Sports & Politics Intersect: L.A. loops in Elon Musk on Dodger Stadium transit

Need to know now: 

• USA Gymnastics progress slow post-Nassar scandal – Four-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles is among many associated with the sport wondering when Kerry Perry, the new president of gymnastics’ governing body in the U.S., will publicly address any new policies instituted in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal. Fellow Olympic gymnasts Madison Kocian and Kyla Ross are the latest athletes to claim they were abused by the former team doctor, whose attempt to have his sentencing judge disqualified was rejected this week.

• Elway’s comments on Kaepernick might raise eyebrows - Denver Broncos legend and current general manager John Elway didn’t paint himself or the NFL in a good light when discussing his team’s interest in acquiring still-unemployed quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016. Don’t be surprised if Elway’s logical and legal faux pas lead to ramifications for him and the league.

• ESPN will not broadcast national anthem before MNF - The news out of Bristol is the four-letter let the NFL know it will not include “The Star-Spangled Banner” as part of its “Monday Night Football” coverage for this upcoming season, keeping with how the network has handled the broadcast in the past. The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch quoted one senior ESPN exec as saying, “News will dictate whether or not we will show the anthem. We have seen the data. Fans want the game.” 

• Marlins will have tough time proving foreign ownership - The Miami Marlins’ fight over profit-sharing with Miami-Dade County will stay in a local court. The club is hoping to prove it has foreign ownership because a part of the group is based in the British Virgin Islands. Keeping the case in Circuit Court, however, won’t help that cause. 

• Blue Lives Matter says no to Jets - The New York Jets thought asking the pro-police organization to form a partnership for the upcoming season was a good idea. The feeling, however, wasn’t mutual as the group declined the invitation, believing the NFL does not respect police.

• University decides on whether Richardson’s name stays on stadium - The name of former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson will remain on the football stadium at UNC Charlotte. Richardson was fined by the NFL for his alleged racial and sexual misconduct of team employees.

• Tottenham stadium debut delayed - The much-anticipated opening of Tottenham Hotspur’s shiny new ground will have to wait. The Premier League club’s fancy digs were slated to debut in mid-September, but security issues arose. The team will continue playing home matches at Wembley Stadium, which will also host another NFL contest originally scheduled for the Tottenham site. In reality, Spurs, and plenty others in England’s top-flight league, could still come out ahead financially even without any fans in the stands.

• Maddon all for non-political civility - Speaking at his annual “Try Not to Suck” golf outing, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon offered his take on battling intolerance and philanthropy. However, don’t expect the 64-year-old skipper to enter the political ring when his managerial days are up.

• Hope not lost for Crew’s stay in Columbus - The Columbus Crew, one of the charter franchises of MLS, is in danger of relocating to Austin, Texas. However, the moving vans haven’t pulled into central Ohio just yet. Actor Mark Wahlberg might have an interest, whether genuine or not, in buying the club, and there’s also the possibility of the Modell Law being invoked on the matter.  

• Equality finds it place in pro wrestling - Whether it’s women taking on men in the squared circle or a gay man finding his place in the ring, the world of professional wrestling seems to be making strides in terms of equality — on some levels. Or at least we’re starting to hear about it. 

• Sexual assault survivor makes impact - Brenda Tracy has taken a dark moment in her life and turned it into a platform for activism. Raped by four men, including two members of the Oregon State football team, in 1998 at age 24, Tracy now travels the country talking to student-athletes through her “Set the Expectation” campaign.

• Melnyk still happy with Senators in Canadian capital - Ottawa will remain the home of the NHL’s Senators, at least according to owner Eugene Melnyk. The team is eying a new downtown stadium. The Senators currently play home games some 14 miles from downtown in suburban Kanata.

• Yankees, Papa John’s team up again - The relationship between the New York Yankees and Papa John’s is back on. The Yankees severed the union in the wake of pizza company founder John Schnatter’s racist remarks during a conference call in May but is back in and now will promote locally owned outlets of the chain. 

• Former employees sue Nike - Two female ex-Nike employees filed a class-action lawsuit against the shoe and apparel giant, seeking more equitable policies within the workplace. The two claim an overall hostile work environment against women exists at the Oregon-based company.

• FA looking to become more “diverse, inclusive” - England’s Football Association has devised a plan of awareness and action in the shadows of some ugly racist and equality issues in the stands and on the field. The plan addresses issues of diversity under the entire workforce of the FA blanket.

• Qatar network cites Saudis in piracy issue - As Qatar continues its preparations to host the 2022 World Cup, the Arabian Peninsula nation is pointing a finger at Saudi Arabia in conjunction with pirated telecasts of Premier League, Champions League and even the recent World Cup. 

• Child chess prodigy to remain in U.K. - Shreyas Royal is a 9-year-old boy who also happens to be the topped-ranked chess player in England for his age bracket. And he will continue to own that moniker after the United Kingdom allowed him to stay in the country rather than be deported after his father’s work visa expired. 

• Chronicle stands out, but not with crowd - The San Francisco Chronicle did not take part in the press’s nationwide show of solidarity against President Donald Trump, but it was not completely silent on the issue. The paper ran a piece by veteran columnist Ann Killion about the importance of quality journalism in sports.

This week in sports and politics history: Baseball’s deadly pitch 

“It was the most regrettable incident of my career and I would give anything to undo what has happened.” - Carl Mays on the pitch that killed Ray Chapman

Ninety-eight years ago, Ray Chapman, with blood streaming down the left side of his face, fell unconscious as he dropped to his knees and then the to diamond after being hit in the head by a Carl Mays pitch that sailed just a bit too far inside. Chapman, the star shortstop of the first-place Cleveland Indians, was rushed to the hospital, where doctors immediately decided that he should have surgery. 

While Chapman would survive the surgery, he would not survive the night, passing away at 4:40 a.m., just hours before sunrise. 

There have been myriad devastating moments in the history of Major League Baseball but none as tragic as Chapman’s death — the only time in the history of the league that a player has died due to injuries that happened during game play. While Chapman’s death shook the baseball world and the whole Cleveland community, it changed the way baseball was played moving forward. 

Following Chapman’s death, the MLB urged umpires to rotate used baseballs out of the game at more than double the rate, which helped usher in the live ball era. Baseballs that were hit for home runs and foul balls stayed over the fences, and the league moved on eliminating spitballs and anything that would make the baseballs less visible. While it took nearly 20 more years, batting helmets would eventually become a mandate, helping protect future players from life-threatening head injuries. 

For Mays, the death of Chapman rattled him. There were petitions to remove him from baseball following that fateful day at the Polo Grounds, but he went on to have a relatively successful career. Despite pitching well, his identity never moved past anything more than the guy who threw the pitch that killed Chapman — something he bravely addressed in a November 1920 issue of Baseball Magazine. 

Chapman is remembered as one of the most successful shortstops and one of the most beloved players in the history of the Indians. There is no perfect time for someone to go, but the timing of Chapman’s death couldn’t have been less fortunate for him and his family. He was set to retire following the season and had his first child on the way. 

Baseball and two families were forever changed because of a single pitch.