U.S./World Sports category, Page 295
William Byron wins at Daytona to reach Cup Series playoffs, knocks out Jimmie Johnson
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — William Byron snaked his way through a smoky crash late Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway and narrowly avoided another melee a few laps later. Those moves got him to victory lane for the first time in his young NASCAR Cup Series career and back in...
College football kicks off covid-19 style in Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — With masks, social distancing and mostly empty stands, the college football season kicked off covid-19 style. Austin Peay and Central Arkansas, two teams fresh from FCS playoff appearances, took the stage at Cramton Bowl Saturday night in the Guardian Kickoff Classic. The Bears won 24-17 but college...
This date in sports history: Aug. 30
1905 — Ty Cobb made his major league debut, hitting a double off Jack Chesbro of the New York Highlanders in the Tigers’ 5-3 victory. 1910 — Tom Hughes of the New York Yankees pitched a no-hitter for 91/3 innings before giving up a single to Harry Niles of the...
U.S. Open marks return to Grand Slam tennisVideo
In a year unlike any other, get ready for a U.S. Open unlike any other. “There was definitely a point where, in the beginning, I was like: There is no way these tournaments can even happen,” Serena Williams said about playing amid a pandemic. Professional tennis returned recently from a...
Dustin Johnson, Matsuyama tied for lead at tough Olympia FieldsVideo
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. — Dustin Johnson is 21 shots worse to par than he was a week ago and still looks to be the player to beat. Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama survived another demanding day at Olympia Fields, both scratching out 1-under-par 69s that felt better than it looked to...
This date in sports history: Aug. 29Video
1885 — John L. Sullivan wins the first world heavyweight title under the Marquess of Queensbury rules when he beats Dominic McCaffrey in six rounds. The fight features 3-ounce gloves and 3-minute rounds. 1952 — Dr. Reginald Weir becomes the first Black man to compete in the U.S. Tennis Championships,...
Riverhounds earn significant win over Hartford Athletic to capture group lead
The Riverhounds traveled to Connecticut on Friday for their first of three matchups with Hartford Athletic in the next month and came away with a significant victory that gave them sole possession of first place in Group F. Behind goals from Ryan James and the “Connecticut Kid” Danny Griffin, the...
Higher stakes at Daytona mean ‘crazy things will happen’
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Racing at Daytona International Speedway always comes with a hefty dose of drama. Bad breaks. Close calls. Harrowing crashes. Overtime affairs. Last-lap heroics. Underdog stories. NASCAR’s premier Cup Series could have all the above during its regular-season finale Saturday night. The final three playoff spots are...
NBA playoffs resume Saturday as sides detail new commitments
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — NBA players want change that makes their communities safer. They want people to vote — hopefully in their home arenas. And they want to keep playing basketball. Teams returned to the court Friday after the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed on commitments...
Mark Madden: Actions speak louder than words for pro athletes
The NBA’s players should have left the bubble and canceled the rest of the league’s playoffs. By doing that, the players would cost the league, its franchise owners and its television partners millions in revenue. The men affected have real power and could influence legit change. Or they could lock...
Longtime Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson dies at 85
TUCSON, Ariz. — Lute Olson, the Hall of Fame coach who turned Arizona into a college basketball powerhouse, has died. He was 85. Olson’s family said he died Thursday evening. The cause of death wasn’t given. “Coach Olson is the absolute best, one of the greatest coaches ever and one...
A 2nd day of NBA playoff games halted over racial injustice
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — An unprecedented NBA walkout over racial injustice postponed a second day of the playoffs Thursday, although players pledged to finish the postseason even as they wrestled with their emotions about wanting to bring change in their communities. For now, the basketball courts in the NBA’s...
AP source: NBA players decide to continue season at Disney
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — A person with knowledge of the situation says NBA players decided Thursday that they want to continue the season, coming to that consensus one day after three postseason games were postponed in a protest of racial injustice. It was not clear yet when the season...
Covid-19 cases push N.C. State-Virginia Tech game back 2 weeksVideo
N.C. State’s season-opener at Virginia Tech was postponed for two weeks Wednesday because of a cluster of covid-19 cases among Wolfpack athletes. The delay comes two days after N.C. State paused all athletic activities. The school didn’t specify which programs were impacted when it announced a cluster of 27 positive...
Woods faces a new, stern test to get to FedEx Cup finaleVideo
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. — Tiger Woods at Olympia Fields brought concerns about the state of his game. That was the case 17 years ago going into the U.S. Open. Never mind that Woods was the defending champion. He had gone all of four tournaments without winning. At that stage in...
NBA, other sports leagues call off games amid social injustice boycott
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Making their strongest statement yet in the fight against racial injustice, players from six NBA teams decided not to play postseason games Wednesday in a boycott that quickly reverberated across other professional leagues. Also called off were some games in Major League Baseball, Major League...
Today in sports history: Aug. 27Video
1884 — Richard Sears beats Howard Taylor, 6-0, 1-6, 6-0, 6-2, to win his fourth straight U.S. men’s national tennis championship. 1903 — Britain’s Hugh Doherty is the first non-American to win the men’s singles title in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships with a, 6-0, 6-3, 10-8, victory over...
U.S. Open 2020: Year unlike any other, Slam unlike any other
In a year unlike any other, get ready for a U.S. Open unlike any other. “There was definitely a point where, in the beginning, I was like: There is no way these tournaments can even happen,” Serena Williams said about playing amid a pandemic. Professional tennis returned recently from a...
Riverhounds to play Hartford Athletic for Group F lead
After their first nine games this season the Pittsburgh Riverhounds have put themselves in a prime position to secure a trip to the playoffs. Although they’ve had success, coach Bob Lilley still wants his team to improve their position. Friday’s contest with Hartford Athletic is the perfect opportunity. As the...
Wisconsin shooting leaves NBA players frustrated, wondering about playoffsVideo
LAKE BUENA VISTA — As the NBA sought to resume the season, players had to weigh whether playing basketball aided or distracted from their calls for social justice reform. Those discussions are starting again. With the second round of the postseason set to begin Thursday when Toronto plays Boston, players...
Video prompts Western Carolina football players to propose boycottVideo
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A Western Carolina University football player called on teammates to boycott team activities after several racist videos involving students at the school circulated on social media. Sophomore safety Jaylon McMillon said he and other members of the Catamounts football team agreed during a Zoom video Sunday not...
Antetokounmpo voted NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Giannis Antetokounmpo was voted NBA Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday, becoming the fifth player to win that award and MVP in a career. The Milwaukee Bucks All-Star, who was MVP last year and is the favorite to repeat this season, ended the two-year...
Riverhounds Notebook: Pittsburgh set for chess match with Hartford Athletic
The first half of the Riverhounds’ 2020 season was tough with two matchups against Indy Eleven, Philadelphia Union and New York Red Bulls II and one against Louisville City FC. The second half will be just as crucial with three matchups against Hartford Athletic and one apiece against Loudoun United...
Lionel Messi tells Barcelona he wants to leave the club
BARCELONA, Spain — Lionel Messi has told Barcelona he wants to leave the club after nearly two decades with the Spanish giants. The club confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday that the Argentina great sent a document expressing his desire to leave. The announcement comes 11 days after Barcelona’s...
Phil Mickelson shoots 61, leads PGA Tour Champions debut
RIDGEDALE, Mo. — Just about the only poor shot Phil Mickelson hit in his PGA Tour Champions debut was a wayward iron off the tee. He still turned it into a birdie. It was one of five straight on the back nine Monday for the five-time major champion, who decided...
