Comparing Shohei Ohtani’s Game 4 to the greatest feats in sports history
Once Shohei Ohtani homered for the third time — shortly after wrapping up his six scoreless innings on the mound — the superlatives began in earnest. Best baseball performance of all time? Best sports performance, period? Those two questions are worth exploring. In Game 4 of the NL Championship Series on Friday night, Ohtani became the third player ever to hit three homers in a game in which he was a starting pitcher. He also become the only person since at least 1906 to reach double digits in both total bases at the plate and strikeouts on the mound.
Maccabi Tel Aviv declines tickets for Aston Villa game, citing safety concerns
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Maccabi Tel Aviv has announced it will decline tickets for a Europa League game against Aston Villa next month regardless of growing calls for the English city of Birmingham to reverse a ban it imposed on the Israeli club’s fans. The ban has faced criticism, including from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Maccabi Tel Aviv emphasized the safety of its fans in a statement on Tuesday. The British government has been working to resolve the Europa League issue amid heightened concerns about antisemitism. Maccabi Tel Aviv says it hopes for a future where it can play in Birmingham without controversy.
Ohtani and the Dodgers tout ‘Team Effort’ on brink of World Series repeat
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers are aiming for a second consecutive World Series championship. It hasn’t been done since the New York Yankees 25 years ago. Shortstop Mookie Betts says the team is ready to make history. The Dodgers practiced on Monday while waiting for the World Series to begin on Friday. Reliever Tanner Scott, who had an abscess removed and missed the NL Championship Series, is eligible for the World Series roster and said he feels ready to play.
Israeli soccer game abandoned after rioting rival fans throw flares and smoke grenades
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Police officers were among dozens of people injured during rioting between rival fans at a soccer game in Tel Aviv, Israeli authorities said. The game was eventually abandoned as police were forced to evacuate tens of thousands of people. In a statement early Monday, a police spokesman said a handful of fans had attended the game on Sunday and fired dozens of flares and smoke grenades onto the field. The derby match at the Bloomfield Stadium between Hapoel and Maccabi was canceled out of concern for public safety, police said.
Purdue’s Smith earns unanimous AP preseason All-America honors, joined by Texas Tech’s Toppin
Purdue guard Braden Smith has been named a unanimous preseason All-American by The Associated Press. He earned all 57 votes from a media panel. This recognition comes after Smith decided to return to Purdue for another shot at a national championship. Last season, he became the first player in NCAA history to achieve at least 550 points, 300 assists, 150 rebounds and 75 steals in a season. Smith is joined on the All-America team by Texas Tech’s JT Toppin, Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa and Florida forward Alex Condon.
Bradley opens up on Ryder Cup loss: ‘There’s no part of me that thinks I’ll ever get over this’
SUTTON, Mass. (AP) — Keegan Bradley has opened up about the challenges of being the Ryder Cup captain. On Monday, he spoke about the emotional toll of the U.S. team’s loss to Europe. Bradley, a two-time Ryder Cup competitor, was appointed captain last year. Despite high expectations, the Americans faced a significant deficit heading into the final day. Bradley has accepted blame for some decisions, including the course setup. He said he will never get over the disappointment.
Former NFL player Doug Martin died after struggling with officers while being detained, police say
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Police in California say former NFL running back Doug Martin died after struggling with officers who were taking him into custody. Oakland Police say it happened early Saturday while they were investigating a break-in at a home in Oakland. Police say Martin became unresponsive after being arrested. He was transported by paramedics to a hospital where he died. He was 36. A cause of death has not been released and an autopsy will be conducted. Martin is best known for his stellar career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was named first-team All-Pro and made the Pro Bowl after rushing for 1,400 yards in 2015.
Red-hot Mbappé, Kane and Haaland lead Madrid, Bayern and City as Champions League returns
MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester City return to the Champions League with Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland enjoying red-hot starts to their seasons. They all found the net in their teams’ league victories this weekend to extend their impressive scoring runs. Each has scored at least once in all but one of the games in which they played for club and country this season. Six teams have started with victories in the first two rounds, including defending champion Paris Saint-Germain and Azerbaijan’s Qarabag, which will go for three in a row when it visits winless Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.