It's a test of skill and endurance so stringent that no major league batter has passed it since World War II. The stories of two minor leaguers who have since hit baseball's magic number—one in the Jim Crow South, one in an independent hardball outpost—are monuments to the resolve it takes to succeed in the game.

The Rockies' rather anonymous star doesn't crave any part of the spotlight. He avoids public places, takes practice swings in the elevator and enjoys surfing movies. He also remembers the last book he read in high school.

He might be the most beloved—and famous—person in the Dominican Republic. So why would someone shoot David Ortiz? And how could it be mistaken identity, as police have said? A visit to the island yielded few answers—but raised plenty more questions.

Roy Halladay found freedom in flying. It allowed him to escape the noise of the world below him. So what happened on Nov. 7, 2017?

Three years after the unceremonious end to his controversial baseball career, A-Rod is everywhere. So, how did we get to this point?

Jon Peters was on the track to stardom as a high school pitcher in 1989. But his life off the mound, in part, derailed his life on it.

Byung-Hyun Kim is not the tortured former player fans might think he is after allowing two unforgettable World Series home runs.

Mo'ne Davis's future includes a lot of softball and perhaps one day her own television show.