“THE SCOREBOARD”
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
NO GAMES PLAYED-ALL-STAR BREAK
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
WNBA SCORES
LIBERTY 95 FEVER 87
SUN 84 SKY 72
WINGS 107 LYNX 67
DREAM 85 STORM 75
ACES 97 SPARKS 78
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NEW ENGLAND 2 ATLANTA 1
CINCINNATI 2 NEW YORK 1
MINNESOTA 3 HOUSTON 0
KANSAS CITY 2 SALT LAKE 2
PHILADELPHIA 2 NASHVILLE 0
COLORADO 2 PORTLAND 2
CHICAGO 3 MONTREAL 0
LAFC 3 ST. LOUIS 0
SAN JOSE 2 SEATTLE 0
VANCOUVER 2 AUSTIN 1
BIG 10 WEEKLY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
MINNESOTA VS. NEBRASKA
THURSDAY, AUG. 31
WISCONSIN VS. BUFFALO
MICHIGAN STATE VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN VS. EAST CAROLINA
PURDUE VS. FRESNO STATE
RUTGERS VS. NORTHWESTERN
INDIANA VS. OHIO STATE
ILLINOIS VS. TOLEDO
MARYLAND VS. TOWSON
IOWA VS. UTAH STATE
PENN STATE VS. WEST VIRGINIA
WEEK 2
MARYLAND VS. CHARLOTTE
PENN STATE VS. DELAWARE
MINNESOTA VS. EASTERN MICHIGAN
ILLINOIS AT KANSAS
INDIANA VS. INDIANA STATE
IOWA AT IOWA STATE
NEBRASKA AT COLORADO
PURDUE AT VIRGINIA TECH
MICHIGAN STATE VS. RICHMOND
RUTGERS VS. TEMPLE
MICHIGAN VS. UNLV
NORTHWESTERN VS. UTEP
WISCONSIN AT WASHINGTON STATE
OHIO STATE VS. YOUNGSTOWN STATE
WEEK 3
MICHIGAN VS. BOWLING GREEN
WISCONSIN VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN
INDIANA VS. LOUISVILLE (IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN)
MINNESOTA AT NORTH CAROLINA
NEBRASKA VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
NORTHWESTERN AT DUKE
ILLINOIS VS. PENN STATE
PURDUE VS. SYRACUSE
MARYLAND VS. VIRGINIA
RUTGERS VS. VIRGINIA TECH
MICHIGAN STATE VS. WASHINGTON
IOWA VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN
OHIO STATE VS. WESTERN KENTUCKY
WEEK 4
INDIANA VS. AKRON
ILLINOIS VS. FLORIDA ATLANTIC
PENN STATE VS. IOWA
NEBRASKA VS. LOUISIANA TECH
MICHIGAN STATE VS. MARYLAND
NORTHWESTERN VS. MINNESOTA
OHIO STATE AT NOTRE DAME
MICHIGAN VS. RUTGERS
PURDUE VS. WISCONSIN
WEEK 5
PURDUE VS. ILLINOIS
MARYLAND VS. INDIANA
MINNESOTA VS. LOUISIANA
NEBRASKA VS. MICHIGAN
IOWA VS. MICHIGAN STATE
NORTHWESTERN VS. PENN STATE
RUTGERS VS. WAGNER
WEEK 6
NORTHWESTERN VS. HOWARD
OHIO STATE VS. MARYLAND
MINNESOTA VS. MICHIGAN
ILLINOIS VS. NEBRASKA
IOWA VS. PURDUE
WISCONSIN VS. RUTGERS
WEEK 7
MARYLAND VS. ILLINOIS
MICHIGAN VS. INDIANA
WISCONSIN VS. IOWA
RUTGERS VS. MICHIGAN STATE
PURDUE VS. OHIO STATE
PENN STATE VS. UMASS
WEEK 8
MICHIGAN STATE VS. MICHIGAN
IOWA VS. MINNESOTA
NEBRASKA VS. NORTHWESTERN
OHIO STATE VS. PENN STATE
INDIANA VS. RUTGERS
ILLINOIS VS. WISCONSIN
WEEK 9
PENN STATE VS. INDIANA
NORTHWESTERN VS. MARYLAND
MINNESOTA VS. MICHIGAN STATE
WISCONSIN VS. OHIO STATE
NEBRASKA VS. PURDUE
WEEK 10
MINNESOTA VS. ILLINOIS
NORTHWESTERN VS. IOWA (IN CHICAGO, IL)
MICHIGAN STATE VS. NEBRASKA
RUTGERS VS. OHIO STATE
MARYLAND VS. PENN STATE
MICHIGAN VS. PURDUE
INDIANA VS. WISCONSIN
WEEK 11
ILLINOIS VS. INDIANA
NEBRASKA VS. MARYLAND
PENN STATE VS. MICHIGAN
OHIO STATE VS. MICHIGAN STATE
PURDUE VS. MINNESOTA
WISCONSIN VS. NORTHWESTERN
IOWA VS. RUTGERS
WEEK 12
IOWA VS. ILLINOIS
MARYLAND VS. MICHIGAN
INDIANA VS. MICHIGAN STATE
OHIO STATE VS. MINNESOTA
WISCONSIN VS. NEBRASKA
NORTHWESTERN VS. PURDUE
PENN STATE VS. RUTGERS
WEEK 13
NEBRASKA VS. IOWA
FRIDAY, NOV. 24
PURDUE VS. INDIANA
RUTGERS VS. MARYLAND
ILLINOIS VS. NORTHWESTERN
MICHIGAN VS. OHIO STATE
MICHIGAN STATE VS. PENN STATE
MINNESOTA VS. WISCONSIN
COLTS TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26 – 10-11 A.M.
SATURDAY, AUG. 5 – 6-7:30 P.M.
SUNDAY, AUG. 6 – 2-3:45 P.M.
SATURDAY, AUG. 5 – 6-7:30 P.M.
SUNDAY, AUG. 6 – 2-3:45 P.M.
TUESDAY, AUG. 8 – 9-10:30 A.M.
THURSDAY, AUG. 10 – 9-10 A.M.
TUESDAY, AUG. 15 – 9-10 A.M.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16 – 6-8 P.M.
THURSDAY, AUG. 17 – 6-8 P.M.
TV NEXT WEEK
Monday, July 17
MLB BASEBALL
FS1 — Minnesota at Seattle
NBA BASKETBALL
9 p.m.
ESPN — Summer League: TBA
_____
Tuesday, July 18
CYCLING
2 a.m. (Wednesday)
USA — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 16 – Individual Time-Trial, 14 miles, Passy to Combloux, France (Taped)
MLB BASEBALL
7 p.m.
TBS — LA Dodgers at Baltimore
_____
Wednesday, July 19
CYCLING
2 a.m. (Thursday)
USA — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 17, 103 miles, Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc to Courchevel, France (Taped)
GOLF
3 p.m.
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, First Round, Midland Country Club, Midland, Texas
4 a.m. (Thursday)
USA — DP World/PGA Tour: The Open Championship, First Round, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, England
SOCCER (MEN’S)
8:30 a.m.
ESPN2 — International Friendly: TBA
7 p.m.
ESPN2 — USL: Louisville City FC at Detroit City FC
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
3 a.m. (Thursday)
FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: New Zealand vs. Norway, Group A, Auckland, New Zealand
6 a.m. (Thursday)
FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Australia vs. Ireland, Group B, Sydney
_____
Thursday, July 20
AUTO RACING
9 p.m.
ESPN — SRX: Racing Series
CYCLING
2 a.m. (Friday)
USA — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 18, 116 miles, Moûtiers to Bourg-en-Bresse, France (Taped)
GOLF
4 a.m.
USA — DP World/PGA Tour: The Open Championship, First Round, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, England
7 a.m.
GOLF — LEPGA Tour: The La Sella Open, First Round, La Sella Golf, Alicante, Spain
12 p.m.
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, Third Round, Midland Country Club, Midland, Texas
5 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour: The Barracuda Championship, First Round, Tahoe Mountain Club, Truckee, Calif.
4 a.m. (Friday)
USA — DP World/PGA Tour: The Open Championship, Second Round, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, England
LACROSSE (WOMEN’S)
5 p.m.
ESPNU — Athletes Unlimited: TBD
7:30 p.m.
ESPNU — Athletes Unlimited: TBD
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
3 a.m.
FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: New Zealand vs. Norway, Group A, Auckland, New Zealand
6 a.m.
FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Australia vs. Ireland, Group B, Sydney
10:30 p.m.
FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Nigeria vs. Canada, Group B, Melbourne, Australia
1 a.m. (Friday)
FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Philippines vs. Switzerland, Group A, Dunedin, New Zealand
3:30 a.m. (Friday)
FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Spain vs. Costa Rica, Group C, Wellington, New Zealand
TBT BASKETBALL
7 p.m.
ESPN2 — TBT Tournament: Da Guys STL vs. Purple & Black
9 p.m.
ESPN2 — TBT Tournament: B1 Ballers vs. After Shocks
WNBA BASKETBALL
8 p.m.
PRIME VIDEO — Los Angeles at Minnesota
10 p.m.
PRIME VIDEO — Las Vegas at Seattle
_____
Friday, July 21
AUTO RACING
7:25 a.m.
ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Hungary
10:55 a.m.
ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Hungary
1:30 p.m.
FS1 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Qualifying, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa.
3:30 p.m.
USA — NASCAR Xfinity Series: Qualifying, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa.
6 p.m.
FS1 — NASCAR ARCA Menards Series: The Pocono ARCA 150, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa.
CYCLING
2 a.m. (Saturday)
USA — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 19, 107 miles, Moirans-en-Montagne to Poligny, France (Taped)
GOLF
4 a.m.
USA — DP World/PGA Tour: The Open Championship, Second Round, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, England
7 a.m.
GOLF — LEPGA Tour: The La Sella Open, Second Round, La Sella Golf, Alicante, Spain
1 p.m.
GOLF — LPGA Tour: The Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, Third Round, Midland Country Club, Midland, Texas
5 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour: The Barracuda Championship, Second Round, Tahoe Mountain Club, Truckee, Calif.
5 a.m. (Saturday)
USA — DP World/PGA Tour: The Open Championship, Third Round, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, England
MLB BASEBALL
2:20 p.m.
APPLETV+ — St. Louis at Chicago Cubs
6:40 p.m.
APPLETV+ — San Diego at Detroit
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
3:30 a.m.
FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Spain vs. Costa Rica, Group C, Wellington, New Zealand
9 p.m.
FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: U.S. vs. Vietnam, Group E, Auckland, New Zealand
3 a.m. (Saturday)
FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Zambia vs. Japan, Group C, Hamilton, New Zealand
5:30 a.m. (Saturday)
FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: England vs. Haiti, Group D, Brisbane, Australia
WNBA BASKETBALL
7 p.m.
ION — New York at Washington
_____
Saturday, July 22
AUTO RACING
9:55 a.m.
ESPN — Formula 1: Qualifying, Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Hungary
12 p.m.
FS1 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: The CRC Brakleen 150, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa.
USA — IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: The FCP EURO Northeast Grand Prix, Salisbury, Conn.
2 p.m.
FS1 — NHRA: Qualifying, Pacific Raceways, Kent, Wash.
3 p.m.
NBC — NTT IndyCar Series: The Hy-Vee INDYCAR 250, Newton, Iowa
USA — NASCAR Cup Series: Qualifying, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa.
5:30 p.m.
USA — NASCAR Xfinity Series: The Pocono 225, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa.
CYCLING
2 a.m. (Sunday)
USA — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 19, 94 miles, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris (Champs-Élysées), France (Taped)
GOLF
5 a.m.
USA — DP World/PGA Tour: The Open Championship, Third Round, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, England
7 a.m.
GOLF — LEPGA Tour: The La Sella Open, Third Round, La Sella Golf, Alicante, Spain
NBC — DP World/PGA Tour: The Open Championship, Third Round, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, England
4 p.m.
CBS — LPGA Tour: The Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, Final Round, Midland Country Club, Midland, Texas
5 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour: The Barracuda Championship, Third Round, Tahoe Mountain Club, Truckee, Calif.
6 a.m. (Sunday)
USA — DP World/PGA Tour: The Open Championship, Final Round, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, England
HORSE RACING
3 p.m.
FOX — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
5 p.m.
NBC — Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series
MLB BASEBALL
4 p.m.
FS1 — NY Mets at Boston
7 p.m.
FOX — Regional Coverage: Atlanta at Milwaukee OR Chicago White Sox at Minnesota
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
3 a.m.
FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Zambia vs. Japan, Group C, Hamilton, New Zealand
5:30 a.m.
FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: England vs. Haiti, Group D, Brisbane, Australia
8 a.m.
FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Denmark vs. China, Group D, Perth, Australia
1 a.m. (Sunday)
FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Sweden vs. South Africa, Group G, Wellington, New Zealand
3:30 a.m. (Sunday)
FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Netherlands vs. Portugal, Group E, Dunedin, Australia
6 a.m. (Sunday)
FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: France vs. Jamaica, Group F, Sydney
WNBA BASKETBALL
1 p.m.
ESPN — Connecticut at Atlanta
3 p.m.
ESPN — Las Vegas at Minnesota
_____
Sunday, July 23
AUTO RACING
8:55 a.m.
ESPN — Formula 1: The Hungarian Grand Prix, Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Hungary
1:30 p.m.
FS1 — NHRA: Qualifying, Pacific Raceways, Kent, Wash.
2:30 p.m.
NBC — NTT IndyCar Series: The Hy-Vee INDYCAR 250, Newton, Iowa
USA — NASCAR Cup Series: The Pocono 400, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa.
4 p.m.
FOX — NHRA: The Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals, Pacific Raceways, Kent, Wash.
BIG3 BASKETBALL
3 p.m.
CBS — Week 5: Tri-State vs. Trilogy, Triplets vs. Aliens, Power vs, Ghost Ballers, Killer 3’s vs. Enemies, 3 Headed Monsters vs. Ball Hogs, Bivouac vs. 3’s Company, Miami
CYCLING
2 a.m. (Monday)
USA — UCI: The Tour de France, Stage 20, 71 miles, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to Paris (Champs-Élysées), France (Taped)
GOLF
6 a.m.
USA — DP World/PGA Tour: The Open Championship, Final Round, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, England
7 a.m.
GOLF — LEPGA Tour: The La Sella Open, Final Round, La Sella Golf, Alicante, Spain
NBC — DP World/PGA Tour: The Open Championship, Final Round, Royal Liverpool, Hoylake, England
5 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour: The Barracuda Championship, Final Round, Tahoe Mountain Club, Truckee, Calif.
MLB BASEBALL
12:05 p.m.
PEACOCK — San Diego at Detroit
7 p.m.
ESPN — NY Mets at Boston
ESPN2 — NY Mets at Boston (KayRod Cast)
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
3:30 a.m.
FS1 — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: Netherlands vs. Portugal, Group E, Dunedin, Australia
6 a.m.
FOX — FIFA World Cup Group Stage: France vs. Jamaica, Group F, Sydney
WNBA BASKETBALL
1 p.m.
CBS — Phoenix at Washington
TOP NATIONAL RELEASES/HEADLINES
MEN’S TENNIS
CHRIS EUBANKS’ MAGICAL WIMBLEDON ENDS WITH A LOSS TO DANIIL MEDVEDEV, WHO NOW FACES CARLOS ALCARAZ
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) Chris Eubanks finally ran out of aces and energy during his magical Wimbledon debut. The 27-year-old American who captivated the crowds at the All England Club and back home still seemed to be having the time of his life Wednesday, but Daniil Medvedev’s steady game was just too much to overcome.
Basking in the roars from the stands at No. 1 Court, Eubanks grabbed a two-sets-to-one lead against the 2021 U.S. Open champion – and then was four points from victory in the fourth. The wear-and-tear of the unseeded Eubanks’ deepest run, by far, at a Grand Slam tournament began to show from there, and Medvedev pulled away for a 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory to reach the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time.
If Medvedev was unsteady for a bit, perhaps distracted by a back-and-forth with the chair umpire over a stray ball that struck a TV camera operator, he gathered himself well.
“There was a moment in the match where I completely lost the, how to say, game itself, and he played well. I started to sink. I started to do a lot of mistakes. Not serving well enough,” said the No. 3-seeded Medvedev, who will face No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals on Friday. “In the third set, I started to build something. … From the tiebreak, I started to play amazing.”
Alcaraz’s 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-4 victory over No. 6 Holger Rune at Centre Court was the first men’s quarterfinal at Wimbledon in the Open era, which dates to 1968, with two players who are not yet 21. Both Spain’s Alcaraz, who won last year’s U.S. Open, and Denmark’s Rune are 20.
When Alcaraz smacked a backhand return winner to seal the first set, he threw threw his head back and screamed. He paused for a second and screamed again. He strutted to the sideline, head held high, and yelled, then got to the sideline and yelled “Vamos! Vamos!”
In the women’s quarterfinals, Ons Jabeur eliminated defending champion Elena Rybakina 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1 in a rematch of last year’s championship match, and reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka defeated No. 25 seed Madison Keys 6-2, 6-4.
No. 2 Sabalenka plays No. 6 Jabeur on Thursday, when the other semifinal will be between unseeded players Elina Svitolina and Marketa Vondrousova. None of the four remaining women has won Wimbledon; Sabalenka is the only one who already owns a major trophy.
Sabalenka, who is from Belarus, and Medvedev, who is from Russia, were banned from the All England Club a year ago, along with every player representing those two countries, over the invasion of Ukraine. The war continues, but Russians and Belarusians were allowed back this time.
In Eubanks-Medvedev everything started to tilt one way midway through the fourth-set tiebreaker.
Eubanks put a forehand in a corner that drew a netted backhand from Medvedev, making it 3-all. Many in the seats rose, cheering wildly, and Eubanks shook his right fist, staring toward the support.
Maybe Eubanks, who is from Atlanta and was a college All-American at Georgia Tech, enjoyed that moment just a tad too much. Maybe he let his focus slip. Then again, hard to blame a guy who came into this tournament with a career record of 2-8 at the majors and who never had won an ATP title until the week before Wimbledon began.
So close to moving on, Eubanks faltered. So close to the brink, Medvedev surged, taking four of the following five points and pushing things to a fifth set.
Medvedev smacked a forehand winner. Eubanks sailed a forehand wide. Eubanks pushed a forehand return long. After Eubanks saved one set point with a service winner, he ceded the next by flubbing a forehand volley.
Medvedev, who won 28 of the 30 points he served in that set, shook his racket. He was fully back in the match – and, it turned out, on his way to a win.
As big a server as the lanky, 6-foot-7 Eubanks is, Medvedev hit more aces, 28-17. And while Eubanks finished with more winners, 74-52, to raise his tournament total to 321 and break Andre Agassi’s 1992 mark for most winners at a single Wimbledon (since 1977), Medvedev played incredibly cleanly. He only made 13 unforced errors, 42 fewer than Eubanks.
When the match ended, when Eubanks’ wonderful ride was over, he was accompanied off toward the locker room by a loud and lengthy standing ovation – as his pal, 2022 French Open runner-up Coco Gauff, captured the scene with her phone camera.
Eubanks paused his walk. He turned to all sections of the arena to wave and then put his hands together overhead in the shape of a heart, soaking it all in.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
ONS JABEUR AND ARYNA SABALENKA BOTH MAKE THEIR WAY BACK INTO THE WIMBLEDON SEMIFINALS
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) From where Ons Jabeur was sitting on Centre Court, a spot in the Wimbledon semifinals was as good as guaranteed.
The sixth-seeded Tunisian walked into the main stadium at the All England Club on Wednesday to play Elena Rybakina in a rematch of last year’s final. Jabeur lost that time, but not this time – later joking that it was possibly thanks to the seating arrangements.
“When we entered the court, felt like a similar feeling of playing (the) same match against her. But I made sure I changed seats this time. I went for the other seat that she won (from) last year,” Jabeur said. “Maybe it’s the seat that made me win today.”
Jabeur, who last year became the first woman from North Africa and first Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam final, beat the defending champion 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1.
She won eight of the final nine games, mixing her drop shots and slices throughout with some hard-hitting forehands and backhands.
“Last year maybe I wasn’t ready to play this kind of match,” Jabeur said. “I don’t regret last year. It happened for a reason. I always say it. It was meant to be this year. It was meant to be in the quarterfinals.”
After reaching last year’s Wimbledon final, Jabeur made it to the deciding match at the U.S. Open. In New York, she lost to Iga Swiatek.
Rybakina followed up her Wimbledon title with a first-round exit at that U.S. Open, but she then made the final at the Australian Open at the start of this year.
“Some moments I play really well, but was not consistent,” Rybakina said of Wednesday’s match. “Since physically (I) was not the greatest, then the wrong decisions came.”
For Jabeur to get back into the final, she will have to beat Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka. The second-seeded Belarusian advanced by beating Madison Keys 6-2, 6-4 on No. 1 Court.
That match will be second on Centre Court on Thursday, after Elina Svitolina faces Marketa Vondrousova in the other women’s semifinal match.
Sabalenka reached the Wimbledon semifinals for the second straight time, with a one-year break in between because she was banned from the tournament in 2022 along with other players from her country and from Russia because of the war in Ukraine.
“I was really sad that I couldn’t play here last year,” Sabalenka said. “But at the same time I was thinking that, OK, it’s a good time to kind of, like, reset and start everything over again.”
Sabalenka’s victory improved her record to 17-1 at major tournaments this year. She is the only former Grand Slam champion remaining in the women’s tournament.
Keys was trying to complete a full set of Grand Slam semifinal appearances but she lost for the second time in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Her only major final came at the 2017 U.S. Open, when she lost to Sloane Stephens.
So for Keys, the build-up to that final major of the season starts now.
“I’m always looking forward to the U.S. hard court swing. I’ve had a lot of success there. It’s some of my favorite tournaments,” Keys said. ”If I can just kind of keep up the hard work and continue to do what I did to build coming into this grass-court season, I think that there’s plenty of opportunity.”
NBA NEWS
JA MORANT’S LAWYERS CITE ‘STAND YOUR GROUND’ LAW, SELF-DEFENSE IN PICKUP BASKETBALL LAWSUIT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The future of a lawsuit accusing Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant of assaulting a teenager during a pickup basketball game hinges on whether Morant will be allowed to say that he was acting in self-defense and can receive immunity under Tennessee law.
A judge on Wednesday ruled that Morant’s lawyers can proceed for now with their argument that Morant was acting in self-defense when he punched Joshua Holloway during a game at the All-Star player’s Memphis-area home in July 2022.
Morant’s lawyers have acknowledged he punched Holloway one time after Holloway threw a basketball at Morant and the ball hit Morant in the chin. In a July 26 motion, the player’s lawyers said he should be immune from liability under the state’s “stand your ground” law, which allows people who feel threatened at their homes to act with force in certain situations.
Circuit Court Judge Carol Chumney said the next step would be to hear from lawyers in the case, including those representing the Tennessee Attorney General, about whether the law can be applied to the case under the state Constitution.
Morant’s accuser was 17 when the lawsuit was filed. It accuses Morant and friend Davonte Pack of assault, reckless endangerment, abuse or neglect, and infliction of emotional distress. An amended complaint identified the plaintiff as Holloway, who is now 18.
Morant filed a countersuit accusing Holloway of slander, battery and assault.
No criminal charges have been filed against Morant.
The lawsuit has led to complicated legal arguments, including disagreement about whether the state’s “stand your ground” law can be used to support Morant.
In a hearing Monday, Holloway’s lawyer Rebecca Adelman argued Morant has waived his claim to immunity and that the self-defense claim under the state law can’t be a reason to dismiss the civil case, partly because there is no ongoing criminal investigation against Morant.
Adelman said the self-defense and immunity arguments came too late in the process. She called it a “Hail Mary of Hail Marys.”
Will Perry, Morant’s lawyer, argued there are ways for the “stand your ground” law to apply in civil cases and that Morant is entitled to immunity. He said the motion was timely because the trial is not scheduled until 2024.
Outside court on Wednesday, Adelman told reporters that she was disappointed in the judge’s decision to allow the immunity claim to continue, but she was pleased that the court is allowing arguments on the constitutional challenge to the law’s application in the case.
“These are … very important issues to everyone,” Adelman said.
Chumney, the judge, has issued a stay in the case, which means depositions, subpoenas, exchanging of evidence and other steps in the lawsuit are on hold. She set an Oct. 12 hearing on the matter.
The NBA suspended Morant for 25 games when the upcoming season starts after a second video of him flashing a handgun was posted online. The video of Morant showing a gun while sitting in the passenger seat of a car was posted after he finished serving an eight-game suspension in March for a video in which he flashed a handgun in a Denver-area strip club.
Morant apologized for both videos.
On Monday – a year after the pickup game at Morant’s house in Eads – authorities issued an arrest warrant on a misdemeanor assault charge for Pack in connection with the fight.
LEBRON JAMES SAYS AT ESPYS HE WILL PLAY FOR LAKERS IN UPCOMING SEASON
LOS ANGELES (AP) LeBron James will play another season for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 38-year-old superstar announced his intentions on stage at The ESPYS on Wednesday night after accepting the record-breaking performance award for becoming the NBA’s career scoring leader.
At the end of last season, in which he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s mark, James had said he wasn’t sure if he would be back.
“In that moment I’m asking myself if I can still play without cheating the game. Can I give everything to the game still? The truth is I’ve been asking myself this question at the end of the season for a couple years now. I just never openly talked about it,” James said.
“I don’t care how many more points I score or what I can and cannot do on the floor. The real question for me is can I play without cheating this game? The day I can’t give the game everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done. Lucky for you guys that day is not today.”
The crowd at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood let out a huge cheer.
“So yeah, I still got something left,” James said. “A lot left.”
He was presented his trophy by wife Savannah, sons Bronny and Bryce and daughter Zhuri. In her introductory remarks, Savannah said, “I think LeBron James is the baddest …”
She began to say an expletive but cut herself off as Zhuri exclaimed, “Mom!”
James later returned and was joined by Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade to honor Carmelo Anthony, who recently retired after a 19-year career.
Earlier, Chicago White Sox reliever Liam Hendriks told the audience that he pitched much of the 2022 season with non-Hodgkin lymphoma before being diagnosed with an advanced stage of the disease.
He accepted the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. The 34-year-old Australian was declared cancer-free in late April and returned to the mound a month later.
“That was an eye-opener. I didn’t feel too many symptoms but I had some lumps around. It just shows you the power of the mind. When you don’t think anything’s wrong and you believe that you can do anything, you can do anything,” Hendriks said.
“I was throwing 100 miles per hour while going through Stage 4 lymphoma and then coming back after doing eight rounds of chemotherapy and four rounds of immunotherapy and was able to get out there and throw 96 miles per hour. That isn’t physically who I am. That’s all this, that’s all mental.”
The U.S. women’s soccer team was honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for its fight to receive equal pay. The players sued U.S. Soccer in 2019 and last year reached agreement on a deal that splits men’s and women’s pay equally.
Briana Scurry, goalkeeper for the national team from 1994-2008, saluted the 1985 team.
“They are the foundation of this entire community of giants,” she said.
The Buffalo Bills training staff received the Pat Tillman Award for Service, honored for saving the life of safety Damar Hamlin, who went into cardiac arrest at a game in Cincinnati in January.
The staff was greeted by a standing ovation. They huddled around Hamlin on stage, hugging him and patting his back. With his back to the audience, Hamlin bent his head and appeared to break down. He has since recovered and plans to play this fall.
“Damar, first and foremost, thank you for staying alive, brother,” said Nate Breske, head trainer for the Bills.
“We’re not used to having the spotlight on us. We were just doing our job, but the idea of service is definitely something that is engrained in our profession and that we take great pride in,” he told the audience.
Breske urged support for funding for automated external defibrillators and CPR training, especially in underserved communities, as well as for athletic trainers in youth sports.
“Learn CPR and how to use an AED because they save lives,” he said.
Patrick Mahomes was honored as best men’s sports athlete, while skier Mikaela Shiffrin received the women’s sports honor.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has won two Super Bowls in his five seasons and was named MVP of the game each time, including this past February. He turns 28 in September.
“It was an incredible season. There was many ups, many downs,” Mahomes said. “I appreciate my teammates, my coaches, the guys that are here. I go back to camp next Tuesday, so this is a great award. But we’re going to do this thing again, we’re going to keep this thing rolling.”
Shiffrin won her 87th World Cup race in March, breaking the mark set by Ingemar Stenmark for the most such wins by any skier. She went on to win an 88th Cup race, as well as the overall season title.
“This season was absolutely incredible and there was a lot of talk about records and it got me thinking, why is a record actually important?” Shiffrin said. “I just feel like it’s not important to break records or re-set records. It’s important to set the tone for the next generation, to inspire them.”
Sports talk host Pat McAfee handled the opening monologue in his first major public appearance since joining ESPN in May.
The show didn’t have its usual celebrity host as a result of the Hollywood writers strike. McAfee offered a series of hints that comedian Kevin Hart had been set for the gig but that Hart instead chose to support the Writers Guild of America.
An ESPN spokeswoman said a production team worked with presenters on their introductory remarks. The usual pre-taped comedy sketches were absent.
RAPTORS OFFICIALLY SIGN G DENNIS SCHRODER
Free agent guard Dennis Schroder signed a multi-year deal with the Toronto Raptors, the team announced Wednesday.
ESPN previously reported that the contract was for two years and worth $26 million.
“Dennis is fierce, he’s creative, and above all, he’s competitive,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said in a news release. “We’re excited to welcome Dennis to Toronto, and are looking forward to seeing him on the Scotiabank Arena court.”
Schroder will join his sixth NBA team following a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 29-year-old averaged 12.6 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds for the Lakers last season over 66 games (50 starts).
A point guard, Schroder has career averages of 14.0 points, 4.7 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game across 687 career games (317 starts) with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18), Oklahoma City Thunder (2018-20), Lakers (2020-21; 2022-23), Boston Celtics (2021-22) and Houston Rockets (2022).
Toronto needed to add to its backcourt after longtime Raptors guard Fred VanVleet signed with the Rockets in free agency.
MEN’S GOLF
SCHAUFFELE AND SPIETH SAY PGA TOUR COMMISSIONER MONAHAN HAS TO EARN BACK TRUST
GULLANE, Scotland (AP) PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan returns to work next week and some top players believe he has to regain their trust after leaving members in the dark over an about-face deal with the Saudi Arabia wealth fund behind LIV Golf.
“I’d say he has a lot of tough questions to answer in his return,” Xander Schauffele said Wednesday at the Scottish Open, where he is the defending champion. “And yeah, I don’t trust people easily. He had my trust and he has a lot less of it now.
“So I don’t stand alone when I say that.”
A week after Monahan announced a commercial partnership with the Public Investment Fund, the tour said a “medical situation” led Monahan to turn over daily operations of the tour to two executives.
He sent a memo to players last week saying he would resume his role July 17. Monahan did not take part in the Senate hearing Tuesday in which documents outlined some of the conversations that led to the framework agreement.
Players were sent a 275-page file of the documents Congress obtained ahead of the three-hour hearing. Some watched part of it or read through a few excerpts of the documents. Jordan Spieth chose to play golf at North Berwick instead.
When asked if Monahan would have trust issues with the players, Spieth replied: “Quite a bit, just based on conversations I’ve had with players. And I think he realizes that. I’m sure he’s preparing for a plan to try and build it back.”
Scottie Scheffler said he watched part of the hearing and didn’t learn very much. Then again, the world’s No. 1 player isn’t sure how much he knew in the first place.
Monahan and two board members – Jimmy Dunne and board chairman Ed Herlihy – negotiated the agreement announced June 6 with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
“As a player on tour, we still don’t really have a lot of clarity as to what’s going on, and that’s a bit worrisome,” Scheffler said. “They keep saying it’s a player-run organization, and we don’t really have the information that we need. I watched part of it yesterday didn’t learn anything.”
Rory McIlroy chose not to say anything.
McIlroy has been seen as the strongest voice in the PGA Tour’s battle against Saudi-funded LIV Golf. He said he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” when he spoke to the media a day after the deal was announced, during the Canadian Open.
McIlroy gave two television interviews ahead of the Scottish Open, which starts Thursday at The Renaissance Club. And then he walked past a dozen reporters. When asked if he had time to talk, his manager intervened to say McIlroy wouldn’t be speaking about the hearing.
McIlroy’s name surfaced in a Dec. 8 email to Dunne from Roger Devlin, a British businessman involved on the PIF side of helping repair the fractured state of golf. Devlin said he arranged for McIlroy to meet with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of PIF, last November in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Devlin described the meeting as “very cordial and constructive.”
“Rory made it clear that in accepting the meeting he was speaking only for himself although he believes his views are broadly shared by Tiger (Woods) and the other top players,” Devlin wrote. “He also emphasized he was seeking no personal financial gain, he was simply trying to unify the game.”
McIlroy briefly mentioned the meeting after the first round of the Canadian Open when he said he had met Al-Rumayyan.
“I played a pro-am with Yasir in Dubai a few years ago,” McIlroy said last month. “I was with him at a Formula One race randomly a couple years ago in Austin. I saw him in Dubai at the end of last year. So he’s obviously been in and around the golf world and obviously the wider sports world. … He runs in the same circles as a lot of people that I know.”
Schauffele said he glanced through some of the documents and started to watch a link to the hearing until he decided sleep was more important.
He referred to this as “one of the rockier times” on the PGA Tour but said it would be less unsettling if the players stick together. But his biggest beef was more transparency and players being more involved.
“There isn’t much communication right now and things are a little bit unsettling and there is a bit of a divide between management and the players, if you want to call it that,” he said. “And my hope is that a positive thing coming from that will be more communication, more transparency, and sort of understanding which direction the tour will go with us being sort of the ambassadors of it.”
Meanwhile, the Scottish Open is about to start and the British Open is next week, the final major of the year, with the FedEx Cup playoffs a month later.
“I just try to keep my head down and play golf,” Scheffler said. “I don’t get too involved in a lot of that stuff. I love playing golf on the PGA Tour and that’s the spot for me. I’m hoping that’s going to exist for a long time. I felt like we were doing a good job before and then the agreement happened and now we have to navigate the whole deal.”
He said while he appreciates the private nature of the negotiations, “I just wish that definitely our player reps need to be more involved in the process.”
2023 SCOTTISH OPEN: PREVIEW, PROPS, BEST BETS
A marquee field has assembled for this week’s Scottish Open, which begins Thursday at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick.
It’s the final tune-up before The 151st Open next week. Our golf experts provide key notes along with their favorite prop picks and best bets to win.
SCOTTISH OPEN
Location: North Berwick, July 13-16
Course: The Renaissance Club (Par 70, 7,237 yards)
Purse: $9M (Winner: $1.62M)
Defending Champion: Xander Schauffele
FedEx Cup leader: Jon Rahm
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (GC), 12-3 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming on ESPN+: Thursday-Friday, 2:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 4:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Twitter: @ScottishOpen
PROP PICKS
–Min Woo Lee to Beat Justin Thomas (-115 at DraftKings): Lee rebounded from a trio of missed cuts over the spring to post four top-20s in his past five starts, including a T5 at the U.S. Open. Meanwhile, Thomas continues to struggle with his form. Struggling to even qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Thomas added the Rocket Mortgage Classic to his schedule, only to miss the weekend for the third time in his past four events.
–Rory McIlroy to Shoot 67 or Lower Round 1 (-110 at BetMGM): The Renaissance Club is a Par 70, meaning McIlroy needs to shoot 3 under or better to cash this prop out. McIlroy isn’t always the strongest starter, often working his way into contention in the middle rounds of a tournament. He also enters with five consecutive top-10 finishes and can’t afford a slow start against a very strong field.
–Viktor Hovland to Finish Top-10 (+190 at DraftKings): The young Norwegian continues to show well against elite fields. That includes a win at the Memorial to go with a T2 at the PGA and 19th at the U.S. Open in his past five starts.
2023 Prop Picks Record: 30-41-2
BEST BETS
–Scottie Scheffler (+700 at BetMGM) has finished T12 or better in 17 consecutive starts and leads the PGA Tour with 14 top-10s this season. Despite being the pre-tournament favorite, Scheffler is third at the book with 7.1 percent of the total money backing him to win. Despite even lower odds at +650 at DraftKings, he leads the field in both total bets (16 percent) and money (12 percent).
–Rory McIlroy (+900) will make his eighth event start and enters with a streak of five consecutive top-10 results. His BetMGM odds have lengthened a bit since opening at +750 despite being second at the book with 7.2 percent of the total bets supporting him. At DraftKings, McIlroy has drawn the second most bets with 10 percent at +1000.
–Patrick Cantlay (+1400) at No. 4 is the highest-ranked player in the world without a win on the PGA Tour this season.
–Xander Schauffele (+1400) is defending the third of his three titles from last season. He has yet to successfully defend in his first six career attempts.
–Tyrrell Hatton (+1800) has been one of the most popular players among the public. Since opening at +2500, the Englishman has drawn the most money with 12.3 percent, making him BetMGM’s second biggest liability this week.
–Rickie Fowler (+1800) is coming off a win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, which was also his fourth top-10 in his past five starts.
–Viktor Hovland (+1800) finished T29 in his most recent start, breaking a streak of four consecutive top-20s.
–Tommy Fleetwood (+2200): Fleetwood is the book’s No. 1 liability, leading the field with 7.5 percent of the total bets and he’s second with 10.7 percent of the money. Fleetwood narrowly missed his first PGA Tour win at the Canadian Open and followed it up with a T5 at the U.S. Open before missing the cut at the Travelers in his most recent event.
–Ludvig Aberg (+5500): Has enjoyed a strong start to his professional career, finishing T25 at the Canadian Open to begin a streak of four consecutive cuts made. That was highlighted by last week’s T4 at the John Deere Classic, where the Swede closed with a 63 on Sunday. Aberg is the book’s third biggest liability this week.
NOTES
–The Scottish Open is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour for the second year, with each tour featuring a minimum of 75 players in the 156-player field. It is also the final of four PGA Tour events that is part of the Open Qualifying Series (OQS) that provides spots into next week’s The 151st Open. The top three players who are not otherwise exempt and make the cut this week will earn an exemption.
–Only six events remain over the next four weeks before the start of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, with the top 70 players in the standings qualifying for the first leg.
–The event is Scotland’s national open and is part of both the FedEx Cup and the Race to Dubai.
–Justin Thomas (+4000) has finished in the top 10 in the FedEx Cup standings each of the past six seasons, but currently sits in 70th place – the final cutoff spot to reach the playoffs.
BRITISH OPEN RAISES PURSE TO $16.5 MILLION WITH THE WINNER TO GET $3 MILLION
HOYLAKE, England (AP) The British Open is raising its purse to $16.5 million, with the winner at Royal Liverpool next week getting $3 million.
The total prize fund was $14 million a year ago. Cameron Smith, who won at St. Andrews, earned $2.5 million.
Prize money increased this year at all the majors, with the U.S. Open going up to $20 million, most among the four Grand Slam events. Wyndham Clark received $3.6 million.
The Masters increased its purse to $18 million ($3.24 million to Jon Rahm) while the PGA Championship went up to $17.5 million (Brooks Koepka received $3.15 million).
“Our aim is to ensure The Open remains at the pinnacle of world golf and we have almost doubled the prize fund since 2016,” said Martin Slumbers, CEO of the R&A.
Slumbers noted the “substantial increases” in prize funds across golf, with the PGA Tour establishing $20 million purses for its elevated events and $25 million for The Players Championship. Saudi-funded LIV Golf offered $25 million purses – $20 million for individual competition – last year.
Slumbers said the R&A also has raised the prize money for the Women’s British Open, along with putting more resources into elite amateur competition and programs to increase participation in golf.
“We believe that getting this balance right is vital to the long-term future of the sport,” he said.
NFL NEWS
PATRICK MAHOMES IS MORE FOCUSED ON IMPROVING AND WINNING MORE SUPER BOWLS THAN HIS LEGACY
Patrick Mahomes already is a two-time Super Bowl MVP and AP NFL MVP before turning 28, compiling an impressive Hall of Fame-worthy resume in only six seasons.
If any player is ever going to challenge Tom Brady for GOAT — greatest of all time — status, Mahomes has the best chance. Like Brady and other superstar athletes, Mahomes still works to improve, aiming to keep the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl contention.
“I think everybody thinks about legacy and how they’re remembered, but you have to think about that at the same time, valuing every day and how you can become better, how you can really maximize every single day,” Mahomes said on the AP Pro Football Podcast. “And then whenever your career is done, you have no regrets. That’s what I’ve always preached. It’s not about success of that day, it’s about having no regrets at the end of your career.
“And I think if you work hard every single day and put everything you have into the game, then when you look back at the end of your career and however many trophies you have or how many Super Bowl rings you have, you’ll have no regrets.”
Mahomes has led the Chiefs to five straight AFC championship games, three Super Bowl appearances and two championships in his five seasons as the starting quarterback.
With Brady now retired after winning seven rings with New England and Tampa Bay, Mahomes takes over as the face of the NFL. It’s just another title to the dynamic QB.
“I embrace being me,” Mahomes said. “I think that’s the biggest thing. It’s definitely cool to see your name on the news line or to be able to partner with great companies like Walmart and do all these great things. But at the same time, I just try to be the best me I can be and whatever else comes with that comes with that.”
No team has repeated as Super Bowl champs since Brady’s Patriots in 2003-04. It’s a daunting task in today’s NFL. The Chiefs are embracing the challenge. They’re favorites to win it again this season, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
“I think it’s so difficult because there’s so much player movement these days,” Mahomes said, pointing to free agency, trades and the draft. “Every team is getting better and better each and every year. It’s hard to win the Super Bowl. I’ve noticed that from my first one to my second. You can do everything the right way and you don’t win. So to be able to repeat it, you have to just continue to work and work and work and try to get yourself in position to win those big games. I’m confident in us because we have a lot of guys coming back now that have won a Super Bowl and been in that big moment. But we have to go out there and prove it and it starts next week.”
The Chiefs are among several teams opening training camp next week, with rookies reporting on Tuesday. Mahomes will work with a new offensive coordinator for the first time in his career as a starter after Eric Bieniemy left the Chiefs for Washington.
Matt Nagy, who was Kansas City’s offensive coordinator in 2016-17 before going to Chicago to serve as head coach for four seasons, is back in that role under coach Andy Reid.
“It’s definitely gonna be different,” Mahomes said about losing Bieniemy. “He was a voice that’s been in this locker room my entire career. To lose that voice, I’m excited for Washington because I know how inspiring he can be and how smart he was for us. Luckily for us, I think Coach Reid does a great job of finding great coaches to supplement some of that great leadership that Coach Bieniemy had for us. … It’s definitely tough losing him. I have so much respect for EB. He was such a great coach but a great person. But I’m excited for these other guys to step up and be those coaches that they’ve learned from him and learn from Coach Reid to be.”
REPORTS: NEW DEAL UNLIKELY FOR GIANTS RB SAQUON BARKLEY
With no progress in negotiations, there is little optimism for a long-term contract between the New York Giants and running back Saquon Barkley before Monday’s deadline.
According to multiple reports, Barkley isn’t near a new deal as the cutoff for NFL teams who applied the franchise tag arrives and no tangible progress was made in negotiations.
Barkley reportedly turned down offers based on an average salary of $12.5 million per season and hasn’t signed the franchise tag. That leaves open the possibility he could hold out into the season or not play in 2023.
Barkley has 4,249 rushing yards, 1,820 receiving yards and 37 total touchdowns over five seasons since being drafted No. 2 overall by the Giants in 2018.
He said last month while staying away from mandatory minicamp that the idea of skipping the season “comes up in conversation if something doesn’t get done” by the deadline on Monday.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about respect,” Barkley said. “That is really what it is.”
Barkley, 26, reportedly is seeking a contract that would pay him closer to $16 million per season, on par with 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.
Matt Breida and 2023 fifth-round pick Eric Gray are listed as the backups to Barkley on the Giants’ depth chart.
NFL PREVIEW: DALLAS COWBOYS
When Dak Prescott delivered a dud against the 49ers in last year’s divisional round to give the Cowboys another quick postseason exit, it might have signaled the beginning of the end of an era in Dallas.
Prescott wasn’t shown the door for the poor performance, but the pressure is high for him to finally get the Cowboys over the hump, partly because he’s due for another deal. His current contract doesn’t have guaranteed money past this year, and his cap number will balloon to $59.45 million in 2024, according to Over the Cap.
It might be a make-or-break season for Prescott, but running back Ezekiel Elliott and tight end Dalton Schultz are already gone—neither got an extra year to make it work in Dallas. (Although, there’s a possibility of a reunion with Elliott because he remains a free agent). Tony Pollard is the new lead back after a breakout 2022 season, while tight ends Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker (a rookie) will look to replicate Schultz’s production.
The team also parted with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who guided the Cowboys to four prolific statistical seasons as the play-caller, but ultimately did them no favors in the postseason.
With Moore gone, the pressure is high for coach Mike McCarthy, who holds a different philosophy than the now offensive coordinator of the Chargers. McCarthy also made the bold decision to take over as the offensive play-caller, something he hasn’t done since 2018 when he was the head coach of the Packers.
The Cowboys once again have a talented roster, but changes could occur next season at critical positions if they don’t at least reach the NFC title game for what would be the first time since 1995.
Biggest gamble this offseason: Trading for Cooks and Gilmore
Instead of splurging in free agency, the Cowboys traded for wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore, sending Day 3 draft picks to the Texans and Colts, respectively. It was a creative way of improving the roster without having to overpay for players on the open market and probably the necessary option with limited cap space due to Prescott’s hefty contract. (The Cowboys also kept in mind the looming contract extensions for Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs and CeeDee Lamb.) Although that approach was a smart move financially, Dallas is now banking on two players who might be past their primes. Gilmore proved last season with the Colts he still has plenty left to offer, but he’s heading into his age-33 season. Cooks is younger—he’ll turn 30 in September—but he’s coming off a down 2022 season and has dealt with many injuries in his career. The Cowboys need Cooks to be a standout No. 2 wideout to Lamb and for Gilmore to do the same for Diggs if they want to finally get past the divisional round.
Toughest stretch of the season: Weeks 13 to 17
The Cowboys will have a brutal five-game stretch near the end of the regular season, starting with a home game vs. the Seahawks. They’ll then host the Eagles in Week 14 before back-to-back road games against the Bills and Dolphins. That’s three consecutive games against potential Super Bowl contenders, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier after that: Dallas will host a Week 17 game with the Lions, who are also receiving plenty of hype. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Seahawks and Lions are on the same level as the Eagles, Bills and Dolphins.
Breakout player to watch: Edge rusher Sam Williams
It’s tough to go with Williams here due to the depth at the position (more on that later). But given how impressive he was, playing limited snaps as a rookie, Williams has a strong chance of cracking the rotation if he continues to ascend in his second season. The 2022 second-round pick made impact plays (four sacks, 10 tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits) despite playing only 27% of the team’s defensive snaps last season. With the Cowboys having so many talented edge rushers, Williams will likely continue taking advantage of his matchups to possibly record more than 10 sacks in ’23.
Position of strength: Edge rusher
Williams is so buried on the depth chart because he plays behind the starting duo of Parsons, a two-time first-team All-Pro, and DeMarcus Lawrence, a three-time Pro Bowler. Also, Dorance Armstrong Jr. is a quality edge rusher with 8.5 sacks last season, and Dante Fowler Jr. continues to be a reliable playmaker. With Parsons moving full time to defensive end, rookie DeMarvion Overshown might take over the veteran’s former role of splitting time on the defensive line and at linebacker. The Cowboys could have a pass-rushing rotation that goes six deep on the edges.
Position of weakness: Interior defensive line
The Cowboys struggled with stopping the run last season, leading them to draft defensive tackle Mazi Smith in the first round for this year’s draft. Smith was known in college for defending the run, but the Cowboys haven’t had much luck with inexperienced players making an immediate impact on the interior of the defensive line: Osa Odighizuwa, a 2021 third-round pick, and Neville Gallimore, a ’20 third-round pick, have been inconsistent to start their careers.
X-factor: WR Michael Gallup
The Cowboys are counting on Lamb and Cooks to form one of the better receiving duos in the league, but they also need Gallup to finally deliver a complete season after a few down years. Gallup has flashed often in his first five seasons, but he tends to have long stretches of disappearing from the offense, and injuries over the past few years haven’t helped. If Gallup can return to what he did in 2019, with 66 catches for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns, Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense will be tough to stop this season.
Sleeper fantasy pick: TE Jake Ferguson
The Cowboys drafted Schoonmaker in the 2023 second round, but Ferguson is still the tight end to target on their roster. While a committee could emerge, we know Dallas likes to use a primary tight end on offense. Ferguson is the best of its trio of options. He’s a deep league flier. —Michael Fabiano, SI Fantasy
Best bet: Take the over on CeeDee Lamb’s 1100.5 receiving yards
Just as he did in each of his last two seasons, Lamb will hit this again. Entering his fourth season with the Cowboys, the wide receiver has the most experience and chemistry with Prescott. Especially with no Schultz on the roster, Cooks and Gallup won’t keep Lamb from exceeding this total. —Jennifer Piacenti, SI Betting
Final record: 10–7, second in NFC East
HOF NAMES 60 SEMIFINALISTS IN SENIOR, COACH/CONTRIBUTOR CATEGORIES
The Pro Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday announced the seniors, coaches and contributors who made the cut as semifinalists for the Class of 2024.
The Seniors Committee named 31 semifinalists and the Coach/Contributor Committee added 29 names who move on to the next round of consideration.
Each of the seniors semifinalists played their last game no later than the 1998 season.
They are: Ken Anderson, Ottis Anderson, Carl Banks, Maxie Baughan, Larry Brown, Mark Clayton, Charlie Conerly, Roger Craig, Henry Ellard, Randy Gradishar, Lester Hayes, Chris Hinton, Cecil Isbell, Joe Jacoby, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Mike Kenn, Bob Kuechenberg, George Kunz, Albert Lewis, Jim Marshall, Clay Matthews Jr., Steve McMichael, Eddie Meador, Stanley Morgan, Tommy Nobis, Art Powell, Sterling Sharpe, Steve Tasker, Otis Taylor, Everson Walls and Al Wistert.
The semifinalist coaches and contributors are: K.S. “Bud” Adams Jr., Roone Arledge, C.O. Brocato, Tom Coughlin, Alex Gibbs, Ralph Hay, Mike Holmgren, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Eddie Kotal, Robert Kraft, Elmer Layden, Jerry Markbreit, Virginia McCaskey, Rich McKay, John McVay, Art Modell, Buddy Parker, Carl Peterson, Dan Reeves, Art Rooney Jr., Marty Schottenheimer, Jerry Seeman, George Seifert, Mike Shanahan, Clark Shaughnessy, Seymour Siwoff, Jim Tunney, Lloyd Wells and John Wooten.
The respective selection committees next will whittle those lists down to 12 names each, with the results announced on July 27.
The Coach/Contributor Committee will then meet Aug. 15 to select one person for final consideration. The Seniors Committee will meet Aug. 15 to select up to three seniors for consideration for the Class of 2024.
CARDINALS QB KYLER MURRAY HOPEFUL ‘GOOD WILL COME’ FROM INJURY
Kyler Murray offered no predictions on when he will be back on the field for the Arizona Cardinals, but he did convey a silver lining in his approach to rehab from a season-ending injury.
“I’m thinking of stuff that I wasn’t part of, like the draft, who we were gonna get, young players coming out,” Murray told Flight Plan via the team website. “The whole (last) year was (expletive). It happened for a reason. The things we were doing weren’t sustainable for success. It was necessary and in turn good will come out of what happened.”
The Cardinals lost Murray to a torn ACL in his right knee on Dec. 12 and fired coach Kliff Kingsbury a month later. The Cardinals also parted with No. 1 receiver DeAndre Hopkins in May.
What Murray returns to in 2023 in terms of a supporting cast is nearly as uncertain as when he’ll be back.
He will not be a full participant when training camp begins later this month, and a complete picture of his possible return appears unlikely to develop until he’s cleared by team doctors.
He is keeping his approach positive and has been in constant contact with new head coach Jonathan Gannon.
“It’s got to be a positive. There really is no option for it to be a negative,” Murray said. “I feel you get your little grace period right after it happens, dwell on it, soak in it, let the feelings take over. After that, (expletive), we gotta go. Life doesn’t stop. The job doesn’t stop. And I’m not going to stop.”
Murray said he dined with Gannon multiple times and endorsed the moves made by first-year general manager Monti Ossenfort.
“They are really investing in the organization and the team,” Murray said. “You run through a wall for that type of guy. That’s the energy he brings.”
BIG 10 FOOTBALL PREVIEW: MICHIGAN
2022 Record: 13-1 overall, 9-0 in Big Ten
Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh, 9th year: 74-25, 16th year overall: 132-52
This football thing isn’t all that hard.
Who blocks and tackles better, and does it with the most talent?
Michigan was always very, very good under head coach Jim Harbaugh, and then it started blocking and tackling better, the next-level talent kept flowing in, and shock of shocks, it all worked.
Ever since the second half of the 2020 finale loss to Penn State – when Michigan, in a lost game in a lost season, seemed to say “enough is enough” and played one of its most physical offensive halves of the year – a switched flipped. It hasn’t stopped since.
Mostly of the time in the Harbaugh era the Wolverines were in the middle of the pack in run defense and rushing offense. When they’re better than most at those two things, they win more.
In 2020 – a 2-4 season in the COVID year – 10th in the Big Ten in run defense, 11th in rushing offense.
2021 – a Big Ten Championship season with an appearance in the College Football Playoff – No. 1 in the Big Ten in rushing offense, 5th in run defense, but still terrific.
2022 – a Big Ten Championship season with an appearance in the College Football Playoff – No. 1 in the Big Ten in run defense, No. 1 in rushing offense.
And the talent? Nine players were taken in the 2023 NFL Draft and 37 over the last five years. Who sent more players to the big league over that span? Take a guess – Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, LSU.
The talent is there, and so is the execution. That, and two wins over the arch-rival helped.
It’s not like Harbaugh all of a sudden started becoming a better coach, but everything changed with that one win over Ohio State in 2021 to finally break through the ceiling. Now Michigan really could hang with and beat the elite, and win championship, and have nice things.
And that’s what made the CFP Fiesta Bowl loss to TCU so galling.
That wasn’t a good Horned Frog run defense. That wasn’t a team that had the lines to hold up – Georgia sure as shoot proved that a few weeks later. That was a team that Michigan was supposed to beat now because Harbaugh’s side had more talent, and it blocked better, and tackled better, and on that one night in Glendale, it didn’t.
But this year’s team has a whole lot of talent, too. And it’s going to be really, really good at tackling, and it’s going to be really, really good at …
Blocking. This year’s front five will once again be among the most physical in the country starting with one of the nation’s best guard tandems in Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan. Star C Olu Oluwatimi is now a Seattle Seahawk, but in comes Drake Nugent to take over. OT Ryan Hayes is trying to become a Miami Dolphin, and the line might have upgraded with LaDarius Henderson coming in from Arizona State. Behind this great line …
The ground game will be dynamic. It was fifth in the nation, No. 1 in the Big Ten, and it gets the guys back to do even more. Blake Corumr eturns this fall after running for 1,463 yards and 18 scores before suffering a knee injury, and Donovan Edwards – who ran for 991 yards and averaged seven yards per carry – might be the better pro prospect. The ground game will also be helped by …
JJ McCarthy. After years and years of throwing interesting QB prospects at the wall and seeing what stuck, Michigan has a star quarterback. McCarthy stepped into the starting role early on and never let go, throwing for over 2,700 yards and 22 touchdowns with five picks to go along with 306 rushing yards and five scores.
Cade McNamara is off trying to show Iowa what a completed forward pass looks like, so it’s up to oft-traveled Jack Tuttle – who started out at Utah before transferring to Indiana – to be ready as the main backup.
The receiving corps is hardly a weakness, but it’s not as strong as the other parts of this year’s offense. Even so Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson are explosive wideouts, and Indiana transfer tight end AJ Barner is a nice addition to go along with Colston Loveland.
The defense that was so good all year before TCU screwed that up is loaded up front and has a wee bit of work to do in the secondary. It’s hardly a dire situation, though, considering the main stars are back except for top corner, DJ Turner. Throw in UMass corner Josh Wallace coming over, and the corners are great. The safeties will be terrific around Rod Moore and Mike Sainristill.
The pressure might not be quite there like you’d think, but this line will get into the backfield. DT Mazi Smith went in the first round to Dallas and EDGE Mike Morris was drafted by Seattle, but there’s no taking and step back with Kris Jenkins a future NFL starter at one tackle job and the versatile Josiaiah Stewart a dangerous all-around pass rusher coming in from Coastal Carolina. Stewart can work inside or out, likely playing in a rotation with top returning edge rusher Jaylen Harrell.
The linebacking duo of Junior Colson and Michael Barrett – they were 1-2 in tackles, respectively – combined for 173 last season. They’re good enough, and along to help is Ernest Hausmann, a bulked up safety-sized missile who transferred in from Nebraska.
OKLA. STATE COACH MIKE GUNDY SCORCHES RIVAL OKLAHOMA
There is finality in the 2023 college football season, an end to classic rivalries like the Bedlam matchup pitting Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.
Cowboys coach Mike Gundy isn’t taking the blame for the curtain falling on the traditional date with the Sooners, who are exiting the conference along with Texas following the 2023 season.
“I’m very traditionalist when it comes to conference rivalry games and such,” Gundy said at Big 12 media days Wednesday, noting the last OSU-OU game was this season. “The Bedlam game is over because Oklahoma chose to leave the Big 12, period. It’s got nothing to do with Oklahoma State. Do I like that? No. Do I like that conferences have broken up in the past? No, I don’t.”
Oklahoma State went 7-6 last season and 4-5 in conference play. The rival Sooners were 6-7 with a 3-6 Big 12 record.
Gundy shot down questions angled at Oklahoma State renewing the annual game with Oklahoma down the road.
“Oklahoma State is not going to change what we do because Oklahoma chose to go to the SEC. They need to change what they do because they’re the ones that made their mind up to go to the SEC,” he said. “So with all the talk from administration and people saying that Oklahoma State needs to do this and that, all Oklahoma had to do was not go to the SEC. So it is what it is. We can cut right to the chase.”
Neither Oklahoma-based program is picked to win the conference in the preseason media poll topped by Texas, a standing not necessarily endorsed by the ever-opinionated Gundy.
“It depends what we’re basing that on. Are we basing that on history? Are we basing that on the last five years? Are we basing that on the last 50 years?” Gundy asked rhetorically. “I’m not sure how anybody really comes up with who’s a favorite right now. I’m going to go back to what I said earlier. I think one of the fun things about the Big 12 is we don’t really know who’s going to win based on what’s happening in the last few years.”
STEVE SARKISIAN: TEXAS’ FINAL SEASON IN BIG 12 ‘WON’T BE AWKWARD’
For one season, the Big 12 will carry 14 members — four incoming and two outgoing.
If you think that the commingling of Texas and Oklahoma with BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF would make for an uncomfortable yearlong dinner party, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian disagrees.
“It won’t be awkward for us,” Sarkisian said Wednesday at Big 12 Media Days. “I can’t speak for anybody else. It won’t be awkward for us.
“We’ve got a roster full of players who quite frankly came to the University of Texas to try to win a Big 12 Championship, and we’ve got one more opportunity to do that, and I think our guys are focused on that. And so it won’t be awkward from our end, but like I said, I can’t speak for everybody else.”
Texas and Oklahoma will depart for the SEC in 2024, but in the meantime the Longhorns were picked to win the Big 12 in the preseason media poll, edging defending champion Kansas State.
The Longhorns have gone 13 years and counting since last winning a conference title, the 2009 Big 12 banner. The storied program has only been to one of the past six Big 12 championship games since the game was re-instituted in 2017.
So Sarkisian was effusive in praising his players for being motivated by the here and now, not the SEC move.
“I know there’s been so much talk about the SEC and what’s happening in 2024, but I think one thing that I love about this team that we have this year is their focus on 2023 and this opportunity we have here in the Big 12,” Sarkisian said. “It’s going to be a heck of a season, great competition.”
While Sarkisian aimed to keep things positive in his remarks to the media, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy appeared bothered by Texas being voted atop the poll, wondering if the voting had been based on “the last 50 years” instead of the present day.
“I think it’s pretty clear and easy to say, hey, we’re going to get everybody’s best shot every Saturday,” Sarkisian said.
The Longhorns lost high-powered running back tandem Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson to the NFL, but the offense is expected to be strong behind Quinn Ewers at quarterback, Georgia transfer Adonai Mitchell at wide receiver and others.
“I know a lot is made of the players that we’ve brought in, but we’ve got a lot of veteran players that came to the University of Texas to win a championship,” Sarkisian said. “They bought into a new coach, a new coaching staff, a new style of play, a new culture and inevitably they’re leaders on our team now, and they get a chance going into some of them their final season to compete for a Big 12 Championship.”
Texas’ Big 12 slate will begin Sept. 23 with a trip to Baylor. The Longhorns will conclude the regular season and say goodbye to the Big 12 by playing another in-state rival, Texas Tech, on Nov. 24 in Austin.
“I hope (the Texas Tech game) carries extra weight because hopefully we’re competing to get into the championship game,” Sarkisian said. “But the reality of it is, hey, we’ve had some longstanding games with a lot of teams in the Big 12, and we’re going to embrace every opportunity we get this year.”
BIG 12 COMMISH ON FURTHER EXPANSION: ‘WE HAVE A PLAN’
As the Big 12 braces for the loss of Oklahoma and Texas, commissioner Brett Yormark understandably reset the narrative at the conference football media days in Dallas on Wednesday.
“I feel like I’ve been talking about expansion for a year now. When I said we were open for business last year, I think people took that as, ‘My God, this guy is new and he wants to go and disrupt’ … I guess, in some respects.
“Open for business was that we were going to explore every and all possibility to grow revenue, to diversify our conference, and to do things that hadn’t been done before. We did a lot of that.”
The Big 12, which announced the conference championship game would remain on the Dallas Cowboys’ home turf of AT&T Stadium through 2030, welcomes four new programs beginning with the 2023 season. For this season only, the league has 14 teams, as Texas and Oklahoma prepare to jump to the Southeastern Conference next season.
“They have great identity. They’re national brands. They’re a big part of the history of this conference,” Yormark said. “But like I said last year, this conference is bigger than any two schools. We’re in a great place. There’s never been a better time than right now to be involved with this conference, and I’m excited about our future.”
Yormark commended FOX for partnering with the conference and advancing a vision and goal to reach “Gen Z” and “future college students” in a nod to the combination linear and digital media deal.
UCF, Cincinnati, Houston and BYU bring a new look to the league — and expand the market reach of the conference — and make the Big 12 the only Power 5 league with teams in three time zones. Yormark said the ideal makeup of the Big 12 would be to stay at 14 teams even when the Sooners and Longhorns relocate.
“Relative to expansion, I said coming out of our spring business meetings at the Greenbrier that we have a plan, and we have a plan for expansion,” Yormark said, adding he wasn’t prepared to address it any further. “We do have a plan, and hopefully we can execute that plan sooner than later. But as I’ve always said, I love the composition of this conference right now. The excitement the four new members have brought to this conference has been incredible, and if we stay at 12 (teams), we’re perfectly fine with that.”
MLB NEWS
DODGERS AND PADRES WILL OPEN THE 2024 MLB SEASON IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, ON MARCH 20-21
NEW YORK (AP) The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will play Major League Baseball’s first regular-season games in South Korea, opening next season in Seoul on March 20-21.
The Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies will play in Mexico City on April 27-28, MLB said Wednesday. The Padres and San Francisco Giants played the first regular-season games there this April 29-30.
MLB will have three sets of international games next year. A two-game series in London on June 8-9 between the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies was announced last month.
MLB also said the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays will play spring training games at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on March 9-10.
The international opener will be MLB’s ninth, following 1999 in Monterrey, Mexico; 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2019 in Tokyo; 2001 in San Juan, Puerto Rico; and 2014 in Sydney.
ALL-STAR GAME VIEWERSHIP EXTENDS SERIES OF RECORD DECLINES
Viewership for the major league All-Star Game hit a record low for the second straight year and the fifth time in the last seven years the game has been held, according to a report published Wednesday.
Sports Media Watch reported that Tuesday’s game averaged a 3.9 rating and 7.01 million viewers on FOX (7.09 million when including all platforms). The previous low of the ratings was 4.2, and an average of 7.51 million viewers watched the ASG in 2022.
For comparison purposes, the All-Star Game averaged a 7.0 rating and 11.34 million viewers in 2014. A series of record-low numbers has followed: in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2022. The game was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report noted that the Midsummer Classic continues to have the most viewers compared to other All-Star events. The NFL’s “Pro Bowl Games” drew 6.28 million viewers, Monday night’s Home Run Derby posted 6.11 million and the NBA All-Star Game in February finished at 4.59 million.
The National League ended a nine-game losing streak by beating the American League 3-2 on Tuesday night in Seattle.
REPORTS: A’S SET TO CALL UP TYLER SODERSTROM, ZACK GELOF
The Oakland Athletics are set to call up first baseman/catcher Tyler Soderstrom ahead of Friday’s game against the Minnesota Twins, the Turlock Journal reported Wednesday night.
Soderstrom is the No. 1 prospect in Oakland’s organization, according to MLB Pipeline. The Athletics’ third-ranked prospect, second baseman Zack Gelof, will also be brought up from Triple-A Las Vegas ahead of the series with the Twins, according to a report from MLB.com.
In the wake of the reports, Gelof took to social media on Wednesday and posted a picture of him and Soderstrom.
Gelof’s father, Adam, also made a post on social media noting that his son got the call to the big leagues.
“2 years to the day, A’s drafted Zack in the 2nd round of the MLB draft & put their belief in hardworking boy from the 302 via UVA,” Adam Gelof wrote on Twitter. “Son got the call excited to play in front of the loud, rowdy & very much ‘We are still here’ fans of the Coliseum.”
Soderstrom, 21, hit .254 with 20 homers and 59 RBIs across 69 games at Las Vegas. He was a first-round pick (26th overall) in the 2020 draft.
The 23-year-old Gelof also appeared in 69 games at Triple-A this season, hitting .304 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs. He was a second-round selection in the 2021 draft, and his brother, Jake, was just nabbed by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday in the second round of the 2023 draft.
MEN’S SOCCER
PANAMA UPSETS US 5-4 ON PENALTY KICKS AFTER 1-1 TIE TO REACH CONCACAF GOLD CUP FINAL
SAN DIEGO (AP) After winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup with its junior varsity two years ago, the United States failed to repeat.
Adalberto Carrasquilla converted the decisive penalty kick after Cristian Roldan was stopped in his attempt, and Panama beat the Americans 5-4 in a shootout following a 1-1 tie on Wednesday night to reach the CONCACAF Gold Cup final against Mexico.
“There’s a lot of learning lessons that we’re all going to take away as we now continue our preparation to the path of 2026,” U.S. interim coach B.J. Callaghan said, looking ahead to the Americans co-hosting the World Cup.
“You had some older senior guys that had experience that we challenged to take on more leadership roles, mentorship roles, and that came out,” Callaghan said. “And then we had a group of young players, whether they are U-20 – had played at the U-20 – or Olympic age, and all striving to become part of that roster in 2026.”
Iván Anderson put No. 57 Panama ahead in the ninth minute of extra time with his first international goal, and Jesús Ferreira tied the score six minutes later for the 11th-ranked U.S.
Panama reached the final for the third time after losing to the U.S. in 2005 and 2013. Panama will play Mexico, an eight-time champion, on Sunday at Inglewood, California.
The U.S., a seven-time winner of the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean, failed to reach the final for the first time since losing a 2015 semifinal to Jamaica. The Americans have not won consecutive Gold Cups since 2005 and ’07.
The game marked the finale of Callaghan, who led the U.S. to five wins, one loss and one draw as the Americans’ second interim coach this year. Gregg Berhalter returns for the Sept. 9 exhibition against Uzbekistan.
The U.S. had just 34% possession in the first half.
“The first half is my fault,” Callaghan said. “I didn’t set the team up the way they should have been set up.”
American Cade Cowell hit a post about 20 seconds in and that was the closest to a goal until Panama went ahead nine minutes into extra time.
Carrasquilla played a through pass to Anderson, who was kept onside by DeAndre Yedlin. Anderson took a touch and played the ball past onrushing goalkeeper Matt Turner, then kicked the ball into the open net for his first international goal.
Turner, who saved two penalty kicks against Canada, was the only U.S. player on the field who saw extensive time at last year’s World Cup.
Ferreira scored six minutes later after Matt Miazga played a long pass to Jordan Morris, who headed the ball into the penalty area. Ferreira volleyed the ball with his right shin from 16 yards past the outstretched left hand of a diving Orlando Mosquera for his 15th international goal, his seventh of the tournament
With the U.S. going first in the shootout, Ferreira was stopped by Mosquera.
Fidel Escobar and Ismael Díaz beat Turner, while Djordje Mihailovic and Morris were successful for the U.S. Turner dove to his left to stop Christian Martínez and Julian Gressel and Miazga converted around Édgar Bárcenas successful kick for Panama, leaving the U.S. ahead 4-3.
Cecilio Waterman tied the score with Panama’s fifth shot, Mosquera dove right to parry Roldan’s attempt and Carrasquilla put his shot inside Turner’s right post.
AUTO RACING
JIMMIE JOHNSON, CHAD KNAUS NOMINATED FOR NASCAR HALL OF FAME
(AP) — Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and his former crew chief of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Chad Knaus headline a list of 15 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
There are 10 nominees on the modern era ballot and five on the pioneer ballot, which is designed to honor those whose careers began more than 60 years ago. Two modern era candidates and one pioneer candidate will be selected for the Hall of Fame when the 61-person committee meets on Aug. 2.
Together, Johnson and Knaus won Cup titles in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2016. Johnson’s seven titles as a driver tie him with Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty for the most in NASCAR history.
Joining Johnson and Knaus on the modern era ballot are former drivers Carl Edwards, Neil Bonnett, Jeff Burton, Ricky Rudd, Harry Gant, Tim Brewer, Harry Hyde and Larry Phillips.
Donnie Allison, an original member of the fan-favorite Alabama Gang, will be on the pioneer ballot for the first time, along with fellow drivers AJ Foyt and Sam Ard, car builder Banjo Matthews and car owner Ralph Moody.
Longtime NASCAR executive Les Richter joins the Landmark Award ballot for the first time after being on the Hall of Fame ballot three times before the award was created. The Landmark Award honors those who made significant contributions to the growth and esteem of NASCAR.
HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS
MAX CLARK AND AVA BROWN ARE HONORED AS THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Max Clark, newly drafted by the Detroit Tigers, and softball player Ava Brown were honored as the best male and female players of the year Tuesday night at the annual Gatorade awards for high school athletes.
The senior center fielder hit .646 with six home runs, 33 RBI and 45 runs scored this past season. Clark was selected third overall in last week’s major league draft, although he has signed a national letter of intent to play at Vanderbilt this fall.
“Taking home this award is a huge moment in my career,” Clark said. “The list of past winners speaks for itself; there are so many legends who have achieved great things on and off the field, so I’m honored to have my name next to theirs.”
Clark had a 3.97 GPA. He launched an online campaign that raised over $13,000 in honor of Illinois prep baseball player Ryan Jefferson, who died in 2021.
Brown, a senior pitcher from Montgomery, Texas, led Lake Creek High to a 44-1 record and a second straight Conference 5A state title this past season. She hit .462 with nine homers, 17 doubles and 65 RBIs. On the mound, the right-hander struck out 292 and walked just 30 in 172 innings.
She finished her career with an 81-0 record and 844 strikeouts.
“It’s a testament to not only my work on the field, but also what I’ve done in the classroom and in my community,” Brown said. “Seeing my name on the trophy alongside a list of so many legends means everything to me.”
Brown, who had a 3.55 GPA, signed a national letter of intent to play at Florida this fall.
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks presented the awards in a ceremony at Nya Studios in Hollywood.
The other male finalists, their sports and home states: Jackson Arnold, football, Texas; Issam Asinga, track and field, Florida; Cameron Boozer, basketball, Florida; Ransford Gyan, soccer, New Jersey; and Daniel Simmons, cross country, Utah.
The other female finalists were Kennedy Fuller, soccer, Texas; Harper Murray, volleyball, Michigan; Angelina Napoleon, track and field, New York; Irene Riggs, cross country, West Virginia; and Juju Watkins, basketball, California.
TOP INDIANA NEWS/RELEASES FROM ORGANIZATIONS
INDIANA FEVER
GAME RECAP: FEVER RALLY FALLS SHORT IN OVERTIME ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AGAINST NEW YORK
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Fever (5-15) were defeated by the New York Liberty in an overtime thriller, 95-87, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday afternoon. A 32-12 scoring run that allowed Indiana to erase a 20-point deficit was capped off when rookie center Aliyah Boston sent the game to overtime with a game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer. Indiana was unable to come up with the win after being outscored in the extra period, 15-7
Boston was the leading scorer for Indiana for the ninth time this season as she notched 23 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the floor. The rookie center also pulled down nine rebounds in her final matchup prior to the WNBA All-Star Game weekend. Fever forward Emma Cannon followed her in the scoring column as she came off the bench to tie a career-high 19 points on a season-high seven made field goals. Cannon also totaled a season-high two completed three-pointers and gathered eight rebounds.
Rookie guard Grace Berger also came off the bench for Indiana to record career bests of 15 points, seven rebounds, three steals and 36 minutes of action. She became the first rookie to record at least 15 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals in a game since A’ja Wilson in 2018, and only the second rookie in WNBA history to record that stat line off the bench, dating back to Angel McCoughtry in 2009, per Across the Timeline.
All-Star reserve Kelsey Mitchell and guard Erica Wheeler rounded out the Indiana scorers as Mitchell contributed 16 points and Wheeler pitched in 11 points to go along with a team-high five assists.
Indiana sped up the offensive pace opening the matchup with a quick 6-0 scoring run. New York was held scoreless through the 6:52 mark and shot 28.6 percent (2-of-7) from the floor within the first five minutes of play. Indiana was guided by Mitchell’s 12 points in the quarter on 4-of-7 shooting from the court. The Fever maintained their momentum throughout the first ten minutes and ended the quarter leading, 26-22.
It was Boston who led the scoring effort in the second frame as she contributed six of her 12 first half points on 3-of-6 shooting from the floor. In the first half, Berger recorded six points, two assists and two rebounds off the bench, while Victoria Vivians contributed three points, five rebounds and two assists. New York ventured on its own 20-8 scoring run and outscored Indiana, 26-15, within the second quarter, but the Fever remained close as the half ended, 48-41.
The Liberty extended its lead in the third quarter and opened the second half with an 11-3 scoring run. Forward Emma Cannon led the Fever as she recorded seven points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting clip within the third frame. Entering the fourth quarter, New York led Indiana, 70-53.
After trailing by as many as 20 points at one occasion in the third quarter, a 32-10 scoring run allowed Indiana to erase the New York deficit. The Fever were dominant on both ends of the court outscoring the Liberty, 27-12, and held New York to 13.3 percent (2-of-15) from the floor within the fourth frame. Following two made free throws from Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu leaving 6.5 seconds on the clock, Boston hit the game-tying three-pointer to send Indiana and New York into overtime, 80-80. In overtime, Indiana was outscored, 15-7, as Ionescu guided the Liberty to the win with eight points in the final frame alone.
New York was led by Ionescu’s 34 points on the day. Ionescu completed seven three-pointers on 14 attempts and recorded a perfect 9-of-9 from the charity stripe. All-Star captain Breanna Stewart, who averages 23.4 points per contest this season, netted only 18 points to go along with 10 rebounds to record her 10th double-double of the season. In addition, Jonquel Jones contributed 12 points, Betnijah Laney pitched in 10 points, and Courtney Vandersloot dished out 12 assists, her second highest assist total this season.
The Liberty also recorded 27 assists, which is the ninth time this season they have dished out at least 25 assists.
UP NEXT
The Fever return to action on Wednesday, July 19 at 11:30 a.m. ET at the Washington Mystics. Wednesday’s game will be broadcast on the official Indiana Fever Facebook page.
INDY ELEVEN
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, July 12, 2023) – Aodhan Quinn came up big from the spot converting his sixth penalty kick of the season to lead Indy Eleven to a 1-1 draw with Charleston Battery on Wednesday night.
With the point, Indy improves to 5-7-6 on the season, while Charleston moves to 9-5-5.
Quinn’s team-leading sixth goal of the season, all penalty kicks, gives him 51 regular season career goals and puts him at 24-for-27 in penalty kicks, converting on more than any other player in USL Championship history. Tonight, Quinn also became the second player in USL Championship history to reach 20,000 minutes in regular-season action. He is currently at 20,006 minutes. Only Taylor Mueller has more at 20,077 after completing his career.
The go-ahead PK was not enough for the Eleven as Charleston picked up the equalizer from Tristan Trager in the 77th-minute.
Heading into the final minutes of action, Indy’s Robby Dambrot was shown his second yellow of the match, forcing the Boys in Blue to play a man down.
Charleston earned the 58%-42% advantage in possession, while the two teams were even at 10 shots apiece. Indy had the slight edge in shots on target at 3-2, with Quinn securing two.
Next up, the Boys in Blue complete their four-match homestand by hosting Tampa Bay on Saturday, July 22 at 7 p.m. ET. Single-game tickets for all home games at IUPUI Carroll Stadium and specially-priced group tickets and an increased portfolio of hospitality options are available for purchase now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours (Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.).
USL Championship Regular Season
Indy Eleven 1:1 Charleston Battery
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Michael. A Carroll Track and Soccer Stadium – Indianapolis, Ind.
2023 USL Championship Records
Indy Eleven: 5W-7L-6D (-1), 21 pts
Charleston Battery: 9W-5L-5D (-1), 32 pts
Scoring Summary
IND – Aodhan Quinn (penalty) 61’
CHS – Tristan Trager (Emilo Ycaza) 77’
Discipline Summary
CHS – Sebastian Palma (caution) 38’
IND – Macauley King (caution) 65′
IND – Robby Dambrot (caution) 85′
IND – Robby Dambrot (caution/ejection) 89′
Indy Eleven line-up (5-4-1): Yannik Oettl, Younes Boudadi, Robby Dambrot, Macauley King, Adrian Diz Pe, Jack Blake (Gustavo Rissi 90+1’), Cam Lindley, Aodhan Quinn, Sebastian Velasquez (Solomon Asante 58’), Sebastian Guenzatti (captain) Stefano Pinho (58’), Douglas Martinez (Roberto Molina 84’)
Indy Subs: Tim Trilk, Mechack Jerome, Harrison Robledo
Charleston Battery Line-up (1-5-4-1): Trey Muse, Juan Palma, Leland Archer, Robbie Crawford (Emilio Ycaza 69’), Derek Dodson, Deklan Wynne, Artuto Rodriguez, Chris Allan, Fidel Barajas (Roberto Alvia 58’), Nick Markanich (Tristan Trager 69’), Augustine Williams
Charleston Subs: Daniel Kuzemka, AJ Cochran, Joe Schmidt, Andrew Booth
PURDUE MEN’S GOLF
SEKNE SELECTED FOR EUROPEAN TEAM AT BOLLANACK TROPHY
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue senior Herman Sekne’s rise among the nation’s elite collegiate golfers continued Tuesday when the European Golf Association named him one of nine members of its team for the Bonallack Trophy.
The Bonallack Trophy is a three-day match between the best male amateur players from Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The contest, which parallels the Ryder Cup format, will take place for the first time in five years after the previous edition was cancelled due to Covid restrictions.
The event will be held at La Manga Resort in Spain on August 3-5. The selected players will follow in the footsteps of some of the biggest names in golf including Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry, Francesco Molinari and Justin Rose, who all formerly represented the European side in the match.
Sekne is currently ranked No. 27 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) and already has international match-play experience under his belt this summer, competing for the European squad in the prestigious Arnold Palmer Cup in June. He finished fourth this summer at the elite Sunnehanna Amateur and with his WAGR ranking, will qualify for the U.S. Amateur in August in Colorado.
In June, Sekne became Purdue’s first All-American since 2002 (Lee Williamson) and was named first-team All-Big Ten for the second straight season in May. He was selected as the Big Ten Golfer of the Week three times while owning seven top-10 finishes in 10 events. His seven career Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors are the fourth most in Big Ten history.
He finished tied for ninth at the Big Ten Championships, but set the tournament record, a school record and a Galloway National course record with a 9-under par 62 in the second round.
The Oslo, Norway, native became just the fifth player in school history with at least three victories when he earned co-medalist honors three weeks ago at the Boilermaker Invitational, leading the Boilermakers to a stunning, come-from-behind victory over No. 11-ranked Oklahoma by one shot.
Sekne totaled a 54-hole tally of 11-under par 202 (69-69-64) to earn the victory. He birdied his final two holes to rally for the medalist share and his 202 score is the fourth-best tournament score in school history, while his 64 in the final tied for the third-lowest round in Purdue history.
He posted a school-record 14 rounds in the 60s, while his seven top-10 finishes are second in school history, coming in just 10 events played. He owned a 70.41 stroke average, ranking first in school history – almost a half-stroke better than Williamson in second place (70.78).
Sekne’s career stroke average of 71.66 is tops in school history, more than a stroke better than second place (Austin Eoff – 72.82). He has set the career record for most rounds in the 60s (25) and ranks tied for seventh in career top-10 finishes with 13, coming in just 27 events played.
PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL
EDEY NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR PRESTIGIOUS SULLIVAN AWARD
By: Chris Forman
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Adding to an already impressive list, Purdue men’s basketball senior Zach Edey has been named one of 25 semifinalists for the James E. Sullivan Award, one of the most-prestigious honors awarded to an amateur athlete.
Presented by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), the Sullivan Award is given annually to “the most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level in the United States”. Founded in 1930, finalists are selected from public nominations following a review by the AAU Sullivan Award Executive Committee.
Edey is joined by such athletes as LSU’s Angel Reese, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, USC’s Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, Georgia’s All-American tight end Brock Bowers, standout Vanderbilt golfer Gordon Sargent and Stanford women’s golfer Rose Zhang, among others, as nominees.
Past winners include Simone Biles (2021), Ezekiel Elliott (2014), Shawn Johnson (2008), Tim Tebow (2007), Michael Phelps (2003), Peyton Manning (1997), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1986) and Carl Lewis (1981). The only former men’s basketball winners of the award are J.J. Redick (2005), Bill Walton (1973) and Bill Bradley (1965).
Public voting to help determine the award finalists starts Wednesday, July 12, at 8 a.m. ET and ends Wednesday, July 19 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The winner of the award will be determined through a second voting period with the six finalists from August 9 through August 16.
The most-dominant player in college basketball during the 2022-23 season won all six National Player of the Year awards, winning the Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy, The Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA), Associated Press (AP) National Player of the Year, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Player of the Year and The Sporting News National Player of the Year. In addition, he has won the Pete Newell Big Man of the Year Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the nation’s top center.
He was named a first-team All-American by every outlet and recently was named a finalist for the top Male College Athlete ESPY award by ESPN.
Edey became the first Boilermaker since Glenn Robinson in 1994 to win National Player of the Year accolades. He is also the fifth Big Ten Player in the last 14 years to be named National Player of the Year joining Evan Turner (2010), Trey Burke (2013), Frank Kaminsky (2015) and Luka Garza (2021) as National Players of the Year.
Edey earned Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year after a remarkable junior season at Purdue. He was named a consensus first-team All-American, the second straight season that Purdue has had a consensus All-American (Jaden Ivey, 2022), after averaging 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists per game.
He became the first player in NCAA history (since blocks became an official NCAA stat) to record at least 750 points, 400 rebounds, 70 blocks and 50 assists in a season, ranking sixth nationally in scoring, second in rebounds, 19th in blocked shots and 21st in field goal percentage (.607), the only player in the NCAA database to rank in the top 25 of all four categories in the same season.
He finished the season ranking sixth on Purdue’s single-season chart for points (757), first in rebounds (438), fifth in field goals made (290), 14th in field goal percentage (.607), first in dunks (76) and second in double-doubles (27).
He has scored in double-figures in 51 straight games, the longest streak in the country, and fourth-longest streak in school history.
For his career in 99 games, he has 1,533 points, the fourth most for a player through his junior season in school history (Carsen Edwards, Glenn Robinson, Rick Mount), with 847 rebounds, 148 blocks and 106 assists.
He finished the year with eight games of at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, the most for a major-college player in the last 20 years, and his 11 games of at least 25 points and 10 rebounds are the most for a Big Ten player in the last 20 years by four games over Luka Garza (Iowa; 7). The 438 rebounds are the fourth most by a player in Big Ten history behind three seasons by Ohio State great Jerry Lucas (1960-62).
Edey became just the second player in Big Ten history to lead the league in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage and is one of just nine players (Blake Griffin, Ike Diogu, Antawn Jamison, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Bill Walton, Lew Alcindor, Gary Bradds) to lead a major-college conference in all three categories in NCAA history. Griffin was the last to do so in 2009.
Edey also earned Big Ten Player of the Year accolades after helping Purdue to a Big Ten regular-season title, a No. 1 national ranking for seven weeks and the Big Ten Tournament title.
Edey joined an exclusive list of Boilermakers to win the Big Ten Player of the Year honors, joining the late Caleb Swanigan (2017), JaJuan Johnson (2011), Glenn Robinson (1994) and Steve Scheffler (1990) as winners of the league’s top honor.
Edey is the third Boilermaker to receive the Pete Newell Big Man of the Year Award, joining JaJuan Johnson (2011) and the late Caleb Swanigan (2017) as Purdue recipients. Purdue and Duke are the only institutions to have three Pete Newell Big Man of the Year award winners.
Edey was named a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award and earned a spot on the Big Ten’s All-Defensive team.
Edey will return for his senior season in 2023-24, looking to lead the Boilermakers to back-to-back Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles. The Boilermakers are ranked in the top five of all the “way-too-early” top-25 polls.
BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL
JAHMYL TELFORT TO REPRESENT TEAM CANADA AT 2023 GLOBL JAM
Butler senior Jahmyl Telfort will represent Team Canada in the upcoming GLOBL JAM, an international basketball showcase at Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, Canada. The event begins Wednesday and runs through Sunday (July 12-16).
GLOBL JAM will feature four U-23 women’s teams and four U-23 men’s teams from around the world and will air in Canada across Sportsnet platforms and on CBS Sports Network in the United States.
The men’s division will be comprised of teams representing Africa (BAL Select Team), Canada (U-23 National Team), Germany (U-23 National Team) and the United States (University of Kentucky). The women’s division will be comprised of teams representing Africa (BAL Select Team), Canada (U-23 National Team), the U.S. (University of Louisville) and Puerto Rico (U-23 National Team).
The GLOBL JAM teams will compete in round-robin play from July 12-15, culminating with the top two teams in each division advancing to the men’s and women’s gold medal championship games on July 16.
Telfort, who led Northeastern and finished fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association in scoring last season, transferred to the Butler program following the spring semester.
Telfort has two seasons of eligibility remaining at Butler, beginning with the 2023-24 campaign.
The 6-7 wing arrives at Butler after three seasons at Northeastern, where he became just the 20th player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career points in their first three seasons. Telfort averaged 16.4 points per game as a junior, his third consecutive year scoring in double figures. In addition to finishing fifth in the CAA in scoring, he was also sixth in field goal percentage. He started all 30 games for the Huskies during the 2022-23 season, scoring 20 or more points 11 times. The Boucherville, Quebec native earned All-CAA third-team honors and NABC All-District second team accolades.
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
FENLONG SIGNS FREE AGENT DEAL WITH KANSAS CITY ROYALS
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State right-hander Connor Fenlong signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Kansas City Royals following the conclusion of the 2023 MLB Draft on Tuesday afternoon.
Fenlong was a four-time All-American selection following a standout 2023 campaign on the mound. The redshirt senior finished the year with an 11-3 overall record with a 3.45 ERA over 114.2 innings. His 2023 season also included a span of 30.0 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run over the month of May.
In his first full season as a starting pitcher, Fenlong led the Missouri Valley in innings pitched (114.2) and wins (11), while sitting second in ERA (3.45), second in opponent batting average (.222), and sixth in strikeouts (76). He went at least six innings in 11 of his final 12 starts of the season including at least eight innings on five separate occasions.
Fenlong led the NCAA and became the first pitcher in the MVC to post four complete game shutouts in the same season since 1983. The Gouverneur, N.Y. native blanked Illinois, Bradley, Murray State, and Belmont (MVC Tournament) as a part of a dominant stretch that helped the Sycamores post the fifth-lowest ERA in NCAA Division I (3.84).
Fenlong was named the 2023 MVC Pitcher of the Year and added ABCA/Rawlings All-Midwest Region First Team recognition. The Gouverneur, N.Y. native was honored as a Second Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball News and garnered Third Team All-American nods from D1Baseball, NCBWA, and ABCA/Rawlings.
Over his career, Fenlong made 57 career appearances as both a starter and reliever with the Sycamores. He posted a 15-7 record on the mound and a 3.92 ERA while adding 11 career saves out of the bullpen. He posted a career 145:67 strikeout-to-walk ratio and allowed opponents to hit just .239 from the plate over three seasons in Terre Haute.
HANNAHS ANNOUNCES ADDITION OF JASON HAGERTY TO ISU BASEBALL COACHING STAFF
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Head Coach Mitch Hannahs announced the addition of Jason Hagerty to the Indiana State baseball coaching staff on Wednesday morning.
Hagerty comes to Indiana State by way of the University of Missouri where he served as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator for the Tigers from July 2020-June 2023.
During his tenure with the Tigers, Hagerty helped recruit the No. 17-ranked 2024 recruiting class according to Perfect Game and helped evaluate, recruit, and retain the current Missouri baseball team. He served as the program’s hitting coach, as well as leading instruction for the Tiger catchers. He originally joined the Mizzou Baseball staff in Jan. 2019 as a student manager.
In Hagerty’s three seasons with the Tigers, he had a hand in shaping five MLB Draft picks including 2023 selection Luke Mann taken the 14th round of the MLB Draft this week. Additional picks he worked with included former first round selection Kameron Misner, as well as Torin Montgomery, Joshua Day, and Chris Cornelius.
Hagerty enjoyed an eight-year run (2009-16) in professional baseball with the San Diego Padres organization. Over his time with the organization, he was a six-time Spring Training invitee and spent five years at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. He was a 2011 Baseball America Top 10 Prospect and was the 2010 Padres Minor League player of the Year. Hagerty was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Padres.
Prior to his professional career, Hagerty starred for three years (2007-09) at the University of Miami (Fla.). He was the team’s captain and MVP in the 2009 season and was named to the NCAA Gainesville Regional All-Tournament team. He also was a key part of the 2008 squad that earned the College World Series No. 1 National Seed after winning the ACC.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE CROSS COUNTRY
MASTODON CROSS COUNTRY PROGRAM ANNOUNCES 2023 SCHEDULE
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne cross country program will compete in six events in 2023. The season will open with the Mastodon Alumni Open on Friday, Sept. 1 at the Mastodon Cross Country Course.
The ‘Dons will head to IUPUI’s Jaguar Invitational on Sept. 15 in Shelbyville, Indiana after a one year absence in the event. Next up will be the Paul Short Run hosted by Lehigh. It will be the Mastodons’ first ever visit to the 49th annual event. The ‘Dons will make their regular trip to the Bradley Pink Classic October 13 in Peoria, Illinois. It leads up to the Horizon League Championships on Oct. 28, hosted by Wright State University. The NCAA Great Lakes Regional will follow on November 10 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Last season the Mastodons finished fifth on the women’s side, their best finish since taking second at the 2008 Summit League meet. The Purdue Fort Wayne men were third last season, their best ever finish at a league meet in program history.
MARIAN BASEBALL
FORMER MARIAN BASEBALL PITCHER MATT BURLETON RETURNS HOME AS KNIGHTS’ PITCHING COACH
INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian baseball team is welcoming back a former great to the coaching staff, as Todd Bacon has announced the hire of former ace pitcher Matt Burleton as the team’s new pitching coach. Burleton, a 2019 graduate of Marian University, returns home to his alma mater where he earned a degree in business marketing.
In his career at Marian as a pitcher, Burleton shined as one of the best in the Crossroads League, earning the CL Pitcher of the Year award in 2017 while also earning NAIA Honorable Mention All-American status in his sophomore campaign. Twice a first-team All-Crossroads League honoree, in four years at Marian, Burleton held a 25-18 record and 2.52 ERA, throwing 318.1 innings. As a senior in 2019, Burleton led the team with 105.1 innings on the mound, carrying a 1.37 ERA and 8-2 record which featured a pair of complete game shutouts. Adding eight saves to his ledger, Burleton’s durability helped him establish as Marian’s all-time leader in career appearances, seeing action in 63 games over four seasons.
“I am excited for the opportunity to get back into coaching at the collegiate level and help the program get back to the championship mindset and culture that was key to the team success when I was a player at Marian,” said Coach Matt Burleton on returning to Marian.
After graduating from Marian in 2019, Burleton pitched professionally in the Frontier League for the Joliet Slammers and the Evansville Otters. After his playing career, Burleton joined the Wes Whisler Baseball Academy in February of 2021 to help train and develop young pitchers, and also spent time on the Lawrence Central coaching staff as the varsity pitching coach. Burleton also spent time at Anderson University as a pitching coach for the Ravens before stepping away for personal reasons.
“The time away from coaching allowing me to reset, be rooted in my faith in Jesus, and be strong in my identity as a man outside of the game of baseball,” Burleton continued. “I am very grateful for the opportunity that Coach (Todd) Bacon has given me, and I look forward to helping these young men return to the championship culture that they can take with them wherever they go in life.”
Burleton officially begins his tenure on the Marian baseball staff on Wednesday, July 12.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC 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/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
“SPORTS EXTRA”
MLB STANDINGS
| American League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Tampa Bay | 58 | 35 | .624 | – | 35 – 15 | 23 – 20 | 17 – 10 | 14 – 3 | 9 – 7 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| Baltimore | 54 | 35 | .607 | 2 | 26 – 18 | 28 – 17 | 16 – 11 | 18 – 7 | 10 – 7 | 6 – 4 | W 5 |
| Toronto | 50 | 41 | .549 | 7 | 23 – 18 | 27 – 23 | 7 – 20 | 16 – 6 | 11 – 8 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| NY Yankees | 49 | 42 | .538 | 8 | 28 – 23 | 21 – 19 | 13 – 17 | 8 – 8 | 14 – 8 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| Boston | 48 | 43 | .527 | 9 | 26 – 22 | 22 – 21 | 16 – 11 | 11 – 8 | 10 – 6 | 8 – 2 | W 5 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Cleveland | 45 | 45 | .500 | – | 24 – 22 | 21 – 23 | 7 – 8 | 13 – 13 | 13 – 6 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Minnesota | 45 | 46 | .495 | 0.5 | 26 – 22 | 19 – 24 | 12 – 17 | 18 – 12 | 5 – 4 | 5 – 5 | L 3 |
| Detroit | 39 | 50 | .438 | 5.5 | 20 – 25 | 19 – 25 | 3 – 16 | 15 – 11 | 7 – 9 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Chi White Sox | 38 | 54 | .413 | 8 | 21 – 25 | 17 – 29 | 6 – 16 | 15 – 11 | 9 – 14 | 3 – 7 | L 2 |
| Kansas City | 26 | 65 | .286 | 19.5 | 13 – 31 | 13 – 34 | 4 – 10 | 8 – 22 | 4 – 11 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Texas | 52 | 39 | .571 | – | 27 – 18 | 25 – 21 | 11 – 11 | 11 – 5 | 16 – 11 | 3 – 7 | L 2 |
| Houston | 50 | 41 | .549 | 2 | 25 – 22 | 25 – 19 | 5 – 5 | 8 – 11 | 17 – 10 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Seattle | 45 | 44 | .506 | 6 | 24 – 20 | 21 – 24 | 7 – 11 | 7 – 6 | 15 – 11 | 7 – 3 | W 1 |
| LA Angels | 45 | 46 | .495 | 7 | 23 – 20 | 22 – 26 | 8 – 9 | 11 – 8 | 15 – 12 | 1 – 9 | L 5 |
| Oakland | 25 | 67 | .272 | 27.5 | 12 – 32 | 13 – 35 | 5 – 18 | 7 – 8 | 4 – 23 | 4 – 6 | L 4 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Atlanta | 60 | 29 | .674 | – | 30 – 15 | 30 – 14 | 22 – 6 | 8 – 1 | 10 – 7 | 8 – 2 | L 1 |
| Miami | 53 | 39 | .576 | 8.5 | 30 – 18 | 23 – 21 | 13 – 16 | 11 – 6 | 9 – 10 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| Philadelphia | 48 | 41 | .539 | 12 | 22 – 16 | 26 – 25 | 9 – 15 | 9 – 4 | 11 – 12 | 6 – 4 | L 2 |
| NY Mets | 42 | 48 | .467 | 18.5 | 20 – 19 | 22 – 29 | 13 – 13 | 5 – 14 | 14 – 11 | 6 – 4 | L 2 |
| Washington | 36 | 54 | .400 | 24.5 | 15 – 32 | 21 – 22 | 9 – 16 | 5 – 9 | 9 – 13 | 4 – 6 | W 2 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Cincinnati | 50 | 41 | .549 | – | 23 – 21 | 27 – 20 | 12 – 11 | 12 – 14 | 9 – 6 | 7 – 3 | L 1 |
| Milwaukee | 49 | 42 | .538 | 1 | 26 – 21 | 23 – 21 | 6 – 1 | 17 – 9 | 8 – 15 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Chi Cubs | 42 | 47 | .472 | 7 | 21 – 22 | 21 – 25 | 6 – 13 | 12 – 11 | 9 – 8 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| Pittsburgh | 41 | 49 | .456 | 8.5 | 22 – 21 | 19 – 28 | 5 – 5 | 11 – 15 | 14 – 11 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| St. Louis | 38 | 52 | .422 | 11.5 | 17 – 25 | 21 – 27 | 5 – 8 | 11 – 14 | 7 – 13 | 5 – 5 | W 2 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| LA Dodgers | 51 | 38 | .573 | – | 29 – 16 | 22 – 22 | 9 – 6 | 15 – 12 | 14 – 11 | 7 – 3 | W 4 |
| Arizona | 52 | 39 | .571 | – | 26 – 24 | 26 – 15 | 11 – 14 | 10 – 5 | 17 – 11 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| San Francisco | 49 | 41 | .544 | 2.5 | 26 – 22 | 23 – 19 | 10 – 9 | 13 – 7 | 15 – 10 | 4 – 6 | W 2 |
| San Diego | 43 | 47 | .478 | 8.5 | 25 – 23 | 18 – 24 | 12 – 10 | 7 – 13 | 12 – 13 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| Colorado | 34 | 57 | .374 | 18 | 20 – 24 | 14 – 33 | 11 – 14 | 8 – 10 | 6 – 19 | 3 – 7 | L 2 |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1896 Phillies outfielder Ed Delahanty hits four home runs in one game in a 9-8 loss to the hometown Colts. The future Hall of Famer’s quartet of round-trippers at the West Side Grounds are the inside-the-park variety.
1922 Cardinal right-hander Bill Doak loses his no-hitter when he forgets to cover first base, turning Curt Walker’s seventh-inning grounder to first baseman Jack Fournier into an infield hit. The Redbirds’ star spitballer settles for a one-hitter, his second of the season, and a 1-0 victory over the Phillies at Sportsman’s Park.
1934 Babe Ruth, in the top of the third inning at Detroit’s Navin Field, wallops Tommy Bridges’ 3-2 pitch far over the right-field wall for his 700th career home run. The 4-2 victory over the Tigers puts the Yankees back into first place, but Lou Gehrig will be helped off the field in the first frame, suffering a severe bout of lumbago.
1940 In a twin bill against St. Louis, Joe DiMaggio hits three homers and drives in nine runs. The Yankee outfielder’s offensive outburst contributes to the Bronx Bombers’ sweep of the Browns in New York, 10-4 and 12-6.
1943 Thanks to a three-run home run by Red Sox second baseman Bobby Doerr, the American League defeats the National League in the first night All-Star Game, 5-3. In a game broadcast to GIs via shortwave radio, Pirates’ outfielder Vince DiMaggio shines for the Senior Circuit, hitting a single, triple, and home run.
1948 At Sportsman’s Park, the American League defeats the National League for the 11th time in 15 All-Star contests, 5-2. Vic Raschi pitches three scoreless innings to pick up the win in addition to hitting a two-run single.
1954 In front of 68,752 fans, the second-largest crowd in the history of the Midsummer Classic, the NL and AL combine for an All-Star record six home runs in the Junior Circuit’s 11-9 victory at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium. Indians’ third baseman Al Rosen, hitting with a broken finger, accounts for two round-trippers, helping the American League snap a four-game losing streak.
1954 At Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium, Senators hurler Dean Stone does not deliver a pitch but gets the win in the American League’s 11-9 All-Star victory. The Senators’ southpaw throws out Red Schoendienst when he attempts to steal home in the eighth inning for the third out before facing his first batter in relief.
1956 At Wrigley Field, Ernie Banks plays in his 394th consecutive contest to tie Al Simmons’ mark for straight games played after breaking in as a rookie. Mr. Cub’s single drives in the decisive run in the Cubs’ 7-6 victory over Pittsburgh.
1960 The Yankee Stadium hosts the All-Star Game, the second played in three days. The contest marks the return of Willie Mays to New York as the San Francisco Giants superstar goes 3-for-4, including a homer and a single off American League starter Whitey Ford, pacing the National League to a 6-0 victory.
1962 Tying a major league mark, Orioles catcher Charlie Lau strokes four doubles in Baltimore’s 10-3 victory over the Indians at Memorial Stadium. The future hitting guru’s quartet of two-baggers also establishes a new team record.
1962 Rookie right-hander Cal Koonce one-hits the Reds, yielding only a fourth-inning single to Don Blasingame in the Cubs’ 1-0 victory at Wrigley Field. The hit by the Cincinnati second baseman marks the first of four times, one shy of the major league record shared by Cesar Tovar and Eddie Milner, that he will collect his team’s only hit in a game.
1963 At the age of 43, Early Wynn pitches the first five innings to record his 300th victory when the Indians down the Kansas City A’s, 7-4. The win will be the future Hall of Famer’s last in the major leagues, and he will finish his 23-year career with a 300-244 record.
1965 For the first time in All-Star history, the National League takes the lead in games won over the American League as the Senior Circuit edges the junior loop, 6-5, at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota.
1966 After being released by Houston earlier in the month, 39-year-old Robin Roberts signs as a free agent with the Cubs. The right-hander will finish the season 2-3 for his new team, ending his 19-year Hall of Fame career with 286 victories.
1969 Assisting a young man who fell from the Wrigley Field bleachers, Chicago outfielder Willie Smith provides a boost to help the fan climb back into the stands and avoid a $25 fine. Next season, the Cubs will install a three-and-half-foot chain-link fence atop the left-field wall.
1971 Frank Robinson, who hit a two-run home run in the Midsummer Classic, is named the MVP of the contest won by the American League at Tiger Stadium, 6-4. The Orioles’ right fielder joins teammate Brooks Robinson as the second player named the Most Valuable Player of a league (1961-NL, 1966-AL), a World Series (1966), and an All-Star Game.
1971 In a game featuring six home runs, including Reggie Jackson crushing a Dock Ellis pitch off the power generator located on the Tiger Stadium right-field roof 520 feet from home plate, the American League beats the NL, 6-4, the Junior Circuit’s only win from 1963 to 1982. All the players who homer, J. Bench, H. Aaron, R. Clemente, F. Robinson, H. Killebrew, and Reggie will become members of the Hall of Fame.
1972 The Cardinals waste no time in blanking the Braves, 2-0, behind the two-hit pitching performance of Reggie Cleveland at Busch Stadium. The contest lasted only 93 minutes, becoming the quickest nine-inning game in Redbird history.
1973 At Atlanta Stadium, Hal Breeden of the Expos becomes only the second major leaguer to pinch-hit home runs in both ends of a doubleheader. In 1943, Red Sox player-manager Joe Cronin accomplished the feat in a twin bill against the Philadelphia A’s.
1973 Bobby Murcer hits three homers off Gene Garber that account for all RBIs in the Yankees’ 5-0 victory over the Royals. The Friday the Thirteenth contest at Yankee Stadium takes only one hour and 51 minutes to play.
1976 The last segment of Connie Mack Stadium, formerly known as Shibe Park, is demolished when the corner tower and its domed cupola of the A’s and Phillies’ former home come down. In 1991, the Deliverance Evangelistic Church, an independent Pentecostal congregation, will construct a church building on the site.
1976 At Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, Tiger right-hander Mark Fidrych becomes only the second rookie pitcher to start an All-Star Game, joining freshman Senator Dave Stenhouse, the starter of the second ASG in 1962. George Foster, one of seven Reds position players on the team, is named the MVP of the 7-1 National League victory over the Junior Circuit, who have dropped 13 of the last 14 of the Midsummer Classics.
1977 In a game against the Cubs with New York third baseman Lenny Randle at the plate in the sixth inning, Shea Stadium goes dark when the Big Apple suddenly experiences a blackout that eventually suspends the contest. During the delay, the Mets’ players drive their cars onto the field, amusing the crowd by performing various antics in front of the headlights.
1982 In the first All-Star Game played outside the United States, the National League cruises to its 11th straight win, beating the American League at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, 4-1. Dave Concepcion’s second-inning two-run homer off Red Sox starter Dennis Eckersley proves to be the turning point.
1988 After replacing John McNamara as the Red Sox manager, Joe Morgan makes an excellent first impression when the team wins nineteen of the first twenty games with him at the helm. Boston will finish the season with an 89-73 record, finishing first in the American League East before losing the ALCS to Oakland.
1990 Dave Johnson retires 27 of the last 29 batters he faces but loses his complete-game effort to Minnesota, 3-1. The Oriole starter’s undoing is a two-run home run hit by John Moses in the first, an inning that takes the right-hander 33 pitches to complete, in contrast to the 83 tosses he will make finishing the Memorial Stadium contest.
1991 At Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, four Oriole hurlers combined to throw a no-hitter, blanking the A’s, 2-0. Starting pitcher Bob Milacki holds the home team hitless for the first six innings, followed by Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson, and Gregg Olson, who each throw one inning of no-hit ball.
1993 In a game best remembered for John Kruk’s non-at-bat against fireballer Randy Johnson, the AL All-Stars beat the NL rivals at Baltimore’s Camden Yards, 9-3. As the Phillies’ first baseman flails at the Big Unit’s fastballs comically, Kirby Puckett’s double and home run earn the Twins outfielder the Midsummer Classic’s MVP Award.
1997 In Cleveland’s 12-5 victory over the Twins, Casey Candaele flies out to left field in his last major league at-bat, ending his nine-year career, which included playing for the Expos, Astros, and the Indians with a .250 batting average. The utilityman’s mom, Helen Callaghan, a former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League star, finished her big league career with a .257 lifetime average playing for the Minneapolis Millerettes and Fort Wayne Daisies.
1999 Red Sox right-hander Pedro Martinez whiffs five of the first six batters he faces in the 70th Midsummer Classic at Fenway Park. Before the American League’s 4-1 victory over the Senior Circuit, the players pay an impromptu emotional on-field tribute to an aging Ted Williams.
2004 Having earned the All-Star MVP award as a 23-year-old for pitching three perfect innings at the Astrodome in 1986, the 41-year-old Roger Clemens gives up six runs during the first inning of the 75th Midsummer Classic. Before starting the fifth inning of the American League’s eventual 9-4 victory at Houston’s Minute Maid Park, the much chagrined ‘Rocket’ receives the Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award from Bud Selig in recognition of his outstanding 21-year career.
2006 In an eight-player deal, the Nationals send pitchers Gary Majewski, Bill Bray, and Daryl Thompson, along with infielders Brendan Harris and Royce Clayton to the Reds in exchange for outfielder Austin Kearns, shortstop Felipe Lopez, and right-hander Ryan Wagner. Washington’s GM Jim Bowden, formerly with Cincinnati, is familiar with all his new acquisitions, having played a role in their presence with the Reds.
2009 On the day before the All-Star Game, acting GM Mike Rizzo, citing the team has underachieved, announces the Nationals have fired Manny Acta. Washington names bench coach and former major league manager Jim Riggleman as the interim skipper of the 26-61 club.
2009 At Busch Stadium, Prince Fielder outslugs Rangers’ outfielder Nelson Cruz in the final round, 6-5, to win the All-Star Home Run Derby. The Brewers’ first baseman’s power surge included a stunning shot estimated to have traveled over 500 feet.
2010 The National League wins its first All-Star Game since 1996, beating their AL rivals at Angel Stadium, 3-1. Braves catcher Brian McCann, the Midsummer Classic’s MVP, hits a three-run double with two outs in the seventh inning to break the Senior Circuit’s 14-year drought.
2012 Zack Greinke becomes the first pitcher to start three consecutive games in the same season since Red Faber turned the hat trick with the White Sox in 1917. The Brewer right-hander, the starting pitcher in the team’s final game before the All-Star break due to his ejection for arguing a call at first base after throwing just four pitches the day before, makes it three straight starts when he takes the mound to begin the second half of the season.
2013 Giants’ right-hander Tim Lincecum hurls the 15th no-hitter in franchise history, the seventh since the team shifted to San Francisco in 1958, when he blanks the Padres, 9-0, in front of a very enthusiastic crowd at Petco Park. The ‘Freak’ throws 148 pitches en route to his history-making performance, the second most needed to accomplish the task.
2014 Backstop Buster Posey and southpaw Madison Bumgarner become the first batterymates in major league history to hit grand slams in the same game, accounting for all the runs in the Giants’ 8-4 victory over the Diamondbacks at AT&T Park. The left-hander’s grand salami marks only the second time a hurler has hit two in a season, a feat also accomplished by Tony Cloninger, who hit his four-baggers during the same game in 1966.
2017 The defending World Champion Cubs, 5½ games behind the Brewers in the NL Central, acquire the White Sox’s No. 1 starter Jose Quintana for highly-rated prospects Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease, plus minor league infielders Bryant Flete and Matt Rose. The deal marks the first time the crosstown rivals had swapped players since 2006 when the White Sox sent Neal Cotts to the Cubs for David Aardsma and Carlos Vasquez.
BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
JOE WILLIAMS
Pitcher
“If you have ever witnessed the speed of a pebble in a storm, you have not even then seen the equal of the speed possessed by this wonderful Texan giant,” wrote longtime Negro Leagues owner Frank Leland of Joe Williams. “He is the King of all pitchers hailing from the Lone Star State and you have but to see him once to exclaim, ‘That’s a Plenty!’”
Williams was one of them most feared Negro Leagues pitchers in the first half of the 20th century, a tall Texan known for his fastball, smooth motion and great control. One of African-American baseball’s great drawing cards, the talented right-hander with the broad shoulders would shine for more than two decades for a number of teams, including the New York Lincoln Giants and Homestead Grays.
“Someone gave me a baseball at an early age and it was my companion for a long time. I carried it in my pocket and slept with it under my pillow,” Williams said. “I always wanted to pitch.”
Once called “the mighty man of baseball,” Williams excelled in a segregated game. But when given the opportunity, he faced and was often victorious over the years against such big league stalwarts as Walter Johnson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Chief Bender, Rube Marquard, Waite Hoyt, Jeff Tesreau, Eddie Rommel, Jesse Barnes and Rube Walberg.
“If I was going to pick a man to throw hard, I’d have to pick Joe Williams,” said former Negro Leagues pitcher Sam Streeter. “I’d pick him over all of them. They talk about Satchel (Paige) and them throwing hard, but I think Joe threw harder. It used to take two catchers to hold him. By the time the fifth inning was over, that catcher’s hand would be like that, all swollen up. He’d have to have another catcher back there the rest of the game.”
According to Williams, he learned to hold something back. “If I throw them really hard, they won’t see them at all.”
In one of his most mentioned performances, Williams – in a 1930 game played under a dimly lit field – struck out 27 Kansas City Monarchs while giving up a single hit in a 12-inning, 1-0 victory. The opposing pitcher, Chet Brewer, fanned 19.
Tabbed by Ty Cobb as “a sure 30-game winner in the major leagues,” Williams never had the opportunity to showcase his skills at the highest level. But in a 1950 interview near the end of his life showed no bitterness toward this injustice, saying: “The important thing is that the long fight against the ban has been lifted. I praise the Lord I’ve lived to see the day.”
Williams passed away on Feb. 25, 1951. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
The story told of how on July 13, 1972 owners from the LA Rams, Robert Irsay and the Baltimore Colts, Carroll Rosenbloom swapped franchises in a rare NFL owner’s trade. This $19 million deal had Irsay and partner Willard Keland of Racine, Wisconsin purchasing the Rams then they traded the franchise to Rosenbloom who had multiple financial interests in Southern California including stock in Warner Brothers. Rosenbloom in turn said he would keep Tommy Prothro as the head coach of his newly acquired LA squad stating that,” One of the reasons I wanted the Rams was because he’s tied up for five years.” It is interesting that just months later, Prothro was dismissed on January 24, 1973, in favor of Chuck Knox. Less than a year later Prothro became the head coach of the San Diego Chargers.
July 13, 1994 – Former NFL RB, O.J. Simpson gives hair samples to authorities as he was being investigated for murder.
HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR JULY 13
July 13, 1903 – Salem, Ohio – One of Carnegie Tech’s tackles from 1923 through the 1926 season, Lloyd Yoder claimed his date of birth. The National Football Foundation celebrates this great player with a nice biography sketch that includes that Carnegie Tech, now called Carnegie Mellon, was a big-time football power when Lloyd Yoder played. Carnegie Tech played juggernauts of the era such as Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Penn State, and West Virginia. “The Plaid Bull” as Yoder was called lettered four times on the gridiron at Carnegie and had a record of 21-11-2 in his time playing which included three victories in four starts against powerful cross-town rival Pittsburgh per the National Football Foundation. During the 1926 season Yoder and company pulled off one of the biggest college upsets in early football when they knocked off Notre Dame 19-0 helping to secure the Plaid Bull as an All-America selection that season! Lloyd Yoder’s collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 1982. Lloyd proudly served in World War II as a lieutenant commander in the Navy. Using his fine education and life lessons later in life, Yoder worked for NBC for 40 years, managing stations in San Francisco, Denver, Cleveland, and Chicago and holding the title of vice-president. This man had football in his blood as he later worked 25 years, from 1928 to 1952, as a football official.
July 13, 1922 – Istanbul, Turkey – Alex Sarkisian, a two way player from Northwestern at center and at linebacker during the football era of 1946 to 1948 was born. According to his bio on the FootballFoundation.org, “Sorky’s” coach for the Wildcats Bob Voigts remembers Sarkisian’s great leadership with this story:” We were playing Minnesota and got behind 16-0. Alex called the players together and said, ‘We are going to win. Anyone who doesn’t think so can get off the field right now.’ We won 19-16.” The 1948 Northwestern team went to the Rose Bowl and beat California 20-14. In 1948 Mr. Sarkisian was voted as a 1st Team All American at linebacker and 2nd Team All-American at center per the National Football Foundation. His fine play earned him a place in the College Football Hall of Fame in the 1998 induction class. After his playing eligibility was over Sarkisian stayed on at Northwestern as an assistant coach and then after getting his Master’s Degree from the University he went on to teach and coach at the high school level.
FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
EDDIE ANDERSON
Position: Coach
Years: Loras [IA] (1922-24), DePaul (1925-31), Holy Cross (1933-38, 1950-64), Iowa (1939-42, 1946-49)
Inducted: 1971
Place of Birth: Oskaloosa, IA
Date of Birth: Nov 13, 1900
Place of Death: Clearwater, FL
Date of Death: Apr 26, 1974
Eddie Anderson learned his football from the master – Knute Rockne. Anderson was a member of Rockne’s first team at Notre Dame in 1918, and played for the Irish teams of the late teens and early twenties that rolled to a string of 20 straight victories. Entering the coaching ranks while continuing studies for his medical degree, Anderson began his career in 1922 at tiny Columbia College (now known as Loras College). His 1922 Columbia team was undefeated. After three years on that job, he coached seven years at DePaul. Then came his first term at Holy Cross 1933-38. His 1935 and 1937 teams were undefeated. He moved to Iowa, which had won only two games in two years. Anderson’s first Iowa team went 6- 1-1, and he was named Coach of the Year. He coached Iowa 1939-42 and 1946-49; between these terms he served in the Army Medical Corps. Anderson went back to Holy Cross for the years 1950-64. Over 39 years as a head coach his record was 201-128-15. He was head coach of the College All- Stars twice. In 1940 his team lost to the Green Bay Packers 45-28. In 1950 his team beat the pro champs, Philadelphia Eagles, 17-7
SPORTS NUMBERS
3 – 38 – 30 – 25
July 13, 1896 – Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Ed Delahanty became just the second major league player to have ever hit 4 Homeruns in a game as Phillies lose 9-8 to Chicago Colts at the West Side Grounds, Chicago
July 13, 1919 – It was truly a frustrating day. Boston Red Sox pitcher Carl Mays walked off of the mound right after the second inning in a game against the Chicago White Sox where they lambasted the pitcher for four runs in the first inning blaming teammates for lack of support in field as they had two errors. The game ended with Chicago winning by the score of 14-9. Mays is always portrayed and pictured as sort of a hot head and a dark figure and perhaps he was in history. In a famous photo of him he is sort of hunched over, and turned away from the camera so that his back is showing, his face partially hidden from view with just his eyes peering towards the viewer. It is very sinister. Mays had a miserable childhood as his father died when he was 12 leaving his mother to raise and care for 7 children. Later when pitching for the Yankees Mays used his very unpredictable ‘submarine” pitch against Cleveland’s popular star player Ray Chapman and the combo of the fast moving pitch along with Chapman crowding the plate the ball nailed the hitter in the head, eventually killing him. Mays insisted he didn’t mean to hit Chapman and even fellow ballplayers remarked at how Chapman would typically crowd the plate. However it forever shadows his career along with his nasty submarine pitch.
July 13, 1934 – New York Yankees Number 3, Babe Ruth hit his 700th career home run against the Detroit Tigers.
July 13, 1963 – Future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Early Wynn, Number 38 of the Cleveland Indians won his 300th and last MLB game at the age of 43.
July 13, 1979 – It is quite improbably to happen once but twice the same day…? California Angel’s pitcher Nolan Ryan (Number 30) and Boston Red Sox hurler Steve Renko (Number 25) each lost what would be up to that point no-hit decisions in the 9th inning
TV SPORTS THURSDAY
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| Champions Tour: Kaulig Companies Championship | 1:30pm | GOLF |
| PGA Tour: Barbasol Championship | 4:00pm | GOLF |
| NBA SUMMER LEAGUE | TIME ET | TV |
| Cleveland vs. Chicago | 3:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Philadelphia vs. Atlanta | 3:30pm | NBATV |
| Brooklyn vs. Toronto | 5:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Miami vs. Milwaukee | 5:30pm | NBATV |
| Houston vs. Golden State | 7:00pm | ESPN |
| Charlotte vs. New Orleans | 7:30pm | NBATV |
| Portland vs. Orlando | 9:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Minnesota vs. Sacramento | 9:30pm | NBATV |
| SOCCER MATCHES | TIME ET | TV |
| Liga MX: Santos Laguna vs Atlas | 9:00pm | FOX Deportes |
| Liga MX: Guadalajara vs Necaxa | 11:00pm | FOX Deportes |
| TENNIS | TIME ET | TV |
| Wimbledon | 8:00am | ESPN |
| Wimbledon | 1:00pm | ESPN |