MLB Has Questions About A-Rod's Starlight Poker Games

"Major League Baseball is starting to shine a brighter light on Alex Rodriguez's alleged participation in illegal high-stakes poker games, and the commissioner's office intends to bring in Rodriguez for questioning on the matter.

"We take this very seriously and have been investigating this matter since the initial allegation. As part of the investigation, the Commissioner's Office will interview Mr. Rodriguez," MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said.
Baseball sources say it's possible that Rodriguez's' participation in the games could lead to a suspension, if it is determined that he was actually present.

According to the initial report in Star Magazine, Rodriguez played in two games at a Beverly Hills mansion in 2009, where drugs were used and a fight nearly broke out after one player lost more than a half-million dollars.

Commissioner Bud Selig has spoken with Rodriguez before about his playing in the games, which have allegedly included other celebrities from sport and screen.

When the allegations first came to light a month ago, Rodriguez said that he would address it at the proper time, if needed. That time may be coming. Rodriguez could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but he arrives at the Yankees' complex in Tampa Thursday to take the next step in his rehab from knee surgery." - read more - via The Wall Street Journal

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MAN FALL FROM THE STANDS AND DIES AT A RANGERS GAME!

YAHOO.COM- "This kind of thing isn't supposed to happen at the ballpark.

But it has.

A man attending a Texas Rangers game with his young son died after falling out of the left-field standsand about 20 feet to the ground Thursday night.

He was trying to catch a ball flipped into the stands by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton(notes) but apparently lost his balance and fell head-first in a space between the 14-foot outfield fence and the grandstand near the Oakland Athletics bullpen.

"We had a very tragic accident tonight and one of our fans lost their life reaching over the rail trying to get a ball," team president Nolan Ryan said. "As an organization, and as our team members and our staff, we're very heavy-hearted about this, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family."

The Brownwood (Texas) Bulletin identified the man as Shannon Stone, a lieutenant in that town's fire department and a fireman for 18 years.

The accident happened in the second inning after Oakland's Conor Jackson(notes) hit a foul ball that bounced back onto the field.

Horrifying TV replays from the Oakland broadcast show Stone positioning himself to catch Hamilton's throw, then tumbling over a railing as his young son watched. A man next to Stone tried to hold onto him, but couldn't.

It's the second fatal fall at a major league ballpark this season. In May, a fan at Coors Field fell down a stairwell and died. Also, last July at Rangers Ballpark, a fan fell 30 feet from the second deck of seats while trying to catch a foul ball and suffered a fractured skull and sprained ankle.

Ryan said Hamilton and the rest of the club were made aware of what happened.

"We spoke to the ballclub, they understood what has happened and we spoke to Josh," Ryan said. "I think as any of us would be, Josh is very distraught over this, as the entire team is."

What must be going through the mind of not only the boy, but also Hamilton? Obviously, what happened wasn't his fault but it would only be human nature to feel guilty. And, as most fans realize, Hamilton is quite human.

The other players were taking it hard as well:

Athletics reliever Brad Ziegler(notes) was in tears after the game when he found out the man had died.

"They had him on a stretcher. He said, 'Please check on my son. My son was up there by himself.' The people who carried him out reassured him. 'Sir, we'll get your son, we'll make sure he's OK,"' Ziegler said. "He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious. We assumed he was okay. But when you find out he's not, it's just tough."

This has to be the saddest possible event at a baseball game. A man goes to a ballgame with his son — it's the ultimate American experience — and he dies trying to catch a ball. It's hard to comprehend.

As for the need to raise the railings, or not throw balls into the stands ... that's the crazy part. How many thousands of games happen where nobody gets hurt, and now this?

Video of the fall probably can be found elsewhere on the Internet, but be advised: It is profoundly upsetting.

Maybe more cogent thoughts will come to me in the morning.

Follow Dave on Twitter — @AnswerDave — and engage the Stew on Facebook

Related: Conor Jackson, Josh Hamilton, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers" -YAHOO.COM

What Happened to African-American Baseball Players?

Money is Money and talent is talent. Lets not forget Basketball Legend Michael Jordan didn't even have the talent to make it in baseball...... but he tried. Show and prove black people

"After Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in professional baseball, African-Americans continued to excel in the field for many years — but are dwindling in numbers today. What was once America’s greatest pastime spawned Hall of Famers like Roy Campanella,  Hank Aaron and Willie Mays, plus many other great African-American legends. But despite this rich history, black youth today are focused more on the glitzy trappings of football and basketball. Their synergies with hip-hop have led young African-Americans away from baseball, known for its more conservative crowd. This decline in interest has contributed to the fact that there are fewer black American baseball players than ever. The Boston Globe reports:

We’re always a bit surprised when a young baseball prospect turns out to be African-American.
“It hurts, it really does, to see the decline of the sport,’’ says San Diego Padres second baseman Orlando Hudson, one of the dwindling number of African-American major league players. “To think that our baseball ancestors put up such great numbers and stood for so much and how much they went through in this great game.’’
Once upon a time, baseball was the city game, for all races. There was always a field or lot somewhere. Playing baseball was a standard way of life. It can easily be argued that, in the first 50 or 60 years of the 20th century, baseball was, by far, the most popular sport for African-Americans.
And now?
“I’ve had kids come up to me and ask why I’m playing that white man’s game,’’ sighs Hudson.

Hudson works to reverse this trend through his program Around the Mound, which promotes baseball to inner city youth. But the competition to gain interest in baseball’s slow-paced game is rough. Training for baseball emphasizes slow growth over the exciting expression of raw talent witnessed in the NBA. African-American kids are enchanted by the prospect of breaking into basketball right out of high school using innate skills. And very few baseball luminaries receive the massive contracts offered to the brightest of the NFL. By comparison the understated life of a baseball player seems unappealing." - read more - via Alexis Garrett Stodghill of Atlanta Post