Sometimes good players make even better coaches. Sherman Lewis starred as a running back and on the track at Michigan State, but his true calling was as a coach. His career has been decorated with players such as Roger Craig, Jerry Rice and Brett Favre, each of whom he has helped to find their greatest potential. This is his story. The Early Years Sherman Lewis was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 29, 1942. After graduating from duPont Manual High School, Lewis accepte

When Ben Shibe and Connie Mack were granted a team in Philadelphia for the inaugural season of the American League, they stumbled upon a simple, vacant rectangular block in the heart of what locals affectionately referred to as "Brewerytown". Led by local contractor James B. Foster, crews worked 'round the clock to ensure that the newly established Athletics had a ballpark of their own. On Opening Day 1901, Columbia Park opened to the public. It was a simple structure that di

The sports world thrives on rivalries big and small. When National League Park first opened in Philadelphia, it was the envy of every other ballclub in America. The owner who was most envious happened to own the team across town: the Athletics. Seeing how his ballclub was faring in the standings and how quickly his old home was becoming obsolete, Ben Shibe sought to build a ballpark that was even better than the Phillie's new home. This is the story of Shibe Park. The Concept

Every great dynasty needs a competent pencil pusher. Someone who knows the ins and outs of contract negotiations and is undaunted by the...

Not all state-of-the-art ballparks are home to the best teams in the game. Although Philadelphia's Baker Bowl was the crown jewel of baseball when it first opened, in time, the cracks began to grow around the stadium as the Phillies remained mired in their own disrepair. This is the story of the Baker Bowl. A Promising Beginning Ever since they were established in 1883, the Philadelphia Phillies Base Ball Club had played in a tiny 6,500 seat venue called Recreation Park. Fore

In 1972, future Kansas City Royals star third baseman George Brett played for the minor league San Jose Bees. Although his stay was...

On March 8, 1908, the Sodality Athletic Association of St. Joseph's Parish was called to maintain the local ballpark in San Jose....

"Someday the Cathedral of Learning will rise majestically over Oakland, be wonder whether it will be quite as soul-stirring as the stadium crouching between the hills" - The Owl 1925 College football is home to some of the sport's most historic cathedrals. From USC's Memorial Coliseum and Pasadena's Rose Bowl to Notre Dame's Stadium in the heart of the Midwest and LSU's Death Valley deep in the south, the wondrous monstrosities echo with heroics of past glories and beam with

Sal Taormina guided the Santa Clara University Broncos to unprecedented heights for 15 years. In that stretch, his teams won the...

Behind the University of Pittsburgh's Wesley W. Posvar Hall stands an old brick wall from a glorious era, an era when America truly embraced the beauty of sport. For 61 years, Forbes Field stood as the city grew from a glorified steel mill into a blooming metropolis. In that time period, its main tenant, the Pirates, won three world championships while the ballpark hosted countless memories that will live for as long as baseball resides in America's vernacular. This is the st

Marv Owen was a baseball lifer. While he did very little statistically, he contributed in some very memorable ways in two World Series....

Cincinnati Reds owner John T. Brush was in a bind. After a second League Park had succumbed to a fire in 1900, he needed a new ballpark for his ballclub. With parts of League Park still standing, he wanted to stay on the corner of Findlay Street and Western Avenue while constructing a ballpark unheard of at the time. Architect John Thurtle was likeminded and he had an idea he was eager to spring on the major leagues. He had become enamored by Chicago's World's Columbian Expos

Cincinnati is home to the oldest professional baseball team, the Reds and from 1912 through half of 1970, the Reds played at Crosley Field. Over that stretch, Crosley Field was home to two World Series champions while 18 future Hall of Famers doned the red ballcaps, daring to climb up the notorious slope in the outfield. This is Crosley Field's story. The Conception The Reds of the present day are actually the third version of the team. The first one (the one that is credite

Every summer, Giants fans from all over swoon of the popular radio broadcast show Kruk & Kuip . But while many are fascinated with their...

There was a time in the 1950's when San Francisco was home to two mascots who have long been forgotten in society: a mule named...

Visiting teams were loath to come there but isn't that the entire point of having a home-field advantage? For 33 years, Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium stood as a mighty fortress as opponents gingerly picked themselves off the rock hard surface as loyal Philadelphians jeered them on, taunting them with a vile spew as heartless as a human soul can take its vocabulary. "The Vet", as it was commonly called, had a heart as hard as stone that only grew colder as Philadelphia's bel

Before the Chicago White Sox ever played in the beloved Comiskey Park, they played in the a tiny wooden box of a ballpark called South Side Park. While it could only hold 12,500, it was there where the White Sox first won over the heart of Chicago. Out of the Dust a Ballpark Rises Built along West Pershing Road and South Princeton Street, South Side Park's first tenant was the minor league White Stockings in 1900. Due to the location, the ballpark had to blend in with the sur

On the South Side of Chicago once stood a fortress filled with memories of baseball's past. Often regarded as the "Baseball Palace of the World", Comiskey Park rarely failed to disappoint. Even as its primary tenants built a historically long championship drought. This is its story. The Conception After ten years of consistent winning in the old box known as South Side Park , White Sox owner Charles Comiskey was eager to have his ballclub play in a home more suitable for the

Despite originating all the way in Philadelphia, the Golden State Warriors have had a connection to San Francisco since their very first...

Before Baltimore's Memorial Stadium pulled at America's heartstrings and even before Baltimore Municipal Stadium was built, the Charm City spent decades playing hot potato with various baseball teams named the Orioles as well as five different ballparks all called Oriole Park at one point of time. Oriole Park I By 1883, a vacant plot of land on Greenmount Avenue (25th Street) had been used by several amateur clubs for practice and games for decades when members of the America