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методические разработки по иностранным языкам
Перейти в каталогМИНИСТЕРСТВО БРАЗОВАНИЯ МОСКОВСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ
ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ БЮДЖЕТНОЕ ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ
СРЕДНЕГО ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ МОСКОВСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ
ДМИТРОВСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ ПОЛИТЕХНИЧЕСКИЙ КОЛЛЕДЖ
УЧЕБНО-МЕТОДИЧЕСКОЕ ПОСОБИЕ ПО ИЗУЧЕНИЮ ДИСПЛИНЫ
И ЗАДАНИЯ ДЛЯ САМОСТОЯТЕЛЬНОЙ РАБОТЫ
Студентам СПО 1, 2 курсов по направлению:
«Физическая культура»
Дмитров 2014г.
Составители: Коргина А.В., Шишигина Н. В.
ЦК ОБД
Английский язык: Методические указания по изучению дисциплины\ГБОУ МО СПО ДГПК; Сост. Коргина А. В., Шишигина Н. В.
Предназначен для студентов 2, 3 курсов
Утверждены методической комиссией ГБОУ МО СПО ДГПК
Рецензенты: Толмачева Т. А., Нагиева А. А. (ГБОУ МО СПО ДГПК)
ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ
Курс знакомит студентов с особенностями перевода текстов различной сложности.
Тексты представляют собой сокращенные и обработанные для учебных целей оригинальные материалы, имеющие познавательный и образовательный характер в области спорта и ведения здорового образа жизни.
Необходимость разработки курса определяется задачами новых государственных образовательных стандартов для специальности «Физическая культура». В рамках курса рассматриваются основные проблемы самостоятельной работы студентов, связанные с переводом текстов.
Основная дидактическая цель курса - сформировать у студентов умения перевода, активизировать языковые и речевые навыки обучаемых, расширить словарный запас.
В результате изучения данного учебно-методического пособия по иностранному языку студент должен приобрести следующие знания и умения:
- читать и понимать статьи информационного характера;
- осуществлять перевод текстов различных жанров с учетом их особенностей;
- находить в тексте ответы на поставленные\интересующие вопросы;
- вести беседу и дискуссию на базе прочитанного материала;
- готовить самостоятельные сообщения\доклады в рамках публичного выступления по пройденной теме.
В ходе самостоятельной работы студента предполагается развитие его социокультурной компетенции, а также осмысление и закрепление материала, пройденного на занятии. Так как, живые и увлекательные беседы о спорте смелых, сильных ловких и волевых, рассказы о сильнейших русских и зарубежных спортсменах, отдельные эпизоды из их жизни воспринимаются студентами с большим интересом, надолго запоминаются и служат хорошей базой для самовоспитания.
Структура курса состоит из 9 текстов посвященных спортивной тематике - материал для самостоятельной работы студентов и общий список использованной литературы.
Текущий контроль осуществляется посредством выполнения студентами устного перевода текстов для самостоятельной работы.
Итоговый контроль предполагает устно- тестовую работу, проверяющую знание студентов: умение воспроизводить полученную при прочтении информацию.
Some people do sports, others prefer to watch sports competitions. Which do you prefer and why? Sport has been increasingly organized and regulated from the time of the Ancient Olympics up to the present century. The Industrial Revolution and mass production increased leisure time which led to increases in spectator sports, and resulted in greater accessibility of sports. These trends continued with the development of mass media and global communication. Professionalism became prevalent, adding to the increase in sports' popularity. Sports started to be looked upon as a useful recreation and a way of having fun and taking a break from a workday or relieving stress. The revival of the Olympics in 1896 boosted many forms of amateur sports, and professional sports (such as baseball, boxing, and bicycle racing) drew large numbers of spectators. People who are fond of sports can be roughly subdivided into two groups: those who prefer watching competitions and those who like to do sports. The first group is more numerous than the second one, and consists mostly of people who watch competitions in the so-called spectator sports, that is sports which attract large crowds of spectators. Spectator sports may be professional sports or amateur sports. The second group consists of people who take part in the so-called participant sports, which are more recreational and therefore amateur. For instance, basketball is a spectator sport, while hunting or underwater hockey typically are not. As for me, I prefer doing sports to watching them. The first reason is that I am an active person by nature and I can't stand sitting or standing for hours on end doing nothing. The second one is that I am a firm believer in benefits sports can bring. Most people in industrialized countries live a sedentary life, their lifestyles lack movement, which can have harmful effects on their health. The only way to stay healthy is to do some sport and keep fit. That is why I have been doing this or that sport regularly since I was 5. Firstly, as my Mum says, it has given me a chance to develop a heavy build and shape my figure. Secondly, it helps me keep fit which is very important this year when I am leaving school and getting ready for the entrance exams at the institute. It helps me always be in high spirits as physical exercise normally makes you feel good. I have been doing swimming since I was 7 when my father took me to a swimming pool and I joined the Dynamo sports club. It was my wish to take up this kind of sports, and my parents approved of my choice. I think it is the best sport for building up stamina and a good figure, and a good way to get tempered. It's very good for your nerves, too: to go swimming is the best method of taking away the stress of our everyday life.
Sport is probably as old as the humanity itself. It has been developing with the developing and growth of the mankind. All over the world people of different ages are very fond of sports and games. Sport not only helps people to become strong and to develop physically but also makes them more organized and better disciplined in their daily activities. It makes for a healthy mind in a healthy body. Sports help people to keep in good health. We all need to exercise. Even if you don't plan to make a career in sport you still have to practice. Regular exercises give you more energy. That is why many people who suffer from general tiredness should take more exercise than more rest. Exercise makes you feel and look better. The best exercise is one which involves in repeated movements, those are: walking, jogging or swimming. Bending and stretching will add flexibility and feeling of lightness. Among the sports popular in our country are football, basketball, swimming, volleyball, ice hockey, tennis, gymnastics, figure skating. A person can choose sports and games for any season, for any taste.
Healthy way of life is popular with the old and the young. What do you need to do to keep healthy? It is widely known that life expectancy is increasing. But the reason why the average figures are higher than they used to be, say, hundred years ago is not that all people live longer than before. One reason is that, due to medical research, many illnesses were eliminated; the second one is that fewer people die in wars. Generally, the life of modern man is endangered by many factors. One is the increasing pollution of the environment by industry and transport; another one is sedentary lifestyle of people living in cities and towns, that is, the majority of the population of the planet. The third one is the quality of food we eat and water we drink which results in a lot of diseases. The fourth one is that living in big cities leads to epidemics, and even pandemics of many catchy illnesses. Unhealthy life results in the fact that many people are overweight. The only possible way of preserving your health is, therefore, healthy way of life which includes keeping fit, balanced meals, and giving up unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking alcohol, and, of course, drugs. Physical fitness is a general state of good physical health. For anyone who really wants to be healthy, fitness has become an integral part of their lives. The fitness boom resulted in a rise in the numbers of people participating in sports and sports activities. It is a well-known fact that even moderate physical activity can protect you from heart diseases and strokes, obesity and influenza. There are many ways of keeping fit. Firstly, you could visit health and fitness clubs. A lot of health and fitness clubs, public leisure centers, huge indoor water parks are very popular among people of all ages. Secondly, regular exercise is necessary. People of different ages can choose or design exercises that will fit them. Some people do aerobics or yoga; others prefer weight training in a gym. Many people prefer walking or jogging which are the cheapest and most accessible sports. Doing some sport or other on a regular basis is the best way of keeping fit. In Russia a number of sports activities are popular among the old and the young: football, swimming, cycling, skiing, skating, fishing, hunting, roller-skating, etc. Mass running competitions gain popularity with Russians. City marathons have become sporting events reported on the radio, television and in the press. A healthy diet is an important part of staying healthy, too. This diet contains reduced amounts of cholesterol, fat, sugar and salt. It helps protect our body from a wide range of diseases; the most dangerous are heart diseases, liver diseases, and cancer. To stay healthy one must, of course, abstain from smoking. Everybody knows smoking is hazardous for your health and can lead to fatal diseases like cancer. Smoking should undoubtedly be banned in all public places.
Let me tell you about my own attitude to sports and sportsmen. To begin with I must say that sport is one of the things that always keep people fit. 1 think that everyone must do all he can to be healthy. Physically inactive people get older earlier than those who have plenty of exercises. If you do daily exercises regularly you feel refreshed, have a good posture and that makes you feel well. Wise people say that good health is a great blessing. Everyone should do all possible to stay healthy. Being in good health means having both body and mind in good working order free from diseases and pain. There is a truthful Latin proverb: "A sound mind is in a sound body". If you want to keep yourself fit, you are to go in for sports. Sport is very popular in our family. Together with my father we do our usual morning exercises at home and twice a week we have our basketball training in the sports club and in summer we like to swim most of all, because swimming makes a man healthy and strong. I'm a hockey fan, too. I try to watch every hockey match on TV. Moreover I take part in different sports competitions which our school organizes from time to time. The most popular kinds of sport in our school are football, basketball, gymnastics, and wrestling. Some boys are also fond of boxing. Among girls calisthenics is very popular. All these sports have their strong supporters. My favorite kind of sport is tennis. I have been playing it since I was eleven years old, and the more I play it, the more I like it. There is a good tennis court not far from my house and I often go there with my friends.
If you want to be healthy, strong and beautiful, you should go in for sports. When I go in for sports, I feel wonderful. I don't sneeze or cough. I am cheerful, active and full of energy. In summer 1 go swimming. I enjoy spending winter holidays in the country There I can ski or skate. Certainly, it depends on the weather. For those who have already determined to go in for sport is very important to choose the kind of sport he likes best. First touch to sports and games we make in childhood. In school we discover our favorite sports and games. That's why the lessons of physical training at school are very important. At school we have PT lessons twice a week. Those who want to become professionals attend specialized sport sections. As for me I enjoy basketball. Basketball is a dynamic and interesting game. It develops many good qualities such as rapid reaction, will-power and collective spirit. I have already realized that sport is desperately necessary for everybody.
The world's greatest international sports games are known as the Olympic Games. The Olympic idea means friendship, fraternity and cooperation among the people of the world. The Olympic Movement proves that real peace can be achieved through sport. The Olympic emblem is five interlinked rings: blue, yellow, black, green and red. Any national flag contains at least one of these colors. The original Olympic Games began in ancient Greece in 776 B.C. These games were part of a festival held every fourth year in honor of God Zeus at the place called Olympia. It was a great athletic festival, including competitions in wrestling, foot racing and chariot racing, rowing and others. The games were for men only. Greek women were forbidden not only to participate but also to watch the Olympics. The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896. Then they were resumed in London after the Second World War. Since then the Olympics are held every fourth year in different countries. The ancient Greeks had no winter sports. Only in 1924 the first Winter Olympic Games were held in France. Now they are being held regularly.
The modern game of soccer has a simple goal: kick or head the ball into the goal of your opponent's team. Basically, there is also one simple rule: no one except the goalkeeper may use their hands to play the ball. In a soccer game there are two teams of 11 players, who try to score a point by kicking a ball into the opponents net. Soccer is played on a rectangular field with a net on each short side of the field. Eleven members of each team defend their side of the field to prevent the ball from being forced into their goal, which results in a point, scored by the team kicking the ball. There are only three officials involved in the game: the referee and two linesmen. The equipment used in soccer is also very simple» In addition to the field itself, all that is needed for a game is a ball. Each player wears padded shin guard made of hard plastic, covered by long socks, for protection during play. A goalkeeper may also wear a special padded shirt and gloves to protect hands. A standard field, as regulated by the Federation International de Football Association (or FIFA), has a length between 100 and 130 yards, and a width of between 50 and 100 yards. A soccer game begins with a kick-off in the center of the field. A coin is flipped to decide which team will kick-off. The other team kicks off at the start of the second half when the teams switch sides or nets. After a team scores the other team gets to kick-off in the center of the field. After the beginning of the game the ball remains in play unless it crosses a goal line or a touch line. All players attempt to stop the ball from coming in their zone while at the same time trying to score a goal. A player may kick the ball into the net with any part of the body except the hands and arms. If the ball goes out of bounds, the play is restarted with a corner kick, a goal kick or a throw-in. The referee decides what type to use. If the ball crosses the goal line and the defensive team touched it last then there is a corner kick by the offence. If the offence touches the ball last and crosses the goal line then it is a goal kick. A throw- in happens when the ball crosses the touch line. When it crosses the touch line, the team that did not touch it last, throws the ball in bounds. The ball is thrown over their head with two hands. Fouls are called when a player does not obey the rules and acts unsportsmanlike. When a foul is called, the opposite team receives either a penalty kick, a direct free kick or an indirect free kick. For offences such as shoving and tripping, either a direct free kick (offences not in the goal box) or a penalty kick-(inside the goal box) is awarded. Both allow goals to be made directly from the kicks. If a minor offence is being committed, then an indirect free kick is given, from which a goal cannot be scored. Most soccer games have 45-minute halves, and the clock is not stopped except for injuries or deliberate time wasting. In professional soccer, only three to five substitutions are allowed per half. Generally, more are allowed in lower leagues. Children often play the sport in school as early as elementary school. Many adults also play the sport. Soccer for many kids can be fun. Most children don't think of soccer as work and often enjoy playing soccer. Adults also sometimes find soccer fun and even some adults have careers in the area as a professional soccer players. As for me I like soccer very much. I like both watching it and playing it. It is my favorite kind of sport.
We often hear a saying
«Don't invent a bicycle» about something simple and known
for a long time. Really, the bicycle is old enough — more than a hundred
years of age. Its first prototype appeared in 1791
in France. In 1800 a Russian peasant Artamonov made an iron bicycle and
travelled on it from Nizhniy Tagil to Moscow. First bicycles looked odd: a
large (about 1.5m high) front wheel with a cranked axle. The back wheel was
usually smaller. Bicycles were made of iron and riding them was not comfortable
because of shaking. They were even called «boneshakers». In 1868 rubber tyros
were invented, first solid, then pneumatic. New types of bicycles appeared
every year but only in 1885 people saw a model which looked like modern cycles.
It had two almost equal wheels and a chain drive to the rear wheel. The frame
of the cycle was diamond-shaped. This shape survived and became basic. The new
machine looked more elegant than the old «spiders» which were soon abandoned.
As time went by, new bicycles were invented — for two, three and even fifteen
riders! The first bicycle race was held in 1868
in Paris. But the sport became popular only several decades later because
bicycles were expensive and only rich people could afford them. By the end of
the 19th century many factories produced thousands of bicycles which became
cheap, so many people could practice cycling and take part in various
competitions. Cycling competitions are generally divided into road and track
events. Both kinds are in the Olympic programmer. Olympic road events include
individual and team races. Individual races' distances are different usually up
to 200 kilometers. The winner is the first cyclist who passes over the finish
line with his front wheel. In the team road event the teams start the contest
with 2-4 minutes interval, and that team wins whose members get the best sum of
timings. Track events take place on special cycling tracks which look like
elongated stadiums with a sloping runway made of concrete, wood or plastics.
Track events are very spectacular. The Olympic programmer includes 1
km sprint races, 1 km heat or time trial, individual pursuit and team pursuit
over 4 km. Modern sport bicycles are very light but firm machines made of special
metals. Cyclists wear jersey shirts with pockets on the back, tight knee-long woolen
shorts, perforated shoes, a cap or a leather crash helmet and mitts on their
hands.
A lot of Australians think you shouldn't worry too much about life. But some things in life are really important, and to many Australian men, one of these things is sport. It's something they don't joke about. Sport matters, In pubs, clubs and even at work you'll often find men who can talk about only one thing — sport. Australians are lucky. They have a perfect climate, and an endless amount of land. They have wonderful waves for surfers on their beaches. They also have a strong wish to win. Put these together and you get a lot of good sportsmen and sportswomen. In fact, Australia has a very high number of world champions, in all kinds of sports, for a country of only 16 million people. Around the country you'll find plenty of opportunities for golf, squash, tennis, trail riding (horse or motorcycle), fishing and so on. Surfing is almost a religion for many Australians who follow the waves around the country and there are a number of important surfing contests. You'll find football of assorted types including the unique Australian Rules Football. Then, there's motor racing and motorcycle racing, horse racing, yacht racing, cricket matches and lots more. The best thing, of course, is to play sport yourself. But if you can't, or you don't want to, then you can watch other people doing it. Every year, more than 100,000 people go to the final of Australian Rules Football. Crowds of more than 90,000 watch the big cricket matches against India, Pakistan, New Zealand and England. There are sport happenings and holidays in Australia year round. Here are some of them. In February there's Regatta Day with boat races and other water activities. In June in Darwin the Beer Can Regatta takes place when there are boat races for boats constructed entirely out of beer cans — there are plenty of those in the world's beer drinking capital. In August in the Northern Territory camel racing is on in Alice Springs, and then the Apex Rodeo is held, one of the biggest rodeo in Australia — the town fills up with cowboys. Meanwhile in Sydney, Australian biggest race takes place with 25,000 competitors running the 14 km from Hyde Park to Bondi Beach in the city race. In September attention is attached to Melbourne where Australian Football Cup takes place. Australian Football is played in Australia only. This is a game where two teams of 18 players. The players are-allowed to play with their legs and arms. The participation in the game demands great physical strength and very often injured players are carried away from the field or are replaced by other players. Grand Australian Football Cup is the biggest sports competition of the year. On the first Tuesday of November the greatest horse race for Melbourne Cup is held. It is a public holiday in Victoria but the whole country shuts down for the three minutes or so which the race takes. In December the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race starts on the 26th, a fantastic sight as the yachts stream out of the harbor and head south.
Biography of the famous athletes in the world
1.Babe Ruth |
|
George Herman Ruth, (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948), better known as Babe Ruth and also commonly known by the nicknames The Bambino and The Sultan of Swat, was an American baseball player and United States national icon. He was one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and he was the first player to hit over 30, 40 and 50 home runs in one season. In 1998, The Sporting News named Ruth as Number One in its list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players".
As discussed in the 1988 book, The Babe: A Life in Pictures, by Lawrence Ritter and Mark Rucker, it is more than mere statistical records that make Babe Ruth unequivocally the greatest baseball player of all time. In several ways, he changed the nature of the game itself. His exploitation of the "power game" compelled other teams to follow suit, breaking the monopoly of the "inside game" that had been the primary strategy for decades. Ruth was the focal point of the start of what has become statistically the greatest sports dynasty in history, the New York Yankees. His international fame helped fuel the rising interest in sports during the Roaring Twenties as the fan base expanded significantly and triggered major expansion of nearly all the ballparks in the major leagues. Early days Ruth was born at 216 Emory Street in south Baltimore, Maryland. The house was rented by his maternal grandfather, Pius Schamberger, a German immigrant who eked out a living as an upholsterer. Babe's parents, Kate and George Sr., lived above the saloon they owned and operated on Camden Street. Kate would walk to her father's home each time she gave birth to a child, eight in all. Only Babe and his sister, Mary, survived infancy. Young George was known for mischievous behavior. He skipped school, ran the streets, and committed petty crime. By age seven, he was drinking, chewing tobacco, and had become difficult for his parents to control. Mary recalled how their father would beat Babe in a desperate attempt to bring the boy into line, but to no avail. He was finally sent to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, a school run by Catholic brothers. Brother Matthias, a Roman Catholic priest, and the school's disciplinarian, became the major influence on his life, the one man Babe respected above all others. It was Brother Matthias who taught him baseball, working with him for countless hours on hitting, fielding and later, pitching. Because of his "toughness", George became the team's catcher. He liked the position because he was involved in every play. One day, as his team was getting pounded, Babe started mocking his own pitcher. Brother Matthias promptly switched George from catcher to pitcher to teach him a lesson. But, instead of getting his comeuppance, Babe shut the other team down. Brother Matthias brought Babe to the attention of Jack Dunn, owner and manager of the minor-league Baltimore Orioles, and the man often credited with discovering him. In 1914 Dunn signed 19-year-old Ruth to pitch for his club, and took him to spring training in Florida, where a strong performance with bat and ball saw him make the club, while his precocious talent and childlike personality saw him nicknamed "Dunn's Babe". On April 22, 1914 "The Babe" pitched his first professional game, a six-hit, 6-0 victory over the Buffalo Bison’s, also of the International League. By July 4, the Orioles had a record of 47 wins and 22 losses, 25 games over.500; but their finances were not in such good shape. In 1914 the breakaway Federal League, a rebel major league which would last only 2 years, placed a team in Baltimore, across the street from minor league Orioles, and the competition hit Orioles' attendance significantly. To make ends meet, Dunn was obliged to dispose of his stars for cash, and sold Ruth's contract, with two other players to Joseph Lennon, owner of the Boston Red Sox, for a sum rumored to be between $20,000 and $35,000, although some sources say it was closer to $3000. The Red Sox years Ruth the pitcher Though Ruth was a skillful pitcher, the Red Sox's starting rotation was already stacked with lefties, so they initially made little use of him. With a 1-1 record, he sat on the bench for several weeks before being sent to the International League with the Providence Grays of Providence, Rhode Island. Pitching in combination with the young Carl Mays, Ruth helped the Grays win the pennant. At the end of the season the Red Sox recalled him, and he was in the majors permanently. Shortly afterwards, Ruth proposed to Helen Woodford, a waitress he met in Boston, and they were married in Baltimore on October 14, 1914. During spring training the next season, Ruth secured a spot as a starter. Ruth joined a fine pitching staff that included Rube Foster, Dutch Leonard, and a rejuvenated Smokey Joe Wood, and their pitching carried the Red Sox to the pennant. Ruth won 18 games and lost 8, and helped himself with the bat, hitting.315 and slugging his first four major league home runs. The Red Sox won the 1915 World Series, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 4 games to 1, but because manager Bill Corrigan preferred right-handers, Ruth did not pitch and grounded out in his only at bat. In 1916 he returned to the rotation, although the team's offense had been weakened by the sale of Trips Speaker to the Cleveland Indians. After a slightly shaky spring, he would make a case as the best pitcher in the American League. He went 23-12, with a 1.75 ERA and 9 shutouts, the shutout mark is still tied for the best mark for an A.L. left hander, as well as the current Red Sox record for shutouts in a season. Pitching again took the light-hitting Sox to the World Series, where they met the Brooklyn Robins. In game 2 of the series, Ruth pitched a 14-inning complete game victory, helping the Red Sox to another World Series title, a 4-1 series win over the Robins. He repeated his strong performance in 1917, going 24-13, but the Red Sox could not keep pace with the Chicago White Sox and their 100 wins, and they missed out on a third straight postseason appearance.
Emergence as a hitter. After the 1917 season, in which he hit.325, albeit with limited at bats, it was suggested Ruth might be more valuable in the lineup as an everyday player. In 1918, he began playing in the outfield more and pitching less. His contemporaries thought this was ridiculous; former teammate Trips Speaker speculated the move would shorten Ruth's career, but Ruth himself wanted to hit more and pitch less. In 1918, Ruth batted.300 and led the A.L. in home runs with 11, despite having only 317 at bats, well below the total for an everyday player. He also pitched well, going 13-7 with a 2.22 ERA., but now his emerging role as an everyday player limited to him to half the innings of the previous year. Ruth had excelled at the double duty work, and he could make a case as the best player in the 1918 season. Additionally, he led the Red Sox to another World Series, where they met the Chicago Cubs. The 1918 baseball season is noted as the only time a war directly shortened the season. World War 1 dominated the news, and baseball, which escaped sacrifice in 1917, was not as fortunate in 1918. A number of ballplayers were drafted into the armed forces in 1918, and some players dropped their bats and gloves and went to work in war production facilities to escape the draft. Since he was married, Ruth was exempt from the draft. After U.S. Provost Marshal General Enoch Crowder issued his famous "Work or Fight" order in June of 1918, baseball, qualified by the government as nonessential, was forced to end the season in the middle of August. A two-week grace period was allowed for the World Series, but the series was played in the heat of early September, the earliest the series has ever been played. The 1918 World Series would be marred by not only the specter of World War 1, but by abysmal attendance and such low revenue sharing that players threatened to strike before game 5 of the series. In the series, Ruth the pitcher went 2-0 with a 1.06 ERA, helping the Red Sox to a 4-2 series victory over the Cubs. During the series, Ruth extended his World Series consecutive scoreless inning streak to 29 2/3 innings (a record that lasted until Whitey Ford broke it in 1961). Since the Cubs top left handers James Vaughn and Lefty Tyler pitched nearly all the innings, Ruth's left hand bat was kept him from the regular lineup, and he batted just 5 times. The Red Sox had won their fourth World Series in seven years, and fifth overall, and Ruth had played a major part in three of series titles. Since the 1903 inception of the World Series to 1918, the Boston Red Sox were the most successful franchise in major league baseball. By 1919, Ruth was basically a fulltime outfielder, pitching in only 17 of the 130 games in which he appeared. He set his first single-season home run record that year, hitting 29 home runs, breaking the previous record of 27 set by Ned Williamson in 1884, in addition to batting.322 and driving in 114 runs. News of his batting feats spread rapidly, and wherever he played large crowds turned out to see him. As his fame spread, so did his waistline. Since his time as an Oriole, teammates had marveled at Ruth's capacity for food, and by 1919 his physique had changed from the tall athletic frame to more of a rotund shape, although Ruth's weight would have wide fluctuations until the mid-1920's. Beneath his barrel shaped body, his powerful muscular legs seemed strangely thin, but he was still a capable base-runner and outfielder. His contemporary Ty Cobb, noted for his cruel bench jockeying of Ruth, would later remark that Ruth "ran okay for a fat man". Sold to New York. Despite the box office appeal of Ruth, the Red Sox were in a perilous financial position. After he took over the club in 1916, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee had paid large salaries to attract the best players (some even accused him of trying to buy the pennant). But due to World War I, the Red Sox attendance, as in every other major league city, fell off badly in 1917 and 1918. Revenue was down, and the financial failure of the 1918 World Series did not help Frazee either. Frazee, whose true passion was the theater, owned his own theaters and financed his own shows, but recently his shows were also losing money. Having overextended himself financially, Frazee was desperate for cash, and his players were his only source of money. After the Red Sox championship run from 1912 to 1918 ended with a crash-the 1919 team finished 66-71, Frazee began selling off his best players. Frazee sold many of these players to the New York Yankees, until then, a perennial second division club. After his record setting season in 1919, Ruth made it clear he wanted his salary doubled from $10,000 to $20,000 a year. Knowing he could never meet Ruth's demands, Frazee worked out a deal with Yankees owner Jacob Rupert. For a sum of $125,000 and a loan of more than $300,000 (secured on Fenway Park itself), Ruth was sold to the Yankees on January 3. There was an uneasiness in the Boston sports world just after the sale was announced, although a number of sportswriters supported the sale. On January 5, 1920, Frazee faced the press and answered his critics with calmness and assuredness. He justified his actions with these comments: "It would be impossible to start next season with Ruth and have a smooth-working machine. Ruth had become simply impossible, and the Boston club could no longer put up with his eccentricities. I think the Yankees are taking a gamble. While Ruth is undoubtedly the greatest hitter the game has ever seen, he is likewise one of the most selfish and inconsiderate men ever to put on a baseball uniform". From 1920 to 1934, Ruth's tenure as a Yankee, the Boston Red Sox were the worst team in the American League. During this span they finished last 10 times, never finished above 5th place, and they had no winning season until 1935. After they sold Ruth, the Red Sox struggled to win even a single World Series until 2004, contrasted with the Yankees overwhelming success in that venue, led to a superstition that was dubbed the "Curse of the Bambino". Ruth the Yankee. Almost immediately, Ruth began to pay off on his investment. He trained extensively over the winter, and in 1920 turned up at spring training in fine condition. When the season started, it was clear that the more hitter-friendly Polo Grounds suited him, and Ruth's 1920 season turned into one that no one had ever come close to seeing before in baseball. He hit 54 home runs, smashing his year-old record, batted.376, and led the league in runs (158), RBI's (137), walks (148), and his slugging average of 847 was a major league record for over 80 years (Barry Bonds eclipsed it with a.863 mark in 2001). Ruth's season was so dominating it led to one of the most amazing statistics in baseball history. In 1920, Ruth out-homered all but one team in baseball, as only the Philadelphia Phillies with 64 hit more home runs than Ruth. Ruth's remarkable season had the Yankees in a serious pennant chase for the first time since 1904 (the year a famous wild pitch by Jack Hasbro cost them the pennant). The Yankees battled the entire season with the Cleveland Indians, player-managed by Trips Speaker, Ruth's old Red Sox teammate, and the Chicago White Sox, the same infamous "Black Sox scandal" team, but in the end, the Indians won the pennant and eventually the World Series. Impact on Baseball. Ruth's impact on baseball went well beyond his statistics. Attendance, which had stagnated in the 1910's, greatly increased due to the attention Ruth brought to the game, and he was at the forefront of the new live ball era that revolutionized how the game was played. A few baseball people even gave Ruth credit for "saving" baseball after the Black Sox scandal broke in the fall of 1920, and although this was not true, Ruth's exploits on the field likely won back some fans who had been soured by the scandal.
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2.Shaquille O'Neal |
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Shaquille Rashawn O'Neal (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), or Shaq as he is popularly known, is known as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominant basketball players. O'Neal first played for the Orlando Magic, later signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, and now plays for the Miami Heat. At 7 ft. 1 in (2.16 m), 325 pounds (145 kg) and U.S. shoe size 22, he is famous for his physical stature. He has several nicknames, most of which he conferred upon himself, such as "the Diesel", "the Big Aristotle", and "Superman".
Childhood. O'Neal was named "Shaquille Rashawn" ("Little Warrior" in Arabic) by his biological father, Joseph Toney. However, he is not close to his biological father; one of his songs, "Biological Didn't Bother", explains his feelings. His mother, Lucille O'Neal Harrison, would marry U.S. Army sergeant Phillip Harrison shortly after Shaquille's birth. Shaq spent some of his childhood in Germany in Wildflecken, Bavaria, where his step-father Harrison was stationed with the U.S. Army. It was there that he learned to play basketball. O'Neal fractured both of his wrists while climbing between two trees, trying to imitate Spider-Man, his comic strip favorite, and sometimes explains that this is why he makes less than half of his free throws.
Basketball career. Louisiana State University. He first gained national attention as a star at Robert G. Cole Junior-Senior High School in San Antonio, Texas. He became High School Player of the Year during his playing years there. As a young man, he attended Louisiana State University to study and graduate as a bachelor in law. While on LSU's basketball team, he was a two-time first team All-American, two-time Southeastern Conference player of the year, and the national player of the year in 1991. Dale Brown, LSU's coach at that time, states that he first met Shaq while he was visiting Germany, and mistook the then-13 year old for one of the soldiers.
Orlando Magic. He was the first player selected overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic and helped the team to a commendable 41 wins that year, missing the playoffs by one game. He further raised his fame that year with two infamous dunks which broke the supports holding the basket and backboard, both on national television: the first coming against the Phoenix Suns, the second against the New Jersey Nets. In the 1993-94 season, Shaq helped the Magic to their first playoff berth ever.
In 1994-1995, O'Neal and Anfernee (Penny) Hardaway helped their team reach the NBA Finals, but were swept in four games by the Houston Rockets.
Los Angeles Lakers. After the 1995-1996 season, O'Neal left Orlando to join the Los Angeles Lakers for an unprecedented seven year $120 million contract. He and teammate Kobe Bryant created one of the most effective guard-center combinations in NBA history, although their relationship was a tenuous one and the two feuded with each other frequently in public and private. Regardless, the two (coached by Phil Jackson) enjoyed tremendous success on the court, as O'Neal and Bryant led the Los Angeles to three consecutive NBA titles (2000, 2001, 2002). Shaq was named MVP of the NBA Finals all three times and has the highest scoring average for a center in Finals history. He was also voted the 1999-2000 regular season Most Valuable Player, almost becoming the first unanimous MVP in NBA history. At the beginning of the 2003-04 season, O'Neal announced he sought an extension to his contract. Laker management, however, was hesitant to meet his demands. The Lakers offered Shaquille O'Neal a contract in February 2004 (according to the book: Madmen's Ball by Mark Heister) to remain the highest-paid player in the league but O'Neal refused. After the Lakers were defeated by the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals, O'Neal was angered by comments made by Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak regarding his future with the club, and promptly demanded a trade. O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and Caron Butler.
Miami Heat. On July 14, 2004, Shaq was officially traded to the Miami Heat for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and a first-round draft pick. The trade was immediately considered one of the most important in sports history, with analysts uncertain that one man could replace so many of Miami's key players. However, Shaq's new-look Heat surpassed all expectations, easily claiming the best record in the Eastern Conference. Those he was traded for failed to even lead the Lakers to the playoffs. Many pundits compared the Lakers trade of Shaq to the Boston Red Sox trade of Babe Ruth, referring to their dismal following season as "The Curse of the Shaq-bingo". He narrowly lost the 2004-2005 MVP award to Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash in one of the closest votes in history. Despite being hobbled by a deep thigh bruise, Shaq lead the Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals and a Game 7 against the defending champion Detroit Pistons and lost only narrowly. In August 2005, O'Neal signed an 5-year-extension with the Heat for 100 million dollars. Whereas critics denounced this extension as overpaying an aging player, supporters laud the Heat staff for landing the probably most dominant player in the NBA for "only" $20 million a year, in a period where mediocre or constantly injured players like Keith Van Horn, Jalen Rose, Derek Anderson, Allan Houston or Brian Grant earn almost the same amount. By signing this contract, O'Neal contradicted his earlier comment of him never taking a pay cut in the interests of the team. He would have received $30 million this season but took a pay cut of $10 million a year to help the HEAT make trades for better players.
Accolades.
· O'Neal has been selected to the All-Star Game every year since his rookie season in 1993 (except for the 1999 lockout season, in which the game was not held).
· He has received All-NBA-Defensive honors in 2000, 2001 and 2003, though he has never been a first-team selection.
· O'Neal was a key member of the 1994 World Championship and 1996 Olympic basketball team, which won gold.
· He has been selected by the NBA as one of the "50 Greatest Basketballers" in 1996. He was the youngest member of this list.
· In 2005, O'Neal became the first player in NBA history to average over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for 13 seasons.
· O'Neal has earned All-NBA-Team honors in 11 of his 13 seasons.
· He also was awarded the MVP in the 1999-00 season and in the 2003-04 All-Star game.
· O'Neal has a business law degree from LSU. At LSU there is a lodge called the "Shaquille O'Neal Lodge" which is part of the Cook Conference Center.
· On June 25, 2005 O'Neal earned his MBA from the University of Phoenix.
· O'Neal was ranked #9 in SLAM Magazine's Top 75 NBA Players of all time in 2003.
3.Terry Fox |
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Terrance Stanley "Terry" Fox, CC (July 28, 1958 - June 28, 1981) was a Canadian humanitarian, athlete, and cancer treatment activist. He is considered one of Canada's greatest heroes of the 20th century. Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and was raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. After losing his leg at age 18 to osteogenic sarcoma, the young athlete decided to run from coast to coast in order to raise money for cancer research. Beginning by dipping his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean at St. John's, Newfoundland on April 12, 1980, he aimed to dip it again in the Pacific Ocean at Vancouver, British Columbia. His pace was daunting. He ran an average of 42 km a day - the distance of a typical marathon. The Guinness Book of World Records lists Rick Worley as the marathon record holder: he ran 200 straight marathons, but over 159 consecutive weekends, not days. No one had ever done anything similar to the task Fox was undertaking. He could not finish his run, however, as the cancer spread to his lungs and he was forced to abandon the course on September 1, 1980 just west of Thunder Bay after running 5373 km over 143 straight days through Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. He died several months afterwards at the age of 22. However, his Marathon of Hope captured the nation's attention. He was proclaimed a national hero, and the annual Terry Fox Run events organized all across Canada, in the United States, and in other countries around the world, have raised more than $360 million for cancer research. Terry Fox's heroism has inspired other Canadians to similar feats in the name of charitable causes. This has included Steve Fonyo, another runner who also had a leg amputated owing to cancer and who retraced the same route as Fox and then proceeded to complete the run to the west coast in the name of cancer research. A close friend of Fox's, Rick Hansen, a paraplegic athlete, was also inspired to make his own trek around the world in his wheelchair to raise funds for spinal cord injury research. His story is dramatized in the 1983 HBO TV movie, The Terry Fox Story, which the Fox family always has criticized as being too negative as it depicts Terry as having a fiery temper. In 2005 a new movie produced by the CTV television network retold his story, titled simply Terry. Fox was portrayed by Shawn Ashmore. Today, artifacts such as his artificial limb are preserved by the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. In a public opinion poll Terry Fox was voted the most famous Canadian of the 20th century. He was voted number two on The Greatest Canadian list.
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4.Kelly Holmes
Kelly Holmes (born: April 19, 1970) is a British middle distance
athlete. Regarded as the best female middle distance runner Great Britain has
ever produced, she won gold medals in the 800 meters and the 1,500 meters at
the 2004 Summer Olympics. |
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Holmes starting training for athletics aged 12, joining
Tonbridge Athletics Club, where she was coached by David Arnold and went on
to win the national schools' 1500 meters in her second season. Her hero was
British middle distance runner Sebastian Coe, and she was inspired by Coe's successful
1984 Summer Olympics defense of his 1,500m crown. However, Holmes later
turned her back on athletics, joining the British Army at the age of 18,
having left school two years earlier, working initially as a recreation assistant
and later as a nursing assistant. In the army she was initially a lorry
driver in the Women's Royal Auxiliary Corp, later transferring to the
Adjutants General Corps as a physical trainer, reaching the rank of sergeant.
She also became British Army judo champion, and in army athletics events once
competed in the men's 800 meters at a meeting, as it was considered that for
her to run in the women's event would be too embarrassing for the other
competitors. At another event, she competed in and won an 800 meters, a 3000 meters
and a relay race all in a single day. Holmes watched the 1992 Summer Olympics
on television, and seeing Lisa York in the heats of the 3,000 meters, an
athlete whom she had competed against, and beaten, decided to return to athletics.
For several years she combined both athletics and her employment in the army
until increased funding allowed her to become a full-time athlete in 1997. Games: in the 1500 meters, competing for England.
(Unlike in other international competitions such as the Olympics and World
& European Championships, in the Commonwealth Games the British countries
compete separately). |
Michael Jordan Named NBA Most Valuable Player for the fifth time in
1997-98 and a unanimous selection to the 1997-98 All-NBA First Team Named to
the NBA All-Defensive First Team for a record ninth time in 1997-98 Totaled a
game-high 44 points (22-24 FT), 2 rebounds and 3 assists in a 111-109 victory
over the New York Knicks on 4/18 Notched his 5,000th career assist, recording
a game-high 37 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals, in an 87-78 win over the
Orlando Magic on 4/11 Registered a game-high 40 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
in a 109-94 victory over the Houston Rockets on 4/5 Named NBA Player of the
Week for the week ending 4/5, averaging a league-high 35.7 pp., 5.0 apt and
4.3 rpg. for the 3-0 Bulls Scored his 29,000th career point, posting a
game-high 41 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, in a 107-93 win over the
Minnesota Timberwolves on 4/3 |
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Totaled a game-high 42 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 3
steals in a 102-89 victory over the New York Knicks on 3/8
Named All-Star Game MVP for the third time, recording a game-high 23 points, 8
assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals, in the 1998 NBA All-Start Game in New York
Registered a game-high 40 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists against the Utah
Jazz on 2/4 Posted a game-high 45 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in
a 106-100 victory over the Houston Rockets on 1/18 Totaled a game-high 44
points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals in a 90-89 victory over the New York Knicks on
1/9 Recorded game-highs of 34 points and 9 assists and grabbed 9 rebounds in a 105-96
win over the Detroit Pistons on 1/3 Registered a game-high 44 points (15-22 FG)
and 5 rebounds in a 114-100 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on 1/2
Michael Jordan is the greatest athlete in basketball history. During his
brilliant career, Jordan won 6 NBA Championships, earned 5 MVP awards and was
selected to 12 All-Star games Michael's
talent and personality transcended into the very lives of his fans. He
single-handedly paved the way for off-the-court athlete-endorsements - a
billion dollar industry today! And this is why.
Profile
Position - Guard
Height - 6'6"
Weight - 216
Birthdate - February 17, 1963
High School - Laney H.S. in Wilmington, NC
College - North Carolina 1985
NBA Experience - 14 seasons
Drafted - selected by Chicago in the first round (third overall) of the 1984
NBA Draft
Award Year
NBA World Champion: 1991, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98
NBA Rookie of the Year: 1985
NBA All Rookie Team: 1985
All NBA First Team: 1987, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98
NBA Defensive Player of the Year: 1988
All NBA Defensive First Team: 1988, 89, 90 ,91, 92, 93, 97, 98
NBA MVP: 1988, 91, 92, 96, 98
NBA Finals MVP: 1991, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98
NBA Slam Dunk Champion: 1987, 88
Eldrick
"Tiger" Woods was born on
December 30, 1975 in Cypress, California and now resides in Orlando, Florida.
His parents are Earl and Kultida Woods, and Tiger is their only child. Just
in case you care, Tiger is 6'2" and weighs around 160-170
lbs. Eldrick attended Western High School. He was a student at Stanford
University, but dropped out to become a professional golfer in his junior
year. |
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His very happy agent is
Hughes Norton of International Management Group (IMG). His first tournament as
a pro was on August 29, 1996 at the Greater Milwaukee Open, in which he tied
for 60th place. His first win was the Los Vegas Invitational in which he
defeated Davis Love III in sudden death. He went on to win the Disney Classic
two tournaments later. Do you want to know what he carries in his bag?? He uses
a special bore-thru Cobra Driver, a Titleist PT 15 degree three wood. He uses
Mizuno MP29 Irons (2-PW), a Cleveland 56 degree SW, and a Watson Lob Wedge
(Tiger will drop his lob wedge for a King Cobra Norman Grind 1 iron on tighter
courses). His putter is a Titleist Scotty Cameron putter (Newport Model) with
Terryillium Inlays and Balata dots on the back. He uses Titleist Pro 90 balls
and his glove is Titleist. All of his clothes and shoes are Nike, of course. His caddy is Mike "Fluff" Cowan,
and is coached by Butch Harmon. Cowan is an 18-year veteran of the PGA tour.
PGA TOUR VICTORIES: (28) 1996 Las Vegas Invitational, Walt Disney
World/Oldsmobile Classic. 1997 Mercedes Championships, Masters Tournament, GTE
Byron Nelson Golf Classic, Motorola Western Open. 1998 BellSouth Classic. 1999
Buick Invitational, Memorial Tournament, Motorola Western Open, PGA
Championship, WGC NEC Invitational, National Car Rental Golf Classic/Disney,
THE TOUR Championship, WGC American Express Championship. 2000 Mercedes
Championships, AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Bay Hill Invitational, Memorial
Tournament, U.S. Open Championship, British Open Championship, PGA
Championship, WGC-NEC Invitational, Bell Canadian Open. 2001 Bay Hill
Invitational, THE PLAYERS Championship, Masters Tournament, Memorial
Tournament. INTERNATIONAL VICTORIES: 1997 Asian Honda Classic. 1998 Johnnie
Walker Classic (Asia). 1999 Deutsche Bank Open - TPC of Europe (Eur).; 2000
Johnnie Walker Classic. CURRENT YEAR PGA TOUR MONEY AND POSITION: $4,235,857
(1), CURRENT YEAR PGA TOUR BEST FINISHES: 1 -- Bay Hill Invitational, THE
PLAYERS Championship, Masters Tournament, Memorial Tournament; T3 -- Verizon
Byron Nelson Classic; 4 -- Buick Invitational; T5 -- Phoenix Open; T8 --
Mercedes Championships. CURRENT YEAR PGA TOUR BEST ROUND: 63 at Round 4,
Verizon Byron Nelson Classic. BEST
2000 PGA TOUR FINISH: 1 -- Mercedes Championships, AT&T Pebble Beach
National Pro-Am, Bay Hill Invitational, Memorial Tournament, U.S. Open
Championship, British Open Championship, PGA Championship, WGC-NEC
Invitational, Bell Canadian Open; 2 -- WGC-Andersen Consulting Match Play, THE
PLAYERS Championship, THE TOUR Championship, Buick Invitational; 3 -- National
Car Rental Golf Classic Disney; T4 -- GTE Byron Nelson Classic; 5 -- Masters
Tournament, WGC-American Express Championship
2000 SEASON: Fashioned one of the greatest seasons in the history of the sport
and in the process assured a place among the best to ever play the game. Highlights
included three consecutive major championship titles and career Grand Slam,
nine PGA TOUR victories and TOUR single-season earnings record of $8,286,821. An
eight-stroke British Open victory lifted him into company of Gene Sarazen, Ben
Hogan, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus as holders of career Grand Slams and at
the age of 24 was the youngest to do so. Became only the second player to win
three majors in one season, joining Ben Hogan (1953). Was 53-under par in four
majors, next-best mark was 18-under by Ernie Els. His nine TOUR victories in a
season were the most since Sam Snead won 11
in 1950. His 20th career win at U.S. Open made him youngest player in TOUR
history to win 20 times. Started the season in historic fashion, with wins at Mercedes
Championships and AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, giving him victories
in six consecutive appearances, becoming first player since Hogan in 1948 to do
so. Finished T2, four strokes back of Phil Mickelson in attempt to win seventh
consecutive start at Buick Invitational. At the Mercedes Championships, shared
54-hole lead with Ernie Els and after both players eagled the 72nd hole to
remain tied, won playoff with birdie on second extra hole. Beginning final
round of AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am was five strokes back of Mark
Brooks and Matt Go gel. On the back nine, trailed Go gel by seven with seven
holes to play but eagle-birdie-par-birdie finish and final-round 64 good for
two-stroke win over Go gel and Vijay Singh. T2
at Buick Invitational earned him $264,000 and he took over top spot on TOUR's
career money list from Davis Love III, who had been No.1 for three weeks. ...
After T18 at Nissan Open, reached the finals of the WGC -- Andersen Consulting
Match Play Championship, losing to Darren Clarke 4 and 3. Rounds of 69-64
earned 36-hole lead at Bay Hill Invitational, which me maintained with closing
67-70 for 10th victory in 16 starts. .A week later, was runner-up to Hal Sutton
at THE PLAYERS Championship by one stroke. Finished fifth at the Masters
Tournament after opening 75-72 and coming back with 68-69 on weekend. In
first-round 75, made double bogey on 10 and triple bogey on 12. At GTE Byron
Nelson Classic, closing 63 matched low round of tournament and lifted him to
T4. In next start, held three-stroke lead through 54 holes at Deutsche Bank
SAP Open before finishing third behind Lee Westwood. Marked first time since
1996, he had not won after holding 54-hole lead. A week later, successfully
defended a title for the first time with win at Memorial Tournament. At U.S.
Open, won by a major championship record 15 strokes (old record: Tom Morris,
Sr., 13 at 1864 British Open) with rounds of 65-69-71-67--272 (-12) at Pebble
Beach. His score tied a U.S. Open record held by Jack Nicklaus and Lee Janzen
and his 12-under total broke record in relation to par. Following a T23 at
Advil Western Open, completed career grand slam with eight-stroke victory over
Thomas Bjorn and Ernie Els at British Open. With rounds of 67-68-67-69--269
(19-under), at St. Andrews, broke British Open and major championship record in
relation to par. In head-to-head battle with fellow California junior star Bob
May, won PGA Championship in three-hole playoff. With victory, became first
player since Denny Shute in 1936-37 to defend PGA Championship. Playing in the
final twosome of the day, both players shot back-nine 31s, with Woods birdieing
the final two holes to force playoff, where he went birdie-par-par (3-4-5) for
win. Rounds of 66-67-70-67--270 (18-under) gave him share of most under-par
record with May. The following week, successfully defended another title at the
WGC -- NEC World Series of Golf by 11 strokes over Justin Leonard and Phillip
Price. Started week with 64-61--125 to set an all-time PGA TOUR record for
opening rounds. On the weekend, added a pair of 67s and finished at
21-under-par 259 for a Firestone South record. In next start, out of a fairway
bunker on the 72nd hole, faded a six-iron from 213
yards over water to within 15 feet for eagle putt to secure a one-stroke
victory over Grant Waite at the Bell Canadian Open. Joined Lee Trevino (1971)
as only players to win U.S., British and Canadian Opens in same year and
received Triple Crown Trophy from Royal Canadian Golf Association. A member of
victorious U.S. Presidents Cup team. Closed official season with third place
in defense of National Car Rental Golf Classic at Walt Disney World Resort, a
second place in defense of THE TOUR Championship and T5 in defense of WGC-American
Express Championship. At year's end, voted by his peers the PGA TOUR Player of
the Year (Jack Nicklaus Award); the PGA of America Player of the Year for third
time in four years; winner of the Byron Nelson Award and Vardon Trophy for
lowest scoring average; the Arnold Palmer Award as leading money winner; the
GWAA Player of the Year; the Mark H. McCormack Award for leading Official World
Golf Ranking for most weeks; the Andersen Consulting Medal for best performance
in WGC events; the Palm Performance Award as leading money winner on TOUR West
Coast Swing; the Fall Finish Award presented by PricewaterhouseCoopers as
leading money winner on TOUR's fall schedule.
Set or tied 27 records during the course of the season. His actual scoring
average of 68.17 set a new scoring average mark, besting Sam Snead's
50-year-old 69.23 record and Byron Nelson's 68.33 unofficial mark, set in
1945...Named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year in December, the first
two-time recipient (also won in 1996) in the 46-year history of the
award...Named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, becoming only
three-time winner of award. CAREER
HIGHLIGHTS: Turned professional in 1996 at Greater Milwaukee Open, where he
finished T60, and followed with two victories and three top-10s in only eight
starts. First top-10 came at Quad City Classic, where he finished T5 after
holding a one-stroke lead through 54 holes. Began final round of Las Vegas
Invitational four strokes back, closed with 64 to force playoff with Davis Love
III, then parred first extra hole for first TOUR win. Earned $297,000 and was
first sponsor’s exemption to win TOUR event since Phil Mickelson at 1991
Northern Telecom Open. Finished third the following week at LaCantera Texas
Open. At Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic, shot closing 66 for one-stroke
win. Named PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year. Also named Sports Illustrated’s
Sportsman of the Year, becoming youngest to receive honor since gymnast Mary Lou
Retton in 1984. In 1997, PGA TOUR Player of the Year, a season that included
four victories and nine top-10 finishes. Highlight of year came at Masters
Tournament, where rounds of 70-66-65-69-270 set 72-hole record. His 12-stroke
margin of victory, another Masters record, was fourth best in TOUR history.In
first start after Masters, won GTE Byron Nelson Classic and later in summer
captured Motorola Western Open. Prior to Masters, won first event of 1997
season at rain-shortened Mercedes Championships, defeating Tom Lehman on first
playoff hole. Member of 1997 Ryder Cup Team, named PGA of America and Golf
Writers Association of America Player of the Year for 1997, Associated Press
chose his Masters win top sports story of 1997, and followed by his designation
as AP’s Male Athlete of the Year (first golfer to be so honored in 26 years).
... In 1999, his TOUR-record $6,616,585 was nearly $3 million more than his
nearest competitor, David Duval. Was named PGA TOUR Player of the Year, PGA of
America and GWAA Player of the Year for second time. Made the cut in all 21
tournaments, extending his TOUR-best streak to 39 consecutive over last two
seasons. Earned his eighth career TOUR title and first since 1998 BellSouth
Classic with two-stroke victory in Buick Invitational. Trailed by nine strokes
through 36 holes, but with Torrey Pines South Course-record 62, took one-stroke
lead heading into final round and closed with 65 for share of tournament record
(266). In May, earned third international victory at European Tour’s Deutsche
Bank-SAP Open in Germany. ... A week later, earned ninth TOUR victory at Memorial
Tournament, defeating Vijay Singh by two strokes. Regained No. 1 position from
Duval in Official World Golf Ranking following third victory of season and 10th
of career at Motorola Western Open. Became youngest player since Steve
Ballesteros to win two majors with his victory at PGA Championship. Became
first player since Nick Price in 1994 to win five TOUR events in season with
his win at World Golf Championships -- NEC Invitational. Won his next start at
National Car Rental Golf Classic at Walt Disney World Resort to become first
player since Tom Watson in 1980 to win six official TOUR titles in season. The
next week won his third consecutive start at THE TOUR Championship, becoming
the first player since Duval in 1997 to accomplish that feat. Following week
won the World Golf Championships. American Express Championship and became
first player since Johnny Miller in 1974 to win eight times in year and first
since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win four consecutive starts. His 16 top-10s were
the most in a single season since Payne Stewart had 16
in 1986. In 1998, earned second international victory at Johnnie Walker
Classic in Thailand, defeating Ernie Els on second playoff hole, overcoming
eight-stroke deficit to force playoff with Els. Earned seventh TOUR victory
with one-stroke win over Jay Don Blake at BellSouth Classic. Won the 1998, 1999
and 2000 PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Along with Mark O'Meara, won the 1999 World
Cup of Golf for the U.S. and was medalist by nine strokes. ... Won 1999, 2000
Andersen Consulting Medal for best combined performance in three WGC events. Won
1991, 1992 and 1993 U.S. Junior Amateur Championships when no one before or since
has won more than one. In 1994, at TPC at Sawgrass, became youngest winner of
U.S. Amateur at age 18. The following year, became first to successfully defend
U.S. Amateur title since Jay Sigel in 1993.
In 1996, became first player to win three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles.
Owns U.S. Amateur records for consecutive match-play victories (18) and winning
percentage (.909). His six consecutive years of winning a USGA championship are
second only to Bobby Jones’ eight. Made cut in four of six major championships
as amateur and was low amateur at 1995 Masters and 1996 British Open. Named
year’s top amateur player by Golf Digest and Golfweek in 1992 and Golf World in
1992 and 1993. Golf World’s "Man of the Year" in 1994. Won 1996 NCAA
Championship and was named Collegiate Player of the Year. Joined Jack Nicklaus
and Phil Mickelson as the only players to win NCAA and U.S. Amateur in same
year. Personal Nicknamed
"Tiger" after a Vietnamese soldier who was a friend of his father’s
in Vietnam...Putted against Bob Hope on the "Mike Douglas Show" at
age 2, shot 48 for nine holes at age 3 and was featured in Golf Digest at age
5. In Feb. 1998, named to Blackwell’s Best-Dressed List. Eighth athlete to be
named Wheaties permanent rep, following Bob Richards (1958), Bruce Jenner
(1977), Mary Lou Retton (1984), Pete Rose (1985), Walter Payton (1986), Chris
Evert (1987) and Michael Jordan (1988). Tiger Woods Foundation, chaired by
father Earl, created to provide minority participation in golf and related
activities. Foundation has pledged its full support to World Golf Foundation’s
"The First Tee" program. In 1997 won Sports Star of the Year Award,
given to athletes who combine excellence in their sports with significant
charitable endeavors. In 2000, on the cover of "Time" magazine, 40
years after Arnold Palmer became first golfer so honored.
When the 1990s began, Mike Tyson was simply the most feared fighter the sport of boxing had known. He was 23 years old, and undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, having won the WBC version at 20, and destroyed the claimants of the other authorities just past his 21st birthday. He had an awesome physique, including a phenomenal neck of 19 ? inches, as thick and strong as some men's thighs. He entered the ring robe less, wearing simple black shorts and black boxing boots, and with an executioner's air of purposeful intent that carried more menace than King Kong and Godzilla combined. |
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Many of
his opponents were beaten by fear before any blows were exchanged. Only four of
37 had managed to be still on their feet at the final bell, mostly by subduing
any violent feelings of their own in favor of self-preservation. Then, as soon
as the 1990s began, everything went wrong. He lost his title to a 42-1 no-hoper
in the biggest shock in boxing history, he was charged with rape, he was
convicted, he served half of a six-year prison sentence, he returned to the
ring after a four-year absence, regained a world title, then scandalously bit
off part of an opponent's ear during a contest and was banned for a year. His
outrageous behavior guaranteed he would remain boxing's biggest-ever box-office
attraction. The bundle of
animosity that became famous as Iron Mike Tyson entered the world on 30 June 1966
in the Cumberland hospital in the Bedford-Stuyvesant district of Brooklyn, New
York. He weighed exactly 8 ? lb. His mother was Lorna Tyson, who already had
two other children, who like Mike carried her maiden name, since she and Jimmy
Kirkpatrick, Mike's father, never married. Kirkpatrick was a big, strong laborer,
whose legacy to Mike was the genes for the muscular development that would one
day make his fortune. Kirkpatrick left the family when Mike was two years old
and Lorna took her children to the nearby area of Brownsville, which had even
tougher and poorer streets than those they left. In this environment delinquency was
second nature to most of the young boys, and Mike, without a father and with a
mother who, however well-intentioned, couldn't control him, could not avoid the
influence of the streets. But young Mike was certainly not a bully by nature
and indeed throughout his life was to display glimpses of surprising
sensitivity in the general picture he otherwise presented of utter callousness.
The world bewildered him at times, and perhaps his shocking behavior was a way
to bring some sense into it. His
mother apart, the closest person to Mike as he grew into childhood was his
sister Denise. Mike learned from her soft, girlish ways. His voice was quiet,
unaggressive and with a slight lisp, which he retained to some degree even when
later on he could alienate everybody inside or outside boxing by saying of a
punch which broke an opponent's nose: "I catch them there because I'm trying
to push the nose bone into the brain". Perhaps he was still reacting then
to the days when his boyhood associates called him the 'the little fairy boy'.
There could hardly be a bigger contrast between the man who said those words in
his muscled malevolent prime and the retiring, bespectacled, lisping,
seven-year-old 'fairy boy', yet only a dozen years or so wrought the
difference. All his life the
super aggressive Tyson shown a fondness for pigeons. He kept them as a boy, and
legend has it that it was through a bully pulling off the head of one of his
pigeons that Tyson discovered his strength and his warlike inclinations. In an
unthinking fit of fury young Mike beat up the bigger boy who killed his pigeon,
not only realizing his power, but that he enjoyed using it. Tyson based the rest of his boyhood on
a life of crime, which was not confined to the petty theft from shops, stalls
and slot machines and the pick pocketing in gangs normally associated with
youngsters of the district. Tyson was arrested dozens of times before he was
12, and among the offences he committed was armed robbery. He was sent to a New
York correction center, the Tyron School, where the unaccustomed discipline and
schooling made him an awkward rebel. But he and the school's athletic coach,
Bobby Stewart, an ex-boxer, came to an agreement: Tyson would co-operate in
lessons if Stewart would teach him boxing. It didn't take long for Stewart to
notice the potential this amazingly strong, belligerent youngster would have as
a boxer, and he arranged for him to meet a contact of his in trainer Cus
d'Amato. Cus d'Amato was now 70 and in effect retired from the pro boxing game,
having been made bankrupt some seven years earlier. He had been very successful
in training two of his charges to win world titles: heavyweight Floyd Patterson
and light-heavy Jose Torres. When
Cus d'Amato saw the 13-year-old Tyson sparring for the first time he said:
"That's the future heavyweight champion of the world". He was living
at the time in a large house in the Catskill district of New York, where he had
been installed after his bankruptcy by a wealthy friend and boxing fan, Jim
Jacobs, a former champion handball player. D'Amato was living there with his
partner of 40 years, Camille Ewald, and was so enthusiastic about Tyson's
prospects that he persuaded the authorities to allow Tyson to live in the house
with himself and Camille. Undertaking to make sure Tyson received an education
as well as boxing training in the gym he ran above the local police station. The arrangement worked pretty well
with Tyson embarking on a successful amateur career under D'Amato's
surveillance, with Teddy Atlas, a strong-man trainer, brought in to groom Tyson
for professional stardom. A hitch which foreshadowed some of Tyson's later problems
was overcome. Atlas was told that Tyson had abused a 12-year-old girl and, in
an attempt to shock him into behaving more responsibly, he threatened Tyson
with a gun. The partnership became impossible. Tyson was taken back to the
Tyron school, but Cus d'Amato quickly arranged for him to return to training
under a new trainer, Kevin Rooney. In the final trials for the 1984 US Olympic
team, the 17-year-old Tyson was beaten twice by Henry Tillman, who won the
place in the team and eventually the gold medal. D'Amato decided it was time
his boxer turned professional. D'Amato
had carefully arranged the wherewithal to finance Tyson's launch to stardom.
Jim Jacobs and Bill Cayton were the backers and subsequent joint managers of
Tyson. Cayton was an advertising executive who had discovered through his
business the appeal of old fight films and who, with Jacobs, had formed Big
Fights Inc, buying up a huge collection of films which became the basis of a
long running TV series. Tyson liked to watch the old films, and became
knowledgeable about boxing history and his possible place in it. The films
suggested to Tyson and his team the idea that Tyson should enter the ring in
his plain black garb, like the old champions, setting himself apart from the
modern trend of show-biz entrances and creating for himself the image of the
no-frills destroyer. Tyson's
mother died when he was 16, and two years later, Cus D'Amato became his legal
guardian. So it was a close-knit, highly professional team which was behind
Tyson when he made his pro debut on 6 March 1985 at Albany, New York, against
Hector Mercedes. He was not yet 19, and he won by knockout after 107 seconds.
Cayton and Jacobs videoed this, an the other quick wins which followed, to
compile a tape advertising Tyson for distribution to boxing people. Nothing was
being left to chance. Poor Cus
d'Amato, however, was not to live to enjoy the day he became associated with
his third, and perhaps greatest, world champion. He died in November 1985, aged
77. Nine days later Tyson beat Eddie Richardson, appropriately in 77 seconds.
It was his 12th straight win, and ninth in the first round. Tyson was not tall
for a heavyweight, standing only 5ft 11 ? in, but he weighed an adequate 220lb.
D'Amato had taught him how to bob and weave and present a moving and difficult
target. He mastered a fine array of hooks and uppercuts which he could throw
from a variety of angles. His main assets were his hand speed, enabling him to
deliver punches in swift combinations, and the terrific power of his punching.
His ruthlessness in finishing off a stricken opponent was unsurpassed. In 1986 the Home Box Office television
channel (HBO) in the USA was organizing a tournament to unify the heavyweight
championship, the purses, allied to the television revenue, being sufficient to
get the champions of all bodies and the chief contenders to agree the scheme.
Such was the trail of destruction Tyson left through the ranks of heavyweight
pretenders that the HBO enterprise would have been meaningless had he not been
incorporated.
So it was that a mere 20 months after his debut, and a year after D'Amato died,
20-year-old Mike Tyson was challenging Trevor Berbick for Berbick's WBC
championship. The 34-year old Berbick had beaten three previous world champions
(he had been Muhammad Ali's last opponent), but was still a 4-1 underdog when
he faced Tyson at the Hilton Center, Las Vegas. Although the convention in world title
fights was that only the champion wore black, Tyson risked a fine by appearing
in black as well. Berbick's answer was to enter the ring in a black hooded
gown, wearing knee-length black socks. Tyson claimed he saw the fear in
Berbick's eyes at the start, and he began quickly severely staggering Berbick
in the first round. The second round was notable for the manner of Berbick's
defeat. He rose from his third knockdown, delivered with an awesome left hook,
to stagger right across the ring on drunken legs to crash again. Pulling
himself up with the help of the ropes, he couldn't get his left ankle to hold
him up, and the referee had to support him as he declared the fight over. It
was a terrifying testament to Tyson's power. Tyson was the youngest man ever to
hold a version of the heavyweight title, beating by 186 days Cus d'Amato's
other protégé, Floyd Patterson.
Four months later he outpointed James 'Bonecrusher' Smith, who took care not to
join in a fight until the last 30 seconds of the last round. Smith admitted he
fought only to survive, but he came nowhere near to surviving as the WBA
champion. Tyson now owned two-thirds of the world's heavyweight championship. The
IBF champion ,Michael Spinks, however, now opted out of the unification
contests, presumably seeing a lucrative contest with 'white hope' Gerry Cooney
as a better prospect than possibly losing his title and unbeaten record to
Tyson. The IBF crown was declared vacant , and Tyson had to wait for a new
champion, Tony Tucker (who won the IBF title by stopping Buster Douglas),
before he could incorporate the IBF strand and become undisputed champion. He
faced Tucker on 1 August 1987 and, despite being shaken straight away by a left
hook, he outpointed Tucker to establish his right to total recognition. Tyson the beat challenger Tyrell
Biggs, prolonging the fight in order to administer a bad beating, in revenge
for what he claimed was a 'lack of respect' shown him by Biggs years before on
their amateur days.
He then invited three prominent, beautiful women to watch him repel the
challenge of veteran ex-champion Larry Holmes (which he did without difficulty):
Naomi Campbell, the model, Suzette Charles, who was Miss America, and Robin
Givens, an actress starring in a TV sitcom Head of the Class. Two weeks later
he married Robin Givens, a move which radically altered both his private and
boxing lives. Everything now seemed to go wrong at once. First of all Jim
Jacobs, half of Tyson's management team, became seriously ill with leukemia. He
died a couple of days after Tyson, with new wife Givens at ringside, had easily
disposed of challenger Tony Tubbs in Tokyo. Tyson had recently signed a new
contract with his managers which meant that in the event of Jacobs' death,
Cayton would become sole manager, but Jacobs' widow would continue to receive
her husband's third of revenue earned. Miss Givens, with the strong support of
her businesswoman mother, now began to take a strong interest in Tyson's
finances, telling him that not enough of his earnings were getting back to him.
Her legal team alleged that Tyson had signed his last contract with Cayton and
Jacobs while being kept in the dark about Jacobs' condition. They sought the contract
to be declared invalid. Meanwhile Don King, the ubiquitous promoter/manager,
never happy unless he controls all the likely heavyweight champions in the
world, opportunistically attended Jacobs' funeral and began a strong wooing of
the Tyson family with view to taking over Tyson's business affairs to the
benefit of all (in reality himself). Meanwhile, Givens, who had claimed to be
pregnant at the time of her marriage to Tyson, allowed it to be revealed
through her sister that Tyson was abusing her and that as a result she had
suffered a miscarriage. All this was brewing up as Tyson prepared for his most
important contest to date, a meeting with still unbeaten former IBF champion
Michael Spinks, whose supporters, including Ring and Boxing Illustrated
magazine, claimed he was the real champion by 'direct descent'.
This contest took place at Atlantic City on 27 June 1988. It turned out to be
perhaps Tyson's most impressive performance. Fans
were kept waiting over 15 minutes for the start, as both camps insisted their
man was champion, and thereby entitled to be second in the ring. Eventually the
New Jersey Commissioner, Larry Hazard, had to intervene and insist Spinks enter
the ring first. Spinks was clearly nervous while it seemed that a hyped-up Tyson
couldn't wait to get at him. A flurry of blows early in the first round put
Spinks on one knee and forced him to take a mandatory count of eight. When
Spinks tried to attack on the command 'BOX ON' he was caught by a right
uppercut which knocked him flat on his back, from where he tried to rise but
stood no chance. He was counted out in 91 seconds. No one could now dispute
that Tyson was the most efficient fighting machine in the world. However, Tyson's next defense, against
Frank Bruno, was rescheduled several times and put back in all by six months or
so as Tyson's private problems mounted. He fractured his hand in a street fight
with former opponent Mitch Green; he drove his wife's BMW into a tree in what
many took to be a suicide bid; he threatened to hang himself after chasing his
wife and her mother through a hotel lounge in Moscow, where Givens was filming;
he objected to being filmed and smashed a TV camera; he appeared with Givens on
a TV chat show looking drugged, and smiled foolishly and submissively while she
repeated many of these stories against him, saying he was manic-depressive; he
smashed up his house, threw furniture into the street and chased off his wife
and her mother; he was sued for divorce; he signed a promotional contract with
Don King without consulting Cayton; he sacked Kevin Rooney, his trainer since
he turned professional, for siding with Cayton; he finalized his divorce after
only a year and eight days of marriage, with Don King's help; and two women
accused him of sexual harassment.
When Tyson eventually met and overawed Bruno, his performance was way below
par, and he even allowed Bruno to stagger him with a good punch before he
finished him off in the fifth round. Some good judges saw the seeds of decline
in this fight, but nobody anticipated what happened next. With Tyson's problems
with Cayton settled by an uneasy compromise, King was in control as Tyson
fought challenger James 'Buster ' Douglas in Tokyo. If any betting existed, it
was at odds which made Douglas a 42-1 shot. But Tyson was under-trained,
listless and drugged for venereal disease and depression. Well out boxed, he
eventually caught Douglas in the eight round with an uppercut which floored
Douglas who, because of a slow referee, was given a long count (about 12
seconds), enough to save him taking any further punishment before the bell
rang. Douglas recovered fully in the interval, continued as before and knocked
out Tyson in the tenth, with Tyson, knocked down for the first time in his
career, groping about on the canvas for a lost gum shield while the count was
completed. Because of the long count earlier afforded Douglas, Don King spent
days, it seemed at first with the support of the WBC, to get the verdict
reversed, but the boxing world laughed at him. Shocked by this reverse, Tyson
responded well, getting himself into better shape and beginning a comeback
which saw him dispose of his amateur conqueror, Henry Tillman, and the
dangerous Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock twice. A mullet-million dollar title fight
was arranged with Evander Holyfield, who had assumed the heavyweight crown from
Buster Douglas. But circumstances forced this encounter to wait for five years.
Once more Tyson's reckless private life intruded.
Three weeks after his second defeat of Ruddock, Tyson went on a binge to
Indianapolis, where he took a suite in a hotel near to one where Miss Black
America contest was taking place. He was introduced to the contestants, and on
19 July 1991 took one of them, 18-year-old Desiree Washington, to his room. It
was 2.00 am and she alleged he raped her. Tyson was charged, came to trial, and
in March 1992 was sentenced to six years imprisonment and four years' parole.
As one who had lived the life of a multi-millionaire, however foolishly and
wastefully, he reacted badly at first, but gradually he knuckled down and
devoted himself to keeping fit, and, he claimed, to reading. He acquired new
heroes (the names of Mao Tso-Tung and champion black tennis player Arthur Ashe
were tattooed on his arms). He said he had been converted to Islam. He earned
the maximum remission for good conduct, and was released after three years in
March 1995. Tyson was, of course,
the hottest property in boxing. Everybody wanted to see the monster. The MGM
Grand Garden, Las Vegas, signed him up to a six-fight deal and there was a
further deal with ShowTime, the pay-tv channel, leading estimates of his first
contest being worth $22 million to him. This comeback fight, on 19 August 1995,
was against a soft opponent, Peter 'Hurricane' McNeely, whose father fought
Floyd Patterson for the world title in 1961. McNeely had won 36 of his 37
fights, but it was a carefully managed record. He bravely rushed across the
ring to attack Tyson crudely at the bell and ,although Tyson missed with some
counters, he eventually landed one to put McNeely down. When McNeely went down
again, and rose looking groggy, his trainer Vinny Vecchione leapt in the ring
to rescue him, which caused his disqualification. The contest lasted 89
seconds, and the sell-out crowd of 16,737, who had paid inflated prices to see
the slaughter , yelled their disapproval at being cheated of blood.
Don King was still Tyson's promoter, and in all but name his manager. In
December Tyson had a second run-out, against Buster Mathis Junior, another man
whose father had fought for the title. The first Buster Mathis was beaten by
Joe Frazier in 1968, and had died just before his son's meeting with Tyson.
Mathis was a much more credible opponent than McNeely. The fight was switched
from Atlantic City, where King was not allowed to promote because of a fraud
charge hanging over him, to the CoreStates Spectrum, Philadelphia. Tyson won
when a short right hook started a sequence that knocked out Mathis towards the
end of the third round. But he was unimpressive, and to the experts clearly a
long way short of the man he was at his peak. Nevertheless
the Tyson publicity machine was rolling and, with the warm-ups out of the way,
it was time to start collecting the various heavyweight titles again. First up
was the WBC title, held by Frank Bruno, Tyson's victim seven years before. The
immensely popular Bruno was upbeat in the run-up to the fight at the MGM Grand
Garden in March 1996, and attracted many British fans to cross the Atlantic and
snap up the 6-1 odds locally available against him. Unfortunately for them, a
frightened Bruno was overawed by the occasion, and a Tyson assault in the third
round had him squatting on the bottom rope from where referee Mills Lane had to
rescue him. Tyson was a world champion again and went on his knees in the ring
to salute Allah. Tyson's mandatory challenger for the title was Lennox Lewis,
but Lewis' camp agreed to step aside, for $6 million, so that Tyson could challenge
for the WBA championship. Bruce Seldon was the WBA champion, and was expected
to put up about as much resistance as Bruno, when the two meet at the MGM Grand
Garden. An ex-convict (four years for robbery) he had three defeats in 37
contests. The odds against him were 20-1. He was called the Atlantic City
Express, and was certainly very quick to grab Tyson when the fight started. He
looked as anxious as Bruno, was down twice in the first round, rising each
time, but the second time he shook his head and referee Richard Steele called
it off at 109 seconds. The fans again hooted their displeasure. Seldon earned
his biggest purse, $5 million, while Tyson picked up around $35 million. Tyson's WBC title had not been at
stake in this fight, Tyson being committed to meet Lewis for it. But now Tyson
had the WBA crown, he was at liberty to defend that against Evander Holyfield,
a fight which would be much bigger at the US box office than Tyson-Lewis. So
Tyson decided to ditch his WBC championship. All was now set for the big fight
which should have taken place in 1989: WBC and WBA champion Tyson versus former
champion Evander Holyfield. Holyfield had been a great cruiser and heavyweight
champion, but had impressed in only one of his previous seven fights, suffering
his only three defeats in this sequence. Significantly, after losing his titles
Michael Moorer in 1994, he had retired from boxing because of a heart
condition. A year before meeting Tyson he had faced Riddick Bowe during a
comeback and been stopped in the eight, dramatically running out of steam after
flooring Bowe in the sixth. Few thought a seemingly worn-out Holyfield would
have the stamina to stand up to Tyson, but he trained so hard for 15 weeks and
appeared so confident that initial betting odds of 22-1 on Tyson had been cut
to around 6-1 on the night. Of 48 reporters polled, however, only one favored
Holyfield. Right from the start
of the bout at the MGM Grand Garden Holyfield showed that he was not
intimidated by Tyson. He even stood toe-to-toe with him in the first round.
Deprived of his usual psychological dominance, and faced by a confident, fast, skillful
foe, Tyson quickly ran out of ideas. The contest developed into a scrappy one,
with lots of holdings. Tyson was 30, Holyfield 34, and both began to look
tired. In the sixth round Tyson walked into a left hook from Holyfield that
sent him down and sliding back-wards across the canvas. He recovered and fought
on bravely, but took a battering in the tenth. The effects had not worn off
before Tyson was in trouble on the ropes in the 11th, and he ceased fighting
back when referee Mitch Halpern saved him from further punishment. Tyson was
bitterly disappointed. It was his second defeat, but he had excuses for the
first. This time he was beaten by a better, and older man.
There had to be a return fight, and it was one of the most eagerly awaited of
all time. The date was 28 June 1997, the place MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
Both men had now had 14 world title fights, and both had won 12. Each was
guaranteed $30 million. The fight had been postponed from 3 May because of a
training injury to Tyson's eye. This time, of 50 boxing writers polled, 29 favored
Holyfield and 21 Tyson. Nevertheless Tyson was a narrow betting favorite at
around 6-4 on.
What happened shook the world of boxing. Holyfield won the first two rounds, in
which there was plenty of rough stuff. In the second a clash of heads cut
Tyson's eye, causing him to complain. In the third Tyson came out without his gum
shield, and was sent back for it, but after two minutes of the round he took
advantage of a clinch to bite a chunk out of Holyfield's ear, and spit it on
the canvas. Holyfield leapt in pain and turned his back. Referee Mills Lane,
who proved much too weak to handle the fight, called a halt, and deducted two
points from Tyson, but after a four minute delay allowed the round to continue.
Tyson then bit Holyfield's other ear. Astonishingly the round was allowed to
end, before the interval, Mills Lane belatedly disqualified Tyson. The Nevada
State Athletic Commission fined Tyson the maximum according to their rules, a
paltry tenth of his purse, i.e. $3 million, and banned him for a year, a ban
which operated in all states, and which would not be reviewed until 5 July
1998.
Tyson was now publicly derided as low-life-scum, a coward, etc. But, of course,
he would still be the hottest property in boxing were his license restored. He
had already earned more from boxing than any previous boxer -an estimated $200
million. In 1998 he owned six houses, including one he hardly used in
Connecticut which had 61 rooms, 38 baths, and a master bedroom with five
television sets. Yet he was reported to be short of liquidity, and owing $7
million in tax. He publicly confronted Don King outside a Los Angeles hotel
demanding money, and allegedly kicked the promoter in the face. Lawyers are
claiming that King did not account to Tyson fully and took more money from the
boxer that the law allows. Tyson ditched King as a promoter, although King
claims he has a valid contract with Tyson to promote four more fights. While
Tyson is banned this aspect is academic, but in March 1998 Tyson was reported
to file a $45 million fraud suit against King.
Tyson's private life is as complex as ever. Since the break-up of his marriage
to Robin Givens, he has acquired four children, and is reported to be a
devoted, if usually absent father. He also has a new wife, a pediatrician, Dr.
Monica Turner, who says he is a good person, that he is far more intelligent
that the press make out, and that she loves him for himself. His behavior is as
wild as ever, and late in 1997 he crashed riding a motor cycle, apparently
having fallen asleep, and was nearly hit by a truck. He suffered broken ribs
and a partially collapsed lung. He was riding without a license, although still
on parole from his recent imprisonment. In March 1998 he earned himself $3
million as an 'enforcer' at a Wrestlemania meeting before 19,000 fans in
Boston. At around 240lb, he laid out a wrestler with a swift punch, but this
"violence" which had no doubt been rehearsed.
Allen Iverson was born in 1960. 15 years later Allen Ezail Iverson was born in Hampton Virginia, June 7, 1975. He was raised by his mom Ann Iverson and Allen didn't hear from his real father, Allen Broughton until last year (1997) when he was sentenced to 9 years in jail for stabbing his girlfriend. Michael Freeman is the only father type man he has known. Freeman worked in Newport harbor until '88 when he had an accident. Then, instead of a new job he found only troubles, he was convicted in dealing drugs and was sentenced to 22 month in prison, and another 23 month for violating his paroles. |
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Allen said that one time when he
went to visit Freeman in Newport News Correctional Facilities, the same prison
he was incarcerated at, And Freeman Shoes were so damaged that Allen took the
shoes off his feet and gave them to Michael and Allen went home barefooted that
day. After freeman's accident Ann Iverson began working at the harbor too, but
that wasn't enough. In '91 Ieisha was born, she had serious health problems
which forced Ann to work overtime in selling her body to pay the bills for the
doctors. Growing up for Allen wasn't easy, his family was very poor. Many days
during his childhood he grew up without water, heat or lights and his apartment
stanched from sewage water because a pipe exploded under their apartment. Often
Allen stayed with friends or coaches during his teenage life. A couple of times
he even stayed at a shelter. Allen didn't like basketball at first. He thought
that basketball was a soft game. That's why He enjoyed football better and
still, to this day calls it his #1 sport. One day he came home from school when
he was 9, his mother signed him up for little league basketball practice. He
didn't want to go, until he got there and seen friends from his football team
there. So, since 9 years old, Allen's been playing basketball. At Bethel High
School in Hampton, he received awards for football and basketball. He was named
Virginia AAA football player of the year his junior year. He led Bethel High to
a state title in football and basketball. In
His Senior year of high school he was incarcerated and missed out of the rest
of his missed out of the rest of his senior year and senior prom. It was
February 14 on Valentines day, Allen walked into a bowling alley, a racial
dispute started a brawl in one of the corners of the alley. There were 50
people in the alley, half of them were white, four people were arrested, four
black people, Allen was one of them, Allen claimed that he ran away when the
fights began but he was sent to trial. In the trial 2 white people testified
that he broke a chair on a white girl's head, Allen couldn't stand to see
people go up to the stand and tell lies about him. Further more a camera that recorded the incident
didn't record Iverson. He was sentenced to 5 years in jail, but, he only did 4
month The Governor of Virginia at the time agreed to let him out only if he
will not play basketball until he'll get a high school diploma, Allen agreed. At
Bethel High School in Hampton, he received awards for football and basketball.
He was named Virginia AAA football player of the year his junior year. He led
Bethel High to a state title in football and basketball.
In His Senior year of high school he was incarcerated and missed out of the
rest of his missed out of the rest of his senior year and senior prom. It was
February 14 on Valentines day, Allen walked into a bowling alley, a racial
dispute started a brawl in one of the corners of the alley. There were 50
people in the alley, half of them were white, four people were arrested, four
black people, Allen was one of them, Allen claimed that he ran away when the
fights began but he was sent to trial. In the trial 2 white people testified
that he broke a chair on a white girl's head, Allen couldn't stand to see
people go up to the stand and tell lies about him. Further more a camera that
recorded the incident didn't record Iverson. he was sentenced to 5 years in
jail, but, he only did 4 month The Governor of Virginia at the time agreed to
let him out only if he will not play basketball until he'll get a high school
diploma, Allen agreed. While Allen was in jail friends and coaches made signs
and t-shirts saying free Allen or, free Bubba Chuck. Bubba Chuck is what some
people called him growing up. It is a combination of 2 uncles names. Also,
friends said he always Knew how to solve a problem on the court so they started
calling him the Answer. While in jail, Allen missed a Scholarship to Kentucky
University. He got up every morning at 5:30 to shoot hoops and try to make his
dream come true. He also studied in jail to get his diploma. After he got out
of jail Allen went to a learning center in Hampton Virginia where young people
go to get a high school diploma, a lady named Sue Lambiot helped Allen to get
his diploma, he went to her house 5 days a week, 6 hours a day, worse then
jail. Allen finally got his diploma. Meanwhile
Allen's Mom went to visit Coach Thompson of Georgetown University and ask if he
can take Allen under his wings and not only be a coach but a father like figure
to him. Allen needed a father like person to look after him. That's what coach
Thompson was to him. A couple of weeks after Allen been out of jail, Coach
Thompson came to visit Allen at the center. He loved Allen's talent and granted
him a full scholarship to Georgetown University. People wondered why Thompson
gave this trouble maker a full scholar. But Thompson didn't see that in him.
Thompson saw a young man who made mistakes in his life but have an unbelievable
talent. Allen wasn't to sure about leaving his family behind because of there
living situation, so that day he left for Georgetown he cried as he waved
goodbye to his family. Allen loved Georgetown, He majored in Art because Allen
is a truly gifted artist. Growing up in one of his apartments he drew a big
moral of Michael Jordan on his door. When they moved he wanted to take the door
but the land lord wouldn't let him.At Georgetown he had an African room mate.
He received great honors there as well. He was named defensive player of the
year and All American Status, he was Georgetown all time scorer, He averaged
26.6 points a game. As he kept
going back home his family living situation has gotten worse. So Allen knew he
had to go pro. Allen also had a daughter Tiaura, he needed to feed Himself his
daughter and his girlfriend Tawanna Turner. Allen became the first Athelete to
leave coach Thompson early, So Thompson introduced him to David Falk, a very
well known agent. During these couple of months Allen signed to be with Falk,
moved him and his family in a luxury apartment near his agent, got great loans
from the bank, and hired a specialist for his little sister Ieisha who suffered
from seizures. Allen was moving up. The day he announced that he was going pro,
is the day he withdrew from school. He only visited one NBA city which was
Philadelphia, and he loved Philly. June 1996 was the NBA draft. Allen Iverson
was selected first by the Philadelphia 76ers as there #1 pick. A couple of days
after that Allen signed a deal that was worth 3.9 million dollars. He also
signed a multi-million dollar deal with Reebok, A 10 year 50 million dollar
deal. Over that summer Allen played over in Japan with other college standouts
and received a silver medal. Also that summer he played in games that featured some NBA stars
like Alonzo Mourning. His first season as a sixer was great as you all know.
Allen became everyone's favorite rookie as well as player. Most of that came
about when he broke Micheal Most of that came about when he broke Micheal
Jordan down so bad that all Jordan could do was stare in shock.
Allen received the award for Sheick Rookie of the Year.
Dominique was born on Sept. 30, 1981 in Hollywood, CA. When she was 6 months old her father hung her from a clothes
line to see how strong she was (I know, this story is on every page) and she
held on until the line broke! At age 2 her family moved to Highland Park, Ill.
where between the ages of 3 and 4 she was enrolled in her first gymnastics
class. At age 3 she received her first passport and immediately went on a 3
month tour of Europe. At age 4 her father first contacts Bela Karoli inquiring
about enrolling Dominique in his classes but he advises him to wait until age 9
or 10. Then when she is 6 her family moved again, this time to Tampa, Fl. and
enrolls at LaFleur's Gymnastics. In 1989 her little sister Christina is born.
Then in 1991 at age 10 her family moves again, this time to Houston, Texas so
she can train with Bela Karoli. Her first practice session with Bela occurred
on December 18, 1991. Seven months later she qualifies for the Junior National
team and later medals, becoming the youngest ever to do so at age 10. 1 year
later she again qualifies for the Junior National team but this time she does
not medal and ends up finishing 7th all around. But just 1 year later she competes
on the Junior National team again and this time finishes 1st place all around.
1 year after that she becomes the youngest person in U.S. history to win the
Senior National title and the only person to go from a Junior title to a Senior
title in one year. That same year at the World Championships in Sabae, Japan
she wins a silver medal on the balance beam and finishes fifth all around, the
highest finish by an American in the competition. Then in 1996 she competes in
the Olympics and though she receives no individual medals she helps the U.S.
win it's first women’s all around title.
основная
литература:
http://www.english-easy.info/biographies/biographies_terry_fox.php#ixzz3OKE2Ch3a
http://www.english-easy.info/biographies/biographies_Babe_Ruth.php#ixzz3OKCt3skKhttp://www.english-easy.info/biographies/biographies_Babe_Ruth.php#ixzz3OKCjvl78 http://www.english-easy.info/biographies/biographies_Babe_Ruth.php#ixzz3OKCXqM93
http://www.english-easy.info/biographies/biographies_Babe_Ruth.php#ixzz3OKCR8qEM
http://www.english-easy.info/biographies/biographies_Babe_Ruth.php#ixzz3OKCKu4V3
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