The Hottest Thing in Baseball Is a Grid of Nine Blank Squares – The New York Times (2023)

TITLE
The Hottest Thing in Baseball Is a Grid of Nine Blank Squares

AUTHOR
Tyler Kepner

PUBLICATION
The New York Times

YEAR
2023

ARTICLE TYPE
Article

FROM THE ARTICLE
They are indelible All-Star snapshots, midsummer memories for a sport steeped in tradition: a boyish Ted Williams clapping in delight after his walk-off homer in Detroit; a triumphant Tony Gwynn sliding in for the winning run in Pittsburgh; a stately Cal Ripken Jr. blasting a homer in his All-Star farewell in Seattle.

Those Hall of Famers — like Stan Musial, Derek Jeter and so many other greats — had something in common: Except for the All-Star Game, they never changed teams. That singular identity gives their stars extra glimmer, but largely removes them from a new game sweeping the baseball landscape.

The name is Immaculate Grid, and with apologies to the surging Atlanta Braves — who had eight selections for the National League’s team in Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Seattle — it’s the hottest thing going in the sport.

GAMES MENTIONED
Immaculate Grid

PEOPLE MENTIONED
Brian Minter

ALTERNATE LINK
Archived Copy @ Internet Archive

PRINT AVAILABILITY
July 11, 2023