retty much over at that point with him. ... Batting cleanup can be tough, but I was just trying to put a good swing on a good pi

CHICAGO -- The World Series is hardly the only historic contest preoccupying the owners of the Chicago Cubs this fall.The wealthy Ricketts family -- Joe and Marlene, and their adult children Pete, Tom, Todd and Laura -- also are big players in the political arena, hosting high-dollar fundraisers and donating millions to influence the presidential election. But while everyone in the family rallies around the beloved ball team, when it comes to political causes and candidates ... well, not so much.Most of the Ricketts are Republicans who support GOP nominee Donald Trump, though during the primary Joe and Marlene spent millions to stop the New York businessman, prompting Trump to lash out at the family on Twitter. Son Pete is the conservative governor of Nebraska, and four years ago the family was pulled into a controversy involving President Barack Obama.Laura Ricketts, meanwhile, is a top Democratic donor who held a high-dollar fundraiser for Hillary Clinton this summer and was a superdelegate who supported her at the Democratic National Convention. After it became known a super PAC founded by her father planned to spend millions to help Trump, she showed up at Wrigley Field sporting a hat with the Clinton campaign logo.The Ricketts family, originally from Omaha, bought the Cubs in 2009 for $845 million. While Joe Ricketts made the family fortune as chairman of TD Ameritrade, son Tom Ricketts -- who mostly avoids politics -- serves as Cubs chairman. His siblings are co-owners and board members.The family deferred comment to a spokesman, who emphasized that many families could relate to the Ricketts divided political loyalties, even those who share their sports passions.The Ricketts family, like the families of many Cubs fans, have diverse political views, spokesman Dennis Culloton said. But they are very close and they love each other and thats been the case before, during and long after their World Series run and election seasons.Joe Ricketts is a GOP mega-donor who founded the super PAC Future 45. The group and a related nonprofit entity are scheduled to spend about $15 million on anti-Clinton and pro-Trump advertisements by Election Day, according Federal Election Commission reports. The groups have so far concentrated on the battleground state of Florida, according to Kantar Medias political ad tracker.Roughly half of the spending has come through the 45 Committee, a nonprofit group that does not have to disclose its donors to the public.FEC documents show Future 45 is getting a big assist from Las Vegas casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson. Through the end of September, he and his wife, Miriam, contributed $10 million to the group.Early on, however, Marlene and Joe Ricketts investments in the presidential race went mostly to their preferred candidate, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who flamed out early in the GOP primary.The couple was so concerned about Trump winning the primary that they pumped $5.5 million into an effort to stop him in the first few months of this year, FEC records show. When Marlene Ricketts first contribution made headlines, Trump warned on Twitter that the family better be careful, they have a lot to hide!Tom Ricketts later told reporters the family isnt hiding anything, adding: Its a little surreal when Donald Trump threatens your mom.Shortly after the effort to stop Trump failed, Brian Baker, who directs the familys political activities, said Joe and Marlene Ricketts always intended to support the GOP nominee -- even Trump.Pete Ricketts in Nebraska endorsed Trump shortly after the other candidates for the GOP nomination left the race.Todd Ricketts, who like Tom and Laura lives in suburban Chicago, raised money for Walkers presidential campaign, but also has gotten behind Trump, hosting a fundraiser for him alongside former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka.The familys politics have caused at least one major rift in Chicago, a deeply Democratic city.During the 2012 election, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel reportedly was infuriated by reports that Joe Ricketts was considering a $10 million campaign against Obama that would refer to the racially incendiary sermons delivered by the minister at a church Obama once attended. Joe Ricketts said he had nothing to do with the proposal, which was dropped, but it became one of many bumps in the Cubs efforts to get approval for major ballpark renovations.In a 2013 Chicago magazine profile, Tom Ricketts made clear the Ricketts prefer to be recognized for the Cubs, not politics.To be a part of a family that brings a World Series champion to these fans would be one of the greatest legacies you could imagine, he said.---Associated Press writer Julie Bykowicz in Washington contributed to this report.---Follow Sara Burnett on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/sara-burnett Bryan Watson Jersey . Already owning gold from competition in Vancouver in 2010, Loch posted a combined four-run time of 3:27.526. That included a track-record third run of 51. Leo Boivin Jersey . 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Subscribe today!FORGET JACKIE BRADLEY JR.S breakout, Xander Bogaerts hitting streak or David Ortizs yearlong lovefest: Mookie Betts, the Red Soxs 23-year-old outfielder, is the teams most indispensable player, and a legitimate MVP candidate.Betts is among the AL leaders in runs, hits and RBIs, but you could argue that his biggest strength has been coming through in the clutch. Betts has five of the Soxs top 16 games in win probability added (WPA), a measure of how much one player affects his teams chances to win. Here are the stories behind some of his best games.1 DOWN WITH THE BIRDS AUG. 16 AT BALTIMORE RED SOX 5, ORIOLES 3 BETTS WPA: 0.505THE SCENE Let it be said, with little hyperbole, that Betts defeated the Orioles single-handedly. Batting cleanup, he broke a scoreless stalemate in the fifth inning with a two-out, three-run homer off Baltimore starter Yovani Gallardo. And after the Orioles rallied to tie the score in the bottom of the seventh, Betts bashed a two-run homer in the next inning against setup man Brad Brach, against whom right-handed hitters had been 8-for-102 (.078). Betts drove in all five Red Sox runs. About the only thing he didnt do was pitch.BETTS TAKE I knew it was going to be tough [facing Brach]. I tried to swing early and be aggressive, because I know hes going to be in the zone. Once you get two strikes, its pretty much over at that point with him. ... Batting cleanup can be tough, but I was just trying to put a good swing on a good pitch, trying to drive the ball like I always do, with my same approach. [Being a power hitter] is definitely weird. Ive never been that in my life. Im just going to try to enjoy it while its here.2 HOUSTON HAS A PROBLEM MAY 15 AT BOSTON RED SOX 10, ASTROS 9 BETTS WPA: 0.330THE SCENE By the time Betts stepped to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, this game had seen three lead changes. The Red Sox had just watched an 8-6 edge disappear after the Astros three-run rally in the top of the sixth. After Ryan Hanigan tied the score with a two-out single off Houston right-hander Scott Feldman, Betts fell behind in the count 0-2. No worries. He laid off two pitches, then lined a sinker to the gap in right-center field for a go-ahead triple.BETTS TAKE From the outside, [games like these, when the entire offense clicks] look ridiculous, but from the inside, theyre just the product of us grinding out at-bats and grinding through games. It was a tough day, man. The wind blowing, the sun there, it made it that much tougher. Fortunately, we were able to get an extra out [on Hanigans hit] and take advantage of it.3 RANGE FACTOR JUNE 24 AT TEXAS RED SOX 8, RANGERS 7 BETTS WPA: 0.dddddddddddd29THE SCENE Good luck finding a more improbable Red Sox victory. Trailing 7-4 in the top of the ninth, the Sox got two quick outs, then proceeded to score four runs. After Sandy Leon worked an 11-pitch at-bat for an RBI double, the Rangers called on hard-throwing righty Matt Bush. Betts passed on a couple of sliders in anticipation of high heat. Sure enough, he got a belt-high 97 mph fastball and crushed it to the center-field berm. Three batters later, Dustin Pedroia scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.BETTS TAKE There are three righties behind Sandy, so I know [Bush] is coming in, and I kind of prepared for that. Seeing velocity doesnt change anything. Its all got to come across the plate at some point. Thats my mindset. In the AL East, you see it every day. A lot of times, you see it from the starter for the whole game. That ball was one of the ones I figured was going to go out. If it didnt, I would have probably cried.4 BRINGING THE RAIN AUG. 1 AT SEATTLE RED SOX 2, MARINERS 1 BETTS WPA: 0.328 THE SCENE It doesnt get much more clutch than a leadoff homer in the ninth inning of a tie game. Betts longball was off a hanging sinker from Mariners reliever Steve Cishek, all the way into the left-field bullpen. It was also one of the hardest balls Betts hit all season, with an exit velocity of 103.54 mph, according to Statcast.BETTS TAKE I was just going up there knowing [Cishek] is a tough at-bat. Any sidearm guy is going to be tough. I was just trying to get a fastball up so I could at least put it in play. I know anything down, Im going to beat into the ground, so just got something elevated and put a good swing on it.5?TWO BIRDS, THREE HOMERS MAY 31 AT BALTIMORE RED SOX 6, ORIOLES 2 BETTS WPA: 0.325THE SCENE Talk about doing it all. Betts led off the game with a homer to straightaway center field, then added a three-run shot to left in the second inning. In the seventh, just for good measure, Betts capped his first three-homer game by going to right field for a solo shot against reliever Dylan Bundy. (His diving catch to steal a hit from Paul Janish in the bottom of that inning was just a bonus.)BETTS TAKE I think I surprised myself, definitely, with the center-field and the right-field ones. [Pulling the ball to] left field is my forte. First time Ive ever done that, three home runs. I was able to make a play behind [pitcher] Robbie Ross, too, so, you know, put the whole game together. Thats why, I think, it ranks among my best games.Stats courtesy Baseball-Reference.com; through Sept. 6. ' ' '