Born in Chestertown, Maryland, William (Swish) Nicholson (1914-1996) became a star batter for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.
Perhaps best known for the Terps (Terrapins) basketball team, the University of Maryland athletics program organizes many sporting teams. At College Park, the University operates Byrd Stadium (48,000-person capacity) and Comcast Center, a 17,000 seat basketball facility opened in Fall 2002.
Sport enthusiasts use local paths, such as the Baltimore and Annapolis (B & A) Trail Park, to hike, jog, cycle, and rollerblade. The "B & A" Trail, a 13.3-mile long path in Anne Arundel County, runs from Glen Burnie in the North to the north shore of the Severn River in Annapolis. It is a section of the East Coast Greenway that stretches 2,600 miles from Key West, Florida, to Calais, Maine.
A new facet to Maryland’s sport scene is the Baltimore Grand Prix. Indy cars will reach speeds up to 185mph on the track, which will encircle the Baltimore Convention Center, and loop from the Inner Harbor to M&T Bank Stadium. Five annual races are being scheduled in Baltimore, with the first to be held Aug. 5-7, 2011.
Certain sports stadiums and other large facilities in the State are the concern of the Maryland Stadium Authority.
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