[BessLineberger]

Then came the pay disputes. The Rookie of the Year award didn’t come with a cash award, which bugged Allen. “Let them put up $1,000 for Rookie of the Year and it would be worthwhile. I have a family to support. As it is, Rookie of the Year doesn’t mean a thing,” he said in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer. His comments infuriated white fans and sportswriters, who weren’t accustomed to Black players speaking out about pay — or about anything else. The Phillies didn’t offer their star rookie a raise, prompting Allen to hold out for more money before the 1965 season. He was successful in that effort — the team ended up doubling his salary to $20,000 – but that only angered white fans more.

Most other players who've added extra facial protection to their helmets have worn the basic (and rather boring-looking) plastic attachments we're now used to seeing. A partial list of such players includes Marlon Byrd, Mike Devereaux, Chase Headley, Jason Heyward, David Justice, Terrence Long, Kevin Seitzer and Terry Steinbach, among many others.Cleveland Indians Face Masks

Alden Gonzalez: I don't know if this is actually it, but I'll go with the Los Angeles Angels signing Albert Pujols in 2011 at least partly because of where I was at the time -- in my early 20s and a month into my first beat, covering, of course, the busiest team of all. The final day of the winter meetings is typically uneventful; the Rule 5 draft takes place in a giant conference room early in the day, then all the executives and reporters rush out of the hotel to catch their flights back home. But it started to feel as if this year's version would be completely different the night before, when word began to spread that the Angels -- with two legitimate first basemen already on their roster -- were serious about signing a man who at that point was still the game's greatest player. The following morning, just before those conference-room doors opened to the media, the Angels landed Pujols with a historic contract. Within the hour, C.J. Wilson agreed as well. On one of the industry's most tedious days, the Angels spent more than $300 million. I might have blacked out.Texas Rangers Face Masks

Wainwright's Big League Impact foundation and recording artist Garth Brooks' Teammates for Kids Foundation teamed for a Home Plate Project with Texas pitcher Kyle Gibson, and raised money from more than 150 big leaguers that let to the donation of about $5.8 million donated to 94 charities. The effort provided more than 4 million meals to prevent childhood hunger during the coronavirus pandemic and nearly 8 million meals in all.

There were clear successes from the farm system: Nola is an ace, Hoskins was a fifth-rounder and is now a middle-of-the-order hitter, and Sixto Sanchez -- now starring for the Marlins -- was converted by trade into superstar catcher Realmuto. But compare that to the young major league stars other teams developed (from drafts, international signings or trades) out of their trough seasons:

After seven seasons in Philadelphia, where he rose to prominence by hammering balls over the Coca-Cola sign and out of Connie Mack Stadium in batting practice, Allen played a season with the Cardinals and Dodgers.Colorado Rockies Face Masks

Iowa athletic director Gary Barta, who is also the chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee, told ESPN he called Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren before the athletic directors met on Wednesday morning to let him know he would recuse himself from the discussions and the voting, but he would join the videoconference to listen.Los Angeles Angels Face Masks