BB On this Date ~ Events & Birthdays #2

1999 The Red Sox blast seven home runs, one shy of the club record, in an 11-4 rout of Detroit at Tiger Stadium. Boston right fielder Trot Nixon contributes to the offensive onslaught with three home runs and five RBIs.
On July 4, 1977, the Red Sox hit eight home runs, including seven solo shots in a 9-6 loss to the Blue Jays at Fenway Park.

1999 The Yankees rout the Indians 21-1 for their team's largest margin of victory in 46 years. The Bronx Bombers' designated hitter Chili Davis goes 5-for-6, collecting six RBIs in the late Saturday afternoon contest played at the Bronx ballpark.

2000 Ivan Rodriguez (.347, 27, 83) breaks his thumb when it is struck by Mo Vaughn's bat swinging on a third strike when the American League MVP attempts to throw out a runner stealing second base. The Texas Rangers' All-Star catcher will miss the rest of the season.

2004 During the third inning at Warner Park, the approximately 5000 fans attending the minor league contest between the Wisconsin Woodchucks and the hometown Madison Mallards set an American record for most people brushing their teeth simultaneously. Next season, in another Northern League promotion, Winnipeg sets the Canadian record for the most simultaneous tooth brushing by fans in a game against Calgary.

2004 Another saga is added to the Red Sox-Yankee rivalry when Red Sox starter Bronson Arroyo hits last night's hero Alex Rodriguez with a pitch. As A-Rod stares at the mound on his way to first, Boston's catcher Jason Varitek, after a verbal exchange, pushes his glove into the All-Star third baseman's face, initiating a bench-clearing brawl between the divisional foes.

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2007 At a press conference, an emotional Craig Biggio announces he will retire after this season, bringing his 20-year-old career as the longest-tenured player in Astro history to an end. The newest member of the 3,000-hit organization, the only player in All-Star history to appear in the game as a catcher and a second baseman, played a significant role in Houston's four division titles and the team's only National League pennant.

2009 On the day he is traded by the A's to the Cardinals for prospects Brett Wallace, Clayton Mortensen, and Shane Peterson, Matt Holliday collects four hits, drives in a run, and steals a base in his debut with St. Louis. Having hurried from New York, where his former team was continuing a series with the Yankees, the outfielder had to borrow a glove and shoes from his new teammates before the Redbirds' 8-1 victory at Citizens Bank Park.

2010 After 18 consecutive losses in Cleveland, the Rays finally beat the hometown Indians for the first time in nearly five years. With the 6-3 victory over the Tribe, Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon snaps a 0-21 personal losing streak as the visiting manager, beginning when he was California's interim skipper in 1996.

2011 Former Blue Jays, Orioles, Mariners, and Phillies GM Pat Gillick, a lifetime .300 hitter Roberto Alomar, and Bert Blyleven, ninth on the all-time list with 60 shutouts, are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Gillick won two World Series rings (1992-93) in Toronto with Alomar as his second baseman, and Blyleven helped the Twins capture the 1987 Fall Classic and played for the Pirates team that won it all in 1979.

2011 Losing 12-8 at Fenway Park, the Mariners establish a new team-worst losing streak with their 15th straight defeat. The contest features a milestone for Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield when catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia holds on to a foul tip to end the sixth inning, giving the knuckleballer his 2,000th strikeout, a mark only Roger Clemens has accomplished in franchise history.

2012 Jordany Valdespin sets a new Mets single-season record when he hits his fifth pinch-hit home run of the team's 5-2 loss to the Nationals at Citi Field. The 24-year-old ties Cliff Johnson (Astros, 1974) for the second-highest single-season total ever recorded by a rookie, trailing only Craig Wilson, a freshman with the Pirates in 2001 when he tied Dave Hansen's major-league mark for pinch-homers with seven.

2014 While singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch, Andy Milovich, the 45-year-old vice president and general manager of the Class-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans, is given a prostate exam in the TicketReturn.com Field press box. The first 1,000 men attending the Carolina League contest against the Winston-Salem Dash received a promotional foam rubber finger.

2015 Receiving a standing ovation from the Citi Field crowd, Michael Conforto, the Mets' first-round pick (10th overall) last year, becomes the 1,000th player in Mets history when he makes his major league debut, going 0-3 in the team's 7-2 loss to the Dodgers at Citi Field. Tomorrow, the 22-year-old rookie left fielder will enjoy a 4-for-4 day at the plate, collecting three singles and a double en route to scoring four runs.

2019 During the team's 14-8 rout of the Pirates at PNC Park, the Cardinals tie a major league record by banging out eight extra-base hits in one inning, equaling a mark previously established by four other clubs. The Redbirds' barrage in the nine-run second fame included five doubles (Kolten Wong [2], Paul DeJong, Yairo Munoz, Dexter Fowler) and three home runs (Paul DeJong, Andrew Knizner, Paul Goldschmidt).

2019 Stevie Wilkerson becomes the first position player in MLB history to record a save when the Orioles beat the Angels in Anaheim, 10-8. The Baltimore center fielder pitches a perfect bottom half of the 16th inning after Jonathan Villar's two-out, two-run home run in the top of the frame gave the team the lead.

2020 The new extra innings rule, which puts a runner at second base to start each extra half-inning, comes into play for the first time on Opening Day when Shohei Ohtani, who made the last out in the top of the ninth, becomes the base runner to begin the tenth frame. The Halos fail to score, losing to the A's, 7-3, when Matt Olson hits a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the frame.

2020 For only the second time in baseball history, all four starting infielders are the sons of former major leaguers, when shortstop Bo Bichette (Dante), second baseman Cavan Biggio (Craig), first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Vladimir), and third baseman Travis Shaw (Jeff) top the order for the Blue Jays on Opening Day. In 2012, the Dodgers' lineup featured an infield consisting of third baseman Ivan DeJesus Jr. (Ivan), second baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. (Jerry), shortstop Dee Gordon (Tom), and first baseman Scott Van Slyke (Andy), with outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. (Tony) patrolling center field.

2020 Cardinals backstopestablishes the mark for most consecutive Opening Day starts by a catcher, playing his 16th successive lid-lifter in the team's 5-4 victory over the Pirates at Busch Stadium. The 38-year-old nine-time Gold Glover surpasses the streak set by Hall of Famers Ray Schalk (White Sox, 1913-27) and Bill Dickey (Yankees, 1930-43, 1946), who missed two seasons due to serving in the military during World War II.


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Fifteen years after his racial barrier breaking major league debut and five years after his retirement as a player, Jackie Robinson is inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
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Sal Bando

 

Willie McGee. One batting glove. Wrigley Field

 

50 Years Ago Today: Cleveland Indians pitcher Gaylord Perry strikes out Cincinnati Reds stars Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench during the Major League All-Star Game at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh! (July 23, 1974)
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JULY 25 BASEBALL BIRTHDAYS
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1926 Whitey Lockman the batter who drove pitcher Don Newcombe from the mound in the 1951 Giants-Dodgers final day playoff game setting up Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”


1935 Larry Sherry pitcher (World Series MVP 1959, LA Dodgers)


1962 Doug Drabek pitcher (NL Cy Young Award 1990)


1964 José Bautista pitcher (SF Giants, Orioles )


1965 Torey Lovullo infielder (Oakland A's)


1967 Ed Sprague Jr. infielder (Toronto Blue Jays)


1971 Billy Wagner pitcher (Houston Astros)

1976 Javier Vázquez

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This Day in Baseball History
July 25th
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1890 In his last minor league appearance, 23-year-old Cy Young strikes out 18 batters en route to tossing a no-hitter in a Tri-State contest against McKeesport (PA). The right-hander will amass a major league mark of 511 victories during his 22-year Hall of Fame career.


1908 In a confrontation of future inaugural Hall of Famers, Honus Wagner goes 5-for-5 off Giants starter Christy Mathewson in the Pirates' 7-2 victory over the Giants in front of an overflow crowd of 30,000 fans at the Polo Grounds. The Pittsburgh shortstop holds up a finger after each hit he collects to New York right fielder Mike Donlin, the hitless player he passes to take over the National League batting lead.


1913 Carl Weilman becomes the first major leaguer to strike out six consecutive times in a single game. The Browns' 23-year-old southpaw, who goes the distance after entering the game in relief with one out in the first inning, accomplishes the dubious feat in a 15-inning Griffith Stadium contest against the Senators, which ends in an 8-8 tie.

1930 At Cleveland's League Park, the A's, stealing only 48 bases this season for the second-lowest total in the league, pull off two triple steals in one game. The double-triple occurs in the first inning and again in the fourth when Philadelphia pummels the Indians, 14-1.

1931 Lefty Grove, going the distance, wins his 20th game of the season when the A's beat Cleveland at Shibe Park, 6-3. The Philadelphia southpaw, who improves his record to 20-2, is the second quickest player to reach the milestone, with Rube Marquard (Giants, July 19, 1912) being the only hurler to have accomplished the feat earlier in a season.


1939 New York freshman Atley Donald sets the American League rookie record for consecutive wins when he goes the distance, beating the Browns at Yankee Stadium, 5-1. The 28-year-old right-hander, known as 'Swampy' to his teammates, limits St. Louis to five hits for his twelfth straight victory.

 

1941 On his third try, Lefty Grove becomes the sixth pitcher in major league history since 1901 to earn his 300th victory. The 41-year-old Red Sox southpaw joins Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, and Eddie Plank in reaching the milestone when he beats Cleveland, 10-6, giving up 12 hits for his last victory in the big leagues.


1955 Joe DiMaggio, who retired after 13 seasons with the Yankees with a .325 batting average, is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The 'Greatest Living Ballplayer,' a title officially bestowed on 'Joltin' Joe' based on a poll by MLB in 1969, is elected by the writers in his fourth year on the ballot.

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1956 Roberto Clemente becomes the first player to hit an inside-the-park walk-off grand slam when he connects off Cubs right-hander Jim Brosnan, giving the Pirates a dramatic 9-8 victory. Last season, the Pittsburgh right fielder's first-ever career round-tripper, the first of nine IPHRs he hits during his 18 years with the Bucs, accomplishing the feat seven times at spacious Forbes Field.

 

1962 At Sportsman's Park, Stan Musial surpasses Giants' legend Mel Ott as the National League's all-time RBI leader. Stan the Man's two-run home run off Don Drysdale in a 5-2 loss to the Dodgers gives the Cardinals' right fielder 1,862 career runs batted in with the Redbirds.

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1966 In their first year of eligibility, Red Sox outfielder Ted Williams and skipper Casey Stengel, selected by the Veterans Committee, are enshrined in the Hall of Fame. During his induction speech, the 'Splendid Splinter' strongly appeals to include Negro League stars at Cooperstown.

Ted Williams "I hope that some day the names of Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson in some way could be added."

1967 The White Sox become the second major league team in history to win a doubleheader with two walk-off homers when they sweep the Indians, 3-1 and 6-5, thanks to game-ending home runs by J.C. Martin and Ken Berry. In 1962, the Mets were the first team to accomplish the feat, with Hobie Landrith and Gil Hodges going deep, respectively, in the bottom of the ninth inning of each game to give the team its first twin-bill sweep in franchise history.

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1968 At Busch Stadium, St. Louis starter Bob Gibson blanks the Phillies, 5-0, recording his 11th straight victory to break the franchise record established in 1944 by Ted Wilks. The Cardinal right-hander, who has tossed twelve consecutive complete games, also surpasses William Doak's mark when he shut outs his opponents for the 33rd time in his career with the Redbirds.

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1972 At Atlanta Stadium, Reds' second baseman Joe Morgan's single scores Nate Colbert of the Padres in the bottom of the tenth inning to give the National League a 4-3 walk-off All-Star Game victory over the Junior Circuit. The NL has won all seven of the extra-inning Midsummer Classics contests.

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1972 Cubs general manager John Holland announces Whitey Lockman will manage the Cubs, replacing Leo Durocher, who 'stepped down' as the team's skipper after posting a 535-526 (.504) record during his seven years at the helm. The Astros will hire 'Leo the Lip' to replace Harry Walker at the end of next month.


1974 In his managerial debut with the club, Clyde King guides the Braves to a 1-0 extra-inning victory over San Diego. The former Giant skipper, who replaced the recently dismissed Eddie Matthews, will finish the season with a 38-25 record, but the team fires the Goldsboro, NC native next year in August with his club mired in fifth place in the NL West.

1974 In the second game of a Cleveland Stadium twi-night doubleheader, Buddy Bell launches a ninth-inning two-run home run to tie the score at 3, enabling the Indians to beat Baltimore in 13 innings, 5-4. With their 8-7 victory in the opener, the Tribe ends the day a half-game out of first place in the tight four-team race in the American League East.

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1977 Pete Rose becomes the all-time hit leader among switch-hitters when he collects his 2,881st career hit, a fourth-inning single off Pete Falcone in the Reds' 9-8 loss to St. Louis at Busch Stadium. Frankie Frisch, an infielder dubbed the Fordham Flash, established the record nearly half a century ago playing with the Giants and the Cardinals.

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1978 Pete Rose's third-inning Shea Stadium single to left field off Mets righty Craig Swan establishes a National League record for hits in consecutive games. The Reds infielder has hit safely in 38 games, breaking Tommy Holmes' mark set as a member of the Boston Braves in 1945.

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1978 In a 3-2 Giants victory over the Cardinals at Candlestick Park, Jack Clark establishes a franchise record, hitting safely in 26 straight games. The San Francisco right fielder's fourth-inning double off Bob Forsch keeps his consecutive games hitting streak intact.

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1980 Mike Schmidt becomes the all-time Phillies' franchise home run leader when he hits the first of his two round-trippers in the team's 6-5 extra-inning victory over Atlanta at Veterans Stadium. The future Hall of Fame third baseman, who will retire with 548 homers, passes Del Ennis' mark of 259 that the outfielder established playing with Philadelphia from 1945-56.

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1988 The Cubs test their $5 million lighting system before their historic first night game at Wrigley Field scheduled for August 8th against the Phillies. Six banks of lights on 33-foot steel towers along the first-base and third-base baselines illuminate the field during the charity event in which players take batting practice and participate in a home run derby.

 

1990 Roseanne Barr, the star of the hit television show whose executive producer is the new Padres' owner, Tom Werner, sings an irreverent and widely criticized rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner. The comedian, known for her biting sarcasm, spits and grabs her crotch as if adjusting a protective cup after singing the National Anthem in a loud and off-tune screechy manner, a performance called "disgraceful." by President George H. W. Bush.

1990 Following his first-inning single, a triple in the third, and a fifth-frame two-bagger, George Brett hits a leadoff homer in the seventh to complete the cycle in the Royals' 6-1 victory over Toronto at the SkyDome. The Kansas City third baseman, who will retire with a lifetime .305 batting average, also accomplished the rare feat against Baltimore in 1979.

1990 After having a commanding 9-0 lead and still ahead 10-3 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, the Mets barely hold on to beat the Phillies at Veterans Stadium, 10-9. The nail-biter causes the usually even-mannered Bob Murphy to use a mild obscenity in his call of the final out, "they win the damn thing by a score of 10 to 9!"

1994 Rico Brogna, recalled from the Norfolk Tides five days ago where he was hitting .351, becomes the third Mets rookie to get five hits in a game, joining Dick Smith (1964) and John Milner (1972). The 24-year-old slick-fielding first baseman collects three singles and two doubles in five at-bats during New York's 7-2 victory over St. Louis at Busch Stadium.

1995 In the top of the fourth inning, Dante Bichette puts the Rockies ahead, 6-4, with a three-run home run off Jim Deshaies at Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium. The round-tripper is the 18th of the season for the 31-year-old outfielder, but only his first on the road.

1996 Rockies left-hander Bruce Ruffin strikes out four batters in one inning, a feat accomplished only 25 times in major league history. The opportunity for the rare occurrence happens when Cubs' catcher Scott Servais strikes out swinging but reaches first base safely after whiffing on the southpaw's wild pitch.

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1998 Rockies leadoff batter Neifi Perez becomes the third player in team history to hit for the cycle. In a 5-2 victory over St. Louis at Coors Field, the Colorado shortstop goes deep in the seventh inning off Matt Morris to complete the rare accomplishment.

1998 The Yankees dedicate a plaque to Mel Allen, who died of heart failure two years ago at 83. The Monument Park tablet calls their long-time play-by-play announcer "A Yankee institution, a national treasure" and includes his signature line, ​

"How about that?"

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1998 After receiving an invitation from the team to participate in Old-Timers' Day, Jim Bouton returns to Yankee Stadium for the first time in nearly thirty years. The right-hander's banishment, believed to be the result of having written his controversial book, Ball Four, ends when his son Michael writes an open letter to the New York Times printed on Father's Day urging the franchise to reconsider their decision about his dad, who is still grieving about the loss of his daughter Laurie in a car crash last August.

1999 The Hall of Fame adds an unprecedented number of first-time eligible candidates when George Brett, Nolan Ryan, and Robin Yount enter Cooperstown. Joining the trio of first-timers elected by the BBWAA include the Veterans Committee's selections of Orlando Cepeda, Nestor Chylak, Frank Selee, and 'Smokey' Joe Williams.

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2001 As a result of a three-way deal, the Royals obtain Neifi Perez from the Rockies for Jeremy Dye. Kansas City's newest middle infielder bats .238 in less than two full seasons, with their departed outfielder hitting 64 homers in four seasons for the A's, the team that sent Todd Belitz, Mario Encarnacion, and Jose Ortiz to Colorado for his services.

2004 Paul Molitor, a member of the 3,000 hit club, and Dennis Eckersley, who appeared in the most games of any Hall of Fame pitcher (1,071 games), are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Lon Simmons, who called games for the A's and Giants, wins the Ford C. Frick Award, with the J.G. Taylor Spink Award going to New York Times writer Murray Chass, enabling both to become members of the Hall for their outstanding reporting of the national pastime.

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2004 Carlos Delgado's three-run blast in the Blue Jays' 5-3 victory over Tampa Bay makes the slugger the first player in the 27-year history of the franchise to drive in 1,000 runs. The Toronto first baseman, who will also play for the Mets and Marlins, will collect 1512 RBIs during his 17-year major league career.

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2010 Andre Dawson, an outfielder with the Expos and Cubs, becomes the 203rd player inducted into the Hall of Fame. Joining 'Hawk' in Cooperstown are former manager Whitey Herzog, major league ump Doug Harvey, broadcaster Jon Miller, and baseball writer Bill Madden.

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2010 Chris Coghlan seriously injures himself when he tries to smash a shaving cream pie in Wes Helms's face after his teammate hit a single to give the Marlins a 5-4 walk-off victory over Atlanta. The 2009 NL Rookie of the Year will go on the disabled list with a torn meniscus in his left knee and miss the remainder of the season.

2010 The Baseball Hall of Fame honors John Fogerty for his classic rock song "Centerfield." At the induction ceremonies, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer performs his 1985 hit and donates his baseball bat-shaped guitar to the Cooperstown museum.

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2010 The Angels acquire right-hander Dan Haren from the last-place Diamondbacks in exchange for southpaws Joe Saunders and Patrick Corbin, RHP Rafael Rodriguez, and a player to be named. Adding the three-time All-Star strengthens an already strong rotation that includes Ervin Santana, Jered Weaver, Joel Piniero, and Scott Kazmir, who is presently on the disabled list.

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2011 Michael Cuddyer becomes the first Twins' position player to pitch since outfielder John Moses hurled against California in 1990. The starting first baseman, moving from right field to the mound in the eighth inning, gives up a double to Mike Napoli, a single to Mitch Moreland, and after Endy Chavez grounds out, the right-hander walks Ian Kinsler to load the bases but gets Elvis Andrus to fly out and David Murphy to pop-up for a scoreless frame in the 20-6 loss in Texas.

2011 With the bases loaded and two outs, rookie Jason Kipnis delivers his first career hit, giving the Indians a 3-2 walk-off ninth-inning victory over Los Angeles. The 24-year-old second baseman had been 0-for-5 since being called up three days ago.

2011 With their 4-0 victory of Houston combined with the Cardinals' 6-5 loss to Cincinnati and Milwaukee's 4-0 loss to Colorado, the Pirates are in sole possession of first place. The date is the latest the Bucs have been on top of the standings since mid-July of the 1997 season.

 

2012 After signing a guaranteed six-year, $144-million contract, Cole Hamels becomes the best Phillies player. The second richest contract for a pitcher, only behind the Yankees' agreement with CC Sabathia, includes an option for a seventh season to pay the 28-year-old southpaw as much as $162 million through 2019.

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2015 In his last start for the Phillies before being dealt to the Rangers, Cole Hamels throws a no-hitter against the Cubs, marking the first time Chicago has been no-hit since 1965. The 31-year-old southpaw joins Cliff Chambers (1951 Pirates) and Edwin Jackson (2010 Diamondbacks) as the only pitchers traded before their next start after hurling a no-no for their team.

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2012 After signing a guaranteed six-year, $144-million contract, Cole Hamels becomes the best Phillies player. The second richest contract for a pitcher, only behind the Yankees' agreement with CC Sabathia, includes an option for a seventh season to pay the 28-year-old southpaw as much as $162 million through 2019.

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2015 In his last start for the Phillies before being dealt to the Rangers, Cole Hamels throws a no-hitter against the Cubs, marking the first time Chicago has been no-hit since 1965. The 31-year-old southpaw joins Cliff Chambers (1951 Pirates) and Edwin Jackson (2010 Diamondbacks) as the only pitchers traded before their next start after hurling a no-no for their team.

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