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Baseball returned on March 28th as all 30 Major League teams took the field beneath the blue, white, and red Opening Day bunting. It's always a celebratory occasion, but this year there is some additional meaning: 2019 marks the 150th year of professional baseball. Way back in 1869 the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first "full-salaried" team, as MLB puts it.  Cincinnati is always a focal point of Opening Day because of its role in the game's founding. They get a prime-time day game, and there is a pre-game parade, usually attended by the league commissioner. There will also be some season-long celebrations. The Reds will wear 15 throwback uniforms this season, which has to be a record, and will also have a unique commemorative patch. All other teams will wear a "MLB 150" patch. The league's move in claiming the sesquicentennial is actually a bit deceiving – Major League Baseball has technically only been around since 1903. If you go with the National League, formed as its own entity but now part of MLB, you could consider the founding year to be 1876, 143 years ago. The anniversary that is being celebrated this year is not technically MLB's. But this is not a new thing, as they did celebrate the 100th and 125th anniversaries of professional baseball as their own as well. If we're being really factual, today's Reds franchise is also not technically playing their 150th season of professional ball. The team that was formed 150 years ago, the Red Stockings, disbanded before the 1871 season as they felt they could no longer pay for a professional side. A second Cincinnati team, the Reds, formed in 1876 as a charter member of the National League. This iteration would only last three seasons. That Reds' owner allowed use of the ballpark on Sundays and also served beer, two things the NL brass did not approve of. The Reds, refusing to budge, were tossed from the league. The third go, founded in 1881 as the Red Stockings, was the one that stuck.  It's all a bit confusing, and, yes, you can accuse me of nitpicking, but there you have it: neither the current-day Reds nor Major League Baseball have been around for 150 years. That being said, you can see why both establishments would celebrate the occasion. MLB is the highest level of the professional game so to mark year one, regardless of who was involved, makes sense. The Reds use the same name as their predecessor and still play in the same city, so why not?  The bigger issue is in the execution. Instead of saying "MLB 150" perhaps the league-wide anniversary patch could say "Pro Baseball 150." And for the Reds, the patch checks out, but most of the retro uniforms they'll be wearing would actually be better suited to the current franchise's 150th in 2031, since the Cincinnati team that played from 1869 to 1871 never wore them... The throwback to the 1869 uniform is, however, one that works this year.  I suppose it's better to remember the past incorrectly than to forget it all together. The baseball season gets gussied up a bit in the process, and the celebrations have been fun thus far, that's not the point of contention. But, going forward, for the sake of us super nerds – accuracy please! 

When out at a sporting event, there's certain songs you're bound to hear blasting from the jumbotron. "We Will Rock You," "Jump Around," and "YMCA" are major ones. The probing beat of The White Stripe's "Seven Nation Army" has been adopted by teams and their fanbases across the globe. Queen actually has two stadium hits, as what would a title win be without an emotional rendition of "We Are the Champions"? The running trait of all of these songs is their ability to excite a crowd and get them to believe in their team, in a moment of glory. Each delivers a succinct statement, and/or has a strong and repetitive rhythm. They make you want to sing or move or both. Interestingly, while this kind of composition quickly jumps out as a arena rocker, the lyrical content tends to not actually reference sports. There are relatively few songs out there that are dedicated to teams, athletes, or a sport. The big one, which most baseball fans will know, is "Centerfield" by John Fogerty. It's a catchy, classic-rock hit that speaks to the mystique of the national pastime and its language, stories, and stars. "Centerfield" also, in the chorus, appeals to every little-leaguer's desire to get on the field and play their part: "Put me in, coach, I'm ready to play." There's another baseball-themed song out there that's written by a major artist, though it's by no means as popular. Bob Dylan penned a tune titled "Catfish," which speaks of Jim Hunter's legend. Jim "Catfish" Hunter was one of the best pitchers of his era and was the first to sign a million-dollar contract, with the Yankees. Dylan's ode is captivating, but is more bluesy bootleg than catchy stadium rocker.  Hockey has inspired a few songs, and most are by Canadian artists, which isn't a surprise given the sport's popularity up north. Tom Cochrane's "Big League" is a powerful rock hit that still gets frequent airplay. The song is actually rather sad – it, from the perspective of a parent, tells of a talented player that dies in a bus crash before he can break it.  Canadian giants The Tragically Hip also have a hit that tells of a hockey tragedy. The verses of "Fifty Mission Cap" are a tribute to Toronto Maple Leaf Bill Barilko who died in a plane crash shortly after scoring the series-winning goal in the 1951 Stanley Cup Final. The song has become an all-time favourite for The Hip, though it doesn't have the pop sensibilities to be regularly played in hockey arenas.  Perhaps the most fun and charming, and therefore popular, song to be inspired by the game of hockey is "The Hockey Song" by Stompin' Tom Connors. It's a popular one at hockey arenas around the National Hockey League, including the Maple Leafs', where it is played every game. You may not be familiar with Stompin' Tom himself, but if you're a hockey fan you'll know the chorus: Oh! The good ol' hockey game, is the best game you can nameAnd the best game you can name, is the good ol' hockey game It's a honky-tonky, rollicking-good-time of a song that, like Fogerty's "Centerfield," really captures the essence of the subject matter. The crash of the boards, the "insane" fans, a last-minute winner, the Stanley Cup filled with beer... it's all jammed in there in just a couple of minutes. It's become hockey's theme song, and for good reason. To take us out, here's Stompin' Tom making the only U.S. TV appearance of his entire career, on the Conan O'Brian Show. 

The Boston Red Sox are having a heck of a year. They finished the 2018 regular season with 108 wins, and, on route to that end point, breached the century mark before any other team claimed 90. They ranked first for hits, RBIs, and runs. Their pitching staff had the most wins in the league and were top-10 in ERA. And so, not surprisingly, the Sox became favourites to win the World Series by August. The postseason got off to a good start for the Sox as they beat their most hated rivals – the New York Yankees – in four games, outscoring the Bombers 27 to 14 in the process. As of this writing Boston is leading Houston in the American League Championship Series two games to one. Each club has won one away game and the Sox will try to make it two at "the Juice Box," Houston's Minute Maid Park.  If you look back at the baseball history books it becomes clear that, for some reason, the Sox are most successful at the beginning of each new century. They won the World Series in 1903, 1912, 1916, and 1918, then waited 86 long years before winning it all again in 2004, followed by 2007 and 2013. There must be something about the big calendar change that magically fills each Sox player and coach with a certain joie de vivre. And it looks like the club could match their 20th century championship total by winning it all in 2018, just as they did 100 years ago.  Here at The SPORT Gallery we're celebrating the Sox and their great season with a very specific call back: the 1908 stocking logo. At the beginning of their franchise history the Sox went by a different name, the Boston Americans. They were the Americans for six seasons, from 1901 to 1907, before taking their current title. To announce this change the franchise donned a large red stocking on their chests, a bold move that had their top looking like a hockey sweater. This bold sartorial choice was in fact the first time the Boston franchise officially announced their "Red Sox" nickname. The jersey lasted just that one season, but the name stuck around, of course. We've now had 100 years of Red Sox baseball, and what better way to celebrate that anniversary by bringing back the 1908 stocking logo! It's a timeless look, and is a significant marker for the club. The fine folks at American Needle and Red Jacket Clothing helped us to create two custom products, the "Statesman" cap and the "Hillwood" tee. Both feature the 1908 logo, have a vintage-inspired design overall, and are of the highest quality. Better yet, both can only be found at The SPORT Gallery.  Want to grab a hat and/or tee? We've got them stocked at all three of our physical locations – Boston, Toronto, and Vancouver – and online. US customers can visit us at thesportgallery.com, and those in Canada can go to thesportgallery.ca!

The Red Sox have had many unique players don the "B" and take the field at Fenway Park. Ted Williams and his grumpy, John Wayne-like persona, a god among men. His teammate "The Scientist," Dom DiMaggio, in his spectacles. In the 1960s and '70s there was tough-as-nails Carl Yastrzemski and, of course, "Spaceman" Bill Lee with his Eephus pitch and communist leanings. More recently we witnessed Manny Ramirez' antics and that strange Kevin Youkilis batting stance.  But today the spotlight is on none of these men. It falls on the one-and-only Luis Tiant. The man they call "El Tiante" is known for his intensity and for being a big-game pitcher. He dominated in Boston and lead the Sox' charge to the American League pennant in 1975. Outside of his playing style, Tiant is known for some quirky traits. First off, a twisting, loopy windup before each pitch that at one point would have him facing out to center field. The Cuban ace is also known for his deep love of cigars; you can find him smoking away at any point of the day, including in the shower! There is, of course, his trademark horseshoe moustache that works its way down to the chin. He's had this iconic facial hair since the early '70s but since going grey it has become especially impactful.  El Tiante is someone you can't take your eyes off off – he controls a game and its viewers' attention. On a team full of talent, amongst names like Yastrzemski, Rice, and Fisk, Tiant was the guy both fans and players wanted to get behind. Even in photographs he stands out. Tiant's personal style breaks through the uniformity of sport. It can be hard to explain, but some ballplayers just "have it," a certain swagger; red-hot pitching with a cooler-than-cool demeanour... El Tiante is ice cold.  Though he may have retired after the 1982 season, Tiant is still very popular with baseball fans. He is greeted with much fanfare when in Boston. And recently a documentary film was made about the Cuban-born pitcher's journey back to his homeland after having spent almost 50 years in exile. As there have been ongoing travel restrictions between Cuba and the United States many Cuban players, including Tiant, have been forced to say goodbye to friends and family in order to pursue a major league career. As he did on the mound, Tiant shines on the screen, a quiet but captivating protagonist in a full-length film.  Somewhat amazingly, Tiant has not been voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was first on the ballot in 1998 and appeared a few times after that but has not been able to receive enough votes. But, as MLB.com points out in an article about the pitcher, Tiant's numbers line up with one of the all-time greats, Catfish Hunter.  Hunter: 224-166, 3.26 ERA, 104 ERA+, 2,012 Ks, 954 BBsTiant: 217-156, 3.21 ERA, 118 ERA+, 2,270 Ks, 1,027 BBs  Tiant led the American League in ERA twice, in 1968 with Cleveland and in 1972 with the Red Sox. He was cut by the Twins in 1970 and left for dead, but changed his pitching style to include those jerky motions and became the go-to arm in Boston. It was a career of reinvention bookended by dominance, one that certainly deserves the ultimate recognition of being celebrated in Cooperstown. He's been added to the ballot this year so hopefully this Hall of Fame issue gets resolved, but even if not, Luis Tiant has something that many Hall of Famers do not: iconic style. When you think of stand-out images of Major League Baseball at various points over the years, Tiant's dominant profile is one of them. He makes up a part of baseball's visual memory book, which is priceless.  

"The Splendid Splinter," "Teddy Ballgame," "The Kid"; "All-Star," "Hero..." and, sometimes, "Villain."  Ted Williams has been known by many names. But there is none that suited him so well as "The Greatest Hitter That Ever Lived." Hitting a baseball was an obsession for Williams; he dedicated his life to that simple task. Though simple, it is by no means easy to hit a round ball with a round bat. The best major league hitters succeed three times out of ten. No one has done better than that mark for an entire season since 1941. The last person to hit .400? Ted Williams.  Yesterday would have been Williams' 100th birthday. He passed 16 years ago, in 2002, at the age of 83. Today his legend is as formidable as ever. He is remembered as the ultimate master of his craft, as a foe of the press, and as an tireless supporter of the Jimmy Fund for children with cancer. To salute Williams on his centennial, we've put together a selection of the best prints from our photographic archive of The Greatest Hitter That Ever Lived. Though he was never at peace with being written about or having his photo taken, Williams was an extremely popular subject. As a result, we are very fortunate to have a number of great images of him. Enjoy! (Yes, that's him pitching on the bottom left! He pitched two innings of a 12-1 loss to the Tigers on August 24, 1940, giving up only one run.) 

Tonight Washington D.C. hosts the Midsummer Classic. It's the first time the capitol city has entertained baseball's All-Stars since 1969, back when the old Senators were around. The Nationals are actually a separate franchise from the Sens, who now exist as the Twins; the last time the Nationals hosted they were known as the Expos, and Montréal was the host city. It's all a bit confusing, but the point of the matter is this: Nationals Park being the site of the 2018 All-Star Game allows us to celebrate Canada's first turn at hosting, the 1982 "Partie D'Étoiles." 59,057 people crammed into the Olympic Stadium on July 13, 1982 to witness the best of the National League and American League do battle. The bench bosses were Billy Martin of the A's and Tommy Lasorda of the Dodgers. In terms of entertainment value, that's one of the better manager match ups; Martin and Lasorda are both known for being animated and outlandish. The player selections were full of characters, as well. The American League had names like George Brett and Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers and Goose Gossage. For the National League, there was the likes of Pete Rose, Andre Dawson, Phil Niekro, and Fernando Valenzuela. That's just to name a few.  The game is not known for any particular plays or an exciting finish. The home team won 4-1 – Dave Conepcion hit a two-run homer and Jackson and Rose tacked on a sacrifice fly each. This is kind of the issue with baseball: it's not so easy to deliver a bloated scoreline on demand like you can with basketball or hockey. Other sports can just ignore defence, but in baseball the defence holds the ball. It's unique that way. And it's why, for a number of years, the winning league of the MLB All-Star game earned home field advantage in the World Series; this created drama, the thought went. It was only last year that Commissioner Rob Manfred did away with Bud Selig's 2003 ruling to make Major League Baseball akin with other major North American leagues.  The real action of All-Star weekend has become the Home Run Derby. The Derby gives you that gratuitous offence fans want in a best-of-the-best showcase. It's a relatively new feature, debuting in 1985, so unfortunately those in Montréal did not get to witness guys like Jackson and Dawson slugging them out to the bleachers. This year the Derby did not disappoint as hometown hero Bryce Harper hit 9-straight dingers in the final few seconds to win it. The fans were going nuts, celebrating as if it were a key match-up in October. We'll see what the game has in store for us this evening, but if it's close to last night we're in for a Partie. Shop the 1982 Authentic Replica Gary Carter jersey here!

If you were to attach a particular saying to Cubs' great Ernie Banks, it would certainly be "let's play two" – meaning, play back-to-back ballgames in a single day. The ever-smiling, affable Banks understood how lucky major leaguers are to play a child's game for a living. Why play one game when you could play two?  The doubleheader is unique to baseball; it would not be possible with any other sport. Hockey, basketball, and football are too taxing on the body to accommodate such a schedule. Baseball's more meandering pace allows for six-plus hours of it to be played in a single day. In fairness, doubleheaders are no longer a preplanned event – they were once commonplace, but now are usually the result of poor weather (when a game is rained out it's easy to bump it over to the following day before a night start). Still, they happen a handful of times in a season and are a long haul for those involved.  Nothing helps a team grab some momentum during the regular season like taking two games in a single day. The Blue Jays did it this season against the Royals, winning the first 11-3 and then 5-4 in extras. Having your record skip forward two happy steps is like gaining an extra day while travelling; it's as if you have one up on everybody else. Losing both games of a doubleheader results in utter dejection. Kick a man while he's down, why don't you. It feels much worse to lose two in one day than it does two in two, despite it being, in reality, the same thing numbers-wise. Go on to lose the next day and get swept? There is no pill more bitter to swallow – just ask the Royals. No matter your particular allegiances as a fan – and therefore possible sorrows for being on the losing end – it's important to cherish the doubleheader when it happens. They are, as previously mentioned, more of a rarity these days. The doubleheader is a throwback to an earlier time, a time when Mr. Cub gleefully roamed the infield. Sadly, Ernie is no longer with us, but his memory comes calling back every time two games are played in a single day. The hot summer sun coming down on the Wrigley Field bleachers. Cold beer and ice cream. You buy one ticket and spend a full day at the park, nowhere else to be and nothing to worry about except getting a W. Yep, let's play two.     

As long as there has been sport to watch, there has been sport to write about. There are your game recaps in the paper, longer and more in-depth pieces in magazines like SPORT, (auto)biographical books, and fictional works.  As the representatives of The SPORT Archive we work to keep the magazine's output alive, but we also look to offer a selection of the best sports books, both new and old, at our three galleries.  Here's a rundown of the titles that we're reading right now:  Game Change: The Life and Death of Steve Montador and the Future of Hockey, by Ken Dryden Dryden, former goalie for the Montreal Canadiens, is best known for his book The Game, an inside look at the NHL – what it's like to be on the ice, in the locker-room, and on the road. With Game Change he tackles one of the biggest issues modern hockey is faced with: brain injuries. Dryden expertly explains how the sport has changed over the years, from a slower-paced, below-the-neck skill game to a fast and violent grind. Changes must be made to ensure player safety, he argues, using the story of Steve Montador's career and passing as sobering proof. For those that care about the future of hockey, this is a must read. Saturday, 3pm: 50 Eternal Delights of Modern Football, by Daniel Gray Times may change, but some things stay the same. This is Daniel Gray's thesis put simply. As soccer has modernized, some of its qualities – like standing sections and simple, ad-free uniforms – are no longer, but that doesn't mean that the game has lost all of its beauty and charm. Gray breaks his writing up into a collection of short think-pieces and rememberings that eloquently show us just how many things there are to love: seeing a ground from the train, the first day of the season, slide tackles in the mud, talking to an old man about football, club eccentrics, singing, collectors, club nicknames, watching people get player autographs... and that's just to name a few! Ball Four, by Jim Bouton If one were to make a list of must-read sports books, Ball Four would certainly be near the top. Named one of the New York Public Library's Books of the Century, Bouton's tell-all is an unfiltered account of life in professional baseball. Ball Four, broken up in day by day accounts, is as a personal journal would be. While this makes Bouton's telling easy to dive into, it also makes it controversial; many in the baseball community felt such behind-the-scenes stories were better left private. Becoming somewhat of a social pariah was well worth it, as Bouton himself would say, as Ball Four has transcended the sporting sphere and become a cultural landmark.  Ball Four, by Jim Bouton

The 2018 Major League Baseball season is officially underway. The Yankees came to town for four against the Jays to start things off, and we've got some thoughts from the series. Happy reading!  1. Playing the Yankees is going to be tough. This offseason there was a lot of talk about the Bronx Bombers living up to their nickname with the addition of Giancarlo Stanton to a line up of existing home run hitters, like Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez. It certainly didn't take long for them to do so; Stanton sent a solo dinger into the bleachers in his first regular season at bat as a Yankee. Stanton then homered again later in the game, this time a two-run shot, and Brent Gardener added to the talley with his own in the 8th. Bombers indeed. 2. Josh Donaldson's arm doesn't look so great. There were some concerns about The Bringer of Rain towards the end of spring training, that he had a bum shoulder, and it didn't temper any concerns that he stayed home for the Jays' two exhibition games in Montreal. Opening Day confirmed there is definitely a problem; Donaldson made four or five throws and all of them were muffins. He seems fine to hit, and perhaps the arm issue doesn't hurt too much, but considering the Jays luck with injuries last year it is worrisome. It would be DH duties for Donaldson in game two, three, and four (Yangervis Solarte came in at third base), so it remains to be seen how long JD will be away from 3B. ***Update: Donaldson will be in the lineup at third tonight against the White Sox.  3. Justin Smoak's great 2017 season may have been legit. Prior to last season, Smoak had been an average ballplayer – a good fill-in option with some pop, but not really a reliable starter. In 2017 the South Carolinian got regular playing time and had a break-out season at the age of 30, finishing with 90 RBIs, 38 home runs, a .270 batting average – all career bests by far – and an All-Star Game appearance. Smoak has picked up where he left off last year. He single-handedly beat the Yankees in game four of the series, first by crushing a two-run home run over the outfield wall and then with a grand slam later in the game. For the season he's batting .368 and has eight RBIs, which is a great start. 4. Yangervis Solarte is all energy and good vibes. The 30-year-old Venezuelan came to the Jays from the Padres this off-season and has already made an impact a few games in. He can play all over the infield and has filled in admirably at third base with Josh Donaldson hurting. Solarte's bat helped the Jays get their first win of the season, and he has also been the team's number-one cheerleader in the dugout. Every time the Jays score you'll see Solarte dancing around with a smile from ear to ear; he provides the kind of positive vibes any team needs to keep things light over a gruelling 162-game season. 5. The Jays should have great support from the fans once again. The last two seasons have seen Canada's team finish in the top five for attendance figures and you'll find fans at every away series (especially in Seattle, where Western Canadians take over). Over the last five years the country has really embraced the Jays and this season should be no different. The Dome was loud over the first four games and will be all spring and summer, especially if the team plays more like they did in 2015 and '16.  The Jays lost the first two to the Yankees 6-1 and 4-2 respectively, but fought back to win the remaining two games of the series, 5-3 and 7-4 results. New York has been pegged by many to take it all this season, so good on the Jays for battling tough. Canada's team might just surprise some people this season. 

It may be hard to believe it with much of North America still fighting rain and snow and cold temperatures, but the Major League Baseball regular season is set to begin this Thursday! For most of us in Canada, that means Blue Jays baseball. It's exciting to know that very soon we'll be able to cheer on Canada's team live, from the Dome, the bar, or at home. And hopefully Mother Nature will get the hint and bring out the sunshine right quick, as nothing goes along with baseball quite as well as a bright, blue-skied day.  Because of this, we often forget that in Toronto for the Jays' first ever game, it snowed. Yes, on April 7, 1977 there was a snowstorm. How typically Canadian. And the Jays didn't have the shelter of the Rogers Centre roof – at that time they played in the more rustic, open-air Exhibition Park off of Lake Ontario. A decent layer of snow covered the field, making it seem more the site of some Winter Olympic event than a baseball game. Some of the players went around with catchers' pads as show-shoes and bats as ski poles, allowing for one of the best game-day photos ever:  The game was not called, of course – this was Canada, a little snow was nothing to fret over. A Zamboni-like snowblower cleaned up the field and things got underway. The Jays would win the franchise/season opener 9-5 over the visiting Chicago White Sox in front of 44,649 intrepid fans. First baseman Doug Ault would be the hero of the day, knocking in four runs and scoring two himself. It would be one of few high points for the Jays that season as they went on to lose 107 games. Still, it's always nice to win your first – especially when you've faced three hours and twenty-two minutes of single digit, snowy weather! Flying forward to last season, the Jays had a much nicer start in terms of the elements, but on the field their form was disastrous; they would get off to a 1-9 start over their first ten games, the worst in franchise history. Yes, worse than what the 107-loss baby birds of '77 could manage. Behind the ball from the start, the Jays could not get over the .500 hump at any point last year and missed the postseason. The roster hasn't changed too much going into this season, apart from the departure of face-of-the-franchise Jose Bautista, so it remains to be seen whether the club can take flight in 2018. 2015 and 2016 were happy days for the Jays as they made it within a couple of games of the World Series both seasons, so that will be the goal this time around, to get back to the postseason and make some noise. But no matter what happens this year one thing is for sure: there will never be another game like that of April 7, 1977.