U.S./World Sports category, Page 231
Keeping name, image, likeness deals safe, compliant possible trouble for collegesVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Chris Clunie chuckles thinking about what Stephen Curry’s marketing potential might’ve been at Davidson during the Wildcats’ remarkable 2008 NCAA Tournament run had Curry played in an era when college students could profit from their own fame and celebrity. Curry jerseys. Curry shoes. Curry chicken sliders. Who...
U.S. men seeking 4th consecutive Olympic basketball goldVideo
Kobe Bryant, a few months before he died, made an appearance at the Basketball World Cup in China and was asked about the future of USA Basketball. His message was clear: Gold medals no longer will come easily. “It’s not a matter of the rest of the world catching up...
Joaquin Niemann, Tom Lewis share lead at Rocket Mortgage Classic
DETROIT — Joaquin Niemann and Tom Lewis topped the jam-packed leaderboard heading into the weekend in the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Niemann and Lewis each shot 3-under-par 69 on Friday to reach 10-under 134. Troy Merritt (68), Chris Kirk (68) and Max Homa (65) were a shot back. First-round leader Davis...
After College World Series success, Mars grad Will Bednar could wind up as high pick in MLB Draft
Andy Bednar had been a baseball coach since before his boys were born. But in a telltale sign of the generation they were raised in, David and Will Bednar didn’t have their competitive fire ignited solely on the field. In part, it began on a flatscreen TV. “I’ve gotten progressively...
With family ties, American Sebastian Korda heads to Wimbledon’s 4th roundVideo
WIMBLEDON, England — When Sebastian Korda struck his last competitive shot as a 20-year-old — an overhead winner that closed out a third-round victory over Wimbledon’s No. 22 seed Friday — the American raised both arms, then doubled over and rested his hands on his knees. Up in a Centre...
Marks bypasses charters to buy entire Ganassi NASCAR teamVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Immediately after the bombshell announcement that Justin Marks had purchased Chip Ganassi’s NASCAR team, the outgoing owner took the soon-to-be new boss back to the shop to address a room full of anxious employees. “It was important to me to get in front of people and look...
Plum native Scott McGough to play for USA baseball team at Olympic Games
USA Baseball certainly didn’t have to scour the globe to find its Olympic closer. The notion doesn’t even make sense. But that is what it did to locate Scott McGough. And the organization found McGough in a rather ironic location — Japan. McGough, a Plum and Oregon alum who bounced...
Mohoric posts first Tour stage win, Roglic out of contention
LE CREUSOT, France — Matej Mohoric posted his first stage win in the Tour de France on Friday following a long breakaway in the race’s longest stage. The 155-mile hilly trek from Vierzon to Le Creusot in the seventh stage was the longest in 21 years. Mohoric was part of...
Some fans. No fans. Tokyo undecided as games open in 3 weeks
TOKYO — Banning all fans from the Tokyo Olympics is still an option with the games opening during a pandemic in just three weeks, Seiko Hashimoto, the president of the Tokyo organizing committee, said Friday. This would be a reversal of a decision spelled out 10 days ago by organizers...
Overdue Sabalenka on verge of breakthrough at Wimbledon
WIMBLEDON, England — No. 2-seeded Aryna Sabalenka is into the second week at Wimbledon and on the verge of a career breakthrough. The hard-hitting Belarusian beat qualifier María Camila Osorio Serrano 6-0, 6-3 Friday to reach the fourth round, and she might be overdue for a deep run in a...
Sha’Carri Richardson tests for marijuana, will miss Olympic 100
American champion Sha’Carri Richardson cannot run in the Olympic 100-meter race after testing positive for a chemical found in marijuana. Richardson, who won the 100 at Olympic trials in 10.86 seconds on June 19, told of her ban Friday on the “Today Show.” She tested positive at the Olympic trials...
PGA rookie Davis Thompson takes early lead at Rocket ClassicVideo
DETROIT — Davis Thompson, in his third PGA Tour event as a professional, is leading the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He’s not excited about that fact. Yet. “Sounds good on Sunday,” Thompson said after matching a Detroit Golf Club record with a 9-under-par 63 to take the early first-round lead. “It’s...
Analysis: Suns’ worst-to-first turnaround nearly completeVideo
The seeds for this were planted nearly a year ago. The Phoenix Suns were in the middle of their eight-game unbeaten run inside the bubble at Walt Disney World last summer when someone asked coach Monty Williams if it was fun to be the feel-good story of the event. His...
Mark Cavendish does it again, posts another stage win in Tour de FranceVideo
CHATEAUROUX, France — Mark Cavendish is rolling back the years at the Tour de France. Back in the race for the first time since 2018, the British sprinter has regained some of the luster of his youth to dominate the field again. Cavendish claimed the short and flat sixth stage...
Highlands grad has no regrets, plenty of good memories from U.S. Olympic swim trials
Bailey Bonnett left the U.S. Olympic swimming trials a couple weeks ago knowing she gave everything she had. The belief that she left everything in the pool and being around her Kentucky teammates made her second trip to the Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb., an enjoyable experience despite coming within...
Ash Barty avoids upset trend to reach 3rd round at Wimbledon
WIMBLEDON, England — Top-ranked Ash Barty advanced to the third round of a Wimbledon women’s draw depleted of other top contenders by beating Anna Blinkova 6-4, 6-3 Thursday. No. 3-seeded Elina Svitolina became the latest upset victim, and eight of the top 11 players in the WTA rankings are out...
With Kerri Walsh Jennings out, new generation hits the beach
London Olympics organizers erected a 25-foot statue of two-time defending champion Kerri Walsh Jennings in St. James’ Park, just a short stroll from the venue where she would win her third beach volleyball title. Four years later in Rio de Janeiro, Walsh Jennings again climbed onto the podium to claim...
Peters Township native Alison Riske tabbed for U.S. Olympic tennis team
WIMBLEDON, England — Coco Gauff and Jennifer Brady will lead a U.S. Olympic tennis team that will go to the Tokyo Games without any of the country’s two highest-ranked women or four top men, according to a roster obtained by The Associated Press. The list of players heading to Japan...
U.S. women’s hoops looks for 7th consecutive gold medal
Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird will try and become the first players ever to win five Olympic gold medals in basketball when the United States women’s team begins play at the Tokyo Games. The pair has been an integral part of the U.S. run of six consecutive golds at the...
Road America eagerly awaits 1st Cup Series race since 1956
Road America owns a reputation as one of the nation’s foremost road courses yet hasn’t hosted NASCAR’s premier Cup Series since the 1950s. That changes on the Fourth of July in a coup for a Wisconsin track that bills itself as “America’s national park of speed” but until this year...
Tour de France organizers withdraw lawsuit against careless fan
CHATEAUROUX, France — Tour de France organizers have withdrawn their lawsuit against a spectator who caused a massive crash on the first stage. Organizers made the decision in a bid to defuse the situation after the careless spectator was placed in custody, race spokesperson Fabrice Tiano said on Thursday. Gendarmes...
This Date in Sports History: July 1
1859 — Amherst defeats Williams, 73-32, in the first intercollegiate baseball game. The game is played by Massachusetts Rules, a wide-open form of the sport commonly known as roundball, and Amherst wins by reaching the pre-established score of 65 runs. Amherst exceeds 65-run limit during a 10-run 26th inning. 1903...
Mars’ Will Bednar throws 6 no-hit innings, Mississippi State blanks Vanderbilt for national title
OMAHA, Neb. — Mississippi State’s first national championship had been building since 1985, when “Thunder and Lightning” — Will Clark and Rafael Palmeiro — were the stars on what’s known as the best team to not win a College World Series. The 2021 Bulldogs got the job done. Finally. Mars...
NCAA clears way for athletes to be compensated
DALLAS — The NCAA cleared the way for athletes to profit off their name on Thursday, the eve of legislation becoming law in several states that would allow for such compensation. The expected approval from the NCAA Board of Directors came a few days after a recommendation from the Division...
Report: Fan involved in Tour de France crash arrested
PARIS — Gendarmes in Brittany on Wednesday arrested a fan involved in a massive pileup at the Tour de France during the opening stage at cycling’s biggest event, local media reported. The fan brandished a large cardboard sign while leaning into the path of oncoming riders. She appeared to be...
