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Former Astros first base coach Dauer dies at 72
Rich Dauer, an infielder who played a decade in the major leagues and won a World Series as a player with Baltimore and as a coach with Houston, has died. He was 72.
The Orioles announced Dauer's death Monday. They did not announce a cause of death.
"My long time teammate Richie Dauer passes. Was part of the Oriole way, where you didn't have to be a star to help the O's win," Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer said on social media. "Richie had an infectious personality that kept us loose, yet focused. Another reason I was so blessed to be an Oriole for life. RIP."
Shortly after the Astros won the World Series in 2017, Dauer -- their first base coach -- had emergency surgery on a blood clot in his brain. MLB.com reported in 2023 that he had recently had a significant stroke.
"Baseball has brought incredible people into my life. Loved him when he coached me and learned from him when he was on my staff in Houston," former Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "RIP, my friend. And thank you for being you."
Dauer played for the Orioles from 1976-85. He homered to open the scoring in Game 7 of the 1979 World Series against Pittsburgh, but the Pirates came back and won. Baltimore returned to the World Series in 1983 and defeated Philadelphia.
Dauer entered the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2012. Dauer was also part of the 2021 class for the College Baseball Hall of Fame. He helped Southern California win national titles in 1973 and 1974.
MLB fires ump Hoberg for shared betting account
After a lengthy appeals process, Major League Baseball on Monday has fired umpire Pat Hoberg for "sharing" legal sports betting accounts with a friend who bet on baseball and for intentionally deleting messages key to the investigation into his conduct.
MLB said Hoberg "adamantly denied betting on baseball directly or indirectly," with commissioner Rob Manfred saying there was "no evidence" that Hoberg directly bet on games or manipulated the outcomes of any games "in any way."
In its statement, MLB said it fired Hoberg for failing to "uphold the integrity of the game" and that he "should have known" that his friend -- a professional poker player -- had bet on baseball from the shared account.
Hoberg, 38, was widely regarded as the best ball-strike umpire in MLB. He can apply for reinstatement no earlier than the start of spring training in 2026.
"I take full responsibility for the errors in judgment that are outlined in today's statement [by MLB]" Hoberg said in a statement via the Major League Baseball Umpires Association (MLBUA). "Those errors will always be a source of shame and embarrassment to me.
"Major League Baseball umpires are held to a high standard of personal conduct, and my own conduct fell short of that standard. That said, to be clear, I have never and would never bet on baseball in any way, shape, or form. I have never provided, and would never provide, information to anyone for the purpose of betting on baseball. Upholding the integrity of the game has always been of the utmost importance to me."
In its release, MLB detailed its findings from its investigation as well as a neutral fact finder, including information from witness testimony and review of electronic records.
Hoberg met his friend, identified as "Individual A," at a poker tournament in 2014. They golfed, traveled together and watched sports on TV. The friend was a frequent overnight guest at Hoberg's home in Iowa.
In 2019, when online sports betting became legal in Iowa, Hoberg's friend opened a legal online betting account with a sportsbook and then a second legal account with another sportsbook. Betting on these accounts was possible only from electronic devices physically located in Iowa. Hoberg asked his friend to place non-baseball sports bets for him using the accounts to do so. Subsequently, the friend gave Hoberg the username and password to his accounts so that Hoberg could place bets directly by logging into the accounts using Hoberg's own devices on occasions when his friend was not in Iowa and, therefore, not able to place the bets for Hoberg.
Hoberg's requests to his friend to place bets for him were communicated via the messaging app Telegram. The app was also used to maintain a separate log of Hoberg's direct and indirect bets placed through the friend's accounts. The ledger kept track of the amounts of money Hoberg won and lost as well as the balance Hoberg owed or was owed when he won. Hoberg and his friend would settle outstanding debts in cash when they saw each other in person.
After being contacted by MLB investigators, the friend deleted both of his Telegram threads with Hoberg. Hoberg also deleted his Telegram account. Hoberg asserted throughout the investigation and appeals process that he had no idea at the time that he was being investigated for betting on baseball because he had no knowledge of his friend's baseball bets. Hoberg said he deleted the messages simply because he was embarrassed by the frequency and volume of his legal non-baseball betting activity. Hoberg's actions regarding the deletion of messages made those messages irretrievable, as later efforts by MLB and Hoberg to recover those messages failed.
Of the 141 baseball bets placed from his friend's accounts, eight bets involved five games that Hoberg umpired or had responsibility for replay reviews. There was no evidence that Hoberg took any action to manipulate the outcome of the games. A detailed analysis did not reveal any pattern to indicate Hoberg's calls were influenced by the bets being made by his friend.
The investigation found that although the baseball bets were profitable, the data did not support a finding that bets from his friend's accounts were connected to game-fixing or other efforts to manipulate any part of any baseball game or event. The baseball betting activity also did not focus on any particular club, pitcher or umpire, and there was no apparent correlation between bet success and bet size. The eight bets on games that Hoberg worked similarly did not reveal any obvious pattern.
MLB began its investigation into Hoberg in February 2024, after the long-time umpire opened an account with a licensed sports betting operator in his own name. The operator detected that Hoberg's personal electronic device associated with the new account was also associated with the legal sports betting account of an individual who had bet on baseball.
Hoberg was subsequently removed from spring training and made inactive for the 2024 season pending completion of the investigation.
On May 24, 2024, MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill determined Hoberg's "conduct and extremely poor judgment" created a situation in which he "could not be trusted" to maintain the integrity of the game on the field.
Hoberg was fired on May 31, but he appealed the process, leading to Monday's decision.
"An extensive investigation revealed no evidence that Mr. Hoberg placed bets on baseball directly or that he or anyone else manipulated games in any way," Manfred said in the league's statement Monday. "However, his extremely poor judgment in sharing betting accounts with a professional poker player he had reason to believe bet on baseball and who did, in fact, bet on baseball from the shared accounts, combined with his deletion of messages, creates at minimum the appearance of impropriety that warrants imposing the most severe discipline.
"Therefore, there is just cause to uphold Mr. Hoberg's termination for failing to conform to high standards of personal conduct and to maintain the integrity of the game of baseball."
Hoberg is best known for his perfect performance in Game 2 of the 2022 World Series, when he was the plate umpire and called all 129 taken balls and strikes correctly.
In his statement Monday, Hoberg apologized and said he vowed "to learn from [mistakes] and to be a better version of myself moving forward."
Hoberg first umpired major league games in 2014 and became a full-time umpire in 2017. He umpired postseason games every year from 2018 to 2022 and was assigned to pool games in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
"We thank Commissioner Manfred for his careful consideration of Pat Hoberg's appeal," the MLBUA said in its own statement. "As Major League Baseball umpires, we have devoted our professional lives to upholding the rules and integrity of the game. If our union believed that an umpire bet on baseball, we would never defend him. But as today's statement from the league makes clear, the neutral factfinder did not find that Pat placed bets on baseball. Yet we respect Pat's unequivocal acceptance of responsibility for the mistakes that led to his termination."
Great Britain's Sonay Kartal was knocked out in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Open after losing in three sets to American Katie Volynets.
Kartal, 23, took the opening set against world number 68 Volynets but fell to a 3-6 6-4 6-4 loss.
The 91st-ranked Englishwoman broke into the world's top 100 for the first time at the end of last season.
She was playing for the first time since making her overseas Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open last month, exiting in the first round.
Kartal recovered from losing serve in the opening game to turn around the first set, which she clinched by taking a third consecutive game.
Volynets, also 23, raced into a 5-0 lead in the second set as she took the match to a decider.
But that was only after she survived a scare as Kartal threatened an unlikely comeback, the Briton battling back to 5-4 before losing serve for a third time.
There were six consecutive breaks of serve as the players scrapped for the decisive breakthrough in the final set, and it was Volynets who struck with a first match point to set up a second-round meeting with top seed Elena Rybakina.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has announced she will return to the sport following the birth of her son.
Former world number two Kvitova has been away from tennis for 15 months, last competing at the China Open in October 2023.
The 34-year-old Czech, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, gave birth to her son in July 2024.
"After 15 months being away from tennis and having my baby boy Petr, I'm coming back to the tennis circuit," Kvitova said in a video on Instagram.
"I really miss tennis and I miss competing, so I am really looking forward to being back. I cant wait."
Kvitova said she plans to return at the ATX Open in Austin, Texas, which begins on 24 February.
She has won 31 WTA singles titles, most recently triumphing in Miami and Berlin in 2023.
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I'd carry water if I could make a difference - Conan
"I've been bouncing in every day. It's an incredible privilege."
After an 11-month absence from the green jersey, Ireland's Jack Conan wasted little time in getting back up to speed.
Bench impact was one of the keys to victory in the 27-22 win over England that kicked off the side's Six Nations title defence on Saturday, with the Leinster number 8 to the fore having been introduced in the 50th minute.
Having missed last summer's tour to South Africa for the birth of his first child and then Ireland's entire November slate through injury, the 32-year-old looked like he had never been away, yet said he had felt the time keenly.
"I hadn't played [for Ireland] since 16 March last year, 11 odd months," he said.
"Obviously expecting a baby, that was far more important than rugby, but missing November with an injury, you miss the environment, you miss the craic, you miss the lads.
"When you get a bit older, you realise that probably most of your good days are behind you, so I just want to make the most of every chance I get and I feel like I did that."
Clinton County Speedway To Host Two 410 Sprint Car Events
MILL HALL, Pa. The 410 sprint car drivers have spoken highly of the recent race events over the last few years hosted at the Clinton County Speedway.
Race Promoter Jason McCahan took the opportunity on Saturday at the Racing Xtravagana Show in York to give the 410 sprint car drivers even more reason to be talking about the third-mile oval.
The speedway recently learned that it received a tourism grant from the Clinton County Tourism Agency and the Clinton County government, said McCahan. As a result of the added funding, our July 11th 410 sprint car event will now pay $7,500 to win.
The speedways 410 events have attracted drivers from several different states, which was important to the tourism agency. This year, we will have two high-profile 410 sprint car shows the $7,500 to win show on Friday, July 11 and the annual Phil Walter Classic paying $6,300 on Saturday Aug. 9. Both events will pay $500 to take the green flag.
In addition to these two events, the speedway will again be the opening event for the annual Appalichian Mountain Super Late Model Speedweek event on Friday June 6. Clinton County hosted one of the stronger car counts for the weeks event that travels throughout the state visiting a different track each night.
The United Racing Club 360 Sprints will also be returning to the speedway on May 16 and the USAC East Coast Sprints will be back on June 27.
The RaceSaver Sprint Cars and Limited Late Models continued to highlight the weekly events at the speedway. The Pro Stocks, 270 Micros, and 4 Cylinders are part of the weekly show.
The official season opener is scheduled for Sunday afternoon on April 6 with the RaceSaver Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, Pro Stocks, 270 Micros and Four Cylinders.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. Josh Berry and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing team did themselves and their car owners proud in Sundays Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
Racing at the legendary track that is so special to the Wood Brothers, Berry put on a spirited, aggressive performance in the 75-lap Last Chance Qualifier to finish second and put the No. 21 Mustang in the 200-lap Main event. Berry then started 22nd in the feature and raced his way to 13th despite some damage from his hard drive to second place in the LCQ.
Berry said after the non-points-paying exhibition that he considered his first drive in the No. 21 Mustang a success and an enjoyable experience on the tight quarter-mile track where the late team owner Glenn Wood counted four points-paying Cup races among his 29 overall victories there.
It was a lot of fun, Berry said. I thought the guys did a really good job of making the car better and adjusting on it from practice and the heat race to give me a really good car for the feature.
Berry mentioned he was a bit disappointed he didnt finish higher.
I felt like we definitely had more potential there, he said. I wish things would have gone different in the feature, but overall Im really happy with it. Our goal was to come here and make the race, and we did that and got a decent finish. For the first time out it was a lot of fun.
Berrys performance in the Last Chance Qualifier was a big part of the story of that race.
After starting 13th, he initially dropped back one spot before working his way into the top 10 on lap 21. He steadily worked his way forward and cracked the top five for the first time on lap 59. Berry, finding success in both the inside and outside lanes, took the lead on lap 66 as Erik Jones and Kyle Larson, Berrys chief rivals at that point, collided and brought out the races seventh caution.
Berry held the top spot for six laps but lost the lead to Larson with four laps remaining. Berry held the runner-up spot to the checkered flag, and the races last lead change wasnt a big factor as both the first- and second-place finishers advanced to the 200-lap main event.
After the qualifier, he told reporters at the track that he was very pleased to get the Wood Brothers car in the main event at Bowman Gray.
This is a really special place for them, he said. They gave me a great opportunity, and they deserve to be in this race. They are great people and have been in the sport for 75 years, and Im going to go out there and do my best week-in and week-out.
If that means I have to knock some people around to get in the Clash Im going to do it.
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko suffered a broken jaw after getting hit in the face by a puck while on the bench during Sunday's loss to the Dallas Stars, according to multiple media reports.
Defenseman Dante Fabbro also left the game in the first period with a concussion, according to reports.
Marchenko, who has a team-leading 21 goals in addition to 34 assists for the Blue Jackets this season, was sitting on the bench when the stray puck struck the left side of his face late in the second period. He left the bench area, holding a towel to his jaw.
He was taken to a Dallas-area hospital to have his jaw reset, according to reports. It was unclear how much time he would miss, but it could be at least six weeks.
The 24-year-old is enjoying a breakout season, already setting career highs in assists, points (55) and ice time (18:48) in just 53 games. His plus-31 rating leads the NHL.
The team said Fabbro has suffered an upper-body injury.
The Blue Jackets, who have won three of their past four games, conclude a four-game road trip on Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres. Columbus sits in the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, just a point ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins, entering Monday's games.
Field Level Media contributed to this report.
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