Many people ask why players play the game.

Some athletes give a token line talking about how much they love the game they play. But in reality, we all know the money is key to them playing a game they grew up playing. And over the years, sports salaries have escalated to incredible levels.

Nowhere is that more evident than Major League Baseball. This offseason, the Los Angeles
Dodgers signed pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million deal. That deal was unheard of decades ago when reaching six-figures was foreign to players.

But on Feb. 20, 1963, Willie Mays cracked the six-figure mark, becoming the highest-paid player in baseball after signing a record $100,000 contract with the San Francisco Giants.