Sports

The Yankees took their 27th World Series title by ousting the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. Here's a look back at some of the action over the course of the series. ( 29 photos total)

Some of what Big Shots takes a look at this week includes the World Series, the start of the NBA season, continued action from the NHL and NBA, as well the New York City Marathon. ( 21 photos total)

Much has happened in the world of sport since my last post. The NHL has started playing hockey again (that would be the skating thing that happens in between the fights), Major League Baseball began playoff action (I'll hopefully devote a separate post to that later this week), and sled dogs have begun their training even though there's no snow yet. Yet. I'd also like to tell you that for the next three weeks this blog will be left in the very capable hands of my fellow Globe picture editor Lloyd Young while I'm on vacation. See you November 10. ( 37 photos total)

This week Big Shots runs through London in a gorilla suit, cries over spilled blood at the WBC heavyweight boxing championship in Los Angeles, and drives through the night at the Petit Le Mans in Georgia. There's more, of course, as I wait for the start of the Major League Baseball playoffs. ( 31 photos total)

This week Big Shots rolls through a marathon on inline skates, joins the Tour of Britain cyclists as they roll through Westminster, and ducks elbows at a women's roller derby tournament. And we take in the Table Tennis European Championships in Stuttgart and the BMX Supercross in Chula Vista, Calif. among many other events. ( 29 photos total)

Though it doesn't get the attention afforded the Tour de France or the Giro d'Italia, cycling's other "grand tour" is every bit as brutal, and covers scenery every bit as stunning. And this year's Vuelta a Espana didn't lack for drama, with the three-week race still not totally decided until the final few stages. Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde of the Caisse d'Epargne team finally won a grand tour to live up to the promise he's shown for years. Australian rider Cadel Evans failed again to win a grand tour, finishing third to go with his two second-place finishes in the Tour. . ( 25 photos total)

This week Big Shots travels to Peru for the South American Bodybuilding Championships in Lima, kitesurfs from Tasmania to the Australian mainland, and yells "skate!" at octogenarian hockey players. I'll show you the Peace Marathon in Moscow, World Cup soccer qualifying in Riyadh, and cricket in Colombo, Sri Lanka. There's more, of course, as I look forward to bringing you the third of cycling's grand tours, La Vuelta a Espana early next week. ( 30 photos total)

A rain-soaked US Open 2009 held a few big surprises for tennis fans. Serena Williams' bizarre, expletive-laden ejection after a terrible call gave the semifinal to Kim Clijsters, although Clijsters appeared headed for victory anyway. Clijsters became the first unseeded woman to win the US Open, coming out of a two-year retirement. She's also the first mom to win since 1980. Juan Martin Del Potro needed no help from officials to upset Roger Federer in the men's final, ending Federer's streak of five US Open championships. Del Potro was appearing in his first majors final, while Federer has played in 16 of the last 17 Grand Slam finals. ( 26 photos total)

Are you ready for some football pictures? The National Football League opened it's 2009 season with a full slate of games featuring all 32 teams. The defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers started the year off right with an overtime win over the Tennessee Titans Thursday, and the weekend finished off with two Monday night games. A much anticipated season follows with the return of two marquee quarterbacks: Tom Brady gets back in action following a devastating knee injury, and Michael Vick tries to resurrect his career and public image after a prison stint. With every team hopeful, the march to Super Bowl XLIV next February has begun. ( 30 photos total)

This week Big Shots dives underwater in Beijing in a homemade submarine, then sneaks on top of Kuala Lumpur's Petronas towers with daredevil climber Alain Robert. In between there's the South American Freeskiing championships in La Parva, Chile, and a quarter of a million rubber ducks bobbing down the Thames in London. In a later post I'll look at the cycling season's third Grand Tour, the Vuelta a Espana. ( 31 photos total)

A modern Olympiad generally features the finest athletes from all over the world. This one does not. The facilities aren't too great, either. The mud olympics, or Wattolumpiad, are contested on the mudflats left by the Elbe River when the tide goes out in Brunsbuettel, Germany. About 400 competitors play soccer, volleyball, and other sports in the knee-deep muck. Good, clean fun.... ( 13 photos total)

When Little Leaguers play a World Series, it's really a world series, with eight international teams represented in the 16-team field. The 63rd Little League World Series championship game at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pa. saw a US team from San Diego suburb Chula Vista take on the Asia Pacific champ from Taoyuan, Taiwan. The American kids prevailed in an emotional tournament with plenty of highs and lows that proved that, contrary to what Tom Hanks' character famously claimed in the movie "A League of Their Own," there IS crying in baseball. There's also more joy and enthusiasm than we usually see in an entire season of a professional sport. ( 28 photos total)