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Joe Maddon thinks Major League Baseball has issues. You might find them relatable

Editor’s Note: This story is a part of Peak, The Athletic’s new desk covering leadership, personal development and success through the lens of sports. Peak aims to connect readers to ideas they can implement in their own personal and professional lives. Follow Peak here. There is no shortage of people who criticize the influence of […]

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Joe Maddon thinks Major League Baseball has issues. You might find them relatable

Editor’s Note: This story is a part of Peak, The Athletic’s new desk covering leadership, personal development and success through the lens of sports. Peak aims to connect readers to ideas they can implement in their own personal and professional lives. Follow Peak here.

There is no shortage of people who criticize the influence of data and analytics in baseball these days. I knew Joe Maddon had become one of those critics, but I also knew something else: Maddon was the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays when the organization was at the forefront of the analytics revolution in the 2000s.

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That is part of the reason I wanted to talk to Maddon, who also won a World Series with the Chicago Cubs and managed the LA Angels. But there was another reason: I had a hunch that other people feel the same tension — caught between two worlds — in their own professional lives. I know I do.

In so many aspects of my life, there is an overwhelming amount of data and information available, from how many people read my stories to how much time I spend on my phone each week. At times, it feels like data dictates too much of my life, or at least influences too many of my decisions. Isn’t there value in just doing something because your instinct tells you it’s the right decision? In a world full of information, should we still trust our gut and creative impulses?

That’s what Maddon and I talked about during our conversations over multiple interviews, edited and condensed for clarity.

If you’re a baseball fan, you’ll probably find plenty to argue about. And if you’re not a baseball fan, or even much of a sports fan, I hope there are ideas on leadership, creativity and criticism that feel relevant to you.

You sent me something you wrote in which you said that your definition of leadership has changed. How? 

In the past, I always received direction from whoever was in charge, but then I was permitted to go out and do the job as I perceived was the right way to do it. I’ll give you an example. When I first started as a bench coach in the mid-90s, there was no pamphlet on how to be a bench coach. I didn’t get any direction. The assumption was that I was there to advise the manager on a daily basis, primarily during the course of the game. Before games, I would put together scouting reports and breakdowns. I didn’t get any real direction on that either.

My point is, when I started doing that, nobody told me what to do. At all. I built all these programs because I felt, if I was a manager, this is what I would want. I was empowered to be the bench coach. I felt free to do my job. I never felt controlled. I felt the exact opposite.

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So what’s changed?

As a coach, I’m not out there creating my own methods. I’m following the methods that are being given to me, primarily through data and information. Which is good. Because when it comes to data today, it’s not just me scouting the other team. Data today combines every play, every pitch, so of course it’s going to be accurate. But the point is, all of that stuff is taken from upstairs (the front office) to downstairs (the coaches). There’s no leeway to make adjustments anymore based on what you see.

When I was with the Angels, Brian Butterfield, my infield coach, would want to make micro-adjustments during a game based on defense, where a hitter might be late on the ball. All of a sudden, the ball is going away from the planned spot. But if he moved the infielders, as an example, after the game he was told: “Just play the dots.” In other words, coaches became neutered because if you attempted to do that, that was considered going rogue. Just follow the dots. Stop thinking. Stop using your experience. Stop using your sense of feel and what you’re seeing. Just follow the dots.

Just to make sure I understand what you’re saying: You think leaders need to give people information, but then empower them to make their own decisions, not restrict them.

Yes.

Let me ask you this: Why does this change bother you?

Because it neuters your years of work. And it doesn’t permit you to react to a situation that you absolutely see as being different. All these numbers are based on large sample sizes, and I understand that. To me, a large sample size is pretty much infallible when it comes down to acquisitions in the offseason. But it is fallible when it comes down to trends in the moment.

So when you’re talking about how to set my defense on August 15, or how to pitch somebody on August 15, I need something more immediate and not just a large sample size. What is he like right now? Has he changed? Has he lost his confidence, or is he more confident than he’s ever been? There are fluctuations with people. That’s my problem: It bothers me that coaches, managers, whoever are not permitted to use their years of experience to make adjustments in the moment based on what they see.

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The game tends to be unpredictable, and in a hot moment you have to be able to be creative and flexible when you’re actually seeing something.

We’re talking specifically about your experience with baseball, but I think a lot of people in a lot of different jobs feel this real tension between data and feel or creativity, whatever you want to call it.

Agreed. I do a lot of talks about this, and I try to address all of this. It has to be understood that, first of all, I’m into all of this stuff. I want the numbers. I want analytics. I want you to give me stuff in advance. Absolutely I want all of that. But once you’ve given it to me, you have to understand that this is a fluid exercise. Theory and reality are two completely different worlds. So when theory starts breaking down during the course of a game, then it becomes reality. If it always goes according to script, God bless you, that’s wonderful. But that rarely ever happens. So, for me, feel and experience allow you to see things a little bit in advance that maybe someone else can’t see or feel. That’s where a manager or a coach can make a difference.

That’s where I’m really trying to explain myself, and I think executives and people in other industries feel the same way. They feel hamstrung. Because they’re being controlled as opposed to empowered. Everybody wants information; nobody wants to run away from good information. But you always have to feel the empowerment to remain flexible and make snap decisions when things just don’t seem to be going well or right. Because when things get hot, things get quicker and people change. You have to be able to read that in order to make the necessary adjustments based on this moment. And that’s what I believe is the gift of experience. Feel is the gift of experience.


Maddon believed it was important to have relationships and know his players. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

You shared something with me that you sent to your players when you were the manager in Tampa. You wrote: “Conventional Wisdom be damned. We are in the process of creating our own little world. Our way of doing things. The Ray Way. To those of you who feel as though this sounds ‘corny’ wait a couple of years and you will see how corny turns into ‘cool,’ and everyone stands in line to copy our methods.” What I loved about that, Joe, is that in many ways, you were part of the process with the Rays that created the world that we’re in. What do you make of that?

The Rays at that time were kind of ahead of the curve. That’s when being analytically inclined was in the minority and being old school was in majority. Now the tables have turned.

I’ve always loved that saying, “corny becomes cool,” because we used to be criticized for the things we did. For example, shifting. The four-man outfield we used. We were criticized heavily for that. They think they know everything! But it’s gotten to the point now where it’s taken on another life, almost to where it’s become an extreme. I like the word balance. I don’t like extremism either way, either too conservative or too liberal. I believe I’m a centrist even in the baseball world. I think in my life I am. I want to see both sides. I want to incorporate everything.

So I’m not advocating for all old school. Not at all. Not even a bit. I’m advocating for balance.

You told me once that from day one, you told your players: “You have my trust and now I have to earn yours.” Why did you say that?

Because I wanted them to understand how important that was. I wanted them to know that, from my perspective, there were 40 guys on the team, all with different personalities. They had my trust and I needed to really infiltrate each one of them so they would trust me in return.

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How did you do that? 

You don’t miss things. You have to see things. You know when someone needs your help, you know when you have to stand out of the way, you know what guys you can be more blunt with and who will crumble from bluntness. You have to read every individual, and it only happens through a daily discourse.

You texted me something: “Wear your thick skin. Criticism is not taken as an attack … but as a debate seeking the best possible answers.” I’m so thin-skinned. Painfully thin-skinned. How did you develop thick skin?

Wow. Well, I grew up in eastern Pennsylvania. I was a quarterback when I was 10. I was calling audibles when I was 10. I called all my plays in a huddle when I was 10. When I screwed up, those coaches, Richie and Si, they beat me up a little bit. One time I threw an interception and they said I quit on trying to tackle the guy. They told me I was a quitter. I was 11, and we only lost one game in the three years that I started at quarterback. But they called me a quitter one day.

High school football. Adam Sieminski. Toughest, toughest mother I’ve ever had to play for anywhere. He’d chew you out up and down on the sideline during a game. It would be 25 degrees and he’d be out there in a short-sleeve shirt and I’d go to talk to him and his teeth would be chattering so hard I couldn’t understand a damn thing he said. But he wanted to show us how tough he was. And he was.

I mean, these are the guys who made me tough. You had to wear it. Your skin gets thicker, you become more calloused. And eventually you get to the point where you can have a good, open, blistering debate or conversation.

Bob Clear, my mentor of all mentors. I did this instructional league in the ’80s. That morning in the Arizona Republic I’d seen a picture of Mark McGwire with his hands on the bat, palm up, palm down, and I was saying how much I loved that picture and his hand placement. And Bob said: “You’re full of s—. The hands should be in this position. What the f— are you talking about?” I said: “F— you, Bob!” And we argued for 30 minutes, back and forth, screaming at each other. And then we walked out on the field arm in arm.

I respected — I adored — this guy, but because we could argue like that, I learned. He always used to tell me: “I’m just trying to make you think.” That’s it. I’m just trying to make you think. You try to do that now and people crumble.

One thing I struggle with: When people go through tough stuff like that, they can become really thankful for it. But I’m also always a little leery of nostalgia, because it can sometimes erase how miserable those times were. Where do you stand on that? Tough coaching, the appropriate way to treat people, that’s all an active conversation now.

I just like straightforwardness. There’s a great line: Honesty without compassion equals cruelty. So you always have to gauge your honesty and what they can take. But I just would prefer seeing a little more straightforwardness and not dissembling or providing a soft landing because I don’t think that’s helping anyone.

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Listen, I’m not talking about parting somebody’s hair all the time. But you can’t always paint it in a way or else the person you’re speaking to is going to miss the point. You’ve got to make sure that it’s firm enough. Understand your audience, always. But one of my lines is: If I tell you the truth, you might not like me for five or 10 days. But if I lie to you, then you’re going to hate me forever.


Maddon led the Chicago Cubs to the franchise’s first World Series title in 108 years. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Getty Images)

You told me once when you were coaching in the instructional league that you sat down with every player to go over not just their strengths but to hammer their weaknesses.

I took a piece of paper and made it into quadrants and created a form on my laptop, which weighed about 25 pounds at the time. This was all me; I didn’t get any input from any of the coaches or the front office. Nobody. This was just my scouting acumen at work because not everybody was on board with this.

The top left quadrant would be positives. Top right quadrant would be negatives. The bottom left quadrant would be after they heard my positives and negatives, they would tell me their idea of what they wanted to get out of the instructional league. And then the bottom right would be the summary that I would write based on the positives, negatives, their input and then what I saw. I would give them that piece of paper. Why?

Because when a player walks out on a field — minor league, major league, doesn’t matter — there’s always a sense of: “What do they really think about me? How do they see me? What’s the plan for me?” I used to hear that all the time: “What’s the plan?” So I figured if we could get this out in the open early, then when we saw each other on or off the field, there would be nothing in the background lurking. I think it’s the most open and honest way to create relationships and communication.

What do you think baseball has gotten wrong about leadership? Not just analytics but leadership.

It’s not just baseball. Very simply put: I always felt that I was hired to do a job and then permitted to do my job. I feel like in today’s world, people are hired to do a job only the way they want them to do the job. The outline they’re going to give you to do the job. It prevents the imagination from soaring. It prevents creativity. The moment you feel restricted, your imagination ceases to exist. Because why go there? Why ever ponder in bed at night? Why grind all day long over lunch? Why grind over different ways to make something better?

One thing that I struggle with is that we have such easy access to every kind of metric or piece of data. For instance, with our stories, we can see exactly how many people are in them at any moment, how long they’re spending, when they stop reading. 

Wow.

What I think our whole conversation is circling back to is we’re in a real tension between data versus art, or whatever you want to call it. I would guess that that’s applicable in almost any field. We’re all overloaded with data and we almost use data as a safety net. I get why; it is comforting. But I think we’ve got to leave room for instinct and experimentation.

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Here’s one thing I wrote the other day. I was driving and sending texts to myself so I wouldn’t forget: Can data replace talent as the number one reason why groups are successful? Can numbers teach poise? Can numbers teach competitive nature? Can numbers teach instinct?

This is what I think has become blurred a bit. Everybody thinks analytics is the reason; it’s not. It’s not the reason. The reason why the Dodgers are good? They have a good analytical department, but they’ve got really good talent. They’re able to acquire good talent and pay them, but they do a good job of identifying talent. Data and analytics, that’s the number one superstar component of that. That’s where you really do a good job. That’s why the Brewers have been good, that’s why the Rays have been good: They’re able to look under the hood and identify talent that nobody else sees. That, to me, is where analytics really shine.

But can numbers teach poise? Can numbers teach competitiveness? Can numbers teach instinct? Those are the things that separate winners and losers.

You can read last week’s interview with Tara VanDerveer, one of the winningest basketball coaches of all time, here.

(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)

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SAY WHAT?: Popcorn vs. potato chips – things get salty in skirmish over snacks

Welcome to Say What?!, a newsroom feature wherein important issues are debated and petty scores get settled. In today’s edition, Surrey Now-Leader reporter (and Say What?! instigator) Tom Zytaruk faces off against Peace Arch News reporter Tricia Leslie in an important battle for snackers everywhere. Today’s topic: What’s better, popcorn or potato chips? Tom says: Why popcorn is prime Mmm, […]

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Welcome to Say What?!, a newsroom feature wherein important issues are debated and petty scores get settled.

In today’s edition, Surrey Now-Leader reporter (and Say What?! instigator) Tom Zytaruk faces off against Peace Arch News reporter Tricia Leslie in an important battle for snackers everywhere.

Today’s topic: What’s better, popcorn or potato chips?

Tom says: Why popcorn is prime

Mmm, caramel popcorn – what a treat. 

Or simply unadulterated. Or lightly buttered, maybe with a dash of salt?

Just as excellent.

Caramel potato chips, on the other hand, are inconceivable. Might as well eat spider goulash. In fact, I apologize outright for introducing the concept, a faux pas on par with expelling gas in a crowded elevator.

Firstly, let’s consider the history of popcorn – a go-to snack for thousands of years, probably before even potatoes, let alone potato chips, were invented.

Have you ever heard of cave popcorn? It’s a thing. Might be even older than in the beginning, when darkness was over the surface of the deep and God’s spirit hovered over the waters.

Cave chips? What’s that, flint? Can’t eat flint, no.

Secondly, there is utility in popcorn. It made for an inexpensive meal during the Great Depression – and sure, while it can get stuck in your teeth, at least you have a snack for later.

You see, popcorn is food. Fibrous, and nutritious. Potato chips are junk.

Popcorn can be a suitable snack for people with diabetes. But chips?

If there were a Latin term for potato chips, it would probably be carbohydratilicum commotio cordis. Steeped in heart-busting trans-fats, over-processed, greasy, can’t microwave them, troublesome.

Ever heard of acrylamide? Google it, if you dare. Dr. Eric Berg, author of The Healthy Keto Plan, says it’s “The #1 Most Dangerous Ingredient in the World.” Guess where you’ll find it?

Don’t fear the kernel. Popcorn generally has a lower level of this compared to the lowly potato chip.

Thirdly, eating popcorn is iconic.

When you’re on the edge of your seat in a movie theatre – stuffing your face – that’s popcorn you’d be putting down your neck, as opposed to potato chips getting stuck in your neck.

That’s what the theatres are selling; Hollywood knows what you want. (And people, I’m told, are willing to pay a premium for it). 

Finally, when you order popcorn, that’s what you get. With chips, you can’t be too sure. French fries? Crisps?

What the heck? It’s too risky.

So pop the popcorn, and skip the chips. Because, essentially, chips plus dips equals mighty, giant hips.

Tricia says: Why chips are champ

There’s something so tasty about a salty, crunchy snack, and chips are a favourite choice for many munchers.

Chips come in so many flavours, and as someone who adores having plenty of options, it’s great to have such a variety, from plain to salt and vinegar, tikka masala to all-dressed, dill pickle, honey dijon, avocado lime or even sweet ghost pepper.

There’s also a wide range of yummy chip dips, and chips made from whole grains, such as Sun Chips, or tortilla chips, which are fantastic by themselves or elevated with cheese and toppings into a delicious plate of nachos.

Chips — unlike popcorn — don’t get stuck in your teeth, remaining impervious to dental floss and brushing.

Popcorn is also pretty pricey, especially at the movies, where they charge extra to add a substance called “butter topping” (but is actually, butter-flavoured oil with less water content than butter to prevent sogginess). Yikes. 

Some chips offer stackable fun, like Pringles.

Ever try to stack popcorn? 

It would be a slippery, salty hot mess. 

Literally. 

The earliest known recipe for chips is from 1817, in an English cookbook that included a recipe for “potatoes fried in slices or shavings.”

Another popular tale says they were invented in 1853 by a restaurant chef, when a finicky customer kept sending back his French-fried potatoes, so the cook sliced the potatoes ridiculously fine and fried them — and the customer loved them. 

Present-day Michelin-star chefs know the value of potato chips, with many creating their own delicious versions of the snack, or incorporating chips into Michelin-starred dishes including omelettes, cannoli, and wagyu beef carpaccio.

Wagyu beef car-popcorn-o?

No thanks. 

With Trump’s ongoing tariff war, many Canadians have been purchasing products only made in Canada, dubbed the “Elbows Up” movement. 

Old Dutch is one brand of Canadian chips that offers several flavours to Canadian-minded consumers, as well as Hardbite, owned by fourth-generation farmers Peter Schouten and Braden Douglas of Surrey-based Naturally Homegrown Foods Ltd. — chips made from potatoes grown locally by the Heppell family. 

Orville Redenbacher?

American. 

Chip is also the name of our adorable (unofficial) office kitten, and he’s the coolest.

In short, chips are the cat’s pyjamas. 

Popcorn?

Something people throw at movie screens when watching A Minecraft Movie. 

Got an opinion about this battle? Got an idea for a future battle? Contact the newsroom.



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Paris celebrates Olympic beach volleyball legacy with City Hall festival – FIVB

One year after beach volleyball enthralled audiences during the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the sport has made a triumphant return to the French capital with a lively public celebration that welcomed fans from across the globe, as well as Olympic champions and athletes from Paris 2024; Ana Patricia Silva Ramos, Eduarda Santos Lisboa (Duda), Arnaud […]

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One year after beach volleyball enthralled audiences during the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the sport has made a triumphant return to the French capital with a lively public celebration that welcomed fans from across the globe, as well as Olympic champions and athletes from Paris 2024; Ana Patricia Silva Ramos, Eduarda Santos Lisboa (Duda), Arnaud Gauthier-Rat and his new partner Téo Rotar.

Also present during the festivities were dignitaries including International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry, Honorary Life President of the IOC Thomas Bach, IOC Member/former President of Paris 2024 Tony Estanguet, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo and the French Minister Delegate in charge of Sports/former Director of Impact and Legacy for Paris 2024 Marie Barsacq. During their visit, the delegation met with the beach volleyball Olympians as well as FIVB representatives on site at the activation. Tony Estanguet and Anne Hidalgo were also gifted a replica of the prized painting by British artist Peter Spens from Paris 2024.

(Photo credit: FIVB)

From 25 to 27 July 2025, the FIVB, in partnership with the City of Paris and the French Volleyball Federation (FFvolley), hosted a three-day activation at Paris City Hall, highlighting the city’s continued dedication to its Olympic legacy.

The Eiffel Tower Stadium, which hosted Olympic beach volleyball event, was widely hailed as one of the most iconic venues of the Games. It drew crowds in a festive, party-like atmosphere. This weekend’s activities captured that same spirit, bringing the sport into the heart of Paris in a free and inclusive setting.

As part of the city’s broader summer sport programme, three beach volleyball courts have been in daily operation since 12 July and will remain open until 20 August. The City Hall festival served as one of the centrepieces of this programme, offering a packed schedule of activities that encouraged both locals and visitors to get involved.

(Photo credit: FIVB)

Thousands took part over the three days, enjoying introductory volleyball sessions, casual matches and family-friendly games. The courts remained busy from early morning until late at night, with some fans arriving as early as 3:30am and staying throughout the day.

A community 4×4 tournament, featuring 32 teams, took place on Saturday afternoon where spectators also had the chance to meet the Olympic stars. The athletes took part in exhibition matches and connected with fans, bringing back the unique atmosphere of last summer’s Games.

(Photo credit: FIVB)

Adding a cultural dimension to the event was a collaborative art project led by internationally acclaimed artist and Olympian Slaven Dizdarević. Members of the public were invited to create their own artworks by cutting and arranging pieces of used volleyballs. Over two days, 103 unique artworks were produced by participants of all ages. These will now be combined by the artist into a single large-scale installation.

(Photo credit: FIVB)

By transforming one of Paris’s most historic spaces into a centre of sport and community, the event demonstrated beach volleyball’s unique power to unite people through shared experiences.

As Paris continues to build on the legacy of the Games, beach volleyball remains a shining symbol of the Olympic spirit and an indelible memory of a truly incredible Olympic beach volleyball competition.



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Ryne Sandberg, Cubs legend and Baseball Hall of Famer, dies at 65

Chicago Cubs legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg has died, the team announced Monday night. He was 65. “Ryne Sandberg was a hero to a generation of Chicago Cubs fans and will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in nearly 150 years of this historic franchise,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said […]

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Ryne Sandberg, Cubs legend and Baseball Hall of Famer, dies at 65

Chicago Cubs legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg has died, the team announced Monday night. He was 65.

“Ryne Sandberg was a hero to a generation of Chicago Cubs fans and will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in nearly 150 years of this historic franchise,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a team-issued statement. “His dedication to and respect for the game, along with his unrelenting integrity, grit, hustle, and competitive fire were hallmarks of his career. He was immensely proud of his teammates and his role as a global ambassador of the game of baseball, but most of all, he was proud of Margaret, his children and his role as husband, father, and grandfather.

“Margaret and their children and grandchildren will always be a part of the Cubs family. Ryno will never be forgotten by the Cubs community and baseball fans around the world.”

[Complete Ryne Sandberg coverage on the Marquee Sports Network app]

Sandberg spent 15 seasons with the Cubs and became one of the storied franchise’s icons. He amassed a .285 batting average, 2,386 hits and 282 home runs in his 16-year career, in addition to the 1984 National League MVP award, 10 All-Star appearances, nine Gold Gloves and seven Silver Sluggers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.

In January 2024, Sandberg announced he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. Just seven months later, he announced his cancer was in remission, before announcing in December 2024 that it had returned.

Sandberg attended Cubs Convention one month later, appeared at the team’s facility in Mesa, Ariz., for the beginning of spring training in February, and threw out the first pitch at the home opener in April alongside fellow Cubs Hall of Famers Billy Williams, Lee Smith, Fergie Jenkins and Andre Dawson.

Sandberg provided another health update in July 2025, sharing his treatment plan and thanking fans for their support.

The Cubs acquired Sandberg ahead of the 1982 season from the Philadelphia Phillies, along with Iván de Jesús, for Larry Bowa. He immediately became an everyday player and won a Gold Glove in his second Cubs season. 

However, Sandberg’s real breakthrough came in 1984 during a June contest later dubbed “The Sandberg Game.”

On June 23, in a nationally televised game against the rival St. Louis Cardinals, Sandberg hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against future Hall of Fame closer Bruce Sutter, sending the game to extras. In the bottom of the 10th, with the Cubs trailing 11-9, Sandberg hit another home run, this one a two-run shot off Sutter to tie the score and force an 11th inning, where the Cubs walked it off on a Dave Owen RBI single.

That game put Sandberg and the Cubs on the national radar, and he went on to hit .314 with 19 home runs, a league-leading 19 triples and 84 RBI that season. He was a catalyst for the Cubs team that went on to win the 1984 NL East and make the playoffs for the first time since losing the 1945 World Series.

Sandberg won nine consecutive Gold Gloves from 1983 to 1991. He had a .989 fielding percentage — the major-league record among second basemen — when he retired in 1997. Sandberg ranks in the franchise top 10 in WAR, runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs and RBI.

The Cubs retired his jersey number 23 in 2005, making him the fourth player with that distinction (Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ron Santo).

Sandberg stayed close to the game after his retirement, joining the professional coaching ranks in 2006 as manager of the Cubs Class-A affiliate Peoria Chiefs. He left the Cubs organization in 2010, serving as the Phillies’ Triple-A manager from 2011 to 2012. In 2013, he was named the Phillies’ third base coach and became the interim manager in August. He served as manager until 2015, compiling a 119-159 record.

Sandberg rejoined the Cubs organization as a team ambassador in 2016. He remained around the franchise, making appearances at games, Cubs Convention and speaking to players at spring training.

Sandberg was enshrined in the Cubs’ Hall of Fame last year. He was forever immortalized with a statue outside of Wrigley Field on the 40th anniversary of The Sandberg Game, joining Fergie Jenkins, Williams, Banks, Santo and broadcaster Harry Caray.

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Spallumcheen mayor responds to land lawsuit at drug lab

Township had previously filed legal action against the property’s owners and tenant in 2023 Recent news of civil forfeiture proceedings aren’t the first legal troubles for a particular property. The Township of Spallumcheen acknowledges the recent civil forfeiture proceedings initiated by the Province of British Columbia concerning a property located within Spallumcheen. The 21-hectare parcel, located […]

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Township had previously filed legal action against the property’s owners and tenant in 2023

Recent news of civil forfeiture proceedings aren’t the first legal troubles for a particular property.

The Township of Spallumcheen acknowledges the recent civil forfeiture proceedings initiated by the Province of British Columbia concerning a property located within Spallumcheen.

The 21-hectare parcel, located on Reservoir Road with an assessed value of $1,067,000, is the subject of a lawsuit filed by the B.C. Director of Civil Forfeiture.

“The property is proceeds and an instrument of unlawful activity,” the civil forfeiture, filed June 30, 2025, reads.

The Township had previously taken legal action in December 2023 against the property’s owners and a tenant, citing multiple bylaw infractions.

These included unauthorized construction, illegal tree removal, and the burning of prohibited chemicals.

The Township remains committed to upholding community safety and environmental standards.

“We take these matters very seriously,” said Christine Fraser, mayor for the Township of Spallumcheen. “Our priority is to ensure that all properties within our jurisdiction comply with municipal regulations and contribute to the well-being of our community.”

The Township will provide updates as more information becomes available. 



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Murder trial for deadly shooting at Stearn’s Wharf showcases video evidence to jury

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.—The sound five consecutive gun shots played in court Monday. The evidence was obtained from multiple cameras and pieced together by detectives. They synced audio of the gunshots from outside Chad’s on Cabrillo with footage from dome cameras near the kiosk on Stearn’s Wharf. Jiram Tenorio Ramon is accused of shooting and killing Robert Gutierrez at […]

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SANTA BARBARA, Calif.—The sound five consecutive gun shots played in court Monday.
 
The evidence was obtained from multiple cameras and pieced together by detectives.
 
They synced audio of the gunshots from outside Chad’s on Cabrillo with footage from dome cameras near the kiosk on Stearn’s Wharf.
 
Jiram Tenorio Ramon is accused of shooting and killing Robert Gutierrez at the wharf in December of 2022.
the prosecutor says the shooting was gang-related.
 
Gutierrez was an innocent bystander from Camarillo who was in town for an anniversary celebration with his wife. He was shot once.
 
Monday, several experts including those well versed with forensic investigations and firearms were called to testify about the gun that was found in a S.W.A.T. raid at a residence on Via Lucero.
 
A member of the police department says they took a video of themselves clearing the gun to check how many rounds there were and if it was in working order.
 
The public defender asked if there was anything unique about the firearm or if others just like it could be manufactured.
 
The public defender says Tenorio Ramon was on a night out with others and not intending to get into a conflict.
 
Ramon faces charges including murder and personal and intentional discharge of a handgun causing great bodily injury or death.
 
Three other people involved had lesser charges and pled guilty.
 

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Sports

Football and Volleyball Single Game Tickets Now On Sale

Story Links VERMILLION, S.D.— Single game tickets for Coyote football and volleyball are now available beginning today for the general public. Tickets can be purchased online, in-person at the Coyote ticket office at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center (SCSC), or by phone. The ticket office is open 9 a.m. to […]

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VERMILLION, S.D.— Single game tickets for Coyote football and volleyball are now available beginning today for the general public. Tickets can be purchased online, in-person at the Coyote ticket office at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center (SCSC), or by phone.

The ticket office is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can reach the ticket office by calling (605) 677-5959 or buy your tickets online (linked above).

SINGLE GAME FOOTBALL TICKETS

Single game football tickets are available for four of the six home games: Northern Colorado (Sept. 13), Drake (Sept. 20), Illinois State (Oct. 25), and North Dakota (Nov. 1) start at $27 for adults and $17 for youth.

Tickets for the Dakota Days clash with Murray State (Oct. 4) start at $42 for adults and $22 for youth. Tickets for the Interstate Series bout with South Dakota State (Nov. 8) start at $42 per ticket with no youth pricing for the contest. Full single game pricing is as follows:

RED SECTION: $57 (Dakota Days & SDSU), $42 (the other four games)

ORANGE SECTION: $52 adult / $22 youth (Dakota Days & SDSU*), $27 and $17 youth (the other four games)

WHITE SECTION: $42 and $22 (Dakota Days & SDSU*), $27 and $17 youth (the other four games)

Note: *there is no youth pricing for the SDSU game in any section.

 

SINGLE GAME VOLLEYBALL TICKETS

For all single game tickets for the Coyote volleyball season – including the Coyote Invitational (Sept. 11-13) and South Dakota Classic (Sept. 18-20), which include matches against Kansas, Villanova, Wichita State, and more, and the Coyotes’ eight home Summit League matches – are available for $17 adults and $12 for youth.

Group ticket packages are also available for 10 or more select games. Call the ticket office for more information on group packages.

Stay up to date with all things Coyotes by following South Dakota Athletics on Facebook /SDCoyotes, X (Twitter) @SDCoyotes, and Instagram @sdcoyotes
#GoYotes x #WeAreSouthDakota





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