Spring training’s loss is WBC’s gain as viewership jumps

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:37 GMT

Spring training’s loss is WBC’s gain as viewership jumps SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Many of Major League Baseball’s biggest stars, like Mike Trout, Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani, aren’t playing in spring training. They’re in the World Baseball Classic.Some baseball fans, particularly New York Mets fans, aren’t sure that’s a good thing.But one thing appears certain: People are watching.The fifth WBC tournament drew just over one million fans in the first round, according to numbers released Friday from MLB. That was up from about 500,000 in 2017. Part of the reason is there are more games since the tournament was expanded to 20 teams from 16.But this year’s average attendance of 25,275 is considerably higher than the 20,402 average in 2017.Several individual games were among the highlights. Mexico beat the United States 11-5 in front of 47,534 fans at Chase Field in Phoenix, which set the WBC attendance record for a first-round game. The games at the Tokyo Dome in Japan drew an average of 36,198 per game ...

South Carolina women roll in March Madness opener

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:37 GMT

South Carolina women roll in March Madness opener COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Zia Cooke scored 11 points as No. 1 South Carolina moved five wins away from a perfect season after opening the women’s NCAA Tournament with a 72-40 victory over No. 16 seed Norfolk State on Friday.Aliyah Boston had seven points, nine rebounds and two blocks for the Gamecocks (33-0), who won their 39th straight game dating back to last year’s NCAA title run and moved to 11-0 in first-round games under coach Dawn Staley. They’ll face No. 8 seed South Florida on Sunday for a spot in the Sweet 16 in the Greenville, South Carolina Regional.This was a colossal mismatch from the tip like so many other games South Carolina’s been a part of this season.Norfolk State’s tallest player is freshman forward Skye Robinson at 6-foot-2. South Carolina has seven players that tall or taller. The Spartans’ tallest player on the bench? Larry Vickers, the team’s 6-9 head coach, who walked onto the Spartans’ men’s team and eventually became a team captain.Kierra Wheeler led Norfolk ...

Elizabeth Holmes returns to court in bid to avoid prison

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:37 GMT

Elizabeth Holmes returns to court in bid to avoid prison SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes on Friday made what might be her final court appearance before beginning a 11-year prison sentence, unless a judge grants her request to remain free while her lawyers appeal her conviction for masterminding a blood-testing hoax.The 90-minute hearing came four months after Holmes’ last court hearing. That was when U.S. District Judge Edward Davila sentenced her for duping investors in Theranos, a startup she founded 20 years ago and rode to fleeting fame and fortune on her promises of a revolutionary blood-testing technology.Before the hearing started, a man in the audience in the San Jose, California, courtroom tried to approach the table where Holmes was sitting while carrying a document in his hand. He was quickly intercepted by security officers who forcibly removed him. Holmes didn’t appear flustered by the disruption.The proceedings ended without a determination whether Holmes, 39, will be able to stay ...

How Moscow grabs Ukrainian kids and makes them Russians

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:37 GMT

How Moscow grabs Ukrainian kids and makes them Russians Olga Lopatkina paced around her basement in circles like a trapped animal. For more than a week, the Ukrainian mother had heard nothing from her six adopted children stranded in Mariupol, and she was going out of her mind with worry. The kids had spent their vacation at a resort in the port city, as usual. But this time war with Russia had broken out, and her little ones — always terrified of the dark — were abandoned in a besieged city with no light and no hope. All they had now was her oldest son, Timofey, who was still himself just 17.The questions looped endlessly in her head: Should she try to rescue the children herself — and risk being killed, making them orphans yet again? Or should she campaign to get them out from afar — and risk them being killed or falling into the hands of the Russians? She had no idea her dilemma would lead her straight into a battle against Russia, with the highest stakes of her life.___The Associated Press first published this story on Oct. 13, 2022....

Sports on TV for March 18-19

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:37 GMT

Sports on TV for March 18-19 (All times Eastern)Schedule subject to change and/or blackoutsSaturday, March 18AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (MEN’S)4 a.m.FS2 — AFL: Western at Melbourne12 a.m. (Sunday)FS2 — AFL: Essendon at HawthornAUTO RACING9:25 a.m.ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Jeddah Corniche Street Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia11:30 a.m.FS1 — NASCAR Cup Series: Qualifying, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Ga.12:55 a.m.ESPNEWS — Formula 1: Qualifying, Jeddah Corniche Street Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia2 p.m.FS1 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: The Fr8 208, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Ga.4:30 p.m.USA — IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: 12 Hours of Sebring, Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Fla.5 p.m.FS1 — NASCAR Xfinity Series: The RAPTOR 250, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Ga.BASEBALL7 p.m.FOX — World Baseball Classic: U.S. vs. Venezuela, Quarterfinal, MiamiBASKETBALL AFRICA LEAGUE10 a.m.NBATV — Stade Malien vs. REG, Dakar, SenegalBOWLING11 a.m.FS2 — PBA: The Tournament of Champions, Ste...

Videos show tense standoff before fatal NJ police shooting

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:37 GMT

Videos show tense standoff before fatal NJ police shooting TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A five-hour-long standoff between police in Paterson, New Jersey, and a well-known anti-violence worker in the city — that ended with officers fatally shooting him in his brother’s apartment — began with sobbing pleas from the man’s mother to end the ordeal. Details released this week by the New Jersey attorney general’s office, including hours of body-camera footage from seven officers as well as seven 911 recordings, provide the most comprehensive account yet of the March 3 standoff that ended with the death of Najee Seabrooks. Seabrooks, 31, was a crisis intervention worker and mentor with the nonprofit Paterson Healing Collective and died soon after police shot him when he emerged with a knife from the apartment bathroom where he was holed up, according to the attorney general’s office.“I’m your mother — why you doing this?” Seabrooks’ mother called out in one video. “Najee, stop because I am your mother. Open the door. Open the door,...

IndyCar clears Jack Harvey to race again at Texas

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:37 GMT

IndyCar clears Jack Harvey to race again at Texas INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — IndyCar on Friday cleared driver Jack Harvey to return to competition following a frightening crash in the season-opening race. Harvey was briefly evaluated at a Florida hospital following a multi-car crash in the March 5 race on the streets of downtown St. Petersburg. Kyle Kirkwood launched airborne over the top of Harvey’s car in the crash. Rahal Letterman Lanigan said Harvey will race April 2 on the oval at Texas Motor Speedway. The British driver missed the Texas race last year with a concussion diagnosed ahead of the race from a crash earlier in the weekend. His latest injury was not disclosed by the IndyCar medical team, which did not clear Harvey last week to test at Sebring International Raceway. ___AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Source

Anuncian ayuda económica para el pago de alquiler en el condado Arlington

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:37 GMT

Anuncian ayuda económica para el pago de alquiler en el condado Arlington Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) anunció que la Iglesia Presbiteriana de Arlington (APC, en inglés) ofrecerá ayuda financiera para el pago de la renta a ciertos residentes del condado Arlington.En un comunicado de prensa, APAH señaló que desembolsará $200,000 para ayudar a los residentes de bajos ingresos que enfrentan el desalojo en las propiedades de APAH a lo largo de Columbia Pike. “Estos programas de ayuda brindaron salvavidas a los residentes vulnerables para garantizar que se satisficieran sus necesidades de vivienda, y en este momento, los hogares de bajos ingresos en todo el mundo están experimentando dificultades ahora que las redes de seguridad ya no están disponibles”, destacó la presidenta y directora ejecutiva de APAH, Carmen Romero.Los fondos estarán disponibles este sábado 18 de marzo durante un evento exclusivo para residentes, indicó la entidad en un comunicado.El objetivo es eliminar los saldos de alquiler pendientes en Gilliam Place, Buch...

Top-seeded Hoosiers end long break as March Madness begins

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:37 GMT

Top-seeded Hoosiers end long break as March Madness begins BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — The Indiana Hoosiers got back to work Friday with a sharp and spirited NCAA Tournament practice.They’ve been waiting an excruciatingly long time to relish this moment.Since clinching their first Big Ten regular season title in 40 years on Feb. 19, the top-seeded Hoosiers have played just three games. They were able to rest, rehab and recharge from a brutal conference slate, as well as refocus after losing twice during the final stretch.“It’s given us great motivation to get back in practice and certainly figure out some of those things we didn’t do well enough, why we lost the games but also it’s been a great time for us to rest,” Indiana coach Teri Moren said. “I don’t know if it’s a silver lining, but I think it’s been good for us to be able to have some extra time off because of the schedule we played.”The Hoosiers’ top two players, All-American center Mackenzie Holmes and all-conference guard Grace Berger, ...

Shelter-in-place lifted near Anschutz campus, no threat to public

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:47:37 GMT

Shelter-in-place lifted near Anschutz campus, no threat to public AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — UPDATE (3:40 p.m.): The shelter-in-place order has been lifted according to APD after two suspects have been brought into custody.Aurora Police Department announced a shelter-in-place order has been issued for the 1300 block of N. Racine Street.According to APD, SWAT is issuing a warrant pickup in the area.Police said there is no public safety threat at this time and they will update the public when the order is lifted.