(HOUSTON) — J.R. Richard, a Houston Astros legend, has died at the age of 71, the team announced Thursday.
Richard played ten years for the team and struck out 600 batters, but had his career cut short by a stroke in 1980.
During his career, Richard had a 107-71 record with a 3.15 ERA. In 1979, he struck out 313 batters. That record stood until Gerrit Cole surpassed it in 2019.
“Today is a sad day for the Houston Astros as we mourn the loss of one of our franchise icons, J.R. Richard,” the Astros said Thursday. “J.R. will forever be remembered as an intimidating figure on the mound and as one of the greatest pitchers in club history. He stood shoulder to shoulder with club icons Larry Dierker, Joe Niekro and Nolan Ryan, to form a few of the best rotations in club history. Sadly, his playing career was cut short by health issues, but his ten years in an Astros uniform stand out as a decade of excellence. We send our heartfelt condolences to J.R.’s wife, Lula, his family, friends and countless fans and admirers.”
On the franchise’s all-time list, Richards ranks third in ERA and strikeouts, fourth in complete games, and fifth in wins and shutouts.
He was elected to the team’s inaugural Astros Hall of Fame in 2019.
“I’ve known J.R. for a long time,” said Enos Cabell, an Astros teammate, said in a statement. “In the Minor Leagues, I played against him and then we were teammates with the Astros for many years. He was one of the greatest pitchers we ever had and probably would have been in the Hall of Fame if his career was not cut short. On the mound, he was devastating and intimidating. Nobody wanted to face him. Guys on the other team would say that they were sick to avoid facing him. This is very sad news. He will be missed.”
In 1980, Richard was named the National League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star game. He suffered a stroke on July 30th.
(BARCELONA) — Soccer star Lionel Messi will not be staying at FC Barcelona, the club announced Tuesday.
“Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations),” the club said in a statement.
Messi’s contract ended after the season and has been a free agent since.
“FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life,” the club said.
The Argentine national has spent his entire 17 year career with Barcelona winning ten La Liga titles, 4 Champion’s league titles, and scored 474 goals in 464 appearance’s.
(ATLANTA) — The SEC has agreed to extend commissioner Greg Sankey’s contract through at least 2026, the conference announced Thursday.
Sankey has been at the helm of the SEC since 2015.
“College athletics is in the midst of a transformational period, and the SEC is fortunate to have a highly impactful leader to guide us forward at this critical time in our history,” said Jere Morehead, President of the University of Georgia and current President of the SEC, in a statement. “He has effectively introduced change and advancement for the conference while respecting the institutional traditions that make the SEC unique. His leadership and ability to foster collaboration through the COVID-19 pandemic helped establish a framework for all of college sports, and those leadership skills will be critical as we move forward with change in the years ahead.”
The extension comes just days after the conference welcomed the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma to the conference in 2025.
“I am grateful for the support of the SEC’s presidents and chancellors, and for the continuing opportunity to serve our universities while supporting the student-athletes of the Southeastern Conference,” said Sankey in a statement. “We are in the midst of a time of change for college athletics, and I look forward to working with the SEC’s campus leaders to identify a path forward that will sustain the incredible success of our Conference and provide opportunities for young people to grow academically and challenge themselves athletically.”
During the 2020-2021 academic year, nine SEC team’s won national championships. Since being named commissioner in 2015, 32 SEC teams have won national titles.
Sankey came to the SEC in 2002 as the Associate Commissioner for Governance, Enforcement, and Compliance. He was promoted to the Executive Associate Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer for the league office in 2012.
(NEW YORK) — Former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III will join ESPN as a college football analyst this fall, according to a report byFront Office Sports.
He could also contribute to ESPN’s NFL coverage, according to the report.
The former Baylor star was drafted second overall by Washington in the 2012 draft and started 28 of 32 games his first two seasons before injuries derailed his career. Griffin threw for 6,403 yards and 36 touchdowns his first two seasons.
Griffin, who is a free agent, spent the past three seasons with Baltimore, appearing in 14 games and starting two.
(TOKYO) — Team USA’s Matthew Centrowitz, the defending Olympic champion in the men’s 1500, will not repeat after failing to make it out of the semifinal round in Tokyo.
Centrowitz became the first American to win the men’s 1500 since 1908 during the 2016 Rio games. He won in 3:50.00, the slowest 1500 meter final since 1932.
Centrowitz finished ninth, 3:33.69, in a blistering fast second semifinal, which saw the Olympic 1500 meter record fall with Kenya’s Abel Kipsang taking the win in 3:31.65.
Team USA’s Cole Hocker made the final after finished second in the first semifinal with a time of 3:33.87.
Hocker edged out Centrowitz to win the USA trials.
The final will be at 7:40 am ET on Saturday.
Finalists
Kenya’s Abel Kipsang: 3:31.65
Norway’s Jacob Ingrebristen: 3:32.13
Great Britan’s Josh Kerr: 3:32.18
Spain’s Adel Mechall: 3:32.19
Australia’s Stewart McSweyrn: 3:32.54
Great Britain’s Jake Heyward: 3:32.82
Luxembourg’s Charles Grethen: 3:32.86
Great Britain’s Jake Wightman: 3:33.48
Team USA’s Cole Hocker: 3:33.87
Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot: 3:33.95
Australia’s Oliver Hoare: 3:34.35
Spain’s Ignacio Fontes: 3:34.49
Poland’s Michael Rozmy: 3:54.53* Advanced To Next Round By Referee
(TOKYO) — Each day, ABC News will give you a roundup of key Olympic moments from the day’s events in Tokyo, happening 13 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time. After a 12-month delay, the unprecedented 2020 Summer Olympics is taking place without fans or spectators and under a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Sydney McLaughlin wins gold, sets a new world record in 400m hurdles
Team USA’s Sydney McLaughlin set a new world record of 51.46 seconds for the 400m hurdles and picked up the gold medal along the way. She was congratulated by teammate Dalilah Muhammad who won the silver in the event.
The previous world record for the men’s 400m hurdles was also smashed yesterday by Norway’s Karsten Warholm.
U.S. women’s basketball heads to semifinals, win streak extended to 53
The United States women’s basketball team has now won 53 straight games at the Olympics, a streak extending from the 1992 Olympic Games. Team USA defeated Australia 79-55 in an effort led by Breanna Stewart with 23 points.
USA baseball sets sights on gold after 3-1 win over Dominica
The U.S. baseball team beat the Dominican Republic 3-1 to stay in the hunt for gold. Triston Casas hit his third home run of the Olympic Games and Team USA will play the loser of Japan-South Korea next on Thursday.
COVID-19 cases at Tokyo Olympics rise to 327
There were 28 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday, including four athletes, three of whom were staying at the Olympic Village at the time of the positive test. The total now stands at 327, according to data released by the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee.
The surrounding city of Tokyo reported 4,166 new cases on Tuesday, a seven-day average increase of 178.0%, according to data from the Tokyo metropolitan government.
Allyson Felix one step closer to making history
U.S. sprinter Allyson Felix finished second in her heat and advanced to the semifinals of the women’s 400m, putting her one step closer to reaching a record 10 Olympic gold medals.
If Felix wins the 400m, she would have the record for most gold medals of any female track and field athlete with 10. If she also wins the 4x400m relay, she would surpass legend Carl Lewis with the most track and field gold medals ever. The Tokyo Games are the fifth Olympics for the 35-year-old track star.
Japan extends domination in skateboarding events
Japan’s Sakura Yosozumi won the gold in the first ever Olympic skateboarding park event, followed by 12-year-old Kokona Hiraki, Japan’s youngest medalist.
(TOKYO) — Each day, ABC News will give you a roundup of key Olympic moments from the day’s events in Tokyo, happening 13 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time. After a 12-month delay, the unprecedented 2020 Summer Olympics is taking place without fans or spectators and under a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Simone Biles finishes Tokyo Games with a bronze medal
After previously withdrawing from the team all-around and individual events, Simone Biles rejoined the competition and won the bronze medal in the individual balance beam competition. Biles ended her Olympic events by completing a solid routine, one that did not include any twists and had one minor balance check. Biles is now tied with Shannon Miller as the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast with seven medals.
Teammate Sunisa Lee, who won the gold medal in the individual all-around, did not place in the balance beam event.
U.S. men’s basketball advances to semifinals
The U.S. men’s basketball team defeated Spain 95-81, advancing to the semifinals against the winner of the game between Australia and Argentina. The effort was led by Kevin Durant with 29 points. Team USA is looking to continue its streak of winning a medal in every Olympic Games since competing in 1936.
COVID-19 cases at Tokyo Olympics rise to 299
There were 18 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday, including one athlete who was staying at the Olympic Village at the time of the positive test. The total now stands at 299, according to data released by the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee.
The surrounding city of Tokyo reported 3,709 new cases on Tuesday, a seven-day average increase of 189.3%, according to data from the Tokyo metropolitan government.
U.S. takes silver in long jump, 400m hurdle world record obliterated
Team USA’s Brittany Reese won the silver medal in long jump in Tuesday’s event. The U.S. now has five silvers in the athletics competitions with the only gold in discus throw.
Norway’s Karsten Warholm took home the gold in the men’s 400m hurdles but also finished with a new world record of 45.94 seconds. He broke the previous record by .76 seconds.
Sport climbing makes its Olympic debut
Sport climbing in the Tokyo Games began with two of the three disciplines: The men’s combined bouldering qualifier and the men’s combined lead qualifier. This is the first time sport climbing has been featured in the Olympics and consists of bouldering, lead and speed disciplines.
(TOKYO) — Climbing gyms have been filling up across the U.S. in recent years, and now, the sport is making its Olympic debut in Tokyo.
This is the first time climbing will be in competition at the Olympics, with events scheduled to start Aug. 3, so it makes sense if you don’t know exactly how it all works yet.
Here’s a quick guide so you can keep up with all the beta, crimps and dynos.
What is in competition at the Olympics?
What you’re seeing is called sport climbing, which helps explain why you do not see favorites like Alex Honnold or Emily Harrington represent the U.S. While there are obviously similar techniques in use in big wall climbing, it’s a very different expertise.
Honnold even told the Olympic Channel, in 2019, “I wish I could compete at that level but basically I am too old and too weak so I will settle for watching and enjoying.”
And there’s plenty to watch and enjoy. Sport climbing is essentially what happens indoors at gyms and in competitive scenes. The Olympics will feature three disciplines: bouldering, lead and speed.
What is speed climbing?
The speed discipline is the easiest to understand: it’s a race to the top. Two climbers compete at the same time on identical “routes” — climbing paths — to reach the top first.
It’s like the “Spider-Man” of the Olympics, with races ending in less than 10 seconds. Admittedly, it’s a little controversial in the scene as it’s less traditional.
You’ll see climbers attached to ropes, but that’s just to catch them if they fall and to get down from the top. And yes, there are machines called auto belays so you don’t need someone on the ground belaying.
Scoring: Winners of each race move on to the next round until an overall winner is found.
What is lead climbing?
Lead climbing is a much more traditional discipline. Here, a climber has six minutes to climb as far as they can on a route.
Again, you’ll see climbers attached to ropes, but this time, the ropes are part of the challenge. Lead climbing involves clipping the rope into carabiners along the route to secure your place (it helps if you fall, but doesn’t assist the climb). If a climber misses a carabiner, they don’t get credit for any further they go.
Figuring out how to climb a route — figuring out the “beta” — is tough. Before anyone gets on the wall, climbers have six minutes to study the route, which is the first time they see it, and they’re not allowed to watch each other’s attempts.
As much as it is a physical challenge, it also takes mental work and planning to be successful, and the routes designed for lead climbing competition are ridiculously hard to ensure it’s not just a tie with everyone making it to the finish.
Scoring: The further they get, the more points they score, and the highest score wins.
What is bouldering?
Bouldering is a lot of what you see in a climbing gym. No ropes, just figuring out and “sending” — completing — routes.
Climbers have a few minutes to finish as many routes as they can. Each route has a set starting and ending point. Each route also has a marked “zone” hold, which is somewhere around halfway through it.
They can try any given route over and over again until they send, although they have to start from the beginning each time, and each attempt hurts their score. The ideal goal is to “flash” a boulder, or successfully complete it on your first try.
Like in lead, it takes mental work to solve a boulder route — that’s why they call them “problems.”
Scoring: This is a combination system, taking into account how many routes were completed, in how many attempts (fewer attempts is better), and climbers get some points if they reached a “zone” but didn’t complete a route.
Who wins?
After each discipline is done, final scores are calculated by multiplying the ranking in each, and the athlete with the lowest score wins. For instance, if an athlete comes first in speed, second in lead, and first in bouldering, their overall score is 2 (1x2x1).
Who’s competing for the U.S.?
The U.S. team includes two women and two men: Kyra Condie, 25, Brooke Raboutou, 20, Nathaniel Coleman, 24, and Colin Duffy, 17.
For most of these athletes, the games are a long time coming. Raboutou, who’s known for her ingenuity in problem solving, Condie, who’s super strong, and Coleman, a bouldering pro, qualified for Tokyo in 2019.
Bonus terminology to impress your friends
Dyno: A dynamic move to reach a hold, like a leap
Static: The opposite of dyno, using slow movement to get to the next hold
Crimp: A very small hold that will hurt your fingers
Sloper: Usually a big, roundish hold with little obvious space to grip that will hurt your fingers
Jug: A big, easy hold that probably won’t hurt your fingers
Chalk: It’s chalk! For your sweaty fingers
Heel or toe hook: Literally using your heel or toe to hook around a hold to get into position to reach the next hold
Top rope: What you see in a gym when someone’s on a rope climbing a tall wall; not competed at the Olympics
Pumped: The downside of being pumped up; your muscles, usually forearms, are too worked up and tighten up, making it difficult to do anything
So get pumped — but not too pumped — for climbing at the Olympics.
