Lawyer: 30 women settle Watson-related claims against Texans
HOUSTON (AP) — An attorney representing 30 women who have accused the Houston Texans of turning a blind eye to allegations that Deshaun Watson was sexually assaulting and harassing women during massage sessions says they have settled their legal claims against the team. Tony Buzbee, the women's attorney, says the terms of the settlements reached between each of the women and the Texans are confidential. Buzbee says while only one of the women had filed a lawsuit against the team, the others had also intended to make legal claims against the Texans before the settlements were reached. In a statement, the owners of the Texans say they hope the settlement will “provide some form of closure to the parties involved, our fans and the Houston community at large."
Dodger Stadium workers won't strike during All-Star Game
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The union representing concession workers at Dodger Stadium says it won't strike during Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game and its related events. Unite Here Local 11 and concessionaire Compass Group and its subsidiary Levy Restaurants have made what the union says is “substantial progress” in contract negotiations this week. As a result, there won't be a strike during the All-Star events that begin Saturday and culminate in the game on Tuesday. Union spokesperson Maria Hernandez says both sides look forward to a successful event and continued negotiations. The union had earlier voted to authorize a strike.
Tiger Woods gets emotional sendoff from St. Andrews
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) — Tiger Woods may have played his final round of a British Open at St. Andrews. He received an emotional sendoff worthy of the occasion. Woods shot a 75 and missed the cut. But that's not what Friday was all about. Crowds got larger and louder as he neared the end. Woods crossed the Swilcan Bridge and did not stop to pose like other legends before him have done. He kept walking. Woods says this will not be his last British Open. He just doesn't know if he'll be healthy enough to play when it returns to St. Andrews.
British Open | Smith finishes 2nd round at 13 under
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) — Cameron Smith shot 8-under 64 in the second round of the British Open and moved into a three-stroke lead at 13 under overall. The Australian opened the round with three straight birdies. He had two more before an eagle on the par-5 14th when he swung a long-range putt from right to left, slightly down the hill and straight into the cup. Smith is playing at his fifth British Open. His best finish was tied for 20th in 2019 at Portrush. His best results at the majors came at the Masters. He finished tied for second in 2020 and tied for third in 2022 at Augusta National.
Griner lawyer: WNBA star had doctor's note for cannabis use
KHIMKI, Russia (AP) — A lawyer for WNBA star Brittney Griner at her drug possession trial has given a Russian court a letter from a U.S. doctor recommending she use cannabis to treat pain. The two-time Olympic gold medalist and standout for the Phoenix Mercury was arrested at a Moscow airport in February after customs officials said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Last week, Griner pleaded guilty and acknowledged possessing the canisters but said she had no criminal intent. She said they were in her luggage because she packed hastily in her return to Russia to play for the UMMC Ekaterinburg basketball team during the WNBA’s offseason.
Doping sleuths keep sunscreen from burning track stars
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Shortly after last year’s Olympics, the urine samples of some six dozen athletes came back with traces of a banned stimulant. Career-altering penalties loomed. But they were avoided thanks to some nimble sleuthing by antidoping scientists in the U.S. and Germany. The scientists discovered the stimulant could be found in an ingredient present in an over-the-counter sunscreen. Increasingly sensitive instruments designed to detect banned substances have the ability to pick up increasingly minuscule amounts of those substances in an athlete’s system. In some cases, athletes ingest them intentionally. But in a growing number of instances, the banned drugs enter their systems in completely unintentional ways. Like through sunscreen or contaminated food and prescription drugs.
Royals beat Jays 3-1 with 10 unvaccinated players absent
TORONTO (AP) — The Kansas City Royals overcame the absence of 10 unvaccinated players to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1. Double-A callup Angel Zerpa pitched five solid innings in his first major league start and Bobby Witt Jr. hit a tiebreaking home run for Kansas City. Nate Eaton homered in his major league debut as the Royals won for the fifth time in six games. Players who aren't vaccinated against COVID-19 aren't allowed to enter Canada. Among the Royals who stayed home were All-Star outfielder Andrew Benintendi, two-time All-Star Whit Merrifield, future cornerstones Kyle Isbel and MJ Melendez and outfielder Michael A. Taylor.
Jim Thorpe reinstated as sole winner for 1912 Olympic golds
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Jim Thorpe has been reinstated as the sole winner of the 1912 Olympic pentathlon and decathlon in Stockholm. The move comes nearly 110 years after he was stripped of those gold medals for violations of strict amateurism rules of the time. The International Olympic Committee announced the change on the 110th anniversary of Thorpe winning the decathlon and later being proclaimed by King Gustav V of Sweden as “the greatest athlete in the world.” Thorpe was a Native American. He had his medals stripped months after the Olympics when it was discovered he had been paid to play minor league baseball over two summers.
Scherzer, Harper, others discuss how NL DH rule changes game
Max Scherzer misses hitting. He misses pitching to pitchers. Yet the New York Mets right-hander is just fine with the full-time addition of the designated hitter to the National League as of this season, nearly 50 years after the American League adopted it. The three-time Cy Young Award winner says the biggest benefit of the change is that all of Major League Baseball is under one set of rules. All games include a DH in the lineup. The ballot for Sunday’s All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium included a DH for the NL. And runs per game are up in the NL in 2022.
Column: Welcome to the Island of Misfit Sports
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Welcome to The World Games, a sort of Island of Misfit Toys for a fascinating array of sports that are on the outside looking in at the Olympics. The 11-day, Olympic-style competition is being held in the United States for only the second time, at venues throughout Birmingham, Alabama. From air sports to wushu — this is a showcase for sports that someday hope to shine on the Olympic stage. For Birmingham, it's a chance to show how far the city has moved from its ugly racial history by welcoming sports that few locals have ever seen — or understand.
The Associated Press