High School. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1967.
Career.
ABC Sports.
Ohlmeyer began his career with ABC Sports. A disciple of Roone Arledge, he worked on "Wide World of Sports", was the first hired producer of "Monday Night Football", brought Superstars to television, and also produced and directed three Olympics broadcasts (including the Munich Olympics).
Ohlmeyer and director Chet Forte used their MNF positions to seduce women who attended games they were covering: "The so-called honey shots -- those tight close-ups of a beauty in the stands or on the sidelines -- often held special meaning on "Monday Night Football"." Forte would tell camera operators to proposition comely female spectators: "Tell her who I am. Tell her I'm rich. Ask her if she'd like to be on national television." Ohlmeyer touted the use of prominent televised shots of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders as "'very helpful "after" the telecasts. I mean, they were so fucking good-looking.'" Arledge was aware of the "X-rated activities taking place on the ABC caravan" and excused it as part of "'what made the show what it was.'"
NBC Sports.
Ohlmeyer later moved to NBC as executive producer of the network's sports division, a position he held from 1977 to 1982. Over those five years, he created the popular sports anthology series "SportsWorld" and served as Executive Producer of NBC coverage of the Super Bowl and World Series. He also earned notoriety for the prime-time series "Games People Play" and the made-for-television movie "The Golden Moment: An Olympic Love Story". Ohlmeyer became well known for expanding the network's sports coverage as well as introducing innovative production techniques. He launched "NFL Updates", NCAA Basketball 'Whip-arounds,' and instituted NBC's live coverage of "Breakfast at Wimbledon". Ohlmeyer is credited with conceiving the one-time experiment of airing a 1980 NFL telecast without announcers.
Ohlmeyer Communications Company.
Ohlmeyer formed his own production company, Ohlmeyer Communications Company (OCC), in 1982. While there he produced several made-for-television movies, network series, and specials. He won an Emmy for "Special Bulletin", a harrowing 1983 depiction of nuclear terrorism. His company was also responsible for producing CART IndyCar World Series race telecasts, and golf, including PGA TOUR events, "The Skins Game", and Senior PGA TOUR broadcasts. While at OCC, Ohlmeyer also oversaw Nabisco's 20% stake in ESPN. Ohlmeyer also gained a 49% controlling interest in "Hockey Night in Canada" starting in 1986, taking over the Canadian Sports Network that ran the program under the MacLaren Advertising agency.
He later sold his interest to Molstar Communications, the company which already possessed the other 51%.
Return to NBC.
Ohlmeyer returned to NBC in 1993 to become president of its West Coast division at a time when the network was in third place in the ratings, following the conclusion of popular shows such as "Cheers" and "The Cosby Show". During his tenure, NBC returned to first place with such hits as "Seinfeld", "Friends", "ER", "", "Frasier", "Providence", "Will & Grace", and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien". While Ohlmeyer was at the helm of NBC, it was the only profitable national network in America. Ohlmeyer also spearheaded NBC's adoption of an aggressive promotional campaign to brand the network such as superimposing the Peacock logo in the corner of the screen and coining the phrase "Must See TV."
During the 1997 World Series, Ohlmeyer caused a stir when he publicly wished that the World Series would end in a four-game sweep so that its low ratings wouldn't derail NBC's primetime leading Thursday "Must See TV" entertainment schedule. The series went the full seven games.
Firing of Norm Macdonald.
In early 1998, Ohlmeyer had Norm Macdonald removed from his role as anchor of "Saturday Night Live"s popular "Weekend Update" segment, citing declining ratings and a drop-off in quality. Macdonald and others believed that the real reason for his dismissal was the inclusion of a series of jokes calling O.J. Simpson a murderer during and after the murder case and trial (1994–95). The jokes were written primarily by Macdonald and longtime SNL writer Jim Downey, who was fired from "SNL" outright at the same time (but he was rehired in 2000). Downey said later that Ohlmeyer and Simpson were good friends and that the former had thrown a party for the jurors who acquitted Simpson.
Shortly after Macdonald was taken off the "Weekend Update" desk, David Letterman (during a taping of the "Late Show") called Ohlmeyer an "idiot" and referred to him as "Happy Hour Don" (a reference to Ohlmeyer's problems with alcohol). Letterman later reconsidered and had the remarks removed for broadcast, but the comment (which was heard by the live studio audience) was publicized shortly thereafter in a report in the "New York Post". During a later interview with Macdonald, Letterman stated that Ohlmeyer "fancies himself creative" and ridiculed that notion, saying "Here's a man who could not create gas after a bean dinner". Macdonald went on "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" and said, "Ohlmeyer is best friends with OJ Simpson. If he can like OJ Simpson he can like me."
The tension between Macdonald and Ohlmeyer continued when NBC blocked a promo spot for Macdonald's "Dirty Work" from airing and would not allow the film studio to buy air time during other times to promote the film. Ohlmeyer reportedly said, "'I just don't think it would be appropriate for us to turn around and take a check for a movie that's promoting somebody who has badmouthed "Saturday Night Live" and NBC.'" However, Ohlmeyer was later overruled by his bosses.
Return to "Monday Night Football".
After his time at NBC, Ohlmeyer was lured out of retirement in 2000 to spark interest and provide some vigor to the "MNF" broadcast. Besides the on-air talent, Ohlmeyer's changes included clips of players introducing themselves, new graphics, use of a sideline Steadicam, and music. In another temporary change, the score bug used nicknames of teams, such as "Skins" and "Fins", instead of the teams' actual names or cities (the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins, in this instance). He also made the controversial decision to hire comedian Dennis Miller to join Al Michaels and Dan Fouts in the broadcast booth, an experiment widely regarded, in hindsight, as a failure.
Ohlmeyer left "Monday Night Football" after one season. Ratings for the program had dropped 7% compared to the previous year.
Death.
After a month of medical battles and surgery complications, Ohlmeyer died of cancer in Indian Wells, California. He was 72 at the time.
Personal life.
In 1996, Ohlmeyer was admitted into rehab for alcohol abuse. In 1997, Jamie Tarses was an executive at NBC, and had accused Ohlmeyer of sexual harassment. Both parties refused to talk about it on the record, and charges were dropped. Tarses was let out of her contract, and became president at ABC.
Awards and honors.
Ohlmeyer was honored with 16 Emmys, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, two Peabody Awards, Cine Golden Eagle Award, Miami International Film Festival Award, National Film Board Award, Glaad Media Award, and three Humanitas Prizes. In 2007, he received the Lifetime Achievement in Sports Broadcasting from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and in 2008 was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.


Larry Johnson (running back)

Larry Alphonso Johnson Jr. (born November 19, 1979) is a former American football National Football League (NFL) running back. He played college football for Penn State University, and was a unanimous All-American. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft, and also played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Redskins, and Miami Dolphins.
Early years.
Johnson was born in Pomfret, Maryland. He was one of three children born to Christine and Larry Johnson Sr.. His father is a former high school vice-principal, a high school football coach, former defensive line coach at Penn State University, and the current defensive line coach at Ohio State University. Johnson graduated from State College Area High School in State College, Pennsylvania, where he played for the State College Little Lions high school football team.
College career.
Johnson attended Pennsylvania State University, and played for coach Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 1999 to 2002. As a senior in 2002, he rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season without winning the Heisman Trophy, despite doing so with fewer carries than any other running back in the 2,000-yard club (this record was broken on November 22, 2014 by Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, who gained 2,000 yards on 241 carries—10 fewer than Johnson's 251). He averaged 8.0 yards per carry during the regular season. Johnson broke the Penn State record for rushing yards in a game three times in 2002. His 257 yards in a 49–0 home thrashing of Northwestern broke Curt Warner's previous record of 256 yards set against Syracuse in 1981. He then went on to rack up 279 yards in an 18–7 home win against Illinois and 327 yards in a 58–25 road win against Indiana. He surpassed the 2,000-yard mark by gaining 279 yards on just 19 attempts in the Penn State Nittany Lions' final Big Ten Conference game against Michigan State. Johnson gained all 279 of his rushing yards in the first half, and was kept on the bench for the entire second half of the game. He finished the 2002 season with 2,087 yards.
Following his 2002 senior season, Johnson was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and a unanimous first-team All-American. He also won the Doak Walker Award (top running back), the Maxwell Award (top college player), and the Walter Camp Award (top college player). Johnson rushed for 2,159 yards and 29 touchdowns.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in integrative arts from Penn State in 2002.
Professional career.
Kansas City Chiefs.
2003-06.
Johnson was drafted in the first round with the 27th overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft as insurance for the Kansas City Chiefs, who were unsure if Priest Holmes would be healthy or even sign a contract extension. Johnson was drafted over the objection of head coach Dick Vermeil, who wanted to select a defensive player, and despite the lack of recent NFL success by Penn State running backs (Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, and Curtis Enis). Vermeil criticized Johnson for his casual approach toward preparation. The conflicts between Johnson and Vermeil grew, and in 2004 Vermeil said that Johnson needed to grow up and "take the diapers off."
Johnson took great offense to this comment, and the public estrangement led to rumors that he would be traded. However, towards the end of the 2004 season, Johnson got an opportunity to start after injuries to Priest Holmes and Derrick Blaylock.
Facing the same situation in 2005, with Blaylock gone and Holmes having gone down with a season-ending neck injury in early November, Johnson on November 20 against the Houston Texans ran for a Chiefs' record 211 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns after the injury to Holmes.
At the end of the 2005 regular season, Johnson had nine consecutive games with 100+ rushing yards, passing the 100-yard mark in every start for the Chiefs that season and earning a Pro Bowl berth. During the final game of the 2005 regular season, Johnson set a new franchise record of 1,750 rushing yards in one season, despite not starting in 7 games during the season. In addition Johnson caught 33 passes for 343 yards, averaging over 10 yards per reception. Johnson was named the 2005 MVP for the Chiefs. The Chiefs' record in 2005 was 10–6, but it did not make the playoffs in spite of a winning record.
With injuries limiting Holmes during the previous two seasons, Johnson began the 2006 season as Kansas City's featured back. He rushed for 1,789 yards (second in the league) on 416 carries, an NFL record for most carries in a season. In an October 15 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson pulled strong safety Troy Polamalu down by his hair in order to tackle him. Although tackling a player by his hair is legal and does not alone constitute unnecessary roughness, Johnson was penalized for rising to his feet while retaining grasp of Polamalu's hair (pulling him up in the process). The Chiefs made an appearance in the playoffs with a 9–7 record, where Johnson ran for 32 yards on 13 carries against the Indianapolis Colts. At the conclusion of the season, Johnson was selected for his second Pro Bowl appearance.
2007-09.
On June 21, 2007 Johnson stated that he was willing to sit out the Chiefs' training camp unless he and the Chiefs reached an agreement on a new contract. On July 22, rumors spread about Johnson being traded to the Green Bay Packers. The initial asking price was a first-, second-, and third-round draft pick. Starting on July 27 with the beginning of training camp, he began a holdout during which he was fined $14,000 per day by the team, and did not report to training camp until nearly a month later when he and the team reached an agreement. However, on August 21, Johnson and the Chiefs agreed to a five-year contract extension that locked Johnson up with the Chiefs through the 2012 season. As a result of the extension, Johnson was the highest-paid running back in the NFL based on average salary per year. His new contract covered six years and was to pay him $45 million, with $19 million in guaranteed money—the biggest contract in Chiefs history.
In week 9 of the 2007 regular season, Johnson was sidelined late in the 4th quarter against the Green Bay Packers with a foot injury. The injury was season-ending; Johnson did not see any playing time in the rest of the 2007 season, and was placed on the injured reserve list. Johnson ended the season with 559 yards on 158 attempts, and only three rushing touchdowns.
In Johnson's first regular season game since his injury, he rushed for 74 yards on 22 carries with an average of 3.4 yards per carry against the New England Patriots on September 7, 2008. The Chiefs lost the game 17–10. After a loss to the Oakland Raiders the following week, Johnson spoke out about his low number of carries. In his next two games, Johnson rushed for a combined 319 yards on 52 attempts with an average of 6.1 yards per carry.
Johnson was suspended for the Chiefs' game against the Tennessee Titans on October 18 for violating team rules. Johnson also was benched for the following game against the New York Jets. Johnson, after weeks of being inactive for the Chiefs, was suspended by league commissioner Roger Goodell for the team's week 10 game against the San Diego Chargers, for violating the league's personal conduct policy, after he was charged with simple assault for allegedly spitting his drink in a woman's face (the fourth time in five years he had been accused of assaulting a woman), and as he awaited a court date for allegedly pushing another woman's face. The suspension cost him $147,000; one game check. He finished the season with 874 yards and five touchdowns.
Johnson's 2009 season got off to a very slow start, despite Johnson keeping his starting job. As of week 8, he had 132 attempts for only 358 yards. His 2.7 yards per carry were the worst of any NFL running back with at least 70 carries.
On October 27, 2009, the Chiefs "instructed Larry to refrain from practicing with the Chiefs or participating in other team activities" for his Twitter comments on Chiefs' head coach Todd Haley and reportedly using gay slurs when he addressed the media. Because of his comments, Johnson encountered backlash from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Johnson's Twitter comments were: "My father got more credentials than most of these pro coaches." That was followed by: "My father played for the coach from "remember the titans". Our coach played golf. My father played for redskins briefley. Our coach. Nuthn." Johnson's tweets were responded to by fans, one tweet including a reference to his nightclub incident. Johnson's response used the word "fag". The final post read: "Make me regret it. Lmao. U don't stop my checks. Lmao. So 'tweet' away." Johnson subsequently said about the incidents, "First of all, I want to apologize to the fans of the Kansas City Chiefs and the rest of the NFL, Commissioner Goodell, the Chiefs organization, Coach Todd Haley, his staff, and my teammates for the words I used yesterday. I regret my actions. The words were used by me in frustration, and they were not appropriate."
On October 28, 2009, the Chiefs suspended Johnson until November 9 for "conduct detrimental to the club". They ultimately agreed to a deal with his agent, Peter Schaffer, in which he would only lose one game check ($300,000). At the time of the suspension, Johnson was only 75 yards from passing Priest Holmes as the franchise's all-time leading rusher. This angered several fans, who started a petition demanding that the Chiefs either deactivate, release, or waive him. The petition said that Johnson "has never represented anything close to the values that we have for our Chiefs" and thus did not deserve the record.
On November 9, the day Johnson was due to return from his suspension, the Chiefs waived him. Reportedly, the final straw for Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli was yet another tweet in which Johnson belittled a fan for making less money than he made. Johnson's agent, Schaffer, issued the following statement: "A part of him is excited and a part of him is very regretful. There's a lot of feelings going on right now. It's analogous to breaking up with a girlfriend. Maybe you saw it coming, but it still hurts when it happens."
Cincinnati Bengals.
In November 2009, Johnson signed with the Cincinnati Bengals for the prorated league minimum pay. Johnson served as backup to starting running back Cedric Benson. In the Bengals week 12 win over the Browns, Johnson rushed for 107 yards, his only 100-yard game of the season.
Washington Redskins.
Johnson signed a three-year contract worth up to $12 million with the Washington Redskins as an unrestricted free agent on March 12, 2010. He played for former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan. On September 21, 2010, Johnson was released by the Redskins.
Miami Dolphins.
On August 23, 2011, Johnson signed with the Miami Dolphins. On September 3, the Dolphins terminated Johnson's contract during final roster cuts. He rushed for 46 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries in the 2011 preseason. However, he was re-signed on September 8 after an injury to Daniel Thomas. He was released following the Dolphins' week 2 loss to the Houston Texans, when he ran the ball only once for a two-yard gain.
Personal life.
Johnson and his father, Larry Sr., maintain a close relationship. Johnson's brother and manager, Tony Johnson, is a former starting wide receiver for Penn State from 2000–2003.
Johnson appeared on the cover of the PlayStation 2 game "NCAA Gamebreaker 2004" in a Penn State uniform. In 2007, Johnson appeared in Fantasia's music video for the song "When I See U". Johnson also made an appearance in Jay-Z's music video "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)...". In October 2013, TMZ reported that Johnson had been a recurring guest DJ at Miami strip club Tootsie's Cabaret.
Because of memory loss, suicidal impulses, mood swings, and headaches, Johnson believes he has chronic traumatic encephalopathy (which can't be diagnosed until an autopsy is performed on the brain after death). Johnson also states that he does not remember playing two seasons. His method of dealing with the trauma is to control his social interactions and spend quality time with his daughter.
Controversies.
Since 2020, Johnson has been criticized for posts on his Twitter account including Holocaust denial, support of Hitler, and antisemitic tropes such as claiming Jews worship Satan, and attributing fake quotes to the bible. As such Twitter comments continued into August 2020, CNN reporter Jake Tapper called them explicitly "antisemitic garbage", due to references to a "jewish cabal" and posting alleged quotes regarding "jews toy(ing) with the public as a cat toys with a mouse" or worshipping [satan]." Johnson's tweets have also touched on topics common among conspiracy theory proponents, including freemasonry. He frequently tweets conspiracy theories about celebrity deaths, including the death of Kobe Bryant, which he claimed that LeBron James made a "blood sacrifice" to kill Bryant in exchange for the Los Angeles Lakers winning the 2020 NBA Finals.
Legal troubles.
Johnson has been arrested at least six times since 2003. Five of his arrests were on various assault charges against women, four while he was an active player in the NFL.
In December 2003, he was arrested for felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor domestic battery for slapping and waving a gun at his then-girlfriend as he threatened her, during an argument at his home. The charges were dropped after Johnson agreed to participate in a domestic violence diversion program. He was required to complete 120 hours of community service, attend an anger management course, and stay out of trouble for two years.
In September 2005, Johnson was again arrested for assault when a 25-year-old woman accused Johnson of pushing her to the ground in a Kansas City bar. Johnson turned himself in and was cited for domestic abuse assault; he posted bond and was released. But the case was dropped after the alleged victim failed to appear in court for three hearings.
His third arrest for assault came in February 2008, after he allegedly shoved a 26-year-old woman's head at a Kansas City nightclub.
In October 2008 Johnson was arrested for the fourth time and charged with one count of non-aggravated assault for allegedly spitting a drink in a 24-year-old woman's face and threatening to kill her boyfriend at a Kansas City nightclub on October 11. The woman filed a civil suit against Johnson, accusing him of negligence, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Johnson was deactivated for the October 19, 2008, game against the Tennessee Titans for violating an undisclosed team rule. The team said his suspension for the game was unrelated to the criminal investigation.
In March 2009, Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of disturbing the peace, regarding the two incidents in 2008, and was sentenced to two years' probation. In July 2010 a judge admonished him in court for failing to perform his full community service, said he "puts people in jail every day for not doing community service," but chose not to do so and instead reinstated Johnson's probation. The City Prosecutor said he was supposed to send a monthly form to his probation officer, but failed to, and also failed to report to his probation officer that he had been stopped by police in Virginia and cited for not having a driver's license. After the 20-minute hearing, Johnson walked out of the courtroom smiling.
On October 5, 2012, Johnson was again arrested, in Las Vegas for domestic violence charges that included beating and strangulation of a former girlfriend at the Bellagio resort Las Vegas Strip hotel and casino. The 32-year-old woman was said to have had several injuries to her face, bruising on her neck, and been choked into unconsciousness. Johnson pretended to run from hotel security officers, and told one security officer he would rip his vocal chords out. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center with bond set at $15,000, and was released after spending 18 hours behind bars. He faced a maximum five years in jail, and a $15,000 fine. However, a felony charge was dropped as part of a plea deal, and he was ruled guilty of misdemeanor domestic violence battery and assault, and sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay a $345 fine, perform 48 hours of community service, and attend six months of counseling.
On October 7, 2014, Johnson was arrested for the sixth time after punching a 29-year-old man in a Miami Beach club, and allegedly cutting him with a broken bottle. He was charged with aggravated battery and booked into the Miami-Dade County jail with bond set at $7,500. Johnson later pleaded guilty to battery and was sentenced to 12 months' probation, 60 hours of community service, and must submit to substance abuse evaluations, and stay away from the victim and the club.


Dan Patrick (sportscaster)

Daniel Patrick Pugh (born May 15, 1956), known professionally as Dan Patrick, is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and actor from Mason, Ohio. He hosts "The Dan Patrick Show" broadcast on radio on Premiere Radio Networks and streaming on Peacock. He co-hosted NBC's "Football Night in America" and serves as a senior writer for "Sports Illustrated". He worked at ESPN for 18 years, where he often anchored the weeknight and Sunday 11 p.m. edition of "SportsCenter".
Early life.
Patrick was born in Zanesville, Ohio, and was raised in Mason, Ohio, about 30 minutes north of Cincinnati, one of six children of Patricia Joann (née Miller) and John "Jack" Ambrose Pugh. He was a basketball player in high school at William Mason High School, where he scored a single-game personal best of 36 points and earned AP Class AA All-Ohio third-team honors. He graduated in 1974.
He attended Eastern Kentucky University on a basketball scholarship for two years before transferring to the University of Dayton, where he majored in communications. Patrick is an alumnus of the Eta Hexaton chapter of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity at Dayton. His father Jack worked in the computer science department at UD until he died of cancer in 1981 when Dan was 25.
Career.
Before working with ESPN, Patrick was known by his surname, "Dan Pugh", as an on-air personality with the album rock-formatted WVUD and then, WTUE in Dayton, Ohio (1979–1983). Patrick was then a sports reporter for CNN (1983–89), where his assignments included the World Series, NBA Finals and Winter Olympics. From 1989–1995, Patrick did a daily sports segment for Bob and Brian, a syndicated Wisconsin-area morning show, and in the early 1990s, he did sports updates for the Columbus, Ohio, Rock Station WLVQ and appeared on the morning show "Wags and Elliot."
ESPN.
Patrick was an anchor on ESPN's "SportsCenter" (1989–2006). He also hosted "The Dan Patrick Show" on ESPN Radio from September 13, 1999, to August 17, 2007.
In the mid-1990s, Dan and Keith Olbermann were among ESPN's most recognizable faces. Olbermann used the catch phrase "Welcome to the Big Show" when Patrick worked with him on "SportsCenter". After getting reprimanded by their superiors, they began saying "This is "SportsCenter"" sarcastically, accidentally spawning the show's new catch phrase as well as the name of their long-running promotional campaign. When Olbermann left, Patrick said, "This isn't the Big Show anymore." Patrick stated on his radio program that the ABC sitcom "Sports Night" was a semi-fictional account of the Olbermann/Patrick anchored "SportsCenter", with Casey McCall ("Peter Krause") representing Patrick.
Starting on March 19, 2006, until the final game of the NBA Finals, he became the host of ABC's then-titled "NBA Nation", a pregame show for the network's NBA telecasts.
On July 9, 2007, Patrick on his radio show announced his departure from ESPN/ABC effective August 16, 2007, stating, "I am leaving ESPN August 17 to go out on my own and be a free agent...I think I was starting to take it (ESPN) for granted," Patrick said. He said ESPN tried to talk him out of it. If there were any animosity, he says, "I wouldn't be sticking around until August."
Patrick remained off air from ESPN Radio until August 15 for his three farewell shows. He was originally reported to be returning for a final week, but returned on Wednesday of that week.
ESPN's statement released to the media said Patrick would be released from his contract August 31, 2007, exactly one year early from his deal that was to run until August 31, 2008. The statement also said this would be the final comment on Patrick's departure from ESPN. "ESPN contractually bans all employees from making specific announcements of their futures on their airwaves, but out of respect to Dan and all he's done for ESPN we allowed him an opportunity to end the speculation".
Reaction to Patrick's departure from ESPN/ABC.
Reaction from media sources hit the internet by storm. Many webpages, blogs, and news media outlets speculated on the reasons for Patrick's departure and his possible future. On July 10, 2007, "The Dan Patrick Show", Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick himself put some of the rumors and comments to rest.
Patrick confirmed he was asked by the producers of "The Price Is Right" to audition for the vacant host position, but he declined. The job eventually went to Drew Carey. Patrick admitted he was hurt when good friend, "Sports Illustrated" writer Rick Reilly (who would move to ESPN) wrote, "Patrick was making one of the top 5 biggest career mistakes in entertainment history," ranking right under Shelley Long's leaving "Cheers" and Katie Couric's leaving NBC's "Today" show for the "CBS Evening News".
Keith Olbermann stated it was only a matter of time before a website erroneously reported Patrick was fired from ESPN, which was what happened in some reports when Olbermann left ESPN. Patrick again stated he was leaving on good terms with ESPN and he could return to ESPN if he should so choose. Patrick said he wanted to be on both television and radio again, although some newspapers reported he only wanted to do radio.
On his new show, Patrick often relates anecdotes of his ESPN career, in both positive and negative lights. He often refers to his former employer as "The Mother Ship" (and less frequently, "ESPeon"), and expresses disappointment with their practice of preventing their talent from appearing as guests on his show, and frustration when an ESPN employee has agreed to come on the show only to cancel.
Patrick is often critical of current ESPN shows and personalities (such as SportsNation, SportsCenter, First Take and former ESPN host Colin Cowherd) for stealing content from his show.
In September 2015, Patrick was a guest on the debut episode of SVP, a midnight (EST) version of ESPN's flagship show, SportsCenter, designed as a single-host format hosted by Scott Van Pelt. The SVP SportsCenter allows for some creative empowerment for Van Pelt. This empowerment was strategically evident when Van Pelt's first in-studio interview was Patrick.
August 17, 2007, was Dan Patrick's last day on ESPN Radio. He named his final three shows the "Farewell for Now" tour. The last 20 minutes of his show were filled with thank-yous and looks back. Guests included Bob Costas, Bobby Knight, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ken Griffey Jr. and other sports stars. Will Ferrell also made a heavily promoted appearance in character as .
New radio-TV show/"Sports Illustrated".
Patrick signed a syndication deal with Chicago-based Content Factory, which launched his new version of "The Dan Patrick Show" on October 1, 2007. It was distributed nationally by Premiere Radio Networks. The show aired live on most stations from 9 a.m. to noon Eastern, although some delayed the show into the evening. The show ran delayed on Sirius XM Sports Nation on Sirius Radio channel 122 and XM Radio channel 143. It was also available as a live stream and in podcast form via Patrick's website.
In January 2009, Dan Patrick's show replaced "Out of Bounds with Craig Shemon and James Washington" on Premiere Radio's Fox Sports Radio network. This brought an additional 60 affiliates to Patrick's portfolio, and brought the affiliate count to over 200. It also allows SiriusXM Radio listeners to hear the show live on the Fox Sports simulcast on channel 247.
In August 2009, "The Dan Patrick Show" started being broadcast on The 101 Network, following a show of DIY Network in which a toy-filled "man cave" studio was built in Milford, Connecticut. The radio-only show had been produced in the attic of Patrick's home. The Dan Patrick Show features "The Danettes", who assist Dan with the show. The Dan Patrick Show became the first show to premiere on the Audience Network, DirecTV's rebranded version of The 101 Network on DirecTV channel 239 on June 1, 2011, where it aired until February 2020.
"Sports Illustrated" announced in October 2007 Patrick would become the magazine's senior writer. He would also contribute blogs to SI.com's "Fan Nation" and host the magazine's Sportsman of the Year show. "SI" collaborates with Content Factory to produce Patrick's web site, and helps stream his radio show. Patrick said he will produce non-television content exclusively for "Sports Illustrated". "The Dan Patrick Show" began simulcasting on Root Sports in October 2010, and on NBC Sports Network in November 2012.
NBC Sports.
On July 7, 2008, it was announced Patrick would join NBC Sports as a co-host of the third season of "Football Night in America" with former "SportsCenter" co-anchor Keith Olbermann every Sunday night beginning in September during the NFL season. Patrick and Olbermann host a series of highlights on the show and a segment called "The Little Big Show" with the day's top NFL plays.
"The Little Big Show" refers to Patrick and Olbermann's time at ESPN where they referred to the 11pm "SportsCenter" they hosted as "The Big Show."
Patrick served as the Super Bowl XLIII trophy presenter after the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals, and again at Super Bowl XLVI after the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots. Patrick contributed to the network's coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics as a reporter for women's downhill skiing and snowboarding. He hosted NBC's 2010 & 2011 Stanley Cup Finals coverage. In 2012, NBC named Patrick daytime co-host with Al Michaels for the London Olympics.
Patrick once again served as the trophy presenter at Super Bowl XLIX when the New England Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks.
In March 2018, it was announced that Patrick would not return as the host of NBC's Football Night in America after turning down a contract offer. Soon thereafter, it was announced that Patrick would take over hosting duties of "Undeniable (with Joe Buck)" on Audience Network.
"Sports Jeopardy!".
On April 29, 2014, it was announced that Patrick would host "Sports Jeopardy!", a sports-themed version of "Jeopardy!" shown on Crackle. The series debuted September 24, 2014, and featured special guest Alex Trebek reading out the "Final Jeopardy!" clue in the third episode. Its last episode aired on December 7, 2016.
Sportscasting school with Full Sail University.
In late October 2017, it was announced that Patrick would be creating a Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting with Full Sail University, located in Florida.
Personal life.
Patrick met his wife, Susan (White), when he worked at CNN and she was a producer of CNN's "Inside Politics". They have three daughters and one son.
He received the University of Dayton Distinguished Alumni Award in 1997 and was inducted into the Mason High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.
Other appearances.
Film and television.
Patrick has made cameo appearances in many movies and TV shows, thanks in large part to his longtime friendship with actor Adam Sandler, a relationship for which he was deemed a "stooge" by David Letterman.
Music videos.
Dan Patrick has appeared twice in music videos:


John Kinsella (swimmer)

John Pitann Kinsella (born August 26, 1952) is an American former competition swimmer, an Olympic champion, and a former world record-holder in multiple events.
Kinsella was a standout at Illinois swimming powerhouse Hinsdale Central High School in the late 1960s. As a 16-year-old, he was the silver medalist in the men's 1,500-meter freestyle at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, finishing second to U.S. teammate Mike Burton.
In 1970, while still a high school senior swimming for the Hinsdale McDonald's Swim Club under coach Don Watson, he was awarded the Amateur Athletic Union's James E. Sullivan Award in recognition of the outstanding American amateur athlete of the year. In 1970 he also became the first person to swim 1,500 meters under 16 minutes. After graduating from high school, Kinsella, together with Mark Spitz, Gary Hall Sr., and other notable swimmers, were part of Doc Counsilman's legendary Indiana Hoosiers swimming and diving team at Indiana University, which dominated men's college swimming in the early 1970s. Kinsella won NCAA national championships in the 500-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle events in 1971, 1972, and 1973.
At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, Kinsella won a gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. team in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay. The first-place team of Kinsella, Fred Tyler, Steve Genter, and Mark Spitz set a new world-record time of 7:35.78 in the event final.
After graduating from Indiana University, Kinsella went on to swim professionally, setting a time record for swimming the English Channel. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in recognition for his Olympic performances and later professional swimming career where he achieved the title of "World's Professional Champion."
After the end of his competition swimming career, Kinsella attended Harvard Business School. He joined RBC Dain Rauscher as an investment officer, but is no longer with the firm. He currently resides in Illinois. He has a daughter and three sons.


Taylor Heinicke

Taylor Heinicke (born March 15, 1993) is an American football quarterback for the Washington Football Team of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Old Dominion. He has been a member of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, who he joined as an undrafted free agent in 2015, as well as the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Carolina Panthers. In addition, he was a backup quarterback for the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL during its lone season in 2020.
High school career.
Heinicke played football under head coach Kevin Reach at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Georgia, where he was an all-state selection as a junior after guiding Collins Hill to a 10–4 record and a trip to the Class AAAAA semifinals. As a senior, Heinicke was named the Old Spice National Player of the Year in the state of Georgia. The award is presented annually to 50 high school varsity football athletes. He was also the "Gwinnett Daily Post" Offensive Player of the Year after his record season when he threw for 4,218 yards, the second most in state history, and 44 touchdowns, which is the third-best ever in Georgia, setting Gwinnett County single-season records for passing yards and touchdowns. He threw over 300 yards in nine games and also ran for 354 yards on 77 carries along with a pair of touchdowns. Following his senior season, Heinicke was invited to play at the North/South All-Star Football Classic, where he collected 254 yards and three touchdowns en route to MVP honors after helping the North to a 22–0 victory over the South. He appeared on the reality TV show "The Ride", which featured high school quarterbacks competing for a spot in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
College career.
In 2011, Heinicke accepted an athletic scholarship to attend Old Dominion University (ODU), where he played for the Old Dominion Monarchs football team from 2011 to 2014.
Heinicke became the starter for the Monarchs in 2011. That year, he led the Monarchs to a 10–3 record in the Colonial Athletic Association, but lost in the second round of FCS playoffs against Georgia Southern. He passed for 2,385 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 1 interception, and he ran for 363 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also punted 4 times for 170 yards. Heinicke was named to the All-CAA 3rd team Offense and was the National Freshman Performer of the Year. Old Dominion finished ranked #10 in the Football Championship Subdivision.
In 2012, Heinicke led the Monarchs to an 11–2 record, losing in the playoffs quarterfinals to Georgia Southern. That year, Heinicke passed for an FCS-record 5,076 yards, 44 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He ran for 470 yards and 11 touchdowns. He additionally punted 11 times for 475 yards. On September 22, 2012, against New Hampshire, Heinicke passed for a Division I-record 730 yards and threw five touchdowns. In 2012, Heinicke was awarded All-American honors, CAA Offensive Player of the Year, and the Walter Payton Award. Old Dominion finished ranked #6 in the FCS.
For the 2013 season, Old Dominion began a transition to Conference USA, meaning for the 2013 season, ODU was an independent team. Despite this, Heinicke led ODU to an 8–4 record against mostly FCS opponents. During the season, he passed for 4,022 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He ran for 348 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also punted 13 times for a total of 539 yards, also kicking the longest punt on the team for the season of 61 yards. During 2013, Heinicke became just the 18th quarterback from Division I to pass for 10,000 career yards and rush for 1,000. His 2013 season marks placed him in the top ten among FBS quarterbacks in passing yards, passing yards per game and touchdown passes.
For the 2014 season, Heinicke led ODU to a 6–6 record. During the season, he passed for 3,476 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. He ran for 139 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also punted 14 times for a total of 661 yards.
Professional career.
Minnesota Vikings.
Heinicke went undrafted in the 2015 NFL Draft, but signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent. He competed against Mike Kafka to back up Vikings starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater along with Shaun Hill. Kafka would get injured and was placed on injured reserve, making way for Heinicke to be the third string quarterback.
On September 3, 2016, Heinicke was placed on the reserve/NFI list with an off-the-field injury suffered between minicamp and training camp. He was activated to the active roster on November 8, 2016.
On September 2, 2017, Heinicke was waived/injured by the Vikings and was placed on the injured reserve. He was released with an injury settlement on September 11.
New England Patriots.
On September 23, 2017, Heinicke was signed to the New England Patriots' practice squad. He was released on October 9, 2017.
Houston Texans.
On November 29, 2017, Heinicke was signed to the Houston Texans' practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on December 15, 2017, to back up T. J. Yates following an injury to Tom Savage. On December 25, 2017, Heinicke made his NFL debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers after Yates suffered a possible concussion. However, after completing his only pass attempt, Heinicke suffered a concussion and was replaced by Yates, who had just passed the concussion protocol. On April 13, 2018, Heinicke was waived by the Texans.
Carolina Panthers.
On April 16, 2018, Heinicke was claimed off waivers by the Carolina Panthers. During the 2018 season he appeared in six games with the Panthers including being named starter for Week 16 against the Atlanta Falcons after starter Cam Newton was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury. In his start against the Atlanta Falcons, Heinicke went 33 for 53 for 274 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. During the game he suffered an elbow injury and was replaced at quarterback by Kyle Allen. His injury was significant enough that he was placed on injured reserve for the Panthers final game of the year. Heinicke re-signed with the team on March 12, 2019, but was released during final roster cuts on August 30, 2019.
St. Louis BattleHawks.
Heinicke was allocated to the St. Louis BattleHawks before the 2020 XFL Draft on November 22, 2019. However, he did not see the field during the season and recorded no statistics and had his contract terminated when the league suspended operations in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington Football Team.
On December 8, 2020, Heinicke signed with the practice squad of the Washington Football Team. Prior to joining them, he was in the process of finishing his engineering degree at Old Dominion. He was promoted to their active roster on December 19. He played his first game for the team in Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers after starting quarterback Dwayne Haskins was benched in the fourth quarter. Heinicke completed 12 of 19 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown during a 20–13 loss.
Heinicke started the team's Wild Card playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after Alex Smith was ruled out due to injury. There, Heinicke completed 26 of 44 passes for 306 yards, threw a touchdown alongside an interception, and rushed for a touchdown in a 31–23 loss. An impending restricted free agent in 2021, Heinicke signed a two-year, $8.75 million contract extension with the team in February.


Vijay Kumar (sport shooter)

Subedar Major and Honorary Captain Vijay Kumar Sharma, Padma Shri, AVSM, SM (born 19 August 1985) is an Indian sport shooter. He won the silver medal in the individual 25 metre rapid fire pistol event at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Kumar hails from Barsar village of Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh and is a retired Subedar Major (Warrant Officer Class I) in the Dogra Regiment (16th Battalion) Indian Army. Vijay Kumar is supported by the Olympic Gold Quest initiative. He has been posted at Indian Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) Mhow since 2003 where he is being coached by the Russian Pavel Smirnov.
Early life and background.
Born in Himachal Pradesh, Kumar is the son of Banku Ram, a retired Indian Army "subedar", and his wife Roshni Devi. According to his father, while Kumar was "always intrigued" by his father's guns, he only developed his interest in shooting after enlisting in the Indian Army. Kumar joined the Indian Army in 2001 as a "sepoy" (private), and was inducted into the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) at Mhow in 2003. His prowess ensured him a direct promotion from "sepoy" to "havildar" (sergeant) by 2006. He was promoted to "naib subedar" on 20 April 2006.
Shooting career.
Early career (2006-2009).
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games, he won two gold medals: the individual 25 meter rapid fire pistol competition and the pairs competition in the same event together with Pemba Tamang. The same year, he won a bronze medal in the Asian Games. In 2006, he was awarded the Arjuna award by the Indian government.
In 2007, he finished second at the Asian Championship in 25 metre center-fire pistol. He also won a silver medal at the 2009 ISSF World Cup Beijing in rapid fire pistol, where he was defeated by 0.1 points. He was promoted to "subedar" on 10 February 2009 (seniority from 1 July 2008)
Commonwealth and Olympic glory (2010-14).
In the 2010 Commonwealth Games, he won three gold medals and one silver. In 25 metre rapid fire pistol pairs, Gurpreet Singh and Vijay Kumar won the gold medal scoring 1162 points, setting a new Commonwealth games record. He won the 25 meter rapid fire pistol singles event and also teamed up with Harpreet Singh to win the 25-metre center fire pistol pairs event. In the 25-metre centre fire pistol singles, he finished second winning a silver, losing out to fellow Indian Harpreet Singh.
Kumar won the Silver Medal in the 25 m rapid fire pistol event at 2012 London Olympics. He finished with an average score of 9.767 and had a score of 293 with 7 inner 10s in the first stage. Vijay's silver was the second medal for India at London 2012. Earlier Kumar failed to qualify for the men's 10 m air pistol finals after finishing 31st on 28 July 2012.
Kumar was chosen to be the Indian flagbearer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The Indian trio of Vijay Kumar, Pemba Tamang and Gurpreet Singh won the silver medal in the 25m center fire event at the 2014 Asian Games, held at Incheon, South Korea. The team scored a total of 1740, two behind gold medalists China.
Later career.
Kumar retired from the army in 2017, after 15 years of service. As of 2019, he is finishing a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Manav Rachna University in Faridabad, and has been offered a direct-entry position as deputy superintendent of police (DSP) by the Himachal Pradesh state government.
Awards and recognition.
For winning the silver medal at 2012 London Olympics:


Moldovan Sportsman of the year

The Moldovan Sportspersonality of the Year is chosen annually since 2005 by the national Ministry of Youth and Sports. In addition, the best female athlete is nominated each year and the best trainer.


Larry Kelley

Lawrence Morgan Kelley (May 30, 1915 – June 27, 2000) was an American football player born in Conneaut, Ohio. He played college football as an end at Yale University. While at Yale he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and Skull and Bones, and was the first winner of the Heisman Trophy in 1936 and the second winner of the trophy awarded by the New York Athletic Club, the year it was renamed in honor of John Heisman. His jersey number was 19. Kelley was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969.
Kelley was an All-American and the captain of the Yale football team. Following his career at Yale, he signed a one-game contract with the Boston Shamrocks of the American Football League in 1937 but never played. Following his career in football, Kelley was a history teacher and alumni director at the Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey, his alma mater. He taught algebra at Cheshire Academy and spent 12 years in the glove manufacturing industry.
The Ian Graham Athletic Center at the Peddie School holds a replica of the Heisman Trophy donated to the school by Kelley. To benefit his nieces and nephews, Kelley sold his Heisman Trophy at an auction in December 1999 for $328,110 to the owner of The Stadium Museum, Restaurant & Bar in Garrison, New York, where it now resides. His health was visibly failing by then after having suffered a minor stroke and having open-heart surgery, and on June 27, 2000, Kelley died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in Hightstown, ruled a suicide by the police. He was 85 when he died, and is believed to be the first Heisman winner to take his own life. He was survived by his fourth wife and 18 nieces and nephews.


Charlton Jimerson

Charlton Maxwell Jimerson (born September 22, 1979 in San Leandro, California) is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played college baseball at the University of Miami.
Early life.
Growing up in Hayward, California, Jimerson endured a turbulent childhood. His mother was addicted to crack cocaine, and she often abandoned Charlton and his younger brother Terrence while searching for drugs. His father had moved out and abandoned the family while Jimerson was young, becoming a homeless person, and before that time had been physically abusive of Charlton's mother. The family was supported largely by Jimerson's sister Lanette, who worked as many as three jobs simultaneously to provide financial support. Lanette also helped the oldest of the five children, Derrell, sue for custody of Charlton and Terrence when Charlton was 15.
University of Miami.
After Jimerson graduated from Mt. Eden High School, he was chosen by the Astros in the 24th round of the 1997 June draft, with the 760th overall pick. Jimerson did not feel that he was ready for a professional career, however, and he instead chose to attend the University of Miami on an academic scholarship.
Jimerson earned a spot on the University of Miami's baseball team as a walk-on, although he had not been widely recruited in high school. Coach Jim Morris initially tried to convince him to transfer to a junior college, but Jimerson used a homemade portfolio of clippings and a personal essay to impress the coach with his motivation. He was a bench player his first three years, and he did not play during Miami's successful pursuit of the 1999 College World Series title, but an injury to a teammate opened a spot for him in the starting lineup his senior year. In 1999, he played for the Bethesda Big Train, a college wooden bat summer team.
Jimerson took the opportunity and ran with it, ultimately being honored as the "Most Valuable Player" in the 2001 College World Series, as Miami won its second title in three years. He tied a CWS record by stealing four bases in a game against Tennessee, and his teammates voted him the "Bob Werner Memorial Award", for exhibiting the qualities of a "winner". Jimerson graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelor's degree in computer science, and the Houston Astros again selected him in the draft, this time using the 146th overall pick, part of the fifth round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft. This time, Jimerson elected to turn pro.
Professional career.
Houston Astros.
Jimerson is regarded as having very good physical tools, with some scouts comparing his abilities to those of a young Eric Davis. Baseball America cited him as being the "Best Athlete" and having the "Best Outfield Arm" in Houston's farm system in 2005, and he has stolen more than 25 bases in each of his four years in full-season baseball. He has had trouble maintaining his batting average, however, hitting only .245 through all levels of the minor leagues. He also strikes out frequently, with 152 Ks in 2005 and 163 the season before.
Jimerson made his major league debut on September 14, 2005, appearing as a defensive replacement in a 10–2 win against the Florida Marlins; he did not record an out, nor did he make a plate appearance. He was called up again after the roster expansion at the end of the 2006 season. When he pinch-hit for Roger Clemens in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 4, 2006, he hit a home run in his first major league at-bat. Jimerson was released from the Astros on March 28, 2007, four days after he was outrighted to the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks.
Seattle Mariners.
The Seattle Mariners signed Jimerson to a minor league contract on May 8, 2007, and sent Jimerson to Double-A West Tenn Diamond Jaxx. In his first two months in West Tennessee, Jimerson continued to exhibit a low batting average and a high strikeout rate, but with a notable increase in power. In his first 244 plate appearances, he hit 16 home runs and slugged .552. With the trade of Sebastien Boucher and a player to be named later or cash to the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher John Parrish on August 9, 2007, the Mariners optioned Charlton Jimerson to Triple-A Tacoma. After later spending time on the big league club later that September, Jimerson made the opening day roster for the 2008 season as a backup outfielder. He was designated for assignment on April 11, 2008, to make room for Greg Norton on the active roster. On April 16, 2008, Jimerson was re-signed and assigned to Triple-A Tacoma, but was released in early July.
Independent League.
Jimerson signed with the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association on August 5, 2008, but was released from the Explorers 10 days later on August 15, 2008.
Newark Bears.
Jimerson played for the Newark Bears in 2009. He carried a .335 batting average; had 21 home runs; and stole 38 bases for the team.
Minnesota Twins.
Jimerson signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins in March 2010 and was assigned to the Rochester Red Wings. He was waived by the organization on April 6 of the same year.
Bridgeport Bluefish.
Jimerson's played for the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League in 2010. He was all-star selection before leaving to play for Los Angeles Angels' Double-A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Jimerson's contract was purchased by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from the Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League on July 19, 2010. He was assigned to the Angels' Double-A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers.
Against All Odds: A Success Story.
On March 14, 2015, Charlton Jimerson released a memoir titled "Against All Odds: A Success Story." The book is organized into "innings" rather than chapters. In the book he tells the story of his childhood where he was raised in a family of five kids along with a mother who struggled with drug dependency and often suffered drug-related violence. He describes his growing love of baseball, sharing how both school and sports offered him positive ways forward. He also notes the key people and crucial moments in his life that led him to become a major league baseball player where he hit a home run in his first ever at-bat. The hit was off Cole Hamels and ruined his perfect game. The book was independently published on Createspace.
Personal life.
Jimerson and his wife Candace live in Missouri City, Texas during the offseason with their daughter Carter, and sons Tyson, Nicolas and Caden. He remains actively working with youth baseball in the Houston/Missouri City area.
His personal website recently launched as a portal to find all things Charlton Jimerson. The website is: www.charltonjimerson.com
External links.
, or Retrosheet, or Baseball Reference (Minor, Fall, Winter and Independent Leagues)


Kei Igawa

 is a Japanese former left-handed pitcher. He played for the Hanshin Tigers and Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He led all pitchers in the Central League for strikeouts in , and 2006. He also played in the 2006 Major League Baseball Japan All-Star Series.
Professional career.
Hanshin Tigers (1998–2006).
He was the number two draft choice of the Hanshin Tigers in . After a couple of years in the Hanshin minor league system, Igawa entered the starting rotation in . In his first full season as a starter, Igawa went 9-13 for the last-placed Tigers, but finished with a Central League second-best 2.67 ERA, behind only Chunichi's Shigeki Noguchi.
In 2002, Hanshin improved to fourth, and Igawa's record was 14-9. He finished third in ERA (2.49), trailing Masumi Kuwata and Kenshin Kawakami. He also led the Central League with 206 strikeouts.
In , the Tigers won the Central League pennant. Igawa made a great contribution with his brilliant performance. He pitched very well and finished with a 20–5 record, a 2.80 ERA, and was third with 179 strikeouts. He was named to the Best Nine, won the MVP in the Central League and also won the Eiji Sawamura Award, the Japanese equivalent of the MLB Cy Young Award.
Igawa saw a decline in performance in 2004 and . In 2004, despite leading the league at 228 strikeouts, he went 14-11 with a 3.73 ERA. In 2005, Igawa went 13-9 with a 3.86 ERA, fifth among his team's starters in ERA, and was briefly exiled to the minors. He was only tied for fifth in strikeouts (down significantly to 145) and 10th in ERA, but was still third in the circuit in victories. While still a productive hurler, Igawa became a target of enthusiastic fan criticism due to his inability to perform at his prior level.
New York Yankees (2007–2011).
2007.
In 2006, Igawa announced his intention to play in North America. On November 16, 2006, Igawa was posted by the Hanshin Tigers. On November 29, 2006, it was announced that the New York Yankees were the highest bidders at $26,000,194, with the last three digits representing his strikeout total for the 2006 season. He signed a five-year, $20 million contract on December 27, 2006. On January 8, , Igawa was officially announced at a Yankee Stadium press conference. On April 7, 2007, he made his major league debut, allowing 7 earned runs in five innings, but received a "no decision" because of Alex Rodriguez's walk-off grand slam. Igawa later earned wins in relief appearances against the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox.
Igawa came to prominence in a game on April 28, in which starting pitcher Jeff Karstens left in the first inning after suffering a broken leg on a liner back to the mound. Igawa came in from the bullpen and pitched six innings of scoreless relief, allowing only two hits and striking out six batters before enjoying a standing ovation on his way to the dugout. He was the winning pitcher in the Yankees' 3-1 victory over their rival Boston Red Sox.
However, the Yankees later saw flaws in his mechanics and, on May 7, optioned him to the Florida State League's Tampa Yankees to work with Nardi Contreras and Billy Connors. Igawa apparently made progress in mechanics and location at Tampa, and was subsequently called up to pitch for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees. Igawa made his return start against the San Francisco Giants on June 22, 2007, allowing two earned runs in 4.2 innings.
On July 27, 2007, Igawa was demoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was claimed on waivers by the San Diego Padres in August 2007, but the Yankees pulled him back without making a trade. Igawa returned to the Yankees in September 2007 when rosters expanded.
2008–2009.
After failing to make the team out of spring training, Igawa started the year with Scranton/Wilkes Barre. He was called up to replace Ian Kennedy, In Igawa's first MLB start of the 2008 season, he gave up eleven hits and six runs in 3 innings. He was promoted again in June for one appearance before being optioned back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre the next day. On July 26, 2008, Igawa cleared waivers and was removed from the 40-man roster.
In 2009, Igawa was invited to Spring training as a non-roster invitee, the only Yankee with a guaranteed contract in that position. On March 23, 2009, the Yankees reassigned Igawa to minor league camp. With the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, Igawa posted a 10–8 record with a 4.15 ERA, with 105 strikeouts. The 10 wins, 105 strikeouts, and the 4.15 ERA were team bests for the 2009 year. On July 27, 2009, Igawa set a Scranton/Wilkes-Barre franchise record for most career wins, with a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Clippers.
During the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman twice attempted to sell Igawa to a Japanese team, but Igawa refused to return to Japan both times.
2010–2011.
In 2010, Igawa was invited to spring training as a non-roster invitee. However, on March 13 Igawa was once again cut and sent to AAA. In 2011 Igawa played most of the season for the Yankees' AA affiliate, the Trenton Thunder, but did pitch four games in AAA for the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees where he went 1-0 with a 2.78 ERA.
Igawa had stated that he preferred to stay in the United States to play in MLB after his contract with the Yankees expired. He became a free agent after the 2011 season.
Orix Buffaloes (2012–2014).
The Orix Buffaloes of NPB signed Igawa to a two-year contract worth ¥200M prior to the 2012 season. Injuries were a problem for Igawa in his return to Japan, he made only 29 starts from 2012 to 2014.
Pitching style.
Igawa's fastball will usually stay in the 87-90 mph range, but he is able to reach back and throw harder when in need of a strikeout (tops out at 93 mph). Igawa also throws a changeup, which hovers in the 78-81 mph range, and a slider, which he uses primarily against left-handed batters. His changeup has a tendency to be belt-high and in the middle of the plate. This pitch drew a lot of swings and misses in Japan, but it did not have the same success in America. Igawa was known to possess above-average control in Japan, but has a very poor track record of control at the Major League level.
Igawa is also known for his unique follow-through, in which he throws his left leg into the air and return his pitching arm to a high position. Since he does not do this with his off-speed pitches as often as his fastballs, it might become easier for batters to distinguish whether a pitch is off-speed or not.
His record during day games in Japan was 4-5, 7.09 ERA. Considering the fact that Igawa pitches exceptionally better in night games, he wears sunglasses during day games to make the game environment closer to that of a night game.
Personal life.
In February 2007, Igawa announced on his Japanese blog that he had married recently. His wife and children visit New York for a couple months per year. Igawa enjoys playing shogi. In January 2007, the Japanese Shogi Association appointed Igawa as the "shogi goodwill ambassador" to popularize shogi outside Japan, and presented the diploma of the first grade and the letter of the commission of authority to him. Igawa is a great soccer fan, but he joined the baseball club because there was no soccer club in his junior high school. Originally, he was a fan of the Kashima Antlers, which is based near his hometown of Ibaraki, but he became a Gamba Osaka fan after joining the Hanshin Tigers.


Kent Vase

The Kent Vase is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organized by the Kent Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced during the 2001-02 season, with the inaugural winners being Bromley. It is the third most important rugby union cup competition in Kent, behind the Kent Cup and Kent Shield but ahead of the Kent Plate and Kent Salver.
The Kent Vase is currently open to the first teams of club sides based in Kent that play in tier 9 (Shepherd Neame Kent 1) and tier 10 (Shepherd Neame Kent 2) of the English rugby union league system. The format is a knockout cup with a first round, second round, third round, semi-finals and a final, typically to be held at a pre-determined ground at the end of April on the same date and venue as the Cup, Shield, Plate and Salver finals. Teams that are knocked out of the first round complete for the Kent Salver.