U.S./World Sports category, Page 315
Astronomer files trademark lawsuit against American Girl
MADISON, Wis. — An astronomer in Chicago has sued the maker of American Girl dolls, alleging the Wisconsin company stole her likeness and name to create its astronaut doll. The federal trademark lawsuit filed in Madison this week by Lucianne Walkowicz asks American Girl and its parent company, Mattel, to...
Miss watching sports? Cricket final going live – in Vanuatu
PORT VILA, Vanuatu — They’re ready to go live in Vanuatu. A tropical island in the South Pacific is very likely to be the only venue in the world hosting a competitive cricket final on Saturday, as most international sport remains shuttered around the globe. Vanuatu Cricket Association chief executive...
Governor of N.C. says NASCAR teams can start working again, clearing hurdle for series’ return
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The governor of North Carolina said Thursday that NASCAR teams can work in their race shops if they maintain social distancing guidelines, clearing a potential hurdle to resuming the season in coming weeks. Gov. Roy Cooper extended the state’s stay-at-home order through May 8 on Thursday and...
Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw retires; won 2 national titlesVideo
Muffet McGraw abruptly retired Wednesday, stepping down from Notre Dame after a Hall of Fame coaching career that includes two national championships in 33 seasons. The 64-year-old McGraw became the 13th woman inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. She won 936 games, ranking sixth among...
Bulls series sparks memories of Michael Jordan’s greatness, fills void for sports fansVideo
Before the coronavirus reared its head in the U.S., spending this much time near the television might have sounded appealing to sports fans. But then sports went, too, with covid-19 pressing the pause button indefinitely on most nonessential functions nationwide. The country is hungry for sports. And nobody — including...
NASCAR facing big decision on when to raceVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The virtual racing has been cute and kept everyone entertained, but NASCAR needs to get back to the real thing, quickly, for the financial and mental health of the sport. NASCAR — really, almost all levels of professional racing — is not built to withstand a shutdown...
Franklin Regional graduate Michael Kemerer granted another year of eligibility at Iowa
Positive news, in any form, is welcomed by college athletes in these uncertain times. Wrestler Michael Kemerer received an uplifting boost from the NCAA over the weekend as the Iowa senior and Franklin Regional graduate was granted a sixth year of eligibility. That means he will get another shot at...
Hopewell grad Shatori Walker-Kimbrough embarks on new WNBA odysseyVideo
Like so many others, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough is making the best of being stuck at home during the covid-19 pandemic. The former Hopewell three-sport standout and three-year WNBA veteran is riding her exercise bike, doing core workouts and honing her ball-handling — in between jigsaw puzzles and reading. Being at “home”...
William Byron wins 2nd NASCAR virtual race in a drama-free eventVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nobody did anything to get fired or lose a sponsor in this week’s edition of NASCAR virtual racing. William Byron won his second consecutive NASCAR virtual race Sunday by holding off Timmy Hill — the driver who moved him out of the way to win an earlier...
John Steigerwald: Kudos to Jalen Green for choosing G League over college
Good for Jalen Green. He decided not to go to college. Instead, he’ll make $500,000 playing basketball in the G League. That’s the official minor league of the NBA. It used to be known as the D League for NBA Developmental League. It was changed to G League in 2017....
Sports leagues seek return to play but with no guarantees
With no games being played, recent sports headlines have centered around hopes and dreams: namely, the uncharted path leagues and teams must navigate to return to competition in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic. Virtually all leagues talk publicly about their desire to return before summer. But behind closed doors,...
Scott Fowler: What sponsor would pay Kyle Larson?Video
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR driver Kyle Larson threw his job away by saying one word on Easter Sunday — the N-word. “What Kyle Larson did to himself in that one moment was like hitting the wall running at 300 mph,” Humpy Wheeler, the retired racing executive who ran Charlotte Motor...
Louisville adjusts to new date, season for Kentucky DerbyVideo
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Postponing the Kentucky Derby was jarring enough for a city that draws much of its identity from hosting horse racing’s marquee event. Canceling it, well, that’s unthinkable in the Bluegrass State. The move of the Triple Crown’s first leg to Labor Day weekend because of the coronavirus...
Pandemic costs youth sports millions across U.S.
DALLAS — Less than a month ago, AAU president Roger Goudy watched membership in the long-running youth sports organization drop from 20,000 ahead of last year’s pace to about 3,000 behind in a week. For now, he hopes a girls volleyball tournament he helped turn into one of the world’s...
Horse racing gets more TV time with other sports on hold
Socially distanced crews in New York and California are keeping horse racing on television in the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic. Horse racing is one of the few sports ongoing, albeit in a limited capacity at a handful of empty tracks, but its TV presence has expanded because of the...
Sabrina Ionescu goes No. 1 in WNBA Draft; Hopewell’s Walker-Kimbrough traded againVideo
NEW YORK — Oregon star Sabrina Ionescu was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, as expected. When she will play for the New York Liberty is unclear. With sports on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, it was a draft Friday night like no other with players in...
Joe Buck turns down $1 million to provide play-by-play for porn websiteVideo
Several weeks ago, Joe Buck offered to do play-by-play on any video sent his way to help keep his broadcasting skills sharp during the sports shutdown. Since then, his Twitter followers have been able to hear his distinctive voice calling such events as toddlers kicking a beach ball, beer pong,...
NBA players to receive 25% less in paychecks starting May 15Video
NBA players will see 25% of their paychecks taken out starting May 15, the first direct hit to their salaries because of the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was finalized Friday in a board of governors meeting and was done in concert with the National Basketball Players Association. Players will be...
Column: When nightmare is over, a chance for sports to resetVideo
While sports is on hold during the coronavirus pandemic, there are surely lessons to be learned. When normality does return to our stadiums and arenas, maybe we can put them to use. Certainly, this unprecedented shutdown has changed life — and sports — in ways we never expected. But maybe,...
Oregon guard Sabrina Ionescu expected to be No. 1 pick in WNBA DraftVideo
NEW YORK — It will be no surprise if Oregon star Sabrina Ionescu is the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft on Friday night by the New York Liberty. It would be surprise, however, if she isn’t. The Ducks guard, who was the consensus player of the year, has...
U.S. Open tennis covid-19 decision by June; no fans ‘unlikely’Video
A decision on whether to postpone or cancel the U.S. Open because of the coronavirus pandemic is expected by June, the U.S. Tennis Association’s new CEO said Thursday, calling the prospect of holding the Grand Slam tournament without spectators “highly unlikely.” “Obviously our ambition is to run the tournament. It’s...
Top recruit Jalen Green skips college, signs with G LeagueVideo
Top recruit Jalen Green said Thursday that he is skipping college and has signed with the G League for next season, becoming the first player to take advantage of a new potential path to the NBA. Green, a guard from Napa, Calif., who was considered by some as the No....
PGA Tour hopes to resume in June at Colonial with no fansVideo
The PGA Tour laid out an ambitious plan Thursday to resume its season the second week of June and keep fans away for at least a month, conceding any return to golf depends on whether it can be played safely amid the coronavirus outbreak. The Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial...
Tour de France to start Aug. 29, end Sept. 20Video
PARIS — With the Tour de France pushed back to a late August start, race director Christian Prudhomme is hoping cycling’s showcase event can help bring back a sense of normality to a nation reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. Organizers on Wednesday announced new dates of Aug. 29-Sept. 20 for...
Commissioners tell Mike Pence no football before campuses openVideo
The commissioners of the nation’s major college football conferences held a 30-minute conference call Wednesday with Vice President Mike Pence and stressed that college sports cannot return from the coronavirus shutdown until campuses have re-opened. The 10 commissioners, along with the athletic director of Notre Dame, comprise the College Football...
