The Toronto Blues Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers are heading to Game 7 of the World Series tonight in Toronto following a crushing Jays defeat last night. If the Jays are victorious, it will be the first time they’ve won the series in 32 years.

Watching post-season baseball this year has reminded me not only of how thrilling playoff sports can be, but also the sheer grit, resilience and tenacity necessary to excel at any sport at a high level. It’s not just the physical talent that’s impressive — it’s the psychological strength, too. But sports at any level provides so many benefits for all of us, both physical and emotional, and regardless of our age or talent.

So this weekend’s newsletter is an homage to sports and staying active.

My very favourite types of Conversation stories are those that feature scientists applying their expertise to something that confounds many of us. On the eve of Game 6 of the World Series, The Conversation Canada published a piece about the physics of baseball, and how it explains why Kevin Gausman’s signature pitch — the splitter — can be so effective. While Gausman's solid outing didn't lead the Jays to victory last night, the splitter is one of the toughest pitches for batters to hit — and physics is why.

Another story tied to the World Series explores whether cities truly benefit economically from major sporting events — spoiler alert: not really! Earlier in the week, we also had an impassioned call to action on the need to get more Canadian girls to play sports — and how to do so.

The global network has also had some great reads in the past few days on various sports, from cricket to walking football to something called EcoBall that has transformed the chore of picking up litter into a fun and competitive game for kids. These and other sports stories are listed below for your reading pleasure this weekend.

The Conversation Canada will also have a story tomorrow on the pain of being a sports fan regardless of what happens tonight, the final game in a series that's been profoundly anxiety-inducing for Jays fans like me. I personally hid my head under the couch pillows every time the Jays were pitching. So stay tuned for this interesting read!

Have a great weekend and … one more time … let’s go Blue Jays!