THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY JULY 4, 2024

“THE SCOREBOARD”

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES

PITTSBURGH 5 ST. LOUIS 4 (10)

BOSTON 7 MIAMI 2

CHICAGO WHITE SOX 8 CLEVELAND 2

WASHINGTON 7 NY METS 5

CINCINNATI 3 NY YANKEES 2

HOUSTON 9 TORONTO 2

ATLANTA 3 SAN FRANCISCO 1

PHILADELPHIA 5 CHICAGO CUBS 3

SAN DIEGO 6 TEXAS 4

KANSAS CITY 4 TAMPA BAY 2

DETROIT 9 MINNESOTA 2

MILWAUKEE 3 COLORADO 0

OAKLAND 5 LA ANGELS 0

ARIZONA 12 LA DODGERS 4

BALTIMORE 4 SEATTLE 1

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCORES

INDIANAPOLIS AT LOUISVILLE PPD

WNBA SCORES

PHOENIX 104 DALLAS 96

MLS

NEW YORK CITY 2 MONTRÉAL 0

CINCINNATI 3 DC 2

MIAMI 2 CHARLOTTE 1

ORLANDO CITY 2 TORONTO 1

NEW ENGLAND 2 ATLANTA 1

VANCOUVER 3 MINNESOTA 1

CHICAGO 4 PHILADELPHIA 3

ST. LOUIS 2 SAN JOSE 0

COLUMBUS 2 NASHVILLE 0

SALT LAKE 3 HOUSTON 2

TOP NATIONAL SPORTS HEADLINES

BASKETBALL NEWS

LEBRON JAMES AGREES TO A 2-YEAR EXTENSION WITH THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS, AP SOURCE SAYS

LeBron James is making it official: He’s coming back for a record-tying 22nd season in the NBA, one where the league’s all-time scoring leader could share the floor with his son Bronny as teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers.

James has agreed to a two-year contract to remain with the Lakers, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Wednesday. The second year of the deal is at James’ option and means he could become a free agent again next summer, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced publicly.

ESPN reported that the Lakers and James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, may agree on a salary slightly less than the max that James could have gotten — a move that could keep the team from reaching the second apron and preserve some roster flexibility going forward.

Either way, the expectation is that James will make around $50 million — give or take a little bit — this coming season, pushing his career on-court earnings to around $530 million and making him the first player in NBA history to eclipse the $500 million mark.

It will be James’ 22nd season in the NBA, tying Vince Carter for the league record. The Lakers selected Bronny James last week in the second round of the draft, putting them in position to have the first on-court father-son duo in NBA history.

Getting the deal done clears one logistical hurdle: LeBron James needed a new deal in place before he could take the floor with USA Basketball for the start of its training camp in Las Vegas this weekend, one where the squad will start preparations for the Paris Olympics. James will play in the Olympics for the fourth time, his first since helping the U.S. win gold at the 2012 London Games.

He’ll turn 40 in December and averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists last season — as the oldest active player in the league.

Not only is James the all-time leader in points (40,474), but he’s fourth in assists (11,009), sixth in games played (1,492), and eighth in both 3-pointers made (2,410) and steals (2,275).

His 20 All-Star selections is a record, as are his 20 appearances on the All-NBA team. He holds the records for being both the youngest player, and oldest player, to make an All-NBA squad.

James became the youngest to make All-NBA when he was voted onto the team for the 2004-05 season. This past season, he became the first player to be age 39 or older in what became an All-NBA campaign.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan were both just a few days from turning 39 when the regular seasons ended in what became their final All-NBA campaigns, Abdul-Jabbar’s being 1985-86 and Duncan’s being 2014-15. James played in 71 games this past season, the last 42 of those coming after he turned 39.

BANNED NBA PLAYER JONTAY PORTER WILL BE CHARGED IN BETTING CASE, COURT PAPERS INDICATE

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter will be charged with a federal felony connected to the sports betting scandal that spurred the NBA to ban him for life, court papers indicate.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn filed what’s known as a criminal information sheet on Tuesday. The document doesn’t specify a court date or the charge or charges, but it does show the case is related to an existing prosecution of four men charged with scheming to cash in on tips from a player about his plans to exit two games early.

The Associated Press sent voice and email messages Wednesday to Porter’s St. Louis-based lawyer, Jeff Jensen. He said last month that Porter had been “in over his head due to a gambling addiction” but was getting treatment and cooperating with law enforcement.

Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace’s office declined to comment on the new developments.

An NBA investigation found in April that Porter tipped off bettors about his health and then claimed illness to exit at least one game, creating wins for anyone who’d bet on him to underperform expectations. Porter also gambled on NBA games in which he didn’t play, once betting against his own team, the league said.

The four men charged last month appeared in court but haven’t yet entered pleas. They’re charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and were released on bonds in various amounts.

A court complaint against those four — Ammar Awawdeh, Timothy McCormack, Mahmud Mollah and Long Phi Pham — accused them of using prior knowledge of an NBA player’s plans so that they or their relatives could place winning bets on his performance.

The complaint identified the athlete only as “Player 1,” but details about him and the game— and a quote from an NBA news release — matched up with the league’s probe into Porter.

According to the complaint, the player owed “significant gambling debts” to Awawdeh, who encouraged the athlete to settle them with a “special”: intentionally exiting games so that bettors in the know could successfully wager on him falling short of what sportsbooks figured he’d do.

“If I don’t do a special with your terms. Then it’s up,” the player responded in an encrypted message early this year, according to the complaint. “And u hate me and if I don’t get u 8k by Friday you’re coming to Toronto to beat me up.”

The player told some of the four already-charged defendants that he would claim health problems to take himself out of games early on Jan. 26 and March 20, the complaint says.

Porter played only briefly on those dates before leaving the court, complaining of injury or illness. In both games, his points, rebounds and assists were below the betting line for his performance.

Mollah, McCormack and a relative of Awawdeh had bet the “under” and made out, though a betting company ultimately stopped Mollah from collecting most of his more than $1 million in winnings on the March 20 game, according to the complaint.

After the NBA and others began investigating, the player messaged Pham, Mollah and Awawdeh that they “might just get hit w a rico” — an apparent reference to the common acronym for a federal racketeering charge — and asked whether they had deleted “all the stuff” from their phones, the complaint notes.

Porter’s salary for this year was around $410,000. The 24-year-old averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 26 games this season, including five starts. He also played in 11 games for the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2020-21 season.

SOURCES: TIMBERWOLVES, JOE INGLES AGREE TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT

Free agent forward Joe Ingles has agreed on a one-year, $3.3 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, reuniting him with Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

Once the Timberwolves knew they were losing Kyle Anderson in free agency, president of basketball operations Tim Connelly engaged with Ingles’ agent, Mark Bartelstein, on landing a deal to bring his 3-point shooting and playmaking to the Western Conferences finalists.

Ingles, 36, played with Gobert and Conley in Utah, where they regularly advanced in the playoffs together.

Ingles is a career 41% 3-point shooter — including 43.5% for Orlando last season — and stands fourth best among players with 2,500-plus attempts since coming to the NBA in the 2014-15 season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He trails only JJ Redick (42.9%), Steph Curry (42.1%) and Klay Thompson (41.4%).

Ingles has played 10 NBA seasons after arriving from Australia, who he’ll represent in the 2024 Summer Olympics. He played eight seasons with the Jazz, ending his career there with a torn ACL in 2022. He played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Magic in the past two seasons, and now appears destined for the playoffs for a third straight year — this time, with the Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves on Wednesday also reached a one-year deal with free agent forward PJ Dozier, sources told ESPN.

Dozier, 27, returns from a season in Europe after a torn ACL with the Denver Nuggets in late 2021 caused him to again make his case for an NBA contract. He averaged 8.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 19.6 minutes over 54 games with Partizan in the ABA League and the EuroLeague.

He saw action in six NBA seasons for the Nuggets, Kings, Celtics and Thunder, averaging 5.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

SOURCES: MIAMI HEAT, ALEC BURKS AGREE TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT

Free agent Alec Burks has agreed on a one-year deal with the Miami Heat, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday.

Anthony Fields and Rich Paul of Klutch Sports negotiated the deal with the Heat front office, sources told ESPN.

Acquired by the New York Knicks from the Detroit Pistons in a deadline deal last season to shore up their backcourt depth, Burks averaged 6.5 points in 13.5 minutes to end the regular season with New York.

However, after OG Anunoby’s injury in the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Indiana Pacers, Burks received extended playing time and exploded for nearly 18 points on 51% shooting across five games in that series, showing his worth as a microwave scorer off the bench.

Overall, Burks averaged 10.4 points on 38% 3-point shooting last season

Burks is a veteran of 13 NBA seasons after being drafted by the Utah Jazz in 2011. A 6-foot-6 shooting guard, Burks has averaged at least 10 points per game since the 2019-20 season while playing mostly off the bench.

Burks, who turns 33 on July 20, is coming off a three-year, $30 million deal signed in 2021.

SOURCES: LAKERS ADDING NATE MCMILLAN, SCOTT BROOKS TO STAFF

The Los Angeles Lakers are hiring Nate McMillan and Scott Brooks as top assistants on JJ Redick’s new staff, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday.

Redick gets two longtime coaches for his staff who have a combined 31 seasons of head-coaching experience between them.

McMillan, 59, was fired as coach of the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 21. He replaced Lloyd Pierce as interim coach for the Hawks in 2021, engineered a run to the Eastern Conference finals and was awarded a four-year contract.

He went 99-80 with Atlanta and has a career record of 760-668. Prior to joining the Hawks, he spent five seasons with Seattle, seven with Portland and four with Indiana.

McMillan has taken his teams to 11 playoff appearances, going 28-48.

Brooks had been serving as an assistant with the Trail Blazers on Chauncey Billups’ staff. He last served as head coach of the Washington Wizards, with whom he spent five seasons from 2016 to 2021. Prior to that, he coached the Oklahoma City Thunder for seven seasons.

He has a career record of 521-414 and went 49-48 in the playoffs.

Redick, who agreed to a four-year contract to coach the Lakers last month, has never coached in the NBA. After starring at Duke and scoring the 20th-most 3-pointers in NBA history, he stayed connected to basketball through various media outlets, including co-hosting a podcast with LeBron James, “Mind the Game,” and calling the NBA Finals for ESPN and ABC.

The Lakers’ summer league roster will debut Saturday against the Sacramento Kings in the California Classic before playing the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The 2024 summer league takes place July 12-22 in Las Vegas.

WNBA NEWS

KAHLEAH COPPER SCORES 34 AS MERCURY OUTLAST WINGS

Kahleah Copper rang up 34 points, including a huge 3-pointer with 21.8 seconds to play, as the visiting Phoenix Mercury held off the struggling Dallas Wings 104-96 on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas.

The Mercury (10-10) snapped a two-game losing streak by taking charge of the game early in the second quarter, building a huge lead and fighting off a Dallas rally. Phoenix led by 13 points at halftime and by 61-43 after a three-point play by Brittney Griner in the opening minute after the break before Dallas closed to within seven heading into the fourth quarter.

The Wings cut their deficit to 97-94 on a putback layup by Natasha Howard with 2:19 left and to 99-96 after a pair of free throws by Arike Ogunbowale 25 seconds later. But Phoenix never let the Wings get closer, with two free throws by Natasha Cloud with 6.7 seconds remaining clinching the win.

Griner added 24 points while Diana Taurasi had 16, Rebecca Allen scored 14 points and Cloud had 11 points and 10 assists for Phoenix.

Howard scored a season-high 36 points and took 11 rebounds to lead the Wings (4-16), which lost their third straight game and 14th in their last 15 outings. Ogunbowale scored 26 points, and Odyssey Sims hit for 13 for Dallas.

Griner’s jumper at the 6:48 mark of the first quarter gave the Mercury their first lead at 8-6. Phoenix expanded its lead to five points when Allen canned a 3-pointer midway through the period and then to 20-11 after Copper hit a three and then a jumper, the latter with 2:48 to play in the first. The Mercury led 27-18 at the end of the period.

But Dallas swung back, paring its deficit to 41-32 when Howard and Ogunbowale hit baskets as part of a 6-0 run. Phoenix answered and carried a 56-43 lead to the break.

Copper poured in 17 points before halftime to lead all scorers while Taurasi had 13 and Allen scored 11 for the Mercury. Howard paced Dallas with 14 points at the half, with Ogunbowale adding 11.

The Wings clawed back from 18 points down early in the third to within 76-74 after an Ogunbowale jumper with 1:39 to play in the period.

BASEBALL NEWS

HERE ARE YOUR 2024 ALL-STAR STARTERS

The starters for the 2024 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard have been unveiled. Here’s who will be taking the field for the American League and National League in the Midsummer Classic on July 16 (8 p.m. ET on FOX) at Globe Life Field.

The results of the fan vote to determine this year’s All-Star starters were announced on Wednesday on ESPN. The players elected alongside Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Phillies star Bryce Harper — who had already earned automatic bids as each league’s leading vote-getter in Phase 1 of voting — include both the game’s biggest superstars, like Shohei Ohtani, and electric first-time All-Stars like Gunnar Henderson.

Ten different teams are represented in this year’s All-Star starting lineups, with the Phillies leading the way with three representatives, the Yankees, Orioles, Astros, Guardians, Brewers and Padres sending two each, and the Blue Jays, Dodgers and D-backs sending one. There are eight players who were elected starters by the fans for the first time.

The complete 2024 All-Star rosters, including pitchers and position player reserves for both teams, will be revealed on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

American League

Catcher: Adley Rutschman, Orioles (1st starter election)

The Orioles’ superstar duo — Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson — will be first-time starters alongside each other in the All-Star Game. Rutschman is an All-Star for a second time after being a reserve on the 2023 AL squad, and he’s having his best season yet in 2024. The 26-year-old is batting .291 with 15 home runs and 55 RBIs for the first-place O’s.

First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays (3rd starter election)

Vlad Jr. is an All-Star for the fourth year in a row, and a starter for the third time in those four years. The defending Home Run Derby champion will look to put his power on display in the Midsummer Classic, where he’s homered once before, in his first All-Star Game in 2021. Guerrero is batting .298 with 13 home runs and an .848 OPS this season.

Second base: Jose Altuve, Astros (6th starter election)

Altuve, who’s batting .308 with 13 homers and 13 stolen bases, is an All-Star for the ninth time in his career and a starter for the sixth time. He’s one of only four active players to be voted in by the fans as a starter at least six times, along with Mike Trout (10), Harper (seven) and Judge (six). All of Altuve’s starter elections have come as a second baseman; he’s behind only Roberto Alomar (nine), Ryne Sandberg (nine) and Joe Morgan (seven) in that category.

Shortstop: Gunnar Henderson, Orioles (1st starter election)

Henderson has a case as the best all-around player in baseball this year, and he was able to beat out his fellow shortstop phenom Bobby Witt Jr. to make his first career All-Star Game in what was arguably the most star-studded race on the ballot. The 23-year-old is batting .288 with 26 home runs, 13 stolen bases and a .983 OPS and has been the catalyst of the O’s offense all season.

Third base: José Ramírez, Guardians (3rd starter election)

Ramírez is now a six-time All-Star but a starter for the first time since his first two Midsummer Classics in 2017 and ’18. The 31-year-old has led the Guardians to the top of the AL Central, with 23 home runs, 15 stolen bases and 76 RBIs, and will start the 2024 All-Star Game alongside teammate Steven Kwan. Cleveland is one of four AL teams with multiple starters, along with the Orioles, Yankees and Astros.

Designated hitter: Yordan Alvarez, Astros (1st starter election)

Alvarez has been one of the most feared sluggers in baseball for several years now, but this will be his first All-Star Game start, after he made the AL squad as a reserve in 2022 and ’23. That’s what happens when you play in the same league as Shohei Ohtani, who started the last three All-Star Games at DH for the AL before jumping to the NL this year. That opened the door for Alvarez, who’s batting .297 with 18 homers and a .910 OPS for the red-hot Astros.

Outfield:

Aaron Judge, Yankees (6th starter election)

Judge and Soto, the Bronx Bombers’ two biggest superstars, will start next to each other in the AL outfield. Judge locked up a starting spot as MLB’s overall leading vote-getter in Phase 1, and deservedly so: He’s leading the Majors with 32 home runs, 83 RBIs and an 1.158 OPS. Only Trout and Harper have earned more starter elections than Judge among active players.

Juan Soto, Yankees (1st starter election)

Soto is an All-Star for the fourth year in a row, but this is somehow the first time he’ll be starting. He’s also making the All-Star team for a third different team in the last three seasons, having done so with the Padres in 2023 and the Nationals in 2022. Soto and Judge are probably the most dangerous duo in baseball — the 25-year-old is batting .300 with 20 homers and a .997 OPS this season.

Steven Kwan, Guardians (1st starter election)

Kwan is a first-time All-Star thanks to a tremendous season so far. He’s batting .362, which puts him in position to take the lead in the MLB batting race as soon as he gets the few extra plate appearances he needs to qualify for the league leaderboards. Kwan also boasts a .526 slugging percentage and .945 OPS while striking out at one of the lowest rates in the Majors.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Catcher: William Contreras, Brewers (1st starter election)

Contreras has earned his second career All-Star selection, and his first as a starter, after he made the team as a reserve behind his brother, Willson, in 2022. The Contreras family has now combined to earn the NL starting catcher job four times since 2018, with the only exceptions being Sean Murphy last year and Buster Posey in 2021. William Contreras has a career-high .292 batting average for the NL Central-leading Brewers this season.

First base: Bryce Harper, Phillies (7th starter election)

Harper has become a mainstay in the Midsummer Classic at this point, earning his eighth overall selection and seventh as a starter (with his rookie season, 2012, being the lone time he made the game as a reserve). Harper responded from a slow start to the season in a major way, with a .342 batting average and 1.076 OPS over the course of May and June, both of which ended in NL Player of the Month honors.

Second base: Ketel Marte, D-backs (2nd starter election)

This is Marte’s second All-Star selection, five years after he was voted as a starter during his breakout 2019 season when he finished fourth in NL MVP voting. While the D-backs have largely disappointed this season, currently sitting in fourth place in the NL West after winning the NL pennant a year ago, that’s been no fault of Marte’s. The 30-year-old ranks first or tied for first among qualified second basemen in home runs (17), slugging percentage (.517) and OPS (.871).

Shortstop: Trea Turner, Phillies (2nd starter election)

The Phillies are the first NL team to have at least three infielders voted as starters since the Cubs did so in 2016 — and those guys had a decent ending to their season. It remains to be seen if the Phillies will do the same, but what is already known is that Turner has quickly returned to prime form after missing six weeks with a hamstring injury. In 13 games since returning from the IL on June 17, Turner — who earned his third career All-Star selection — has a .328 batting average, .923 OPS and three homers.

Third base: Alec Bohm, Phillies (1st starter election)

While his corner infield partner, Harper, is an All-Star veteran, Bohm is anything but, as this is his first career All-Star selection. The third overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft has put it all together in a breakout season, with a .297 batting average, .349 OBP and .484 slugging percentage that are all career highs in a season where he played at least 50 games. As such, he’s been a major asset in the Phillies holding MLB’s best record.

Designated hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (4th starter election)

No matter which league he’s in, or which position he’s playing, the only constant of this decade has been that Ohtani finds a way to start in the All-Star Game somewhere. This is Ohtani’s fourth consecutive time being voted as an All-Star starter, which is tied with Aaron Judge for the longest active streak in MLB among pitchers or position players (let alone both). Though Ohtani has not pitched this season due to injury, his NL-leading totals in home runs (27), slugging percentage (.646) and OPS (1.048) were handily enough for him to earn another starting nod.

Outfield:

Christian Yelich, Brewers (2nd starter election)

Yelich has seen some major ups and downs during his tenure with the Brewers. He was the NL MVP in 2018, an All-Star starter in 2019, and then he had two straight seasons with a sub-.740 OPS in 2021-22 before getting back on track. Now, that rebound has resulted in his third career All-Star selection and second as a starter, thanks to his NL-leading .329 batting average in 2024.

Jurickson Profar, Padres (1st starter election)

Who saw this one coming? Profar was a highly touted prospect who made his MLB debut at age 19 in 2012, but his career was slow to take off from there, largely due to a shoulder injury that cost him all of the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Entering the 2024 season, he was a career .239/.322/.383 hitter with no All-Star selections to his name, having just signed a one-year deal with San Diego where he was expected to largely be a backup. Instead, he’s stunned the baseball world with a .311/.404/.472 batting line, earning his first career Midsummer Classic spot.

Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres (2nd starter election)

Speaking of Padres outfielders who have bounced back after missing an entire season, Tatis has earned his first All-Star selection since missing all of 2022 due to suspension and injury, and the second of his career. Tatis was a shortstop when he first was an All-Star in 2021, but this is his first selection as an outfielder, thanks to his .821 OPS along with his arm strength that ranks in the 99th percentile of MLB.

MLB ROUNDUP: AT AGE 22, A’S STARTER JOEY ESTES BLANKS ANGELS

Joey Estes pitched a five-hit shutout as the Oakland Athletics made it two in a row over the visiting Los Angeles Angels with a 5-0 victory Wednesday night.

Estes, at age 22 years and 269 days, became the youngest major-leaguer to throw a shutout since Zach Eflin did so for the Philadelphia Phillies at age 22 years and 105 days against in July 2016. Making just his 12th big-league start, Estes (3-3) didn’t yield an extra-base hit. He walked one and struck out four.

Brent Rooker homered for the second consecutive night and Max Schuemann also went deep for the A’s, who will shoot for a series sweep Thursday afternoon. Brett Harris chipped in with an RBI single.

Angels starter Davis Daniel (1-1) surrendered five runs, four earned, on seven hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three.

Diamondbacks 12, Dodgers 4

Christian Walker continued to torment his division rival with two more home runs, and Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. also went deep as Arizona pounded host Los Angeles.

Walker has seven home runs in eight games against the Dodgers this season and had four hits on Wednesday, including a double and three runs scored. Arizona right-hander Cristian Mena gave up four runs after four batters of his major league debut, but Diamondbacks pitching did not allow another run. Bryce Jarvis (1-2) worked 2 1/3 innings to get the win.

Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernandez hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning as the Dodgers fell to 2-3 against Arizona at home this season. Starter Gavin Stone, who had a 1.62 ERA over his past six starts, gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks in three innings, striking out three. Ryan Yarbrough (3-2) took the loss.

Orioles 4, Mariners 1

Dean Kremer pitched five scoreless innings in his return from the injured list, and Ryan O’Hearn homered and drove in three runs to lead Baltimore past host Seattle.

Baltimore has won the first two games of the three-game series. Closer Craig Kimbrel pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 21st save of the season and the 438th of his career, moving into sole possession of fourth place all-time. Kremer (4-4), who had not pitched since May 20 due to a right triceps strain, allowed just two singles. He walked two and struck out eight.

Cal Raleigh homered in the sixth inning to prevent the Mariners from being blanked for a second consecutive game. Starter Logan Gilbert (5-5) gave up four runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander walked three — as many free passes as he issued in his previous eight starts combined — and fanned six.

Phillies 5, Cubs 3

Rafael Marchan hit a solo homer and Alec Bohm added a two-run blast as Philadelphia knocked off host Chicago for its third straight win.

The Phillies broke an eighth-inning tie with two runs against reliever Tyson Miller (2-1). Matt Strahm (4-1) replaced Zack Wheeler to begin the seventh inning and earned the win for Philadelphia. Jose Alvarado worked around a one-out single in the ninth for his 13th save.

Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled twice and drove in two runs for Chicago, which lost for the eighth time in 10 games.

Brewers 3, Rockies 0

Christian Yelich homered and Colin Rea tossed seven shutout innings to help Milwaukee blank Colorado in Denver for its eighth win in its last 10 games.

William Contreras and Brice Turang had three hits apiece and Yelich had two for Milwaukee, which won for the eighth time in the past 10 games. Rea (8-2) allowed six hits and struck out four without issuing a walk. Jakob Junis gave up two hits in two scoreless innings to earn his first save of the season.

Jake Cave, Brenton Doyle and Brendan Rodgers had two hits apiece for the Rockies, who have dropped 16 of their last 22 games. Colorado was shut out for the ninth time this season.

Pirates 5, Cardinals 4 (10 innings)

Oneil Cruz hit a walk-off single into the right field corner in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Pittsburgh over visiting St. Louis.

Rowdy Tellez had three hits, including a solo home run, and scored twice for the Pirates, who had lost three of their past four.

Willson Contreras hit a game-tying two-run homer in the eighth and Masyn Winn had three hits and an RBI for his third straight multi-hit game for the Cardinals, who had won three of their past four.

Nationals 7, Mets 5

James Wood laced the tiebreaking run-scoring single in the seventh for his first career RBI on Wednesday night for Washington, which overcame a five-run deficit to beat visiting New York in the third game of a four-game series.

Luis Garcia Jr. homered twice — a three-run shot in the sixth and an insurance solo blast in the eighth — for the Nationals, who won for just the second time in nine games. It was the second career two-home game for Garcia, who did it against the Philadelphia Phillies in 2021.

Tyrone Taylor, Mark Vientos and Francisco Lindor all homered to put the Mets ahead 5-0 before they tied a season high by squandering a five-run lead for the second time in five games and the third time this season.

Tigers 9, Twins 2

Carson Kelly hit his first career grand slam, Riley Greene and Matt Vierling each socked two-run homers and Detroit cruised to a win over Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Wenceel Perez added a solo homer for Detroit, which evened the series at one win apiece with the decisive game scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Tigers right-hander Keider Montero (1-2) notched his first career victory in his second career start and third outing overall. The 23-year-old from Venezuela limited the Twins to two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Minnesota’s Brooks Lee finished 2-for-4 with an RBI in his big-league debut. Christian Vazquez homered for the Twins. Right-hander David Festa (1-1) surrendered seven runs on nine hits in five innings. He walked none and struck out six but gave up three homers.

Reds 3, Yankees 2

Andrew Abbott allowed one run in 6 1/3 solid innings, Alexis Diaz retired Juan Soto for the final out in the ninth and visiting Cincinnati hung on to beat slumping New York.

Noelvi Marte hit a two-run homer in the second and Stuart Fairchild also went deep in the fifth against New York starter Carlos Rodon (9-6) as the Reds won a series for the first time since June 6-9. Cincinnati will go for a three-game sweep on Thursday.

Anthony Volpe hit a two-run double for the Yankees, who were held to five hits and have lost 12 of their past 16 games.

Red Sox 7, Marlins 2

Brayan Bello delivered a quality outing over 6 2/3 innings as Boston beat host Miami.

Bello (8-5) allowed one run on seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. Masataka Yoshida and Rafael Devers each went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for the Red Sox. Marlins starting pitcher Trevor Rogers (1-9) lasted three innings, giving up two runs on five hits, with three walks and six strikeouts.

Boston blew it open in the ninth. Tyler O’Neill scored his second run of the night on Devers’ triple to make it 4-1. Two outs later, the Red Sox loaded the bases on back-to-back walks, and Ceddanne Rafaela doubled to drive in three runs.

Astros 9, Blue Jays 2

Yordan Alvarez had a solo home run and two RBI doubles as visiting Houston defeated Toronto.

Yainer Diaz added three RBIs while going 3-for-4 with a walk to help the Astros take a 2-1 lead in the four-game series.

Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi allowed two runs, five hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Braves 3, Giants 1

Chris Sale threw six strong innings, leading Atlanta to a win over visiting San Francisco.

Sale (11-3) allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out nine, helping the Braves snap a two-game skid. Austin Riley finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Adam Duvall went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Raisel Iglesias got his 21st save for Atlanta.

Matt Chapman tallied two hits and an RBI for the Giants, who had their two-game winning streak end. Jordan Hicks (4-5) tossed five innings of three-run, eight-hit ball.

White Sox 8, Guardians 2

Erick Fedde allowed one run over six strong innings while Chicago had four batters with at least two hits en route to a win over host Cleveland.

Lenyn Sosa posted three hits and an RBI and Martin Maldonado recorded an RBI single during a four-run fourth and a two-run homer in the eighth for the White Sox. Fedde (6-3) yielded three hits, three walks and only a second-inning sacrifice fly from David Fry to drop his ERA to 3.13. He retired the final 12 batters he faced.

Making his 2024 debut after sustaining an elbow injury in spring training, Cleveland’s Gavin Williams (0-1) allowed five runs, seven hits and two walks in four innings. He struck out two. Brayan Rocchio homered in the seventh and had two of the five hits for the Guardians.

Padres 6, Rangers 4

David Peralta hit his first home run in almost a year, helping San Diego even its three-game series against Texas at Arlington, Texas.

Manny Machado also homered for the Padres, who got RBIs from Luis Arraez and Jackson Merrill while snapping their two-game skid and winning for the 10th time in 13 games.

Texas’ Corey Seager went 1-for-4 with an RBI double in his first game since Saturday, when he was hit on his left wrist by a pitch. Nathaniel Lowe tallied two singles for the Rangers, who have lost seven of nine.

Royals 4, Rays 2

Michael Wacha tossed six strong innings, leading Kansas City to a win over visiting Tampa Bay.

Wacha (5-6) permitted one run on two hits and three walks. He struck out eight. Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino each had two hits and an RBI for the Royals, who have won six of nine during their homestand that ends Thursday.

Rays starter Ryan Pepiot (4-5) gave up two runs on four hits in four innings. Isaac Paredes homered and Amed Rosario had an RBI double and a single for Tampa Bay.

JUDGE, HARPER MAKE HISTORY WITH BACK-TO-BACK PLAYER OF THE MONTH AWARDS

Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper stayed red-hot in June and made some baseball history together in the process.

The superstars were named AL and NL Players of the Month for June on Wednesday, respectively, making it back-to-back wins of the monthly honor for both players. The announcement marks the first time since the awards were created in 1974 that the same winners have been named in consecutive months.

Judge is the 11th AL player to claim the monthly award in consecutive months and the first Yankee to do it since Don Mattingly in August and September of 1985. The 32-year-old may have outdone himself in June, hitting .409/.514/.864 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs over 25 games. Judge now owns eight lifetime Player of the Month honors.

Harper’s the 10th NL player with back-to-back Player of the Month wins and the first since Andrew McCutchen in 2012. The two-time MVP hit safely in 20 of 23 games in June while posting a .374/.452/.714 line with seven homers, 16 RBIs, and 17 extra-base hits before landing on the IL with a hamstring strain.

MLB also honored several other players for their stellar June performances Wednesday. Chicago White Sox starter Garrett Crochet and Phillies lefty Cristopher Sánchez claimed the Pitcher of the Month awards, Texas Rangers’ Wyatt Langford and San Diego Padres’ Jackson Merrill won Rookie of the Month honors, and Los Angeles Angels’ Carlos Estévez and St. Louis Cardinals’ Ryan Helsley were June’s top relievers.

BLUE JAYS CLOSER ROMANO OUT AT LEAST 6 WEEKS AFTER SURGERY FOR RIGHT ELBOW IMPINGEMENT

TORONTO (AP) — Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano will be sidelined for at least six weeks after surgery Wednesday to repair an impingement in his right elbow, manager John Schneider said.

It’s not clear whether the two-time All-Star will be able to return this season.

Romano is 1-2 with a 6.59 ERA and eight saves in nine chances this season, his sixth. He matched his career high with 36 saves last year.

Romano missed part of spring training and the first 17 games of the regular season because of elbow soreness. He went on the injured list for a second time June 1, retroactive to May 30.

Last Saturday, the Blue Jays said Romano would be shut down because of continued pain in his elbow. The Canadian-born pitcher visited noted surgeon Dr. Keith Meister in Texas on Tuesday.

BREWERS ACQUIRE RHP AARON CIVALE FROM RAYS TO BOLSTER ROTATION

The Milwaukee Brewers acquired right-hander Aaron Civale from the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, adding the veteran to a thin starting rotation in hopes of holding onto first place in the National League Central.

Tampa Bay will receive infield prospect Gregory Barrios.

Civale, 29, was dealt to the Rays near the trade deadline from Cleveland last season for first baseman Kyle Manzardo and joins a Brewers rotation beleaguered by injury, with young starters Robert Gasser and DL Hall as well as veteran Joe Ross on the 60-day injured list.

While Civale has struggled since joining Tampa Bay, posting a 5.17 ERA over 27 starts, he adds a reliable starter to a Brewers team that has leaned on Freddy Peralta, Colin Rea, standout rookie Tobias Myers, and Bryse Wilson, who has split time as a starter and bulk-innings reliever following an opener. Civale is on pace to surpass his career-best innings total of 124⅓, having thrown 87 innings with a 5.07 ERA this season. He will reach free agency after the 2025 season.

The Brewers, whose success in recent years has revolved around starting pitching, own a six-game lead in the NL Central due more to an offense that has scored the fifth-most runs in Major League Baseball.

The Rays, at 43-42, are three games back of Kansas City for the final American League wild-card slot. Their rotation already includes right-handers Zach Eflin, Taj Bradley, Ryan Pepiot and Zack Littell. Right-hander Shane Baz, once a top prospect, could rejoin Tampa Bay after starting 10 games at Triple-A this season. The Rays also are expected to get back ace Shane McClanahan and right-hander Drew Rasmussen from elbow surgeries before the 2025 season.

The Rays are expected to be busy leading up to the July 30 trade deadline, potentially adding players to join for a playoff push while still open to dealing away from positions of depth.

Barrios, 20, joins a Tampa Bay farm system already strong in the infield, with top-10 prospects Junior Caminero and Carson Williams. In 60 games at High-A this season, Barrios is hitting .317/.361/.423 with one home run, 34 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 22 tries.

FOOTBALL NEWS

NFL SUSPENDS VETERAN SAFETY TASHAUN GIPSON 6 GAMES FOR PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUG USE

Veteran safety Tashaun Gipson has been suspended by the NFL for the first six games of the 2024 season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

The NFL announced Gipson’s suspension Tuesday.

Gipson, who turns 34 on Aug. 7, is a free agent and remains eligible to sign with a team and participate in all preseason activities, including games. His suspension wouldn’t take effect until teams reduce their rosters to 53 players.

Gipson started 16 games with San Francisco last season.

Gipson has made 165 starts in 173 career regular-season games with the Cleveland Browns (2012-15), Jacksonville Jaguars (2016-18), Houston Texans (2019), Chicago Bears (2020-21) and 49ers (2022-23). He has 33 career interceptions.

He made the Pro Bowl with Cleveland in 2014.

HOCKEY NEWS

JESSICA CAMPBELL WILL BE THE FIRST WOMAN ON AN NHL BENCH AS ASSISTANT COACH WITH THE SEATTLE KRAKEN

SEATTLE (AP) — Jessica Campbell will become the first woman to work on the bench of an NHL franchise after the Seattle Kraken hired her as an assistant coach Wednesday.

Campbell has spent the past two seasons working as an assistant coach for Seattle’s AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley alongside head coach Dan Bylsma, who was hired in late May to take over the head job with the Kraken. There were immediate questions about whether Campbell would be making the move with Bylsma to Seattle.

She will, breaking through another barrier for women in hockey. Emily Engel-Natzke was hired by the Washington Capitals in 2022 as video coach, making her the first woman with a full-time assistant role in the league.

Now, there will be a woman on the bench.

“During our tenure in Coachella Valley, I saw firsthand Jessica’s commitment to player development,” Bylsma said. “Her ability to establish relationships with her players, specifically Tye Kartye, Shane Wright and Ryker Evans, was an important factor in this hire. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with her at the NHL level.”

Campbell was a decorated player in the NCAA, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and Canada’s women’s national team, with whom she won silver at the 2015 world championship.

With the exception of a short stint with the Malmo Redhawks in Sweden in 2019-20, she hung up her skates in 2017 and had become highly regarded as a skating coach when she joined Coachella Valley in 2022. She had also worked as an assistant coach for Germany during the 2022 IIHF World Championships.

The 32-year-old native of Rocanville, Saskatchewan, was the first full-time female assistant coach in the AHL when she was hired by Coachella Valley before the start of its first season. She also had a one-game stint as an assistant on the Kraken bench for a preseason game against Calgary last September.

But having a woman on the bench as a coach has been an area where the NHL has lagged behind the NBA, MLB and NFL.

The NHL Coaches Association launched a Female Coaches Development Program in 2021 with the goal of growing the pool of available candidates.

Even before joining the league in 2021, the Kraken were at the forefront of giving women opportunities in hockey operations. Current assistant general manager Alexandra Mandrycky was one of the first front-office hires made by the franchise in 2018 as director of hockey administration and was part of the group that led the search for a general manager that ended with the hire of Ron Francis.

Namita Nandakumar was hired in 2020 and is a senior analyst in hockey operations.

Seattle also hired Hall of Famer Cammi Granato as a pro scout in 2019, a role she held before joining the Vancouver Canucks as an assistant GM in 2022.

Along with Campbell, the Kraken filled another spot on the coaching staff by hiring Bob Woods as one of Bylsma’s assistants. Woods was an assistant with Minnesota since 2017, but was let go when Dean Evason was fired as head coach early last season.

Assistant coach Dave Lowry, goaltending coach Steve Briere, video coach Tim Ohashi and video assistant Brady Morgan complete the rest of the coaching staff.

PANTHERS AND ANTON LUNDELL AGREE ON A 6-YEAR, $30 MILLION CONTRACT

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Anton Lundell and the Florida Panthers have agreed to a six-year, $30 million contract, one ensuring that the Stanley Cup champions have all eight of their leading scorers from this past season back to defend the title.

Lundell was a restricted free agent. He had 13 goals and 22 assists in 78 games for the Panthers this past regular season, and his production was even better in the playoffs — with 17 points in 24 games along the way to the Cup.

The last of those 17 playoff points was an assist to help set up Carter Verhaeghe’s opening goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, one where Florida topped Edmonton 2-1 to clinch the franchise’s first title.

“Anton has matured into a dependable multirole center for our club, who seized his opportunity from his first day in North America,” Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito said. “His commitment to improvement and cerebral approach to the game earned him the profound respect of his teammates and coaches, and we are excited to see him continue to grow and succeed with the Panthers.”

The 22-year-old Finnish center has spent three seasons with the Panthers since they took him with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2020 draft. He has 43 goals and 69 assists in 216 games.

The Panthers now have even more of their core locked in for years to come, with Lundell, captain Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Gustav Forsling all under contract through at least the 2029-30 season.

RED WINGS SIGN TWO-TIME STANLEY CUP CHAMPION VLADIMIR TARASENKO AWAY FROM THE PANTHERS

The raiding of the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers continued Wednesday with the Detroit Red Wings signing winger Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million.

Tarasenko, 32, is the sixth player from Florida’s Game 7 lineup to leave in free agency, not an uncommon theme around the NHL as other teams look to replicate that success. The 2019 and 2024 Cup winner will count $4.75 million against salary cap through the 2025-26 season, a deal that carries a no-trade clause in year one and limited protection in year two.

He joins three-time champion Patrick Kane on the Red Wings as they try to end a franchise-worst playoff drought at eight seasons. Kane re-signed for $4 million with $2.5 million in additional incentives.

After adding Tarasenko, Detroit traded away one of his former St. Louis Blues teammates, sending forward Robby Fabbri and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick to Anaheim for 22-year-old goaltending prospect Gage Alexander.

Tarasenko scored five goals and had four assists on the run to the Panthers’ first title in franchise history after joining them prior to the trade deadline.

Sam Reinhart re-upped for $69 million over eight years and the core led by Matthew Tkachuk and captain Aleksander Barkov remains in tact. Young forward Anton Lundell, a restricted free agent, signed a six-year, $30 million contract earlier in the day.

Of course, without infinite cap space, it is not possible to keep everyone. Brandon Montour signed in Seattle, fellow defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and backup goaltender Anthony Stolarz in Toronto and forwards Ryan Lomberg in Calgary and Kevin Stenlund in Utah.

Among the other signings around the league Wednesday, Philadelphia re-signed RFA forward Bobby Brink for $3 million over two years, while Columbus added veteran defenseman Jack Johnson for next season at the league minimum $775,000.

“Jack Johnson is a consummate professional who has been a very good player and leader in this league for many years and will be a great asset to our team, particularly the young defensemen we have in our organization,” general manager Don Waddell said. “He is in tremendous shape, plays a simple, hard game, has won a Stanley Cup and has great passion for this city and organization and we are thrilled to welcome him back.”

Johnson won the Cup with Colorado in 2022. Edmonton, which lost to Florida, is doing its best to copycat the Panthers by winning a year after falling just short in the final. The Oilers lost only a couple of depth players — forwards Warren Foegele and Sam Carrick and defenseman Vincent Desharnais — and brought back Connor Brown, Corey Perry, Adam Henrique, Mattias Janmark, Troy Stecher and Calvin Pickard, all of whom were free agents.

“I think these guys all believe in their teammates,” CEO of hockey operations Jeff Jackson said earlier this week. “All those guys coming back tells me everything I need to know about this team, and we’re happy to have all those guys back.”

Jackson and the front office also signed veteran forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner and replaced Desharnais with 30-year-old Josh Brown. The Oilers and Panthers are early co-favorites to win the Stanley Cup in 2025, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

“Just to have the chance to win,” said Henrique, who took a nearly 50% pay cut to stay. “I think the group there is a special group. I had so much fun being part of this year and just wanted more of that.”

COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS

LAMONT PARIS LOOKING TO MOLD SOUTH CAROLINA INTO ANOTHER SEC CONTENDER AND NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAM

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The best part of South Carolina men’s basketball coach Lamont Paris’ rise from forgotten in the SEC to the school’s first NCAA berth in seven years was the tight bond built among players with little or no connections.

Paris hopes to forge a similarly tight-knit team since his Gamecocks, one of the biggest positive surprises last season, will be vastly different than the one that knocked off Kentucky and Tennessee and finished with a school-record 26 wins.

“I don’t think there’s any secret, that I thought it was one of the best qualities that we had,” Paris said of the chemistry and good feelings that fueled the Gamecocks, who went 11-21 in Paris’ first season in 2022-23.

“We played well together. Guy enjoyed playing with each other and played for one another,” Paris said.

This offseason could be as challenging as the last with South Carolina losing four players, including leading scorer Meechie Johnson, who combined to make 116 starts.

Johnson, who averaged 14.1 points a game last season, was the only one with eligibility left and surprised many when he returned to Ohio State, where he played before coming to South Carolina in Paris’ first season.

Also gone are talented transfers Ta’Lon Cooper, B.J. Mack and Stephen Clark, Cooper averaged 33 minutes a game while Mack nearly 25.

Paris credited last summer’s exhibition trip to the Bahamas for the early cohesion as the Gamecocks, picked last in the SEC, opened 13-1 with the lone loss to Clemson.

The bonding must come on campus and, in fact, has already started with informal workouts with a lot of free-flowing offense for first-year players such as Alabama transfer Kam Pringle, Missouri 7-foot transfer Jordan Butler and freshman Cam Scott, who was committed to Texas before switching to South Carolina.

“What might help is that we do have more guys coming back,” Paris said. “From a standpoint of terminology and culture and traditions and customs and things that we want to do, we have more of that.”

Those returnees are led by 6-7 sophomore Collin Murray-Boyles, who was selected to the all-SEC freshman team after averaging 10.4 points and nearly six rebounds a game. He also led the Gamecocks with 28 blocks and was dominant (14 of 17 shooting) with 31 points in a win over Vanderbilt.

Murray-Boyles is already on the NBA’s watch list for next June’s draft should he decide to leave.

“I still believe his ceiling is incredibly high and I still believe he’s not close to it,” Paris said.

Others players who are back including forward Myles Stute, who played his first three years for Vanderbilt and sophomore Austin Herro, the brother of the Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro who was put on scholarship this season.

“Those guys still have heard what we’re saying and, hopefully, those help expedite the process of getting comfortable and playing with one another and developing chemistry,” Paris said.

It was difficult to say what expectations were a year ago for this program, which had lost leading scorer and current Memphis Grizzlies standout Gregory “G.G.” Jackson to the NBA draft after his freshman season.

Paris knows after the surprise showing last season that fans are hungry for more. That was upped even more by Paris himself when he turned down other opportunities and signed a six-year contract extension worth $26 million through the 2029-30 season.

Paris will make $3.75 million this season, up from the $2.3 million of a year ago.

Paris brought in assistant Will Bailey from Loyola-Chicago on Wednesday to complete his coaching staff. Bailey had worked with the Gamecocks under former coach Frank Martin in 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Paris has worked to keep those outside predictions on the outside — for now.

“It’s a little bit premature in my plan to do that,” Paris said. “We’re just trying to get to know each other.”

COLLEGE SPORTS NEWS

THE NCAA HAS AGREED TO SETTLE A MAJOR LAWSUIT. IT STILL FACES A NUMBER OF LEGAL CHALLENGES

The NCAA, which represents some 1,100 schools and more than 500,000 athletes, is no stranger to lawsuits. It has been in court off and on since the early 1980s defending the amateur athlete model at the heart of college sports.

But the organization has suffered a string of losses in court, highlighted by a 9-0 decision from the Supreme Court in 2021 in which justices ruled that the NCAA cannot limit education-related benefits colleges offer their athletes. In a blistering concurring opinion in the case, Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested the organization may be violating antitrust law.

The House case

House vs. the NCAA is a class-action lawsuit in the Northern District of California before federal Judge Claudia Wilken, whose previous rulings in NCAA cases paved the way for college athletes to profit from their fame and for schools to direct more money into their hands.

Legal experts had warned that an NCAA loss in this case would upend college athletics as we know it and they were right. The NCAA and the nation’s biggest conferences decided in May to settle the allegations for $2.8 billion and move toward some form of athlete revenue-sharing of all those billions from television deals for big-time college football and March Madness basketball.

The House case settlement was expected to potentially settle some other antitrust claims, including:

— A case in California whose plaintiffs include Duke football player Dewayne Carter, TCU basketball player Sedona Prince and Stanford soccer player Nya Harrison. It seeks to bar the NCAA from enforcing any rules that prohibit athlete compensation.

— Hubbard vs. the NCAA, which seeks damages for athletes who were denied education-related stipends that were the result of the Alston case. The plaintiffs include former Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard and former Auburn track athlete Keira McCarrell, and the lawsuit seeks triple damages for all current and former Division I athletes as far back as 2018.

— A similar lawsuit seeking to lift NCAA rules on compensation from schools and conferences filed in federal court by former Colorado football player Alex Fontenot in November 2023. A judge has ruled the case should remain in Colorado.

The biggest question for the NCAA should the House settlement be approved is securing some assurance from Congress that it will not be dragged back into court over the same issues by future college athletes. In July, for example, more than a dozen former college basketball players sued the NCAA and the major conferences for unspecified damages, they are profiting from the unauthorized use of their names, images and likenesses (NIL) in promoting and monetizing the March Madness tournament.

Are athletes employees?

There are multiple issues in front of the National Labor Relations Board, including a complaint against USC and the Pac-12; a unionization effort by the men’s basketball team at Dartmouth; an unfair labor complaint against Notre Dame; and a federal lawsuit in Pennsylvania filed by former Villanova football player Trey Johnson.

All of it could lead to college athletes being granted employee status, though court battles are assured. Johnson and others are seeking hourly wages similar to those earned in work-study programs. The Dartmouth team voted 13-2 to form a union, though many steps are ahead including a potential legal fight.

The NCAA and its member schools have insisted they do not consider athletes employees who can collectively bargain for pay and benefits.

Is NIL compensation a settled issue?

No. The attorneys general of Tennessee and Virginia filed a federal lawsuit in the Eastern District of Tennessee that challenged the NCAA’s NIL rules after it was revealed the University of Tennessee was among schools facing potential infractions penalties. A judge Feb. 23 granted a preliminary injunction against the NIL rules and said they likely violate antitrust law.

Athletes free to transfer

Even though the NCAA in recent years had eased some of its transfer limits, multiple states and the Justice Department went to court earlier this year, saying the NCAA’s one-year delay in the eligibility of undergraduate, second-time transfers in Division I violates antitrust law. In May, the NCAA and the states announced a settlement allowing athletes to be immediately eligible to play no matter how many times they transfer and offer some who were sidelined an extra year of eligibility.

GOLF NEWS

ANALYSIS: THE EASIER PATH ON THE PGA TOUR DOESN’T MAKE IT EASY

Jordan Spieth returns to the John Deere Classic for the first time since he won a playoff in 2015. Just don’t get the idea this is some kind of nostalgia tour.

He needs the points.

Spieth started the year guaranteed starts in all eight of the PGA Tour’s signature events and finished third at Kapalua in the first one. But he has plunged all the way to No. 59 as he works through a wrist injury and at times has played practice rounds while on the phone for one of many meetings as a PGA Tour board member.

Time is running out. Five tournament weeks remain before the postseason, and while the top 70 advance to the FedEx Cup playoffs, the magic number is 50. That guarantees a spot in next year’s signature events with their $20 million purses and elevated points.

That’s the easier path. It doesn’t mean it’s easy.

Spieth is among 15 players who started the year with the advantage of playing all the signature events and now are outside the top 50 heading into the home stretch. One of those was Tyrrell Hatton, who really took the easy path by joining Saudi-funded LIV Golf with its no-cut $20 million events.

Rickie Fowler at No. 93 is in the lowest spot of those 14 players still on the PGA Tour. He is one year and one week removed from his Rocket Mortgage Classic victory. Since then, his best finish is 16th at the Tour Championship. In the signature events, his best is a tie for 18th in the RBC Heritage.

It’s a reminder that in this era of massive change on the PGA Tour — more money for fewer players — performance still matters.

There was so much hand-wringing about pandering to the stars last year that not enough attention was paid to Justin Thomas and Adam Schenk. One was a 15-time PGA Tour winner who had a stinker of a year and missed the playoffs. The other was a journeyman who cashed in at the right time and earned his way to the Tour Championship.

Thomas did well enough for so long that he didn’t fall far, and his world ranking in the top 30 got him into the signature events. He had top 12s in four of those events, along with a strong finish in The American Express and the PGA Championship, so he is No. 16 in the FedEx Cup.

Fowler is this year’s version of Thomas, minus the world ranking, although it’s not too early to speculate whether he will get some of the exemptions that went to Webb Simpson next year if he doesn’t turn it around quickly.

This year’s Schenk? Eight players outside the top 50 in the FedEx Cup last year have won tournaments, a list ranging from Taylor Pendrith to Stephan Jaeger. Two players currently inside the top 30 got there without winning — Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Thomas Detry.

Another example is former FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel, who had no guarantee of signature events after a poor 2023 season. He won in the Dominican Republic. He had a pair of top 10s in regular PGA Tour events and a tie for eighth in the PGA Championship. Horschel got into one signature event based on his win, two others on an exemption. He took advantage only at the Memorial with a tie for 15th.

Horschel, 90th in the FedEx Cup a year ago, is at No. 46 and plans to play the final four tournaments on the schedule starting next week at the Scottish Open.

“These signature events are great for a multitude of reasons,” Horschel said. “But if you don’t play well, you’re behind the eight ball. And with the shorter season, we all knew it was going to be a sprint.”

Those events can go a long way, though. Sungjae Im is an example of that. The South Korean has three top 5s this year, all of them in signature events. That’s 60% of his points from three of the 18 tournaments he has played this year.

The system is not perfect.

Horschel was among those who realized immediately that winning a tournament — which should include the best perks — counts toward the “swing” list of 10 and five players who get into signature events, instead of a separate entry category. A few extra players in signature events isn’t going to hurt. Some tweaks are expected for next year.

His greater concern is Korn Ferry Tour graduates — the new blood each season — having enough access. None is among the top 70 at the moment, and only five are in the top 100. The further down the list of their priority ranking, the fewer the starts.

And that’s an indication that top-50 players aren’t just cherry-picking the signature events. Masters champion Scottie Scheffler has played four regular PGA Tour events, while PGA champion Xander Schauffele has played three.

Fewer fully exempt cards might be one solution. The PGA Tour must strike a balance of providing playing opportunities with creating tournaments with the best fields while keeping a path open for the next generation.

This isn’t a finished product. What hasn’t changed is good golf can go a long way.

TENNIS NEWS

COCO GAUFF EASES INTO THIRD ROUND OF WIMBLEDON WOMEN’S DRAW

WIMBLEDON, England —  Coco Gauff continues to “enjoy the ride” at Wimbledon, especially after an easy victory to reach the third round, while  Naomi Osaka will have to wait another year after her return to the Grand Slam event resulted in a quick exit.

On Wednesday, Gauff beat qualifier Anca Todoni 6-2, 6-1 on No. 1 Court to advance to the third round at the All England Club.

The court is a special place for Gauff, as its where she beat Venus Williams in 2019, when Gauff made her Wimbledon debut at age 15.

“This is the court where I first started here at Wimbledon. Court 1 is always a special place for me to play on,” the 20-year-old Gauff said in her on-court interview.

The victory also allows Gauff, the No. 2 seed, to move another step away from last year’s first-round exit.

“Overall, I just learned about life a lot,” the US Open champion said when asked about putting that three-set loss to Sofia Kenin behind her. “I just realized that, yes, what I do I’m very passionate about, but it’s not ever that serious and sometimes the world can make you feel like there’s so much pressure, there’s so much expectation. At the end of the [day], it’s a game. It’s sport.”

She added later: “I tend to be ultracritical on myself. I’m like, ‘Okay, let me take a step back, be patient, and enjoy the ride.'”

Gauff slipped and fell twice on the slick court and muttered to herself during the 1 hour, 6 minute match against an opponent ranked 140 places below her. She also had 16 unforced errors in the short match and managed to land only 43% of her first serves.

“I do think I could have played cleaner at some points but overall I’m happy to have got through to the third round,” Gauff said.

“That’s tennis,” she added later. “You’re always going to miss some shots that you normally would make. I am trying to focus on straight sets and winning cleaner.”

Todoni, the 19-year-old Romanian who was making her Grand Slam debut, hit 23 unforced errors and could not find her range against the fleet-footed American, who wrapped up the match with a drop shot that Todoni could only send wide.

Five years ago, Gauff beat Williams — a five-time Wimbledon champion — 6-4, 6-4 in the first round and eventually reached the last 16, all on her Grand Slam debut.

The draw has opened up for Gauff after the first-day withdrawals of Aryna Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, and former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka.

Gauff will next play British qualifier Sonay Kartel, who won 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 against France’s Clara Burel.

“It’s going to be a tough match,” Kartal said on court after the match. “It’s going to be a fun match, and I hope I can do the British crowd proud.”

Said Gauff: “It will be tough to face a Brit obviously, especially on grass. I think that they always do really well, but especially in this environment.”

Osaka, meanwhile, will have to wait for at least another 12 months after her Wimbledon comeback stalled in the second round following a 6-4 6-1 walloping by American Emma Navarro that mercifully lasted only 58 minutes.

The four-time Grand Slam champion returned to the tour in January following a 15-month maternity break, and she hadn’t competed at Wimbledon since 2019.

After pushing world No. 1 Iga Swiatek to the edge at the French Open, squandering a match point before losing in the second round, Osaka had four erratic errors to get broken in the seventh game of the first set by Navarro, and it went quickly downhill from there.

British wildcard Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, raced into a 5-0 lead en route to a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 victory against Belgian Elise Mertens. It’s the first time Raducanu has reached a third round of a Grand Slam since her title win at Flushing Meadows

“I think I’m playing really good tennis. I’m really happy with the improvements I’ve made,” Raducanu said on court. “I knew all the hard yards and hard work I was doing this year would lead to something. I’m just so happy I’m able to reap some of the rewards here at Wimbledon.”

In other results, No. 11 Danielle Collins completed her first-round match — a 6-3, 7-6 (4) win over Clara Tauson. It had been suspended Tuesday night at 4-4 in the second set.

No. 20 Beatriz Haddad Maia advanced to the third round by beating Magdalena Frech 7-5, 6-3.

TOP INDIANA SPORTS RELEASES

INDY ELEVEN WOMEN

ROGERS NAMED TO USL W LEAGUE TEAM OF THE MONTH

INDIANAPOLIS/TAMPA (Wednesday, July 3, 2024) – Indy Eleven’s Ella Rogers was named to the USL W League Team of the Month after leading the team to 4-1-1 in the month of June.

Starting the month off strong, the captain led the team to a 4-0 victory over Lexington SC (6.2.24) by contributing two goals. In a more recent battle at Lexington SC (6.18.24), she scored one goal, earning another win for Indy. Earlier this season, Rogers scored two goals and contributed an assist in the road match win against St. Charles FC (5.29.24).

Rogers, a newly transferred senior at Arkansas, has played for the Girls in Blue all three years. The midfielder has scored eight goals and has registered six assists throughout her time in Indy. With six goals in the 2024 season, she is tied with Natalie Mitchell for most goals scored on the team. Rogers also leads the team in minutes played with 618 minutes recorded this season.

The Girls in Blue earned a 7-1-2 record in the regular season, posting five clean sheets. Indy will begin post-season play against Minnesota Aurora FC on Friday, July 5 at 4 p.m ET in Detroit, Mich. Indy Eleven is one of three teams to make all three years of W League playoffs.

Team: Jenna Moran (South Georgia Tormenta FC), Ryelle Shey (Lancaster Inferno), Ella Offer (Detroit City FC), Alyssa Bourgeois (California Storm), Katie Duong (Minnesota Aurora FC), Reagan Kotschau (Colorado Storm), Anna Haddock (Tennessee SC), Nikayla Small (Eagle FC), Ella Rogers (Indy Eleven), McKenna Martinez (FC Olympia), Shae Murison (Oakland Soul SC)

Bench: Elle Piper (SF Glens SC), Viky Adrianova (Florida Elite Soccer Academy), Jenna Butler (Carolina Ascent FC), Margo Matula (AHFC Royals), Ilana Izquierdo (Asheville City SC), Gianna Paul (Long Island Rough Riders), Mackenzie Anthony (River Light FC)

PURDUE ATHLETICS

ANIAMAKA, GALLARDO GUEVARA HONORED WITH BIG TEN OUTSTANDING SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Big Ten Conference announced the league’s 28 Outstanding Sportsmanship Award honorees, selecting Praise Aniamaka (men’s outdoor track & field) and Carmen Gallardo Guevara (women’s tennis) as Purdue’s representatives.

A junior from Surrey, British Columbia, Aniamaka has been a leader for the track & field team since arriving on campus. He earned First Team All-America honors after finishing sixth at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, his third time nabbing All-American recognition in his career. The First Team All-America accolade concluded a memorable 2023-24 season for Aniamaka, in which he won his second consecutive Big Ten outdoor triple jump title, reached the national championships and was named an All-American both indoors and outdoors.

Gallardo Guevara is an aerospace engineering major who hails from Madrid, Spain. She earned First Team All-Big Ten honors as a junior in 2024, achieving a high mark of No. 113 in the ITA rankings. Gallardo Guevara played in all 23 dual matches and four fall events this past season, going 15-3 in singles play with a 9-3 record at No. 1 and an undefeated 6-0 at No. 2. Throughout her career, Gallardo Guevara has been an exemplary team player and has gone 44-35 in doubles.

One member of each varsity sports team on every campus was chosen by his or her institution as a Sportsmanship Award honoree, and two Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners were then selected from each institution. All of the Sportsmanship Award winners have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, these honorees must be in good academic standing and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Below is a look at the 2024 nominees from Purdue:

Thomas Green (Baseball)

Chase Martin (Men’s Basketball)

Caitlyn Harper (Women’s Basketball)

Caleb Williams (Men’s Cross Country)

Caroline Jordan (Women’s Cross Country)

Daniel Johnson (Football)

Peyton Snoeberger (Men’s Golf)

Jocelyn Bruch (Women’s Golf)

Kelsi Carrico (Soccer)

Kate Claypool (Softball)

Charles King (Men’s Swimming & Diving)

Ana Rojas (Women’ Swimming & Diving)

Henrick Villanger (Men’s Tennis)

Carmen Gallardo Guevara (Women’s Tennis)

Brett Otterbacher (Men’s Indoor Track & Field)

Jalen Elrod (Women’s Indoor Track & Field)

Praise Aniamaka (Men’s Outdoor Track & Field)

Emma Squires (Women’s Outdoor Track & Field)

Lizzie Carr (Volleyball)

Hayden Filipovich (Wrestling)

NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

OGUNBOWALE, MCBRIDE NAMED 2024 WNBA ALL STARS

The 2024 WNBA All-Star Game will be a blast from the past for Irish fans.

On Tuesday, the league announced that Arike Ogunbowale and Kayla McBride will play for Team WNBA on July 20 in Phoenix. They will be joined on the court by Team USA guards Jewell Loyd and Jackie Young, bringing the former Irish player count to four. No other school has more than three women participating in the game. Ogunbowale and McBride are each making their fourth appearance as WNBA All Stars.

Ogunbowale, the star guard for the Dallas Wings, ranks second in the WNBA with 23.7 points per game this season. She leads the league with 3.3 treys per contest and is also fifth with a 90.7 percent success rate from the free throw line.

Minnesota Lynx guard McBride is back in the All-Star Game for the first time since 2019. She is posting 15.8 points per game and shooting 43.3 percent from behind the arc, a mark that ranks fourth in the WNBA. McBride also helped lead the Lynx to their first WNBA Commissioner’s Cup earlier this year and has the team rolling at 14-5 on the year.

The WNBA All-Star Game will be held at the Footprint Center and will be televised on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET.

NOTRE DAME MEN’S LAX

PAT KAVANAGH NAMED ACC MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The legend of Pat Kavanagh continues to grow, as the men’s lacrosse great was named the ACC Anthony J. McKevlin Award winner which is given to the ACC’s top male athlete of the year as announced by the league on Wednesday afternoon.

Kavanagh becomes the first Notre Dame student athlete to win the honor and is the third Notre Dame student athlete to earn conference player of the year honors, joining Arike Ogunbowale and Molly Seidel, who were named ACC women’s athlete of the year in 2018 and 2016, respectively. The grad student is also just the third men’s lacrosse player to be selected in the award’s history, which began in 1954.

The award is just the latest in the haul of honors that Kavanagh has garnered. The Rockville Centre, New York native became Notre Dame’s first recipient of the Tewaaraton Award, which is given to the top lacrosse player in the country following the season.

Kavanagh is also a nominee for the ESPYS Male Collegiate Athlete of the Year award which will be announced on July 11 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. To vote for Pat click here.

Kavanagh is also a three-time Tewaaraton Finalist and the 2024 ACC Offensive Player of the Year. The attackman was one of the driving forces behind Notre Dame’s back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024, the first two in program history.

The graduate student set the all-time career Notre Dame points (301) and assists (184) records, becoming the only player in program history to reach the 300-point milestone. Kavanagh also holds the top four spots on the program’s record list for assists in a season as well as two of the top three spots for points in a season.

Kavanagh cemented his status as an all-time great during the 2023 NCAA Championship run, as he played through multiple severe injuries to help the Irish capture their first title in program history. The Rockville Centre, New York, native followed the 2023 season up with an 80-point year as a graduate student as Notre Dame successfully defended its national championship.

Twenty of Kavanagh’s 80 points came in four NCAA Tournament contests, including a six-assist performance in the NCAA National Championship win over No. 7 Maryland.

BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TO HOST INDIANA NOVEMBER 13

INDIANAPOLIS – The 2024-25 Butler women’s basketball schedule will include a home game against in-state rival Indiana to highlight the Bulldogs non-conference slate. The Hoosiers will head to Hinkle Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Nov. 13.

The last meeting between Indiana and Butler came at Assembly Hall during the 2022-23 campaign. The year prior, Indiana and Butler opened up the 2021-22 season at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Nov. 10.

Indiana has been nationally-ranked in their last three meetings vs. Butler. In 2024, the Hoosiers appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth-consecutive year and won two postseason games before falling to South Carolina in the Sweet Sixteen. IU played as a No. 4 seed in the tournament after securing an at-large bid with a 26-6 overall record. The Bulldogs are 1-9 all-time against the Hoosiers in a series that began in 1989. Their victory came on Dec. 9. 2012.

The Bulldogs reached 15 wins in Austin Parkinson’s second season at the helm. The team set a new program record by making 266 3-pointers during the 2023-24 campaign. BU led the BIG EAST and ranked fifth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage (38.3%).

Caroline Strande returns for her final season with the Bulldogs in 2024-25. She became the first player in program history to lead the team in points, rebounds, and assists per game last year. Strande was recognized as a Second Team All-BIG EAST selection and Riley Makalusky made the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. Butler made the WNIT field last year as an at-large selection, putting them back in the postseason for the first time since 2018-19.

A tip time and a streaming assignment for this game will be announced at a later date. Additional games on Butler’s non-conference schedule will be released soon.

INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

5 – 4

July 4, 1905 – When two Titans of the baseball mound squared off you just had know something epic had to come out of it, and it did. Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitchers Rube Waddell for the Philadelphia Athletics’s and ace Cy Young of the Boston Americans matched-up in 20-inning classic. Philadelphia win, 4-2. The National Baseball Hall of Fame Website called it the Game of the Ages, and there is no disputing that. Each star hurler tossed between 250 and 300 pitches in the extra inning contest. One would thing that was a long day and it was, but it wasn’t even the first game played that day between these two clubs, it was the second of a double header! According to National Baseball Hall of Fame Website it went something like this, “

In game one of the scheduled doubleheader, Waddell came on with one out in the ninth inning to preserve a 5-2 Athletics lead, earning a save by today’s rules. In the second game, the lanky and zany (some would say crazy) left-hander started off a bit shaky, allowing two runs in the bottom of the first. A’s first baseman Harry Davis tied things up with a two-run homer off Cy Young in the sixth inning. Then followed 13 innings of scoreless baseball as Waddell and Young went toe-to-toe. On several occasions the Americans got men to third base, but Waddell would work his way out of the jam each time. Philadelphia had its moments as well, but Young was able to beat them back.” How is that for some fireworks on Independence Day!

July 4, 1908 – New York Giants pitcher George “Hooks” Wiltse tossed a fabulous no-hit performance against the Philadelphia Phillies, in 10 innings for a 1-0 victory.

July 4, 1911 – Chicago White Sox pitcher Ed Walsh stopped the 40-game hitting streak of one Mr. Ty Cobb as the hitting legend went 0 for 4 in a 7-3 win for the Sox over Detroit Tigers at Bennett Park.

July 4, 1939 – The Red Sox 3rd baseman Jim Tabor, wearing Number 5 hit a record-tying two grand slams in one MLB game, 18-12 win versus the Phillies of Philadelphia.

July 4, 1939 – Lou Gehrig became the first MLB player to have his Number 4 retired on his “Appreciation Day” at Yankee Stadium. During the ceremonies the former Yankee star suffering from a debilitating disease made the iconic “luckiest man” speech.

July 4, 1950 – Boston Braves hitter wearing Number 4, Sid Gordon tied an MLB single season grand slam record of 4 base cleaners with a bases loaded hit vs Phillies

FOOTBALL HISTORY

July 4, 1995 – In the CFL the Birmingham (Alabama) Barracudas played their first game defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 38-10. Unfortunately the squad folded after just one season in the Canadian Football League.

Hall of Fame Birthdays for July 4

July 4, 1912 – Nekoosa, Wisconsin – Edgar Manske the legendary Northwestern end from 1931 to 1933 was born. The National Football Foundation says this player had a lot going for him. He worked his way through college, married a campus beauty queen and was the last man to play football without a helmet. Manske was known to friends and opponents alike as “Eggs.” He played three years at end for Northwestern and was named All-America by United Press in 1933. With no athletic scholarships available in that era, Manske worked his butt off during the school year. He even continued his education after graduation at Northwestern, and he obtained a law degree. The National Football Foundation bio goes on to say that his life was varied after his Northwestern education. He spent 1934, as assistant coach at Boston University, played pro football 1935-1940, and was with the Chicago Bears when they beat Washington 73-0 in the 1940 championship game. That was his last pro game, but he played in 1942, with St. Mary’s Preflight School and was All-Service All-America. The College Football Hall of Fame proudly placed a display in honor of Edgar Manske into their legendary museum in 1989.   

July 4, 1929 – Brockton, Massachusetts – Al Davis is the Pro Football Hall of Fame legendary owner of the Oakland and LA Raiders. His famous monicker was “Just win baby.” The man was involved with Pro football for 49 years as not only a franchise owner but also as a personnel director, scout, coach, general manager and even as the AFL’s Commissioner for a time. The only person in history to perform all of those duties! In fact Davis was instrumental in the quick merger of the two Leagues in the late 1960’s putting the NFL on an aggressive upward trajectory. The Al Davis led Raiders had the top record of all professional teams for the period of 1963 to 1991. Davis helped the Raiders to Super Bowl wins XI, XV, XVIII … AFL Coach of the year in 1963.  The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Al Davis as a contributor in  1992.

July 4, 1942 – New Haven, Connecticut – Syracuse halfback from 1964 to 1966, Floyd Little arrived into the world. This legendary back has a great story as told by the National Football Foundation. At Syracuse he is connected with other great Orange legendary runners, Ernie Davis and Jim Brown as they all wore the special jersey number 44 at the school and in fact it was retired in honor of all three after Little played his last game. Floyd was a three-time All-America halfback who was a specialist as a return man. Little led the nation with 1990 all-purpose yards along with 23.5 yards punt return average as a junior in 1965. He still holds the Syracuse career record with six punt returns for touchdowns. The 1966 ECAC Player of the Year, Little finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting twice. He averaged 5.4 yards as a rusher, 20 yards on punt returns, and 29 yards on kickoff returns. Floyd’s longest punt returns included 90 yards against UCLA and 71 yards against Penn State in 1964; 95 yards against Pittsburgh and 91 against Penn State in 1965. His best rushing games included 216 yards in the 1967 Gator Bowl against Tennessee; 196 against West Virginia in 1965; and 193 against Florida State in 1966. He scored five touchdowns against Kansas in 1964. One of the most amazing facts is that Floyd shared the same Orange backfield as legendary runner Larry Csonka.    Floyd Little’s collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 1983. The Pro Football Hall of Fame shares that Little was picked by the Denver Broncos in the 1967 Draft as the sixth overall player selected. The Bronco’s used him mostly as a return specialist at first. As a rookie he led the American Football League in punt returns with a 16.9 average on 16 returns. That first season Floyd scored his only TD in the AFL courtesy of his 72-yard return against the New York Jets. Little also returned a career-high 35 kickoffs for 942 yards. Over the next couple of years he worked hard to enhance his pro rushing skills and by his third season Denver gave him more carries. Little rose to the challenge too as he averaged a league-high and career best 5.0 yards per carry. In 1971, he became the first 1,000-yard rusher in Denver Broncos history. Floyd then went on and won the NFL rushing title that year as he finished with 1,133 yards on 284 carries and scored 6 touchdowns! Floyd Little was also enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the 2010 class. 

July 4, 1943 – Augusta, Georgia – Maryland Eastern Shore’s halfback from 1962 to 1965, Emerson Boozer claimed his date of birth. The NFF says in Emerson’s bio that he was a two-time First Team All-America by the Pittsburgh Courier, Boozer amassed 2,537 yards and 22 touchdowns during his career. He averaged a remarkable 6.78 yards per carry and was named a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) All- Conference pick in 1964 and ’65. Emerson Boozer received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010. Boozer played professionally in both the AFL and the NFL for the NY Jets. He won a ring in Super Bowl III when the Jets defeated the Colts.  

July 4, 1953 – Inglewood, California – Bob Breunig who was a 1972 to 1974 standout Arizona State linebacker was born. The NFF tells us that Bob was a First Team All-American in 1974. Breunig finished his career as Arizona State’s all-time leader with 353 tackles and a stellar 206 solo tackles placing him in the school’s top ten for both. Breunig was named Arizona State’s MVP in 1974, and he appeared in the Coaches All-America Bowl, the East-West Shrine Game and the Hula Bowl following his senior season. The standout linebacker played with College Football Hall of Famers Michael Haynes, John Jefferson and Danny White during one of the most successful runs in school history as the Sun Devils had consecutive Fiesta Bowl wins and WAC titles in 1972 and 1973. Bob Breunig was honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015 after the National Football Foundation tabulated up their votes. Bob was taken in the third round of the 1975 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He spent 10 seasons with the franchise according to the NFF. He became a three-time Pro Bowl selection, led the Cowboys in tackles for four seasons and was a part in helping the Cowboys to three Super Bowl appearances and a win in Super Bowl XII.

July 4, 1962 – LeFlore County, Mississippi – Mississippi Valley State Quarterback from the seasons of 1982 through 1985, Willie Totten arrived into this life. In his National Football Foundation Bio, Totten is described as “The Satellite.”  Willie’s college career was definitely in outer orbit as he is the Division I-AA’s all-time leader and ranks second in career passing yards (12,711) and single-season passing yards (4,557 in 1984). He twice led the nation in passing efficiency. Five times in Totten’s career he passed for more than 530 yards in a single game, including a 599-yard performance in 1984 against Prairie View. WIllie’s favorite receiver, well he is a guy by the name of Jerry Rice. Ever hear of him? These two teamed up to be a nightmare for opposing defenses. Willie earned First Team All-America status in 1984 after leading the nation and setting the all-time single-season touchdown passes mark with 56 for all divisions of the nation’s colleges. He had a brief professional career in the Canadian and Arena Football Leagues and then went back to his studies earning his master’s degree from Grambling before becoming the head football coach at his alma mater in 2001. The National Football Foundation selected Willie Totten for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005. 

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

July 4

1905 — The Philadelphia Athletics scored two runs in the 20th inning, giving Rube Waddell a 4-2 victory over Cy Young of the Boston Red Sox. Both pitchers went the distance. Young did not allow a walk.

1908 — George Wiltse of the New York Giants pitched a 10-inning, 1-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies.

1912 — George Mullin of the Detroit Tigers celebrated his 32nd birthday by pitching a no-hitter over the St. Louis Browns.

1925 — Two of the great left-handers of their time, Herb Pennock of the Yankees and Lefty Grove of the Athletics, hooked up in a pitcher’s duel that New York won 1-0 in 15 innings. Pennock gave up four hits and walked none.

1939 — Jim Tabor of the Boston Red Sox hit three home runs, including two grand slams, in an 18-12 triumph over the Philadelphia Athletics in the second game of a doubleheader.

1945 — Augie Bergamo drove in eight runs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to 19-2 rout of the New York Giants in the second game of a doubleheader. Bergamo, batting leadoff, went 5 for 6 with two home runs and four runs scored.

1976 — The Phillies’ Tim McCarver lost a grand slam when he passed Garry Maddox on the base paths. The Phillies still beat the Pirates 10-5 at Pittsburgh.

1983 — Dave Righetti of the New York Yankees pitched a 4-0 no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.

1984 — Phil Niekro of the New York Yankees struck out five Texas Rangers to become the ninth pitcher with 3,000 strikeouts. No. 3,000 was Larry Parrish.

1985 — The New York Mets beat the Braves 16-13 in 19 innings at Atlanta. The game went until just before 4 a.m. on July 5, and was followed by a fireworks display for the 10,000 still left in the stands. Keith Hernandez of the Mets hit for the cycle in 10 at-bats. The score was tied 8-8 after innings. Both teams scored two runs apiece in the 13th. The Mets scored a run in the 18th to take an 11-10 lead, but Braves pitcher Rick Camp tied the score with a homer. Camp then gave up five runs in the top the 19th. Ron Darling, the seventh Mets pitcher, closed the game giving up two runs.

2006 — Victor Martinez went 5-for-6 and Jhonny Peralta and Travis Hafner each hit two of Cleveland’s six home runs, powering the Indians to a 19-1 rout of New York. The win was Cleveland’s largest at home in more than 56 years, since a 21-2 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics on June 18, 1950.

2006 — Jose Contreras tossed 6 2-3 scoreless innings to win his 17th straight decision and lead the White Sox to a 13-0 victory over Baltimore.

2008 — The Cardinals drop a 2 – 1 decision to the Cubs but Albert Pujols socks his 300th career home run. At 28 years, 170 days old, he becomes the fifth youngest player to hit 300, one day ahead of Mel Ott. The younger players were Alex Rodriguez, Jimmie Foxx, Ken Griffey Jr. and Andruw Jones.

2008 — Colorado homered six times to rally from a nine-run deficit for the biggest comeback in franchise history and an 18-17 victory over Florida. Chris Iannetta singled home the winning run off Kevin Gregg in the ninth inning. The Rockies and Marlins combined for 35 runs on 43 hits, 21 of them for extra bases with eight home runs.

2010 — The rosters for the 2010 All-Star Game, to be played at Angels Stadium, are announced today. The top vote getters are Joe Mauer in the American League and Albert Pujols in the National League. Among the first-time All-Stars is 40-year-old reliever Arthur Rhodes of the Reds; he sports a sparkling 1.09 ERA in his 19th big league season.

2012 — Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz hit his 400th career home run, a leadoff drive to right in the fourth inning against Oakland’s A.J. Griffin.

2014 — Brian Roberts hit three doubles and a triple, leading the New York Yankees to a 6-5 win over Minnesota.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

July 4

1907 — Canadian world heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Burns KOs Bill Squires of Australia in round 1 in Colma, California, his 6th title defense.

1910 — Jack Johnson knocks out Jim Jeffries in the 15th round at Reno, Nev., to retain the world heavyweight title and spoil Jeffries’ comeback.

1914 — The Harvard eight wins the Grand Challenge Cup to become the first American crew to capture the top event at the Henley Royal Regatta.

1919 — Jack Dempsey wins the world heavyweight title at Toledo, Ohio, when Jess Willard fails to answer the bell for the fourth round.

1923 — Jack Dempsey beats Tommy Gibbon in 15 for the heavyweight title. The fight almost bankrupts the town of Shelby, Montana, which borrowed heavily to stage it.

1930 — Helen Wills Moody wins her fourth straight singles title at Wimbledon with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Elizabeth Ryan. Moody would go on to win four more Wimbledon singles titles.

1954 — FIFA World Cup Final, Wankdorf Stadium, Bern, Switzerland: Helmut Rahn scores twice as West Germany beats Hungary, 3-2.

1964 — Maria Bueno of Brazil upsets Margaret Smith of Australia 6-4, 7-9, 6-3 for the women’s title at Wimbledon.

1975 — Billie Jean King beats Evonne Goolagong, 6-0, 6-1 for her sixth and final singles title at Wimbledon.

1980 — Nolan Ryan (Houston Astros) fans Reds’ Cesar Geronimo to become 4th pitcher to 3,000 MLB strikeouts.

1982 — Jimmy Connors beats John McEnroe 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 for the men’s singles championship at Wimbledon. The match lasts 4 hours, 16 minutes.

1987 — Martina Navratilova wins her eighth Wimbledon singles title and sixth straight, beating Steffi Graf 7-5, 6-3.

1994 — FIFA World Cup: A Bebeto strike saves Brazil from embarrassment, beat USA 1-0 at Stanford.

1999 — Pete Sampras overwhelms Andre Agassi in three sets to capture his sixth Wimbledon title and tie Roy Emerson’s record with his 12th Grand Slam championship. Sampras is the first man in the Open era with six Wimbledon titles.

2002 — Venus and Serena Williams win in straight sets to set up their third title match at a major in 10 months — and the first all-sister Wimbledon final since 1884. Top-seeded Venus, the two-time defending champion, overpowers Justine Henin 6-3, 6-2. Second-seeded Serena routs Amelie Mauresmo 6-2, 6-1 in 55 minutes.

2003 — LA Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant is arrested in Eagle, Colorado for sexual assault, charges eventually dismissed.

2004 — UEFA European Championship Final, Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal: In a huge upset Greece beats host nation Portugal, 1-0.

2004 — Meg Mallon wins the Women’s U.S. Open with a 6-under 65, the lowest final round by a champion in the 59-year history of the tournament. Mallon finishes at 10-under 274 for a two-shot victory over Annika Sorenstam.

2008 — Dara Torres completes her improbable Olympic comeback, making the U.S. team for the fifth time by winning the 100 freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb. The 41-year-old wins in 54.78. A nine-time medalist, she already was the first U.S. swimmer to make four Olympic teams.

2009 — Serena Williams beats her big sister Venus 7-6 (3), 6-2 for her third Wimbledon title and 11th Grand Slam championship. In the fourth all-Williams final at Wimbledon, Serena comes out on top for the third time. Later, Venus and Serena win their fourth women’s doubles title at Wimbledon and ninth Grand Slam doubles title as a pair.

2010 — Rafael Nadal beats Tomas Berdych in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4, to win his second Wimbledon title and eighth Grand Slam championship.

2011 — Tyler Farrar becomes the first American to win a July 4 Tour de France stage, dominating a sprint finish in the third leg as teammate Thor Hushovd of Norway kept the yellow jersey.

2014 — Germany becomes the first country to reach the semifinals for a fourth straight World Cup by beating France 1-0 in a quarterfinal match settled by a first-half header from Mats Hummels.

2015 — Copa América Final, Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago: Chile defeats Argentina, 4-1 penalties to win their first title; 0-0 after extra time.

2015 — Super Rugby Final, Westpac Stadium, Wellington: Otago Highlanders beat Wellington Hurricanes 21-14 for their first title.2022 — Minnesota Twins turn 1st 8-5 triple play in MLB history as centerfielder Byron Buxton makes a catch and third baseman Gio Urshela tags one runner out in the basepath and doubles-off another runner by tagging second base against White Sox in Chicago.