Henderson, Rice Join Hall of Fame

Prototype leadoff hitter elected to Baseball Hall on first try; Rice gets in on last try

(NEWSER) - Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, MLB reports today. Henderson, often cited as the best leadoff hitter ever, was considered a shoe-in, and captured 94.8% of votes in his first year on the ballot. Rice, a Boston stalwart, squeaked in with 76.4% of the vote in his final year of eligibility. The cutoff is 75%. More»

Oakland ace tosses majors' 19th perfecto

(AP) - Dallas Braden pitched the Athletics' first perfect game in 42 years and just the 19th in major league history today, dazzling the majors' hottest team in recording a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Oakland. Braden threw his arms in the air after Gabe Kapler grounded out to shortstop for the final out. The closest the Rays got to a hit was Jason Bartlett's liner to third leading off the game. Evan Longoria tried to bunt against Braden leading off the fifth, drawing boos from the small crowd. More»

Players battle for spot with political-style campaigns

(NEWSER) - This weekend, Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice are headed for baseball’s Hall of Fame—and a life without financial headaches, the Wall Street Journal reports. Retired players make money with autographs, speeches, and endorsements, and a place in Cooperstown means their values skyrocket. “‘HoF’ after a signature is the single best predictor of baseball price,” a memorabilia expert says. More»

(NEWSER) - Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski underwent heart bypass surgery today after going to the hospital for chest pains, reports the Boston Herald. The beloved Yaz, who turns 69 on Friday, had a triple bypass and "everything's fine," said spokesman at Mass General. "The operation was a success." More»

Boston fan tried to hex New York's new home

(NEWSER) - A construction worker on the Yankees' new stadium made a unique play to reverse the Curse, reports the New York Post. A Red Sox fan, Gino Castignoli buried a David Ortiz jersey behind home plate last summer, but two former colleagues located and exhumed the shirt today. Now the Sox-lover has a new enemy: "I hope his coworkers kick the s---- out of him," said Yanks' top dog Hank Steinbrenner. More»