us Page 560 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Darren Baker, Once Nearly World Series Roadkill, Was Drafted By The Nationals
Darren Baker, the son of Nationals skipper Dusty Baker and probably best known for almost being trampled at home plate during the 2002 World Series, was selected by the Nationals on Wednesday in the 27th round of the MLB Draft. We’re all so very old....

Luke Heimlich Steps Away From Oregon State Baseball Team Ahead Of College World Series
Oregon State star pitcher Luke Heimlich has removed himself from the baseball team, according to a press release sent Thursday out by university president Ed Ray. ...

How Baseball Prospectus Stumbled Into Its Uncertain Future
Just before the 2016 MLB playoffs, Baseball Prospectus emailed its staff and contributors to tell them that they would not be paid for work they did in August and September until January 2017. The costs of a website redesign and the collapse of daily-fantasy ad spending, the email explained, led to ...

Russia Has A Lot To Prove At The Confederations Cup
The start of the Confederations Cup is essentially the first day of Advent before the Christmas that is the World Cup. Played in the World Cup’s host country the year before and consisting of 8 teams—the champion of each continent, the host, and the defending World Cup champs—this tournament is unim...
![Blimp Catches Fire, Crashes At U.S. Open; Spectators Say Pilot Parachuted Out [Updating]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/atwfjkr690ynflzm4fqa.jpg)
Blimp Catches Fire, Crashes At U.S. Open; Spectators Say Pilot Parachuted Out [Updating]
Based on reports and video evidence from the scene, a blimp just crashed at Erin Hills golf course, the site of this year’s U.S. Open....

Russian Official Guarantees There Will Be No Racism At 2018 World Cup
In an interview with CNN, Alexey Smertin, the head of anti-racism for the Russian football union, who just two years ago denied that racism existed in Russia and said giving bananas to black players was “just for fun,” was asked how racist incidents could damage the World Cup in Russia next year. H...

Steph Curry Doesn't Seem Like He Wants To Go To The White House
Earlier this week, irresponsible and unfounded reporting claimed the Golden State Warriors will not be visiting the White House following their NBA Finals victory. That story was false; there’s still good reason to think that the team, or at least a few key members, might skip out on the tradition....

Astros Pillage Rangers Bullpen, Romp Through Nine-Run Inning
The Rangers started the sixth inning with Jeremy Jeffress on the mound. Two home runs, a single and a hit by pitch later, he was replaced by Tony Barnette. Two walks and two singles later, he was replaced by Dillon Gee. It was only then, after allowing five runs, that the Rangers finally managed to ...

Bears Linebacker Leonard Floyd On Suffering Multiple Concussions: "You Don't Think The Same"
After suffering two concussions in a five-week span, Chicago Bears linebacker Leonard Floyd had his rookie season cut short last year—with effects that have lingered well into the offseason, he says....

FIFA Will Allow Referees To Suspend Matches Due To Racism At Confederations Cup
Ahead of the Confederations Cup, which begins Saturday in Russia, FIFA has announced a “ground-breaking” procedure for limiting racism and discrimination in soccer. Referees will now be able to abandon a match entirely if fans participate in racist or discriminatory behavior....

The U.S. Looks Like A Lock To Qualify For The 2018 World Cup
The United States Men’s National Soccer Team started out the last round of World Cup qualifiers in the most embarrassing way possible, losing to Mexico at home then getting ripped apart down in Costa Rica. The results were bad, although CONCACAF qualification is generous to say the least, though wha...

Everest's Most Iconic Pitch, The Hillary Step, Is Gone
Climbing Mt. Everest is an arduous grind that requires months of training and the ability to function at the most inhospitable elevations our planet has to offer, but the suite of technical challenges it presents are not as difficult as nearby peaks of comparable height. It’s not, well, a hike exact...

Phil Mickelson Announces He'll Skip U.S. Open For Daughter's Graduation, Decides Not To Withdraw Just In Case
Phil Mickelson announced a week and a half ago that he’d be skipping this weekend’s U.S. Open in order to attend the high school graduation of his daughter Amanda, which is scheduled for the first day of the tournament. But he’s since backtracked to say that planning to skip the event doesn’t necess...

Liquor Store Soccer Team Scores First Against D.C. United
Christos FC, an amateur Baltimore soccer team that never practices and is headquartered in a liquor store, is playing a fourth-round U.S. Open Cup match against D.C. United of MLS tonight. In the 23rd minute, Mamadou Kansaye scored on a free kick to give his club a 1-0 lead over the three-time Open ...

About That Warriors White House Visit
Barely hours after the Golden State Warriors won their second title in three season, a report claimed the team had already decided to skip the White House ceremony usually available to championship teams. It seemed plausible, but the claim had little proof supporting it....

The Kevin Johnson Pie Saga Rolls On, At Taxpayer Expense
Sacramento’s not done with the Kevin Johnson soap opera after all: Sean Thompson, who hit the ex-NBA superstar in the face with a coconut cream pie at a September charity event and immediately took what the public now knows was a heinous physical beating from the disgraced now-former mayor, is goin...

Former National Champion Speaks Out About USA Gymnastics' Problems With Eating Disorders And Abuse
In 1996, the U.S. women’s gymnastics team, dubbed the Magnificent Seven, won the gold medal in the team competition for the first time in Olympic history. After that competition, most of the team retired or at least took some time off from the sport, and the media went looking for the next big thing...

Kellyn Acosta, The USMNT's Tenacious Young Midfielder, Is Ready For This
Who will stand beside Michael Bradley in Russia?...

Gary Player Is Still Out Here Roasting Fools
The real golf tradition unlike any other is players complaining that the U.S. Open course is too hard. Notoriously, in 2015, it was Chambers Bay in Washington, where all the big names lined up to trash the greens. The great Gary Player, invited there to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his career G...

Internal Memo Instructs Pac-12 Networks Employees On How To Avoid Talking About Luke Heimlich
Last week, the Oregonian reported that Oregon State’s star pitcher Luke Heimlich was charged in 2012 with repeatedly molesting a six-year-old family member throughout 2011. Heimlich, who was 15 when he was charged and pleaded guilty, is one of the best pitchers in the nation and has led his powerhou...