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Gar Ryness, also known by his stage name Batting Stance Guy, is an American sports entertainer and YouTube personality. Ryness mimics the batting stances of Major League Baseball players, both active and retired.
Ryness, a baseball fan, began practicing his talent at seven years old while playing wiffle ball in his backyard. [1] Ryness claims that he only has to watch a hitter a few times before he can imitate their stance. [2] [3] He picks up on the intricacies of each stance and exaggerates them so that people notice and recognize them. [4] Despite having what Ryness jokingly refers to as the "least marketable skill in the United States," [2] [3] he said he loves traveling around the country and bringing nostalgia to the fans and players. [4]
Ryness grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area [2] and graduated from Monte Vista High School in Danville in 1991. [5] He is a graduate of Syracuse University.
Before landing a deal with Fox Sports Net, he worked for a nonprofit Christian organization as a spiritual advisor to professionals in the entertainment industry. [2] [4] He has since made a career in the finance and pharmaceutical industries.[ citation needed ]
He is married with two children. [4]
On April 30, 2010, Ryness, in collaboration with Caleb Dewart, released the book Batting Stance Guy: A Love Letter to Baseball. The book was published by Scribner. [6]
Frank Oliver Howard, nicknamed "Hondo", "the Washington Monument" and "the Capital Punisher", was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played most of his career for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Senators/Texas Rangers franchises. One of the most physically intimidating players in the sport, Howard was 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m) tall and weighed between 275 and 295 pounds, according to former Senators/Rangers trainer Bill Zeigler.
Richard Alan Enberg was an American sportscaster. Over the course of an approximately 60-year career, he provided play-by-play of various sports for several radio and television networks, including NBC (1975–1999), CBS (2000–2014), and ESPN (2004–2011), as well as for individual teams, such as UCLA Bruins basketball, Los Angeles Rams football, and California Angels and San Diego Padres baseball.
Gary Antonian Sheffield is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball for eight teams from 1988 to 2009. In retirement, he is a sports agent.
Matt Vasgersian is an American sportscaster and television host. Vasgersian is a play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Angels, as well as a studio host for MLB Network and FOX Sports. In the past, he has served as an announcer for Fox Sports' National Football League and Major League Baseball coverage, ESPN's coverage of Major League Baseball, NBC Sports' coverage of the Olympic Games, and NBC Sports' coverage of the original XFL. He formerly called play-by-play for the Milwaukee Brewers and the San Diego Padres.
David Earl Lopes is an American former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted and threw right-handed. He played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros; he managed the Milwaukee Brewers.
Reed Cameron Johnson is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, and Washington Nationals.
Jeanne Zelasko is an American journalist and sportscaster who worked for "The Beast" AM980 KFWB and Fox Sports West in Los Angeles County, California. Prior to taking that position Zelasko had a relatively lengthy career working for Fox Sports as a reporter and analyst for various programs, as well as reporting for MLB Network, ESPN and as the court reporter on Judge Joe Brown.
Mark David Loretta is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1995 and 2009 for the Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Mark Patrick Sweeney is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman who played for several teams from 1995 to 2008. He is best known for his skill as a pinch hitter, where he ranks second in career pinch hits with 175 and first in career pinch hit runs batted in with 102.
Eric Orlando Young Sr. is an American former professional baseball second baseman and left fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, and San Diego Padres. He is the current third base coach for the Los Angeles Angels. He previously served as the first base coach for the Atlanta Braves. He played college baseball and college football for Rutgers University.
Kurt Anthony Bevacqua is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an infielder from 1971 to 1985. Bevacqua is notable for his performance during the 1984 World Series when he hit two home runs and had a .412 batting average as the San Diego Padres' designated hitter. He also played for the Mayaguez Indians in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League from 1977 to 1981.
Adrián González Savín, also known by his nicknames "A-Gon" and "Titán", is a Mexican-American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets.
Shane Patrick Victorino, nicknamed "the Flyin' Hawaiian", is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He was primarily a switch-hitter until the 2013 season, when discomfort from various hamstring, back, and knee problems forced him to become an exclusively right-handed batter.
Anthony Keith Gwynn Jr. is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Gwynn played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Philadelphia Phillies. The son of Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, he works as a broadcaster for the Padres’ radio network and as an afternoon sports talk host on the Padres' flagship radio station.
Vincent Antonio Rottino is an American former professional baseball utility player and current television analyst for Bally Sports Wisconsin covering the Milwaukee Brewers. He has played positions including catcher, first base, third base, and the outfield.
Héctor Olivera Amaro is a Cuban former professional baseball left fielder. He was part of the Cuban team that won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves.
William Dion Venable is an American professional baseball coach and former player. He is the associate manager of the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB as an outfielder for the San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers, and he was a coach for the Chicago Cubs. He is the son of former MLB outfielder Max Venable and is the older brother of former National Football League player Winston Venable.
Kirk Gibson's 1988 World Series home run was a baseball play that occurred in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, on October 15, 1988, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Gibson was initially held out of the Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup with injuries to both legs, but after being called upon to pinch hit in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs, he hit a two-run, walk-off home run against Oakland Athletics pitcher Dennis Eckersley. The home run won the game for the Dodgers by a score of 5–4.
Yasmani Grandal is a Cuban-American professional baseball catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Chicago White Sox. Grandal is a two-time MLB All-Star.
Dave Neal, son of Bob Neal and Melody Gadziala, is a two-time Emmy Award winning American sportscaster currently employed by ESPN. He has 2 sons, Sam and Lil Pete.