GRADY SIZEMORE BIOGRAPHY

Grady Sizemore III was born on August 2, 1982, in Seattle, Washington to Donna and Grady Sizemore II. (Click here for today's sports birthdays.) Grady’s mom worked as an accountant. His father was an insurance adjuster.

The Sizemores lived in Everett, an easy drive north of Seattle. Like Derek Jeter, Grady was the product of a mixed-race marriage. Donna is white, while Grady II is African-American.

Grady II was a pretty fair baseball player in his day and enjoyed a good career in college. By contrast, he encouraged his sons (Grady and his younger brother, Corey) to play whatever sport was in season.

Grady’s baseball career started at 18 months, when his parents bought him a Fat Albert baseball bat. The first time he gripped it, his stance was so perfect that the Sizemores felt compelled to snap a picture. The family still has it today. By age four, Grady was hitting overhand pitching with an aluminum bat.

Grady Sizemore

Grady Sizemore

Grady Sizemore

Grady Sizemore

Grady Sizemore

Grady Sizemore

CURTIS GRANDERSON PROFILE

CURTIS GRANDERSON PROFILE

Born: 1981/03/16
Age: 30
Height: 6-1
Weight: 185
Place of birth: Blue Island, IL
Bats/Throws: L / R


Curtis Granderson was born on March 16, 1981 in Blue Island, Illinois. (Click here for a complete listing of today's sports birthdays.) His parents, Curtis Sr. and Mary, were both educators and impressed upon him the importance of staying in school. Curtis Sr. worked as a gym teacher at Nathan Hale Elementary, and Mary taught science at Curie High School.

The Grandersons lived in Lynwood, a southern suburb of Chicago. A gifted student, Curtis heeded the advice of his parents and spent plenty of time hitting the books. Intelligent and articulate, he felt right at home in the classroom.

His parents were there to catch every one of their son's highlights. Mary never seemed to miss a game, and Curtis Sr. coached a couple of his boy's Little League teams.

With Chicago close by, Curtis rooted for the Cubs and White Sox. When he discovered WTBS, he began following the Atlanta Braves, especially after they rose to prominence in the National League. The player Curtis most identified with, however, was Ken Griffey Jr. He marveled at Junior's combination of speed and power at the plate and loved the way he roamed the outfield.

Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson

JOHN SMOLTZ PROFILE

JOHN SMOLTZ BIOGRAPHY

Johnathan Andrew "John" Smoltz (born May 15, 1967) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996. Though predominantly known as a starting pitcher, Smoltz was converted to a reliever in 2001, following his recovery from Tommy John surgery, and spent four years as the team's closer before returning to a starting role. In 2002 he became only the second pitcher in history to have had both a 20-win season and a 50-save season (the other being Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley). He is the only pitcher in major league history to top both 200 wins and 150 saves. He became the 16th member of the 3,000 strikeout club on April 22, 2008 when he fanned Felipe Lopez of the Washington Nationals in the third inning in Atlanta.

Smoltz threw a four-seam fastball that was clocked as high as 98 miles per hour, a strong, effective slider, and an 88–91 mph split-finger fastball that he used as a strikeout pitch. He also mixed in a curveball and change-up on occasion, and in 1999, he began experimenting with both a knuckleball and a screwball, though he rarely used either in game situations.







John Smoltz was an All-State baseball and basketball player at Waverly High School in Lansing, Michigan and in college at Michigan State University before the Detroit Tigers drafted him in the 22nd round of the 1985 amateur draft. He was the 574th selection of the draft.

Smoltz played first for the Lakeland Tigers minor league team and then moved on to the Glens Falls Tigers in 1987. On August 12, 1987, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves. The 1987 Tigers were in a three-team race, chasing the Toronto Blue Jays for the AL East division lead. In need of pitching help, Detroit sent their 20-year-old prospect to the Braves for the 36-year-old veteran Doyle Alexander.

MICHAEL YOUNG PROFILE

Born: 1976/10/19
Age: 34
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200
Place of birth: Covina, CA
Bats/Throws: R / R
Seasons: 11
Drafted by: the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997 (5th round)


Michael Brian Young was born on October 19, 1976 in Covina, California. His mom Anna called him B as a boy and his dad Fred called him Mikey. Michael’s parents were both U.S.-born, but his mother’s family was from Mexico. English was spoken in the Young home, although Michael picked up Spanish over the years. Today, he can converse with his Latino teammates in the majors.

Baseball was Michael’s favorite sport as a child. From the age of four, he planned to become a pro player. The talent was there and so was the teaching. Fred would talk technique and strategy as long as his son would listen.

A construction worker who put in a day's labor for a decent wage, Fred never made a big deal about what he did for a living. Michael admired his father, and over the years, he went from mischief-maker to a kid with an incredible work ethic. On the diamond, Michael was one of those players who loved practice as much as the games, and he was always in motion, always hustling. That impressed youth coach Garth Daniels, who spent extra time tutoring Michael on the fine points of hitting. Daniels did a great deal to boost Michael’s confidence overall.

Michael Young

Michael Young

Michael Young

Michael Young

Michael Young

Michael Young

DEREK JETER BIOGRAPHY

DEREK JETER BIOGRAPHY

Date of Birth:26 June 1974,
Pequannock, Morris County, New Jersey, USA

Birth Name: Derek Sanderson Jeter
Nickname: DJ Mr. November Captain Clutch
Height: 6' 3" (1.91 m)

Athlete, professional baseball player. Born Derek Sanderson Jeter on June 26, 1974, in Pequannok, New Jersey. From an early age, Jeter showed that he had all the makings of a baseball great. In his senior year at Kalamazoo Central High School, he won several national sports awards. He was named the 1992 High School Player of the Year by the American High School Coaches Association, the 1992 Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year, and USA Today's High School Player of the Year.

After graduation, Jeter was picked by the New York Yankees in June 1992 draft. He first played in the minor leagues, hitting .295 with five home runs in the 1993 season. And Jeter's performance on the field only improved the next year. In 1994, he was selected as Minor League Player of the Year by several publications, including The Sporting News and Baseball America.

In 1995, Jeter got his first shot at the major leagues when Yankees shortstop Tony Fernandez was put on the disabled list. Jeter made his debut on May 29 against the Seattle Mariners. The next year, in his first full season as a major league baseball player, he batted .314 with 10 home runs. The skilled shortstop also performed well in the infield-his fielding percentage was .969. He helped the Yankees win the World Series against the Atlanta Braves. Jeter won the 1996 American League Rookie of the Year Award for that season.

Jeter has been an outstanding player in the major leagues since his rookie season. He helped the Yankees with more World Series wins in 1998, 1999, and 2000. In 2000, Jeter was named Most Valuable Player in the World Series and the All-Star Game. He also received Gold Glove Awards in 2004 and in 2005 for his performance on the field. As a consistently strong athlete, he has earned the respect and admiration of coaches, sports commentators, peers, and fans. So far Jeter has a career battling average of .316 and average fielding percentage of .975. In 2009, Jeter passed Lou Gehrig's record with this 2,722nd hit — the most in franchise history.

Off the field, Jeter has garnered a lot of attention for his quiet confidence and good looks. He has appeared in numerous commercials and signed a deal with Avon Products, Inc., in 2006 to create a fragrance for men called Driven.

Jeter has also used his celebrity and his prominent position as a sports star to help children. In 1996, he established the Turn 2 Foundation to encourage young people to be healthy and academically successful, to become leaders, and to stay away from drugs and alcohol. The foundation supports and creates programs to achieve these goals.

DEREK JETER PICTURES

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter

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CAM NEWTON

Cameron "Cam" Jerrell Newton born May 11, 1989 in College Park, Georgia is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted as the first overall pick by the Panthers in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Auburn Tigers. Newton is the son of Cecil Newton, Sr., who played strong safety for two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and the younger brother of Cecil Newton, Jr., a former center for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL.



Newton was initially a member of the Florida Gators before transferring to Blinn College, where his team won a national junior college football championship. Newton was then recruited by head coach Gene Chizik of Auburn University and transferred once more. He became just the third player in major college football history to both rush and pass for 20 or more touchdowns in a single season. His performance earned him the Heisman Trophy as the most outstanding college football player, despite a major controversy concerning his eligibility that embroiled the second half of the season, and led Auburn to their second national championship in school history.











CAM NEWTON PROFILE



Date of birth: May 11, 1989

Place of birth: College Park, Georgia

Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Weight: 248 lb (112 kg)

Career information

College: Auburn NFL Draft: 2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1



Career history



* Carolina Panthers (2011–present)



Roster status: Active



Career highlights and awards



* 2009 NJCAA National Football Champion

* AP Player of the Year (2010)

* Walter Camp Award (2010)

* Maxwell Award (2010)

* Davey O'Brien Award (2010)

* Manning Award (2010)

* Heisman Trophy (2010)

* 2× BCS National Championship (2009, 2011)

* First-Team All-American



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BRONSON ARROYO PROFILE

Bronson Anthony Arroyo is born 24 February 1977 is a Major League Baseball right handed pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and an aspiring musician. He has previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates between 2000 and 2002 and Boston Red Sox 2003 to 2005.

Arroyo improved in 2004, while the jump from middle relief to starting to strengthen its role as the Red Sox No 5 starter. He's also good to keep the runners as he only gave up five stolen bases.


Arroyo was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome in his pitching hand during the 2008-09 offseason. He missed games in the spring of 2009 training and are advised to stop playing guitar until the symptoms subsided.

Bronson made his public debut on stage in January 2004 at the Hot Stove Cool Music fundraiser at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston.

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MIKE HAMPTON

Michael William Hampton (born September 9, 1972 in Brooksville, Florida) is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. Hampton is well-known for being one of the best active hitting pitchers, as well as for his large contract and frequent injuries. Mike Hampton was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the sixth round of the 1990 Major League Baseball Draft. He first broke into the major leagues in 1993, but had a disappointing start. After the season, he found himself traded to the Houston Astros with Mike Felder for Eric Anthony. Hampton became a starter for Houston in 1995, and kept his ERA under 4.00 for every season he was with the Astros. In 1999, Hampton had his best year. He broke through with a 22–4 record, best in the National League, and a 2.90 ERA. He picked up his first of five Silver Slugger Awards and narrowly finished second in National League Cy Young Award voting to Randy Johnson. Entering the final year of his contract, Hampton was dealt to the New York Mets in the wake of his big season. He went 15–10 with a 3.12 ERA and helped the Mets greatly in the postseason. With two wins and no earned runs in two starts, Hampton was named the MVP of the 2000 NLCS. Hampton received a loss in his only World Series appearance.

During this time, Hampton also established a reputation as a good hitting pitcher, as he batted .311 (23 for 74) in 1999. His best all-around offensive season came in 2001 with the Colorado Rockies, when he would hit .291 with 7 home runs. The next year he hit 3 home runs and batted .344. From 1999-2003, Hampton would go on to win 5 consecutive Silver Slugger Awards. The Colorado Rockies signed Hampton to an expensive, long-term contract on December 9, 2000. It was the largest contract in sports history at the time. The contract is currently the 25th largest in the history of sports. (Hampton once claimed that he had chosen to move to Colorado because of "the school system", a statement that is often derisively referenced by sportswriters.) The Rockies hoped Hampton, who had been one of the best pitchers in the league over the past few seasons, would be able to succeed in the tough pitching conditions of Coors Field. Hampton went a disappointing 14–13 with a 5.12 ERA in 2001, his pitching clearly affected by Coors Field. Like his predecessor Darryl Kile, Hampton succumbed to control problems. The next season was even more of a disaster for the highly-paid Hampton, as he went 7–15 with his ERA climbing to 6.15. The only positive from Hampton's two Colorado years was his hitting (ten home runs and .300+ batting average over two seasons).

In November 2002, Hampton was traded to the Florida Marlins, then to the Atlanta Braves. Hampton won 14 games and got his ERA back down to 3.84 in 2003. He overcame a slow start in 2004 by winning 10 of his last 11 decisions and helping to propel the Braves to another division championship. Hampton did not contribute nearly as much in 2005 as he was limited heavily by injuries. He went 5–3 in twelve starts, but was lost for the rest of the season with an elbow injury on August 19, 2005. Hampton had Tommy John surgery on September 25, 2005 and missed the entire 2006 season rehabbing. The Braves were hoping for Hampton to be ready to rejoin the rotation in time for the start of the 2007 season. The rehab was on schedule until Hampton tore his oblique muscle on March 7, 2007, which was to sideline him until at least May. Soon after, the Braves signed Mark Redman to be a left-handed starting pitcher for them in case Hampton was not able to return to action soon. After Hampton threw a bullpen session on April 8, the Braves shut Hampton down due to recurring elbow pain and said that he would see Dr. David Altchek, who had performed his Tommy John surgery in 2005. The next day, it was announced after having another left elbow procedure, that Hampton would miss the entire 2007 season.

Hampton began a rehab assignment on November 22, 2007 for Navojoa of the Mexican Winter League. In the first inning, he attempted to make a play on a comebacker and left during warmups before the second inning, feeling discomfort in his hamstring. The rest of his rehab was left in doubt. However, Hampton reported to "Camp Roger" on time in late January. He threw off the mound for Bobby Cox and Roger McDowell, both of whom were impressed with Hampton's steady progress.[citation needed] Hampton arrived a day before pitchers and catchers were due to report at Lake Buena Vista. He ran sprints and played catch with teammates, and continued to pitch off the mound, and threw to live batters: Mark Kotsay, Tim Hudson, and Corky Miller. On April 3, 2008, Hampton was scheduled to make his long-anticipated return to the Braves rotation in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. While warming up, however, Hampton strained his left pectoral muscle, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list. On July 26, 2008, Hampton made his first major league start since August 2005 against the Philadelphia Phillies. However, he was soon injured again, and finished the season with only 13 appearances. His final 2008 stats included a 3-4 record and a 4.85 ERA. Hampton's last year in Atlanta marked the last year of an 8 year 121 Million dollar contract originally signed with the Colorado Rockies. Due to Hampton's mediocre numbers and inability to stay healthy this contract is widely regarded as one of the worst free-agent signings in MLB history. On December 3, 2008, Hampton signed a 1-year contract worth $2 million with the Houston Astros. Hampton can earn another $2 million in performance based incentives. Hampton chose to wear uniform #11 in his return to Houston to honor his old friend, longtime Astro catcher Brad Ausmus.[citation needed] His #10 that he wore during his first stint with Houston was being worn by Miguel Tejada. His physical was clean, and experts believe he is once again healthy. He pitched in the number 4 pitcher slot behind Brian Moehler. On September 15, 2009, Hampton underwent full rotator cuff surgery to repair a tear and was expected to miss the entire 2010 season. Despite initially being expected to miss the whole season, on August 21, 2010, Mike Hampton signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He resigned with Arizona to a minor league deal for 2011, after the season.

Mike Hampton and his baseball costume

Mike Hampton smile

Mike Hampton cool performance