Sports category, Page 1581
Minkah Fitzpatrick elevates his leadership to match his production for Steelers defense
Try as he might, Grady Brown missed out on the opportunity to coach Minkah Fitzpatrick six years ago. In the time that’s passed since, Fitzpatrick has grown from a New Jersey kid into a college All-American all the way to standout safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers. “It’s cool for me...
Steelers make it official, trade 6th-round pick to Jaguars for ILB Joe Schobert
The Pittsburgh Steelers will get their first look at their new inside linebacker Sunday. Coach Mike Tomlin said Joe Schobert, who didn’t practice Saturday for his new team because of covid protocols, is expected to suit up Sunday when the Steelers conduct a closed practice at Heinz Field. An inside...
Trouble off tee leaves Palmer Jackson swimming upstream at U.S. Amateur
Palmer Jackson used to be a baseball pitcher and could freeze-frame a knuckleball with the best of them. He was Franklin Regional’s answer to Tim Wakefield. During the U.S. Amateur earlier this month at Oakmont Country Club, Jackson was thrown a curve ball. The golf standout, who will be a...
Take five: Offensive line coming together during Pitt’s first week of training camp
College football training camps are like those among NFL teams in these aspects: Players sweat, muscles twist, bones might break and players occasionally look for the nearest spot to grab a nap. But they are different from the NFL because there are no games against enemy competition to break the...
This date in sports history: Aug. 14Video
1903 — Jim Jeffries knocks out Jim Corbett in the 10th round to retain his world heavyweight title in San Francisco. 1936 — In Berlin, the U.S. wins the first Olympic basketball gold medal with a 19-8 win over Canada. The game is played outdoors on a dirt court in...
Pirates farm report for Aug. 14, 2021: Quinn Priester throws immaculate inning for Greensboro
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 42-45) fell to St. Paul (Twins), 7-5. 2B Michael Chavis (.273) went 1 for 4 and hit his 10th home run. 3B Hunter Owen (.238) went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. C Taylor Davis (.271) was 2 for 4 with a double and...
Closer look at the U.S. Amateur semifinalists
It started with 312. It was dwindled to 64. Now only four players remain as the 121st U.S. Amateur moves into the weekend at softened Oakmont Country Club. On Saturday, college standouts Travis Vick, Nick Gabrelcik, Austin Greaser and James Piot will play for spots in Sunday’s 36-hole championship. Vick...
U.S. Amateur finally catches break from weather, gets down to semifinals
It was catch-up day for the 121st U.S. Amateur. Mother Nature final gave the tournament and Oakmont Country Club a break. After delays and suspensions of play the past three days, all the golfers faced Friday during the finish of the Rounds of 32 and 16 and the quarterfinals were...
Pirates-Brewers game postponed, will play doubleheader Saturday
The Pittsburgh Pirates postponed Friday night’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park because of inclement weather expected throughout the evening. The Pirates (41-74) and Brewers (70-46) will play a split seven-inning doubleheader Saturday. Pirates right-hander Bryse Wilson(0-2, 3.27 ERA) will face Brewers lefty Brett Anderson (4-5, 3.54) in...
BYU’s name, image, likeness deal could test limits of competitive advantageVideo
A deal BYU has made available to its football players could test how much allowing athletes to be compensated by outside companies for name, image and likeness can be used as a competitive advantage. Earlier this week, BYU announced Built Brands — a Utah-based company that makes protein snacks —...
Westmoreland County flavor at Pittsburgh chapter of National Italian American Sports HOF night
Westmoreland County had strong representation at the recent National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, Pittsburgh Chapter’s 34th Annual Scholarship Sports Night. Among the award winners were Tony DeNunzio, a longtime Jeannette resident known for his exploits in banking, music and his family’s Italian food restaurants. He received the Frank...
Maturing Browns QB Baker Mayfield hopes to deliver on super expectationsVideo
CLEVELAND — Baker Mayfield has grown up. There was no other option. “I had to hit rock bottom for a little bit,” he said. He’s rising, and judging by last season, so are the Browns. As he picked at lunch during a break last month while shooting commercials at FirstEnergy...
Plum native, former NHL player R.J. Umberger set to join Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame
Five years have gone by since R.J. Umberger last laced up his skates in an NHL game. “Time sure has flown by,” said the Plum native who played 11 years in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers. “Before I know it, it will be 10 and...
Belle Vernon, Cal (Pa.) grad Parker Lynn joins Seton Hill baseball staff
As the Seton Hill baseball team made its way through the Division II Atlantic Regional and NCAA championships earlier this summer, Parker Lynn watched with interest. During his time as a player and student assistant coach at Cal (Pa.), Lynn often competed against and admired the Griffins, a fellow foe...
Pirates notebook: GM Ben Cherington defends decision to keep starting RF Gregory Polanco
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington defended the club’s decision to continue starting Gregory Polanco in right field despite his inconsistency at the plate as they undergo a youth movement. Polanco, who turns 30 on Sept. 14, was batting .199 with a .630 OPS entering Friday’s game against the Milwaukee...
Stats aside, Pitt linebacker SirVocea Dennis approaches 2021 with unfinished businessVideo
SirVocea Dennis sounded offended when he was asked who among the Pitt defensive players has the best throwing arm. “I say myself,” he said. “I can sling it, definitely. I love slinging it, too. I got a rocket.” Dennis, a junior outside linebacker, was a high school quarterback at Christian...
Pirates GM Ben Cherington finds ‘no silver lining’ in club’s freefall, looks toward future
Things looked bleak for the Pittsburgh Pirates amid an eight-game losing streak after being swept in back-to-back series against NL Central foes, so a visit from the first-place Milwaukee Brewers to PNC Park didn’t do much to improve their outlook. If general manager Ben Cherington was looking for a positive...
Pro wrestling star Dominic DeNucci dies at age 89
Dominic DeNucci, a professional wrestling star who teamed with Bruno Sammartino, lived in Western Pennsylvania for 50 years and trained several top pros at his Freedom wrestling school, died Thursday. He was 89. Born in Italy in 1932, DeNucci began his wrestling career in 1958 in Quebec. He appeared on...
Stock up, stock down among Steelers after 2nd preseason game
Until early Friday evening, players on 27 of the NFL’s 31 teams had yet to make their 2021 preseason debut. The Pittsburgh Steelers, meanwhile, already have played two full games. That’s plenty of extra film and data to comb through and surely that makes coach Mike Tomlin and his staff...
Helio Castroneves tops Motorsports Hall of Fame of America class
INDIANAPOLIS — Helio Castroneves celebrated his record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 victory in May. The rewards are still rolling in. When the popular 46-year-old Brazilian returned to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, track officials presented him with a bronze brick and on Friday, he was named as the headliner in a...
Joe Thornton, 42 and not done yet, signs with Panthers
SUNRISE, Fla. — Joe Thornton’s pursuit of the elusive Stanley Cup is bringing him to the Florida Panthers. The 42-year-old Thornton signed a one-year deal with the Panthers on Friday, making Florida his fourth franchise in a now 24-year NHL career. He has more points than any other active NHL...
Youth movement for Little League World Series broadcasters
ESPN will be using young broadcasters as part of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The first of two KidsCast presentations will be the MLB Little League Classic between the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Indians on Aug. 22. The ESPN2 broadcast will complement the main feed on...
Penn State newcomers make early impressions with chance to contribute
STATE COLLEGE — Penn State invested heavily in the NCAA transfer portal during the offseason, and there’s a slew of newcomers who are competing for starting spots on both sides of the ball this month. Plus, there are some freshmen from the small but talented Class of 2021 who could...
Robert Morris hockey players feel ‘double crossed,’ doubt school’s sincerity about reinstatement plan
The Robert Morris men’s and women’s hockey programs are about to enter another postseason overtime period. The clock isn’t reading 20 minutes. It’s reading four months. For a second time, Robert Morris University officials have given both teams nothing more than a foggy possibility as to whether they will be...
Tim Benz: Improving QBs and run game, sluggish defensive moments as Steelers win again in preseason
If we strip away some of the over-analysis and hyper-excitement assigned to Steelers preseason games, a few basic tasks exist for specific players and overall position groups: Build on positive momentum where it exists, and improve on previous shortcomings in limited opportunities. Painting with a broad brush from the 16-3...
