title: The Monster (song)

text: "The Monster" first entered the "Billboard" Hot 100 at number three, on November 6, 2013, marking Eminem's third best entry following "Not Afraid" (number one, 2010) and "Love the Way You Lie" also featuring Rihanna (number two, 2010). This ties "Berzerk", which also debuted at number three on the Hot 100. The entry gave Rihanna her 25th top ten on the chart, equaling Elvis Presley for the eighth-most top tens in the chart's history. This achievement also earned the singer the honor of being the fastest woman to accumulate the top ten tally (with eight years and four months since her first single), besting Madonna by three months. Furthermore, the debut marked Rihanna's 45th overall chart entry, tying Mariah Carey for the eighth most chart appearances amongst women.


title: The Monster (song)

text: The song concurrently opened at number one on the US Digital Songs chart, with sales of 373,000. The feat marked Eminem's ninth chart topper, giving him the third-most leaders in the tally's history, behind Katy Perry (9), and Rihanna, who increased her total to 13. The track also entered the US Radio Songs chart at number 31, marking Eminem's second-best entry position following "Just Lose It" (number 17, 2004). In the same issue, "The Monster" debuted atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, marking Eminem's first number one on the chart of his career, and Rihanna's third. Furthermore, the song entered at number one on the US Rap Songs chart, marking the sixth and fourth leaders for Eminem and Rihanna, respectively.


title: The Monster (song)

text: The song topped the Hot 100 in its sixth week on the chart, after previously spending four consecutive weeks at number two. The song's ascent to number one marked Rihanna's 13th US number one, tying her with Michael Jackson for the fourth most number ones in the chart's 55-year history. Additionally, Rihanna became the fastest solo artist to achieve 13 chart-toppers, surpassing the previous record held by Mariah Carey (seven-years, eight-month and 19 days), with only the Beatles reaching 13 number ones more quickly. The song also rose to number one on the "Billboard" Radio Songs chart, marking Rihanna's twelfth and Eminem's third number one on the chart. Rihanna also passes Mariah Carey for the most number ones on the Radio Songs chart with the single's number one peak. For Eminem, he ties Sean Combs and Ludacris for the most Hot 100 number ones among rappers, with five each. The song has sold 3,844,000 digital copies in the US as of June 2015.


title: The Monster (song)

text: In Canada, the song debuted at number one on the Canadian Hot 100, selling 54,000 downloads, making it Eminem's highest selling debut week in Canada for a single since his song "Berzerk," which sold 50,000 downloads in its debut week.


title: The Monster (song)

text: In the United Kingdom, "The Monster" entered at number one on the UK Singles Chart on November 3, 2013―for the week ending date November 9, 2013―selling 74,674 copies, despite being released on the previous Tuesday, and having a 48-hour disadvantage on the rest of the week's new singles. The song however, sold 96,059 copies the following week it dropped to number two, selling more copies than it did on the week it reached number one. The song marked Eminem and Rihanna's eighth number one single in that country of their careers respectively. It became Eminem's first single to top the chart as a lead artist since "Like Toy Soldiers" in 2005. Eminem however was featured on Akon's chart topping single "Smack That" in 2006. As for Rihanna, the chart topper placed her with Elvis Presley and The Beatles in the chart's history, as just one of three acts to have scored seven number ones in Britain over seven consecutive years. The song was commercially successful around Europe, reaching the top of the charts in eight countries and entered the top 10 in every territory it charted in. In Asia and Oceania, the single was a huge hit reaching the top position in many countries, including Australia and Lebanon where it spent seven weeks at number one in "The Official Lebanese Top 20".


title: The Monster (song)

text: Released on December 16, 2013, the song's accompanying music video, Eminem's third to be directed by the American filmmaker Rich Lee, depicts Rihanna as Eminem's therapist in a session, as previous videos from his career are shown and referenced including "Mockingbird", "My Name Is", "Lose Yourself", "3 a.m.", "The Way I Am" and the 2001 Grammy Awards performance of "Stan" with Elton John. The video was well received and earned three nominations at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, in the categories for "Best Male Video", "Best Collaboration" and "Best Direction". Eminem and Rihanna performed the song live at the 2014 MTV Movie Awards.


title: The Monster (song)

text: The Russian-American guitarist Alex Feather Akimov, released a guitar cover of "The Monster", a recording that was recognized by Billboard.biz (Web Trends).


title: The Monster (song)

text: The Welsh band the Beef Seeds recorded a bluegrass version of "The Monster" on their album "Keepin' it Beefy" (EP) (released January 27, 2014 on iTunes)


title: Ryan Braun

text: Ryan Joseph Braun (born November 17, 1983) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played his entire career for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2007 to 2020. Braun also played right field and first base during his career, and was a third baseman during his rookie season.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was a two-time All-American at the University of Miami, where he was named "National Freshman of the Year" by "Baseball America" in 2003. The Brewers drafted him in the first round (fifth overall) in the 2005 MLB draft. He was the team's Minor League Player of the Year in 2006.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was considered a five-tool player for his ability to hit for power and average, his baserunning speed, and his excellent fielding and arm strength. He was ranked number seven by the "Sporting News" in its 2012 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. He was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2007, won five Silver Slugger awards (2008–12), and won the NL Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in 2011. He was named to five straight All-Star Games (2008–12), and was later named to a team-high sixth All-Star Game in 2015. Braun led the NL three times in slugging percentage (in 2007, 2011, and 2012) and once each in hits (2009), home runs (2012), and runs (2012). He will be inducted into the Brewers Wall of Honor in 2022.


title: Ryan Braun

text: However, Braun came under scrutiny for a testosterone test that he failed in 2011 and then for his connection in 2012 to the Biogenesis of America clinic that provided performance-enhancing drugs to professional baseball players. On July 22, 2013, Braun was suspended without pay for the remainder of the 2013 season and playoffs (totaling 65 regular-season games) for violating the league's drug policy. Braun made public his accusations of anti-semitism by the testing facility employee administering the urine sample after initial suspension. The test and suspension were later dismissed for procedural mishandling of the sample. However, Braun’s connection to Biogenesis of America again led to his suspension from baseball in the middle of the 2013 season until 2014.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Ryan Braun was born on November 17, 1983, to Joe and Diane Braun. He and his younger brother Steve were raised in Los Angeles. He grew up a Los Angeles Dodgers fan. Braun's PONY League teammates included Jack and Matt Cassel, Jason and Jarron Collins, as well as Jon Garland. Braun later picked up basketball, which became his favorite sport, and soccer, in which he played forward. By the time he entered high school, Braun chose to focus solely on baseball.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun attended Granada Hills High School in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, California. He was a four-year letterman on the school's baseball team, and three-year team captain and Most Valuable Player (MVP). He played shortstop and pitched through his junior year. As a sophomore in 2000, he recorded the highest batting average of his prep career (.456), while posting a .654 on-base percentage (OBP). During his junior year, he hit .421, with a .668 OBP. Braun capped off his high school career by batting .451 as a senior, with an OBP of .675, and breaking the school record for career home runs with 25. He graduated in 2002, but went undrafted as he told teams that he intended to attend college.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Offered baseball scholarships by Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, he instead attended the University of Miami on an academic scholarship, due to his excellent high school grades. He chose Miami for its academics, its athletics, and its social scene, noting: "I think the girls were the deal closer on the recruiting trip."


title: Ryan Braun

text: There, Braun was named "National Freshman of the Year", and a first-team "Freshman All-American", by "Baseball America" in 2003, as well as first team All American by the "Jewish Sports Review". He was also named first-team All-American by "Collegiate Baseball". After the 2004 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League.


title: Ryan Braun

text: During his junior year, his final and most successful at Miami, Braun batted .396 with 18 home runs, a .726 slugging percentage, 76 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases. He was ninth in slugging and 10th in RBIs in NCAA Division I, and was named to "Baseball America"s 2005 College All-American Team as the DH. He moved from shortstop to third base during the year. His performance earned Braun the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Player of the Year award, and a spot as one of the finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, the most prestigious individual award in college baseball. He was inducted into the University of Miami Hall of Fame in 2017.


title: Ryan Braun

text: The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Braun in the first round (fifth overall) in the 2005 major league draft as a third baseman, and he signed for $2.45 million.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Assigned to the Helena Brewers in the Advanced Rookie Pioneer League in 2005, Braun batted .341/.383/.585 in 10 games. He was then promoted to the West Virginia Power in the Class A South Atlantic League, where he hit .355/.396/.645, and was rated the fifth-best prospect in the league. His most memorable moment there was when he hit a walk-off grand slam to lead the Power into the playoffs.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun began 2006 playing for the A-Advanced Brevard County Manatees. He earned a spot in the Florida State League All-Star game, and played in the All-Star Futures Game. He was rated the top third base prospect in the FSL, and "Baseball America" rated him the best batting prospect in the league. On June 21, Braun was promoted to the Class AA Huntsville Stars (Alabama) of the Southern League. In July he was voted the Brewers' Organizational Player of the Month, and at the end of the season he was voted the sixth-best prospect in the Southern League. Collectively between Class A and Class AA, Braun finished with a .289 average, 22 home runs, 77 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases. He received the 2006 "Robin Yount Performance Award" as the Milwaukee Brewers Minor League Player of the Year.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Later in 2006, in the Arizona Fall League he hit .326/.396/.641 in 92 at bats for the Scottsdale Scorpions. He led the AFL with 16 extra-base hits, tied for tops with 9 doubles, ranked second in slugging percentage and HR/AB ratio (1/15), tied for second in home runs (6), and tied for third in RBIs (25). He was rated one of the top three prospects in the league, and was voted to the AFL All-Prospects Team.


title: Ryan Braun

text: "Baseball America" rated Braun the Brewers' #2 prospect for 2007. He began the year with the Nashville Sounds of the AAA Pacific Coast League. Before being called up to the majors in late May, in 113 at bats he led the PCL with a .726 slugging percentage while batting .354 (6th), with 10 home runs (T-2nd) and a .426 on-base percentage (5th).


title: Ryan Braun

text: The Brewers brought Braun to spring training in 2007. Their regular third baseman Corey Koskie was suffering from post-concussion syndrome, and missed the entire year. In 11 spring training games, Braun tied for 10th in the majors in home runs (5), and second in RBIs (15).


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2007, Braun had what some sportswriters called one of the most dominant rookie seasons in baseball history. Called up on May 24 by the Brewers, he hit his first major league home run two nights later. Braun was voted the National League (NL) Rookie of the Month for June, ranking first in RBIs (21) and tied for first in home runs (6) among NL rookies that month. He also recorded a .716 slugging percentage and a .435 OBP. In July, Braun became the fastest in Brewer history to hit 10 major league home runs, doing so in his 38th game. He hit his 15th home run in the 50th game of his career, and his 20th in his 64th game, making him the fastest to those milestones since Albert Pujols in 2001. He was also the fastest to 20 homers in Brewers history. At month's end, he received his second consecutive NL Rookie of the Month Award, as well as his first NL Player of the Month Award (making him the first player to have won both awards in the same month). He hit a league-leading 11 home runs, with 25 RBIs, while batting .345.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In mid-August, Yost moved Braun from third in the batting order to cleanup, switching him with Prince Fielder. The move was expected to allow Braun to steal more, as batting before Fielder was not conducive to him risking being thrown out on steal attempts. Additionally, successfully stealing a base would hypothetically allow opponents to intentionally walk Fielder and avoid pitching to him. At the end of the month, however, Yost reverted to his previous batting order.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On August 26, Braun hit his 25th home run in his 82nd game, quicker than any major leaguer since Mark McGwire in 1987.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On September 9, the Brewers became the third team in major league history to start a game with three straight home runs, as Rickie Weeks, J. J. Hardy, and Braun homered in consecutive at bats. Braun said, "That was pretty cool. I was never part of something like that before." Braun's home run in that game also broke the Brewers rookie record for home runs (28). Braun hit his 30th homer in his 94th game, a pace no player had set to start a career since McGwire hit 30 in 84 games during 1986 and 1987.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun finished with an NL-leading .634 slugging percentage, a mark that set new all-time rookie and Brewers records. He was fifth in the league in at bats per home run (13.3) and OPS (1.004), tied for fifth in home runs (34), and eighth in batting average (.324) among hitters with at least 490 plate appearances. He led the Brewers in batting average and slugging percentage, and was second behind Fielder in home runs, runs (91), and RBIs (97), tied for second in triples (6), and third in OBP (.370) and steals (15), despite not having played in the first 48 games of the season. Braun obliterated the club rookie records of 28 home runs and 81 RBIs, set by Fielder in 2006.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun had considerable success against left-handed pitchers. He had the best batting average (.450), OBP (.516), and slugging percentage (.964) of any major league hitter with at least 125 plate appearances against lefties, and was tied for second in the majors in home runs (15). Braun credits his father with his success against lefties. "My dad is left-handed, so growing up, the majority of time, I took batting practice off of him."


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun collected several awards at season's end. He won the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year Award in a vote by 32 members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He beat out Troy Tulowitzki by 2 points in the closest NL vote since the system was revised in 1980. Of all prior NL Rookies of the Year, only Pujols and Willie McCovey hit for higher batting averages in their rookie year. Braun was voted the 2007 NL "Sporting News" Rookie of the Year by 488 major league players and 30 managers. Braun also received the 2007 Players Choice NL Most Outstanding Rookie in a vote by his fellow major league players. "When your peers recognize you with an award, that's great", he said. "Those are the guys out there on the field with you, competing against you. Their opinion counts the most, for a player." In voting for the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, Braun received two 10th-place votes and finished 24th overall.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In March 2008, the Brewers renewed Braun's contract for $455,000, a $75,000 increase. Braun then signed an 8-year, $45–$51 million contract extension (the total depending on his "Super 2" service-time ranking after the 2009 season) on May 15, 2008. The contract was through the year 2015. The deal included Braun's $455,000 salary for 2008, and a $2.3 million bonus in 2008. It could have increased to $51 million through incentives. Braun also had a no-trade clause for the first four years, and then a limited no-trade clause allowing him to block deals to 12 teams from 2012 to 2013, and 6 teams from 2014 to 2015. The contract would keep Braun locked up through his age-31 season. It was the largest contract in Brewers' history, surpassing Jeff Suppan's. It was also the largest contract in baseball history given to a player with less than three years' experience. Braun's agent, Nez Balelo, crunched enough numbers to show him what he potentially could have made over the life of this contract if he had chosen not to sign it. "But the question I ultimately asked myself was, `What can't I buy with that amount of money?"' Braun said.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun drove in 134 runs in his first 162 games in the majors, more RBIs than any active player. He reached the 150-RBI milestone faster than any major leaguer since Boston's Walt Dropo needed only 155 games, in 1949–51. On June 17, 2008, he drove in his 152nd career RBI, in his 182nd game.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was named the NL's Player of the Month, after batting .366 in July (6th in the NL) with 9 home runs (3rd), and 23 RBIs (7th). He also led the league with 76 total bases and 18 extra base hits, and was among NL leaders with 37 hits (2nd), 3 triples (2nd), and a 1.163 OPS (3rd). He had back-to-back 4-hit games, just the 5th player in team history to accomplish that feat. "It's a huge honor", Braun said. "The way I look at it, you're the MVP of the National League for that month. It's definitely a big accomplishment.


title: Ryan Braun

text: As of August 8, Braun's major league career start was one of the best ever. In 227 games to start a career, he was first with 558 total bases and 133 extra base hits, second with 64 home runs, and tied for second with 181 RBIs.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On August 9, Braun strained the intercostal muscles around his oblique ribcage. That led to him missing a number of games, and shortening his swing for a few weeks. After returning, on September 25 he hit his first grand slam, delivering a 2-out, 2–2 pitch from the Pirates' Jesse Chavez into the left field bleachers of Miller Park in the bottom of the 10th inning, winning the game 5–1, and keeping the Brewers' 2008 postseason hopes alive. Braun became the first—and as of July 2018, the only—player to hit a walk-off grand slam at Miller Park. Three days later, Braun helped put the Brewers into the postseason for the first time since 1982, by hitting a go-ahead 2-run homer in the bottom of the 8th against the Chicago Cubs. The homer was the difference in the game, which gave the Brewers a one-game lead over the New York Mets for the NL wild card.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was a starting outfielder for the NL in the 2008 All Star Game. He finished first in fan voting among NL outfielders, and second among all NL players, with 3,835,840 votes, behind only Chase Utley of the Phillies (3,889,602). He also finished first in player voting. Braun was the first Brewers outfielder voted to start an All Star game. He was one of seven first-time starters in the game, and–along with Kosuke Fukudome and Josh Hamilton–one of only three who had not reached the major leagues until 2007 or 2008.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun came in third in the Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium. "It's something you dream about", Braun said. "That's as big a stage as you can get on... it's going to be a lot of fun." He had his friend and agent, Nez Balelo, a former minor league infielder, pitch to him. He hit seven home runs in each of the first and second rounds, finishing with 14 (three behind finalist Justin Morneau, who hit five in the final round to win the Derby).


title: Ryan Braun

text: On June 3, Braun became the third-fastest major leaguer to reach 50 career home runs. He did so in 171 career games; the only players to reach that plateau sooner were Rudy York and Mark McGwire. On July 8, Braun hit his 56th home run in his 200th game, the third-highest total ever in a major leaguer's initial 200 games, behind McGwire (59) and York (59).


title: Ryan Braun

text: In early August, Braun hit his 30th home run, becoming just the second player in MLB history to hit 30 or more homers in each of his first two seasons. Braun hit 71 home runs in his first two seasons, tying him with Pujols for fourth all-time. Joe DiMaggio tops the list with 75 home runs, followed by Ralph Kiner (74) and Eddie Mathews (72).


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2008, in 151 games Braun hit 37 home runs (tied for 4th in the NL, behind Ryan Howard, Adam Dunn, and Carlos Delgado), with 106 RBIs (9th), and batted .285 with a .553 slugging percentage (5th). He also led the league with 83 extra base hits, and had 338 total bases (2nd in the NL), 7 triples (6th), 16.5 at-bats-per-home-run (10th), and 611 at bats (10th). 12.5% of his plate appearances were extra base hits (3rd in the NL; behind Ryan Ludwick and Pujols), he had 29 infield hits (7th), and he stole third base 6 times (9th).


title: Ryan Braun

text: Against starting pitchers, Braun hit .244 the first time he faced them in a game, .331 the second time, and .328 with a .672 slugging percentage the third time. Braun led the Brewers in batting average, slugging percentage, triples, home runs, RBIs, extra base hits, total bases, at-bats-per-home run, OPS (.888), runs (92), and hits (174).


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun hit .313 in October against the Phillies in his first postseason series, which the Brewers lost 3–1.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was voted to the 2008 NL "Sporting News" All Star Team, by a panel of 41 major league general managers and assistant general managers. He also won the 2008 NL Outfielder Silver Slugger Award. In voting for the 2008 NL MVP award, Braun was third (with 139 points), behind Pujols and Ryan Howard.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2009, Braun was named to "Sporting News"' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball, ranking No. 32. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, were polled to arrive at the list.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was invited to play for Team USA in 2009 in the second World Baseball Classic. "I'm really excited to get to represent my country", he said. "It's an honor just to get invited for the event." He batted .381 as the team's starting left fielder, helping it reach the semi-finals.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was named NL Player of the Week for May 4–10, after leading the NL with 12 RBIs for the week while hitting .458/.567/.958 with 3 home runs. He hit the second grand slam of his career and recorded a career-high six RBIs on May 6, and on May 9 he reached base in all five of his plate appearances.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun led all NL outfielders in fan voting for the All Star Game for the second year in a row, with 4.1 million votes, ahead of Raúl Ibañez and Carlos Beltrán. He was third among all NL vote-getters, trailing Pujols and Chase Utley. He was the first Brewer to be voted in as a starter in consecutive years since Robin Yount (in 1982 and 1983), and the third Brewer position player voted to start twice, along with Yount and Paul Molitor (1980 and 1988). Braun started in right field, the first time he had ever played the position, and batted cleanup, going 0–2.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was second all-time, with 79 home runs over his first two calendar years in the major leagues, to Phillies Hall of Famer Chuck Klein (83); ahead of third-place Joe DiMaggio and Mark McGwire (77). If Braun continues to hit home runs at the rate he had hit them through July 1, 2009, he will reach 600 home runs in his 15th major league season. In September, Braun became the second-fastest active player to hit 100 home runs (behind only Ryan Howard), as he hit his 100th homer in his 400th major league game. Braun's 103 home runs in his first three Major League seasons are sixth-most in baseball history, behind Pujols (114), Mark Teixeira (107), and three Hall of Famers—Kiner (114), Matthews (112), and Joe DiMaggio (107).


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2009, Braun had even greater success against left-handed pitchers. Against them he had the second-best OBP (.475), slugging percentage (.723), and OPS (1.198), and third-best batting average (.395), of all NL hitters with at least 125 plate appearances.


title: Ryan Braun

text: He finished the season with an NL-leading 203 hits, becoming the first Brewer to lead his league in hits since Molitor topped the AL in 1991. Braun became the fourth Brewer in team history to collect 200 or more hits in a season, and the first in 18 years. His .320 batting average at the end of the season was the highest by a Brewer since Jeff Cirillo hit .326 in 1999.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2009, in addition to leading the NL in hits, Braun was 2nd in runs (113), 4th in RBIs (114), total bases (350), extra base hits (77), and hit by pitch (13), 7th in batting average (.320) and power-speed number (24.6), 8th in OPS (.937), 9th in slugging percentage (.551) and doubles (39), tied for 10th in triples (6), and tied for 11th in home runs (32). He was also 4th in the league in infield hits (25).


title: Ryan Braun

text: He became only the second Brewer ever to hit 30 home runs and steal 20 bases in the same season. Braun also became the eighth player in major league history with at least 100 runs, 100 RBIs, 200 hits, 30 homers, 20 stolen bases, and a .300 average in the same season.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was voted to the NL "Sporting News" All Star Team in 2009, making it for the second year in a row. He received votes from all 14 voting NL team executives (as did Pujols and Utley; Mauer was named on all AL ballots). Braun was awarded the 2009 NL Outfielder Silver Slugger Award, winning it for the second year in a row. He became the first Brewer since Molitor, more than two decades prior, to win a Silver Slugger Award in consecutive years. Cecil Cooper is the only other Brewer to have done it.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was named to "Sporting News"' 2010 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball, ranking No. 22.


title: Ryan Braun

text: He was elected a starting NL All Star outfielder for the third year in a row, in 2010. Braun led all major league outfielders in All Star votes for the third straight year, with 2,972,525, despite Milwaukee being the smallest media market in the majors. As in 2009, he received more votes than any NL players other than Pujols and Utley. He became the first Brewer to be a three-time All Star starter, passing Yount and Molitor.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was named NL Player of the Week for August 1–8, after leading the majors with a .538 batting average, 14 hits, and 8 runs scored, and notching a career-best five-hit performance in one game.


title: Ryan Braun

text: For the season, Braun was second in the NL in hits (188) and doubles (45), 5th in total bases (310), 6th in runs (101), 7th in RBIs (103) and extra base hits (71), and 9th in batting average (.304).


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun hit the eighth-most home runs by any major leaguer through his first four seasons with 128. He also became the fifth player in major league history to hit at least 125 homers with a .300 average over his first four seasons. His 94 home runs in 2008–10 were the most by any right-handed outfielder.


title: Ryan Braun

text: He was the first player in Brewers history to hit 20 or more home runs in each of his first four seasons, and the third Brewer to have 100 or more RBIs in three consecutive seasons. He also became the second player in Brewers history to have consecutive 100-RBI, 100-run seasons.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was awarded the 2010 NL Outfielder Silver Slugger Award, winning it for the third year in a row. He became the second Brewer to win a Silver Slugger Award in three consecutive years. Robin Yount is the only other Brewer to have won the award three times (1980, 1982, and 1989). Braun was also voted to the 2010 NL "Sporting News" All Star Team, making the team for the third year in a row.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2011, Braun was again named to "Sporting News"' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball, ranking No. 16. A panel of 21 MLB executives was polled to arrive at the list.


title: Ryan Braun

text: He was named NL Player of the Month for April, after tying for the NL lead in home runs (10) and runs scored (24), while setting a new team record by reaching base in 28 consecutive games to start a season (erasing Yount's record of 23 games, set in 1983). He was also named NL Player of the Week, for the week ended April 25.


title: Ryan Braun

text: He led all National League players in All Star balloting, with an NL-record 5.93 million votes, as he garnered more votes than any other NL outfielder for the fourth year in a row. He was voted an NL All Star starter for a franchise record fourth time. Braun had a 23-game hitting streak, the third-longest in team history.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On August 31, he hit a ball deep to left-center field and tried for an inside-the-park home run, but fell on his way to home plate and was tagged out. The crowd gave him a standing ovation for his effort.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On September 23, Braun hit a three-run, 450-foot home run that sealed the Brewers' NL-Central-clinching victory. He was named the NL Player of the Month for the fourth time in his career in September, after tying for second in the league with 8 home runs and 22 RBIs, while batting .330.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2011, Braun led the National League in slugging percentage (.597), OPS (.994), and extra base hits (77). He was 2nd in the NL in batting average (.332), runs (109), and total bases (336), 4th in RBIs (111) and doubles (38; tied), 5th in on-base percentage (.397) and hits (187), 6th in home runs (33; T), and 7th in stolen bases (33; a career high). On defense, he led all major league left fielders in fielding percentage, at .996.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun became the 7th player to have at least four 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons in his first five years. He also became the 11th major leaguer to hit at least 30 home runs in four of his first five seasons.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2011, Braun became the second Brewer (and 56th player in MLB history) to join the 30–30 club. He was also the second player in Brewers' history to have two 20-steals/20-homers seasons. He became the first Brewer to post three 100-run, 100-RBI seasons. In addition, he became one of three Brewers who have had four 100-RBI seasons.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Through 2011, he was third among active ballplayers in career slugging percentage (.563), behind Pujols and Alex Rodriguez, and first among left fielders in career fielding percentage (.994). He was also the Brewers' all-time leader in career batting average (.312), slugging percentage, and OPS (.933), and fourth in on-base percentage (.371).


title: Ryan Braun

text: In the 2011 playoffs, through October 14 Braun set the major league postseason record by reaching base in the first inning in nine consecutive playoff games. He also tied Yount and Molitor for the Brewers' team record with his 22nd career postseason hit, and tied Charlie Moore for team's longest postseason hitting streak, at 7 games. In the postseason he led the Brewers with a .405 batting average, while driving in a team-best 10 RBIs.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was awarded the 2011 NL Outfielder Silver Slugger Award, winning it for the fourth year in a row. That set a Brewers team record, and he became the fourth NL outfielder to win the award four years in a row. He was named the team's 2011 MVP in unanimous voting by the Milwaukee chapter of the BBWAA.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On November 22, Braun was named the NL MVP award winner for the 2011 season, receiving 20 of 32 first place votes.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On April 30, 2012, he became the first player to hit 3 home runs in one game at Petco Park. Braun was named to his fifth consecutive NL All-Star team as a reserve outfielder. It marked Braun's fifth All-Star honor, tying him with Cecil Cooper and Paul Molitor for the most in Brewers franchise history. On July 20, Braun had his 1,000th career hit. He accomplished the feat in his 815th game, sooner in his career than Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader, who did it in his 831st game.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On September 16, Braun hit his 200th career home run in his 867th game, against the New York Mets, faster than all but four active players in the Majors (Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, Adam Dunn, and Alex Rodriguez). In his following at bat, Braun hit another home run, his 40th of the year, the first time he had reached the 40-home-run mark.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2012, Braun led the National League in home runs (41), runs scored (108), total bases (356), and power-speed number (34.6), and led the league in OPS (.987) and extra-base hits (80) for the second consecutive year. He was 2nd in the NL in RBIs (112), slugging percentage (.595), and hits (191), 3rd in batting average (.319), 4th in on-base percentage (.391), and 9th in stolen bases (30). On defense, he led all NL left fielders in putouts (276) and in range factor/game (1.87). By driving in more than 100 runs in 2012 for the fifth consecutive year, Braun became the first player in Brewers history to have five 100-RBI seasons. Cecil Cooper and Prince Fielder each drove in 100 runs four times. Braun became the ninth player in major league history to have a season of 40 home runs and 30 stolen bases.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun was awarded the 2012 NL Outfielder Silver Slugger Award, winning it for the fifth year in a row. His five consecutive awards are the longest active streak in the major leagues.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2013, Braun played in 61 games with a .298 batting average, including 14 doubles, 9 home runs, and 38 RBIs in 225 at bats. On July 22, 2013, Braun was suspended without pay for the remainder of the season after admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs during his 2011 NL MVP season, thus violating the Basic Agreement and its Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.


title: Ryan Braun

text: After the Brewers traded right fielder Norichika Aoki to the Royals for pitcher Will Smith, Braun moved to right field, opening a spot for Khris Davis to play left field.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2014, Braun batted a career-low .266, with 19 home runs while leading the Brewers with 81 RBIs and tying for the team lead with 6 triples. He finished the season with 230 career home runs, and during the season he tied Brewers records with 3 home runs and 7 RBIs in one game. He also became the 12th player to appear in 1,000 games with the Brewers.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun underwent surgery in October to desensitize the pain receptors near the nerves at the base of his right thumb. The problem was affecting his grip on the bat. The surgery was performed by Dr. Vernon Williams. Through 2014, he was fifth among all active ballplayers in career slugging percentage, and second among active left fielders in career fielding percentage.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2015, Braun was named to the All Star Team representing the National League. It was the sixth time he was selected as an All Star, a team record, surpassing the prior record shared with Cecil Cooper and Paul Molitor.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On August 19, Braun hit his 252nd career home run during a game against the Miami Marlins, setting the record as All-Time Home Run leader in Milwaukee Brewers franchise history. The record was previously held by Robin Yount.


title: Ryan Braun

text: For the season, Braun batted .285 with a .498 slugging percentage (9th in the league), and 25 home runs, 84 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases (8th in the NL; his 85.71 stolen base percentage was 5th in the league), with a 24.5 power-speed # (3rd in the league) and a .991 fielding percentage (2nd in the league for right fielders). It was his fourth 20/20 season, and only three other players in the majors had one in 2015. He was named Brewers Most Valuable Player, for the third time, by the Milwaukee Chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He was also the Brewers' nominee for the Hank Aaron Award.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2016, Braun batted .305 (10th in the National League) with a .538 slugging percentage (8th) and .903 OPS (9th), and 30 home runs (his 6th 30+ HR season), 91 RBIs (his 7th 90+ RBI season), and 16 stolen bases. His 12 assists as a left fielder were 2nd in the league (as he led the NL with 3 double plays from left field), he was second among league left fielders in fielding percentage at .987, his 10 intentional walks were 6th in the NL, and his 20.9 power-speed # was 7th. He tied the Brewers record and his career high (2x) with 7 RBIs on August 6. He was named Brewers Most Valuable Player, for the fourth time, by the Milwaukee Chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He was also the Brewers' nominee for the Hank Aaron Award and the Roberto Clemente Award.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On July 14, 2017, Braun hit his sixth career grand slam, breaking a tie with Cecil Cooper, John Jaha, and Jeromy Burnitz for the most in Brewers history. He became the only active player to lead his team's all-time list in the category.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On September 8, Braun hit his 300th career home run, the first Brewer to do so. With the home run he became the 6th baseball player to have at least 300 home runs and 180 stolen bases in his first 11 big league seasons, joining Willie Mays (368 HRs, 240 SB), Reggie Jackson (313 HRs, 188 SB), Barry Bonds (334 HRs, 380 SB), Sammy Sosa (336 HRs, 224 SB), and Alex Rodriguez (381 HRs, 205 SB). For the season, he batted .268/.336/.487 with 17 home runs and 52 RBIs, after being limited to 104 games and 380 at bats due to calf and wrist injuries.


title: Ryan Braun

text: After the Brewers acquired outfielders Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain, they announced that they intended to have Braun play some first base during the season to ease their logjam in the outfield. For the season, he played 93 games in left field and 18 at first base.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On April 19, Braun hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run for his 1,000th career RBI. He became the 9th active ballplayer, and the 284th in Major League history, to reach that number. In Brewers’ history, only Robin Yount has had more RBIs (1,406). For the season, he batted .254/.313/.469 with 20 home runs and 64 RBIs, in 405 at bats.


title: Ryan Braun

text: After the regular season, he became the team's all-time postseason hits leader, passing Yount and Molitor, with five hits in the NL Division Series. Braun batted .385 in the 2018 National League Division Series, bringing his career division series batting average to .404, tied for sixth-best all-time.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun made his 12th career Opening Day start, tying Paul Molitor for second in team history, behind only Robin Yount (19). On April 6, 2019, Braun scored his 1,000th career run (third-most in Brewers history, behind Molitor (1,275) and Yount (1,632)). He was the only player of the nine active major league players with 1,000 runs scored to have scored them all for one team.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On May 4, Braun had the first 6-hit game of his career, tying the Brewers record, in an 18-inning game against the New York Mets, in which he drove in the winning run. On September 25 he hit his eighth career grand slam, a Brewers record. For the season, he batted .285/.343/.505 with 22 home runs and 75 RBIs, while stealing 11 bases in 12 attempts, in 459 at bats. It was his 10th career 20+ home run season.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Brewers manager Craig Counsell said that during the 2020 season Braun would spend some time at DH, and would also play right field and first base. Braun entered the final guaranteed year of his contract, as he and the Brewers had a $15 million mutual option for 2021, with a $4 million buyout. On September 16, Braun hit his 350th career home run, and was fifth in homers among all active players, and tied for 95th among MLB’s all-time home run hitters (one behind Dick Allen). In the pandemic-shortened 2020 regular season, Braun slashed .233/.281/.488 with 8 home runs and 26 RBIs in 129 at bats. In October, the Brewers opted to pay Braun the $4 million buyout rather than exercising the $15 million option, making him a free agent for the first time in his career.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On December 10, 2011, the results of a confidential urine test conducted on Braun in October 2011 were leaked to ESPN's "Outside the Lines". ESPN reported that Braun had tested positive for an elevated level of testosterone caused by a performance-enhancing drug and faced a 50-game suspension. The "Daily News" quoted a source who said that the test results were "insanely high, the highest ever for anyone who has ever taken a test, twice the level of the highest test ever taken".


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun appealed the positive drug test in January 2012. He contended that the test collector, Dino Laurenzi Jr., mishandled his urine sample. Under MLB's drug-testing program, samples should be sent to the laboratory on the same day they are collected "absent unusual circumstance". Braun's sample was collected and sealed on a Saturday. Laurenzi stated that no FedEx delivery center was open; therefore, he followed protocol, stored the samples in a Rubbermaid container, and dropped them off at an open FedEx center on Monday. Braun pointed out there were at least five FedEx locations within five miles that were open until 9 p.m. and there also was a 24-hour location. MLB argued that there was no evidence of tampering of the sample, and the United States Anti-Doping Agency said the testosterone levels in the samples would not grow in a refrigerator over a weekend. A second test conducted by an independent laboratory showed normal testosterone levels.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On February 22, 2012, a three-member panel overturned the test results by a vote of two to one. It was the first time that an MLB player had successfully challenged a drug test result. The arbitration panel, consisting of MLB representative Rob Manfred, players' union lawyer Michael Weiner, and arbitrator Shyam Das, determined that Braun had raised valid questions about the manner in which Laurenzi had handled his sample. "The New York Times" wrote that Braun "won on a technicality".


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun expressed relief at the panel's decision, saying, "'We were able to get through this because I am innocent and the truth is on our side'". Braun added, "'There were a lot of things that we learned about the collector, about the collection process, about the way that the entire thing worked, that made us very concerned and very suspicious about what could have actually happened'".


title: Ryan Braun

text: In February 2013, Yahoo! Sports reported that Braun's name appeared three times in records of Biogenesis of America, a Coral Gables clinic alleged to have distributed performance-enhancing drugs to a number of Major League Baseball players who tested positive for banned substances. One entry noted that Braun owed the clinic between $20,000 and $30,000. Braun's name was not listed next to any specific PEDs, unlike some of the other players mentioned in the records. Braun released a statement maintaining that his attorneys had retained the clinic's operator, Anthony Bosch, as a consultant during his appeal of his positive drug test the previous season, and denied any further dealings with the clinic.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Later that month, ESPN's "Outside the Lines" obtained a new Biogenesis document from April 2012 listing Braun among three other MLB players with the notation: "MLB Ryan Braun + 1500." An ESPN source said to be familiar with Bosch's operation claimed the list was of players who obtained PEDs from Bosch and their respective balances, with a circle around the plus sign next to a player's name indicating his balance was paid off. In late April, Bosch confirmed to ESPN that Braun's legal team merely consulted with him during Braun's appeal, and confirmed that he never spoke to Braun himself.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On June 4, 2013, ESPN reported that MLB was preparing suspensions for players linked to using PEDs provided by Biogenesis of America and Bosch. ESPN reported that Braun could have been suspended for as many as 100 games if found guilty, although the appeals process could have taken months and would not have yielded a suspension until 2014.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On July 22, 2013, MLB suspended Braun for the remaining 65 games of the regular season, plus the entire postseason, for his involvement with the Biogenesis clinic. Braun, who lost $3.25 million as a result, did not appeal the suspension. In a statement, he said, "I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions." ESPN reported that Braun decided to "strike a deal" with MLB after being presented with the evidence against him. Called a "liar", he was heavily criticized by the media and other players, particularly for tarnishing Laurenzi's reputation. In particular, it was later exposed that Braun engaged in a campaign for support from players around the league.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Although the standard suspension for a first offense under MLB's drug policy was, at that time, 50 games, Braun was suspended an additional 15 games for his actions during and after his appeal of the 2011 test. According to the "Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel", MLB officials were particularly angered by a speech Braun made during 2012 spring training in which he attacked Laurenzi's integrity (suggesting that he tampered with the test because he supported the rival Chicago Cubs or was personally anti-Semitic) and the integrity of the drug program as a whole. MLB considered Braun's speech, as well as his earlier attacks on Laurenzi, to be conduct detrimental to baseball—an offense punishable under the collective bargaining agreement, not the drug policy. Braun accepted the additional suspension without appeal because of overwhelming evidence in the Biogenesis case.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On August 22, 2013, Braun released a statement in which he apologized for using PEDs. He claimed to have used PEDs during the later part of the 2011 season to help him recover from a nagging injury. Braun said that using PEDs was "'a huge mistake'", adding that he had "'compounded the situation by not admitting my mistakes immediately'". Braun also apologized to Laurenzi, stating that he "'deeply regretted'" the comments he had made about him.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun had the ability to hit for average and significant power. His swing was compact and short, with high bat speed and a protracted follow-through. Braun waited well on offspeed pitches and hit the ball to all fields. He was able to drive the ball regardless of where in the strike zone it was pitched. Brewers hitting coach Jim Skaalen observed: "He's got tremendously quick hands and really hits through the ball. He stays on the ball as well as anyone we've got."


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun's speed garnered him comparisons to New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. Braun has been timed at 4.2 seconds to first base from the right side of the plate. In spring training in 2007, he was second-fastest in the Brewers' 60-yard dash.


title: Ryan Braun

text: A shortstop most of his early life and in college, Braun was inconsistent on defense after switching to third base in 2006. However, he was noted for his athleticism, his occasional web gems, and particularly for his powerful throwing arm, which was rated the best infield arm in the Brewers' minor league system by "Baseball America" in early 2007. Braun was charged with 34 errors in 2006, the majority on throws. "It's a matter of proper footwork", said Ash in early 2007. "Most of his problems come because he relies on his arm, which is very strong."


title: Ryan Braun

text: While Yost removed Braun from a number of games in September 2007 for defense, he praised Braun for his improvements. "The great thing about it is it doesn't involve throwing at all now", said Yost, referring to Braun's biggest issue in the spring. "It involves first-step quickness to the ball, which will increase his range. [He needs to] soften his hands a little bit. [His] hand-eye coordination to the ball needs to be a little better. That comes with repetition, repetition, repetition." Braun finished 2007 last of all eligible third basemen in fielding percentage (.895, with 26 errors; only the fourth third baseman since 1916 to play 100 games or more in a season and have a fielding percentage under .900), range factor (2.11), and zone rating (.697). His target at first base was Prince Fielder, who finished 2007 last of all eligible major league first basemen in range factor (8.49), and first in errors (14). Similarly, his target at second base, Rickie Weeks, had the lowest fielding percentage of all NL second basemen (.976), and the lowest zone rating among all major league second basemen (.737).


title: Ryan Braun

text: It was suggested that it was possible that Braun would learn to play the position adequately, given that David Wright (who tied for the major league lead in errors by a third baseman in 2005, his second in the league) in 2007 became a "passable defender" (and won the NL Gold Glove at third base).


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun, for his part, noted after the 2007 season: "It's only my second full (professional) year of playing third base. I don't expect to be perfect, but I certainly expect to be better than I have been. I have to continue to work hard, and hopefully I'll improve."


title: Ryan Braun

text: In January 2008, however, the Brewers acquired three-time Gold Glove-winning center fielder Mike Cameron, prompting the team to move center fielder Bill Hall to third base and Braun to left field.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Before the news broke, Braun was taking ground balls at Pepperdine University near Los Angeles. General Manager Doug Melvin left him a voicemail, and after returning the call and learning of the team's plans Braun grabbed his outfield glove, and started taking fly balls. Braun supported the switch. "[The outfield glove] is not broken in yet, but it will get there. I feel like I'm a good enough athlete and have a good enough work ethic to make the transition pretty easily."


title: Ryan Braun

text: While Braun's outfield experience until then had consisted of "two games in center field my freshman year in high school," Braun had speed, arm strength that would make him stand out against other left fielders, and athleticism to make the transition. Early reports were good, as in spring training in 2008 he showed an ability to cover ground, go back on the ball, to his left into the gap, and to his right to cut off balls down the line. Braun looked good tracking liners and high fly balls, and took good routes when cutting off balls down the line or in the gap, holding batters to singles. In March 2008 Manager Ned Yost said that Braun has been "spectacular" in left, and "he's got an opportunity one day to win a Gold Glove in left field. He certainly does."


title: Ryan Braun

text: In July, by which time Braun was being mentioned in the press as a Gold Glove candidate, Ed Sedar, the Brewers' outfield defense expert, said: "He probably has the best arm in baseball in left field. He can cover more ground than 90% of the outfielders out there."


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2008, Braun led all major league outfielders with a 1.000 fielding percentage. He also led all NL left fielders in putouts (275), and was second in the league in range factor (1.95) and fourth in assists (9), in 1,310.1 innings.


title: Ryan Braun

text: On May 23, 2009, Braun was charged with his first error ever in 190 games in left field, when his throw to third was not caught by either Bill Hall or Craig Counsell, one of whom should have caught it according to Manager Ken Macha, but both of whom were confused as to who was covering the base. In July 2009, "ESPN"'s Jon Heyman wrote that Braun had "become a terrific left fielder in no time". Braun led all NL left fielders in 2009 with a .994 fielding percentage. He also led them in putouts (304) and range factor (2.06), was tied for the lead in double plays (2), and was third in assists (8), in 1,364 innings.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2010, Braun led NL left fielders in putouts for the third year in a row (279), was second in range factor per game (1.86), and 4th in assists (6).


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun's father Joe, most of whose side of the family was murdered in the Holocaust, was born in Israel. His father immigrated to the United States at age seven. His father is Jewish and his mother Diane is Catholic.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun has stated that he is Jewish, and has added that he is "'extremely proud to be a role model for young Jewish kids". Braun has also noted that he does not wish to make his Jewish identity "'into something more than what it is. I didn't have a Bar Mitzvah... I didn't celebrate the holidays'".


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun is one of the highest-drafted Jewish ballplayers in the history of professional baseball. Braun was considered the best Jewish minor league baseball prospect in 2006, and became major league baseball's first Jewish Rookie of the Year the following season. In each of 2007 and 2008, Braun hit more home runs (34 and 37) than all but 3 of the top 10 career Jewish home run hitters had hit in their best seasons. Only Hank Greenberg (58), Shawn Green (49), and Al Rosen (43) hit more in a single year. On June 8, 2019, he hit his 332nd home run, passing Hank Greenberg to become the all-time Jewish career home run leader.


title: Ryan Braun

text: "Braun" was, coincidentally, the family name of Sandy Koufax, until his mother remarried and he took his stepfather's name. "There's no [family] connection that I know of", Braun said, "but it's kind of cool." In another coincidence, Braun lived for a time with his maternal grandfather in a house that previously belonged to Jewish Hall of Fame first baseman Hank Greenberg. Braun's grandfather has lived in the house for over 40 years.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In December 2007, Braun was the only Jewish athlete invited by President George W. Bush to the annual Hanukkah Dinner at the White House, where he talked baseball with the President. Braun was later featured in the 2008 Hank Greenberg 75th Anniversary edition of Jewish Major Leaguers Baseball Cards, published in affiliation with Fleer Trading Cards and the American Jewish Historical Society, commemorating the Jewish Major Leaguers from 1871 through 2008. Braun was one of three Jewish players in the 2008 All-Star Game and one of three Jewish players on the Team USA 2009 World Baseball Classic team. He and Rangers pitcher Scott Feldman were voted the 2009 co-Jewish MVP by Jewish Major Leaguers, and he was voted the 2010 Jewish MVP as Breslow received the Most Valuable Jewish Pitcher honors. "There aren't too many Jewish athletes at the highest level", said Braun. "It's something that I certainly embrace."


title: Ryan Braun

text: "The Jewish Daily Forward" listed him as number five in the 2011 "Forward 50", its list of the 50 most significant American Jews.


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2011, Braun became the fourth Jewish player to win the Most Valuable Player Award, after Greenberg (1935 and 1940), Rosen (1953), and Koufax (1963). In April 2012, "Shalom Life" ranked him Number 5 on its list of "the 50 most talented, intelligent, funny, and gorgeous Jewish men in the world."


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun developed a signature fashion T-shirt line for Affliction Clothing, a California-based clothing manufacturer. In August 2008, he filmed a YouTube video with model Marisa Miller for Remington's ShortCut clippers. In October 2008, Apple released a commercial for a new iPhone, that showed a clip of Braun's 10th-inning walk-off grand slam against the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 25, 2008, which kept the Brewers' Wild Card hopes alive. Gatorade used the same clip in its November 2008 "League of Clutch" commercial.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun has signed endorsement deals with CytoSport, a supplement maker, Nike, Wilson, Mikita Sports for autographs and memorabilia, Sam Bat, and AirTran Airways, and is working on his own line of aluminum bats. He has appeared in commercials for Muscle Milk, Dick's Sporting Goods, and regional convenience store chain Kwik Trip. He turned down a request by ABC that he appear on the TV show "The Bachelor".


title: Ryan Braun

text: In 2010, Braun opened two restaurants in Wisconsin, Ryan Braun's Waterfront in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward and Ryan Braun's Tavern & Grill in Lake Geneva. In late 2010, Braun's Milwaukee location closed for remodeling and re-opened in April 2011 as Ryan Braun's Graffito, an Italian restaurant. In July 2012, Braun teamed up with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to open a restaurant, 8-Twelve, in Brookfield, Wisconsin.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun lost endorsement deals with Kwik Trip and Nike in 2013 after he was suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs. In September 2013, SURG Restaurant Group, which manages Ryan Braun's Graffito Restaurant and 8-Twelve MVP Bar & Grill, announced that it would end its relationship with Braun. 8-Twelve MVP Bar & Grill changed its name to "Hom" after losing its affiliation with Braun. Graffito closed in October of that year.


title: Ryan Braun

text: Braun and his wife, Larisa, have three children: a daughter who was born in September 2014, a son who was born in September 2017, and another son who was born in May 2020.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Rickenbacker International Corporation is a string instrument manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California. The company is credited as the first known maker of electric guitars – a steel guitar in 1932 – and today produces a range of electric guitars and basses.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Rickenbacker twelve-string guitars were favoured by George Harrison of the Beatles, Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, Pete Townshend of the Who, and Tom Petty. Players of the six-string include John Lennon of the Beatles, John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Paul Weller of the Jam, John Kay of Steppenwolf, Peter Buck of R.E.M., Johnny Marr of the Smiths, and Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles. Players who have used Rickenbacker basses include Paul McCartney of the Beatles, Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, Cliff Burton of Metallica, Roger Glover and Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Chuck Panozzo of Styx, Dougie Thomson of Supertramp, Paul Wilson of Snow Patrol, Bruce Foxton of the Jam, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers, Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy, Chris Squire of Yes, Geddy Lee of Rush, Al Cisneros of Sleep and Om, Paul D'Amour of Tool, Rick James, Kevin Parker of Tame Impala, and Dave Strait of The Slow Death.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Adolph Rickenbacher and George Beauchamp founded the company in 1931 as the Ro-Pat-In Corporation (ElectRo-Patent-Instruments) to sell electric Hawaiian guitars. Beauchamp had designed these instruments, assisted by Paul Barth and Harry Watson, at National String Instrument Corporation. They chose the brand name 'Rickenbacher' (later changing the spelling to 'Rickenbacker'). Early examples bear the brand name 'Electro'.


title: Rickenbacker

text: The early instruments were nicknamed "frying-pans" because of their long necks and small circular bodies. They are the first known solid-bodied electric guitars, though they were a lap-steel type. They had a single pickup with two magnetized steel covers, shaped like horseshoes, that arched over the strings. By the time they ceased producing the "frying pan" model in 1939, they had made several thousand units.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Electro String also sold amplifiers to go with their guitars. A Los Angeles radio manufacturer named Van Nest designed the first Electro String production-model amplifier. Shortly thereafter, design engineer Ralph Robertson further developed the amplifiers, and by the 1940s at least four different Rickenbacker models were available. James B. Lansing of the Lansing Manufacturing Company designed the speaker in the Rickenbacker professional model. During the early 1940s, Rickenbacker amps were sometimes repaired by Leo Fender, whose repair shop evolved into the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company.


title: Rickenbacker

text: George Beauchamp was a vaudeville performer, violinist, and steel guitarist who, like many acoustic guitarists in the pre-electric-guitar 1920s, was looking for some way to make his instrument cut through an orchestra. He first conceived of a guitar fitted with a phonograph-like amplifying horn. He approached inventor and violin-maker John Dopyera, who made a prototype that was, by all accounts, a failure. Their next collaboration involved experiments with mounting three conical aluminum resonators into the body of the guitar beneath the bridge. These efforts produced an instrument that so pleased Beauchamp that he told Dopyera that they should go into business to manufacture them. After further refinements, Dopyera applied for a patent on the so-called tri-cone guitar on April 9, 1927. Thereafter, Dopyera and his brothers made the tri-cone guitars in their Los Angeles shop, under the brand name "National". On January 26, 1928, the National String Instrument Corporation opened, with a new factory located near a metal-stamping shop owned by Adolph Rickenbacher and staffed by experienced and competent craftsmen. The company made Spanish and Hawaiian style tri-cone guitars as well as four-string tenor guitars, mandolins, and ukuleles.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Adolph Rickenbacher was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1887 and emigrated to the United States to live with relatives after the death of his parents. Sometime after moving to Los Angeles in 1918, he changed his surname to "Rickenbacker". In 1925, Rickenbacker and two partners formed the Rickenbacker Manufacturing Company and incorporated it in 1927. By the time he met George Beauchamp and began manufacturing metal bodies for the "Nationals" being produced by the National String Instruments Corporation, Rickenbacker was a highly skilled production engineer and machinist. Adolph Rickenbacker became a shareholder in National and, with the assistance of his Rickenbacker Manufacturing Company, National boosted production to fifty guitars a day.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Unfortunately, National's line of instruments was not well diversified and, as demand for the expensive and hard-to-manufacture tri-cone guitars began to slip, the company realized that it would need to produce instruments with a lower production cost to remain competitive. Dissatisfaction with what John Dopyera felt was mismanagement led him to resign from National in January 1929. He subsequently formed the Dobro Manufacturing Corporation, later called Dobro Corporation, Ltd, and began to manufacture his own line of resonator-equipped instruments (dobros). Patent infringement disagreements between National and Dobro led to a lawsuit in 1929, with Dobro suing National for $2 million in damages. Problems within National's management, as well as pressure from the deepening Great Depression, led to a production slowdown at National. This ultimately resulted in part of the company's fractured management structure organizing support for George Beauchamp's newest project: development of a fully electric guitar.


title: Rickenbacker

text: By the late twenties, the idea for electrified string instruments had been around for some time, and experimental banjo, violin, and guitar pickups had been developed. George Beauchamp had experimented with electric amplification as early as 1925, but his early efforts, which used microphones, did not produce the effect he desired. Beauchamp also pursued the idea, building a one-string test guitar out of a 2X4 piece of lumber and an electric phonograph pickup. As problems at National became more apparent, Beauchamp's home experiments became more rigorous, and he began to attend night classes in electronics and collaborate with fellow National employee Paul Barth. When they finally developed a prototype electric pickup that met their satisfaction, Beauchamp asked former National shop craftsman Harry Watson to make a wooden neck and body to hold the pickup. Somebody nicknamed it the "fry-pan" because of its shape, though Rickenbacker liked to call it the pancake. The final design Beauchamp and Barth developed was an electric pickup consisting of a pair of horseshoe-shaped magnets that enclosed the pickup coil and completely surrounded the strings.


title: Rickenbacker

text: At the end of 1931, Beauchamp, Barth, Rickenbacker and several other individuals banded together and formed the Ro-Pat-In Corporation (elekt"RO"-"PAT"ent-"IN"struments) to manufacture and distribute electrically amplified musical instruments, with an emphasis on their newly developed A-25 Hawaiian Guitar, often referred to as the "fry-pan" lap-steel electric guitar, as well as an Electric Spanish (standard) model and companion amplifiers. In the summer of 1932, Ro-Pat-In began to manufacture cast aluminum production versions of the Fry-Pan as well as a lesser number of standard Spanish Electrics also known as "Electro-Spanish" models, built from wooden bodies similar to those made in Chicago for the National Company. These instruments constitute the origin of the electric guitar by virtue of their string-driven electro-magnetic pick-ups. In 1933 the Ro-Pat-In company's name was changed to Electro String Instrument Corporation and its instruments were labeled simply as "Electro". In 1934 the name of "Rickenbacker" was added in honor of the company's principal partner, Adolph Rickenbacker.


title: Rickenbacker

text: During the early production of the A-22 Fry-Pan, Beauchamp and Rickenbacker would experiment with wooden-bodied Spanish guitars and solid body prototypes; ultimately giving birth to the Electro-Spanish Model B and the Electro-Spanish Ken Roberts. Both models had been experimental, produced as early as 1931, and officially released in 1935. The Electro-Spanish Ken Roberts model was subject to a limited production of forty-six. There were several new design elements found on the Electro-Spanish Ken Roberts. The instrument was the first of its kind to be named for an endorser. While most arch-top guitars had 14-fret neck joints, the Electro-Spanish Ken Roberts fingerboard joined the body at the 17th fret allowing much greater access to the higher frets, creating a full 25-1/2" inch scale. This addition made the Electro-Spanish Ken Roberts the first production full-scale (25-1/2") electrified guitar.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Another new feature on the Electro-Spanish Ken Roberts is the stock Kauffman Vib-rola tailpiece, the world's first patented tremolo (). The Ken Roberts is the first instrument of any type to feature a hand-operated vibrato as standard equipment. It also marks Rickenbacker's first link to the unit's originator, Clayton Doc Kauffman, who would become a design collaborator for the company a couple of years later.


title: Rickenbacker

text: In 1935, the company introduced several new models including the Model "B" Electric Spanish guitar, which is the first known solid-body electric guitar. Because the original aluminum Fry-Pans were susceptible to tuning problems from expansion of the metal under hot performing lights, they made many of the new models from cast Bakelite, an early synthetic plastic used in bowling balls.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Rickenbacker continued to specialize in steel guitars well into the 1950s, but with the advent of rock and roll, F.C. Hall, owner of Radio & Television Equipment Co. (Radio-Tel), purchased the Electro String Company from Adolph Rickenbacker in 1953. Hall overhauled the business and began focusing on standard electric and acoustic guitars rather than the steel guitars the company pioneered. In 1956, Rickenbacker introduced two instruments with the "neck through body" construction that became a standard feature of many of the company's products, including the Combo 400 guitar, the model 4000 bass, and, later, the 600 series. Neck Thru consists of a single wooden piece from the neck through the central body section.


title: Rickenbacker

text: In 1958, Hall introduced prototype called "capris" (the same name of Hall family's cat from the pronunciation of the French noun for whim).


title: Rickenbacker

text: In 1963, Rickenbacker developed an electric twelve-string guitar with an innovative headstock design that fit all twelve machine heads onto a standard-length headstock by mounting alternate pairs of machine heads at right-angles to each other. After including the twelve-string guitar in the Rickenbacker 300 Series.


title: Rickenbacker

text: In the 1960s, Rickenbacker benefited tremendously when a couple of Rickenbacker guitar models became permanently intertwined with the sound and look of The Beatles.


title: Rickenbacker

text: In Hamburg, in 1960, Beatles guitarist John Lennon bought a Rickenbacker 325, which he used throughout the early days of The Beatles. He eventually had the guitar's natural alder body refinished in black, and made other modifications, including adding a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece and regularly changing the control knobs. Lennon played this guitar for the Beatles' 1964 debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show" (as well as for their third Sullivan appearance, pre-taped the same day but broadcast two weeks later). During Lennon's post-Beatles years in New York, he had this guitar restored to its original natural wood finish and the cracked gold pickguard replaced with a white one.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Rickenbacker made two new 325s for Lennon and shipped them to him while the Beatles were in Miami Beach, Florida, on the same 1964 visit to the United States: a one-off custom 12-string 325 model and an updated six-string model with modified electronics and vibrato. He used this newer six-string model on the Beatles' sequentially "second" appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Lennon accidentally dropped the second 325 model during a 1964 Christmas show, breaking the headstock. While it was being repaired, Rickenbacker's UK distributor Rose Morris gave Lennon a model 1966 (the export version of a 325, available exclusively in a red finish and with an F-hole). Lennon later gave the 1966 to fellow Beatle Ringo Starr.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Beatles guitarist George Harrison bought a 420 during a brief visit to the United States in 1963. In February 1964, while in New York City, F.C. Hall of Rickenbacker met with the band and their manager, and gave Harrison a model 360/12 (the second electric twelve-string built by Rickenbacker). This instrument became a key part of the Beatles' sound on their LP "A Hard Day's Night" and other Beatles songs through late 1964. Harrison played this guitar sporadically throughout the remainder of his life.


title: Rickenbacker

text: On August 21, 1965, during a Beatles concert tour, Randy Resnick of B-Sharp, a Minnesota music store, presented Harrison with a second model 360/12 FG "New Style" 12-string electric guitar, distinguishable from Harrison's first 12-string by its rounded cutaways and edges. A television documentary produced by KSTP-TV in Minneapolis documents the event. Harrison used this guitar on the song "If I Needed Someone" and during the Beatles' 1966 tours. This 12-string's whereabouts are unknown, as it was stolen at some point after the band ceased touring.


title: Rickenbacker

text: After the Beatles' 1965 summer tour, Paul McCartney frequently used a left-handed 1964 4001S FG Rickenbacker bass rather than the lightweight Höfner basses he had used previously. The instrument became popular with other bassists influenced by McCartney's highly melodic style.


title: Rickenbacker

text: In 1967, McCartney gave his 4001 a psychedelic paint job, as seen in the promo film for "Hello, Goodbye", and in the "Magical Mystery Tour" film. A year or so later, someone sanded off the finish. A second, over-zealous sanding in the early 1970s removed the "points" of the bass' cutaways. McCartney used the Rickenbacker bass during his time with Wings, until the late 1970s.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Partly because of the Beatles' popularity and their consistent use of the Rickenbacker brand, many sixties guitarists adopted them, including John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), Paul Kantner (Jefferson Airplane), and John Entwistle and Pete Townshend of The Who. As both the British Invasion and the 1960s wound down, Rickenbacker guitars fell out of fashion for a time. Rickenbacker basses, however, remained popular through the 1970s and beyond. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Rickenbacker guitars experienced a renaissance as new wave and jangle pop groups turned to them for their distinctive chime. Demand is particularly high among retro groups influenced by the sound and look of the 1960s.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Some Rickenbacker models feature a stereo "Rick-O-Sound" output socket, allowing each pickup to be routed to different amplifiers or effects chains. Another feature is the use of two truss rods to correct twists and curvature in the neck. Rickenbacker guitars typically have a set neck made of multiple pieces of wood laminated together lengthwise, while their basses have a one-piece neck that extends through the entire body. Rickenbacker instruments are known for narrower necks (41.4 mm versus 43 mm at the nut for most competitors) and lacquered rosewood fingerboards, giving them a different feel.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Known for their bright jangle and chime, Rickenbacker guitars are often favoured by folk rock, and British Invasion bands such as the Searchers, The Beatles and The Who. The early models were equipped with low-output toaster pickups. With the late-1960s advent of heavy rock, these were phased out circa 1969–70, and replaced by high-gain pickups with twice the output. Still, the early models were viewed by Pete Townshend as pivotal in his refinement of feedback techniques and the eventual development of the Marshall sound.


title: Rickenbacker

text: In recent years, a diverse cross-section of artists have played Rickenbacker guitars. In 1979, Tom Petty and Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers used vintage 1960s models to attain that toaster-pickup jangle. The high-gain pickup sound is associated with acts such as The Jam and R.E.M.


title: Rickenbacker

text: In 2014, Rickenbacker introduced the Walnut series: the 330W, 330W/12, 360W, 360W/12, and 4003W. These models have walnut bodies with a hand-rubbed oil finish, and unfinished maple fingerboards.


title: Rickenbacker

text: The 4000 series were the first Rickenbacker bass guitars, introduced in 1957. They followed the 4000 with the 4001 (in 1961), 4002 (limited edition bass introduced in 1977), 4008 (an eight-string model introduced in the mid-1970s), 4003 (in 1979, replacing the 4001 entirely in 1986 and still in production in 2021), and most recently the 4004 series. They also made the 4005, a hollow-bodied bass guitar (from 1965 to 1984)—which did not resemble other 4000 series basses, but rather the new style 360-370 guitars. The 4001S (introduced 1964) was basically a 4001 but with no binding and dot fingerboard inlays. It was exported to England as the RM1999. However, Paul McCartney received one of the early 4001S instruments (his unit was left-handed, and later modified to include a zero fret). Along with McCartney, other early adopters of the 4001 were Roger Waters (Pink Floyd), John Entwistle (The Who), Pete Quaife (The Kinks), Chris Squire of Yes and Geddy Lee of Rush.


title: Rickenbacker

text: The model 4003S ("standard") arrived in 1985, was discontinued in 2000, and relaunched in 2015. This was similar to the 4001S with its dot neck markers and no binding. From 1985 to 2002, the 4003 and 4003S had black hardware and black binding options available. Later special editions included the 4003 Blue Boy, 4003 CS (Chris Squire), Blackstar, Shadow Bass, Tuxedo and 4003 Redneck.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Rickenbacker basses have a distinctive tone. The 4001 and 4003 basses have neck-through construction. The 3000 series, made from the mid-1970s to mid-1980s, were cheaper instruments with bolt-on 21-fret necks. There was also a glued-in "set neck" 4000 version in 1975-76 (neck set like a Gibson Les Paul), which featured a 20-fret neck, dot inlays, no binding (similar to the 4001S) and only a single bridge-position mono pickup. Fred Turner of Bachman-Turner Overdrive used the 4000 extensively on the "Not Fragile" album, as seen in a promotional clip for "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet." This bass also appears on the gatefold sleeve of "Four Wheel Drive".


title: Rickenbacker

text: In the 1970s, the Rickenbacker bass became a staple of progressive rock, as exemplified by British bassists Mike Rutherford (Genesis) and Chris Squire (Yes). Squire was one of the first to supercharge the 4001 by splitting the signal, sending the neck pickup output to a bass amp and the bridge pickup output to a lead guitar amp. Combined with his aggressive picking technique on Rotosound roundwound strings, the effect was a growling, grinding, "concrete mixer" tone that continues to be admired and emulated.


title: Rickenbacker

text: In the hard rock vein, Deep Purple's Roger Glover was a prominent Rickenbacker aficionado. Geddy Lee of Rush used a Rickenbacker on the band's earlier material. Another enthusiast was Metallica bassist Cliff Burton, whose heavily modified 4001, red with white hardware and trim, debuted during the group's "Kill 'Em All" era. Also noteworthy was Motörhead vocalist/bassist Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, for whom Rickenbacker produced a 60-bass run of "Lemmy Kilmister" signature basses: the 4004LK, fitted with three pickups, gold hardware, and elaborate wood carving in the shape of oak leaves. In 2019, the company produced a 420-bass run of Al Cisneros signature basses honoring the prominent Sleep and Om bassist, a long-time Rickenbacker proponent. Cisneros's 4003AC model features a signature pickguard, green inlays on the fingerboard, and a removable thumb rest.


title: Rickenbacker

text: The sound of Rickenbacker basses featured early on in the UK punk/New wave music explosion of the late 1970s and early 80s and was used by: Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), Paul Simonon (The Clash), Peter Hook (Joy Division), Bruce Foxton (The Jam), Paul Gray (The Damned, Eddie & the Hot Rods), Tony James (Generation X), Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Michael Bradley (The Undertones), Youth (Killing Joke) and in the U.S., Kira Roessler (Black Flag).


title: Rickenbacker

text: Brazilian bassist Alex Malheiros from Azymuth used a 4001 bass during the band's early years (most notably between 1972 and 1977). His very rich approach to samba, jazz and funk has some echoes of Chris Squire and Paul McCartney these genres can be tackled by the instrument; it is not only a rock bass and, in the right hands, can be good fit for many genres.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Rickenbacker has produced a number of uniquely designed and distinctively trimmed acoustic guitars. Although a small number of Rickenbacker acoustics were sold in the 1950s and were seen in the hands of stars like Ricky Nelson and Sam Cooke, the company concentrated on their electric guitar and western steel guitar business from the early 1960s onward. From about 1959 through 1994, very few Rickenbacker acoustic guitars were made.


title: Rickenbacker

text: In 1995, an effort was made to re-introduce Rickenbacker acoustics, with factory production beginning in their Santa Ana manufacturing facility in 1996. Four models of flat top acoustic Rickenbackers were depicted in factory literature (maple or rosewood back and sides, jumbo or dreadnaught shape). Each of these four models was also available in both six- and twelve-string configurations, yielding a range of eight distinct instruments. (The 760J "Jazzbo", an archtop model, was only built as a prototype, with three examples known to exist.) It is estimated that fewer than 500 Rickenbacker acoustic guitars were built before the factory shut down the acoustic department in mid-2006.


title: Rickenbacker

text: In late 2006, Rickenbacker gave a license to build Rickenbacker-branded acoustics to Paul Wilczynski, a luthier with a workshop in San Francisco, California. He continued to offer all eight models of the Rickenbacker flat top guitar line, building each instrument to order, until his license expired on February 1, 2013.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Rickenbacker manufactures three pickups for their current standard models: high-gain single-coil, Vintage Toaster™ single coil, and humbucking. All three pickup designs share the same footprint, so they can retrofit into most current or vintage models. The tone varies from one style to the next, partially because of the types of magnets used but also due to the amount of wire wound around the pickup's bobbin.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Most contemporary models come with single-coil high-gain pickups as standard equipment. Many post-British-Invasion players such as Peter Buck, Paul Weller, and Johnny Marr have used instruments with these pickups. Rickenbacker's HB1 humbucker/dual coil pickup has a similar tone to a Gibson mini-humbucker pickup, and comes standard on the Rickenbacker 650C and 4004 basses. Vintage reissue models, and some signature models, come with Toaster™ Top pickups, which resemble a classic two-slotted chrome toaster. Despite their slightly lower output, Toasters produce a brighter, cleaner sound, and are generally seen as key to obtaining the true British Invasion guitar tone, as they were original equipment of the era.


title: Rickenbacker

text: In addition to the standard pickups, vintage reissue bass models are equipped with Horseshoe wrap-around style pickups, very similar to the pickups on the earliest Rickenbacker Frying Pan models.


title: Rickenbacker

text: Rickenbacker are known for their proactive approach to preventing the sale of counterfeits of their instruments.


title: Italian Football Federation

text: The Italian Football Federation (; FIGC), known colloquially as "Federcalcio", is the governing body of football in Italy. It is based in Rome and the technical department is in Coverciano, Florence.


title: Italian Football Federation

text: It organises the Italian football league and Coppa Italia. It is also responsible for appointing the management of the Italy national football team (men's), women's, and youth national football teams. The Italy national futsal team also belongs to the federation.


title: Italian Football Federation

text: The Federation was established in Turin on 26 March 1898 as the Federazione Italiana del Football (FIF), on the initiative of a Constituent Assembly established on 15 March by Enrico D'Ovidio. Mario Vicary was elected the first official president of the FIF on 26 March.


title: Italian Football Federation

text: When, in 1909, it was suggested to change the Federation's name at an annual board elections held in Milan, the few teams attending, representing less than 50% of the active clubs, decided to send a postcard asking all teams to vote for the five new names discussed during the meeting. The new name approved was "Federazione Italiana Giuoco del Calcio" (FIGC), and since then has been the name of the Italian Football Federation. The debut of the Men's National Team was on 15 May 1910, at Arena Civica, wearing a white jersey where Italy defeated France 6–2. The following year, the blue jersey was introduced on the occasion of the match against Hungary as a tribute to the colour of the House of Savoy.


title: Italian Football Federation

text: This Italian Federation was an "amateur" federation respecting FIFA rules when it became a member in 1905. At the end of World War I, the federation had seen impressive development and several footballers were judged to be professional players and banned according to FIFA agreements.<br>


title: Italian Football Federation

text: From 1922 to 1926, new and more severe rules were approved for keeping the "amateur" status real and effective, such as footballers' residence and transfer controls but the best players were secretly paid and moved from other provinces illegally. Foreigners had to live in the country to get a residence visa and a players' card. When, in 1926, the Italian Federation Board resigned following a very difficult referees' strike, the fascist Lando Ferretti, president of the Italian Olympic Committee (C.O.N.I.), nominated a Commission to reform all Leagues and federal rules. The Commission signed a document called the ""Carta di Viareggio"" (Rules issued in Viareggio) where football players were recognised as "non-amateurs" and able to apply for refunds for the money they had lost while playing for the football teams. They had to sign the declaration not being professional players so that FIFA rules were respected because for FIGC; they were appearing as "amateurs" receiving just refunds. It was the beginning of professionalism in Italy.


title: Italian Football Federation

text: The Carta di Viareggio reduced the number of foreign players to just one per match so that the majority of Hungarians remained jobless and returned to their country.


title: Italian Football Federation

text: Commissioner Bruno Zauli led the FIGC renovation process (1959), with the establishment of three Leagues (Professional, Semi-professional, Amateur) and the creation of the Technical and Youth Sectors.


title: Italian Football Federation

text: Between 1964 and 1980, foreign players were banned from the Italian league, primarily to revive the national team.


title: Italian Football Federation

text: In December 1998, the FIGC celebrated its centenary at the Stadio Olimpico in a match featuring Italy vs World XI, with Italy winning 6–2.


title: Italian Football Federation

text: The FIGC was placed in administration in May 2006 as a result of the 2006 Italian football scandal and was put under the management of Guido Rossi.<br>


title: Italian Football Federation

text: In May 2006, Rossi was chosen and accepted the role of President of Telecom Italia. This appointment caused angry reactions from club presidents in Italy.<br>


title: Italian Football Federation

text: On 19 September, Rossi resigned as Commissioner of FIGC. On 21 September, Luca Pancalli, head of the Italian Paralympic Committee, was chosen to replace Rossi.<br>


title: Italian Football Federation

text: On 2 April 2007, a new President was elected, with former Vice-President Giancarlo Abete being voted by 264 grand electors out of 271.


title: Italian Football Federation

text: Following the 2014 FIFA World Cup Abete resigned and Carlo Tavecchio was elected President of the Federation and Michele Uva as general manager. The new governance began many reforms on the main aspects of Italian football, particularly through the use of young players trained in Italy, the economic sustainability - financial professional clubs, start the reorganization of the operating structure of the FIGC. In support of the activity and with a view of maximum transparency, the FIGC public a series of documents: Football Report, Integrated Budget (evolution of the Social Report), Management Report, Income Statement of Italian football. On 20 November 2017, Tavecchio resigned as Italian Football Federation president, seven days after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the first time since 1958.


title: Troy University

text: Troy University is a public university in Troy, Alabama. It was founded in 1887 as Troy State Normal School within the Alabama State University System, and is now the flagship university of the Troy University System. Troy University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS) to award associate, baccalaureate, master's, education specialist, and doctoral degrees.


title: Troy University

text: In August 2005, Troy State University, Montgomery; Troy State University, Phenix City; Troy State University, Dothan; and Troy State University (main campus) all merged under one accreditation to become Troy University. Prior to the merger, each campus was independently accredited. The merger combined staff, faculty, and administrators into a single university.


title: Troy University

text: Today, the university serves the educational needs of students in four Alabama campuses and 60 teaching sites in 17 U.S. states and 11 countries. Troy University has over 100,000 alumni in 50 states of the U.S. and in other countries.


title: Troy University

text: Troy University is a public university with its main campus located in Troy, Alabama. It was founded as a normal school in 1887 with a mission to educate and train new teachers. Over time, the school evolved into a four-year college and in 1957 the Alabama Board of Education adopted the name "Troy State College" and granted it the right to issue master's degrees. In the 1960s the college opened satellite sites in Montgomery, Phenix City, and Dothan to serve the military personnel posted at Maxwell AFB, Fort Benning and Fort Rucker. More sites associated with military centers located throughout the United States and abroad followed in the subsequent decades. As a leader in online education, Troy University began offering online courses in the Fall Semester of 1997. Troy University is known for its innovation in offering in-class and online academic programs in servicing traditional, nontraditional, and military students. In spring 2018, Troy University was ranked #19 among the "Most Innovative Schools" in "U.S. News & World Report" annual peer assessment survey. The main campus enrollment as of the fall of 2016 is 7,911 students. The campus consists of 36 major buildings on plus the adjacent Troy University Arboretum.


title: Troy University

text: At least three prominent political figures have been associated with Troy University. George Wallace Jr., son of the late Governor George C. Wallace, who is a former administrator at the university. Max Rafferty, the California Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1963 to 1971, was dean of the education department from 1971 until his death in 1982. Former Governor John Malcolm Patterson taught U.S. history at the institution during the 1980s.


title: Troy University

text: On April 16, 2004, the Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the institution from Troy State University to Troy University. The transition to the new name was completed in August 2005 and was the fourth in the school's history. When created by the Alabama Legislature on February 26, 1887, it was officially named the Troy State Normal School. The school was located in downtown Troy until moving to the present location on University Avenue in 1930. In 1929, the name was changed to Troy State Teachers College and it subsequently conferred its first baccalaureate degree in 1931. In 1957, the legislature voted both to change the name to Troy State College and to allow it to begin a master's degree program. The name was changed once again in 1967 to Troy State University.


title: Troy University

text: The Troy University System (formerly known as the Troy State University System) is a public university system in Alabama that coordinates and oversees the three branch universities of Troy University. The system was formed in 1982, as the campuses in Dothan and Montgomery were granted independent accreditation status. In April 2004, "State" was dropped from the university's name to reflect the institution's new, broader focus. In August 2005, all Troy campuses were unified under one accreditation.


title: Troy University

text: In addition to the four campuses, there are also 23 additional support sites across the southeastern United States and other countries.


title: Troy University

text: Troy University cumulatively offers 46 bachelor's degree programs, 22 master's degree programs, and 3 doctoral programs.


title: Troy University

text: Established in 2007, the Confucius Institute at Troy University is a public institution affiliated with the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, funded and arranged in part by Hanban, which is itself affiliated with the Chinese government, and the stated aim of which is to promote the Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teaching, and facilitate cultural exchanges. The institute also offers summer camps for high school students, consultation for economic development, and promotion of Chinese outreach programs. Some have expressed concerns related to academic freedom and political influence of the Chinese government specially regarding such things as the comment of a former senior Chinese official, Li Changchun that Confucius Institutes are "an important part of China's overseas propaganda set-up". Troy University was the first college in Alabama to open a Confucius Institute.


title: Troy University

text: The university has over 800 international students from 75 countries on the main campus, and offers special programs for students such as the English as Second Language Center (ECL). Troy also has a dormitory named Pace Hall.


title: Troy University

text: In 2018, Troy University's overall acceptance rate was 91%, and the on-time graduation rate was 35%. In 2018, 58% of the freshman class had to take remedial courses in English and mathematics. Troy University considers, but does not require, SAT or ACT scores for admission.


title: Troy University

text: Troy University's main campus is located near downtown Troy. The campus sits along rolling hills with many old oak trees present along the streets and throughout campus. The first two buildings that were built on campus were John Robert Lewis Hall (formerly Bibb Graves Hall) and Shackelford Hall, both of which are still standing on campus today. Bibb Graves, who was Alabama's governor at the time of the building's dedication, is remembered for commissioning the Olmsted Brothers architectural firm of Brookline, Massachusetts, to design the campus landscape plan. The Troy University Board of Trustees voted to rename the hall in John Lewis's honor on August 26, 2020.


title: Troy University

text: Across from the chapel is a very small lake named Lake Lagoona, which is the drainage point of the creek that runs through the Trojan Oaks Golf Course.


title: Troy University

text: The Trojan Oaks Golf Practice Course, which used to be full-service, 9-hole, 3,211-yard golf course, is one of the pristine features of the campus with its rolling hills, oak and pine trees, and a creek running through most of the course. Troy was one of only 87 universities in the United States to have operate a full-service golf course on its own campus before closing the course and revamping it into a golf practice facility, and is still one of the few schools to operate a 9-hole or greater practice course on its campus.


title: Troy University

text: One of the favorite features of the campus is Janice Hawkins Park, which features an amphitheater, walking trails, a lagoon and several prominent art installations. Paved sidewalks curve throughout that park, and a pedestrian bridge straddles the lagoon on one end. Among the art installations are the "Violata Pax Dove", by the artist Fred "Nall" Hollis, and 200 replica terracotta warriors that are spread throughout the park, representing the famous excavations in China.


title: Troy University

text: The Trojan Dining Hall is a large, two-story state-of-the-art dining hall with a restaurant-style collection of venues. Some of the restaurants inside the dining hall include a Boar's Head Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill, The Wild Mushroom, Bella Trattoria, Flying Star Diner, Basic Kneads Artisan Bakery, and Magellan's.


title: Troy University

text: The Trojan Center is the activity center on campus for students. It features a movie theater, meeting rooms, gathering spaces, large ballrooms, the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore, Starbucks, mail room, student activity offices, and a food court that features restaurants such as Chick-fil-A, Steak 'n Shake, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Mein Bowl, Great American Cookies, and Marble Slab Creamery.


title: Troy University

text: Many recreational activities are available on campus. The Trojan Fitness Center offers fitness machines, free weights, and cardiovascular machines. Trojan Games recreation room has two billiard tables, two table tennis tables, and a foosball game. The Natatorium houses an eight-lane Olympic-style pool. The Recreation Center Gym has two basketball courts, a cardio room, a dance room, and a large outside pool. Wright Hall Gym, located adjacent to the Natatorium, offers a basketball court, two volleyball courts, and four badminton courts. The Intramural Fields consist of four flag football fields, two softball fields, and one soccer field.