U.S./World Sports category, Page 214
Surprise, surprise: Jaguars make Trevor Lawrence starting QB
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Urban Meyer assumed Trevor Lawrence would be his starting quarterback long before he even took the Jacksonville job. But Meyer insisted Lawrence earn the spot, whether his goal was to send a message to his young team or set a tone for his NFL tenure. So Meyer...
Serena Williams pulls out of U.S. Open, citing torn hamstring
Serena Williams added herself to the list of big-name withdrawals from the U.S. Open on Wednesday, pulling out of the year’s last Grand Slam tournament because of a torn hamstring. Williams hasn’t competed since injuring her right leg in the first set of her first-round match at Wimbledon in late...
Loyola Chicago basketball pioneer Jerry Harkness dies at 81Video
Jerry Harkness was inspired by Jackie Robinson to take up the game of basketball. He ended up becoming a civil rights trailblazer in his own right. Following a path paved by Major League Baseball’s first Black player, Harkness led Loyola Chicago to a barrier-breaking national championship in basketball in 1963...
Paralympics open in empty stadium — just like Olympics
TOKYO — The Paralympics began Tuesday in the same empty National Stadium — during the same pandemic — as the opening and closing ceremonies of the recently completed Tokyo Olympics. Japanese Emperor Naruhito got it all started again, this time under the theme “We Have Wings.” Among the few on...
Bethel Park man, Rostraver native competes in Paralympic Triathlon in Tokyo this week
Eric McElvenny never shied away from a challenge. This week, the 38-year-old Bethel Park father of three will face a new one. The Rostraver native will take to an international stage as a member the U.S. Paralympic Triathlon Team in Tokyo. Like the Summer Olympic competitions that wrapped up there...
This date in sports history: Aug. 24Video
1904 — Holcombe Ward wins the men’s singles title in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships. 1908 — Tommy Burns knocks out Bill Squires in the 13th round at Sydney, Australia, to retain the world heavyweight title. 1925 — Helen Wills, 19, wins her third straight U.S. Lawn Tennis Association...
Tony Finau ends 5-year drought and wins Northern TrustVideo
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Tony Finau ended more than five years and 142 tournaments without winning with a dynamic charge on the back nine and big miss from Cameron Smith to capture the rain-delayed Northern Trust in a playoff Monday. Finau was three shots out of the lead when he...
U.S. Open champs get lowest payout since 2012; total prizes up
The two singles champions at this year’s U.S. Open will earn 35% less than in 2019, the last time the Grand Slam tennis tournament allowed spectators, while prize money for qualifying and the first three rounds of the main draw will rise as part of an overall increase. A year...
Ryan Blaney takes lead on final restart, holds on to win Michigan
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Ryan Blaney needed a push to pass William Byron on Sunday. Kyle Busch provided the boost. With Busch’s help, Blaney took the lead on the final restart, then bobbed and weaved his way around Michigan International Speedway to beat Byron by 0.077 seconds. It was the narrowest...
Yordenis Ugás defeats Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision
LAS VEGAS — Although Manny Pacquiao hasn’t decided what his future holds, the eight-division world champion realizes his 26-year professional boxing career might have ended Saturday night with a disheartening loss. Yordenis Ugás is only seven years younger than the Filipino senator, yet he’s just getting started after seizing this...
Briscoe, Hamlin will get chance to settle debate at MichiganVideo
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin spent the week trading barbs about their chaotic finish at Indianapolis. They will have a chance to settle the score Sunday at Michigan. During a week many teams scrambled to repair damaged cars while plotting strategy for NASCAR’s return to oval racing,...
This date in sports history: Aug. 21Video
1901 — William Larned wins the first of seven men’s singles titles in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championship. 1914 — Walter Hagen captures the U.S. Open golf title by edging Chick Evans. 1920 — Jock Hutchinson wins the PGA Championship with a 1-up victory over J. Douglass Edgar. 1931...
Rahm happy with 1-shot lead at The Northern Trust, not so much with FedEx formatVideo
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Jon Rahm is young enough at 26 that the FedEx Cup has been a big part of the PGA Tour as long as he has been chasing his dreams, and winning the trophy would mean a lot to him. He just doesn’t like the way it...
Column: Sports should require fans be vaxxed or stay homeVideo
The Las Vegas Raiders have always prided themselves on being a maverick franchise, so maybe it wasn’t too surprising they were the first NFL team to take such a bold — yet obvious — step. Now every other sports team — college and pro — should follow the lead of...
Manny Pacquiao takes on Ugás before likely presidential run
LAS VEGAS — Even Manny Pacquiao is uncertain whether his 26-year professional boxing career is ending Saturday night when he faces Yordenis Ugás for the WBA welterweight title. Pacquiao has plans and ambitions reaching far beyond the fight game at this point in his wild life, and that’s why he...
WWE star Charlotte Flair discusses SummerSlam, Becky Lynch chants and social media trollsVideo
WWE star Charlotte Flair is one of the most decorated wrestlers in history, winning multiple world titles while entertaining fans around the world. She will be competing Saturday for the Raw women’s title against Rhea Ripley and Nikki A.S.H. in a Triple Threat match at the SummerSlam pay-per-view in Las...
Minority coaches coalition works to put words into action
Maryland coach Mike Locksley launched the National Coalition for Minority Football Coaches a little more than a year ago, during a tumultuous summer of racial reckoning in the United States. The timing wasn’t necessarily part of Locksley’s plan. Long before the death of George Floyd sparked protests across the country,...
Could John Calipari be on the verge of an incredibly rare recruiting achievement?
LEXINGTON, Ky. — For all of John Calipari’s massive recruiting success in the past decade-plus at Kentucky, there’s something the UK coach has never been able to pull off. In fact, it’s something that has been accomplished only once over a span of 25 recruiting cycles. Calipari could make it...
Nadal out of U.S. Open, ends season to heal injured foot
MADRID — Rafael Nadal pulled out of the U.S. Open on Friday and said he will not play tennis again this year because of a nagging foot injury. The Spaniard sat out both Wimbledon and the Olympics because of fatigue after losing to Novak Djokovic in the French Open semifinals....
Thomas, Rahm open with 63s to share lead at Liberty NationalVideo
JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Jon Rahm returned from a month off and played like he was never gone. Justin Thomas took the advice of a 15-year-old and had his lowest score of the year. Both opened with an 8-under-par 63 on Thursday at The Northern Trust as the PGA Tour’s...
Wazzu’s Nick Rolovich says he intends to follow vaccine mandate
PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State coach Nick Rolovich said Thursday that he intends to follow a new state mandate requiring covid-19 vaccinations for all those working at the state’s colleges and universities, including coaches. Rolovich had said previously that he was not going to get the vaccine for personal reasons...
Biles: Mental health advocacy part of post-Olympic tour
Simone Biles didn’t plan for her second Olympics to become a flashpoint in the evolving conversation about the role proper mental health plays in all levels of sports. Then again, she’s hardly complaining. If anything, she’s leaning into it. The American gymnastics star has no regrets about her decision to...
This date in sports history: Aug. 19Video
1909 — The first race is held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Twelve thousand spectators watch Austrian engineer Louis Schwitzer win a 5-mile race with an average speed of 57.4 miles per hour. The track’s surface of crushed rock and tar breaks up in a number of places and causes the...
This date in sports history: Aug. 18Video
1923 — Helen Mills, 17, ends Molla Bjurstedt Mallory’s domination of the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships and starts her own with a 6-2, 6-1 victory. 1958 — Floyd Patterson knocks out Roy Harris in the 13th round at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles to retain his world heavyweight title....
Big 12 teams face forfeits if virus keeps them from playingVideo
IRVING, Texas — Big 12 teams unable to play a game this fall because of covid-19, or any other reasons, will have to forfeit and be given a loss in the conference standings. The Big 12 released its game threshold policy Tuesday. A no contest would be declared only if...
