The Shibe Vintage Sports History Blog

Cryptocurrency is set to transform the way we shop, bank and think of money, and so huge has its impact been that it's difficult to believe that it's still in its infancy. Cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin has grabbed the headlines in recent months for the huge rise its value, and although as with any currency there will be blips, its value is still far in advance of where it was a year ago. Today it's used by people of all kinds and all ages, including the rich and famous as these four sporting heroes show.

'Iron' Mike Tyson vies with Muhammad Ali for the title of greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, but he's without doubt the most explosive. At just under five foot eleven, Mike was far smaller than most of the heavyweights that he faced, but his incredible power often lifted them off their feet on the way to the canvas. Since retiring from boxing, Mike has turned his hand to acting and after dinner speaking, but he is also a keen investor in cryptocurrency and is now the tattooed face of Bitcoin Direct.

The Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez is one of the most talented, and controversial, soccer stars on the planet today. He first found worldwide fame with Liverpool before joining Barcelona to play alongside the legendary Lionel Messi. There's no doubting Luis' skills with a ball, but he has faced lengthy bans in the past for misdemeanors such as biting an opponent. He is now a vocal supporter of the Stox, the blockchain prediction market platform. His career could have crashed but it recovered spectacularly; if you're worried about hard drive crashes affecting your Bitcoin wallet, the experts at Secure Data Recovery.com can recover your data and your balance with as much speed as Suarez heading towards goal.

Richard Sherman was an integral part of the 'Legion of Boom' that helped the Seattle Seahawks win the 2014 Superbowl, and he is renowned as one of the smartest footballers in the NFL today. That's smart in a business sense as well as a positional sense, for Sherman recognized the potential and importance of cryptocurrency from a very early age. In fact, he first talked about his use of Bitcoin in 2007, having earlier adopted it as a payment method for merchandise on his official website. Even at this point, he recognized how it would transform the word of retail, as well as stating that he was impressed at how cool it was. Richard Sherman is certainly cool, calm and collected on the field of play, as fans of the San Francisco 49ers will surely discover.

Tyson, Suarez and Sherman have earned huge wealth, as well as adulation, throughout their career, so they take the investment of their capital very seriously. They are just a few of the many sports, film and music stars who are now ardent supporters of cryptocurrency, and people from all backgrounds are now following their example and reaping the  benefits. With secure data recovery available as well, investing in cryptocurrency can bring peace of mind as well as significant long-term returns.

There are some baseball experiences every passionate fan should enjoy at least once in their lives, which will allow them to celebrate its rich sporting history. Check out the five biggest bucket list activities for baseball fans below.

You don’t need to be a fan of the Boston Red Sox to want to visit Fenway Park. After all, it is the oldest park in Major League Baseball, as it opened more than one-hundred years ago in 1912. It has also retained its historic charm, which more modern ballparks will struggle to compete with, which is why it is a must-visit stadium for baseball fans who want to experience a little bit of baseball history. Visit ticketsales.com for upcoming games at Fenway Park. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience.

Many of the greatest baseball players in history adorned the famous pinstripes of the New York Yankees. Regardless of your favorite team, Monument Park in the Bronx will allow you to learn more about baseball’s greatest players, such as Babe Ruth and Yogi Berra. It’s certainly worth a visit when catching a game at the new Yankee Stadium.

3. Explore the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
African-Americans were banned from playing professional baseball alongside white people during the early 20th century. Not to be deterred from their love of the sport, they created both their own leagues and teams across America. The leagues enjoyed great success throughout the 1920s all the way to the early 1960s and featured many of the world’s most famous baseball players, such as the legendary Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige and Willie Mays. Learn more about the leagues by exploring the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, which will allow you to understand more about the history of African American baseball through hundreds of photographs and interactive exhibits.

Legends of the sport are honored inside the Baseball Hall of Fame, which is in Cooperstown, New York. Here you can view staple items from baseball’s history, such as the earliest known baseball jersey, CY Young’s ball during his 500th win, and Babe Ruth’s bat from his 60th home run. Of course, the best time to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame is during the annual induction ceremony, which introduces players to honor to their achievements and contribution to the sport.

Ever wondered how baseball bats are made? Well, wonder no more, as you can visit Kentucky’s Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. You won’t be able to miss it, either, as the world’s biggest bat leans firmly against the side of the building. The inside is just as interesting, too, as you can take a tour of the factory to learn how baseball bats are crafted before viewing bats used by Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and more.

Have you got any other top tips to add to a baseball bucket list? Write a comment.

All sports fans want to wear their team's colors with pride whether it is at their team's home stadium or in the comfort of their own home. Every year, however the price of buying the latest team jersey or shirt is increasing.

In this article we look at what is causing the rising prices.

Supporting teams in the NFL has become more expensive with the prices of tickets and jerseys rising. Time Magazine reports that fans will have to hand over $150 for a limited jersey and $295 for an elite jersey. The difference in price is due to the elite jersey being an exact replica of what the players wear on the field with the same advanced fabric technology. The magazine jokes that fans might have to start taking out loans to support their team.

Nike makes all of the gear worn by NFL players and is in its fourth year as the sport's official gear supplier. Business site Bloomberg suggests that fans continue to buy the latest jerseys because they are concerned with making sure that they get the right match look. The site went on to mention that Nike is profiting from the decrease in the length of a player’s career due to the punishing nature of the game. Therefore jerseys change more frequently than before, requiring fans to keeping purchasing them to keep up with the latest changes to their teams.

In soccer there is also a debate around the price of soccer shirts. In 2014 the England football soccer team came under fire for the price of its latest shirt also made by Nike. The price of one shirt was £90 ($122) and the Telegraph detailed that even the Prime Minister David Cameron stated that it was too expensive. Like NFL fans, soccer fanatics are very keen to wear the latest shirts in support of their team. With the majority of fans coming from blue-collar backgrounds the increase in prices is seen as pricing the tradition fan out of the market.

One aspect that affects the sale of soccer shirts is the success of the team. London paper the Metro reported that Iceland saw a surge in demand for soccer shirts after knocking England out of this year’s European Championships. They went on to say that there was a 2000% increase in demand with fans of England’s rivals Scotland buying shirts in support of the small country. Football analysis site Betfair revealed that England and Scotland will face each other in the build up to the World Cup 2018 this November. Both teams had disappointing summers and have got off to shaky starts as they fight to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. If either team doesn't proceed to the tournament this could have a knock-on effect to the amount of shirts they will sell in the future.

One reason for the increase in prices for jerseys across sports could be due to sponsorship deals. The Economist states that English Premiership teams each received around £370m ($460m) from shirt sponsorships, up a third from previous years. The reason that sponsors are pouring money into team jerseys is that the international reach of soccer has increased in the past decade particularly in areas such as Asia. This in turn has a knock-on effect on the price of jerseys due to the increase in demand.

Baseball, it’s our nation’s favorite game, but it is more than just a sport; it is a way of life. The lessons learnt on the field as a kid can shape you as an adult, and give you life skills that go beyond the locker room.

Survive Under Pressure

There is nothing else like being on the pitcher’s mound with your teammates behind you; you can see your coach in the periphery of your vision, as you sweat waiting for the ball to come your way. This is akin to being the head of a company, or even of a family. You are center of everyone’s attention, and only you are in control of the outcome of that ball being bowled. All eyes are on you, and the team is relying on you to succeed.

You have two options: you can shy away from your responsibilities, or you can use this elevated position to tackle what’s ahead of you and lead your team to success. The Great Debater

Any baseball fan worth their salt will have had this discussion ten times over, at least: the designated hitter rule. No matter which side of the fence you sit on, you will have had to defend your opinion from 5th Grade. Everybody has an opinion, and debates can get heated, but this great area for controversy allows baseball players from a young age to be able to defend their choices. You will have had to argue this rule over and over, and not only with your friends, your friends’ parents, the school coach- it’s our second national sport.

From a young age, you have learnt to negotiate and get your voice heard. You’ve learnt to listen to others, and occasionally you’ve talked the loudest. You’ve learnt to keep quiet when things get heated, and you probably have learnt to run quickly when the heat boils over.

Team Player

As a child, your strategy for success in baseball will differ greatly to that as an adult. Your keenness to strike out as many of the opposition as possible was your game plan, and then you wouldn’t have to rely on the kid in the field who wouldn’t know how to throw a ball if his life depended on it. You could single-handedly make this side win.

As an adult, you can see that your best strategy is to encourage those out in the field and motivate them to help you achieve your common goal. You can recognize that you don’t have to be the hero continuously, and that by giving people responsibilities, and valuing their efforts as a team, you are more likely to succeed.

You may be CEO of a multinational, employed to work within a team, or even you are between jobs; the lessons that you have learned out on the field can be carried over into other aspects of your life. The lifelong skills of thriving under pressure, having the tenacity to carry on playing until the end of the game even though there is no chance of winning, and taking pride in being a team, are all there in every childhood game of baseball. Baseball, it is more than just a sport, it is a way of life.