U.S./World Sports category, Page 318
Tulane basketball player charged with murder in GeorgiaVideo
MCDONOUGH, Ga. — A Tulane University basketball player who recently declared for the NBA draft is charged with murder and other counts in a Georgia slaying. Teshaun Hightower, who led the Green Wave in scoring last season, was booked into jail Saturday on multiple charges, including murder and aggravated assault,...
Ryan Newman says he will be ready to race when NASCAR resumesVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ryan Newman said he will be ready to race when NASCAR resumes competition, which could be as early as May 17. Newman suffered a head injury in the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway. The Indiana native spent less than 48 hours in the hospital before walking...
Plum native Peyton Kondis puts swimming career behind her
When the NCAA Division I swimming championships were canceled March 12 because of the coronavirus, Plum resident Peyton Kondis began to turn her attention and preparation to wrapping up her competition career in late June at the U.S. Olympic swim trials in Omaha, Neb. But for the Oakland Catholic graduate...
Source: NBA players could be allowed back to practice facilities Friday but with restrictionsVideo
MIAMI — A person with knowledge of the situation said NBA players will be allowed to return to team training facilities starting Friday, provided that their local governments do not have a stay-at-home order prohibiting such movement. Any workouts that take place would be voluntary and individual sessions only, according...
Fights to resume in Nicaragua because ‘boxers have to eat’Video
MANAGUA, Nicaragua — Boxing was set to resume in Nicaragua on Saturday with a televised eight-fight card in front of a live audience in Managua. The threat of the coronavirus was dismissed by promoter Rosendo Álvarez, the former two-time world champion. “Here we don’t fear the coronavirus, and there is...
Wake Forest fires Danny Manning as basketball coachVideo
RALEIGH, N.C. — Wake Forest fired basketball coach Danny Manning after six seasons in which the Demon Deacons had a winning record only once. The school announced the decision Saturday. That came more than six weeks after the Demon Deacons lost to Pitt in the opening game of the ACC...
Pittsburgh councilman O’Connor recalls golfing with Michael Jordan, says he beat him on front 9
One day in 2003, Corey O’Connor’s father called with great news: They were going to play a round of golf with Hall of Fame NBA player Michael Jordan. It was for the annual Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational at The Club at Nevillewood in the South Hills. Tee time: 9:35 a.m....
Commentary: Bowling becomes butt of joke as Georgia reopensVideo
CONYERS, Ga. — The sign outside the bowling alley in this bedroom community east of Atlanta contained a brief but compelling message Friday. “We Are Open.” Yep, they are open, but it’s hardly business as usual for a sport that’s always had a bit of an image problem. Mockingly portrayed...
Taiwan pro baseball league plays on with no fans in standsVideo
NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan — When Wang Wei-chen had a base hit for the Chinatrust Brothers, no one booed or cheered from the stands at the suburban Taipei ballpark. No one hurled insults at the umpires. And no one yelled the Chinese-language line of encouragement “add oil” to either team....
Michigan facing more legal action over late doctor’s alleged abuseVideo
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A legal team that says it represents more than 100 people who allege they were abused by a deceased Michigan sports doctor Friday announced the first step in filing a lawsuit against the school. The Anderson Survivors Legal Team said it filed 20-plus notices of intent...
UFC will stage 3 fights in May at empty Jacksonville arenaVideo
The UFC is returning to competition May 9 for three shows without fans in eight days in Jacksonville, Fla. The mixed martial arts promotion announced its plans Friday to return to action after postponing and canceling several shows because of the coronavirus pandemic. UFC 249 will be held May 9...
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...
