Just minutes ago, the Philadelphia Phillies won their second World Series champiobship, beating the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in five games. Only this time, it took a tenth man to win it all. And no, it was not a designated hitter.

Unlike the nine position men on the field for the Phillies’, the presence of Tug McGraw was there, and loud as ever. On the pitcher’s mound lied a part of McGraw’s ashes (the former relief pitcher died in 2004), compliments to his son, country music sensation Tim McGraw, who threw out the first ball for Game Three.

It was the elder McGraw, who, 28 years and 8 days before, had struck out Willie Wilson of the Kansas City Royals to give the Phillies their first ever championship. And now, he was holding a ticket to the hottest seat in baseball — on the field, as his beloved Phillies paraded on top of one another after closer Brad Linge fanned Erik Henske for the last out. Appropriately within feet of McGraw’s remains.

Ya gotta believe he was there.

Though they have once again thiumphed at Wimblwedon, it wouldn’t be fair as this point to compare them historically to teams like Elizabeth Ryan/Suzanne Lenglen, Billie Jean King/Rosemary Casals, and Martina Navratilova/Pam Shriver. However. But if I could piece ten women’s doubles teams together as among the greatest I would strongly say that the Williams sisters would be somewhere on that list, perhaps behind King/Casals.

Doubles tennis is, in my opinion, one of most exciting forms of tennis there is, with the comparison to it be a pinball machine. The ball goes from one person to another. It’s like a fast break in basketball, with three players passing the ball to one another simutaneously. The excitement it brings is far above none other.

And the Williams sisters have perfected the rigurous demands of this game, as few teams (and far fewer sibling duos) have done. It would be a worthwhile ticket to watch them play in the U.S. Open this September.

This year’s Wimbledon Championships have been filled with shocking upsets.

First it was the Australian Open winner and second-seed Maria Sharapova going down in the second round.

Then, in the third round it was the Roland Garros champ and the top-seeded player Ana Ivonovic.

And with the third-seed, Jelena Jankovic, on an injured left knee, barely advancing to the next round, things look extremely good for both Serena and Venus Williams, who advance to the fourth round (the round of 16) with convincing victories.

Since Serena and Venus play on different pool brackets there is a chance they might be able to play each other if they both make it to the finals.

For seven of the last eight Wimbledon ladies’ finals since 2000, Centre Court has witnessed the sight of at least one Williams’ sister. And on two occasions, in 2002 and 2003, it was twice the pleasure, both times with Serena outlasting Venus. But if you’re doing the math at home, you’ll see that they are the only titles Serena has taken home, for that Venus has triumphed four times, including two draumatic finishes against Lindsay Davenport (2000, 2005).

With its history proven it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise, with only six of the top ten seeds remaining that Serena (#6) and Venus (#7) will have a shot at yet another date with destiny. Will they meet? We must wait and see.

When I read the article of Maria Sharapova playing her first round Wimbledon match in a white tuxedo top, without the arms and shoulders, and shorts that looked like a business suit, it made me think of Ted Tinling.

For those of you who have not a clue of Ted Tinling, he was the late fashion designer for countless female tennis players for many decades, decorating dresses for such notable champions, like Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly, Billie Jean King, Evonne Goolagong, Martina Navratilova, and Chris Evert. It was Tinling who designed King’s dress for her “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match in 1973 against Bobby Riggs.

Tinling, who was openly gay, had his controversial moments with the tennis establishment. In 1949, for example, while working as a player liason at Wimbledon, designed a racy outfit for Gertrude Moran, to the shock and ire of the otherwise traditionally conservative tournament executives, which barred him until 1982.

But “Teddy” was a darling to those that wore his designs. In 1970, he became the courtuier for the Virginia Slims Women’s Tour (now known as the Women’s Tennis Association). And as tennis became a professional sport (the Open Era began in 1967), and the fashion world fluctuated, the rest of the tennis world was ready to welcome Tinling back.

Back to Maria Sharapova now. She is no doubt the darling of the All England Club, having won her first Grand Slam title there in 2004. And fashion is something the 21-year old Russian native is no stranger to. One must point out that in 2006, Maria, paying homage to late actress Audrey Hepburn, won the U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows, wearing a black dress, similar to what Hepburn wore in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Sharapova is unequically, the kind of tennis player Ted Tinling, who died in 1990, would be proud of. Her sense of fashion does not, by any ways or means, interrupt her game. Maria is very self-centered, and very concentrated at every moment. This has made her one of the finest attractions to the sport. And despite being seeded third this year at Wimbledon, Sharapova is a likely threat to win the title, as heavyweight contemporaries Kim Clijsters, Martina Hingis, and Justine Henin have since retired from the sport.

Okay, so maybe you were a bit too young to recognize who this guy was. Or maybe you simply didn’t follow every major leaguer in the late 1970s. Or maybe you weren’t born when Burke was playing.

Gleen Burke (1952-1995) is the first major league baseball player to acknowledge his homosexuality. Before Burke, it was NFL running back Dave Kopay. And after Burke came tennis stars Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova, spreading the message that, yes, in sports, there are gay athletes.

Burke only played five seasons of MLB ball. Much of them years were spent with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where Burke played for three years. In game one the 1977 World Series at Yankee Stadium, Burke singled for his only hit in postseason play. Had not for a misjudged call by an umpire, Burke would’ve been credited with an RBI, as teammate Steve Garvey was called out at home.

Another overlooked moment in Burke’s career came shortly before the World Series. When Dusty Baker hit a home run during one of the final games of the season, Burke congradulated him at home plate with a “high five”, a gesture that has since become synomynous with home runs and touchdown celebrations. Moments later, Burke hit the first of two career home runs, and Baker gave Burke a high five of his own.

During his career, Burke made no effort to hide his sexual orientation. Dodgers’ manager Tommy Lasorda was taken back when Burke became friends with Lasorda’s estranged son Spunky, who was said to be gay. In an act of homophobia, Lasorda traded Burke to the Oakland A’s, a team, which, by then, was a shadow of their former glory, with all the stars from the early 1970s championship roster having been shipped to other teams.

To make matters worse was the A’s new manager, Billy Martin, who, as detailed in Billy Bean’s autobiography Going The Other Way, aimed a sexual epithet at Burke. After injuring his knee at the beginning of the 1980 season, Martin demoted Burke to the minor leagues, where his career ended.

Though he went on to participate in other sports, and went on to medal in the Gay Games of 1982, Burke’s life spiraled out of control. Battling drugs, depression, and homelessness, he died in 1995 from AIDS complications.

Today, when we see athletes celebrate with a high five, an homage is directly paid to Glenn Burke, whether we realize it or not. He was a pioneer years ahead of its time.

Billie Jean King, the pioneering force of women’s sports, and the winner of 39 grand slams will release Pressure is a Priviledge: Lessons I’ve learned from Life and the Battle of the Sexes, with Christine Brennan. This 192-page book will be published by LifeTime Media, and will hit the shelves as soon as July 28, according to its Barnes & Noble page.

If you are a King fanatic (like myself), or simply a tennis fan, this is one book you cannot live without. Pressure is a Priviledge is a reminder to all tennis players and fans, especially the women, how far Billie Jean has brought the sport over the last forty years. You cannot go without this book. This is a must-read.

And I’m not talking about the greatest women athlete. I’m talking the greatest athlete ever – man or woman.

Mildred Didrikson (1911-1956) came from a place called Beaumont, Texas. As a little girl, Mildred hit five home runs in a baseball game, which gave her the nickname she’d be known as for the rest of her life. It goes without saying, she was named after Babe Ruth.

In high school, Babe played in a wide variety of sports (the only sport she didn’t play was football – because the coach wouldn’t let her play). She exelled in basketball, as the Beaumont team never lost a game when she played.

After high school, she played on a semi-pro team in Dallas, leading them to two national championships. While in Dallas, Babe also showcased her athletic prowess in swimming and diving. But it was track and field where Babe hit her true mark.

In the 1932 Olympic try-outs in Evanston, Illinois, Babe was the sole member of the Dallas team, but in three hours won five events out of eight, tied another, setting three world records, and scoring 30 points for Dallas. The second-place team, which had 22 members, scored fewer. It will be forever known as the greatest individual achievement in track and field history.

Later that year, she competed in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Babe set three world records in her three events, but had to settle for two gold and one silver in the javelin, 80-meter hurdles, and the high jump. Babe is the the only athlete to ever medal in throwing, running and jumping events in the same Olympics.

After the games, Babe was a national celebrity. To capitalize on her fame, she starred in many different sports, finally settling on golf.

In 1938, Babe was paired in a PGA tournament with wrestler George Zaharias. Though she has always been rumored to have been a lesbian (there is no proof) Babe and George hit it off, marrying within a year. George became Babe’s manager for the rest of her career.

Throughout the 1940s, Babe Zaharias dominated women’s golf. In 1947, she became the first American golfer to win the British Women’s Open. It would be one of ten majors Babe would win throughout her career.

After forming the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 1949, the Associated Press voted Babe the Greatest Female Athlete of the First Half of the Twentieth Century. The AP would name her Women Athlete of the Year six times (more than even the men).

In 1953, Babe was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Deciding not to let that get to her, Babe came back to the golf course, and in 1954, won the Women’s U.S. Open by a record 12 strokes.

The cancer, however, did not go away, and she died in 1956 at the age of 45. But before that, Babe Didrikson Zaharias had paved the way for countless female athletes in future generations to follow in her footsteps.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

While playing for her high school basketball team, Babe once scored 106 in a single game.

Though she is known for playing baseball, basketball, track, and golf, Babe is noted for other sports as well. They include archery, bass, billiards, boxing, roller skating tennis, and many more.

It is also interesting to note that Babe excelled in bowling as well. Her best game was a 237.