MASSSACHUSETTS: State law requires you to pay $50 if you scream "Yankees suck!" at a sporting event

The oddest thing in the previously secret Olympics bid chapters was not the huge deficit or the denigration of opponents, but the reference to a state law that prohibits swearing at athletes and coaches and sporting events.

Because, yes, of course, Massachusetts has a law against that: MGL Chap. 272 Sect. 36A, which states, in its entirety:

Whoever, having arrived at the age of sixteen years, directs any profane, obscene or impure language or slanderous statement at a participant or an official in a sporting event, shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars.

Chap. 272 is, of course, the collection of laws related to "crimes against chastity, morality, decency and good order," which include laws against such things as child pornography, animal cruelty and upskirt photography, but also laws you'd be amazed are still on the books in the Commonwealth, especially since some have been overturned by court decisions.

These include a law banning the sale of all contraceptives, except to married people, and only then witha doctor's prescription (which was overturned in Eisenstadt v. Baird in 1972); a ban on blasphemy - including "contumeliously reproaching Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching or exposing to contempt and ridicule, the holy word of God contained in the holy scriptures" (one year in prison); a prohibition specifically on making loud noises in a library; and a law that defines what it means to be a tramp.

As to why Boston 2024 even brought up the no-Yankees-sucks-chanting law, it was in a section of its bid proposal that dealt with specific Massachusetts laws related to sporting events.

VIA: Universal Hub

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[SPORTS] Pedro Martinez Hall of Fame induction: Comparing Pedro's brilliance to other MLB greats – / 92

Pedro Martinez's 1.74 ERA during the 2000 season puts into context just how much he dominated during his prime.

His ERA was three runs lower than the 2000 major league average ERA (4.76) and almost two runs better than Roger Clemens' 3.70 mark, which ranked second best in the American League behind Martinez's that season. 

Even more stunning about Martinez's 1.74 ERA: 2000 marked the height of the Steroid Era when offensive statistics were at their true peak. The 5,693 home runs hit league-wide that year marked the most ever in one major league season.

The league-wide average .782 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) and 5.14 runs per game also were the highest they ever were during the Steroid Era.

But all that offense didn't matter when Martinez took the mound. 

The electric righthander recorded 10 or more strikeouts in 15 of his 29 starts. He held opponents to 0 or 1 runs in 17 starts on his way to winning his third Cy Young award in four years. 

He led the American League in ERA, shutouts (4), strikeouts (284), ERA+ (291), WHIP (0.74), fewest hits allowed per nine innings (5.3), fewest homers per nine innings (0.7) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.8).

That's dominance at its best.

The great Martinez will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y. on Sunday. He is just one of 11 pitchers in the game's history to have been named on 90 percent of the election ballots.

Based on that, the argument could be made he's one of the 11 greatest pitchers of all time. 

But it's not that simple. At the All-Star Game, Hall of Fame starting pitcher Sandy Koufax was named one of the four best living players along with Hank Aaron, Johnny Bench and Willie Mays. 

Koufax received 86.9 percent of the Hall of Fame vote in 1972. Koufax was picked over great pitchers Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Steve Carlton, Jim Palmer, Martinez and Tom Glavine — all of whom are living and were named on 90 percent or more of the Hall of Fame ballots during their first election years. 

So let's dig deeper into how Martinez statistically compares to the other great starting pitchers in this game's history and how the most dominant stretch of years during his career compares with the other greats in their prime.

Via: MassLive

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Feds Get Serious Over Computer Hacking: Charges Pending In OPM Baseball Team’s Data Breach

Federal investigators are recommending charges against at least one St. Louis Cardinals employee for allegedly intruding on a rival baseball team’s database, a report says.

 

The investigation accuses one or more Cardinals employees of accessing a Houston Astros database tracking player development, according to CNN.

 

It is also probing whether senior Cardinals management was aware of the spying.

Federal investigators are recommending charges against at least one St. Louis Cardinals employee for allegedly intruding on a rival baseball team’s database, a report says.

 

The investigation accuses one or more Cardinals employees of accessing a Houston Astros database tracking player development, according to CNN.

 

It is also probing whether senior Cardinals management was aware of the spying.

CNN said one or more Cardinals front-office staffers might have violated federal law by accessing the Astros’ database, known as Ground Control.

 

The potential breach came after former Cardinals employee Jeff Luhnow left to be Houston’s general manager.

 

The investigation accuses the Cardinals of then unfairly prying into the Astros’ database amid concerns Luhnow had taken the Cardinals’ proprietary information to his new employer.

 

Luhnow has told investigators the Astros generated their own database system independently of his previous work in St. Louis.

 

Friday’s report follows the Cardinals’ announcement earlier this week that it had fired Chris Correa, the team’s director of scouting.

 

Correa was one of the investigation’s targets, CNN reported.

 

Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak refused comment on his former employee’s release Thursday.

 

“I can confirm he was on administrative leave and was terminated yesterday,” he said Friday.

 

“I think, at this time, it’s just best to understand that it’s an open investigation and any other comments are not in anybody’s best interest,” Mozeliak added.

 

CNN said the FBI’s Houston office has completed its inquiry and is now awaiting action from the U.S. Attorney’s office.

 

The FBI’s Houston branch declined additional insight on its efforts.

 

“The FBI aggressively investigates all potential threats to public and private sector systems,” said FBI spokeswoman Shauna Dunlap.

 

“Once our investigations are complete, we pursue all appropriate avenues to hold accountable those who pose a threat in cyberspace,” she added.

Via: The Hill

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