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MLB legend Willie Mays dead at 93

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MLB legend Willie Mays dead at 93

MLB legend Willie Mays, the “Say Hey Kid,” died Tuesday afternoon, the San Francisco Giants announced. 

Mays was 93 years old. 

“It is with great sadness that we announce that San Francisco Giants Legend and Hall of Famer Willie Mays passed away peacefully this afternoon at the age of 93,” the Giants said in a statement.

The MLB legend hit 660 home runs in his illustrious career. (Getty Images)

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Michael Mays, Willie’s son, added, “My father has passed away peacefully and among loved ones. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my broken heart for the unwavering love you have shown him over the years. You have been his life’s blood.”

Mays was one of the greatest ballplayers to ever grace a baseball diamond, beginning in 1951 as a 20-year-old making his debut playing for the New York Giants. Mays caught the eyes of MLB teams while playing in the Negro American League with the Birmingham Black Barons, and he was still in high school when scouts were clamoring for him. 

Mays would go on to be a 24-time All-Star, two-time MVP, 12-time Gold Glover, two-time All-Star Game MVP, Rookie of the Year and 1954 World Series champion in an illustrious career that led to an easy Hall of Fame induction. 

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“Today we have lost a true legend,” Giants Chair Greg Johnson said. “In the pantheon of baseball greats, Willie Mays’ combination of tremendous talent, keen intellect, showmanship, and boundless joy set him apart. A 24-time All-Star, the Say Hey Kid is the ultimate Forever Giant. He had a profound influence not only on the game of baseball, but on the fabric of America. He was an inspiration and a hero who will be forever remembered and deeply missed.”

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Giants president and CEO Larry Baer added, “I fell in low with baseball because of Willie, plain and simple. My childhood was defined by going to Candlestick with my dad, watching Willie patrol centerfield with grace and the ultimate athleticism. Over the past 30 years, working with Willie, and seeing firsthand his zest for life and unbridled passion for giving to young players and kids, has been one of the joys of my life.”

Mays was known for his ability to wow crowds with thunderous home runs, slick baserunning and miraculous plays in center field. One of the most iconic plays ever in MLB came in that 1954 World Series and was forever called “The Catch.”

Willie Mays catch

Willie Mays of the New York Giants makes his iconic over-the-shoulder catch of a fly ball against the then-Cleveland Indians during Game 1 of the 1954 World Series on Sept. 29, 1954, in New York. (Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)

In Game 1, Mays was on a dead sprint deep into the Polo Grounds outfield with the game tied in the eighth inning, 2-2, against the then-Cleveland Indians. Vic Wertz hit a fly ball with runners on base, and it looked like the lead was about to be broken. 

That was until Mays made a jaw-dropping, over-the-shoulder catch and had the quick presence of mind to throw the ball back in so runners couldn’t advance. The Giants went on to win the game, 5-2, and that play forever became one of the greatest ever.

“All of Major League Baseball is in mourning today as we are gathered at the very ballpark where a career and a legacy like no other began. Willie Mays took his all-around brilliance from the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro American League to the historic Giants franchise. From coast to coast in New York and San Francisco, Willie inspired generations of players and fans as the game crew and truly earned its place as our National Pastime,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said.

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Mays’ No. 24 was retired by the Giants, and he remains the franchise leader in games played (2,857), hits (3,187), runs (2,011), doubles (504), home runs (646) and many more statistics. He ended his career with the New York Mets in 1973.

“Willie Mays was one of the greatest to ever play the game,” Mets co-owners Steve and Alex Cohen said in a statement. “Willie ended his Hall of Fame career in Queens and was a key piece to the 1973 NL championship team. Mays played with a style and grace like no one else. Alex and I were thrilled to honor a previous promise from Joan Payson to retire his iconic #24 as a member of the Mets in 2022. 

“On behalf of our entire organization, we send our thoughts and prayers to Willie’s family and friends.”

Mays, who spent most of 1952 and all of 1953 serving in the Army, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2015. 

Not only is he considered one of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game, he’s widely thought of as one of the greatest athletes in history.

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The Giants will announce a public celebration of Mays’ life at a later date. In the meantime, fans who wish to offer condolences may send letters to the Mays family care of the San Francisco Giants, attention Forever 24, 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94107.

Willie Mays Portait

MLB icon Willie Mays died on June 18, 2024. He was 93. (Getty Images)

MLB is also set to play a regular-season game on Thursday at the historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, where Mays played his Negro League games with the Black Barons, between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. 

“Thursday’s game at historic Rickwood Field was designed to be a celebration of Willie Mays and his peers. With sadness in our hearts, it will now serve as a national remembrance of an American hero who will forever remain on the short list of the most impactful individuals our great game has ever known,” Manfred said.

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Grading the Mikal Bridges trade: Knicks, Nets, Rockets all win?

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Grading the Mikal Bridges trade: Knicks, Nets, Rockets all win?

Maybe you were worried the New York Knicks didn’t have enough players from Villanova after their success this season with Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. Well, worry no further.

The Knicks are acquiring Mikal Bridges and a second-round pick from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Bojan Bogdanović, five first-round picks and a second-round pick, league sources confirmed Tuesday evening. The Nets are also making a trade with the Houston Rockets, exchanging first-round picks owed to them by Phoenix from the Kevin Durant trade in order to acquire their own picks back from the James Harden trade.

ESPN reported the details of the trade being four unprotected first-round picks from the Knicks, a protected first-round pick from the Bucks and a future second-round pick, along with Bogdanovic. There are a lot of picks being thrown around. There are a lot of things to infer from this. So let’s bust out the red ink and throw some grades on this trade.

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Knicks acquire Mikal Bridges and a second-round pick

Last season, the Knicks finished as the East’s No. 2 seed, made it to the second round of the playoffs and then fell apart against Indiana after injuries to several key players, including OG Anunoby.

The Knicks acquired Anunoby halfway through the season and took off after making that move. It helped catapult them toward the top of the East, even with Anunoby missing 27 regular-season games after the trade with an elbow injury, then suffering a hamstring injury in the Indiana series. That makes the acquisition of Bridges, who has not missed a single game in his six-year NBA career, even more important. (Technically, Bridges missed one game in the 2022-23 season when he was traded from Phoenix to Brooklyn in the Kevin Durant deal, but the NBA doesn’t count this as a missed game. In fact, he played 83 games that season due to the schedules of the two squads for which he played.)

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We can start off by talking about how the 27-year-old Bridges is one of the better two-way players in the NBA. His defense has been stellar most years, although it took a dip as he was asked to create more offense in Brooklyn. He went from a decent safety valve on offense with stellar defense in Phoenix to a 21-point per game scorer with solid defense in Brooklyn. Putting him on the Knicks will allow him to devote far more energy on the defensive end of the floor, and pairing him with Anunoby could allow New York to seriously clamp opposing scorers. The Knicks still have to re-sign Anunoby in free agency, but that’s been expected to happen since he was moved to New York at the end of December.

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This is a lot of draft capital to give up for Bridges; what is essentially five first-round picks and a second-round pick is a Rudy Gobert-level package. But adding Bridges to the mix with Hart, DiVincenzo and Brunson boosts a team that already boasts some of the best chemistry in the league. It might cost the Knicks big man Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, but it was already going to be tough to keep him unless he took a discount. We’ll see if Julius Randle is still in the Knicks’ long-term plans after this move, but they have a loaded rotation to battle for supremacy in the East.

Grade: A

Nets acquire Bojan Bogdanović, six first-round picks, their own 2025 pick swap from Houston and a second-round pick

There are so many picks flying around these two trades with the Nets, so let’s break down everything they seem to be acquiring in addition to bringing back Bogdanović, who played in Brooklyn from 2014-2017. These are the picks the Nets get in this trade:

  • Four unprotected first-round picks from the Knicks in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031;
  • A 2025 top-four protected first-round pick from Milwaukee via New York;
  • A 2025 first-round pick swap they owed to Houston from Harden trade;
  • A 2026 first-round pick they owed to Houston from the Harden trade;
  • A 2028 unprotected pick swap with the Knicks’ first-rounder;
  • A 2025 second-round pick from New York.

That’s more picks than Rudy Gobert would set on a single play in Quin Snyder’s offense! (That joke is for a very niche audience but I’m hoping the editors don’t remove it.)

This is a surprising move by the Nets, considering they reportedly turned down Jalen Green and upwards of four first-round picks from Houston at the trade deadline. Between these two trades, they have acquired a wild number of picks to restock their cupboard and can now benefit from struggling on the court once again. (Houston has the third pick in this draft because of a pick owed to them by the Nets from the Harden deal.)

The Nets are banking on the idea that the Knicks will be bad again, hopefully (for Brooklyn) by 2029 at the latest. That remains to be seen, as the Knicks have put together an incredible squad and could continue to have more and more success in the Brunson era. It’s important for the Nets to own their own picks again as they go into next year’s draft class, which is loaded with top prospects that could end up being franchise-changers. Brooklyn is lucky the third overall pick it conveyed to Houston this season is in a down draft year.

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Brooklyn has now essentially acquired nine first-round picks, along with Cameron Johnson, from the 2023 Durant trade. We’ll see what else the Nets can do to rebuild this roster over the next couple seasons in a favorable market.

Grade: A

Rockets acquire 2025 Suns pick swap, a 2027 first, a 2029 first and a pick swap from Brooklyn 

Let’s catch up on what the Rockets are acquiring here from the Nets as they shuffle around some first-round picks in preparation for an aggressive summer of trade possibilities. This is what they get from the Brooklyn trade:

  • 2025 first-round pick swap from Phoenix owed to Brooklyn from the Kevin Durant trade;
  • 2027 first-round pick from Phoenix owed to Brooklyn in the Durant trade;
  • 2029 first-round pick from either Phoenix or Dallas, depending on which one is more favorable;
  • 2029 first-round pick swap for less favorable of the Phoenix or Dallas picks.

Under new coach Ime Udoka, the Rockets surprised many last season to finish 41-41. Young players like 21-year-old Alperen Şengün and 22-year-old Jalen Green grew up tremendously, as did 21-year-old Jabari Smith Jr. in his role. We also saw some good things from 2023 first-round picks Amen Thompson (21) and Cam Whitmore (19), as well as 2022 first-rounder Tari Eason (23). Veterans Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Jeff Green proved to be useful mentors for this young cast of players. The Rockets don’t want to miss the playoffs anymore, and now they’re armed with some impressive draft picks and other assets to be major players in the trade market.

Maybe Houston could try to convince the Phoenix Suns their three-star core is going nowhere and offer their picks back for Durant or Devin Booker at some point in the next season or two. Phoenix wants to win now, but that situation could get ugly quickly after last season’s first-round sweep at the hands of Minnesota. Regardless of who the Rockets target in the trade market, they have one of the more impressive treasure chests of trade assets to tempt a team with a disgruntled star looking to win elsewhere.

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This trade might be the first win-win-win we’ve seen in a while, but that depends on what the Nets and Rockets do with all this pick shuffling.

Grade: A-

(Top photo: Nathaniel S. Butler / NBAE via Getty Images)

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US soccer star Alex Morgan 'disappointed' by Olympics snub: 'Close to my heart'

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US soccer star Alex Morgan 'disappointed' by Olympics snub: 'Close to my heart'

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American soccer star Alex Morgan was left off the Olympic roster in a shocking decision announced Wednesday.

Morgan, who will turn 35 next week, responded to the news on social media, saying she was “disappointed” by the outcome. 

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Alex Morgan of the U.S. women’s team celebrates the championship with a medal during a World Cup match against Holland at the Stade de Lyon on July 7, 2019, in Lyon, France. (Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images)

“Today, I’m disappointed about not having the opportunity to represent our country on the Olympic stage. This will always be a tournament that is close to my heart and I take immense pride any time I put on the crest,” she wrote in a post on X. 

“In less than a month, I look forward to supporting this team and cheering them on alongside the rest of our country. LFG”

The 18-player roster was announced Wednesday and will include eight players who participated in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Team USA earned the bronze medal, finishing behind Canada and Sweden. 

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It also includes 10 players from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup team

Alex Morgan celebrates

Alex Morgan of the U.S. celebrates her side’s second goal during a 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup France semifinal match against England at Stade de Lyon July 2, 2019, in Lyon, France. (Naomi Baker/FIFA via Getty Images)

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“Making an Olympic roster is a huge privilege and an honor, and there is no denying that it was an extremely competitive process among the players and that there were difficult choices, especially considering how hard everyone has worked over the past 10 months,” head coach Emma Hayes said in a statement. 

“Choosing an 18-player roster plus alternates involved many considerations, but I am excited for the group we have selected, and I’m looking forward to building on the work from last camp as we head into the send-off matches and then onto France. These are great opportunities for us to continue to show the progress we are making.”

Four other players — Jane Campbell, Hal Hershfelt, Croix Bethune and Lynn Williams — were named as alternates. 

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Alex Morgan celebrates

Alex Morgan of the U.S. celebrates after winning the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup France final match against the Netherlands at Stade de Lyon July 7, 2019, in Lyon, France.  (Zhizhao Wu/Getty Images)

Morgan missed more than a month with the San Diego Wave after she injured her left ankle April 19. She also missed a match last weekend with an excused absence. 

The United States has won four Olympic gold medals, more than any other team, but has not won gold since the 2012 London Games. The women’s national team fell to No. 5 in the latest FIFA rankings, its lowest ranking ever.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Ducks bring back classic logo and Kings embrace Gretzky era as teams unveil new looks

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Ducks bring back classic logo and Kings embrace Gretzky era as teams unveil new looks

The Kings and Ducks are taking a look back while stepping into the future with new uniforms that were unveiled Wednesday.

Both teams revealed logos that harken to earlier days.

Yes, Ducks fans, that means the classic and ever-popular mask logo is back. More on that in a minute.

The Kings are going with a logo very similar to one they used from 1988 to 1998 — an era that overlapped with Wayne Gretzky’s time on the team (1988-1996).

The most prominent feature is the word “Kings” in bold letters in the middle of the logo, with speed lines running behind it, “Los Angeles” written above and at the bottom, a crown — an image that dates to the team’s initial season in 1967.

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Drew Doughty wears the Kings’ road uniform for the 2024-25 season.

(Courtesty of Los Angeles Kings)

The elements are all outlined to form a crest shape, similar to the most recent logo, which was retired after being used since 2008.

“This evolution is rooted in our 57-year history and embraces the elements of our eras,” Kings President Luc Robitaille said in a statement. “It also involved interface and feedback with players both past and present, and it sets the stage for extensions and new iterations in the future.”

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The team colors remain black, silver and white, although the palette has been updated to include a new “enhanced silver.”

The Ducks, however, are trying something different. Their new primary color is now orange, with black, white and gold worked in. But even that change is a nod to the team’s Orange County roots, Ducks owners Susan and Henry Samueli said in a statement.

“The Ducks are a symbol of Orange County, and our pivot to orange with an updated, iconic logo encompasses our past, present and future,” they said.

The new primary uniform is similar to an alternate jersey worn by the team since 2015. And, yes, it features a slightly updated version of the original, cartoonish and now retro-cool logo of a hockey mask shaped like a duck’s bill. The previous logo — a “D” shaped like a duck’s webbed foot — has been moved to the jersey’s shoulder.

The team has been tweeting videos of local celebrities being gifted the new jerseys and their approval of the new look.

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“So that’s the new logo, huh?” Angels star Mike Trout said. “Wow. That’s sweet.”

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, a Fullerton native who played at El Toro High, commented that orange is his favorite color.

“Sweet. Got the old hockey mask,” he said while looking at the logo. “Gonna have to come out to a game.”

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