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George W. Bush has a little bounce as he throws ceremonial first pitch to start World Series

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:52 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Former President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1 of the World Series to former Texas Rangers catcher Iván “Pudge” Rodriguez, bouncing the throw from the front of the mound.Bush, a former Texas governor, spent 1989-94 as managing partner of the Rangers, who are playing the Arizona Diamondbacks.When he was president, Bush famously threw out the first pitch of the first World Series game in New York after 9/11 terrorist attacks, making that toss from the rubber without a bounce.Before this first pitch, Bush reminisced with former Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, now a TV analyst, about Jeter telling him he had to throw from the mound and couldn’t bounce the pitch in 2001, or else he would get booed.“Well, this is Texas,” Jeter said Friday in a brief interview from the tunnel behind the Texas dugout on the first-base side. “You bounce it, they won’t boo you.”“No, no,” Bush replied. “It doesn’t matter now.”Bush wore a white ja...

Misinformation is flowing ahead of Ohio abortion vote. Some is coming from a legislative website

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:52 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The inflammatory language targeting a reproductive rights measure on Ohio’s fall ballot is the type of messaging that is common in the closing weeks of a highly contested initiative campaign — warning of “abortion on demand” or “dismemberment of fully conscious children” if voters approve it.Only the messaging isn’t just coming from the anti-abortion groups that oppose the constitutional amendment. It’s being promoted on the official government website of the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate.And because the source is a government website, the messaging is being prioritized in online searches for information about Issue 1, the question going before Ohio voters Nov. 7 to enshrine abortion access in the state Constitution.The “On The Record” blog on the state Senate website is billed as an “online newsroom” presenting “the views the news excludes.” It features attacks against Ohio news outlets, op-ed style columns by Republican state senators and content ge...

Rob Manfred says it would be difficult to pause MLB’s season for the 2028 LA Olympics

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:52 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Bryce Harper wants big leaguers to play in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says pausing the regular season to make that happen would be difficult.“Everyone appreciates the challenges associated with major league players playing in a tournament that is in the middle of our season,” Manfred said before Fridays’ World Series opener. “We’re an everyday game. We’re kind of big on the integrity of that regular season. It’s an important thing for us.”Baseball and softball were restored to the 2028 Games after being dropped for next year’s Paris Olympics. MLB did not let players on active big league rosters participate in 2000, 2004 and 2008, and the sport was dropped for 2012 and 2016.While baseball was restored for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, only players not on 26-man active rosters and injured lists were eligible, and many clubs blocked top eligible prospects from heading to the tournament in Japan. Nippon Pr...

Es posible que Irán no quiera una guerra directa con Israel, pero podría terminar arrastrado a una

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:52 GMT

Abu Dhabi, EAU (CNN) — Un día después de que el grupo extremista palestino Hamas lanzara su brutal ataque contra Israel, salió a la luz un curioso video tomado en el estadio Azadi de Teherán. Cientos de aficionados al fútbol, reunidos para ver un partido entre el Persépolis FC y el Gol Gohar Sirjan FC, coreaban al unísono: “Métete la bandera palestina por el c***”.La vulgar protesta se produjo en respuesta al intento de las autoridades de izar una bandera palestina en el estadio para mostrar su apoyo al atentado del 7 de octubre. Pero, para los hinchas, eso fue otra inoportuna mezcla de política y fútbol, y un duro recordatorio de la implicación del gobierno iraní en batallas por poderes en lugares lejanos.EE.UU. ataca dos instalaciones vinculadas a las milicias apoyadas por Irán en Siria tras una serie de ataques contra fuerzas estadounidenses en Medio OrienteEl ataque de Hamas, en el que murieron 1.400 personas según las autoridades israelíes, desencadenó una fer...

NIT will no longer guarantee tournament spots for regular-season conference champions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:52 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Regular-season conference champions are no longer guaranteed spots in the National Invitation Tournament, a change that disappointed at least a couple mid-major conferences.The NIT Board of Managers tweaked its qualifying rules for its postseason tournament Friday, saying regular-season champs who do not win their conference tournament and are not otherwise selected to the NCAA Tournament will not receive an automatic bid to the NIT. Instead, the NIT will guarantee two teams — based on the NET rankings — from each of the six major conferences, the Atlantic Coast, the Big East, the Big Ten, the Big 12, the Pac-12 and the Southeastern.The top two teams in the NET rankings not qualifying for the NCAA Tournament from each conference, regardless of win-loss record, will be selected. Additionally, the 12 teams automatically selected will be guaranteed the opportunity to host a game in the first round of the NIT.The decision drew complaints from the commissioners of the...

Great playing careers end at the Rugby World Cup. Not all of them on the field

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:52 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Dane Coles took it like a champion.Unbeknownst to Coles, his 90-test, 11-year test rugby career with New Zealand ended two weeks ago in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal win against Ireland at the Stade de France.The 2015 World Cup winner who announced in February that this World Cup was his career swansong, held out hope of playing in the semifinal against Argentina and the final on Saturday against South Africa. But another quiet word from All Blacks coach Ian Foster snuffed out his last chance.“Probably the toughest (call) I have had as a coach,” Foster said this week. “He took it the way I expected him to. He’s a champion.”The feisty Coles has always been one of the most popular All Blacks, not just for redefining the hooker position, but also for not beating around the bush. His successor, Codie Taylor, said, “His influence, his leadership, his standards that he demands and drives in the team is world-class. It’s exactly what we need. We talk about All B...

Manfred will make recommendation ahead of MLB vote on Oakland A’s proposed move to Las Vegas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:52 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred will make a recommendation to teams ahead of their vote next month on whether the Oakland Athletics should be allowed to move to Las Vegas.Manfred said the sport’s relocation committee met three times this week. He plans a vote when owners meet from Nov. 14-16 in Arlington, Texas.“Once they have a pretty good sense of where they’re headed, I have to consult with the (committee’s) executive council,” he said Friday before the World Series opener. “And then after that consultation, I prepare a recommendation to the clubs and then go back to the executive council for an actual vote on the recommendation that I made. That would be followed by a vote of the 30 clubs.”The Nevada State Education Association formed a political action committee called Schools Over Stadiums that filed a referendum petition to repeal $380 million in public financing approved in June by Nevada’s government for a ballpark. A lawsuit to r...

Maine mass killing suspect has been found dead, ending search that put entire state on edge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:52 GMT

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — The man wanted in the mass shooting at a bowling alley and bar that killed 18 people and wounded 13 was found dead Friday, bringing an end to a search that put the entire state of Maine on edge for the last two days.Robert Card, who was wanted in connection with the shootings at Schemengees Bar and Grille and at Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley in Lewiston, was found dead in Lisbon Falls, Maine, Gov. Janet Mills said at a Friday night news conference.Commissioner of Maine Department of Public Safety Mike Sauschuck said Card was found at 7:45 p.m. near the Androscoggin River of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He declined to provide a specific address.Police found Card’s body at a recycling facility where he recently worked, a law enforcement official told the AP. The official was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity. Card, 40, of Bowdoin, Maine, was a U.S. Army reservist who...

Colorado school partners with tribe to ensure 'Indian' mascot brings sense of pride

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:52 GMT

STRASBURG, Colo. (KDVR) — Across the country, professional sports teams and schools continue to distance themselves from controversial Native American mascots. In Colorado, more than a dozen schools have changed or removed their mascots in the past few years, following a new state law. That law allowed schools to keep their Native American mascots only if they received permission and developed a partnership with a federally recognized tribe. This celebrity was the first male Broncos cheerleader In the town of Strasburg, the "Indians" have done just that, through a relationship with the Northern Arapaho Tribe that continues to strengthen.“It’s a strong bond," Gail Ridgeley said, "and I think it was meant to be.”Ridgeley is a member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe and works hand-in-hand with a new council of 10 students at the high school.Tribal elders visit Strasburg HighFriday, the entire middle school and high school crammed into the gymnasium for a special hoop dance and drum...

Peabody holds off rival Salem, 27-26, in thrilling battle

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:52 GMT

SALEM — What started out as a sometimes ugly defensive slugfest on Friday night at Bertram Field finished with all the drama one could stand.Peabody looked like it was going to cruise to an unbeaten regular season and a Northeastern Conference Lynch Division title when it led Salem 20-0 early in the fourth quarter.Then like a tidal wave, the Witches erupted for 26 fourth-quarter points. But it was the final two that escaped them which were the difference. Devante Ozuna was stopped half a yard short on a two-point conversion attempt with no time left, giving Peabody a 27-26 win over their longtime rivals.“I don’t know how many times Peabody and Salem have played over the years but that has to be one of the best football games contested between these two teams,” Peabody coach Mark Bettencourt said. “That is a very good football team over there in Salem.”There was no indication a frantic finish was on tap when Reymi Andino returned a fumble for a touchdown on the second play of the fou...