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Dusty Baker’s run to a World Sequence title win was one of many a number of memorable sports activities tales in 2022, on and off the sector.
One of the revered folks in baseball, the one factor lacking from Baker’s resume: a World Sequence ring as a supervisor.
Baker finally got the elusive ring with the Houston Astros whereas erasing a number of the taint of sign-stealing 2017 title in among the best moments of the 12 months in sports activities.
“Had this occurred years in the past, I may not even be right here,” Baker mentioned. “So possibly it wasn’t alleged to occur in order that I may hopefully affect just a few younger males’s lives and their households and quite a lot of folks within the nation via displaying what perseverance and character can do for you in the long term.”
Baker received a World Sequence with the Los Angeles Dodgers, however had gone 25 years with out profitable one as a supervisor. He had been to the Fall Basic twice earlier than with out profitable and was the winningest supervisor with no title earlier than the Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in six video games.
“To be the staff that was in a position to pull it off for him, I understand how a lot it means to him and it means a lot to us,” Astros pitcher Justin Verlander mentioned.
Aaron Decide additionally made the headlines by breaking the American League report with his 62nd homer, resulting in a report nine-year, $360 million contract.
There have been a number of off-field tales that made headlines — Brittney Griner, Dan Snyder and the Commanders, Suns proprietor Robert Sarver — however Baker’s long-awaited title win wasn’t the one redemptive sports activities story in 2022.
On the courts:
— Within the NBA, the Golden State Warriors regained their previous magic and solidified their dynasty with a fourth NBA title in eight years, however first since 2018. Stephen Curry was once more the catalyst, solidifying his declare as the best shooter in NBA historical past with one other dynamic efficiency.
— In males’s faculty basketball, Kansas re-established its blue-blood standing in faculty basketball by mounting the most important comeback in nationwide championship historical past, rallying from 16 factors down to beat North Carolina for its fourth nationwide championship. The win got here after an epic Last 4 matchup between Tobacco Highway rivals North Carolina and Duke.
— In ladies’s faculty hoops, South Carolina did one thing no different staff had been in a position to accomplish, handing UConn’s Geno Auriemma his first misplaced in 12 nationwide title video games.
— The veterans dominated many of the males’s tennis majors, with Rafael Nadal profitable the Australian Open and French Open to stretch has Grand Slam report to 22 titles. Novak Djokovic received Wimbledon, however didn’t get an opportunity to play in Australia or the U.S. Open due to his vaccination standing.
— Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz was the lone teenager among the many Grand Slammers , breaking via to win the U.S. Open at 19. Iga Świątek received two Grand Slam titles in 2022, together with a U.S. Open that noticed the farewell of Serena Williams after 23 titles.
On the ice:
The Colorado Avalanche cranked up the way-back machine, profitable their first Stanley Cup title since 2001 by beating the reigning champion Tampa Bay Lightning in six video games. The uber-talented core that suffered via a number of early postseason exits seems to be like a bunch that may very well be greater than one-and-done with the Cup.
On the gridiron:
— The Los Angeles Rams proved that dwelling cooking is greatest, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 to change into the second straight staff to win the Super Bowl at their home stadium after Tampa Bay did it the 12 months earlier than. The Tremendous Bowl title was the Rams’ first since 2000, when the franchise was in St. Louis.
— Within the School Soccer Playoffs, Georgia pulled off a similar move in soccer, knocking off Alabama and Nick Saban for this system’s first nationwide championship in 41 years.
On the Olympics:
The Winter Olympics in Beijing, nonetheless grappling with the consequences of the pandemic, noticed American determine skater Nathan Chen earn gold after his flameout on the Pyeongchang Video games 4 years earlier.
Lindsey Jacobellis, lengthy identified for her blunder on the 2006 Torino Video games, finally won gold in snowboard cross and added one other within the mixed-team occasion.
Chloe Kim proved she was the queen of the halfpipe, profitable her second straight gold and Finland received its first hockey gold by beating favored Russia within the last.
Out on the fairways:
— LIV: The Saudi-backed LIV made waves that reverberated throughout the golf world, with a number of main gamers abandoning the PGA and European excursions to money in on the riches of the profitable tour.
— On the PGA Tour, the younger guys moved to the forefront. Scottie Scheffler received The Masters, Justin Thomas the PGA Championship, Matt Fitzpatrick took the U.S. Open and Cameron Smith received the British Open, marking the primary time all 4 majors had been received by gamers underneath 30 in the identical 12 months.
On the monitor:
Youth prevailed on the Daytona 500 as properly, with rookie Austin Cindric taking the checkers. Marcus Ericsson, a former Formulation One backmarker, grew to become the second Swedish driver to win the Indianapolis 500 by holding off a number of the largest names in North American auto racing.
Off the sector:
— Griner’s arrest and imprisonment on drug costs grew to become worldwide sports activities and political information because the US tried to free the WNBA star. A deal was lastly labored out in December, permitting Griner to return home after 10 months in jail.
— In Phoenix, Sarver made information for all of the flawed causes. He was suspended one year and fined $10 million on Sept. 13 by the NBA over office misconduct that included racist speech and hostile habits towards workers. Sarver then introduced his intention to sell the team.
— Snyder had problems of his own within the nation’s capital with a Home committee investigating a whole bunch of situations of sexual harassment by males on the prime ranges of the group. The franchise was fined $10 million and Snyder hired a firm to look into his sale of the staff.
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Extra AP sports activities: https://apnews.com/hub/sports activities and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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