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Sports Quote of the Day:
"In sports, championships often define a person's legacy." ~ Don Yeager, Journalist
Trending: Warriors earn first NBA title in 40 years. (See basketball section for details).
Trending: Report: FBI investigating Cardinals for hacking Astros' database. (See Baseball section for details).
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Stanley Cup goal accomplished for newest Blackhawks.
By Tracey Myers
Andrew Desjardins stood on the ice in happy disbelief, thrilled at the final result but also a little exhausted by what it took to get here.
“The amount of work that’s put in to getting to this is just hard to imagine,” said Desjardins, who had played no more than 11 playoff games in any year before playing 21 with the Blackhawks. “When you’ve never done it, you don’t even understand how much work it is to get here. It feels amazing right now.”
For the newest Blackhawks, such as Desjardins, Antoine Vermette and Teuvo Teravainen, there was a sense of awe to go along with the celebration after the Blackhawks claimed their third Stanley Cup in the past six seasons. They’re part of a team that makes annual lengthy trips to the postseason. It’s grueling, it’s exhausting but at the end of this trek, it was also worth the grind.
“It’s surreal,” said Vermette, whose only other trip to the Stanley Cup Final was in 2007 with the Ottawa Senators. “It’s probably something you’ve heard in the past from different players but it’s tough to describe exactly what’s going on right now. At the end of the day you want it to sink in and enjoy every moment.”
Desjardins and Vermette, trade-deadline acquisitions, made big contributions down the stretch. Teravainen, who made tremendous strides from the start of this fall, also had clutch outings. Desjardins fit in well on the Blackhawks’ fourth line with Andrew Shaw and Marcus Kruger, forming a reliable trio that Desjardins said was always on the same page.
“It almost felt instantaneous,” Desjardins said. “We had great communication, we knew where each other was. It’s just one of those things that worked. We never stressed each other out, we were always positive. It just worked. It’s a great feeling when you play with two guys like that.”
Teravainen talked of his ups and downs this season, be it healthy scratches or trying to adapt to a new country and language. He went from a player who was hesitant to shoot or speak to one who was confident in both realms.
“I had to be patient and trust myself,” Teravainen said. “I think I’ve been getting more in the group all season. First, it was hard with the language change, but I think I’ve gotten better all the time. I finally got it, so I’m pretty excited right now.”
The newest Blackhawks embraced their roles with this team. It was going to take heavy lifting to lift that Cup. They bought into the plan. Now they’re reaping the reward.
“I was saying to the other guys, I think I had a pretty good workout this summer, I probably could handle [lifting the Cup] but I didn’t want to drop it,” Vermette said. “That was my first thought. It’s pretty special. Such a unique and special moment, I’ll cherish it the rest of my life.”
Blackhawks parade will be Thursday with rally at Soldier Field.
#HAWKSTALK
It's official.
The Blackhawks parade will be on Thursday at 10 a.m. followed by a rally at Soldier Field, Mayor Emanuel announced Tuesday.
"The City of Chicago is so proud of the Blackhawks, which is why we are going to throw them a celebration that only Chicago can throw - a celebration worthy of a dynasty," said Mayor Emanuel.
The parade will start at Jefferson Street and run along Monroe Street, then make its way through Michigan Avenue. Tickets are needed for the rally, which will be free, but more information will be released later today.
The 2013 Stanley Cup celebration was held at Grant Park after parading through the streets of Chicago, and it was epic:
NBA Finals: Warriors close out Cavaliers in NBA Finals Game 6 for championship.
By Adi Joseph
Warriors celebrate. (Getty Images)
The final, 83rd victory couldn't come easily. A year of dominance couldn't conclude without LeBron James and his band of misfits making things a bit more difficult.
But the 2014-15 NBA season could not have concluded any other way. The Golden State Warriors are the NBA champions. The Cavaliers witnessed and challenged but ultimately lost 105-97 in Game 6, at home in Cleveland.
Game 6 was a true team effort from the best team in the NBA. Finals MVP Andre Iguodala had his best offensive showing of the series with 25 points, five assists and five rebounds while continuing to defend James as well as possible. Regular-season MVP point guard Stephen Curry had 25 points and eight assists. Power forward Draymond Green added a triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Even inconsistently used backup center Festus Ezeli chipped in with 10 points.
For the Cavaliers, it was more of the same. More of James. Two days after declaring himself "the best player in the world," James again was the best player on the court. He had 32 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists but again lacked for help and forced his shots more than we are used to, even as he became the sixth player in NBA history with 5,000 career postseason points. James exited the game in the final seconds to chants of MVP from his home crowd.
The Warriors seemed to end the game early, holding a 28-15 first-quarter lead. But the Cavaliers mucked things up in the second quarter and cut the deficit to 45-43 at halftime. The Warriors responded and distanced themselves again, only to have the Cavs keep it close to the end, thanks largely to J.R. Smith's 15 fourth-quarter points.
Still the Warriors prevailed because of Iguodala and Curry and Shaun Livingston and the rest. The title is the Warriors' first since 1975 and comes after a franchise-best 67-victory regular season.
Their path was marked by injuries, sure. The Warriors managed to not face a single team in the postseason with its first-string point guard healthy. The Cavaliers, in particular, were battered, without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, James' two best teammates.
But nothing takes away from what this team did in a truly dominant performance. Their shooting drew the attention, but their defense was dominant as well. And now they have the hardware to prove it.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session... Jimmy Butler expected to turn down Bulls' 5-year maximum extension offer.
By Ricky O'Donnell
Butler was an All-Star for the first time last season. (Photo/Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports)
Jimmy Butler bet on himself once already, and it appears he's set to do it again. The All-Star wing plans on rejecting a five-year, $90 million max contract offer from the Chicago Bulls in favor of a shorter deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. While the Bulls will have the right to match any contract Butler is offered, signing a shorter deal would mean he could become a free agent again in the summer of 2017 when the salary cap is set to explode.
Teams hoping to pursue Butler reportedly believe a short-term deal is the "wisest way" to approach his free agency. Wojnarowski reports Butler is intrigued by the possibility of signing an offer sheet with the Los Angeles Lakers after spending the summer living in L.A.
Should Butler sign an offer sheet for a two-year contract, he could potentially earn as much as $190 million over five years when he becomes a free agent again following the 2016-17 season if the salary cap jumps as much as it's expected to.
Butler's most lucrative option could be to sign a three-year, $50 million extension this offseason with a player option for the final year and a significant trade kicker. Wojnarowski reports the Bulls have to sell Butler on the team's future with Fred Hoiberg and says Butler and point guard Derrick Rose "need to come to a greater understanding about how to best co-exist on the floor."
The Bulls will only lose Butler this offseason if they decide not to match an offer sheet. Before the 2014-15 season, Butler turned down an extension believed to be worth more than $10 million annually for four years. He used his impending free agency as motivation to turn in the best year of his career, becoming an All-Star at age 25 and raising his scoring average from 13 points per game to 20 points per game.
Butler was the last pick of the first round in 2011. He won the NBA's Most Improved Player award this season and has been voted second team All-Defense each of the past two seasons.
Bulls Summer League Schedule 2015 Announced.
chicagobulls.com
The Chicago Bulls will open their summer schedule on Saturday, July 11 as they square off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second day of Samsung NBA Summer League. The Bulls will compete in three preliminary round games from July 10-14 before being seeded in a tournament that starts on July 15 and concludes with the Championship Game on July 20. Each team is guaranteed to play at least five games.
NBA TV will televise all 67 games at the annual showcase of future NBA stars, culminating with the Samsung NBA Summer League Championship Game at 6 p.m. PT on Monday, July 20 at the Thomas & Mack Center. Also, fans again will be able to watch games live on NBA.com and via the NBA Game Time App. The complete game schedule is attached. The broadcast schedule will be released at a later date.
Tickets for Samsung NBA Summer League are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting NBATickets.com or by calling 702-739-FANS. Dedicated customer service for NBATickets.com is available at (866) 357-1136 and by email.
The 24-team field at Samsung NBA Summer League 2015 is composed of 14 playoff teams from the 2014-15 NBA season, nine teams with lottery picks in NBA Draft 2015 presented by State Farm and an NBA Development League Select Team.
For more information about Samsung NBA Summer League 2015, visit nba.com/summerleague or follow @NBASummerLeague on Twitter.
Below is the Bulls schedule for Samsung NBA Summer League 2015. Please note all times listed are Central.
| Date | Time | Location | Matchup |
|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, July 11 | 5:30 PM | Thomas & Mack | Bulls vs. Timberwolves |
| Sunday, July 12 | 6:00 PM | Cox Pavilion | Bulls vs. Raptors |
| Tuesday, July 14 | 4:00 PM | Cox Pavilion | Nets vs. Bulls |
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Minicamp to mark last Bears stop before training camp.
By John Mullin
The linemen still won’t be in pads and meaningfully hitting each other, and any position battles will still be many weeks away from resolution. But the Bears will finish off the third phase of their offseason this week with a three-day minicamp Tuesday-Thursday before adjourning completely until July 29.
This camp is mandatory, meaning another decision point for Martellus Bennett. The tight end has skipped the offseason program so far but would face more than $70,000 in fines if he turns an absence from voluntary workouts into a full-fledged holdout.
Beyond that, meaningful decisions on the lines and myriad other situations will remain in abeyance, particularly since the padded, full-contact work in downstate Illinois August heat is when the first traces of injuries and durability issues typically first surface.
“I think [minicamp sessions are] really just opportunities to practice,” said coach John Fox. “Phase 3, pretty much the same kind of thing. In minicamp, you actually have two practices, they say, but it’s really only one practice. The other’s a walk-through. But other than that, it’s pretty much the same schedule.”
Whether Kyle Long is still at right tackle rather than back right guard, and whether it means anything if he is, or isn’t, will be under study again. Whether Christian Jones and Shea McClellin are the starting inside linebackers won’t really matter until pads come on in Bourbonnais; same with whether Will Sutton or rookie Eddie Goldman is the No. 1 nose tackle.
What actually does matter is whether or not an internal cohesion and comfort level in all three phases are forming, particularly given a nearly all-new coaching staff and so many new faces from the draft, veteran free agency and undrafted.
“Everything is coming together, for sure,” said veteran safety Antrel Rolle, signed away from the New York Giants. “There's still a lot of work left to be done, which is expected, but things are coming together. The feeling is good and the tempo is great.
“We're just getting to know each other, and that definitely takes time. We're just waiting for it to all click.”
A different slant on Martellus Bennett's holdout with the Bears.
By John Mullin
Chicago Bears tight end Martellus Bennett
The word “contract” usually carries with it the understanding that both sides have agreed to an arrangement. Some of them involve services, some involve goods, some involve money. In the NFL they involve services and money.
But it’s not always that simple.
Martellus Bennett has a contract in force through the 2016 season. He chose to stay away from voluntary minicamps, organized team activities and conditioning programs this offseason, working out on his own but opting to try creating a little pressure toward a contract revision after a 90-reception season.
The simple reaction is that you have a contract, you go to work and honor it. Mmmmm, yes and no...
Brian Urlacher conducted a similar job action several years ago, with time left on his deal. His reasoning was that if the team so chooses, it can put you in position of either accepting a pay cut or a cut, period. When that happens, Urlacher correctly said, no one squawks that the team has a contract and should honor it – so why is the player always the bad guy when he wants a better deal?
Bennett presents a sometimes-cartoonish persona. He is anything but. And he, like Urlacher, believes that most people do not fully understand NFL contracts.
“I think that's where people get into, 'Oh, there’s two years left,'” Bennett said. “But most people don't honor their damn phone contract; they switch from Sprint to T-Mobile, so I mean it's just like being in an apartment and getting out of your lease because you want to find a better apartment or something better.
“It’s all phases of life. If we're trying to do something better, or if you find a better place to live you want to go to that home, you don't want to stay in the same home when you could work to get the new home. It's no different for me than it is for everybody else.”
By now the Black Unicorn was hitting his stride, much to the growing discomfort of Bears staffers wanting the discourse over. Bennett then made a pitch to your boss on your behalf:
“I think every American, every person in the whole world should be trying to get a new contract, and if they're not, it's silly.”
Bennett’s best tack at this point is probably to put up another 90-catch season and then let agent Kennard McGuire go to work, because the Bears will be calling. If he does, he’ll be following an intriguing negotiation strategy that has been proven elsewhere.
While many workers use strikes as their only recourse to underscore contract demands, Japanese workers some years back had a different approach. When contract talks reached an impasse, it was not uncommon for workers to work even harder at their jobs, above sustainable levels, with the result being that employers were shamed into respecting the requests of such productive workers.
Not an entirely applicable template, but in fact the best way to reinforce contract demands is to outperform the deal. Bennett already has done it for one year; if he does it again, the Bears will become the heavies, “contract” or no contract.
Bennett’s teammates get it:
"I think he wanted to be here,” said quarterback Jay Cutler. “All of us reached out to him at certain points throughout the offseason. He wanted to be here. There is a business side to this and he feels passionate about his position. So it is what it is."
MLB Report: FBI investigating Cardinals for hacking Astros' database.
By Israel Fehr
It appears the St. Louis Cardinals could be in a whole heap of trouble.
According to the New York Times, the FBI is investigating the organization for allegedly hacking into the Houston Astros' internal database that housed player personnel information including discussions about trades, proprietary statistics and scouting reports.
While this immediately has drawn comparisons to Spygate and NFL controversies, it may actually be much worse. It's being called the first case of corporate espionage wherein a pro sports team hacks another's secure files.
This latest report is connected to the leak of internal Astros documents that surfaced on the web last year. An investigation was launched soon thereafter and in a surprising twist the FBI's findings led them to the Cardinals:
Believing that the Astros’ network had been compromised by a rogue hacker, Major League Baseball notified the F.B.I., and the authorities in Houston opened an investigation. Agents soon found that the Astros’ network had been entered from a computer at a home that some Cardinals officials had lived in. The agents then turned their attention to the team’s front office.
The man in the crosshairs of the hackers was Astros GM Jeff Luhnow, who worked in player development for the Cardinals before taking the Astros job in December 2011.
The New York Times report prompted this statement from MLB:Law enforcement officials believe the hacking was executed by vengeful front-office employees for the Cardinals hoping to wreak havoc on the work of Jeff Luhnow ... Investigators believe Cardinals officials, concerned that Mr. Luhnow had taken their idea and proprietary baseball information to the Astros, examined a master list of passwords used by Mr. Luhnow and the other officials who had joined the Astros when they worked for the Cardinals. The Cardinals officials are believed to have used those passwords to gain access to the Astros’ network, law enforcement officials said.
The Cardinals also released a statement on the matter:“Major League Baseball has been aware of and has fully cooperated with the federal investigation into the illegal breach of the Astros’ baseball operations database. Once the investigative process has been completed by federal law enforcement officials, we will evaluate the next steps and will make decisions promptly.”
Rob Manfred on Cardinals probe: 'A federal investigation, not a baseball investigation'.“The St. Louis Cardinals are aware of the investigation into the security breach of the Houston Astros’ database. The team has fully cooperated with the investigation and will continue to do so. Given that this is an ongoing federal investigation, it is not appropriate for us to comment further.“
By Steven J. Gaither
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred (Getty Images)
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred isn't giving out a lot of information on the Cardinals' alleged hacking of the Astros database of player information.
He says that's because he doesn't know much, at least not yet.
"Because I don't know exactly what the facts are ... it really doesn't make sense for me to speculate," Manfred told reporters in a Tuesday afternoon news conference. "This is a federal investigation, not a baseball investigation."
Manfred says MLB doesn't have power to subpoena third-party servers, but the federal government does, so baseball is relying on the FBI for info.
"We've stayed in touch, we've been cooperative, I think we're going to have to rely on what we learn from the federal government," Manfred told reporters.
According to the New York Times, the feds have uncovered evidence that someone in the Cardinals front office accessed an internal Astros database. That database included discussions about trades, proprietary statistics and scouting reports.
Subpoenas have been served on the Cardinals and Major League Baseball for their electronic correspondence.
Cubs have big plans for Kyle Schwarber this year.
By Patrick Mooney
Surrounded by about 15 reporters, Kyle Schwarber stood at a locker with no nameplate inside Wrigley Field’s home clubhouse, one year and 11 days after the Cubs made him the No. 4 overall pick in the draft.
Before this crash course really speeds up, the Cubs wanted Schwarber to soak it in on Tuesday night, letting the 22-year-old catcher watch almost all of this 6-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians from the dugout.
But Schwarber got his chance once home-plate umpire Phil Cuzzi ejected catcher Miguel Montero in the eighth inning for arguing balls and strikes. Schwarber caught the ninth inning and then struck out looking during a three-pitch at-bat against Cleveland lefty Marc Rzepczynski.
“We got the first one out of the way,” Schwarber said. “It can only go up from there, I guess.”
Schwarber smiled and tugged at the collar of his polo shirt. The Cubs clearly set the ground rules for this promotion from Double-A Tennessee.
Schwarber can be the designated hitter for the next five interleague road games against the Indians and Minnesota Twins. No matter what happens between now and the end of Sunday’s game in Minneapolis, Schwarber is already ticketed for Triple-A Iowa.
But the Cubs clearly have big plans for Schwarber that won’t start sometime in the summer of 2016 or on Opening Day 2017. This is someone they believe can help this year in the heat of a pennant race.
“We’ll give him a taste of what it’s like,” manager Joe Maddon said. “I talked to him about the ability now to get some firsts out of the way, so the next time he comes up, it should permit him to be somewhat more comfortable. He’ll know what to expect.
“The next time he comes up, it’s going to be under different circumstances, when things may be even hotter.”
That’s why president of baseball operations Theo Epstein hinted Schwarber could start playing left field this summer and hit his way back to Wrigleyville.
“He needs to continue developing as a catcher,” Epstein said. “We may reach a point this year — whether it’s in September or a little bit earlier than that — where he’s caught enough for the year.
“You have to remember, he’s hasn’t caught that many games. The 140-game minor-league season is a lot more than he’s ever caught before. We’re monitoring his workload ... and then we can kind of maybe mix in some different responsibilities, maybe as a factor for September up here.
“But for right now, his priority is continuing to develop as a catcher. It’s going really well. We’re more convinced now than ever that he’s going to catch, and catch a long time in the big leagues.”
Though there are legitimate questions about Schwarber’s defensive skills behind the plate, he forced his way into the conversation weeks ago, leaving nothing left to prove at the Double-A level after hitting .320 with 13 homers, 39 RBIs and a 1.017 OPS in 58 games.
“He belongs here,” veteran catcher David Ross said. “The numbers he was putting up in the minor leagues were crazy. I think we’re a better team with him in our lineup.”
Since coming out of Indiana University, Schwarber has generated 31 homers and 92 RBIs in 130 games at four different minor-league affiliates, getting on base 43 percent of the time.
“All my call-ups have kind of been surprising,” Schwarber said. “I like to keep my head buried. Once all those rumors were going around, I wasn’t really trying to pay attention to it, because I can kind of sidetrack myself.
“Once it finally happened, it was surreal.”
After years of talking about player-development plans and checking all the boxes, the Cubs are getting more aggressive now, sensing an opportunity to do something special this year. That’s why you get the feeling Schwarber will be back soon enough.
“We think it’s the perfect pit stop for him on the way to Triple-A,” Epstein said. “Once you get to Triple-A, you’re an injury away from possibly being pushed into action at the big-league level.
“And with him only having a year of professional experience under his belt, we think he’ll really benefit from seeing what goes into being a major-league catcher, how much preparation there is, how to work with the scouting reports.
“We believe in his bat. We think he can help us win some games.”
White Sox offense silent again in loss to Pirates.
By Dan Hayes
Jose Quintana didn’t get any support again on Tuesday night.
But this one can be attributed to a White Sox offense that isn’t scoring for anyone, not just him in particular.
Losers of five straight, the White Sox haven’t scored in 25 innings as the Pittsburgh Pirates shut them out again, 3-0, in front of 28,413 at PNC Park.
Shut out for the sixth time this season, the White Sox, who are now a season-worst seven games under .500, haven’t scored since the second inning on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays. The White Sox dropped to 5-28 this season when scoring three or fewer runs.
“If you are going to keep putting up zeroes, it’s tough to win games,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “We have to be able to swing the bats better. You tip your hats somewhat, but some of it is a funk we are in. We have to be able to find a way out of it.”
Quintana might wonder if he’ll ever get any run support. He’s always had the worst of it, and this season has been no different — the White Sox have scored 22 runs for the left-hander while he has been on the mound in 13 starts.
But this turn came during the middle of what has been a rut for the White Sox, who scored 10 runs on their winless five-game road trip.
Unlike Sunday, when the White Sox struggled with plenty of early chances against Tampa Bay, the last two days have been different.
On Monday, Francisco Liriano and Rob Scahill limited the White Sox to three base runners.
Tuesday it was Charlie Morton (5-0) and Co. who got it done.
“You throw up a couple of donuts in two games here, you are not going to win,” Ventura said. “These guys have to fight their way out of it. They have to keep grinding and somehow find that groove.”
With his sinkerball working to perfection, Morton allowed four hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings. He got 12 of 21 outs via ground balls, including both times when he ran into trouble.
The White Sox looked as if they might break through in the first inning as Adam Eaton drew a leadoff walk and stole second base. But Eaton was thrown out at third on Alexei Ramirez’s chopper in front of the plate as the leadoff man overslid the base in an attempt to avoid a tag. Jose Abreu singled, but Melky Cabrera flew out and Avisail Garcia grounded out.
Starting with Cabrera, Morton retired 17 of 18 batters. He gave up a single to Cabrera in the seventh and another to Geovany Soto with two outs. But Morton retired pinch hitter Adam LaRoche on a force out at second.
Tony Watson and Mark Melancon recorded scoreless innings to end it.
“Whether they are trying too hard or not, maybe you try harder,” Ventura said.
The Pirates didn’t have a ton of success against Quintana, but it was enough.
After leaving the bases loaded in the first, Pittsburgh broke through in the third on an RBI single by Andrew McCutchen to make it 1-0.
Sean Rodriguez had a solo homer in the fourth inning, and Francisco Cervelli added another in the sixth. Quintana yielded both homers after allowing four all season in his previous 74 1/3 innings.
Quintana’s record dropped to 3-7 as he gave up three earned runs and nine hits in six innings.
“Everybody tries to do their best for us and day by day,” Quintana said. “Sometimes you have bad nights and bad days, but everybody tries to do the best for the team.
“Sometimes you can feel frustration because you prepare every time to win games. But that’s baseball. You try to do the best every day.”
Golf: I got a club for that: Inventive is just one word used to describe US Open course.
By TIM DAHLBERG
Jordan Spieth didn't take long when asked for one word to describe a U.S. Open course where trains rumble loudly by, holes can change from one par to another, and players sometimes search for little white markings to see if they're actually on a green.
''Inventive,'' the Masters champion said.
That may not be the word some players will be using when play gets underway Thursday on a course unlike any other in Open history. Chambers Bay isn't for the faint of heart, or those without some imagination in their game.
But if the grumbling is to begin, the Masters champion wants no part of it.
''If you are going to talk negative about a place, you're almost throwing yourself out to begin with because golf is a mental game,'' Spieth said.
Indeed, the player with the best game doesn't always win the Open, where par is jealously guarded by the USGA. But while Spieth and Rory McIlroy are the favorites of the oddsmakers in Las Vegas, no one is really certain about anything on a golf course that will change by the day.
Except that patience - like in any Open - figures to be a big key.
''I keep saying to people, the U.S. Open is all about controlling your attitude, controlling your emotional level and your stress levels out there because it can be a very frustrating week if you let it be,'' Jason Day said. ''You've just got to keep grinding and grinding and grinding, and hopefully by Sunday you're somewhere around the lead.''
The links-style course built on an old gravel pit may end up the star of this Open, no matter who ends up conquering it. Chambers Bay - with its one tree and huge elevation changes on the edge of the water will look good on television, even if the players don't.
Some won't be able to adapt to hitting shots 20 yards away from where they want their ball to finally come to a rest. Others will have difficulty judging tee shots that will hang in the air longer than usual.
And some might have trouble just finding the greens, which are the same fescue as the fairways and seem to blend in with them on some holes. The USGA is trying to help out by painting little white dots around the greens to show where they are.
''I think it might be slower rounds of golf, given the size of the greens and the difficulty of the course,'' Spieth said. ''(But) at least we have some nice views.''
The views were already there when architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. went to work on building the course that opened to the public in 2007. So were the elevation changes, and the train tracks that run between the course and the water.
What Jones did was take it a step further with fine fescue grass throughout and holes with so many tees that two holes - No. 1 and No. 18 - can be switched from par 4's to par 5's and back again during the week.
It's a place unlike any some players have seen, and it will take some getting used to.
''Those who adopt it and embrace it, they like it,'' Jones said. ''Those who are uneasy with the newness of it, we'll listen to them, but they probably won't make the cut.''
USGA executive director Mike Davis said in April that players will have to study the course carefully to have a chance of winning. Just playing a few practice rounds, he said, won't be enough to figure out its complexity.
Spieth, who shot an 83 when the U.S. Amateur was held at Chambers Bay in 2010, has done just that, including a few extra rounds over the weekend to figure out where the ball will be rolling on what will surely be a fast and tricky track.
Still, it's the U.S. Open and it will be a grind. Spieth is only playing his fourth Open, but understands that if he is going to get halfway to a Grand Slam, he has to be as prepared mentally as he is physically.
''You have to go in positively,'' he said. ''You have to go in with enough confidence to get yourself into contention.''
For some players this week, that might be the toughest thing of all.
Europeans seeking more U.S. Open glory.By Allan Kelly
Europe's domination of the Ryder Cup is a key reason behind a remarkable run of European successes at the US Open in the last few years, Rory McIlroy believes.
Going back to 2002, the Europeans have won six of the last seven Ryder Cups, the last of which came in spectacular style at Gleneagles, Scotland last year.
Europeans, meanwhile, have won four of the last five US Opens with Graeme McDowell's win in 2010 ending a 40-year drought dating back to Tony Jacklin.
Since then more European success has followed through McIlroy in 2010, Justin Rose in 2013 and Martin Kaymer in 2014.
McIlroy believes the twin triumphs at the Ryder Cup and US Open are linked.
"Honestly I think there's a direct correlation between Europeans winning Ryder Cups and Europeans winning major championships," the world number one said.
"I think it's given Europeans the confidence to come over here and compete, three of the four major championships are in this country.
"And most likely you're competing against players that you compete against at the Ryder Cup. So I think having that success in the Ryder Cup has translated into major victories for European players."
(Oddly though success for Europeans at the US Open and at the PGA Championship has not been matched by victories at the Masters where Jose Maria Olazabal was the last winner to hail from Europe in 1999.)
McDowell disagrees with close friend McIlroy that the Ryder Cup is a major factor when it comes to US Open time, saying that golf's top team tournament is a different challenge to that of a small band of players tackling just once every two years.
There are other, more important factors at play, he believes.
"You know, it's not really something I've noticed or I've kind of thought about at all," the Northern Irishman said of the Ryder Cup effect.
"I think the Europeans are becoming very comfortable here in the States and obviously have enjoyed the successes in the Ryder Cup.
"But that really is just one week every two years for us. The rest of the time we're playing alongside these great American players and competing with them for major championships.
"And I fully believe that the purple patch we've experienced the last eight to ten years, I feel it's coming on this side of the Atlantic too."
McDowell's words were echoed by Swede Henrik Stenson, a regular world top tenner who is still seeking his first major title despite reaching second place in the world rankings.
The game has gone decidedly more global and familiarity breeds success, he believes.
"I think of course we've got some really strong players coming out of Europe. You've seen more and more players playing more tournaments over here and living over here. That's going to make us feel more at home and more acclimatized at a lot of these events," he said.
The chances of a fifth European US Open win in the last six years looks high this week with the tournament being held on the quirky links layout of Chambers Bay.
It is more of British Open seaside type course than a US Open venue, with its dunes and bunkers, bouncy, undulating fairways, blind shots and large greens.
"I wouldn't be surprised if a European Tour player or a bunch of European Tour players that have played a lot of British golf are up at the top of the leaderboard," said Australian Jason Day.
NASCAR: Power Rankings: Oh what the heck, let's make a change at the top.
By Nick Bromberg
1. Martin Truex Jr. (LW: 3): After finishing third on Sunday at Michigan, Truex has 14 top-10 finishes in 15 races. Richard Petty did that in 1969. No one else has done it. Yeah, a guy with fewer career wins (3) than Petty's career titles (7) makes for an odd comparison, but here we are with the way Truex is running. Because of Kevin Harvick's misfortune on pit road, Truex has Harvick's points lead down to 15.
2. Jimmie Johnson (LW: 1): After having a long pit stop in the beginning stages of the race to fix some damage to the left rear because of contact, it felt like the No. 48 team was playing for the race to go the full distance. The track position he lost because of the pit stop couldn't be made up in one run. He ended the race 19th and a lap down, but had the race gone the full 200 laps, we wouldn't have been surprised to see the No. 48 in the top 10.
3. Kevin Harvick (LW: 2): And we wouldn't have been surprised to see Harvick in the top 10 either. Harvick was forced to pit a lap after a green flag pit stop after the valve stem had been knocked off his right-front tire. If the race would have gone green for a while, Harvick could have mitigated the damage. Instead, a caution flag flew not long after and Harvick was caught a lap down. Then, as the race ended more than 60 laps from the scheduled finish, Harvick had no opportunity to make up those spots.
4. Kurt Busch (LW: 5): We're not shorting Busch because of a rain-shortened win, rather we're not punishing Harvick and Johnson for poor finishes because of the what-if factor. Unlike Kyle Larson's potential win, Busch's victory was not one based on strategy or luck. His team made the backup car just as fast as his primary car showed in the first practice and he worked his way towards the front after starting 24th.
5. Joey Logano (LW: 4): Another pit road-related miscue, another recovery for Logano. This time Logano had to recover from running out of fuel on lap 95. He got to pit road but he lost a ton of positions. And, somehow, he got most of them back and finished fifth. On one hand, Logano and the No. 22 team's ability to recover from these mistakes is a good sign for the Chase. Salvaging a good finish could be the difference between survival and elimination. On the other, the ability to run a clean race consistently is necessary for a title.
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (LW: 6): Hey, Junior finished second. He didn't have anything for Busch over the final segment, but he was the only Hendrick Motorsports car that didn't get messed up with a late caution during green flag stops. But this wasn't a second-place finish on circumstance. Junior was fast from the get-go and was near the front most of the day. And hopefully he's done with ugly Michigan paint schemes. That was not a pretty car he was driving.
7. Matt Kenseth (LW: 7): Tsk, tsk, Flatline. You couldn't match your son. Does this mean you have to give up the seat of your No. 20? If you're unaware of what we're talking about, Ross Kenseth got his first ARCA win on Friday at Michigan. Matt Kenseth finished fourth on Sunday. We imagine that if Ross wants to try to trash-talk dad about his weekend performance, Matt will simply point to his 2003 Winston Cup title trophy or his two Daytona 500 wins.
8. Jamie McMurray (LW: 9): Hey, it's another top 10 for McMurray. He finished seventh, bringing his total to seven on the season. He had 13 all last year. Yeah, this is a similar way we described McMurray in his paragraph after Pocono, but you can't get annoyed about that. We're writing about a rain-shortened race. Be thankful you're getting all 12 entries in this week's rankings.
9. Kasey Kahne (LW: 8): Kahne got the pole but only led the second lap. Yeah, he didn't even lead the first lap. That went to Carl Edwards. He didn't have one of the best long-run cars, but it was good enough to stay in the top 10. However, he was a lap down during a yellow flag late in the race and got 15th after he took the wave-around. We're still not sure if Kahne or Jeff Gordon will win first.
10. Brad Keselowski (LW: 10): Keselowski finished a spot behind his teammate in sixth. He said he thought he had a car capable of a better finish over the last part of the race, but yeah, it rained. Rained. Rained. Rained. We're also sure to call him "Brad" Keselowski this week as a certain host of Fox called him "Brian" after the rain came for a fourth time. And Brad had even been interviewed at length earlier in the race.
11. Denny Hamlin (LW: 11): Our 11th-place driver finished 11th. It's a nice recovery after Hamlin was at the back end of the top 30 for part of the race. Since winning at Michigan in 2011, Hamlin's finishes there have been 35th, 34th, 11th, 30th, 20th, 29th, 7th and 11th. So we're going to go ahead and call Sunday's race a success, don't you think?
12. Carl Edwards (LW: 12): Edwards' statistics are still mind-boggling. Yeah, he's likely in the Chase because of his Charlotte win, but the win is his only top-five finish and his only other top-10 finish is a 10th at Texas. His average finish is improving because he's finished inside the top 20 in the last three races since the win, but this is far from a Kenseth-in-2013 scenario. Unless Edwards goes all Tony Stewart-in-2011 during the Chase. And that would be all sorts of fun.
(Un)Lucky Dog: Six measly miles between the rain and his pit stop separated Kyle Larson from a win.
The DNF: We're going to avoid piling on Kyle Busch and instead ask Greg Biffle what in the world was going on. He finished 36th.
NASCAR to go to lower downforce for July race at Kentucky.
AP - Sports
NASCAR will use a rules package with lower downforce for next month's race at Kentucky Speedway.
The change announced Tuesday by chief racing development officer Steve O'Donnell is only for the July 11 race in Sparta, Kentucky.
The package will include a reduced spoiler height, a wider splitter extension and tires with more grip. The track will open July 8 for teams to setup their cars with the new rules.
The change comes after lengthy discussions from all corners of the industry on how to improve the on-track product. NASCAR has been trying to set rules for 2016, but so far this year's rules have provided uninspired racing, particularly at 1.5-mile speedways.
NASCAR last week discussed Kentucky with key industry executives, and recently met with a new drivers' council.
SOCCER: Wambach lifts U.S. past Nigeria, into Round of 16 of Women's World Cup.
By Jeff Kassouf
(Photo/Getty Images)
Abby Wambach delivered again.
Knowing a victory would guarantee the United States first place in Group D and a spot in the knockout round of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Wambach scored on the stroke of halftime to lift the U.S. past Nigeria, 1-0 on Tuesday in front of a pro-U.S., near-capacity crowd of 52,193 at BC Place.
The U.S. (7 pts.) advances to play the third-place finisher from either Group B, E or F in Edmonton on Monday. Nigeria is eliminated following the loss. Australia (4 pts.) qualified for the knockout stage with a 1-1 draw against Sweden, who must now wait and see if 3 pts. will be enough to advance as one of the four third-place finishers.
Wambach’s goal sent the United States roaring into the break on the last kick of the half. She used her left foot to one-time volley Megan Rapinoe’s corner kick into the net at the back post. The goal was Wambach’s 14th all-time in the Women’s World Cup, tying Germany’s Birgit Prinz for second-most in history. Marta scored her 15th World Cup goal last week. Wambach has scored in all four Women’s World Cup group stages in which she has participated.
Alex Morgan started her first game in over two months and was twice spectacularly denied a goal by Nigeria goalkeeper Precious Dede in the second half. Three minutes after halftime, Rapinoe lofted a ball into the stride of Morgan, who chose to try to lob Nigeria goalkeeper Precious Dede. But Dede swatted the shot down to keep Nigeria within a goal. Dede also stuffed Morgan from inside the six-yard box in the 63rd minute, when Ali Krieger sent a teasing ball across the goalmouth.
Morgan hadn’t played since April 4 and hadn’t previously started a World Cup match, coming off the bench in all seven previous appearances. She missed almost two full months due to a bone bruise in her left knee, facing a race to get fit for the World Cup.
U.S. coach Jill Ellis said before the World Cup that she would need to “build” Morgan’s minutes in the early stages of the World Cup. Morgan came off the bench in the late stages of the United States’ first two group-stage matches, playing 23 minutes total against Australia and Sweden.
Defender Julie Johnston looked to have put the United States ahead in the 8th minute when she tapped in Wambach’s knock-down header at the back post, but the offside flag was raised. Replays showed that Wambach was onside on the entry pass and Johnston was even with Wambach on the header.
But Johnston’s most important contribution of the half came on the other end of the field in the 24th minute, when she came from behind to block Asisat Oshoala’s shot from inside the 18-yard box, denying Oshoala a 1-v-1 opportunity with Solo.
Needing a win to have any chance of advancing, Nigeria’s task grew even harder in the 69th minute, when defender Sarah Nnodim was sent off for receiving a second yellow card.
Nigeria has qualified for all seven Women’s World Cups, but has only once gotten out of the group stage, in 1999.
The U.S. will have to wait until Wednesday to learn its opponent in the Round of 16.
The Americans will play the third-place finisher from Group B, E or F. As it stands, the loser of the Colombia-England match on Wednesday in Group F could be their opponent, if France also beats Mexico on Wednesday in Group F.
US Open Cup preview: MLS teams enter as regional rivalries take center stage.
By Joe Prince-Wright
(Photo/Getty Images)
The big boys are about to make some noise in the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
As is customary, all U.S. teams from Major League Soccer will enter the USOC at the fourth round stage with plenty of regional rivalries taking center stage across Tuesday and Wednesday in the 102nd edition of America’s oldest knockout competition. With teams from the NASL and USL aiming to make a name for themselves by taking an MLS scalp, there are some extremely tasty games coming up with regional rivalries set up by the organizers through to the semifinal rounds.
Defending champions Seattle Sounders (who have won four of the last seven Open Cup titles in case you haven’t bumped into a Sounders fan lately…) host Cascadia rivals the Portland Timbers at the always boisterous Starfire Sports Complex on Tuesday in the only all-MLS tie of the last 32.
Elsewhere everyone else is on upset alert as the pick of Tuesday’s games sees Sporting Kansas City host USL new-boys Saint Louis FC, while the San Jose Earthquakes host Sacramento Republic and the Chicago Fire welcome Louisville City FC to Toyota Park.
On Wednesday there are some beauties to look forward to as New York City FC head out to Long Island to take on the New York Cosmos of the NASL. Other standout games on Wednesday include 2013 champs D.C. United head to the Steel City to face the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the USL, Orlando City head up to South Carolina to play Charleston Battery and 2014 MLS champions LA Galaxy host surprise package PSA Elite.
Below is the full schedule for the USOC fourth round with links to watch or listen to the games live.
U.S. Open Cup – Fourth round
Tuesday
Philadelphia Union (MLS) vs. Rochester Rhinos (USL) – 7:30 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
New York Red Bulls (MLS) vs. Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) – 7:30 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
Sporting Kansas City (MLS) vs. Saint Louis FC (USL) – 8:30 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
Chicago Fire (MLS) vs. Louisville City FC (USL) – 8:30 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
FC Dallas (MLS) at Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL) – 9 p.m. ET – updates on FC Dallas’ Twitter feed
Colorado Rapids (MLS) vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USL) – 9 p.m. ET – live audio, ColoradoRapids.com
Real Salt Lake (MLS) vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2 (USL)- 10 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) vs. Sacramento Republic FC (USL) – 10:30 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) vs. Portland Timbers FC (MLS) – 10:30 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
Wednesday
Richmond Kickers (USL) vs. Columbus Crew SC (MLS) – 7 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL) vs. D.C. United (MLS) – 7:08 p.m. ET- live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
New York Cosmos (NASL) vs. New York City FC (MLS) – 7:30 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
Charleston Battery (USL) vs. Orlando City SC (MLS) – 7:30 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
New England Revolution (MLS) vs. Charlotte Independence (USL) – 7:30 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
Houston Dynamo (MLS) vs. Austin Aztex (USL) – 9 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
LA Galaxy (MLS) vs. PSA Elite (USASA) – 10:30 p.m. ET – live on U.S. Soccer YouTube
FIFA Women's World Cup Canada. 2015 Score Summary. 6 June - 5 July, 2015.
Monday 15 June 2015
Group A
Netherlands 1
Canada 1
China PR 2
New Zealand 2
Group B
Thailand 0
Germany 4
Côte d'Ivoire 1
Norway 3
Tuesday 16 June 2015
Group C
Ecuador 0
Japan 1
Switzerland 1
Cameroon 2
Group D
Nigeria 0
USA 1
Australia 1
Sweden 1
NCAAFB: Joe Paterno to be inducted in Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
By Nick Bromberg
Joe Paterno is going to be a member of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
The former Penn State coach is one of 12 people being inducted into the hall on October 24. He's going in with former Penn State players Matt Bahr and Chuck Fusina, basketball coach PJ Carlesimo, hockey player Bernie Parent, former Pitt coach Foge Fazio and others.
Paterno had 409 wins in 45 years at Penn State. He was fired from his post in 2011 in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal. He died in January 2012. Sandusky is currently serving life in prison. Before his death, Paterno said he reported allegations against Sandusky to athletic director Tim Curley and PSU vice president Gary Schultz but wished he did more.
Paterno was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006 while he was still coaching Penn State.
As part of the sanctions handed down by the NCAA against Penn State for the university's role in the scandal, Paterno lost 111 wins and saw his official total drop to 298. Those wins were restored in January 2015 as part of a settlement with the NCAA and Paterno is (again) the official FBS wins leader among all coaches.
With the university no longer under NCAA sanction for the Sandusky scandal, Paterno's inclusion into the Hall of Fame makes sense. As long as his wins were vacated and the penalties were still intact his induction would have been a tad awkward. But now, especially with the evidence that the NCAA worked closely with Louis Freeh, the independent investigator hired to look into the university's role, Paterno's inclusion won't be met with nearly as much backlash.
Both Bahr and Fusina played for Penn State from 1976-1978. Fusina was an AP All-American in 1978 and Bahr held the school's single-season record for kicking accuracy until it was broken by Sam Ficken in 2014.
Collegiate Commissioners Association to vote on early signing period this week.
By Sam Cooper
An early signing period could be implemented for the 2016 recruiting cycle.
According to ESPN, the Collegiate Commissioners Association will vote this week on a proposal to implement an early signing period in college football for the first time. It would allow prospects to sign their national letters of intent before February’s National Signing Day.
The vote, which will be considered by the 10 FBS conference commissioners, as well as commissioners from the FCS level, takes place at the CCA’s annual conference in Asheville, N.C. If approved, a 72-hour signing period would be installed in December in accordance with the junior college signing date, beginning Dec. 16. This recommendation was formally presented in January.
From ESPN:
The signing period would operate on a two-year trial basis, after which the commissioners would evaluate the effectiveness of the change. Commissioners from the Football Championship Subdivision and the 10 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences will consider the proposal, with one vote assigned to each league.
According to Susan Peal, director of the national letter of intent, the FBS and FCS could choose to adopt an early signing period collectively.
"Or if one subdivision wants an early signing period and another subdivision does not," Peal said, "they can elect to have distinct signing periods."
A simple majority is required to pass the proposal.
Though many commissioners have already publicly voiced support for the early signing period, the MAC’s Jon Steinbrecher told ESPN he expects “a spirited and robust debate.”
“Commissioners would do their leagues a disservice if they didn’t look at the topic from every angle,” Steinbrecher said.
Above all others, the main source of debate appears to be the appropriate date for the signing period. Last year, the ACC recommended an August signing period while the SEC prefers a post-Thanksgiving model. Predictably, coaches across the country have varying stances on the issue. Some oppose it altogether.
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops is in favor of the early signing period because of the resources programs would save. Even when some prospects have been verbally committed to a program for months (and sometimes years), coaches still continue to recruit those players to keep them on board until signing day rolls around. If a player could sign months earlier, the pressure of those hectic final months could be alleviated for both parties – recruits and coaches – to an extent.
“If you know you’re going to sign somebody, it just makes sense to get it done,” Stoops told ESPN.
And as in favor as some coaches are for the early signing period, there are some who are completely opposed to the idea.
From ESPN:
For some who oppose an early period, the most significant concern is this: It won't be an early signing period. It will become the signing period.
"What we're proposing is not an early signing date," Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said. "What we're proposing is moving the signing date forward."
There are other issues, too.
Already, said Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson, the process starts too early. He said he's uncomfortable with offering scholarships to players that he and his staff do not know well. Further acceleration of the process would only deepen the problem, Clawson said.
It stands to reason, if December turns into the preferred signing date -- or even an alternative to February -- recruits who would otherwise visit campus in January might visit in the fall. In the fall, Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said, they're supposed to focus on high school football.
And shouldn't college coaches prioritize the players on their rosters above all else during the season?
"We want to do right by our current players and we want to be as well prepared as we possibly can," Georgia coach Mark Richt said.
Interestingly, the FCS and FBS don't have to come to a uniform decision on this. The FCS could approve the early signing period without the FBS, and vice versa.
NCAABKB: Moving to quarters should be next big change in NCAA basketball.
By Mike DeCourcy
In the most important sense, I am a huge fan of the television timeout.
The most important sense being me, of course.
If I’m covering a game in person and writing a running account of what I’m seeing, I want to do as little of that as possible while the game is going on. I know that every four minutes I’ll be able to stick my head down and write while the band is playing and the dance team is on the floor.
It’s not about me, though, is it? It’s about what’s best for college basketball as a game. And stopping play every four minutes – while still allowing each coach an overabundance of strategic timeouts — does not promote the best possible flow of the game.
On Monday, the NCAA playing rules oversight panel approved a change in women’s basketball to playing games in four 10-minute quarters. That left men’s college basketball as pretty much the only competition on the planet still dividing its game in halves aside from soccer.
Except college hoops isn’t really played in halves, is it?
I always say the game is played in four-minute McNuggets.
The reason to change to quarters isn’t that everyone else is doing it. The reason is: it’s smart basketball.
Men’s college hoops had some adjustments to its timeout rules approved by the rules oversight panel, as well: a reduction from five called timeouts per team to four, and a strategic timeout called by a team within 30 seconds of a planned media timeout would replace the media stoppage.
As it stands now, college men’s basketball can be stopped as many as 17 times during a game: eight media timeouts, the halftime break, plus eight strategic timeouts.
The women’s game will have television timeouts near the five-minute mark of each quarter; if it operated with the same number of strategic timeouts, its maximum number of stoppages would be 15.
More important, though, any strategic timeout in the women’s game that comes in advance of a planned media break replaces the television timeout. It is theoretically possible to play an entire game without ever taking an enforced TV timeout.
It is understood that there are business considerations here. I do broadcast analysis for the Big Ten Network; of course I’m not in favor of anyone’s commercial inventory being compromised. That can easily be addressed, however, by tinkering as necessary with the lengths of the stoppages.
Quarter breaks can certainly be longer than a standard TV timeout. There is nothing sacrosanct about a 15-minute halftime; we see that every March when CBS/Turner stretch the most important halftime breaks – and the most lucrative – to 20-plus minutes in the NCAA Tournament.
The important thing isn’t how long the game is stopped for the purpose of pitching products. The issue is how often it stops.
Right now, that’s far too often, even if it helps me on deadline.
Hoops rule changes now allow for pregame dunking.
By Kami Mattioli
Section 4, Class B, Article 1e of the NCAA men's college basketball rulebook states that any team member who dunks or attempts to dunk a dead ball before or during the game as well as during any intermission will result in his team receiving a technical foul and the opposing team being awarded two free throws.
This fall, teams will no longer have to worry about being penalized for dunking during pregame or halftime warmups because the NCAA will repeal its ban on bounce.
That's good news for fans, who will get to see some of their favorite high-flying aerialists put on a show, as well as for teams who lose track of time. Last season, North Florida was assessed a technical foul after a player dunked in warmups and Tennessee Tech made both freebies. The Ospreys went on to lose that game by two points.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Wednesday, June 17, 2015.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1943 - Joe Cronin (Boston Red Sox) pinch hit a home run in both games of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia A's.
1960 - Ted Williams hit his 500th career home run.
1971 - Don Kessinger (Chicago Cubs) went 6-6 against St. Louis.
1976 - It was announced that the NBA and ABA would merge.
1990 - Harry Gant became the oldest driver to win a NASCAR race.
1994 - O.J. Simpson drove his Ford Bronco across Los Angeles with police in pursuit and millions of people watching live on television. After the slow speed chase ended Simpson was arrested and charged with the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
1995 - The New Jersey Devils set an NHL playoff record with nine road wins.
2012 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. won at the Michigan International Speedway. It was his first win in four years and 143 races.
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