Commentary

A young Joe DiMaggio was a hitter for hire, playing with whatever local ball club could pay him. Then his semi-pro successes brought him to the San Francisco Seals, and from there to the major leagues — and the rest is history.

Sports

Happy Birthday To Joltin' Joe — Who Didn't Even Like Baseball

12:29pm November 30, 2014

by Sean Braswell

Joe DiMaggio, who was born 100 years ago this week, played baseball because he needed money — not because he loved the game. After years of stunning success, though, he came to need the sport.

Sports

Helmets Aren't Always Enough To Keep Players Safe

12:05pm November 29, 2014

by Scott Simon

Cricketer Phillip Hughes was wearing a helmet this week when a ball struck and killed him. NPR's Scott Simon wonders if some safety measures also encourage people to take on more risk.

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Retired 1st Sgt. Keith Melick (right) and retired Army Special Forces Command Sgt. Maj. Roy Wilkins met when Melick, a medic, treated Wilkins after an IED explosion. They were reunited nearly 10 years later.

A Decade After Battle, Medic And Wounded Soldier Reunite

12:05pm November 29, 2014

by NPR Staff

In 2004, Command Sgt. Maj. Roy Wilkins was wounded in an IED explosion in Afghanistan. Medic Keith Melick pulled him from the rubble. This summer, a chance meeting brought the two together again.

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After The Ferguson Decision, A Poem That Gives Name To The Hurt

6:22pm November 28, 2014

by Syreeta McFadden

This week, a Missouri grand jury decided not to indict Darren Wilson, the officer who killed Michael Brown. Writer Syreeta McFadden turns to Audre Lorde's poetry to make sense of this decision.

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San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan celebrates with his teammates after defeating the Miami Heat in game five of the NBA finals in June.

Sports

Be Thankful This Year For The San Antonio Spurs

8:53am November 26, 2014

by Frank Deford

Just in time for Thanksgiving, commentator Frank Deford describes his gratitude for everyone's favorite team in any American sport. The Spurs, he says, are gentlemen, do right and are beloved by all.

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These 'True Tales' Add Nuance To The Immigration Discussion

6:36pm November 21, 2014

by Gustavo Arellano

President Obama announced an executive action on immigration this week. For an in-depth look at the issue, author Gustavo Arellano recommends two nonfiction collections about Mexican immigrants.

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The executive committee of FIFA — the international organization that regulates soccer — was so suspected of taking bribes that FIFA ordered its own internal investigation. It's no surprise, says Frank Deford, that it found no wrongdoing.

Sports

Outside Of The Games, Are Sports Corrupt?

9:03am November 19, 2014

by Frank Deford

Commentator Frank Deford discusses some recent sports-related scandals, including the abuse of young swimmers by their coaches, and fake classes created for college athletes.

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Onlookers take cell phone pictures of stranded window washers hanging from scaffolding on the side of One World Trade Center.

Comet Lander, Firefighters Execute Dazzling Feats Above The Earth

10:21am November 15, 2014

by Scott Simon

The sky was full of wonders this week, NPR's Scott Simon muses, as a spacecraft landed on a comet and two window washers were rescued 69 stories above the streets at the new One World Trade Center.

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After Catalonia's Independence Vote, An 'Homage' To George Orwell

8:26pm November 14, 2014

by Rowan Ricardo Phillips

This week Spain's northeast region voted in favor of independence. But the results weren't recognized by the Spanish government. The situation reminds poet Rowan Ricardo Phillips of a favorite book.

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Ron Riveira, 42, a retired Navy corpsman and a medic for the Marines, with retired Army medic Jason Deitch, 44, in Concord, Calif. The two crossed paths while they were deployed overseas and reconnected back in the states.

For Veteran, Hospice Care Work Connects Him To Family

2:16pm November 14, 2014

by NPR Staff

Ron Riveira, who served in the Navy and Marines, now does hospice care for vets and says it allows him to help people like his grandparents. "Every time I go into a home, I see a piece of my family."

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