Free Republic

As Major League Baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson and his pioneering contributions to the game, I can’t help but think about the fact that the league is reporting a historically low number of Black American players in its ranks: only 6%. I think this is a teachable moment at a time when diversity efforts across various arenas (no pun intended) have come under attack. Major League Baseball, unfortunately, is a prime example of what it looks like to talk the talk without always walking the walk.

Footage shared widely online appeared to show three African runners deliberately allowing China's He Jie to win.Organisers of the Beijing half marathon said on Monday (Apr 15) they were investigating after footage shared widely online appeared to show three African runners deliberately allowing China's He Jie to win. Video clips of Sunday's race showed the Kenyans Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat, Dejene Hailu of Ethiopia and home runner He approaching the finish. The three African runners can be seen pointing to the finish line and apparently waving He out in front, while appearing to slow down. He, the 2023 Asian...

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce finds himself at the center of a social media storm after purportedly liking an Instagram post featuring former President Donald Trump. The post, uploaded by former ESPN host Sage Steele, shows Trump during his visit to UFC 299 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, last month. He was seen engaging with the crowd and various personalities. Trump, accompanied by his daughter Ivanka, was met with a mix of cheers and chants from the audience. Trump’s presence at the sporting event was punctuated by a viral moment when a “F*** Joe Biden!” chant...

American golfer Scottie Scheffler triumphed at the 2024 Masters Tournament in Augusta on Sunday, but it is his comments about his faith that have also garnered attention in Christian circles. Scheffler, the favorite going into the tournament and the number-one-ranked golfer in the world, won by an impressive four shots ... Two green jackets in three years.. Scottie Scheffler is a Masters champion once again. ... When asked earlier in the week as to whether golf defines him, Schleffer said it did not. “I’m a faithful guy,” he responded. “I believe in a Creator. I believe in Jesus. Ultimately, I...

Jake Paul is heating up his fight vs Mike Tyson, and the electionWe are still a few months away from the much-awaited fight between the former heavyweight champion and one of boxing's greatest ever, Mike Tyson, and influencer turned boxer Jake Paul, which will take place on July 20 at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Jake Paul is already making waves, but the fight is still far away. His recent Fox News 'Jesse Watters Primetime' appearance was a masterclass in stirring the pot. He delved into his upcoming battle with Iron Mike and even dipped his toe into...

SALT LAKE CITY — The NHL is likely coming to Utah next season. That's what Arizona Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong told his team on Friday. Armstrong informed Coyote players the franchise would be moving following the season, according to multiple reports. Arizona Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo has agreed to sell the team to the NHL, which, in turn, will sell the team to Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith. However, sources told KSL.com that a deal with Smith Entertainment Group is not done and there remains a long way to go on the matter. There is confusion, sources...

Shohei Ohtani's interpreter Ippei Mizuhara is apparently nearing a plea bargain with federal agents. Released documents note no evidence that he gambled on baseball.Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, is in some big trouble. He was accused of and is reportedly preparing to plead guilty to stealing money from the two-time MVP in order to cover his gambling debts, and it turns out, it's worse than we all thought. It was reported on Thursday that Mizuhara transferred more than $16 million from Ohtani's bank account, far more than the $4.5 million that was initially...

Caitlin Clark is having a significant impact on the WNBA even before her arrival. Clark, the transcendent Iowa star and presumptive first overall pick in Monday's WNBA draft, is driving an uptick in interest and ticket prices to see the Indiana Fever, which holds the No. 1 overall selection. The Fever, second-to-last in WNBA home attendance last season (averaging 4,067 fans), would only confirm a "spike" in ticket interest, declining to comment on specifics. But the team is responding to the surge of interest by taking the unprecedented step of pre-selling single-game tickets to two games per day over a...

A massive Queens redevelopment project that includes a 7-story soccer stadium for the professional New York City Football Club and 1,400 “affordable” apartments was expected to receive final approval from the City Council on Thursday. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards will join Mayor Eric Adams and local Councilman Francisco Moya on Thursday to celebrate the breakthrough on the project in the Willets Point section of the borough. “We’ve scored a goal!” said Richards, a staunch proponent of the project. “We’re bringing the world’s sport to the world’s most diverse borough. I’m rooting for NYCFC to win the championship. Queens is...

The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is facing federal charges related to his alleged theft of millions from the slugger, a source with direct knowledge of the investigation confirmed to ESPN late Wednesday. The New York Times was first to report Wednesday that Ippei Mizuhara, 39, is in negotiations to plead guilty and that the investigation is racing toward a conclusion. The probe started just three weeks ago when news broke that at least $4.5 million was transmitted from Ohtani's bank account to a California bookmaker under federal investigation. In the first of a pair of...

Vice President Kamala Harris bricked this one. Harris mistakenly said in a recent interview that the women’s NCAA Tournament only introduced brackets in 2022, which, well, is completely false. A source told The Post, though, that the Vice President — despite using wrong verbiage — was referring to how the Women’s Tournament only received March Madness branding in 2022. “Do you know — OK, a bit of a history lesson — do you know that the women’s teams were not allowed to have brackets until 2022?” Harris said in an interview with Spectrum News in North Carolina at a clean...

Cara Castronuova, a former Golden Gloves boxing champ and celebrity fitness trainer on the reality show “The Biggest Loser,” claims she’s collected enough signatures to run in the Republican primary for US Senate against retired NYPD detective Mike Sapraicone. Both Castronuova, who’s recently worked as a Newsmax reporter, and another wannabe GOP candidate, businessman Josh Eisen, filed petitions to qualify for the ballot, the state Board of Elections confirmed Monday. If their petitions are not successfully challenged, the two would face off against Sapraicone — with the winner then taking on heavily favored three-term Democratic incumbent Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on...

This call is so bad it feels like a fix.Referees generally catch too much flak when they botch a call, but this one from the New Jersey high school basketball playoffs utterly defies belief. The No. 3 ranked Camden Panthers were on the verge of winning vs. Manasquan when their opponents took the ball down the court and hit a very obvious buzzer beater. Cheering and sadness then reversed, as referees inexplicably waved off the final shot — saying it came after the buzzer. This isn’t even a borderline call. In real time it’s incredibly clear that Manasquan got it...

Reuters reports that Tesla is ditching the affordable new model as the company shifts focus towards its driverless robotaxis. Tesla has canceled the sub-$30,000 compact SUV it's been working on behind the scenes for the past few years, according to a new report by Reuters. Tesla CEO Elon Musk first mentioned the vehicle at an event in 2020. At the time, Musk suggested the car would carry a $25,000 price point, be capable of fully autonomous driving, and arrive within three years. The "next-generation vehicle," as Musk dubbed it, was set to be smaller and significantly cheaper than the current...

Amid some already-historic changes around college football that include major conference realignment and an expanded playoff format, some interested parties are proposing another structural change to the sport: a so-called "Super League," according to The Athletic. The group calls itself College Sports Tomorrow. Composed of sports executives, university presidents, and at least one NFL official, it has a plan: Take the 70 most important programs in college football, including every Power Five school and Notre Dame, and name them as permanent members of a national league.

Rock Hill, SC (March 29, 2024) – The American Cornhole League (ACL) is pleased to announce that it has signed a new two-year agreement with ESPN to continue broadcasting cornhole on ESPN’s platforms in 2024 and 2025. The first event of the new season will be the ACL Kickoff Battle 1 airing on ESPN+ from April 4th through April 7th. After signing an initial deal in 2016, fans have embraced the thriving sport, with enthusiasts and pros across the country picking up their cornhole bags in part due to the spotlight ESPN has lent the sport. The new agreement...

The Athletics, as part of their efforts to relocate to Las Vegas in time for the 2028 season, will play their home games for the 2025-27 seasons at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California, the team announced on Thursday. The deal includes an option for a fourth season. The A's lease with the City of Oakland is set to expire at the end of this season, yet the A's rejected a five-year extension on the lease of Oakland Coliseum. That, plus an apparent desire to retain as much of their local broadcasting revenue as possible (a factor that my have...

Suzuka International Racing Course First Grand Prix1987Number of Laps53Circuit Length5.807kmRace Distance307.471 kmLap Record1:30.983 Lewis Hamilton (2019)

The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils were quick to choose violence during Wednesday's matchup, engaging in an all-out fight that saw all but two players ejected as soon as the game opened. Eight players were assessed fighting majors and ejected during the line brawl, which took place right after the puck drop at Madison Square Garden. The Devils' Curtis Lazar and Rangers' Jimmy Vesey were hit with fighting majors but remained eligible to play as they were ruled to be the "first fight." Every other skater on the ice was ejected because of their "secondary altercations." The tossed...

Patrick Beverley’s controversial list has quickly come under fire. The polarizing Bucks guard revealed his top-five “whitest black guys” in the NBA in the latest episode of his “Pat Bev Podcast” with co-host Adam Ferrone, and it has since drawn backlash. In order, Beverley listed Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, Pacers center Myles Turner, 76ers center Mo Bamba, Hornets forward Grant Williams and Pelicans guard CJ McCollum.