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Initially exhibiting characteristics of a monsoonal low , a mid @-@ level ridge to the south of Graham caused strong westerly winds that moved the storm slowly east @-@ southeastward . However , a deep trough eroded the ridge , allowing the cyclone to move more towards the south . According to the JTWC , the storm had intensified late on 28 February , though at the same time the BoM noted the slight weakening of the storm . Graham reached its peak intensity that day while nearing the coast . |
The storm made landfall at Western Australia 's Eighty Mile Beach at 1400 UTC on 28 February , and began to weaken . The storm had dissipated on 1 March ; the BoM issued their last advisory on the cyclone at 0400 UTC that day , while similarly , the JTWC issued their last advisory just two hours later . The storm 's remnants died out in the country 's desert . |
= = Impact = = |
In advance of the cyclone , the communities of Wallal , Sandfire , Punmu and Telfer were put on alert . A warning was issued for Bidyadanga , Pardoo and Cotton Creek . The storm 's landfall in Western Australia brought heavy rainfall and high winds . The storm dropped 163 mm ( 6 @.@ 4 in ) of rain at Telfer in one night , over half the town 's annual average ; total rainfall reached 175 mm ( 6 @.@ 9 in ) there . The heavy rain caused flooding and road closures , and swelled a river passing through Fitzroy Crossing , though the river only topped its banks slightly . Near that town , at Blue Bush Creek , while a group of people attempted to cross floodwaters , two men were swept away . Both men were rescued , though one died before emergency services arrived . In addition to the flooding , a number of trees were downed . No significant damages were reported . |
Following the storm , the name Graham was retired from the Australian region basin . |
= Languedoc @-@ Roussillon wine = |
Languedoc @-@ Roussillon wine , including the vin de pays labeled Vin de Pays d 'Oc , is produced in southern France . While " Languedoc " can refer to a specific historic region of France and Northern Catalonia , usage since the 20th century ( especially in the context of wine ) has primarily referred to the northern part of the Languedoc @-@ Roussillon région of France , an area which spans the Mediterranean coastline from the French border with Spain to the region of Provence . The area has around 700 @,@ 000 acres ( 2 @,@ 800 km2 ) under vines and is the single biggest wine @-@ producing region in the world , being responsible for more than a third of France 's total wine production . In 2001 , the region produced more wine than the United States . |
= = History = = |
The history of Languedoc wines can be traced to the first vineyards planted along the coast near Narbonne by the early Greeks in the fifth century BC . Along with parts of Provence , these are the oldest planted vineyards in France . The region of Languedoc has belonged to France since the thirteenth century and the Roussillon was acquired from Spain in the mid @-@ seventeenth century . The two regions were joined as one administrative region in the late 1980s . |
From the 4th century through the 18th and early 19th centuries , the Languedoc had a reputation for producing high quality wine . In Paris during the 14th century , wines from the St. Chinian area were prescribed in hospitals for their " healing powers " . During the advent of the Industrial Age in the late 19th century , production shifted towards mass @-@ produced le gros rouge — cheap red wine that could satisfy the growing work force . The use of highly prolific grape varieties produced high yields and thin wines , which were normally blended with red wine from Algeria to give them more body . |
The phylloxera epidemic in the 19th century severely affected the Languedoc wine industry , killing off many of the higher quality Vitis vinifera that were susceptible to the louse . American rootstock that was naturally resistant to phylloxera did not take well to the limestone soil on the hillside . In place of these vines , acres of the lower quality Aramon , Alicante Bouschet and Carignan were planted . |
During both World Wars the Languedoc was responsible for providing the daily wine rations given to French soldiers . In 1962 , Algeria gained its independence from France , bringing about an end to the blending of the stronger Algerian red wine to mask the thin le gros rouge . This event , coupled with French consumers moving away from cheap red wines in the 1970s , has contributed to several decades of surplus wine production in France , with Languedoc as the largest contributor to the European " wine lake " and recurring European Union subsidies aimed at reducing production . These developments prompted many Languedoc producers to start refocusing on higher quality , but has also led to many local and regional protests , including violent ones from the infamous Comité Régional d 'Action Viticole ( CRAV ) . |
Despite the general reputation as a mass producer and a consensus that the region is in the midst of an economic crisis , parts of the Languedoc wine industry are experiencing commercial success due to outside investment and an increased focus on quality . Sales have been improved by many vineyards that concentrate on creating a good brand name rather than relying on the sometimes infamous regional designations . Some vineyards have adopted the youngest batch of AOC classifications developed in the late 1990s , while other vineyards eschew designated blends entirely and are instead shifting toward bottling single varietal wines , a practice increasingly demanded by consumers in the large New World wine market . |
= = Climate and geography = = |
The Languedoc @-@ Roussillon region shares many terrain and climate characteristics with the neighboring regions of Southern Rhone and Provence . The region stretches 150 miles ( 240 km ) from the Banyuls AOC at the Spanish border and Pyrenees in the west , along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the Rhone River and Provence in the east . The northern boundaries of the region sit on the Massif Central with the Cévennes mountain ranges and valleys dominating the area . Many vineyards are located along the Hérault River . |
Vineyards in the Languedoc are generally planted along the coastal plains of the Mediterranean while those in the Roussillon are to be found in the narrow valleys around the Pyrenees . The peak growing season ( between May and August ) is very dry and the majority of annual rainfall occurs during the winter . In the Languedoc , the plains area is the most arid and hottest region of France . The region 's Mediterranean climate is very conducive to growing a large amount of a wide variety of grapes , with vintners in the area excelling in mass production . The average annual temperature is 57 ° F ( 14 ° C ) . The tramontane inland wind from the northwest often accentuates the dry climate ; drought is the most common threat to vine production , with French AOC and European Union regulation prohibiting the use of irrigation . In December 2006 , the French government responded to global warming concerns and relaxed some of the irrigation regulations . |
In 1999 severe weather had damaging effects on the wine producing industry , including hailstorms in May that affected Roussillon and a rain surge in mid November that saw a year 's worth of rain fall in 36 hours in the areas of Corbières and Minervois in the western Languedoc . |
The composition of soil in the Languedoc varies from the chalk , limestone and gravel based soils inland to more alluvial soils near the coast . Some of the more highly rated vineyards are laid on top of ancient riverbed stones similar to those of Châteauneuf @-@ du @-@ Pape . |
= = Appellations = = |
The five best known appellations in the Languedoc include Languedoc AOC ( formerly known as the Coteaux du Languedoc ) , Corbières AOC , Faugères , Minervois AOC , and Saint @-@ Chinian AOCs . The vast majority of Languedoc wines are produced by wine cooperatives which number more than 500 . However , the appellation system in the region is undergoing considerable changes with both new appellations being created and existing ones changing . One recent change is that the Coteaux du Languedoc has changed name to Languedoc and been extended to include also the Roussillon . |
Within the larger Languedoc AOC appellations are several sub @-@ districts , or Cru 's , with distinct wine styles of their own . Some of these sub @-@ districts have pending AOC applications to become appellations in their own right and some have been granted sub @-@ appellations to the umbrella appellation Languedoc AOC . These include the Quatourze , La Clape , Montpeyroux , St. Saturnin , Picpoul de Pinet , Terrasses du Larzac , and Pic St.-Loup. |
The boundary of the eastern Languedoc with the Southern Rhône Valley wine region was moved slightly in 2004 , with the result that Costières de Nîmes AOC is now a Rhône appellation rather than a Languedoc one . In that year , INAO moved the responsibility for oversight of this appellation 's wine to the regional committee of the Rhône valley . Local producers of Côtes du Rhône @-@ styled wines made from Syrah and Grenache lobbied for this change since the local winemaking traditions did not coincide with administrative borders , and presumably due to the greater prestige of Rhône wines in the marketplace . Such changes of borders between wine regions are very rare , so out of habit , Costières de Nîmes remains listed as a Languedoc wine in many publications . |
= = Grapes = = |
The Languedoc @-@ Roussillon area is home to numerous grape varieties , including many international varieties like Merlot , Cabernet Sauvignon , Sauvignon blanc , and Chardonnay . The traditional Rhône grapes of Mourvedre , Grenache , Syrah , and Viognier are also prominent . |
Chardonnay is a major white grape , used in the Vin de Pays d 'Oc and the sparkling Crémant de Limoux . Others include Chenin blanc and Mauzac , which is also the principal grape in the sparkling Blanquette de Limoux . The sweet fortified wines of the Muscat de Frontignan and Muscat de St @-@ Jean Minervois regions are made with the Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains grapes . In the Muscat de Rivesaltes AOC , fortified wines are made from Muscat of Alexandria grapes . |
Among the reds , Grenache , Syrah , Carignan , Cinsault , and Mourvedre are major grapes of the Corbières , Faugères , Fitou , and Minervois AOCs . Cinsault is also commonly used in rosé production along with Lladoner Pelut , Picpoul noir , Terret noir , and Grenache . Grenache is also the main grape used in the fortified wines of the Banyuls and Rivesaltes region . Some of the oldest vines in France are Carignan grapes . Winemakers often use carbonic maceration to soften the tannins . |
Other varieties that can be found include Roussanne , Marsanne , Vermentino , Bourboulenc , Clairette blanche , Grenache blanc , Grenache gris , Picpoul , Maccabéo , and Rolle . |
= = Wines and taxonomy = = |
Wines from the Languedoc can carry an enormous number of names , ranging from broad regional designations like Vin de Pays d 'Oc to very specific geographical classifications with restrictions on grape variety , like Corbières and Minervois . Since the 1990s , the INAO has been creating smaller AOC classifications which take into account the intricate microclimates and soil variations in the Languedoc @-@ Roussillon . Younger appellations like the Cabardes and subregions like Minervois la Livinière , Corbières @-@ Boutenac and St @-@ Chinian @-@ Berlou are much smaller in scope . While these new appellations have been praised for consistently improving their product , others have criticized the additions for further complicating an already esoteric system of classification . |
The majority of wine produced in the Languedoc are labeled vin ordinaire . There is also sizable production of Vins Doux Naturels . |
= = = Vins de Pays = = = |
The introduction of the vins de pays , a classification produced under less stringent regulations than those of an AOC , opened up the Languedoc wine industry to the labeling of varietal wines and the blending of international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Syrah and Chardonnay . Examples include Vin de pays d 'Oc , Vin de pays d 'Aude , Vin de pays de l 'Hérault , and Vin de Pays du Gard . Winemakers such as Guy Anderson , Thierry Boudinaud and E. & J. Gallo Winery capitalized on this new horizon , producing wines like FAT bastard and Red Bicyclette . |
= = = Vins Doux Naturels = = = |
Vins Doux Naturels are " naturally sweet " wines that have been fortified with brandy to stop fermentation , leaving residual sugar to add sweetness to the wine . The majority of Languedoc sweet white wines are made with a variety of Muscat grapes . The red fortified wines of the Banyuls are made from Grenache grapes , normally have an alcohol level between 16 and 17 % and carry residual sugars in the 8 to 12 % range . |
In Banyuls , winemakers use various methods to " bake " their wines to encourage deep raisin colors . Some winemakers utilize a solera system of transporting the wine among different size barrels of various ages that are left out in the sun to warm . Others will put the wine in large glass jars to expose it to direct sunlight . In addition to the dark color , the resulting wines often have a nutty , rancid taste called rancio . In the Banyuls Grand Cru AOC the wine is required to be aged in wood barrels for two and a half years . |
= = = Crémant de Limoux = = = |
The crémant produced in the Languedoc is made according to the Méthode Traditionnelle - formerly known as méthode champenoise , the same method used to produce the Champagne , including a second fermentation in the bottle to encapture the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast - in the small villages around the town of Limoux . The wines are normally composed of 70 % Mauzac and a 30 % combination of Chardonnay and Chenin blanc . AOC regulations require a year of aging on the lees . The Blanquette de Limoux , when labelled méthode ancestrale , is composed entirely of Mauzac , undergoes only one fermentation and is aged approximately three months less on the lees before the bottling , the actual date being determined by the moon 's cycle . |
= Silver Bullet ( roller coaster ) = |
Silver Bullet is a western @-@ themed steel inverted roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard located at Knott 's Berry Farm , an amusement park in Buena Park , California . The $ 16 million roller coaster was announced on December 1 , 2003 and opened on December 7 , 2004 . A first rider auction was also held where people would bid on seats to be the first riders . The track is approximately 3 @,@ 125 feet ( 952 m ) long and the lift hill is about 146 feet ( 45 m ) tall . The ride lasts two minutes and thirty seconds and features six inversions including a vertical loop , cobra roll , zero @-@ g roll , and two corkscrews . |
= = History = = |
On May 28 , 2003 , a trademark for the name " Silver Bullet " was filed by Cedar Fair , the owners of the park . Construction for the new roller coaster began in September 2003 with the relocation of The Church of Reflections . As part of a $ 85 million investment in all Cedar Fair parks , Silver Bullet was announced to the public on December 1 , 2003 . The final piece of track was placed on September 30 , 2004 . On November 5 , 2004 , Knott 's Berry Farm launched a " First Rider Auction " in which people from anywhere in the world would bid against each other in order to be one of the first public riders on Silver Bullet on December 7 , 2004 . Although sixty seats were made available , only 13 of these received bids . Out of those bids , the highest bid was $ 200 ( US ) , and a total of $ 1643 was raised with all the money going to the Speech & Language Development Center of Buena Park . After construction and testing was completed , the roller coaster opened first to the media , then to the public on December 7 , 2004 though the initial scheduled opening was on Christmas Eve of 2004 . Silver Bullet was also one of four attractions that opened at Knott 's Berry Farm in the same year and carries a western theme . |
= = Ride experience = = |
Silver Bullet 's layout passes through three of the park 's themed areas : Ghost Town , Fiesta Village , and Indian Trails . |
After the train departs from the station , it makes a 90 degree right turn before beginning to climb the 146 @-@ foot ( 45 m ) lift hill . Once at the top , the train goes through a pre @-@ drop before entering the 109 @-@ foot ( 33 m ) downward right drop . Once at the bottom , the train enters a 105 @-@ foot ( 32 m ) loop . After exiting the loop , the train makes a banked right turn leading into the cobra roll . Almost immediately after , the train goes through a zero @-@ gravity roll followed by a downward left helix . Then , the train enters the first of two corkscrews which are separated by a banked left turn . Next , the train enters an upward left helix ( the beginning of the helix is close to water ) before entering the brake run . The train then makes a right turn into a second , shorter , brake run which leads straight back to the station . One cycle lasts approximately two minutes and thirty seconds . |
= = = Track = = = |
The steel track of Silver Bullet is approximately 3 @,@ 125 feet ( 952 m ) long , and the height of the lift is approximately 146 feet ( 45 m ) high . Silver Bullet , along with all of Bolliger & Mabillard 's other roller coasters , was manufactured by Clermont Steel Fabricators located in Batavia , Ohio and erected by Coan Construction Company . The track is filled with sand to reduce the noise made by the trains . Silver Bullet was also the first Bolliger & Mabillard inverted roller coaster to use magnetic brakes in the brake run . The track and supports of the lift hill are red , with the remaining track being yellow with red rails and the remaining supports colored white . |
= = = Trains = = = |
Silver Bullet operates with two steel and fiberglass trains . Each train has eight cars that can seat four riders in a single row , for a total of 32 riders per train . The seats are coloured light blue , with orange over @-@ the @-@ shoulder restraints and tri @-@ color wheel coverings ( red , orange , and yellow ) . |
= = Reception = = |
Joel Taylor from Amusement Business praised the ride saying , " In all , it 's an exhilarating 2 1 / 2 minutes from start to finish . " He was also impressed with the ride 's smoothness and overall excitement , stating that the ride is , " smooth and comfortable while delivering twisting , stomach @-@ churning excitement . " |
= = = Awards = = = |
Since Silver Bullet 's debut in 2004 , it has consistently been ranked in the top 140 positions in Mitch Hawker 's Best Roller Steel Coaster Poll . It peaked at position 99 in 2010 . The roller coaster has never placed on the Golden Ticket Awards . |
^ No Steel Roller Coaster Poll was held in 2011 . |
= Blackburn Firecrest = |
The Blackburn B @-@ 48 Firecrest , given the SBAC designation YA.1 , was a single @-@ engine naval strike fighter built by Blackburn Aircraft for service with the British Fleet Air Arm during World War II . It was a development of the troubled Firebrand , designed to Air Ministry Specification S.28 / 43 , for an improved aircraft more suited to carrier operations . Three prototypes were ordered with the company designation of B @-@ 48 and the informal name of " Firecrest " , but only two of them actually flew . The development of the aircraft was prolonged by significant design changes and slow deliveries of components , but the determination by the Ministry of Supply in 1946 that the airframe did not meet the requirements for a strike fighter doomed the aircraft . Construction of two of the prototypes was continued to gain flight @-@ test data and the third was allocated to strength testing . The two flying aircraft were sold back to Blackburn in 1950 for disposal and the other aircraft survived until 1952 . |
= = Design = = |
The Firebrand required significant effort by Blackburn to produce a useful aircraft and the first discussions on a redesign of the aircraft with a laminar @-@ flow wing took place in September 1943 . The new wing was estimated to reduce the weight of the wing by 700 lb ( 318 kg ) and increase the aircraft speed by 13 mph ( 21 km / h ) . The extent of redesign increased and this led to a new fuselage and other improvements . In October 1943 , Blackburn 's design staff , led by G.E. Petty , started work on this development of the Firebrand which led to Specification S.28 / 43 being issued by the Air Ministry on 26 February 1944 covering the new aircraft . The specification was designed around a Bristol Centaurus 77 radial engine with contra @-@ rotating propellers that allowed the size of the rudder to be reduced . |
The new design , given the company designation B @-@ 48 , was known unofficially by Blackburn as the " Firecrest " but was always known by its specification number by the Air Ministry and Navy . It was a low @-@ winged , single @-@ seat , all @-@ metal monoplane . Aft of the cockpit the fuselage was an oval @-@ shaped stressed @-@ skin semi @-@ monocoque , but forward it had a circular @-@ section , tubular @-@ steel frame . The cockpit of the Firecrest was moved forward and raised the pilot 's position so that he now looked over the wing leading edge , and down the nose . The canopy was adapted from the Hawker Tempest fighter . In the rear fuselage was a single 52 @-@ imperial @-@ gallon ( 240 l ; 62 US gal ) fuel tank with two 92 @-@ imperial @-@ gallon ( 420 l ; 110 US gal ) fuel tanks in the centre wing section . The aircraft had a redesigned , thinner , inverted gull wing of laminar flow aerofoil section . The wing consisted of a two @-@ spar centre section with just over 6 @.@ 5 degrees of anhedral and outer panels with 9 degrees of dihedral . It could be hydraulically folded in two places to allow more compact storage in the hangar decks of aircraft carriers . Four Fowler flaps were fitted to give good low @-@ speed handling for landing and the wing had retractable dive brakes on both surfaces . In the course of the redesign the structure was simplified which reduced weight by 1 @,@ 400 lb ( 635 kg ) and even after the fuel capacity was increased by 70 imperial gallons ( 320 l ; 84 US gal ) the gross weight was still 900 pounds ( 410 kg ) less than that of the Firebrand . |
Work on two prototypes was authorised in November 1943 , but proposals for alternative engines delayed progress . In 1945 , it was decided that as well as adding another Centaurus @-@ engined prototype , there should be three prototypes with the Napier E.122 ( a development of the Sabre ) as Specification S.10 / 45 . The Ministry believed that this would enable Blackburn to develop their knowledge of aerodynamic and structural design and support the engine development at Napier . However , it was found that the S.10 / 45 aircraft could only be balanced if the E.122 powerplant was placed behind the pilot . The necessary redesign and 1 @,@ 000 @-@ pound ( 454 kg ) weight increase , coupled with the limited funds available to the Royal Navy , meant that it could no longer be justified and the S.10 / 45 was cancelled on 8 October . While in final design , the Centaurus 77 engine with contra @-@ rotating propellers was cancelled in January 1946 and a conventional 2 @,@ 825 @-@ horsepower ( 2 @,@ 107 kW ) Centaurus 57 was substituted . This engine was found to require flexible mounts and was modified into the Centaurus 59 . The vertical stabiliser and rudder had to be enlarged from 33 to 41 square feet ( 3 @.@ 1 to 3 @.@ 8 m2 ) to counteract the new engine 's torque . In September 1946 a strength analysis conducted by the Ministry of Supply revealed that the aircraft would require strengthening to serve as a strike fighter and that a costly redesign would be required to bring it up to requirements . This would have made it comparable in weight and performance to the Westland Wyvern which had already flown so no contract was placed for production aircraft . |
Delayed by the late delivery of its propeller , the first prototype was rolled out at Brough in February 1947 and then taken by road to RAF Leconfield where it made its maiden flight on 1 April that year . All three prototypes were completed by the end of September and the third prototype had been modified to reduce the outer @-@ wing dihedral to 3 degrees . Both the second and third prototypes remained unflown when the Ministry of Supply ordered that flying be ceased and work on the aircraft be stopped . Later in the month , however , the third prototype was allocated to tests of powered aileron controls , as testing of the first prototype had shown that while adequate at cruise speed , the ailerons were heavy both at low and high speed . The second prototype was allocated to structural testing . |
The third prototype made its maiden flight in early 1948 , but the pace of the flight testing was leisurely with only 7 hours and 40 minutes completed by 30 November , over half of which were connected with air show performances . Testing concluded in March 1949 when the officer in charge concluded that there was no further purpose to the tests . While the Firecrest was faster than the Firebrand , and gave its pilot a much better view from the cockpit , it was otherwise disappointing , with test pilot and naval aviator Captain Eric Brown claiming that the Firecrest was even less manoeuvrable than the sluggish Firebrand , while the powered ailerons gave lumpy controls , leading to instability in turbulent air . |
= = Operational history = = |
Operational experience had found Blackburn 's Firebrand strike fighter to be far from suited to carrier operations . In particular , the pilot sat near the wing 's trailing edge , looking over a very long and wide nose which gave a particularly poor view for landing . The Firecrest had also been rendered obsolete by the arrival of gas turbine engines , and while Blackburn did draw up proposals for turboprop @-@ powered derivatives of the Firecrest , ( as the B @-@ 62 ( Y.A.6 ) with the Armstrong Siddeley Python engine ) , these went unbuilt , with orders instead going to Westland for the Wyvern . The two flying prototypes remained in use until 1949 , being sold back to Blackburn in 1950 , and were later scrapped . |
= = Aircraft = = |
RT651 |
One of two prototypes ordered on 1 January 1944 to Specification S.28 / 43 . The airframe was sold by the Controller of Supplies ( Air ) to Blackburn on 17 April 1950 . |
RT656 |
The second of two prototypes ordered on 1 January 1944 , it was used for structural testing before being disposed of in 1952 . |
VF172 |
After the 1960 season , it was announced that the AL were going to create two new teams , one in Los Angeles and one in Washington , D. C. Although he was thought of as the Tigers ' best reliever during the season , Sisler was listed by the Tigers as eligible for the 1960 Major League Baseball expansion draft . The draft occurred on December 14 , 1960 and Sisler was selected by the Washington Senators with the fourth overall pick . The Senators received communication from several teams that were interested in Sisler , namely the Milwaukee Braves of the National League ( NL ) and the Athletics , but decided to trade their first pick in the expansion draft , Bobby Shantz , instead . New manager Mickey Vernon defined Sisler 's role with the team before the season began , designating him as their top relief pitcher . Sisler felt slighted by the Tigers , having been left unprotected by the team , and had considered retiring from baseball , but ultimately decided to sign with the Senators . |
Sisler was solid for much of the first half of the season , not allowing an earned run until May 19 , and by June 5 he had an ERA of 0 @.@ 74 , a 1 – 0 record with seven saves . It was at the point that his effectiveness declined rapidly , allowing runs to score in four of his next five appearances . In a game against the Red Sox on June 18 , he relieved starter Carl Mathias , and immediately gave up bases on balls to the first two batters he faced , which forced in two runs , then gave up a grand slam to Jim Pagliaroni . He followed with another base on balls , and was relieved without having recording an out . Over the course of the next couple months , with his ERA steadily rising , his playing time was lessened , making just six appearances in the month of July , and five in August . He made his last major league start on August 31 against the Tigers , giving up seven hits and six earned runs for the loss . In 45 total appearances in 1961 , he had a 2 – 8 win @-@ loss record and finished sixth in AL with 11 saves . On September 16 , the Senators agreed to send $ 75 @,@ 000 ( $ 593 @,@ 900 current dollar adjustment ) and a player to be named later to the Cincinnati Reds of the NL for pitcher Claude Osteen . To complete the transaction , Washington sent Sisler to the Reds as that player named on November 28 . |
= = = Cincinnati Reds = = = |
The Reds were the NL champions in 1961 , and with the addition of Sisler , Dave Hillman , and Moe Drabowsky to ensure stability to their pitching staff in 1962 , the team 's management had high hopes of a return to the World Series . Sisler , who was expected to be used as a relief pitcher , joined a Reds team that already had his brother Dick , who was their first base coach . His father , still with Pittsburgh , mentioned that he was relieved that his son did not play in a recent series between the Pirates and Reds , recalling how the mixed emotions he felt when his elder son , Dick , helped defeat the Dodgers in an important game in 1950 by hitting a home run . The younger Sisler 's season did not begin well ; in his ten appearances by June 5 , he allowed a run in all but three , and had a 4 @.@ 97 ERA . On June 19 , Sisler pitched a scoreless inning in victory against the Pirates , the time first time George watched his son pitch as an opponent . Although Sisler 's season was a disappointment , he completed the season well , allowing just one earned run over the course of his final eight games , as well as earning the victory on September 23 , his final major league appearance . His totals for the season included a 4 – 3 record , a 3 @.@ 92 ERA , and one save in 43 ⅔ innings pitched . |
For the coming 1963 season , manager Fred Hutchinson envisioned the same the role for Sisler , coming out of the bullpen with the idea that he would occasionally start . The Reds announced on February 9 that Sisler had signed for the 1963 season , although he did not make the Reds ' NL club and was optioned to their class @-@ AAA team , the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League ( PCL ) . In 35 games pitched for the Padres , he started six , had a 6 – 9 record and a 3 @.@ 40 ERA in 90 innings . On March 18 , 1964 , it was announced that Sisler retired from baseball to join an Investment company . |
= = Later life = = |
After his baseball career , Sisler became an executive with the investment firm A. G. Edwards for more than 30 years , reaching the level of vice @-@ chairman . A. G. Edwards was a sponsor of a semi @-@ professional baseball team located in St. Petersburg , Florida ; when the " Stockbrokers " were invited to play in season @-@ ending tournament to decide a champion , Sisler , a senior executive for the firm , denied the funding for the team , forcing them to decline if no other monies were raised . It was an unexpected decision considering that Sisler was former baseball player , but he did not feel that A. G. Edwards was benefitting , with the costs of running the team becoming more than originally agreed to by contract . |
In 2004 , the possibility arose of his father 's record of 257 hits in a season being surpassed by Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners . Living in Dallas , Texas at the time , Sisler and his son Dave followed Ichiro 's progress throughout the season . Both had mixed feelings about the record chase ; they were happy that George Sisler 's name was being talked about and that people were re @-@ discovering him as a player , but both were hoping that , if the record was not broken in 154 games , there would be an asterisk noting that it took Ichiro more games to achieve it . Ichiro finished the season with 262 hits , and the Mariners extended an invitation for the entire Sisler family to attend the celebration at Safeco Field . The younger Sisler was prevented by an emergency heart procedure from travelling to Seattle . Both remarked that the Mariners were a classy organization for extending the invitation . |
Sisler died on January 9 , 2011 of prostate cancer at the age of 79 in St. Louis , Missouri . He was survived by his wife Janet , son and three grandchildren . |
= Cole Hamels = |
Colbert Michael " Cole " Hamels ( born December 27 , 1983 ) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) . He played in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2006 to 2015 . |
Originally from San Diego , California , Hamels excelled in Rancho Bernardo High School both academically and athletically . The Phillies drafted him out of high school in the first round of the 2002 MLB Draft ( 17th ) , and he began his career in the Phillies minor league system . Numerous issues , including an injury sustained in a bar fight as well as other injuries , occurred during his first few minor league seasons . Having reached the Triple @-@ A level , he was the top pitcher in the Phillies ' minor league system in 2006 . |
In May 2006 , Hamels made his major league debut for the Phillies . After securing a long @-@ term spot as a member of the Phillies starting rotation in his rookie season , he made large strides in the 2007 Major League Baseball season and won the Phillies ' top major league pitcher award . He was the top pitcher on the team entering the 2008 season , and during the Phillies ' postseason run , during which they ultimately won the 2008 World Series , he won the World Series Most Valuable Player Award . Since then , he has been a top starter in the Phillies ' rotation . After the 2008 season , Hamels signed a three @-@ year contract with the Phillies . His statistics declined over the next two seasons , struggling through a tumultuous 2009 campaign and somewhat bouncing back in 2010 , however still not approaching his 2008 numbers . Over the next few seasons , Hamels was joined by fellow all @-@ star pitchers including Roy Halladay , Cliff Lee , and Roy Oswalt , and flourished with them , putting up some of his top career seasons before suffering from poor run support in 2013 . With the decline of his aging teammates as the team missed the postseason for the next few years , Hamels remained one of the Phillies ' consistent stars . Hamels was traded to the Texas Rangers in 2015 where he sparked their run to the AL West title . |
= = Early life = = |
Cole Hamels attended Meadowbrook Middle School and Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego . He was a " gifted student " , and scored a 1510 ( out of 1600 ) on the SAT . Scouts were interested in Hamels while he was in high school primarily because his fastball was clocked as high as 94 miles per hour ( 151 km / h ) , and his secondary offerings were considered advanced . However , some teams lost interest when Hamels broke his left humerus during his sophomore year . Nonetheless , Hamels was drafted in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft by the Philadelphia Phillies , who held the 17th overall selection . |
= = Professional career = = |
= = = Minor league career = = = |
Hamels began his professional baseball career in 2003 , pitching for the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws of the South Atlantic League . Later that season , he was promoted to the Clearwater Threshers of the Class A @-@ Advanced Florida State League . He finished the year by receiving the Paul Owens Award , given to the best pitcher in the Phillies ' minor league system . |
During the next two seasons , however , Hamels suffered through several injuries , and pitched only sparingly . He missed most of the 2004 season with elbow tendinitis , making only four starts . In 2005 , he broke his pitching hand in a bar fight before the season began ; after rehabilitation , he was assigned to Clearwater . In July , the Phillies promoted him to the Class AA Reading Phillies of the Eastern League , where he surrendered the first home run of his professional career in his first start . Subsequently , he was shut down for the remainder of the season with back spasms . |
In 2006 , a healthy Hamels started again at Clearwater , and after a brief stint in Reading , he was promoted to the Scranton / Wilkes @-@ Barre Red Barons of the Class AAA International League . In three games at Scranton , he struck out 36 batters while giving up only one walk and one run . His minor league statistics included a record of 14 – 4 with a 1 @.@ 43 ERA and 273 strikeouts in 35 games pitched . For his performance , the Phillies promoted him to the major league club . |
= = = Philadelphia Phillies = = = |
= = = = 2006 = = = = |
Hamels was called up to the Philadelphia Phillies in May 2006 . In his Major League Baseball debut on May 12 , he pitched five scoreless innings , allowing one hit , striking out seven batters , walked five , while earning a no @-@ decision against the Cincinnati Reds . In his second career start , Hamels was dominant until the seventh inning , during which he was pulled after he allowed several baserunners , but again received a no @-@ decision . A shoulder injury scratched Hamels from the lineup of what would have originally been his third major league start . He was put on the 15 @-@ day disabled list and returned on June 6 to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10 – 1 for his first Major League victory . On August 14 , 2006 , Hamels had his best start of his rookie season , shutting out the New York Mets over eight innings and striking out nine in the Phillies ' 13 – 0 victory . He finished his rookie season with a 9 – 8 record , a 4 @.@ 08 earned run average ( ERA ) , and 145 strikeouts ( third among NL rookies ) in 132 1 ⁄ 3 innings ( sixth among NL rookies ) . |
= = = = 2007 = = = = |
Hamels entered the 2007 season having done significant work in the weight room in the offseason and at spring training . His tenacity came to fruition when , on April 21 , 2007 , Hamels pitched his first major league complete game , allowing one run on five hits and two walks while setting a career high with 15 strikeouts . Just three days before , the Phillies moved their opening day starter Brett Myers to the bullpen to be the closer , making Hamels the team 's number one starter . On May 16 , he carried a perfect game into the seventh inning , but then walked leadoff hitter Rickie Weeks and surrendered a home run to the next batter , J. J. Hardy . |
For his strong performance during the first half of the season , Hamels was , for the first time in his career , selected a member of the NL All Star Team . As Hamels had been the Phillies only consistent starter to that point , even to the point that one columnist said the Phillies are a joke " as long as we are forced to look forward to someone other than Cole Hamels on the mound " , the Phillies acquired Kyle Lohse to supplement the rotation soon before the trading deadline . Several weeks later , Hamels was placed on the 15 @-@ day disabled list ( DL ) with a mild left elbow strain . After the Phillies activated him from the DL , on September 28 , he helped the Phillies take over first place in the National League East by striking out 13 Washington Nationals over 8 innings in a 6 – 0 win . Two days later , the team clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time in 14 years . In the first game of the National League Division Series , he started for the Phillies , but surrendered three runs , three hits , and an " uncharacteristic " four walks , while striking out seven in 62 ⁄ 3 innings ; he was assessed the loss . Ultimately , the Phillies lost the series . Hamels finished with a regular @-@ season record of 15 – 5 , a 3 @.@ 39 ERA , and 177 strikeouts in 183 1 ⁄ 3 innings . The Philadelphia chapter of the Baseball Writers ' Association of America presented him the " Steve Carlton Most Valuable Pitcher " award . |
= = = = 2008 = = = = |
Before the season began in March , Hamels made a complaint about the Phillies underpaying him , saying it was a " low blow " and he was " caught off @-@ guard " with the gap between what he and his agent John Boggs felt was a fair reward for his performance in the previous season and what he was paid ( the Phillies paid him US $ 500 @,@ 000 , barely above the minimum salary for MLB players despite Hamels ' strong performance ) . |
Though Hamels was the " clear @-@ cut ace " , Charlie Manuel penciled in Brett Myers as the Phillies ' opening day starter because Myers accepted his role as closer the preceding season , putting the team ahead of his personal wishes to start . |
By the end of April , Hamels led the Phillies in most pitching categories , including wins ( 3 ) , ERA ( 2 @.@ 70 ) , and innings pitched ( 43 ⅓ ) . Continuing his dominance into May , Hamels recorded his first career complete game shutout against the Atlanta Braves on the 15th of that month . By June , Myers had been demoted to the minor leagues due to his ineffectiveness , leaving Hamels alone atop the rotation . Hamels was snubbed from a selection to the All @-@ Star Game despite strong numbers . For the season , Hamels was 14 – 10 with a 3 @.@ 09 ERA and 196 strikeouts in 227 1 ⁄ 3 innings ; he had the lowest on @-@ base percentage @-@ against ( OBP ) in the majors at .272 . FanGraphs also rated his changeup as the most effective in the majors . |
Hamels pitched in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Brewers , pitching " eight spectacular two @-@ hit shutout innings " during which he struck out nine hitters , notching his first career playoff win , and the Phillies ' first playoff win since 1993 . He commented , " I knew the importance of the game . And it 's something where , because of last year , I learned what it really takes in trying to ... kind of mellow out , not to have that sort of excitement where you can 't really control everything . " He was named the Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) of the National League Championship Series , going 2 – 0 in the NLCS with a 1 @.@ 93 ERA and winning the series clincher on October 15 in Los Angeles . |
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