Nearly 100 years ago, on July 5, 1914, the Boston Braves were 15 games back and in last place in the National League (this was before divisions), but came back to win the league by 10 1⁄2 games and sweep the vaunted Philadelphia A’s 4-0 in the World Series.

Boston, which would later move to Milwaukee in 1953 and then to Atlanta in 1966, was dubbed the “Miracle Braves” that season, and the sweep of the A’s is still considered one of the greatest upsets of all time.

Throughout sports history there are great stories of teams or individuals who overcame tremendous odds to win.

One of the greatest stories in the Bible of someone overcoming the odds was when David, a teenager, killed Goliath, a seasoned warrior.

Goliath had the Israelites scared and their minds off of God, who had delivered them time and time again. David’s perspective wasn’t tainted, though. He knew the same God who had de- livered him from the lion and the bear would deliver him from Goliath and would show His glory.

We have to remember this, too, that God, not us, is in the fight, and He can make the seemingly impossible become possible.

This devotion was taken from the Summer 2011 edition of Training Table.

Get the Training Table today with a subscription to Sports Spectrum magazine www.sportsspectrum.com/subscribe

While Drew can't share his location because of security concerns, Brees was excited to have the opportunity to honor the men and women serving over seas.

Score another one for the good guys - Brees and our brave military around the world.

My name is Jenelle and I'm an Olympic addict. If it's an Olympic event - I want to watch it. From major events like hockey, basketball, track and field, ice skating, swimming, etc - to more obscure sports like curling, steeplechase, biathlon, fencing, luge... I'm watching.

I love sports in general, but the concept of the best around the world (which is a debatable topic) come together to compete, it's hard to beat. We'll save the discussion about amateur v. professional athletes competing for another day...

Sitting down with my young son and getting to explain to him the concept of sports he's never heard or seen of (along with many of the general public) is a great time together. As nations march into the stadium, it becomes a chance to see the world for larger that our small scope can see.

Most importantly, as we see the faces of athletes from around the world, let it be a reminder of the people around the globe who need Jesus Christ. That includes those right next door to the most secluded countries around the world.

I pray for the athletes who have opportunity to share their faith thanks to the platform that sports has given them. Than I pray for boldness myself as I use the platform and place that God has given me in my own corner of the world.

It doesn't take a medal ceremony or great accolade to earn the right to share our faith. It just takes an understanding of who we are, who God is, and what a great gift we have been given that we do not deserve. That's a platform greater than any other...

Projections, speculations, sources, reports, and insiders are weighing in on a deal that could send Roy Halladay to Philadelphia and Cliff Lee to Seattle along with other players (Michael Taylor, Travis d'Arnaud, Kyle Drabek, Tyson Gillies, Joe Blanton, Phillippe Aumont, J.A. Happ) shifting teams in a three-way trade.

Under contract with a particular team, players have been "bought" at a price. They can be traded, released, or benched by their team.

In a greater way yet, we have been bought with a price - the life of Jesus Christ who died in our place, taking the penalty for our sins. Our lives are no longer our own, but rather at the discretion of God the Father who loves us.

The good news is there is no fear of being traded or released from our contract with him. We are the ones who are often benching ourselves and taking ourselves out of the game. We've forgotten the price, the cost, for our membership to the team.

Liberty University's Sam Chelanga won the NCAA Division I National Championship in cross country on Monday in Terre Haute, Indiana. He was featured in Sports Spectrum on page 22 of the 2009 Spring issue.

            See the race on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFsSQ51mDiE and read excerpts of his story below (after the next paragraph):

            The amazing thing is that he shattered the 10K course record (by 22 seconds) that was set by 2008 U.S. Olympian Galen Rupp, and that Chelanga was never challenged after the first mile of the 6.2-mile course, winning by 25 seconds. Chelanga's time of 28:41.3 easily beat runner-up David McNeill (Northern Arizona, 29:06.5) and other runners from Stanford (Chris Derrick, 29:14.8), Mississippi (Barnabus Kirui, 29:24.1), Northern Arizona (Jordan Chipangama, 29:33.1), Arkansas (Dorian Ulrey, 29:37.9), Arizona State (Brandon Bethke, 29:38.3); Georgetown (Andrew Bumbalough, 29:39.1) and Oklahoma State (Ryan Vail, 29:40.7 and Colby Lowe, 29:42.4). 

Here is an excerpt from the story that appeared in the Spring issue of Sports Spectrum and written by longtime Sports Spectrum contributer Jim Gibbs:

            "I'm one of nine children and my dad was a farmer. We were constantly struggling financially and it seemed like we were struggling to find enough food to eat. We were just trying to survive. I kept trying to get into college, but it seemed like it was impossible. God taught me so much in Kenya because I had almost no hope and my situation looked very bleak and hopeless."

            Suddenly, God intervened.

            "When we were at our lowest point imaginable, God miraculously opened the door for me to go to college in New Jersey and it was an incredible blessing. I knew that I had to keep going because there was more than just me to think about. There was my whole family who needed food. My family needed me and I didn't want to let them down."

            Chelanga said his parents continued to set a good example for him, despite their circumstances. His mom died when he was nine, but he still remembers how hard she worked to help his father put food on the table.

            "I am very humbled by what God has done in my life," he says. "He has given me so much and I want to honor Him in everything I do. It has been difficult to balance school and running. And it is difficult to give the Lord praise every single day that I wake up. But I try to. I love the Lord so much because He has given me so much."

            While he's been successful, he still remembers the reason he runs.

            "One of the things about running is that it can be very painful sometimes," he says. "It's tough and it's grueling. But when I'm in pain, I think of how small my pain is compared to the pain that Jesus felt on the cross when He was crucified for me. He died a very violent, bloody death so that our sins could be paid in full. So the least I can do is to run for Him and live for Him."

* Brett Honeycutt is the Managing Editor for Sports Spectrum magazine.

I have been quite mindful of that while watching some of the World Series in recent days. Andy Pettitte's well-documented public disclosure of using performance enhancing drugs (PIDs) seems all but a minor incident now, if not completely off the radar after watching his performance in two games. Even the Yankees' manager, Joe Girrardi, has been spotlighted in Sports Spectrum, and Wikipedia's last line describing him states: "He is a devout Christian." Add 1st baseman Mark Teixeira and closer Mariano Rivera to the roster of those in that "believer boat" and featured in Sports Spectrum, and it seems there are more and more athletes that classify them as Christ-followers.

I remember vaguely a rampant undertone in the 90s that Christians lack the competitive fire to be truly effective in most high-level sports. If they did have some fiery moments, then the opposite was true -- they were sometimes considered as "posers"... sports figures that claimed to "thank God" for their successes because it was trendy, and then turn and curse out an official for a questionable call. I remember being a bit offended that such athletes and sports figures would do such a thing and betray my trust in their public witness, and take it personally that they are making it tough for their fellow professing Christians to uphold their testimony.

It only takes me a few seconds of reflection to recall that I don't need any help "blowing" my own public witness. I need no assistance in the area of struggling to bring honor to my Saviour in my own life without worrying about what others are doing to (vs. for) the cause of Christ in the public eye. It makes me remember the old adage which states that it is much easier to stand below someone on a pedestal and pull them down to your level than it is for that person to pull you up to theirs... so, unless I help by "stepping up", I'm not being part of the solution, and I only succeed in dragging others down if I join the voices that are against fellow professing believers.

I may not particularly like the Yankees as a team, but I stand in agreement with at least four of the team's players and their beliefs, and I wholeheartedly agree with the Scripture inscribed on Rivera's glove: Philippians 4:13 -- "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me"... and that includes remembering that we're all human and therefore all are "prone to wander", as the old hymn states. Thank God he is long-suffering, and that His grace is sufficient!

It's one of those little things that irk me a bit, but let's call things what they are. "World Series" I don't think so. It's a bit geocentric to think that just US teams (and a couple of Canadians) constitute a "World Series."

If all the best teams globally were playing for a title then it could be called a World Series. Even the Olympics do not have the best players available to claim that title.

Little league has it right because the best teams from around the world are allowed to play in it.

What are we watching... really it's just the MLB Championship Series.