Sunday Skills, Stumpers, and Silliness (#8) š¦
Itās Sunday, Smallballersā¦ and that means itās time to level up your game, stretch your brain, and laugh a little too hard at something completely ridiculous.
And if youāre here for todayās big sports stories, donāt worry! Weāve also got your daily three things waiting for you below. š
š§ Skills: Aim That Throw! šÆ
Last Sunday, we worked on throwing a perfect football spiral.
This week? Weāre switching sports and working on your aim.
Ever throw a baseball to someone and it ends up way off to the side?
š„ Watch this quick clip to learn how to throw where you want the ball to go.
Itās all about keeping your body pointed at your target. Use your front shoulder to aim. And keep moving in that direction after you throw.
Give it a try! You might be surprised how much straighter your throw gets.
Just make sure your grown-up is paying attentionā¦
ā Stumpers: Pour Some Sugar (Water) on Me š§
Sharp-eyed Smallballers noticed something in a highlight we watched this weekā¦
Buckets of Gatorade poured on players after a big win!
Itās one of sportsā splashiest traditions.
The most famous Gatorade baths? At the Super Bowl. People actually try to predict what color the winning team will pour on their coach.
So hereās your stumper:
š¤ Need a hint? Itās the one that can show up both on a basketball court and in your lunchbox.
šµļø Give yourself bonus points if you can name the quarterback the Eagles beat in the most recent Super Bowl before celebrating with yellow Gatorade!
š Silliness: Bird in the Batterās Box š¦
Youāve heard of pitchers making batters flinchā¦ but how about a bird?
š„ Yesterday, San Franciscoās Jung Hoo Lee had to dodge something totally unexpected.
That got us thinkingā¦
Whatās better than sports highlights? Ones with animals running onto the field.
š„ So we found a video. (That birdās got competition.)
Now that your throw is on targetā¦ youāve solved the mystery of the Gatorade bathā¦ and youāve watched a batter dodge a bird (yes, really)ā¦
Letās get into the big stories to know today. ā¬ļø
1ļøā£ A New Queen of the Court š
Yesterdayās Wimbledon womenās final was a match between favorite Iga ÅwiÄ tek and fearless underdog Amanda Anisimova.
š„ Stop right here and hit play on the highlights.
Iga didnāt just winā¦ she made history.
6ā0, 6ā0. Tennis players call that a double bagel!
š§ Can you figure out why?
Itās the first shutout in a womenās final at Wimbledon since 1911.
It also gives Iga her sixth Grand Slam title. Sheās 6ā0 in those matches, a perfect record when it matters most.
What did Amanda have to say after the tough loss?
āI told myself, Iāll definitely come out stronger after this. I mean, that's not an easy thing to go through, losing 0-0 in a Grand Slam final. If anything, I can look at it as a positive and something I can look at as motivation going forward.ā
š Up next? Todayās menās final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. A blockbuster rematch of last monthās French Open final.
2ļøā£ Big Swings and Bigger Milestones ā¾
Itās been a wild week of baseball.
But yesterday? Two moments stood out from the restā¦ the kind that land players in the record books.
First up: Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton hit for the cycle.
That means he had a single, double, triple, and home runā¦ all in the same game.
š„ Want to see what order he did it in?
How rare is a cycle?
Itās happened less than 400 times in more than 100 years of baseball.
And this one was extra special: the first cycle ever at Target Field.
Ohā¦ and he did it on the day the Twins were giving fans his bobblehead at the stadium!
Meanwhile in New York, Aaron Judge just keeps slugging.
The Yankees lost to the Cubs, but Judge launched his 35th home run of the season.
š„ And with this blast, he became the fastest player in MLB history to reach 350 career homers.
Not just a powerful swingā¦ a historically fast one.
Buxtonās cycle. Judgeās blast. And the MLB Draft starts tonight where teams pick their future stars. Itās a good time to be a baseball fan!
All thatās missing? A pitcher riding in on a Mario Kart or parachuting from a fighter jet. (Nice picks, Sam and Jake.)
3ļøā£ Messi Canāt Miss ā½
Lionel Messi is officially on š„.
Last night, he scored two more goals in Inter Miamiās 2ā1 win over Nashville.
That makes it five games in a row where heās scored multiple goals.
š„ Watch him extend the longest streak in Major League Soccer (MLS) history!
Did you hear what the announcer called it when he scored his second goal? A brace.
Thatās what soccer players say when someone scores two goals in one game. Kinda fancy. Kinda awesome.
That gives Messi 16 goals in 16 games this season. And Inter Miami is climbing fast in the standings.
š But Messiās not playing for a trophy today.
Thatās Chelsea and PSG in the Club World Cup final. The whole soccer world is watching!
Will PSG continue their red-hot run through the tournament? Or will Chelseaās young but fearless squad win out?
Weāll have the story for you tomorrow!
Thatās a wrap for today, Smallballers!
If youāre outside practicing, keep your eyes peeled for rogue raccoons on the field.
Those animal videos were so crazy! Especially the kangaroo