MLB
PHILADELPHIA – On Jackie Robinson Day, Philadelphia is acknowledged its racist treatment of the baseball pioneer when he played in the city nearly 70 years ago.
The City Council highlighted an official apology during a ceremony Friday honoring the first black Major League player. It issued the apology in a resolution last month.
The ceremony was held at Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park, where there is a statue of Robinson.
Robinson was told to “go back to the cotton fields” by the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies when the team hosted his Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. He was also refused service at a hotel and taunted by players who hurled racial slurs when he came to bat.
ST. PETERSBURG – A fan struck by a foul ball left the game on a stretcher in the seventh inning of the Chicago White Sox at Tampa Bay Rays game Friday night.
The fan was sitting in the lower box seats on the home plate side next to Tampa Bay’s first-base side dugout. Rays designated hitter Steven Souza Jr. fouled off the ball that struck the fan and he went into the stands to check on her.
The game was delayed about 12 minutes so the injured fan could be removed on a stretcher that was brought out near the on-deck circle.
No other details about the fan’s injuries were immediately available.
After several fans were hurt by broken bats and foul balls, MLB announced in December recommendations to extend safety netting at its ballparks to the ends of both dugouts and anywhere within 70 feet of home plate.
There is netting to protect the seating area at the Rays stadium.
NFL
Agent Joel Segal told The Associated Press that 27-year-old wide receiver Percy Harvin is retiring after seven NFL seasons.
Harvin played five games for the Buffalo Bills last season before being placed on injured reserve with lingering hip and knee injuries.
A first-round pick out of Florida in 2009, Harvin spent his first four seasons in Minnesota, where he scored 29 of his 32 career touchdowns. He was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2013, but only played in five regular season games before being traded to the New York Jets the following season.
METAIRIE, La. – Fans of former Saints defensive end Will Smith payed their respects to the fallen sports hero who was shot and killed last Saturday.
A visitation was held Friday afternoon at the team’s practice facility in a New Orleans suburb.
A traditional second-line parade is also set for Friday evening in the same area Smith died.
Police say Smith was shot and killed by 28-year-old Cardell Hayes after a traffic altercation.
The coroner says Smith was shot seven times in the back and once along his side. His wife was shot twice but survived.
OLYMPICS
LAUSANNE, Switzerland – The French men’s water polo team is being investigated for possibly playing to lose an Olympic qualifying match to get a preferred opponent in the next round.
France lost 13-5 to Canada in a group-stage match at the qualifying tournament in Italy last week.
A match report on FINA’s website said “Canada was more interested to win this match.”
Associated Press
