Happy Tuesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for July 12, 2011 from Len Berman at www.ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
- The MLB All Star Game will be played tonight in Phoenix.
- Robinson Cano of the Yankees won last night's Home Run Derby. The cool part was when he jumped into his dad's arms. Jose Cano was his pitcher for the event.
- There's optimism that the NFL lockout could end within 10 days.
- 21-year old So Yeon Ryu of Korea won the U.S. Women's Golf Open in a three-hole playoff against countrywoman Hee Kyung Seo.
2. No Star Game
When did the All Star game turn into the Pro Bowl? Tons of players are taking a pass on tonight's game, many because of injury. Other players have been picked as a courtesy but won't play, such as pitchers who started Sunday. Hey, I understand that this is a glorified exhibition game, but remember, the winning league gets home field in the World Series. That makes as much sense as moving the Super Bowl to the home city of one of the teams based on the Pro Bowl! They've gotta change this.
3. Your Turn
Needless to say, you had lots of reaction to Yankee fan Christian Lopez giving back Derek Jeter's milestone baseball.
*Joyce M. "You know what I think would've been really nice? If 'the captain' would've offered to pay off Christian's student loans as a gesture of gratitude."
* On Twitter, @yankeechick78 writes, "Kid got hosed. Jeter and the Yankees are making millions off this. Least Jeter can do is throw the kid some money."
*Michael S. "I'll bet you a major league baseball that Derek is not through with Mr. Lopez, but he'll do what he'll do as George would so often handle his charitable activities; quietly and with class."
*And from Mike T. "l hope his decision doesn't come to bite him, because who's paying all the taxes on the gifts he received from the Yankees?"
Great. The kid is magnanimous and gets socked with a big tax bill.
4. Update
Since you're dying to know, here's the report from yesterday's story about Larissa Riquelme, the Paraguayan soccer fan who vowed to pose naked if her team won the Boca America tourney. Since I surmised that you had better things to do with your time than click on the picture of a busty lady, I can now report the final tally. 50 percent of you who read yesterday's Top 5 newsletter snuck a peak. Gotcha. Next time I might name names!
5. Today In Sports
Today's history lesson deserves more than one line, so here goes. It seemed like a good idea, Disco Demolition Night. It was a two-night doubleheader in Chicago between the White Sox and Tigers. Between games they blew up a bunch of disco records. And then fans stormed the field. It took riot police to quell the crowd. There were injuries and lots of arrests. The field wasn't playable for the second game so the umps declared a White Sox forfeit. It's the last forfeit in American League history. And it happened 32 years ago today. I'm guessing there are no baseball marketing geniuses who are suggesting "Rap Rejection Night."
Happy Birthday: Figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi. 40.
Bonus Birthday: The Cos, Bill Cosby. 74.
Today in Sports: Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park in Chicago. 1979.
Bonus Event: Hey, these kids have a future. The Rolling Stones perform their first concert in London. 1962.
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