Allgemeine Themen » the rankings. Bu

NEW YORK -- Marking the 67th anniversary of the day Jackie Robinson broke baseballs colour barrier, the Rev. Jesse Jackson praised Commissioner Bud Selig for the strides the sport has taken in minority opportunities over the past two decades. Jackson travelled to baseballs 1992 winter meetings to criticize its lack of minorities in management, and he pushed for change. Selig retired Robinsons No. 42 in 1997 on the 50th anniversary of the big league debut of the Brooklyn Dodgers first baseman. Selig established a Diverse Business Partners program the following year and in 1999 started requiring clubs to consider at least one minority for each manager and major executive opening. MLB also sponsors 35 Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars. Jackson said Jackie Robinson Day had become "a national holiday for all practical purposes." "To honour Jackie in this way honours the best in America," Jackson told Selig on Tuesday at MLBs third Diversity Business Summit. "In many ways, had Jackie not succeeded you could not have Atlanta Falcons or the Braves or the Carolina Panthers. You could not have these southern teams if Jackie had failed." Robinsons daughter, Sharon, presented Selig with a large plaque. Jackson spoke from the audience after Seligs speech and told him "you took to heart that challenge." "I guess if youre commissioner long enough, things can turn around," Selig said later. For the first time since Robinsons number was retired, no players in the major leagues were wearing No. 42. Players using the number were grandfathered at the time of Seligs announcement, and the last to use No. 42 was Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera, who retired at the end of last season. "Today all of our players league-wide will wear No. 42 to celebrate the man who helped change the future course of our game and more importantly our country," Selig said. A ceremony had been scheduled for Yankee Stadium to unveil a plaque commemorating Nelson Mandelas visit to the old Bronx ballpark in 1990. The Yankees game against the Chicago Cubs was rained out, and the ceremony, which includes Zondwa Mandela, a grandson of the late South African president, was pushed back until Wednesday evening. Selig frequently points out that Robinsons first game occurred more than a year before President Harry Truman desegregated the U.S. military and seven years before the Supreme Courts Brown v. Board of Education decision that ruled state laws requiring segregated public schools were unconstitutional. "Baseball must continue to be more than just a game on the field," Selig said. "The games remarkable ability to serve as a common bond should be used to create opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or gender." Selig became acting commissioner in 1992 and got the job permanently in 1998. He plans to retire in January. He said the Diverse Business Partners program had led to purchases of more than $1 billion in goods and services from minority- and women-owned businesses. But the percentage of African-American players in the major leagues has been cut in half since peaking at about 18 per cent at times from the mid-1970s to mid-1980s. Seattle Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon, who is black, says some of this generations players dont know of Robinsons accomplishments. "They dont know a lot about the history, and I dont really blame it all on them. I think their generation is a generation that was force-fed these things," he said, holding up a smart phone. "Everythings now. Not much of an appreciation for the past and what it meant, particularly when it comes to baseball and baseball players. The paths that were paved for them, I dont think they really get it, or really understand it." Darin Erstad Jersey . I wondered how NHL coaches would feel about a playoff schedule that allowed them to open a best-of-seven series on the road, which many claim to favour, yet still gave them the precious home-ice edge for a seventh game. Nolan Ryan Jersey .com) - The Minnesota Twins made it official on Wednesday, announcing the signing of outfielder Torii Hunter to a one-year contract. http://www.baseballangelslockroom.com/cj-wilson-angels-jersey/ . Although head coach Randy Carlyle jokingly wondered how much actual training Bolland got done while in London. "I dont know how much training goes on when you go back to the junior team that you played for so I wouldnt read too much into that," laughed Carlyle after the Maple Leafs were put through an up-tempo practice that concluded with a 10-minute bag skate on Thursday. Zack Cozart Jersey . Jets head coach Paul Maurice made the announcement Saturday following the morning skate and confirmed Al Montoya will start in goal against the Dallas Stars on Sunday. J. C. Ramirez Jersey .40 metres at the Drake Relays. Drouin, from Corunna, Ont., bested his own record of 2.38 metres set in Aug. TORONTO -- Quinn Smiths CFL draft stock is on the rise. The Concordia Stingers defensive lineman was ranked fourth among the CFL scouting bureaus top-15 prospects for next months draft. Heady stuff, considering Smith wasnt rated on either the fall or winter lists. But the six-foot-two, 305-pound Toronto native raised eyebrows at last months CFL combine, excelling on both sides of the ball. And that versatility will enhance his chances of being taken early in the May 13 draft, with the expansion Ottawa Redblacks holding the first pick overall. "Obviously I felt I shouldve been on the first two but Im very happy that my hard work paid off to be quite high on the new list," Smith said during a CFL conference call Tuesday. "I want to be a professional football player. "It doesnt matter what city, what team. Im going to be happy wherever I go." Once again Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, McGills highly rated offensive lineman, topped the rankings. But the six-foot-five, 310-pound medical student is projected as a mid-round NFL draft pick. Where Duvernay is taken by an NFL club will dramatically impact when hes selected in the CFL draft. David Foucault, Montreals towering six-foot-eight, 300-pound offensive tackle, moved up a spot into No. 2, with Laval offensive lineman Pierre Lavertu dropping to No. 3. St. Francis receiver Devon Bailey also dropped one position behind Smith into No. 5. Manitoba defensive tackle Evan Gill remained at No. 6, ahead of Western defensive lineman Dylan Ainsworth, who skyrocketed from No. 15. Manitoba running back Anthony Coombs moved up a spot to No. 8, ahead of Simon Fraser offensive lineman Matthias Goosen (who dropped from No. 5) and Queens defensive back Andrew Lue (from No. 8). Rounding out the top-15 were Laval defensive back Adam Thibault, Simon Fraser linebacker Casey Chin, defensive lineman David Menard and defensive back Antoine Pruneau -- both from the University of Montreal -- and Western linebacker Beau Landry. Ainsworth was another player who excelled at the CFL combine, especially in the 1-on-1 drills when he steamrolled over Foucault. The six-foot-three, 225-pound native of Delta, B.C., credited teammate Landry with helping him prepare for the weekend-long audition before league officials. "Just seeing my name there the first couple of rankings was an honour for me, it was just up to me to prove myself at the combine," Ainsworth said. "As a result of training hard with (Landry) I feel like I did as well as I really couldve hoped. "To see me shoot up to the No. 7 spot is huge but the real ranking is May 13 and thats what Im most excited about, just to see what happens and how it all plays out." Withh Duvernay-Tardif expected to head to the NFL, Foucault is being mentioned as the most CFL-ready prospect among the eligible offensive linemen.dddddddddddd But he, too, is attracting American interest, having recently interviewed with NFL clubs at the leagues Super Regional combine earlier this month in Detroit despite suffering a foot injury while running his 40-yard dash. "Just three of the 33 guys on the offensive line got an interview with NFL teams and I got some good feedback," Foucault said. "Right now, I dont know what (is happening), theres a little stress because I dont control this part." Foucault, a converted defensive lineman from LaSalle, Que., would welcome playing in the CFL, but admitted his focus right now is on the NFL because its draft is first on the calendar. The NFL draft will go May 8-10 and those players not selected could still be signed as priority free agents before CFL officials begin stockpiling their rosters with top prospects. "I just want to be a football player," Foucault said. "Its a good thing to play in the NFL or CFL but I want to take my chances to go to the NFL because I want to try." The CFL draft remains first and foremost on Smiths radar. Hed prefer to play professionally as a defensive lineman but wouldnt refuse the opportunity to line up along the offensive line, either. "Ive played both but playing defensive tackle has got me a free education at university, its got me to the CFL combine and I had a really great showing," he said. "If a team drafted me and wanted me to play the O-line I would have no problem with that. "I love playing football on the offensive or defensive side but defensive tackle is my natural position." Ainsworth, too, might find himself lining up in a different position in the CFL, either as a rush end or linebacker. While hed prefer to remain on the defensive line, Ainsworth is also keeping an open mind about where he could be lining up as a pro. "Defensive line is more my natural position, its sort of what I have more of a passion for," he said. "But any team that comes knocking whatever they want me to play is what I"ll be playing. "Its not an issue of what I want, its an issue of where I can fit and best contribute." But Ainsworth definitely has a preference regarding when hed like to hear his name called May 13. "Im hoping first round," he said. "Just to go in the first round would be awesome but realistically any team that picks you youre going to be happy to go there. "Its just going to be a nice weight lifted knowing where you need to go. Then the real work starts there." Cheap Barcelona Jerseys Cheap Real Madrid Jerseys Authentic Cheap Bayern Munich Jerseys Cheap Dortmund Jerseys Cheap USA Jerseys Cheap USWNT Jerseys France Soccer Jerseys Soccer Mexico Jerseys Cheap Germany Jerseys Cheap Belgium Soccer Jerseys Brazil Jerseys From China Germany Jerseys From China Authentic Soccer Mexico Jerseys Cheap Portugal Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Spain Jerseys Cheap France Football Jerseys Cheap Germany Jerseys Authentic Cheap Mexico Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Colombia Jerseys Cheap Belgium Football Jerseys Wholesale Argentina Jerseys Cheap USA Soccer Jerseys China cheap uswnt jersey authentic Authentic AC Milan Jerseys Discount Arsenal Jerseys Wholesale A.S. Roma Jerseys Wholesale Atletico Madrid Jerseys Chelsea Jerseys From China Barcelona Jerseys From China Cheap Bayern Munich Jerseys Authentic Borussia Dortmund Jerseys Authentic Inter Milan Jerseys Authentic Juventus Jerseys Cheap Leicester City Jerseys Wholesale Liverpool Jerseys Authentic Manchester City Jerseys Authentic Manchester United Jerseys Cheap Paris Saint-Germain Jerseys Authentic Real Madrid Jerseys Sevilla Jerseys For Sale Tottenham Hotspur Jerseys Outlet ' ' '