THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY JUNE 22, 2023

“THE SCOREBOARD”

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

TORONTO 6 MIAMI 3

HOUSTON 10 NY METS 8

LA DODGERS 2 LA ANGELS 0

TAMPA BAY 7 BALTIMORE 2

DETROIT 9 KANSAS CITY 4

NY YANKEES 4 SEATTLE 2

CLEVELAND 7 OAKLAND 6

MINNESOTA 5 BOSTON 4 (10)

TEXAS 6 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 3

CINCINNATI 5 COLORADO 3

CHICAGO CUBS 8 PITTSBURGH 3

ATLANTA AT PHILADELPHIA POSTPONED

ARIZONA 5 MILWAUKEE 1

WASHINGTON 3 ST. LOUIS 0

SAN FRANCISCO 4 SAN DIEGO 2

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INDIANAPOLIS 11 COLUMBUS 2

COLUMBUS 3 INDIANAPOLIS 2

FORT WAYNE 7 SOUTH BEND 1

COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES

GAME 11 | FLORIDA 3, TCU 2

GAME 12 | LSU 5, WAKE FOREST 2

GAME 13 | WAKE FOREST VS. LSU, 7 P.M.| ESPN2

WNBA SCORES

ACES 99 MERCURY 79

NBA DRAFT ORDER (WITHOUT CURRENT TRADES)

FIRST ROUND: PICKS 1-14

1. SAN ANTONIO

2. CHARLOTTE

3. PORTLAND

4. HOUSTON

5. DETROIT

6. ORLANDO

7. INDIANA

8. WASHINGTON

9. UTAH

10. DALLAS

11. ORLANDO (FROM CHICAGO)

12. OKLAHOMA CITY

13. TORONTO

14. NEW ORLEANS

15. ATLANTA

16. UTAH (FROM MINNESOTA)

17. LOS ANGELES LAKERS

18. MIAMI

19. GOLDEN STATE

20. HOUSTON (FROM LA CLIPPERS)

21. BROOKLYN (FROM PHOENIX)

22. BROOKLYN

23. PORTLAND (FROM NEW YORK)

24. SACRAMENTO

25. MEMPHIS

26. INDIANA (FROM CLEVELAND)

27. CHARLOTTE (FROM DENVER VIA NEW YORK AND OKLAHOMA CITY)

28. UTAH (FROM PHILADELPHIA VIA BROOKLYN)

29. INDIANA (FROM BOSTON)

30. LA CLIPPERS (FROM MILWAUKEE VIA HOUSTON)

31. DETROIT

32. INDIANA (FROM HOUSTON)

33. SAN ANTONIO

34. CHARLOTTE (FROM CHARLOTTE VIA PHILADELPHIA AND ATLANTA)

35. BOSTON (FROM PORTLAND VIA ATLANTA, LA CLIPPERS, DETROIT, AND CLEVELAND)

36. ORLANDO

37. OKLAHOMA CITY (FROM WASHINGTON VIA NEW ORLEANS)

38. SACRAMENTO (FROM INDIANA)

39. CHARLOTTE (FROM UTAH VIA NEW YORK)

40. DENVER (FROM DALLAS VIA OKLAHOMA CITY)

41. CHARLOTTE (FROM OKLAHOMA CITY VIA NEW YORK AND BOSTON)

42. WASHINGTON (FROM CHICAGO VIA LOS ANGELES LAKERS AND WASHINGTON)

43. PORTLAND (FROM ATLANTA)

44. SAN ANTONIO (FROM TORONTO)

45. MEMPHIS (FROM MINNESOTA)

46. ATLANTA (FROM NEW ORLEANS)

47. LOS ANGELES LAKERS

48. LA CLIPPERS

49. CLEVELAND (FROM GOLDEN STATE VIA UTAH AND NEW ORLEANS)

50. OKLAHOMA CITY (FROM MIAMI VIA BOSTON, MEMPHIS, AND DALLAS)

51. BROOKLYN

52. PHOENIX

53. MINNESOTA (FROM NEW YORK VIA CHARLOTTE)

54. SACRAMENTO

55. INDIANA (FROM CLEVELAND VIA MILWAUKEE AND DETROIT)

56. MEMPHIS

— CHICAGO (FROM DENVER VIA CLEVELAND; FORFEITED BY CHICAGO)

— PHILADELPHIA (FORFEITED)

57. WASHINGTON (FROM BOSTON VIA CHARLOTTE)

58. MILWAUKEE

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

NEW YORK CITY 2 ATLANTA 2

CINCINNATI 3 TORONTO 0

MONTRÉAL 1 NASHVILLE 0

NEW YORK 2 CHARLOTTE 2

ORLANDO 2 PHILADELPHIA 2

HOUSTON 4 SAN JOSE 1

SALT LAKE 3 ST. LOUIS 1

COLORADO AT VANCOUVER POSTPONED

LA 2 KANSAS CITY 2

LAFC 1 SEATTLE 0

CHICAGO 2 PORTLAND 1

AUSTIN 3 DALLAS 0

TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES

NBA NEWS

WIZARDS TRADING PORZINGIS TO CELTICS IN 3-TEAM DEAL WITH SMART HEADED TO GRIZZLIES, AP SOURCES SAY

(AP) — The Washington Wizards have agreed to trade center Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team trade that also includes Marcus Smart heading to the Memphis Grizzlies, two people with knowledge of the deal said Thursday morning.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreements hadn’t been announced. The trade comes with Porzingis accepting his player option for next season.

The deal also includes the Grizzlies acquiring Smart, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, from Boston in exchange for first-round draft picks in 2023 and 2024. ESPN reported the Wizards are also receiving guard Tyus Jones from Memphis, and forwards Mike Muscala and Danilo Gallinari and a second-round pick this year from Boston.

The Celtics add the 7-foot-3 Porzingis after they lost in seven games to Miami in the Eastern Conference finals. Porzingis is coming off a solid season in Washington in which he averaged a career-high 23.2 points per game along with 8.4 rebounds. Most importantly, he stayed healthy enough to play in 66 games, his most since 2016-17 when he was with the New York Knicks.

Porzingis’ departure completes a swift breakup of Washington’s core after the Wizards agreed to trade Bradley Beal to Phoenix, and Kyle Kuzma declined his option. Washington has missed the playoffs the past two seasons and is now clearly in a rebuilding mode under new team president Michael Winger.

Smart has played in Boston all nine of his NBA seasons, was its longest-tenured player and one of the strongest presences in the locker room. He also ranks fourth on the franchise’s career lists for 3-pointers (911) and assists (2,700). His departure leaves the Celtics with Derrick White and reigning Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon as the top two candidates to replace Smart.

Smart brings much needed experience to a young Memphis team that needs help at point guard following the announcement of Ja Morant’s 25-game suspension for next season. Smart also brings postseason experience to the Grizzlies, who haven’t been able to win one playoff series despite finishing second in the West the past two seasons.

The Celtics reached the NBA Finals in 2022, but were unable to make it back this season despite their talented tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Boston becomes Porzingis’ fourth NBA team. Drafted in 2015 by New York with the fourth overall pick, he played three seasons with the Knicks before being traded to Dallas before the deadline in 2019 – when he was recovering from knee surgery. The Wizards acquired him from Dallas 16 months ago.

WITH WEMBANYAMA A PLAYER LIKE FEW OTHERS, THERE’S NO DEBATE AT THE TOP OF THIS NBA DRAFT

NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama walked into his first NBA news conference Wednesday morning, took his seat and looked out at a maze of cameras and microphones that have been awaiting him for years.

And then he smiled.

“What’s up, everyone?” the French teen said.

Seeming poised and completely ready for what awaits him, Wembanyama’s NBA chapter is now underway. The NBA draft — one that Wembanyama’s towering shadow has hung over for months, blocking much of what is usually part of the process — is Thursday night, and he’ll be selected No. 1 overall by the San Antonio Spurs.

“Ever since I knew about the draft, exactly how it worked, I wanted to be first,” Wembanyama said Wednesday. “I think I started to realize I could be a professional basketball player at the age of 12. Tomorrow, something’s going to happen, something that I’ve been thinking (about) for years and years, I can’t really describe how I feel right now. I just know I’m going to have trouble sleeping tonight, for sure.”

There has been no debate about who the Spurs should take with the No. 1 pick, no discussion of which player might be a better fit, no real attempts to raise any red flags about the presumed selection.

When a player like Wembanyama comes along — and maybe none ever has — there’s no real reason to drum up any drama. The Spurs are not going to pass up someone who is listed at 7-foot-4 but has the skills of a player much smaller.

The decision is certain, but not official until Commissioner Adam Silver says Wembanyama’s name Thursday night. And Wembanyama playfully corrected a reporter in New York on Wednesday who welcomed him to San Antonio.

“Not there yet,” Wembanyama said. “But thank you.”

The 19-year-old from France has been called the best prospect since LeBron James came out of high school 20 years ago, perhaps with some physical gifts that even the NBA’s career scoring leader didn’t possess.

Expectations from the outside world are sky-high. Wembanyama insists that won’t bother him.

“I don’t let all this stuff get into my head,” Wembanyama said. “I’ve got such high expectations for myself that I’m immune to all this stuff. I really don’t care.”

He arrived Monday in the New York area, surprised that some fans were waiting for him when he landed at Newark Liberty International Airport. On Tuesday, there was his first subway ride — even hopping a turnstile as he exited, though the police who were flanking him didn’t complain — and a trip to Yankee Stadium to throw out the ceremonial first pitch; it was well out of the strike zone. And on Wednesday morning, before his NBA duties began, he had a weightlifting workout with a coach.

He has been a big kid in a grown-up world. He signs autographs with a smile, pokes fun at himself, doesn’t mind that everyone tends to stare at someone of his height.

“Crazy,” he said of that first subway ride, with New Yorkers all around him.

Let the craziness begin. Silver will call his name Thursday night, shake his hand, and before too long Wembanyama will be on a plane for San Antonio to start the first chapter of his NBA life. Wembanyama said he will play in Summer League that starts in early July, though it remains unclear if he’ll be participating with the Spurs in the Sacramento summer league, the primary NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, or both.

“Wembanyama is built for the modern game,” said analyst Jay Bilas, who has been part of ESPN’s coverage for every draft since James topped the 2003 one. “We’ve never seen anything quite like him on a basketball floor.”

The modern NBA game requires big men to be comfortable playing away from the basket, able to handle the ball and defend opponents on the perimeter. It’s a league where 7-footer Nikola Jokic just guided the Denver Nuggets to their first championship by becoming the first player to lead the postseason in total points, rebounds and assists, where first-team All-Defense centers Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brook Lopez block shots on one end and shoot 3-pointers on the other.

Wembanyama can seemingly do all that. He was the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the French league, leading the league in scoring, rebounding and blocks. The almost-unbelievable highlights of some of those plays, a slam or a swat when he seemed too far away to pull it off even with his enormous wingspan, had basketball fans and even future opponents on both sides of the Atlantic buzzing throughout the season.

He will go to a San Antonio team that won five titles after selecting Tim Duncan the last time it had the No. 1 pick in 1997. Duncan is a Hall of Famer and one of the best power forwards in NBA history, and maybe it’s too much to ask Wembanyama to become quite like that.

But he’s the best of the bunch this year, and maybe of the last 20 years.

“I’m trying to be the best,” Wembanyama said. “Being the best, it’s not only on the court. There’s whole dimensions in the job of basketball player, an NBA player. I want to be the best also at the media, the press conference, all this stuff. I don’t like to do things halfway.”

Charlotte is expected to decide between Alabama forward Brandon Miller and G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson with No. 2, with Portland perhaps taking the other at No. 3. The Rockets and Pistons round out the top five.

Those teams have been recent regulars near the top of the draft and should add another good young player for new coaches Ime Udoka in Houston and Monty Williams in Detroit. But those clubs shared the best odds with the Spurs of winning the No. 1 pick in last month’s draft lottery, so there was disappointment to wipe away before thinking ahead.

That’s because, while every draft has good players, very few will ever offer the chance to draft one like Wembanyama.

Just ask someone who would know.

“Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he’s more like an alien,” James said last fall. “No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor.”

James will get an up-close view this coming season when he plays against the Spurs. So will the rest of the league. Wembanyama’s time starts now, and he sounds as ready as can be.

“I just feel really, really lucky to be able just to live this life,” Wembanyama said. “I’m just so lucky.”

NBA MOCK DRAFT: WEMBANYAMA EASY NO. 1; AP HAS MILLER SECOND, HENDERSON THIRD

Victor Wembanyama’s NBA draft experience will be quite unlike last year’s No. 1 pick.

Paolo Banchero could never be certain he would be taken first. There was too much speculation that Orlando was also considering Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren, with some mock drafts listing Banchero below both. The eventual Rookie of the Year said he didn’t find out he was the Magic’s choice until less than a minute before Commissioner Adam Silver went on stage in Brooklyn.

Wembanyama has no need to wait.

The 19-year-old from France has owned permanent residence atop mock draft boards, including all four versions of the AP’s, and could begin walking to the stage Thursday night before Silver finishes announcing the San Antonio Spurs’ selection.

Shortly after, two twin brothers could make the same walk. Amen and Ausar Thompson of Overtime Elite are both expected to land inside the top 10.

(WITHOUT PROPOSED TRADES)

1. SAN ANTONIO SPURS: VICTOR WEMBANYAMA, FORWARD, FRANCE

His combination of a center’s size and a guard’s shooting and dribbling make the 19-year-old a prospect perhaps unlike any other the NBA has seen, and should end the 13-year streak of the No. 1 pick being a college freshman. The Spurs won five NBA titles after taking Tim Duncan in 1997, the last time they had the No. 1 pick and dream of a similar impact from Wembanyama, who is listed at 7-foot-4.

2. CHARLOTTE HORNETS: BRANDON MILLER, FORWARD, ALABAMA

At 6-9, the SEC player of the year and tournament MVP as a freshman has the size, versatility and 3-point stroke to make him an ideal player for the modern NBA game. But the Hornets, who played without Miles Bridges last season after an arrest for a domestic violence incident against the mother of his children, may have to weigh a negative reaction if they add Miller, who delivered the gun used in a fatal shooting.

3. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: SCOOT HENDERSON, GUARD, G LEAGUE IGNITE

Worked out for the Trail Blazers and showed the athleticism and ability to do it all from the guard spot that may have made Henderson the No. 1 pick in many years. This time, he could be part of a trade if the Blazers decide they’d prefer to acquire more veteran help around Damian Lillard — or perhaps Lillard’s replacement if they instead decide to build around youth.

4. HOUSTON ROCKETS: AMEN THOMPSON, GUARD, OVERTIME ELITE

At 6-7, Thompson has great size for a guard and the 20-year old showed the ability to step up when it matters most, averaging 17.2 points, 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the playoffs to lead the City Reapers to the championship last season. The Rockets, after adding Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. in the last two drafts, are positioned to get another good one.

5. DETROIT PISTONS: CAM WHITMORE, FORWARD, VILLANOVA

The Pistons fell to the lowest spot possible in the lottery after finishing with the NBA’s worst record and sharing the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick. But getting Whitmore, a versatile wing with a strong build, to add to young pieces such as Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey under new coach Monty Williams would help ease the sting.

6. ORLANDO MAGIC: AUSAR THOMPSON, FORWARD, OVERTIME ELITE

Amen Thompson’s twin brother has been the Overtime Elite regular season and finals MVP the last two seasons and the 6-7 swingman plays big on defense, twice blocking seven shots in a game. The Magic were a team on the rise in the second half of last season and Thompson could help ensure that continues.

7. INDIANA PACERS: JARACE WALKER, FORWARD, HOUSTON

Coming from Houston’s rugged program means Walker already plays NBA-ready defense, and the offensive end could come along quickly under Rick Carlisle. At 6-8, 240 pounds, he already has the size and strength to deal with anyone he could face in the frontcourt.

8. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: ANTHONY BLACK, GUARD, ARKANSAS

With Bradley Beal going and no certainty that Chris Paul will stay, there’s an opportunity for an immediate impact in the Washington backcourt. The 6-7 guard seems to have endless energy, playing nearly 35 minutes a game to lead the Southeastern Conference and all 20 minutes in a half 19 times. That included 37 minutes on an injured left ankle in the Razorbacks’ NCAA Tournament upset of top-seeded Kansas, when he helped hold expected lottery pick Gradey Dick to seven points.

9. UTAH JAZZ: TAYLOR HENDRICKS, CENTRAL FLORIDA

The 6-9 freshman makes an impact inside and outside on both ends of the floor. He led the American Athletic Conference in blocked shots and shot 39% from 3-point range, becoming the only Division I player last season with at least 60 3-pointers, 55 blocked shots and 35 dunks.

10. DALLAS MAVERICKS: GRADEY DICK, GUARD, KANSAS

Dick made 83 3-pointers, most in Kansas history by a freshman, and the 6-8 forward could get plenty of open looks when Mavericks opponents focus their attention on Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving — if Irving remains in Dallas. The Mavs went to great lengths to protect their chances of keeping this pick, tanking their final couple games to boost their lottery odds while still in play-in contention.

11. ORLANDO MAGIC (from Chicago Bulls): BILAL COULIBALY, FORWARD, FRANCE

Wembanyama’s teammate with Metropolitans 92 is a 6-6 swingman whose stock rose as their team reached their French League finals. He hasn’t reached his potential yet as a scorer, but his 7-3 wingspan allows him to impact the game on both ends even without doing so and could make him a good fit with 2022 No. 1 pick and Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero.

12. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: DERECK LIVELY II, CENTER, DUKE

Is still limited offensively, but the 7-1 Lively shows promise as a rebounder and shot blocker, highlighted by 14 boards and eight blocks in a game against rival North Carolina.

13. TORONTO RAPTORS: JALEN HOOD-SCHIFINO, GUARD, INDIANA

The Big Ten freshman of the year has great size in the backcourt at 6-6 and could help the Raptors guard against a potential loss of Fred VanVleet in free agency, but needs to become a better shooter after hitting only 40% from the field in his lone season.

14. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: CASON WALLACE, KENTUCKY

A point guard who takes care of the ball and takes it away from opponents, he was fourth in the SEC in both steals per game and assist-to-turnover ratio. At 6-4, has the size and strength to defend some of the marquee guards in the Western Conference.

15. ATLANTA HAWKS: KOBE BUFKIN, GUARD, MICHIGAN

Massive leap from first to second year of college, averaging 14 points as a sophomore after not starting a game while averaging 3.0 points as a freshman. Next leap is to the NBA, where the 6-4 lefty could quickly be a change-of-pace guard off the bench.

16. UTAH JAZZ (from Minnesota): KEYONTE GEORGE, GUARD, BAYLOR

The highest-ranked recruit in program history lived up to the billing in his lone college season, scoring 20 or more points 12 times and averaging 15.3 en route to Big 12 freshman of the year honors. The 6-4 guard could provide scoring punch on a team that stayed in the postseason hunt longer than expected.

17. LOS ANGELES LAKERS: NICK SMITH JR., GUARD, ARKANSAS

After mixed results with Russell Westbrook and D’Angelo Russell last season, the Lakers’ search for guard help could lead to Arkansas, where the 6-5 Smith played in just 17 games in his lone college season after recovering from a right knee injury but showed the ability to play either guard spot.

18. MIAMI HEAT: JORDAN HAWKINS, GUARD, UCONN

Ballhandling still needs improvement, but Hawkins’ catch-and-shoot ability was one of the biggest reasons the Huskies stormed through the NCAA Tournament to their fifth national title, and something the Heat were missing in their NBA Finals loss.

19. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS: NOAH CLOWNEY, FORWARD, ALABAMA

Clowney put up nearly eight rebounds and a block per game in his lone college season. With just 210 pounds on his 6-10 frame, he will need to add strength for the battles inside against NBA big men.

20. HOUSTON ROCKETS (from LA Clippers): KRIS MURRAY, FORWARD, IOWA

After averaging 20.2 points — with a 30-point, 20-rebound game in one outing — Murray will try to make a similar first-year NBA impact as twin brother Keegan, who after leaving the Hawkeyes became an immediate starter for Sacramento last season and was an All-Rookie first-team selection.

21. BROOKLYN NETS (from Phoenix): JETT HOWARD, GUARD, MICHIGAN

His willingness to fire from behind the arc makes the freshman a perfect fit for the 3-point happy NBA. The 6-8 freshman made multiple 3-pointers in 24 of his 29 games for Juwan Howard, his father, and hit three or more in almost half of them. Howard made 36.8% of them while averaging 14.2 points

22. BROOKLYN NETS: LEONARD MILLER, FORWARD, G LEAGUE IGNITE

The Nets have needed more scoring punch since trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Miller looks capable of providing it after averaging 18 points last season. The 6-10 Canadian also averaged nearly 11 rebounds, another area Nets leadership has identified as a priority.

23. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (from New York): BRICE SENSABAUGH, FORWARD, OHIO STATE

Averaged 16.3 points and shot better than 40% from 3-point range in his strong one season for the Buckeyes, where he was the first freshman to lead the team in scoring since D’Angelo Russell in 2015.

24. SACRAMENTO KINGS: MAXWELL LEWIS, FORWARD, PEPPERDINE

The 6-7 Lewis made nearly 80% of his free throws and 36% of his 3-point attempts in his two seasons with the Waves, and improved his ability to score off the dribble while averaging 17.1 points last season.

25. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES: G.G. JACKSON, FORWARD, SOUTH CAROLINA

Would have been heading to college now — perhaps as the No. 1 prospect — before reclassifying last summer to enter a year earlier. Instead, the 6-9 Jackson is on his way to the NBA after scoring in double figures in 25 of his 32 games, averaging 15.4 points.

26. INDIANA PACERS (from Cleveland): JAIME JAQUEZ JR., GUARD, UCLA

The do-everything swingman led the Bruins with 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds, becoming their first Pac-12 player of the year since Kevin Love in 2008. At 6-7, Jaquez does everything well — he’s No. 8 in UCLA history in both points and steals — but maybe not any of them at the top NBA level.

27. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (from Denver via New York and Oklahoma City): AMARI BAILEY, GUARD, UCLA

Bailey had a strong finish to his lone college season, averaging 16.7 points on 56% shooting in the Bruins’ run to the Sweet 16. The Hornets struggle when LaMelo Ball is out, so the 6-5 guard could be appealing to a team that was fourth-worst in the NBA in scoring.

28. UTAH JAZZ (from Philadelphia via Brooklyn): COLBY JONES, GUARD, XAVIER

With three picks in the first round, the Jazz are positioned to bolster a team that hung around the playoff race much longer than expected. The 6-6 Jones, who made 18 of 21 shots in one torrid stretch last season and shot 9 of 10 on 3-pointers in another, could be a nice late addition.

29. INDIANA PACERS (from Boston): BRANDIN PODZIEMSKI, GUARD, SANTA CLARA

Made 43.8% of his 3-pointers in his lone season after transferring from Illinois, accuracy from behind the arc that NBA teams covet. The 6-5 guard shared WCC player of the year honors after averaging 19.9 points and 8.8 rebounds, finishing in the top three in the conference in both categories.

30. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (from Milwaukee via Houston): DARIQ WHITEHEAD, FORWARD, DUKE

Arrived at Duke as the high school player of the year, but a foot injury led to a delayed start to his college career followed by shooting struggles after it finally began. But the 6-7 forward showed enough defensive and 3-point abilities in his limited time to make himself worthy of a first-round spot.

NBA-CHAMPION NUGGETS TRADE INTO THE 1ST ROUND BY SWAPPING PICKS WITH THE PACERS, AP SOURCE SAYS

DENVER (AP) — The NBA-champion Denver Nuggets traded into the first round of the draft by acquiring the 29th overall pick from the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said.

As part of the deal, the Nuggets will also receive the 32nd pick from the Pacers in Thursday night’s draft. Indiana receives the 40th pick from Denver along with a first-round selection in 2024, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade of picks hasn’t been announced.

Denver is trying to sprinkle in an assortment of players around its nucleus of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon. Denver struck gold with Christian Braun when the team took the high-energy player out of Kansas last summer at No. 21. Braun turned in valuable minutes off the bench during the Nuggets’ run to the franchise’s first championship.

They also have a 20-year-old shooting guard in Peyton Watson who could get more minutes next season. He was acquired in a draft-night deal with Oklahoma City last June.

BRUCE BROWN OPTS OUT OF HIS CONTRACT WITH THE NBA-CHAMPION NUGGETS, AP SOURCE SAYS

DENVER (AP) Bruce Brown is set to become a free agent after declining his $6.8 million player option with the NBA-champion Denver Nuggets, a person with knowledge of the decision said Wednesday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the move hasn’t been announced. The NBA free agency period opens next week.

Brown signed with Denver last summer and became an integral piece off the bench for the Nuggets. He can play either guard position or small forward and averaged 12 points and four rebounds in a postseason that culminated with Denver knocking off Miami in five games during the Finals to win its first NBA title.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone said at the Nuggets’ championship parade last week the team wants to keep Brown in their bid to defend their title. But the Nuggets cannot offer him more than $7.8 million for next season; if he stays, Brown would be eligible for a four-year deal in Denver starting in 2024-25, with an initial salary of about $14 million.

The 26-year-old Brown was a second-round pick in 2018 by Detroit out of the University of Miami. He played two seasons with the Pistons, and two more with Brooklyn, before joining a Nuggets team that includes a core of Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Finals MVP Nikola Jokic.

KHRIS MIDDLETON REPORTEDLY DECLINES $40.4M PLAYER OPTION

Milwaukee Bucks star forward Khris Middleton declined his $40.4 million player option and will become a free agent, his agents told ESPN on Wednesday night.

The three-time All-Star could still return to the Bucks but is now free to sign with any team.

Middleton, who will be 32 in August, has been hampered by injuries lately, missing the first 20 games last season following offseason left wrist surgery. He returned to play six games, then missed 18 games with a sore right knee.

In the 2022 playoffs, he suffered a sprained MCL and sat out Milwaukee’s last 10 postseason games.

After the Bucks’ first-round exit this spring, Middleton underwent successful right knee surgery.

A second-round pick of the Detroit Pistons in the 2012 draft, Middleton spent one season with Detroit before joining the Bucks, where he has spent the past 10 seasons.

Limited to just 33 games last season, Middleton averaged 15.1 points, 4.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds.

He’s averaged 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists for his career and played a key role in the Bucks’ run to the NBA championship in 2021.

WHO’S NO. 2? KUPCHAK SAYS HORNETS LIKELY TO KEEP THAT PICK IN NBA DRAFT

The Charlotte Hornets are leaning toward keeping the pivotal No. 2 pick in Thursday night’s NBA draft.

General manager Mitch Kupchak said Wednesday the Hornets are considering two players, adding that he believes there’s a “significant separation” in talent among the top three players in the draft.

It’s almost a foregone conclusion the San Antonio Spurs will take France’s Victor Wembanyama, who is considered a generational player, No. 1 overall. The Hornets are expected to choose between Alabama wing Brandon Miller and guard Scoot Henderson from the NBA G League Ignite.

“I anticipate that we would draft at two,” Kupchak said. “ I’m not going to rule out the possibility that we would trade the pick. It’s a very coveted pick in our league right now. You would be surprised at some of the phone calls and some of the players that would be available. So yeah, up until the last minute we are going to listen. But at this point in time I do expect to pick at two.”

Kupchak said the Hornets haven’t decided on who to take — and likely won’t until a few hours before the draft.

He said he’ll ultimately make the selection, but added current owner Michael Jordan and the team’s prospective buyers Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall will also have a say in the draft night decisions.

Jordan agreed Friday to sell the majority stake in the franchise for a reported value of $3 billion, but the deal still needs the approval of the NBA’s Board of Governors, which could take weeks or months.

“Michael and I will completely talk to them and get their feelings and I’m sure there will be some spirited debates if it’s different,” Kupchak said. “We will not operate in a vacuum. The new owners will be in the loop.”

Miller clearly is the better positional fit for the Hornets.

Charlotte’s current starting wing is Gordon Hayward, but he’s entering the final year of his contract and has struggled with injuries. The 6-foot-2 Henderson projects as a point guard and the Hornets already have All-Star LaMelo Ball, which means he’d have to beat out backcourt mate Terry Rozier for playing time.

But Kupchak said the Hornets, who’ve not been to the postseason in the last seven seasons, are not in a position to draft for fit.

“We’re not that team that has been in the playoffs for three or four years in a row and you’re looking to tweak a roster and look for a fit,” Kupchak said. “So our decision will be looking for the player that is going to have the best overall career.”

MILLER’S MOOD

Miller eagerly talked about meeting Jordan, a six-time NBA champion, and was thrilled to have Jordan watch him workout.

His mood changed when asked about troubles off the court in Alabama.

The Hornets would have to be comfortable with any potential fallout from selecting a player who delivered a gun used in a fatal shooting.

Miller has not been charged in the death of Jamea Harris near campus on Jan. 15 and when asked Wednesday if Tuscaloosa police have assured him that he won’t, the freshman forward said he couldn’t talk about it.

Asked if he considered the situation resolved, Miller said: “From my perspective, yeah.”

Miller went on to win SEC player of the year and tournament MVP honors, and the Hornets brought him to Charlotte to get a closer look. He said he wasn’t nervous meeting Jordan.

“I could see why though, because he’s Michael Jordan, but I kind of seen in the room as just a regular person in there just watching me work out,” Miller said. “But knowing he’s Michael Jordan, he’s not just a regular person, kind of motivated me actually.”

Miller said he wasn’t a Jordan fan — Paul George was his favorite player — but added that “just meeting him and him talking trash to me is probably the coolest thing ever.”

As for whether the Hornets or other teams should feel comfortable with Miller’s character?

“Well, NBA teams kind of did their background on me, kind of (found) out that I was a great guy, I had great character,” Miller said. “So, I don’t think they’re really worried about the character part of it now. I think it’s just basketball now.”

GREEN ROOM

The NBA has invited 24 players to be in the green room at the draft Thursday night — typically a good indication that a team is showing first-round interest.

Those players, in alphabetical order: Anthony Black, Kobe Bufkin, Noah Clowney, Bilal Coulibaly, Gradey Dick, Keyonte George, Jordan Hawkins, Scoot Henderson, Taylor Hendricks, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jett Howard, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Dereck Lively II, Brandon Miller, Brandin Podziemski, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Rayan Rupert, Nick Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, Jarace Walker, Cason Wallace, Victor Wembanyama and Cam Whitmore.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NCAA PANEL IMPOSES A 3-GAME SUSPENSION FOR MEMPHIS’ PENNY HARDAWAY FOR RECRUITING VIOLATIONS

An NCAA infractions panel handed a three-game suspension to Memphis coach Penny Hardaway on Wednesday for recruiting violations tied to two in-home visits with a prospect two years ago.

The penalty follows a negotiated resolution in December that allowed the school to resolve the case and begin probation while one individual challenged the level of charges from the allegations. That turned out to be Hardaway, the former Memphis and NBA star who was charged under rules governing head-coach responsibility for conduct within their programs.

An assistant coach first visited the prospect from Dallas in September 2021 at his home, followed by Hardaway roughly two weeks later. NCAA rules prohibited in-home visits for juniors except for April of that year, with those visits supposed to take place at the prospect’s current school.

Hardaway will miss the first three games of the 2023-24 season that starts in November. He had told the NCAA he was unaware of the rule.

“Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse,” the panel said. “The head coach’s inattentiveness to compliance — particularly at a time when his program was under scrutiny related to a different infractions case — resulted in careless violations.”

The school had been dealing with a separate NCAA probe from 2019 tied to the recruitment and short college stay of one-and-done center James Wiseman. That case ultimately led to the NCAA — through its newly formed Independent Accountability Resolution Process — punishing Memphis with three years of probation, a public reprimand and a fine but without a postseason ban or individual punishment for Hardaway.

Don Jackson, an Alabama-based attorney who worked with Hardaway, called the ruling “flawed, yet predictable.”

“This case was pursued for one reason (and one reason only): because of the Enforcement Staff’s dissatisfaction with the outcome of the IRP decision of last fall,” Jackson said in a statement. “A decision will be made in the coming days on whether to appeal.”

In its statement, Memphis said school officials “strongly believe Coach Hardaway never intentionally committed a violation.”

“We will learn from this incident and be even more diligent in our education and monitoring,” the school said. “Now that the entirety of this case is finalized, we will move forward in support of Coach Hardaway and our men’s basketball program, as we do all our programs.”

Both home visits lasted roughly 15 minutes, with the visit by the assistant originally slated to take place at the high school but relocated to the home “due to scheduling issues,” according to the panel’s report.

Hardaway’s visit came as he traveled to visit a different prospect in the area, as well as to see his son play in a basketball tournament and attend a golf outing with friends. The family posted a photo with Hardaway on social media, which ultimately triggered the investigation.

During the case, the NCAA said, Hardaway “attempted to deflect blame” by arguing that the newly promoted director of recruiting had incorrectly logged the prospect’s year into the program’s compliance software, which could have flagged a violation. Hardaway had assumed the recruiting director had been trained on the system but never verified, and said during the infractions hearing that “it was not his responsibility” to secure the training, according to the report.

Akron President Gary Miller, the panel’s chief hearing officer, called the violations “relatively limited in nature” but that they provided a recruiting advantage for Memphis by distinguishing it from other schools that had followed the rule on home visits.

“Head coaches are expected to monitor their staff and promote compliance, including regularly consulting with compliance to ensure recruiting activities are permissible,” Miller said in a call with reporters. “This responsibility cannot be delegated to other campus staff.”

Miller said the assistant, who is not identified in the report, had left the university.

Hardaway was hired before the 2018-19 season and has led the Tigers to five consecutive 20-win seasons (110-52 overall), the 2021 NIT title, the 2023 American Athletic Conference Tournament championship and two straight trips to the NCAA Tournament.

The Memphis case is the second to be completed through a new NCAA approach to more quickly resolve infractions cases. Specifically, it allows cases to be separated so one party can resolve allegations and begin any sanctions while another involved party could still challenge elements of the case.

Previously, cases could be held up by one involved party contesting an allegation while all others involved were in agreement.

The first came in September with a negotiated resolution with Air Force regarding football violations. Miller called the new process “effective and efficient” in its limited use so far.

COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES

FLORIDA LOCKS UP SPOT IN THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FINALS WITH A 3-2 WIN OVER TCU

One-run games never get old as long as you’re winning — and Florida is doing plenty of that right now.

Florida reached the College World Series finals with a 3-2 victory over TCU on Tuesday, making the Gators the fourth team in history to win their bracket with three straight one-run wins.

“It’s not easy to get to this point. It’s just not,” coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “I know I overstate it and say it over and over, but we just played three one-run games and they’re all nail-biters down to the end.”

Cade Kurland, who had struggled at the plate in the CWS, reached on an infield single to drive in the tiebreaking run in the ninth. Michael Robertson, who scored the winning run as a pinch runner and stayed in the game to play center field, ran down Brayden Taylor’s deep fly to make a dazzling catch at the wall to end the game.

“There’s a lot of things that have to go right,” O’Sullivan said.

Florida joined Eastern Michigan in 1976, South Carolina in 1977 and Texas in 2002 as the only teams in the 76-year history of the CWS to win their first three games by a single run.

The Gators’ run started Friday with a walk-off 6-5 win over Virginia after they erased a two-run deficit in the ninth. Then on Sunday, they survived Oral Roberts’ inside-the-park home run, O’Sullivan’s mound-visit rules violation that forced their closer out of the game and anxious moments in the last two innings to win 5-4.

The Gators have won eight in a row since facing elimination in the regional they hosted. They’re hot at the right time, and TCU’s Taylor could see it Wednesday.

“Florida is going to be the team to win this thing,” he said.

The Gators (53-15) will play No. 1 national seed Wake Forest or LSU in the best-of-three championship series starting Saturday. Wake Forest would advance with a win over the Tigers on Wednesday night. An LSU win would force a second bracket final Thursday.

Florida is in the finals for the fourth time, and first since it won the national championship in 2017.

TCU (44-24) staved off elimination twice to get to Wednesday’s game, and it finished the season with wins in 21 of 25 games.

“Obviously ran up against a great Florida team and just came up one run short,” Horned Frogs coach Kirk Saarloos said. “But like I told them, just the story and the journey that they took us on this year will never be forgotten. I think it completely changes our program in terms of what they did from the middle part of the season until now. It just stinks that it’s over.”

Florida led 2-1 after the first inning, and neither team scored again until TCU tied it in the bottom of the eighth when Tre Richardson singled and came home on Anthony Silva’s deep fly to left-center that bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double.

Tyler Shelnut doubled off the right-center wall leading off the Florida ninth against Ben Abeldt. Garrett Wright relieved, and pinch hitter Dale Thomas popped out trying to bunt before Colby Halter’s deep flyout allowed Robertson to take third.

Robertson scored when Kurland’s grounder to short pulled Silva to his right. Silva bounced a throw to first that was far too late to get Kurland, who had been 1 for 14 in the CWS.

“A lot of times in baseball things may not go your way, but I think baseball always has a way to come back around,” Kurland said. “It’s really important to stay in the moment for when you do get the opportunity. He got me 0-2 quick, and I just knew he wasn’t going to get me out. I wasn’t going to go down.”

Florida two-way star Jac Caglianone was shaky over 4 1/3 innings in his first start since June 2. He had walked three, hit three batters and gave up three hits when he left.

Josh Rivera, the Gators’ shortstop, hit a two-run homer in the first inning and made a perfect relay throw home to prevent TCU from scoring the tying run in the fourth.

TCU freshman Kole Klecker, starting on four days’ rest for the first time, allowed two runs on six hits in five innings.

TIGERS FORCE CWS ‘IF NECESSARY’ GAME VS. WAKE FOREST, 5-2

OMAHA, Neb. – LSU designated hitter Cade Beloso launched a go-ahead three-run homer in the bottom of the third inning to lift the Tigers to a 5-2 victory over No. 1 national seed Wake Forest Wednesday night at Charles Schwab Field.

With the win, LSU – the No. 5 NCAA national seed – improved to 51-16, and the Demon Deacons dropped to 54-11.

The Tigers return to action Thursday at 6 p.m. CT to take on Wake Forest for the third time in Omaha. The winner clinches a spot versus Florida in the College World Series Championship Series that begins Saturday night.

Thursday’s LSU-Wake Forest matchup is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CT first pitch on ESPN2, and it can be heard on LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates and www.LSUsports.net/live.

“Great performance tonight by our team,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “I thought it was a great team win. We had a little bit of adversity early in the game there, and really responded offensively. In the second inning, we took some really good at-bats.

“And, the big inning obviously there in the third with a great one by Cade.”

LSU left-hander Griffin Herring (5-2) entered the game in relief after the Tigers allowed two runs in the second inning. He enjoyed an impressive performance and quieted the Demon Deacon bats for the remainder of his outing. Herring worked 4.2 scoreless innings while striking out a career-high six and limiting Wake Forest to three hits.

Left-hander Riley Cooper earned his third save of the CWS after entering the game in the eighth and recording the final four outs. He finished the contest with 1.1 innings pitched, allowing no runs on no hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

“I was really proud of the pitching staff,” Johnson said. “Everybody contributed tonight. Griffin really settled into the game and got us the length that we needed. And Riley finished off another one. So good performance and we’ll turn it over to tomorrow.”

Wake Forest opened the scoring in the top of the second inning on a two-RBI single from centerfielder Tommy Hawke.

The Tigers narrowed the Demon Deacons’ lead in the bottom half with an RBI double from rightfielder Brayden Jobert. The frame began with a walk by Beloso, who advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on the double down the line.

LSU was able to tie the game in the third on an errant pitch from the Wake Forest starting pitcher Seth Keener. Centerfielder Dylan Crews led the inning off via a walk and first baseman Tre’ Morgan singled to right field. Second baseman Gavin Dugas walked, and with Beloso at the plate, Crews scored on a wild pitch to tie it a 2-2.

Beloso followed up with a three-run shot to put the Tigers ahead 5-2. It was his 15th dinger of the season and proved to be the game-winning blow for LSU.

Keener (8-2) suffered the loss as he was charged with five runs on four hits in 4.1 innings with four walks and four strikeouts.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

MLB ROUNDUP: REDS SWEEP ROCKIES, WIN 11TH STRAIGHT

Jake Fraley launched a two-run homer in the eighth inning and the host Cincinnati Reds ran their winning streak to 11 games by rallying for a 5-3 win over the floundering Colorado Rockies on Wednesday afternoon.

Luke Maile also drove in two runs and the Reds’ bullpen threw three scoreless innings with five strikeouts in relief of rookie starter Andrew Abbott. Ian Gibaut (8-1) struck out two in the eighth for the win, and Buck Farmer picked up his second save with a scoreless ninth.

The Rockies hit three solo home runs among their six hits in losing their eighth straight game. They were swept in the three-game series at Cincinnati.

Reliever Daniel Bard (3-1) took the loss after surrendering the two runs in the eighth. Fraley’s ninth homer of the season followed a double by rookie Elly De La Cruz. The Reds have their longest winning streak since capturing 12 in a row in 1957, and they came from behind to win for the 26th time this season.

Rays 7, Orioles 2

Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes hit back-to-back homers, Taj Bradley fired six strong innings and Tampa Bay split a two-game series with Baltimore in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Arozarena went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Bradley (5-3) allowed only three hits. Snapping their season-long three-game skid, the Rays improved to 32-8 at home and 70-40 against the Orioles since 2017.

Baltimore’s Ramon Urias and Gunnar Henderson homered and Ryan O’Hearn extended his hitting streak to nine. Tyler Wells (6-3) yielded four runs, two earned, on four hits over five innings.

Rangers 6, White Sox 3

Ezequiel Duran and Jonah Heim each had a home run among their two hits and Martin Perez pitched seven strong innings to boost Texas past host Chicago in the rubber game of their three-game series.

Perez (7-3) scattered three runs (two earned) and four hits. Josh Sborz and Will Smith combined to retire the last six White Sox.

Chicago starter Michael Kopech (3-6) gave up three runs and four hits in four innings. Touki Toussaint delivered four scoreless, hitless innings in his White Sox debut.

Blue Jays 6, Marlins 3

Toronto scored five second-inning runs against Sandy Alcantara and defeated host Miami.

The Blue Jays were led by George Springer, who went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, and Matt Chapman, who slugged his 10th homer of the season. Kevin Gausman (7-3) improved to 4-1 in his career against the Marlins. He allowed eight hits and three runs in six innings.

Alcantara (2-6), the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, allowed 10 hits and five runs in seven innings. Miami’s Luis Arraez went 2-for-5. He leads the majors with a .398 batting average.

Cubs 8, Pirates 3

Nico Hoerner homered and hit a two-run triple as visiting Chicago completed a three-game series sweep of Pittsburgh.

Ian Happ added a two-run double and Nick Madrigal a two-run single for the Cubs, who are on a 10-2 run. Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks (3-2) gave up three runs (one earned) on two hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Josh Palacios hit an RBI double for the Pirates, who were held to two hits and have been swept in three straight series, two by the Cubs. Pittsburgh starter Rich Hill (6-7) allowed five runs (three earned) and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Diamondbacks 5, Brewers 1

Zac Gallen pitched seven innings of one-run ball, and Emmanuel Rivera and Alek Thomas each delivered three hits and an RBI as Arizona defeated host Milwaukee.

The Diamondbacks secured a victory in the three-game series with their fourth win in six games. Arizona improved to 2-1 on a seven-game road trip that is set to continue with a Thursday matinee makeup game in Washington before the team flies cross-country to open a series in San Francisco on Friday night.

The Brewers were outhit 9-3 on the way to their eighth loss in 12 games. Starter Julio Teheran took a no-decision after spacing two hits, four walks and three strikeouts over five shutout innings.

Tigers 9, Royals 4

Zack Short had three hits, including a solo homer, and drove in three runs as host Detroit rolled past Kansas City.

Eric Haase also drove in three runs and Javier Baez had two hits, including the 1,000th of his career, and knocked in two runs. The bottom third of Detroit’s batting order drove in seven runs.

Matthew Boyd (5-5) collected his first home win this season, holding the Royals to two runs and six hits in six innings. Kansas City starter Brady Singer (4-7) gave up five runs and seven hits in seven innings. Freddy Fermin led the Royals’ offense with three hits and two RBIs.

Nationals 3, Cardinals 0

Trevor Williams and three relievers combined on a seven-hitter as Washington snapped a five-game losing streak by defeating visiting St. Louis, the Nationals’ first home win in 10 tries.

Mason Thompson, Kyle Finnegan and Hunter Harvey worked in relief of Williams (4-4) as Washington’s pitchers posted the team’s second shutout of the season. St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas (4-5) gave up two runs on eight hits in seven innings.

CJ Abrams went 3-for-3 with a home run and Luis Garcia had two doubles and scored two runs to lead Washington’s 10-hit attack.

Astros 10, Mets 8

Alex Bregman hit the tiebreaking RBI single in the fourth inning and Yainer Diaz followed with what proved to be the decisive two-run homer for host Houston, which outlasted New York in a back-and-forth game.

Chas McCormick also hit a two-run homer while Bregman and Corey Julks had two RBIs apiece for the Astros, who won the final two games of the three-game series following a five-game losing streak.

Daniel Vogelbach had three RBIs and Pete Alonso hit a two-run homer for the Mets, who fell to 0-5-1 in their last six series, a span in which they are 4-13.

Yankees 4, Mariners 2

Rookie Jhonny Brito pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings for the longest start of his career and host New York beat Seattle.

Jake Bauers and Billy McKinney homered off Luis Castillo (4-6) as the Yankees also won consecutive games for the first time since losing Aaron Judge. Rookie Anthony Volpe also connected in the seventh. Brito (4-3) struck out three and walked one.

Castillo, whom the Yankees tried to acquire at last year’s deadline from the Cincinnati Reds, allowed three runs on four hits in five innings for his fourth straight loss.

Guardians 7, Athletics 6

Josh Naylor had four hits, including a solo home run, to help Cleveland rally past visiting Oakland in the second game of a three-game series.

Jose Ramirez had three hits and Steven Kwan delivered two for the Guardians, who have won three in a row. Cleveland starter Gavin Williams went 5 2/3 innings in his major league debut. He allowed four runs (all in the third inning), four hits, struck out four and walked three.

Ryan Noda hit a three-run homer and Esteury Ruiz had three hits for the Athletics, who have lost seven straight following a seven-game winning streak. Starter Paul Blackburn allowed four runs and nine hits in five innings.

Twins 5, Red Sox 4 (10 innings)

Kyle Farmer delivered a walk-off single in the 10th inning as Minnesota snapped a three-game skid with a win over Boston in Minneapolis.

The Twins had runners on second and third before Farmer’s one-out single off Kaleb Ort (1-1) ended Boston’s six-game winning streak. Max Kepler homered and drove in two runs for Minnesota, which had lost five of its previous six games. Jovani Moran (1-2) pitched a scoreless 10th inning for the win.

Justin Turner, who has 14 RBIs in his last nine games, homered among his two hits and drove in two runs for Boston, which went 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

MLB SUED BY 17 EX-SCOUTS WHO SAY THEY WERE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE OF THEIR AGE
DENVER (AP) — Seventeen former Major League Baseball scouts who say they were discriminated against because of their age sued the league, its teams and Commissioner Rob Manfred on Wednesday.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Denver. The former scouts allege violations of the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 along with laws in 11 states and New York City.

The scouts, ranging from 55 to 71, allege they were discriminated against from 2020-22. They say MLB and the teams “have acted to prevent the reemployment of older scouts or refused the reemployment of older scouts.”

They also say an MLB provision that offsets scouts’ salaries when they sign with a new team — but are still being paid by a previous team from which they’ve been fired — is discriminatory.

MLB said in a statement it looks “forward to refuting these claims in court,” but it does not comment on pending litigation.

The ex-scouts also allege MLB in 2015 ended a listing of scouts eligible for employment, the decision to end the MLB Scouting Bureau in 2018 was discriminatory and MLB used analytics and the coronavirus pandemic as pretexts to eliminate older scouts.

“This lawsuit is about age discrimination within a sport that supposedly values history, tradition and putting the best possible product on the field,” lawyer Mitchell C. Abeita of Kilgore & Kilgore said in a statement.

The plaintiffs are headed by former Chicago Cubs scout James S. Benedict, who was terminated in 2020. They seek class-action certification.

The former scouts allege violations of laws in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and Utah.

NFL NEWS

CLARK HAGGANS, LONGTIME NFL LINEBACKER WHO WON A SUPER BOWL WITH THE STEELERS, DIES AT 46

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Clark Haggans, an outside linebacker who won a Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers during a 13-year career that included stops in Arizona and San Francisco, has died. He was 46.

Colorado State University, where Haggans starred in the late 1990s, said Haggans died on Monday. No cause of death was given.

The Steelers took a flyer on Haggans in the fifth round of the 2000 draft. He responded by becoming a special teams ace before graduating into a starting role opposite Joey Porter on a defense that regularly ranked among the best in the NFL.

Haggans’ finest season came in 2005. He racked up a career-best nine sacks and was a disruptive force in the playoffs as Pittsburgh won three straight road games to reach the Super Bowl. Haggans had one of three Steelers sacks in the title game against the Seahawks as the franchise earned its fifth championship.

Haggans headed west to Arizona in 2008 but went down with a foot injury in mid-December, forcing him to sit out a postseason run that ended with the Cardinals falling to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.

Haggans played for Arizona from 2008-11 and spent his final season in the league with the 49ers in 2012, finishing with 46 1/2 sacks in 172 games.

Haggans grew up near Torrance, California, before playing at Colorado State in the late 1990s. He helped the Rams to a pair of Western Athletic Conference titles and his 33 sacks remain a program record.

HOCKEY NEWS

HENRIK LUNDQVIST HEADLINES THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME’S GOALIE-HEAVY CLASS OF 2023

Henrik Lundqvist had posters of Mike Vernon and Tom Barrasso on a wall in his bedroom when he was growing up in Sweden hoping to play in the NHL.

Decades later, they are going into the Hockey Hall of Fame together this November as part of a goaltender-heavy class of 2023.

Lundqvist was elected Wednesday in his first year of eligibility and Vernon and Barrasso after lengthy waits to get the call, making nearly half the inductees guys who keep the puck out of the net for a living.

“Of course as a kid when you grow up, you look at the goalies that are playing well and how they play the game and how they compete and that’s how you get inspired,” Lundqvist said. “Thinking about players in the Hall of Fame, it’s such a big inspiration to me, why I started playing hockey.”

Former NHL forward Pierre Turgeon and Canadian women’s hockey star Caroline Ouellette were the other players chosen by the 18-person selection committee. Stanley Cup-winning coach Ken Hitchcock and late executive Pierre Lacroix were picked to be inducted in the builder category.

Lundqvist, elected in his first year of eligibility, backstopped Sweden to an Olympic gold medal in 2006 and led the New York Rangers to the playoffs in 11 of 12 years. That included a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 and two Eastern Conference Final appearances.

A seventh-round pick in the 2000 draft, Lundqvist ranks fifth on the NHL career victories list with 459 and won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goalie in 2011-12. He won 61 more games in the playoffs before halting his hockey career in 2020 because of a heart condition — and on Nov. 13 will become just the third European goalie inducted after Dominik Hasek and Vladislav Tretiak.

Barrasso won the Cup with Pittsburgh back to back in 1991 and ’92. He had been eligible since 2006 and long ago came to peace with the idea of not making the Hall. Selection committee chairman Mike Gartner and board chairman Lanny McDonald had a difficult time reaching him to deliver the news.

“I was definitely not waiting by the phone,” said Barrasso, who won the Vezina and the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1983-84 to start a nearly 20-year NHL career. “Do you make that grade or not is not for you to decide. It’s for others to decide. … It’s a tremendous honor to have been selected by the committee, and it puts a bit of validation on the idea of what I thought along the way of my career.”

Vernon was so surprised he thought McDonald, a teammate when they won the Cup together with Calgary in 1989, was calling to ask him to play golf. The two-time Cup champion who was also playoff MVP when he won it in 1997 with Detroit had been eligible since 2005.

“The game has meant a lot to me throughout my life,” Vernon said. “It is an emotional time for me. Might be a long time coming, but it’s still worth it.”

The wait continues for point-a-game Russian winger Alexander Mogilny and goaltender Curtis Joseph, who is just five victories behind Lundqvist on the NHL career list.

Ouellette got in on her second chance after helping Canada win a gold medal in all four of her Olympic appearances. She had 30 points in 20 games during those tournaments and also was part of six teams that won the IIHF women’s world championship.

Turgeon was selected after being eligible for more than a decade. The 1993 winner of the Lady Byng Trophy as the most gentlemanly player in the league, Turgeon had 1,327 points in 1,294 regular-season NHL games, with nearly of those coming with Buffalo and St. Louis.

“There are a lot of great players that had great careers, so it’s got to be tough for them to decide,” Turgeon said. “It has been a great journey and a privilege to be a part of that journey.”

Hitchcock finally got in 24 years since coaching the Dallas Stars to their first championship in franchise history. He also ranks fourth in regular-season wins among coaches, and yet still the now 71-year-old was shocked to get the call.

“What I’m proudest of is that I survived,” Hitchcock said. “I’m really proud of the fact that when I coached I stayed current. It’s really hard to stay current. I was able to do it.”

Lacroix, the architect of the first two Colorado Avalanche Cup-winning teams in 1996 and 2021, was elected posthumously. He died in December 2020 at the age of 72, and son Eric said Wednesday was bittersweet for the family.

“It’s been a long time coming,” son Marty Lacroix added. “I’m sure my father today in spirit is overwhelmed. I know he wanted this badly, so thank you to everybody.”

TOP INDIANA RELEASES

INDIANA PACERS

NBA ALL-STAR 2024 HOST COMMITTEE UNVEILS LUCAS OIL STADIUM AS MULTI-PURPOSE VENUE FOR NBA ALL-STAR 2024

KEY POINTS:

• State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 17 as part of NBA All-Star 2024.
• Purposely built for fans, Lucas Oil Stadium makes this premier event more accessible than ever to the community, and the first group of 10,500 tickets will go on sale to people in Indiana first on July 24 for $24, $49, and $79.
• Sign up to receive more info at Pacers.com/AllStar2024
• The event will be set up at the south end of Lucas Oil Stadium, with approximately 35,000 seats surrounding the court.
• The NBA All-Star 2024 Host Committee will purchase and distribute 2,400 State Farm All-Star Saturday Night tickets to non-profits and community organizations.
• Thanks in part to support from the Indianapolis Foundation and donors to the Indy Championship Fund, IndyGo bus rides will be free throughout NBA All-Star 2024, Feb. 15-18, with extended nightly service.

INDIANAPOLIS – The NBA All-Star 2024 Host Committee announced today that State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 17. As one of the most anticipated events during NBA All-Star, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night brings together many of the league’s brightest stars to showcase their skills in AT&T Slam Dunk, the Starry 3-Point Contest, and the Kia Skills Challenge. The 73^rd NBA All-Star Game will be held on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

10,500 tickets will go on sale to the public for $24, $49, and $79 on July 24. Fans in Indiana will have the first opportunity to buy and should sign up to receive more information about the on-sale process at Pacers.com/AllStar2024. Additionally, the Host Committee will purchase and distribute 2,400 tickets free of charge to local partners, community groups, and non-profits.

“State Farm All-Star Saturday Night is one of the most exciting and entertaining nights in all of sports, and holding it at Lucas Oil Stadium, one of football’s most iconic venues which was also thoughtfully designed for basketball events, enables us to make it more accessible than ever to our community,” said Rick Fuson CEO of Pacers Sports & Entertainment. “This focus on community is one of the ways that will make NBA All-Star 2024 in Indianapolis so special and unique, and I am grateful to our friends and partners at the NBA and the Capital Improvement Board for working with us to make this possible.”

The Host Committee also announced that, thanks to the generosity of IndyGo, the Indianapolis Foundation, and donors to the Indy Championship Fund, IndyGo buses will be free for all riders for the duration of NBA All-Star 2024 from Feb. 15 – 18. Buses will offer extended service, ensuring that riders will have easy transportation home following downtown events. The Pacers Bike Share, operated by the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, will also be free during the four days of NBA All-Star 2024.

“Between two top-tier sports venues, four days of free public transit, and one of the most walkable downtowns in America, NBA All-Star has never been more accessible or fan-friendly,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “It’s no surprise. When it comes to hosting large events, Indianapolis does it like nobody else.”

In addition to hosting one of the most beloved annual All-Star events, the use of Lucas Oil Stadium allows organizers to maximize this versatile downtown facility for fan engagement. NBA All-Star Saturday Night festivities will take place on the south end of the stadium, with roughly 35,000 seats surrounding the court, while the north end will be used for concerts and performances. More details on those events will be shared at a later date.

“We are thrilled to bring State Farm All-Star Saturday Night to Lucas Oil Stadium, where the event will be enjoyed by more fans than ever before,” said Kelly Flatow, Head of Events, NBA. “We appreciate the incredible collaboration from the NBA All-Star 2024 Host Committee and the Capital Improvement Board to bring this to life, further helping us realize our vision in building an inclusive and fan-first NBA All-Star 2024.”

The walkability and connectivity of downtown Indianapolis help make the city ideal for hosting large events of this kind. For decades, city and state leaders have invested in downtown sports amenities that are both world-class and convenient for fans and visitors, and the proximity of Lucas Oil Stadium to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indiana Convention Center, and other key locations will make the NBA All-Star 2024 experience as fan-friendly and community-centric as possible.

“NBA All-Star and All-Star Saturday Night exemplify how our community comes together to celebrate our venerated sport of basketball with exciting and affordable events, and we can’t wait to welcome fans to Lucas Oil Stadium for the activities we’re hosting, said CIB Executive Director Andy Mallon. “I am grateful to IndyGo and Pacers Bike Share for offering free transportation for those wanting to make the trip from the Fieldhouse to the Stadium, and for those who haven’t visited the Stadium in a long time or who are ready to make their first visit, NBA All-Star Saturday Night is the perfect time to check it out.”

For more information and to keep up with the latest NBA All-Star 2024 announcements, visit Pacers.com/AllStar2024 and follow @NBAAllStar across social media. Visit NBAExperiences.com for more details on exclusive NBA All-Star 2024 experiences customized for fans around the world.

NBA-CHAMPION NUGGETS TRADE INTO THE 1ST ROUND BY SWAPPING PICKS WITH THE PACERS, AP SOURCE SAYS

DENVER (AP) The NBA-champion Denver Nuggets traded into the first round of the draft by acquiring the 29th overall pick from the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said.

As part of the deal, the Nuggets will also receive the 32nd pick from the Pacers in Thursday night’s draft. Indiana receives the 40th pick from Denver along with a first-round selection in 2024, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade of picks hasn’t been announced.

Denver is trying to sprinkle in an assortment of players around its nucleus of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon. Denver struck gold with Christian Braun when the team took the high-energy player out of Kansas last summer at No. 21. Braun turned in valuable minutes off the bench during the Nuggets’ run to the franchise’s first championship.

They also have a 20-year-old shooting guard in Peyton Watson who could get more minutes next season. He was acquired in a draft-night deal with Oklahoma City last June.

PACERS DRAFT PREVIEW

Pre-Draft Outlook

It’s a little difficult to reconcile where the Pacers will be drafting or that they even were in the lottery at all given their start last season. They were 23-18 at the midpoint with a breakthrough star in Tyrese Haliburton, a Kia Rookie of the Year aspirant in Bennedict Mathurin and veteran Myles Turner making his presence felt in the middle defensively no matter how many trade rumors he heard. The Pacers’ 12-29 finish was just as real, though, so they’ll be plugging holes however they can, whether using or trading one or more of those first-round picks.

 The Way To Go

The team’s own Twitter account spread the word, complete with photo, that Larry Bird was back in the Pacers’ gym as “a consultant.” That generated some excitement, but the Hall of Famer’s level of commitment isn’t known. Positionally, Indiana needs a big forward and statistically it needs to tighten its defense (26th in rating last season). So let’s float the name of Houston’s Jarace Walker, who could check two boxes.

Under Contract

G: Chris Duarte

G: Tyrese Haliburton

G: Buddy Hield

G: T.J. McConnell

G/F: Bennedict Mathurin

G/F: Andrew Nembhard

G/F: Aaron Nesmith

F: Isaiah Jackson

F: Jordan Nwora

F/C: Jalen Smith

F/C: Daniel Theis

C/F: Myles Turner

Free Agents

G: Kendall Brown (two-way)

G: George Hill (unrestricted)

G: Gabe York (unrestricted)

F/G: Oshae Brissett (unrestricted)

F: James Johnson (unrestricted)

2022: Bennedict Mathurin (6), Andrew Nembhard (31), Kendall Brown (48)*, Hugo Besson (58)**

* = acquired via trade

** = traded in draft-night deal

*** = traded in offseason deal

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASEBALL

JARED TRIOLO SWIPES FOUR BAGS IN INDIANS TWINBILL SPLIT

INDIANAPOLIS – Behind an offensive outpouring and four stolen bases by Jared Triolo, the Indianapolis Indians defeated Columbus in the opening game of Wednesday afternoon’s doubleheader at Victory Field, 11-2. The Clippers came away with a 3-2 win in the nightcap.

The Indians (30-40) swiftly took Game 1 of the twinbill behind five doubles, six stolen bases – with Triolo becoming the first Indians baserunner to swipe at least four bases in a game since Eury Perez on June 29, 2017 vs. Durham – and a pair of five-run frames to bookend the scoring.

Aaron Shackelford sparked the high-scoring affair with his 10th home run of the season – a two-run shot into the right-field corner – in the second inning against Hunter Gaddis (L, 1-5). Back-to-back doubles by Miguel Andújar and Ryan Vilade continued the frame which featured nine total batters sent to the plate.

Both of the Clippers’ home runs came via home runs against Kent Emanuel (W, 5-3), who surrendered only three total hits with eight strikeouts in his second quality start of the season. RBI singles by Shackelford, Triolo, Alika Williams and a two-run double by Endy Rodríguez tacked on six additional insurance runs late to clinch the victory.

In Game 2, another two-run homer gave Indianapolis the lead before Columbus (32-38) put up three runs in the fourth inning. Following Grant Koch’s 400-foot shot, two RBI singles and a run-scoring fielder’s choice against Duane Underwood Jr. (L, 0-2) quickly gave the Clippers the lead.

Cody Morris (W, 1-0) held the Indians without a baserunner in the fifth and sixth innings to preserve the lead. A one-out walk and Triolo double to follow set up the game-winning run at second base for Indy in the bottom of the seventh, but James Karinchak (S, 1) struck out the side to end the threat.

The two teams will meet again on Thursday in a 7:05 PM first pitch at Victory Field. LHP Cam Alldred (2-1, 3.46) will take the mound for Indy while Columbus has yet to name a starter.

PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL

PURDUE TO FACE ALABAMA IN 2023 BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME TORONTO

TORONTO, Ontario – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced that Purdue will play Alabama in a doubleheader in Toronto, on Dec. 9, at the Coca-Cola Coliseum. The highly-anticipated event marks the first Hall of Fame event in Toronto since 2019.

The Boilermakers and Crimson Tide will be joined by TCU and Clemson in a game north of the border in Canada. Times and television designations will be announced at a later date.

“We are excited to head to Toronto to play another great opponent in Alabama. It promises to be an outstanding event with four outstanding teams in a great city, and I know our fans and players are looking forward to the opportunity,” head coach Matt Painter said.

This marks the third released game of Purdue’s non-conference schedule after it was announced that Purdue would play Xavier in the Gavitt Games on Nov. 13, and face Arizona in the Indy Classic on Dec. 16, in Indianapolis. The Boilermakers will also compete in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational (Kansas, Purdue, Tennessee, Gonzaga, Marquette, UCLA, Syracuse, Chaminade).

Purdue’s schedule after its opening two games of the season are Xavier (Nov. 13), Maui Invitational (Nov. 20-22), unannounced non-conference game, two Big Ten games (first week of December), Alabama (Dec. 9, in Toronto) and Arizona (Dec. 16, in Indianapolis), setting the stage for maybe the most-difficult schedule in the country.

The final five non-conference games, as well as the Maui schedule, will be announced when they become available.

Alabama and Purdue earned two of the four No. 1 seeds a year ago, and combined to spend 28 weeks in the AP Top 5 and nine of the 19 weeks in the top spot (Purdue 7, Alabama 2). Purdue, Alabama and Marquette (a possible Maui opponent) are the only power-conference teams to win both the regular-season and tournament titles a year ago.

Alabama expects to be ranked near the top 10 of the early-season AP Top 25 polls after posting a 31-6 record while winning the SEC regular-season and tournament championships. The Crimson Tide lost standouts Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney and Charles Bediako to the NBA Draft, and Jaden Bradley to Arizona, but welcome in a strong transfer class.

Purdue leads the series with Alabama by a 5-3 margin, winning two of three games against the Crimson Tide during the Matt Painter era. The Boilermakers defeated Alabama 66-47 in Mackey Arena in Dec. 2010, and 73-65 in Tuscaloosa in Dec. 2009. Alabama won the last meeting, a 65-56 decision in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in Nov. 2011.

Season-ticket renewals are now available for the highly-anticipated 2023-24 season. The Boilermakers return six of their top-seven scorers from last year’s team that posted a 29-6 record and won the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles.

BUTLER VOLLEYBALL

BUTLER VOLLEYBALL RELEASES 2023 SCHEDULE

INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler volleyball team will open the 2023 season with a home tournament on August 25. Three additional non-conference tournaments will follow on the schedule before the start of BIG EAST play on Sept. 20. In all, the Bulldogs will host 13 matches inside Hinkle Fieldhouse during the 2023 campaign!

Butler will host Kent State, Fresno State and UC San Diego opening weekend in the Bulldog Brawl. The season opener against the Golden Flashes is set for Aug. 25 at 12 PM and BU will return to the court that night at 7 PM for the Battle of the Bulldogs.

The 2023 team will be under the new leadership of head coach Kyle Shondell. “With the group of teams that are coming to Hinkle for opening weekend, August 25th can’t get here soon enough!” exclaimed Shondell.

The month of September will open with Butler participating in the Dayton Invite. The Flyers will host North Dakota State and Ohio along with the Bulldogs. BU will face NDSU and Ohio on Friday before playing a single match vs. the host on Saturday afternoon.

The third non-conference tournament on the schedule will send Butler to Morehead State. The Eagles will host the MSU Comfort Inn-vitational against BU, Northern Kentucky and Indiana State. The schedule sticks with the Bulldogs playing two games on Friday followed by just one on Saturday against the host institution.

“I see great value to playing eight non-conference teams from the Midwest,” stated Shondell. “Not only does it allow our fans to see more of our matches, it also gives us a chance to start battling some of those programs that are built on Midwest talent.”

To wrap-up the non-conference portion of the schedule, Butler will play a pair of games in the Tru by Hilton Invitational. Host Wright State will play Butler on Thursday and Cincinnati will follow on Friday during the two-day event. Each contest is slated for a 2 PM start.

Of the 11 non-conference opponents on the schedule, three were top-100 in the 2022 RPI rankings. Wright State was 47th, Northern Kentucky was 84th, and Ohio came in a 96th. Dayton was just outside that group.

BIG EAST action starts on a Wednesday night this year with Butler hosting Xavier on Sept. 20. The first weekend match will be a test for BU as the ‘Dawgs host the Creighton Bluejays on Sept. 22.

In October, Butler will host matches against Seton Hall (Oct. 6), St. John’s (Oct. 7), Marquette (Oct. 20) and DePaul (Oct. 21). They have a string of four-straight home matches in November against Villanova (Nov. 3), Georgetown (Nov. 5), UConn (Nov. 10) and Providence (Nov. 12).

Shondell noted that recent BIG EAST powers Creighton and Marquette finished the 2022 season with respective RPI rankings of 12 and 14. “The BIG EAST slate will always be a challenge,” he stated. “This season is no different, so we will make sure we’re ready for it.”

The ‘Dawgs are coming off a 16-15 2022 season that included a 10-8 record against conference foes. Two-time BIG EAST Libero of the Year, Jaymeson Kinley, is back for her final season at BU along with last year’s kill leader, Mariah Grunze.

BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL ANNOUNCES 2023 SCHEDULE

MUNCIE, Ind. – – Ball State women’s volleyball head coach Kelli Miller Phillips has announced the team’s 2023 fall schedule which is highlighted by 12 contests inside Worthen Arena.

Fans will get their first chance to see the Cardinals in action Aug. 19, when the squad travels to Northern Kentucky for a 2 p.m. exhibition match.

Ball State, which has tallied a 26-2 home record over the past two seasons, officially opens the 2023 campaign August 25-26 when it hosts Gonzaga, Oklahoma, and Purdue Fort Wayne for the Ball State Volleyball Invitational.

The Cardinals will spend the next three weekends on the road, competing in the Bluejay Invite (Sept. 1-3) hosted by Creighton, the Dayton Tournament (Sept. 8-9), and the WKU Volleyball Invitational (Sept. 15-16).

Ball State opens its 18-match MAC regular season slate at home versus Central Michigan (Sept. 21-22). BSU also hosts Akron (Oct. 12-13), Toledo (Oct. 17), Kent State (Oct. 27), Ohio (Oct. 28), and NIU (Nov. 10-11) in league play.

The Cardinals will travel for MAC matches at Eastern Michigan (Sept. 29-30), Miami (Oct. 6), Bowling Green (Oct. 7), Buffalo (Oct. 20-21), Western Michigan (Nov. 3-4), and Toledo (Nov. 15).

The 2023 MAC Tournament will be held at the site of the regular season champion between Nov. 20-Nov. 22. The league’s top six teams will earn a spot into the event to determine who receives the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship.

The first two rounds of the NCAA Championship are slated for Dec. 1-3, while regional matches will be played Dec. 7 and 9. Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, will be the host site for the quarterfinals (Dec. 14) and championship (Dec. 16) matches.

INDIANA STATE BASEBALL

MAGILL NAMED 2023 ABCA/RAWLINGS NCAA DIVISION I GOLD GLOVE WINNER

ABCA/Rawlings – Indiana State baseball’s Grant Magill was named the 2023 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Gold Glove winner at catcher as announced by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings Sporting Goods on Wednesday afternoon.

Magill receives the honor for the first time in his collegiate career after a standout 2023 season. The Highlands Ranch, Colo. native becomes just the second Sycamore in program history to receive the prestigious Gold Glove award joining alum Ryan Stausborger (outfielder) who received the award from the ABCA back in the 2010 season.

Magill’s Gold Glove Award highlights a season in which he became the third Sycamore to claim the MVC’s Defensive Player of the Year award joining Tyler Wampler (2014) and Jake Means (2019). The redshirt junior catcher single-handedly shut down the opponent running game in the 2023 season and coined the phrase “You do not run on Grant Magill” on the ISU social media platforms.

The term was uttered 19 times in the 2023 season as Magill led the MVC with 19 runners caught stealing while adding five pickoffs. MVC teams only attempted 11 stolen bases against the Sycamores in the 2023 regular season with Magill nabbing six of them. Overall, Magill allowed just 21 stolen bases over 40 attempts on the year.

ISU allowed just two stolen bases over the last 20 games of the regular season. Over the same stretch, Magill threw out four runners to keep teams moving from station to station on the base paths. Magill threw out seven runners over an 11-game span from April 4 – 23 and added two runners caught stealing at Memphis back on March 10.

Magill continued to hold the opposition at bay in the postseason including throwing out two runners in the Super Regional opening game at TCU.

He is a two-time MVC All-Defensive selection at catcher and headlines an ISU defense that sits third in the NCAA in team fielding defense at 0.983 in the 2023 season.

The Gold Glove Winners were voted on and selected by the ABCA NCAA Div. I All-America committee, which is chaired by Tommy Raffo of Arkansas State University. Four of the finalists reached the 2023 College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007 and are presented annually to the top defensive players from each division of collegiate and high school baseball.

Founded in 1945, the American Baseball Coaches Association is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 15,000 members represent all 50 states and 40 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include nine divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School, Youth and Travel.

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	52	25	.675	–	32 – 8	20 – 17	17 – 10	12 – 1	8 – 5	5 – 5	W 1
Baltimore	45	28	.616	5	22 – 13	23 – 15	14 – 9	14 – 5	8 – 6	6 – 4	L 1
NY Yankees	41	33	.554	9.5	23 – 17	18 – 16	11 – 15	8 – 8	10 – 5	4 – 6	W 2
Toronto	41	35	.539	10.5	19 – 13	22 – 22	7 – 17	11 – 5	9 – 7	5 – 5	W 2
Boston	39	36	.520	12	21 – 18	18 – 18	13 – 11	10 – 5	5 – 5	7 – 3	L 1
Central
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Minnesota	37	38	.493	–	22 – 19	15 – 19	9 – 13	13 – 11	5 – 4	4 – 6	W 1
Cleveland	35	38	.479	1	18 – 17	17 – 21	7 – 8	8 – 11	12 – 6	5 – 5	W 3
Detroit	32	41	.438	4	17 – 19	15 – 22	2 – 14	14 – 9	4 – 5	6 – 4	W 1
Chi White Sox	32	44	.421	5.5	18 – 19	14 – 25	4 – 12	15 – 11	6 – 10	3 – 7	L 1
Kansas City	20	54	.270	16.5	10 – 28	10 – 26	2 – 8	6 – 14	4 – 11	2 – 8	L 1
West
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Texas	46	28	.622	–	24 – 13	22 – 15	9 – 7	9 – 3	15 – 8	5 – 5	W 1
Houston	41	34	.547	5.5	22 – 19	19 – 15	5 – 5	8 – 11	13 – 6	4 – 6	W 2
LA Angels	41	35	.539	6	20 – 16	21 – 19	8 – 9	9 – 6	15 – 12	6 – 4	L 2
Seattle	35	37	.486	10	21 – 17	14 – 20	3 – 8	7 – 6	12 – 10	5 – 5	L 2
Oakland	19	57	.250	28	9 – 29	10 – 28	3 – 11	3 – 5	4 – 23	3 – 7	L 7

National League
East
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Atlanta	47	26	.644	–	24 – 15	23 – 11	18 – 6	6 – 0	10 – 7	8 – 2	W 7
Miami	42	33	.560	6	22 – 15	20 – 18	11 – 12	5 – 4	9 – 10	6 – 4	L 2
Philadelphia	38	35	.521	9	19 – 12	19 – 23	5 – 9	6 – 4	11 – 12	7 – 3	L 1
NY Mets	34	40	.459	13.5	17 – 15	17 – 25	12 – 11	4 – 11	8 – 8	4 – 6	L 2
Washington	28	45	.384	19	13 – 26	15 – 19	7 – 15	5 – 5	7 – 11	3 – 7	W 1
Central
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Cincinnati	40	35	.533	–	20 – 18	20 – 17	7 – 9	11 – 12	7 – 5	10 – 0	W 11
Milwaukee	38	36	.514	1.5	22 – 18	16 – 18	3 – 0	11 – 5	8 – 15	4 – 6	L 1
Chi Cubs	36	38	.486	3.5	20 – 17	16 – 21	6 – 10	9 – 8	9 – 8	8 – 2	W 3
Pittsburgh	34	39	.466	5	18 – 19	16 – 20	4 – 2	10 – 13	9 – 6	1 – 9	L 9
St. Louis	31	44	.413	9	13 – 21	18 – 23	4 – 5	10 – 13	7 – 13	4 – 6	L 1
West
Team	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	East	Central	West	Last 10	Streak
Arizona	45	30	.600	–	23 – 18	22 – 12	10 – 11	8 – 4	16 – 9	5 – 5	W 1
San Francisco	42	32	.568	2.5	21 – 17	21 – 15	9 – 7	13 – 7	11 – 7	10 – 0	W 10
LA Dodgers	41	33	.554	3.5	22 – 14	19 – 19	9 – 6	12 – 11	12 – 10	5 – 5	W 2
San Diego	35	39	.473	9.5	19 – 20	16 – 19	9 – 7	6 – 8	11 – 13	4 – 6	L 3
Colorado	29	48	.377	17	16 – 19	13 – 29	11 – 14	8 – 10	4 – 15	2 – 8	L 8

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

1900      Umpire Hank O’Day forfeits the game to the Superbas when the Phillies stall the action in the bottom of the 11th inning, hoping the delay postpones the Baker Bowl contest due to darkness. Brooklyn had scored seven runs in the top of the frame to pull ahead in the slugfest, 20-13.

1913      The White Sox post their 1,000th victory in the 13-year history of the franchise when the team beats the Browns, 2-0. Big Ed Walsh tosses a complete-game shutout with Shano Collins driving in both runs in the Comiskey Park contest in the nightcap of a doubleheader sweep.

1925      Max Carey gets two hits in the first and eighth innings when the Pirates beat the Cardinals at Sportsman’s Park, 24-6. The feat will not be accomplished again until Rennie Stennett, also with Pittsburgh, collects two hits in one inning twice, the first and the fifth frames, in 1975.

1926      The Cardinals pick up future Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander, placed on waivers by the Cubs. The acquisition of ‘Old Pete’ will prove pivotal to the Redbirds’ World Series triumph over the Yankees when the 39-year-old right-hander wins Games 2 and 6 and saves Game 7 of the Fall Classic.

1932      After refusing to follow suit, probably due to opposing players and fans harassing the Cardinals when they wore numerals on their sleeves in 1923, the National League finally approves the use of uniform numbers to identify players. Some American League teams regularly implemented digits on their jerseys a few seasons ago.

1936      At Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field, Ival Goodman hits an unusual home run when his fifth-inning fly ball lands and stays on top of the scoreboard in right field. Then, with the perched ball considered in play, the three Dodger outfielders watch the Reds’ right fielder round the bases for an easy inside-the-park round-tripper in their 7-2 loss to Cincinnati.

1941      In their 5-4 victory over Detroit, the Yankees establish a new record by hitting at least one home run in 18 straight contests. Joe DiMaggio’s sixth-inning blast breaks the major league mark previously held by the Tigers and continues his own consecutive game, hitting streak to 35 games.

1944      Boston right-hander Jim Tobin holds the Phillies hitless in the shortened five-inning nightcap, blanking Philadelphia at Braves Field, 7-0. In April, ‘Abba Dabba’ threw a full-game no-hitter against Brooklyn.

1944      Charley Schantz wins when the Phillies blank Boston for 15 innings in the first game of a twin bill, matching the longest shutout in franchise history. Philadelphia right-fielder Ron Northey’s homer in the top of the frame scores the game’s only run in the 1-0 victory at Braves Field.

1947      After pitching a no-hitter four days ago against the Braves, Reds hurler Ewell Blackwell loses his chance for a second consecutive no-hitter when Dodgers’ second baseman Eddie Stanky singles with one out in the ninth inning at Crosley Field.

1959      At LA’s Memorial Coliseum, Sandy Koufax, facing 39 batters, goes the distance to beat the Phillies, 6-2. The Dodger southpaw fans 16 Philadelphia batters to set a new record for strikeouts in a night game.

1962      Stan Musial surpasses Ty Cobb as MLB’s all-time total base leader, collecting seven more with four hits in a doubleheader split against the Phillies. Stan the Man ties the Georgia Peach’s mark of 5,863 with a home run in the opener, and he then breaks the record in the same frame with a single when the Cardinals send 11 batters to the plate en route to scoring six runs in their 7-3 victory at Connie Mack Stadium.

1962      Al Jackson throws the first one-hitter in franchise history when the Mets beat the Colt .45’s, the National League’s other expansion team, at the Polo Grounds, 2-0. Joey Amalfitano’s line-drive single to left field in the first inning is the lone hit given up by the southpaw.

1962      Boog Powell becomes the first Oriole player to homer over the center-field hedge in Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium with a 469-foot blast off Don Schwall in the Birds’ 4-3 victory over Boston. In 1957, Yankee superstar Mickey Mantle became the first major leaguer to accomplish the feat.

1966      At the Astrodome, Houston sets a home attendance mark, which will last for 22 years. Dodger southpaw Sandy Koufax, who tosses a complete game to improve his record to 13-2, beats the hometown team, 5-2, in front of the 50,908 fans attending the Wednesday contest.

1976      In the seventh inning of a 4-2 Padres win over hometown San Francisco, Randy Jones ties Christy Mathewson’s NL mark by going 68 innings without issuing a base on balls. However, the southpaw’s streak will end when he walks Marc Hill leading off the next frame, keeping the 63-year-old record intact.

1977      In a 7-4 victory over the Orioles at Memorial Stadium, the Red Sox collect their 100th round-tripper of the season, the earliest the club has ever reached the milestone. Today’s homers, hit by George Scott, Jim Rice, Carlton Fisk (2), and Butch Hobson, all off Jim Palmer, contribute to a major league record of 29 home runs launched by one club in a span of eight consecutive games.

1979      With the Orioles trailing 5-3, going into the bottom of the ninth inning, Doug DeCinces hits a two-out walk-off home run off of reliever Dave Tobik to give the team a 6-5 win over the Tigers at Memorial Stadium. Some believe the victory triggered the start of “Oriole Magic,” igniting an atmosphere of unbridled enthusiasm in the Charm City for the franchise.

1982      The Phillies’ Pete Rose moves past Hank Aaron into second place for career hits when he doubles off Redbird right-hander John Stuper for his 3,772nd hit. ‘Charlie Hustle,’ 419 hits shy of Ty Cobb’s record, will surpass the Georgia Peach’s total in 1985 with his 4,192nd hit, a single to left-center field at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium off San Diego’s Eric Show.

1984      In an emotional home plate ceremony before the Twins contest at the Metrodome, Calvin Griffith and his sister Thelma Hayes signed a letter of intent, ending the most extended family ownership of a team in baseball history. The franchise, initially based in Washington, D.C. and owned by the Griffiths since 1920, is sold to Carl Pohlad, a Minnesota banker.

1987      “If I can’t pitch well, I’m not going to hurt myself and the Mets. Why would I do that? I’ve had doubts from the start that it could be done right. The doubts are still very evident. I’m too proud to do this badly.” – TOM SEAVER, commenting privately about his attempted comeback. After spending over two weeks of training trying to make a comeback to help the Mets’ starting rotation, sidelined by injuries to four pitchers, Tom Seaver announces his retirement after being enticed by GM Frank Cashen to join the club for the rest of the season for $500,000. The future Hall of Famer ends his career with 311 victories, of which 198 came wearing a Met uniform.

1990      During the Double-A Eastern League contest between the Harrisburg Senators and Hagerstown Suns at Maryland’s Municipal Stadium, the home of the Orioles affiliate, George H.W. Bush’s motorcade enters the ballpark, marking the first time a US president has attended a minor league game. The 41st Commander-in-Chief and his guests, including NFL legend Walter Payton, initially planned to watch the Carolina League Single-A Keys play until a sudden storm washed out the nearby Frederick contest, making the alternative site for the previously unannounced visitor.

1993      On his final day as a professional baseball player, 45-year-old White Sox backstop Carlton Fisk catches his 2,226th game to surpass Bob Boone as the all-time leader. ‘Pudge’ played the first 11 seasons of his 24-year major league career with the Red Sox.

1994      In the Mets’ 5-2 victory at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, southpaw closer John Franco picks up his 253rd save, the most by a left-hander. The first two Braves batters in the lineup, Roberto Kelly and Jeff Blauser, hit home runs off New York starter Pete Smith, but the back-to-back first-inning round-trippers will prove to be the only scoring done by the team for the rest of the game.

1994      Hitting his 31st home run of the season, Ken Griffey Jr. breaks Babe Ruth’s record for most homers before July 1. Although the Yankee slugger needed only 63 games to reach 30 homers in 1928 and 68 games in 1930, Junior accomplishes the feat in the Mariners’ 70th game of the season.

1997      Four Braves players homer in the third inning of the team’s 12-5 rout of Philadelphia at Veterans Stadium. The round-trippers by Chipper Jones, Fred McGriff, Michael Tucker, and Jeff Blauser account for six of the nine runs scored in the frame.

1998      At Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, the Marlins defeat the Devil Rays in an interleague contest, 3-2. The Citrus Series contest marks the first time the two major league teams from Florida have faced one another in the regular season.

1999      Although he has been dead for fifty-one years, Hack Wilson is awarded another RBI, increasing his major league RBI record to 191. The commissioner’s office revises the total after baseball’s historian Jerome Holtzman discovered the Cubs outfielder did not get credit for driving in Kiki Cuyler with a third-inning single in a game played in July of 1930.

2001      The Braves trade John Rocker and minor league third baseman Troy Cameron to the Indians in a four-player deal in return for Steve Karsay, Steve Reed, and cash. The Atlanta fireballer became a national figure after his negative comments about New Yorkers, gays, unwed moms, and immigrants in Sports Illustrated.

2002      Luis Castillo, going 0-for-4, sees his 35-game hitting streak end when he is left on deck as the Marlins cap off a four-run, ninth-inning rally to beat Detroit 5-4. The feat is the longest ever accomplished by a second baseman, a mark that Phillies’ second-sacker Chase Utley will equal in 2006.

2002      Joe Girardi, the Cubs’ player rep, informs the Wrigley Field crowd of the postponement of the game with St. Louis due to the death of Cardinal right-hander Darryl Kile. The 33-year-old starter, a victim of coronary disease found in his hotel room, becomes the first active major league player to pass away during the regular season since 1979, when Yankee captain Thurman Munson died practicing landing his plane.

2006      While being intentionally walked, Miguel Cabrera, noticing Baltimore’s catcher Ramon Hernandez’s proximity to the plate, pokes Todd Williams’ soft toss into center field for an RBI single, scoring Hanley Ramirez from second base. The tenth-inning tally proves to be the go-ahead run in the Marlins’ eventual 8-5 overtime victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards.

2006      In his fourth major league start, Cardinals starter Anthony Reyes throws a one-hitter, but the White Sox win the U.S. Cellular Field contest, 1-0. The only hit the Redbird rookie right-hander gives up is Jim Thome’s seventh-inning solo home run.

2006      Roger Clemens, opposing a pitcher born the year before he began his major league career, makes his much-hyped season debut against the Twins. The ‘Rocket,’ starting his 23rd major league season, is bested by Francisco Liriano, a 22-year-old pitching sensation from the Dominican Republic, when Minnesota beats the Astros, 4-2.

2007      🇦🇺 Australian-born Ryan Rowland-Smith becomes the first player to wear a hyphenated last name on a major-league uniform. The 24-year-old Mariner reliever pitches 1.1 scoreless innings when the Reds rout the team at Safeco Field, 16-1.

2007      The fifth-longest consecutive game streak in baseball history ends at 1,152 when Miguel Tejada sits out when Baltimore plays the Diamondbacks in Arizona. The Oriole shortstop, hit by a pitch thrown by San Diego’s Doug Brocail two games ago, resulting in a non-displaced fracture of the left radius, continued his streak with an attempted sac bunt, leaving the contest for a pinch-runner in the first inning.

2008      Mark Teixeira’s three home runs account for half of the Braves’ runs in their 8-3 interleague victory over Seattle. Atlanta’s switch-hitting first baseman smacks solo shots from the left side in the second and fourth innings and then adds a two-run round-tripper batting right-handed in the seventh frame of the Turner Field contest.

2010      Before calling his 5000th major league game, Rays announcer Dewayne Staats throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the hometown team’s 2-1 loss to San Diego at Tropicana Field. In his 25th season, the veteran broadcaster has also done play-by-play for the Yankees, Cubs, Astros, and ESPN.

2011      The Marlins tie the franchise record for most losses in a month when the Angels beat them in 10 innings, 6-5. The defeat is the team’s 20th out of 22 decisions in June.

2011      In the nightcap of a twin bill split with New York, Chris Heisey blasts three homers and drives in half of the Reds’ runs in the team’s 10-2 interleague rout of the Bronx Bombers. The Cincinnati leadoff hitter goes deep off Brian Gordon in the first and fifth, and in the eighth frame connects off Hector Noesi in the Great American Ball Park contest.

FOOTBALL HISTORY

June 22, 1979 – Pro Football Researchers Association forms in Canton, Ohio.  This exclusive non-profit group as touted by their website includes many of football’s foremost  writers and historians.

June 22, 2002 – The Berlin Thunder become the first team to win back to back NFL Europe World Bowls as the defeated the Rhein Thunder in the Thunder’s home stadium.

HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR JUNE 22

June 22, 1917 – Dallas, Texas – TCU’s legendary quarterback from 1936 to 1938, Davey O’Brien arrived into the world. Texas Christian was blessed that O’Brien got to watch the great Sammy Baugh for a season or two as the starter before he took the reins himself and the Horned Frog signal caller. Learn as an understudy he did too! The National Football Foundation tells us that like Baugh, O’Brien was destined to drive enemy defenses daffy with his incredible passing feats. Dutch Meyer, who coached both quarterbacks at TCU, compared his prized pupils, saying: “Baugh was a better all-around player than O’Brien, and a better passer, but as a field general Davey has never been equaled. He was the finest play selector I’ve ever seen.” In 1938, O’Brien led TCU to an undefeated season and a national championship. He won the Heisman and Maxwell Awards and threw 19 touchdown passes. Davey O’Brien’s collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 1955. After graduation O’Brien played two years with the Philadelphia Eagles, 1939-40, and was All-Pro and Rookie of the Year, 1939. He then surprisingly quit football and spent 10 years as a special agent for the FBI before going into the business world.

June 22, 1962 – Everett, Washington – Gordon Hudson the Brigham Young University tight end from 1980 to 1983 was born. The FootballFoundation.org lets us in on that the two-time unanimous All-American player holds the NCAA records for most passes caught per game by a tight end with 5.4, most career yards per game by a tight end with a whopping 75.3 and the most yards in a game by a tight end with a staggering 259 yards against Utah. As a senior, he teamed with Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young to haul in an NCAA record 44 catches and six touchdowns in an injury-shortened season. When he completed his college career he held the NCAA record for the most receiving yards by a tight end with 2484 yards. The National Football Foundation selected Gordon Hudson for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009. After school was completed Gordon played two seasons in the USFL with the Los Angeles Express franchise and one season in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks.

June 22, 1971 – Kurt Warner Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined QB that played for the Rams, Giants and Cardinals. For more on Kurt please see our Inspiration Sensation article by clicking Kurt Warner Inspiration.

June 22, 1978 – Champ Bailey Pro Football Hall of Fame Cornerback that played for the Washington Redskins and the Denver Broncos during his 15 year career in the NFL. Champ was selected to a whopping 12 Pro Bowls (the most of any defensive back in NFL history), and was 1st Team All-Pro 3 times. Bailey prepared for the NFL by playing for the Georgia Bulldogs in college. As a pro he registered 52 interceptions in 215 games played, truly a shut down, ball hawking corner.

FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

BILL ALEXANDER

Position: Coach
Years: 1920-1944
Place of Birth: Mud River, KY
Date of Birth: Jun 06, 1889
Place of Death: Atlanta, GA
Date of Death: Apr 23, 1950

A tough, shrewd taskmaster with teams to match his character, Bill Alexander spent his entire head coaching career at Georgia Tech. Under his command, the Yellow Jackets became the first school to appear in all four of the major bowls: the Rose in 1929, Orange in 1940, Cotton in 1943, and Sugar in 1944. Alexander rarely enjoyed top-flight talent on his teams, yet he drove his players to surpass their limited abilities. Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne once said, “Bill gets more out of nothing than any coach in America.” And indeed, he did. After serving as an assistant to John Heisman at Tech, Alexander became the head coach of the Yellow Jackets in 1920, and began a 25-year career during which he compiled an overall record of 134-95-15. Few athletes dared defy him, and although they hated him on the field, they idolized him off the field. He had a habit of bullying his players and was inhospitable to strangers. Bobby Dodd, who succeeded Alexander as head coach at Tech, said of him, “He growled, snapped and carried on all over the place, but underneath it all, he was in your corner in any emergency.” He was the clearing house of personal matters for every player, coach or employee of the Tech athletic department. Alexander died in his sleep on April 23, 1950.

NUMBERS IN SPORTS

4 – 32 – 14

June 22, 1889 – A team by the name of the Louisville Colonels set a Major League Baseball record when they suffered what would be their 26th consecutive loss of a baseball game.

June 22, 1929 – New York Giants star hitter, Mel Ott homered three times against Philadelphia Phillies hurlers in a doubleheader in the City of Brotherly Love. The Giants used the offensive production from Ott to capture both games of the twinbill from their hosts. Ott would eventually start wearing the Number 4 on his Giants uniform in coming years when it became mandatory.

June 22, 1930 – New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig, Number 4 crushed 3 Home Runs in a 20-13 romp over the Philadelphia Athletics at Shibe Park in Philly.

June 22, 1959 – LA Dodgers ace Sandy Koufax wearing Number 32, fanned an astounding 16 Philadelphia Phillies batters to aid in a 6-2 Dodgers win. This was almost 10% of Koufax’s K’s registered for the season as he finished with 173.

BASEBALL HALL OF FAME

LLOYD WANER

Center Fielder

Lloyd Waner totaled 223 hits as a rookie with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1927. And over the course of his 18 big league seasons, Waner never stopped hitting.

Waner was born in Harrah, Okla., on March 16, 1906, and started his professional career with the San Francisco Seals in 1925, where he was teammates with his brother, Paul. After six games with the Seals the following year, Lloyd asked for his release and joined the Pittsburgh Pirates. He reached the majors with the Pirates in 1927, joining his brother in the team’s outfield. He led the National League with 133 runs scored, totaled 223 hits and batted .355 while helping the Pirates win the NL pennant.

Paul Waner – nicknamed “Big Poison” – won the NL MVP that year and Lloyd – dubbed “Little Poison” – finished sixth in the voting.

“The Pirates took Lloyd to Spring Training in 1927, mostly just to look at him a little closer,” Lloyd’s brother, Paul Waner, said in ‘The Glory of Their Times.’ “They never thought he could possibly make the team ’cause Lloyd only weighed about 130 pounds then. He was only 20 years old, and was even smaller than me.”

But Lloyd could hit. In his first three big league seasons, Waner averaged 226 hits, 13 triples and 129 runs per year. He led the major leagues with 214 hits in 1931 and hit better than .300 in 10 of his first 12 seasons with the Pirates.

Waner also had an excellent eye at the plate, striking out more than 15 times in just three of his 18 seasons. In 1941 – in 77 games with the Pirates, Braves and Reds – Waner did not strike out once in 234 plate appearances.

The owner of four 200-hit seasons, Waner was also a premium defender, leading all NL outfielders in putouts four times.

He finished his career with 2,459 hits, 1,201 runs scored and 118 triples.

Waner was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1967. He passed away on July 22, 1982.

TV THURSDAY

COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES	TIME ET	TV
TBA	–	ESPN
TBA	–	ESPN2
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
Women’s PGA Championship	11:00am	GOLF
PGA Tour: Travelers Championship	3:00pm	GOLF
MLB REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
Atlanta at Philadelphia	1:05pm	MLBN Bally Sports NBCS-PHI
Arizona at Washington	1:05pm	Bally Sports MASN/2
Oakland at Cleveland	1:10pm	NBCS-CA Bally Sports
Boston at Minnesota	1:10pm	MLBN NESN Bally Sports
San Diego at San Francisco	3:45pm	Bally Sports NBCS-BAY
Kansas City at Tampa Bay	6:40pm	MLBN Bally Sports
Pittsburgh at Miami	6:40pm	ATTSN-PIT Bally Sports
Seattle at NY Yankees	7:05pm	MLBN Root Sports YES
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
Argentina Primera División: Racing Club vs Barracas Central	5:00pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: Grêmio vs América Mineiro	6:00pm	Paramount+
Argentina Primera División: River Plate vs Instituto	6:45pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: Cuiabá vs Botafogo	7:00pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: Coritiba vs Internacional	7:00pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: Vasco da Gama vs Goiás	7:00pm	Paramount+
Brasileirão: RB Bragantino vs Flamengo	8:30pm	Paramount+
Argentina Primera División: Godoy Cruz vs Boca Juniors	8:45pm	Paramount+
WNBA	TIME ET	TV
Washington vs Chicago	8:00pm	AMZN
Connecticut vs Minnesota	8:00pm	CBSSN
Indiana vs Seattle	10:00pm	AMZN