U.S./World Sports category, Page 285
Lakers, LeBron roll in Game 1 of finals, top Heat
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — LeBron James finally got an easy Game 1 in the NBA Finals. A very easy one, at that. Anthony Davis scored 34 points, James had 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists and the Los Angeles Lakers rolled past the Miami Heat, 116-98, on Wednesday...
This Date in Sports History: Oct. 1, 2020
1903 — The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Boston Pilgrims, 7-3, in the first World Series game. Jimmy Sebring hits the first Series homer, Deacon Phillippe is the winning pitcher and Cy Young the loser. 1961 — Roger Maris hits his 61st home run of the season, against Tracy Stallard of...
Player banned 4 years for courtsiding at Pittsburgh tennis event
LONDON — Spanish tennis player Gerard Joseph Platero Rodriguez was suspended for four years and fined $15,000 after being convicted of courtsiding, the first player to be charged with the offense. The Tennis Integrity Unit said Wednesday that six months of the ban were suspended on condition that no further...
NASCAR turns right, adds variety to 2021 scheduleVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After two decades of the same left turns at the same tracks over and over again, NASCAR finally upended its stagnant calendar with a 2021 schedule that is as radical as the sport has ever seen. Three new venues. A dirt race for the first time in...
Rafael Nadal dominant in 2nd-round victory at French OpenVideo
PARIS — Rafael Nadal continued his campaign for a 13th French Open title Wednesday with a dominant 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 second-round win vs. Mackenzie McDonald, and Serena Williams pulled out with an Achilles injury. Two-time finalist Dominic Thiem also moved into the third round with a 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6)...
Clairton’s Lamont Wade among contenders to serve as return man for Penn StateVideo
Coach James Franklin’s program is still waiting to learn a time and television designation for this year’s opener at Indiana on Oct. 24, but there is still plenty to talk about. The topic we’re diving into this week is the return game, especially now that KJ Hamler is a Denver...
Seattle, Las Vegas set for WNBA Finals matchup
For the fourth time in five seasons the best two teams in the WNBA will square off for the championship when Seattle and Las Vegas play in the finals. The best-of-five series begins Friday night. Las Vegas needed to beat Connecticut in a decisive fifth game of the semifinals Tuesday...
Serena Williams pulls out of French Open with hurt Achilles
PARIS — Saying she is “struggling to walk,” Serena Williams ended her latest bid for a 24th Grand Slam title and withdrew from the French Open before her second-round match Wednesday because of an injured Achilles heel. Williams hurt herself during her semifinal loss at the U.S. Open three weeks...
LeBron James, Heat together again at the NBA FinalsVideo
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — LeBron James wants to beat the Miami Heat. The Miami Heat want to beat LeBron James. These shouldn’t be surprising notions to anyone, not with a title at stake. Those looking for more acrimony than that, well, they may be disappointed. The NBA Finals start...
Oklahoma’s upset loss to Kansas St. opens up Big 12 raceVideo
It took one week for the Big 12 to bring just a little more strangeness to 2020. Five-time defending conference champion Oklahoma opened league play with a shocking home loss to Kansas State, perhaps opening the door for another program to finally to step in and claim the title. Iowa...
On the Fringe: Shortened season creating extra year of opportunityVideo
Three weeks into the new PGA Tour season, Tyler McCumber might be the first example of how the covid-19 pandemic that shut down golf for three months can provide second chances. McCumber had the best Sunday of his young PGA Tour career at Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. He...
DQ forgotten, Djokovic leaves French Open foe ‘suffocated’Video
PARIS — Novak Djokovic’s backhand clipped the net and landed wide, so he shook his head. That was it. Later, a too-soft drop shot found the white tape and bounced back on his own side, finally ceding a game in a dominant debut performance at the 2020 French Open. Djokovic...
Novak Djokovic wins easy at French Open; Ali Riske ousted in 1st roundVideo
PARIS — Novak Djokovic’s backhand clipped the net and landed wide, so he shook his head. That was it. Later, a too-soft drop shot found the white tape and bounced back on his own side, finally ceding a game in a dominant debut performance at the 2020 French Open. Djokovic...
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney not in favor of social justice messages on uniformsVideo
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney does not support messages of social justice or other issues on player uniforms. Swinney said Tuesday his stance is solely because he’s a college football traditionalist who values the historic look of jerseys, not because he disagrees with efforts to combat social injustice. “It’s not anything...
This day in sports history: Sept. 29Video
1923 — Gene Sarazen beats Walter Hagen 1-up to capture the PGA championship. 1941 — Joe Louis knocks out Lou Nova in the sixth round at the Polo Grounds in New York to retain the world heavyweight title. 1954 — Willie Mays makes his over-the-shoulder catch of Vic Wertz’ long...
Lakers, Heat start their preparations for NBA FinalsVideo
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Bam Adebayo woke up on Monday with the realization only two teams still have a chance to win this season’s NBA championship. Goosebumps kicked in at the thought. What was once a 22-team bubble at Walt Disney World is down to the final two, with...
LaMelo Ball’s long basketball journey to soon reach NBAVideo
LaMelo Ball has played around the world, from high school in California to pro ball in Australia. At some point, he’ll finally play in the NBA. The coronavirus pandemic has completely rearranged the league’s schedule, which normally would have teams opening training camp about this time. Instead, the Lakers and...
NASCAR In the Pits: Busch family hobby goes full circle at home in VegasVideo
LAS VEGAS — The racing bug hit the Busch family long before the NASCAR champion brothers were born. Their father attended the first Daytona 500 in 1959 with his parents, and later, while working as a mechanic at a Las Vegas car dealership, he decided to try racing at the...
Authentic set as 9-5 favorite at masked Preakness draw
Kentucky Derby winner Authentic was installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite for the Preakness and drew the No. 9 post position at the draw Monday that lacked the usual fanfare of owners and trainers packing into a crowded tent in the infield at Pimlico Race Course. Authentic’s trainer, Bob...
The Finals are set: LeBron, Lakers will meet Butler, Heat
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — LeBron James vs. the Heat. Pat Riley vs. the Lakers. Get ready for the NBA Finals — a title series like none other, to end a season like none other. The matchup is set, with the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers emerging as...
Kurt Busch finally wins at home track in Las Vegas, moves on in NASCAR Cup playoffsVideo
LAS VEGAS — Luck finally fell Kurt Busch’s way at his home track, where he pulled out an upset Sunday night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to sneak his way into the third round of the NASCAR Cup playoffs. Busch ended an 0-for-21 losing streak at Las Vegas with good...
Big Ten, Pac-12 teams back in most unusual AP Top 25 pollVideo
No. 6 Ohio State, No. 10 Penn State and No. 14 Oregon returned to the Associated Press college football poll Sunday, weeks before they start playing, creating a Top 25 as unusual as this season. At the top of the rankings this week, Clemson remained No. 1 with 55 first-place...
This date in sports history: Sept. 27Video
1894 — Aqueduct Race Track opens its doors. The building is torn down in 1955, and the new Aqueduct reopens on Sept. 14, 1959. 1947 — Armed, then the world’s leading money-winning thoroughbred, meets 1946 Kentucky Derby winner Assault in the first $100,000 winner-take-all match race, held at Belmont Park....
Riverhounds lose to Hartford Athletic in crucial division matchup
Hartford Athletic recorded two shots on net Saturday at Highmark Stadium. It turned out they only needed one of them. In the 36th minute, Hartford’s Alex Dixon sent a long, arching volley over the Riverhounds defense. Pittsburgh defender Patrick Bunk-Andersen got a toe on the volley that sent it rolling...
NASCAR champion Kyle Busch returns home mired in 29-race losing streakVideo
LAS VEGAS — Kyle Busch is in a terrible slump, winless this Cup season, and his 15-year streak of at least one victory a year in danger. The reigning Cup champion struggled to contain his frustration after finishing second last week at Bristol to title favorite Kevin Harvick, and his...
