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VALENCIA, Calif. -- A Los Angeles Dodgers fan sued the team on Tuesday, alleging he was roughed up by security guards and broke an ankle during a game last year while trying to use the bathroom.
Daniel Antunez, 31, is seeking $2 million in a lawsuit that contends six to 10 security guards jumped him during a Dodger Stadium game against the Miami Marlins last April 24, KCBS-TV reported.
The lawsuit follows criticism of Dodgers security earlier this month after a man was attacked while leaving a March 29 game. Previously, a 2011 assault drew national attention and led to increased security at the stadium.
Antunez's lawsuit said he went to the game with a woman who accidentally spilled beer on another fan. The irate fan called security, and Antunez's friend was asked to leave.
According to the negligence and battery lawsuit, Antunez said he accompanied her, but on the way out, he tried to use a restroom and was grabbed by security, who had told him to use another restroom much farther away.
Cellphone and surveillance video shows a number of security personnel grabbing Antunez while his friend yells: "Hey! He's going to the restroom!''
Antunez wound up on the ground. He ended up with bruises and a fractured ankle. Antunez eventually was handcuffed and taken from the stadium in a wheelchair.
Several screws were implanted in Antunez's ankle to repair the break, said his attorney, Peter diDonato.
"[It] hurts him when it's cold [or when] he stands for a long period of time. These are permanent injuries,'' the attorney told KCBS-TV.
The Dodgers declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Dodgers security was criticized earlier this month for not doing enough to keep fans safe.
Rafael Reyna's skull was fractured when he was punched and knocked down in the Dodger Stadium parking lot during an argument while leaving a March 29 game between the Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
On April 2, attorneys for Reyna accused the team of failing to do enough to improve security since a similar attack occurred eight years earlier.
San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow was assaulted by Dodgers fans in the same lot on March 31, 2011. His brain was severely damaged, and he was left disabled. The assault drew national attention and led to increased security at the stadium.
Two fans, Louie Sanchez and Marvin Norwood, ultimately pleaded guilty to beating Stow and were sent to federal prison. They also were ordered to pay a share of an $18 million judgment against the Dodgers.
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Most teams have played at least 16 games so far, or one-tenth of the schedule. It's early. Heck, players are still wearing ski masks in some parts of the country, and it was so cold and windy Monday night in Philadelphia that Noah Syndergaard had to tie his flowing mane into a ponytail to prevent it from whipping into his face.
So don't overreact to your team's start just yet -- hot or cold. Things can turn around with one good (or bad) week. It's worth noting, however, that leaguewide rates tend to stabilize pretty quickly, and so far home runs and runs scored are up from 2018 (so are walks and strikeouts). Through Monday's games, the MLB average of 1.31 home runs per game would break the 2017 record of 1.26. The average of 4.68 runs per game would be the highest since 2007, even though the leaguewide batting average of .244 would be the lowest since 1972.
(Note that, contrary to popular belief, runs are not less scarce in April. Over the past 10 seasons, the MLB average is 4.37 runs per game. The April average? 4.37 runs per game.)
Anyway, with offense up in the early going, let's take a look at what we've seen from some of the lineups across the majors. (All stats through Monday.)
Scariest Lineup So Far: Seattle Mariners (6.84 runs per game)
The Mariners homered at least once in each of their first 19 games, although the bats slowed down the past few matchups -- facing Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer in succession will do that. Still, that's a record for home runs from the beginning of the season; they have a ways to go to catch the 2002 Rangers, who homered in 27 consecutive games. Entering Tuesday, the Mariners had more home runs than the Tigers, Giants, Pirates and Indians combined.
Want a few keys to their early success? First, they have the fifth-lowest chase rate, so they're swinging at strikes. Second, they have the highest average launch angle in the majors, so home runs. Third, they faced the White Sox and Royals.
The question: Can Dan Vogelbach & Co. keep things going? How predictive is a hot April for an entire lineup? I checked the three best offenses in each league over the past five seasons:
We'll see where the Mariners end up, but only two teams in this stretch averaged even six runs per game in April, the 2017 Nationals and 2016 Cubs (both made the playoffs). As you would expect, only three of our 30 hot lineups improved from April over the course of the season, with the average drop 0.58 runs per game by the end of the seasons (meaning the average runs per game from May 1 on was even larger than 0.58 runs).
How unusual is a stretch of 130 runs at any point in the season? Looking only at the past three seasons (with offensive levels similar to 2019), it's not that crazy, but it's still impressive. Not counting overlapping streaks, it happened four times in 2018, eight times in 2017 (including two different stretches by the Astros) and three times in 2016. The top stretch last season was 137 runs by the Rangers from July 22 to Aug. 10. The Rangers lost 95 games and finished just seventh in the American League in runs scored.
What's interesting here is the Mariners might have hit a couple lottery tickets in Jay Bruce and Tim Beckham, who were good in 2017 and awful last season. But both have been terrible on defense and we'll see how the Mariners realign things once Kyle Seager returns and when and if they call up J.P. Crawford to play shortstop (he's off to a good start at the plate in Triple-A). Those changes could mean less offense, but better defense to help a shaky pitching staff.
Anyway, of that list of 30 teams, 16 made the playoffs. That's much better odds than FanGraphs gives the Mariners of making the playoffs -- just 8.7 percent. The site projects the Mariners to average a more reasonable 4.68 runs per game the rest of the way. I'm optimistic: I'll take a slight over on that, buying into some of the early improvements.
Scariest Lineup the Rest of the Way: Los Angeles Dodgers (6.28 runs per game)
The Dodgers blasted a record eight home runs on Opening Day and scored 29 runs in a three-game sweep at Coors Field, but then they lost six in a row to the Cardinals and Brewers, erasing their air of invincibility. The Dodgers hit 235 home runs last season, third-most in National League history, and the early returns suggest they can break the 2000 Astros' National League record of 249.
Cody Bellinger has been an absolute monster, hitting .433/.513/.925 with nine home runs through 18 games. The scary development for opposing pitchers is Bellinger has more walks than strikeouts and has cut his K rate from 23.9 percent to 11.5 percent. Note that strikeout and walk rates stabilize much earlier than other statistics for hitters, so if Bellinger's strikeout rate is going to take a big dip, that means more balls in player and a higher average than his .260 mark from last year. He was hit in the knee with a pitch Monday and left the game, but X-rays were negative and he should be back in the lineup Wednesday.
Can the Dodgers score six runs per game for an entire season? Unlikely. Since the extreme rabbit-ball season of 1930, the only NL team to do that was the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers, who averaged 6.16 runs per game. Only three other NL teams have averaged 5.75 runs per game -- the aforementioned 2000 Astros and two teams that played in Coors Field. Still, with Max Muncy looking like 2018 wasn't a complete fluke, Joc Pederson locked in, Enrique Hernandez thriving in an everyday role and Austin Barnes hitting well so far, the lineup goes eight deep -- and Corey Seager, Justin Turner and A.J. Pollock haven't even done much yet (just three home runs combined).
Scarier Than You Think Lineup: Chicago Cubs (6.20 runs per game)
This one might surprise you since it's all gloom and doom out of Wrigleyville with the under-.500 start and the struggles on the pitching side of things. They're doing this even though Anthony Rizzo (.182), Kris Bryant (one home run) and Kyle Schwarber (.192) are off to slow starts. Willson Contreras and Jason Heyward have been the team's best hitters, with OPS totals north of 1.100. Yes, the offense left a bad taste at the end of 2018 for Cubs fans when it scored two runs over 22 innings in the division tiebreaker and wild-card game, but this was good offense with some obvious bounce-back candidates for better seasons in Bryant, Contreras and Rizzo.
Here's something interesting for my fellow baseball nerds to follow: The National League teams have outscored the American League teams so far, 4.72 runs per game to 4.65. The last time that happened was 1974, as the designated hitter (instituted in 1973) gave the AL an obvious edge to scoring more runs. Seven of the top 10 offenses so far are NL teams.
Most Interesting Lineup: New York Mets (6.12 runs per game)
You start with Big Pete Alonso, he of the Saturn rocket exit velocities. Brandon Nimmo has transformed into a prototypical yet valuable Three True Outcomes kind of player. He gets on base and scores runs. Michael Conforto is off to a good start and this could be the season he puts up 35 home runs. Jeff McNeil is the opposite of Nimmo, a throwback who puts the ball in play without much power, but he's hitting .404. Wilson Ramos gives the Mets some offense at catcher and Amed Rosario is starting to show potential at the plate. J.D. Davis has taken advantage of some injuries and looks like an effective platoon bat against left-handers.
The Mets haven't finished in the top three in the NL in runs since 2008 and they haven't led the league since 1990, but this looks like their best offense in a decade. Now if only Robinson Cano can get going ...
The "Relying on the B Team" Offense: New York Yankees (4.87 runs per game)
My projected best offense in the majors heading into the season, the Yankees played the Red Sox on Tuesday without Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks, Miguel Andujar, Greg Bird or Didi Gregorius. They still beat up on Chris Sale and Erasmo Ramirez in an 8-0 victory. Andujar has been hitting in a cage, Hicks and Stanton have started some soft-toss work, and Sanchez's stay on the injured list with a calf strain should be short. In another two weeks, the Yankees should be much closer to full strength. Watch out.
The Mookie Betts Needs To Start Hitting Lineup: Boston Red Sox (4.35 runs per game)
It hasn't been just the pitching that has the Red Sox off to a slow start. The offense has struggled as well, as they're down more than a run per game from last year's 5.41. To be fair, Betts actually hasn't been awful, hitting .222/.324/.413 entering Tuesday. Jackie Bradley Jr. has been much worse (.149/.196/.170) and the Red Sox are getting very little from catcher and nothing from second base (.145/.197/.161). Things took a turn for the worse against the Yankees as James Paxton destroyed them on two hits and 12 strikeouts over eight shutout innings.
The They Haven't Been Clutch Yet Lineup: Houston Astros (4.19 runs per game)
That Astros rank just 20th in the majors in runs per game, but when you dig deeper, they have fewer concerns about their lineup than the Red Sox. They actually lead the majors in batting average (.280), rank sixth in OBP (.349) and fourth in slugging (.471). They've just hit poorly with runners in scoring position (.215). Based on their offensive output, they should be scoring 5.29 runs per game. (Yes, baseball doesn't exist in a theoretical "should have" world. The point is the Astros are a good bet to start scoring a lot more runs. Considering they still entered Tuesday with a nine-game win streak, all is fine in Astroland.)
Obligatory Bad Marlins Lineup Mention: Miami Marlins (2.82 runs per game)
They were last in runs in 2018 and are a good bet to finish last again. The sad thing is it's not even that young of a lineup: Lewis Brinson is 25 and he's the youngest regular. Based on Baseball-Reference.com's average age formula (weighted for games played and at-bats), the Marlins have the 10th-oldest lineup in the majors (older than the Red Sox, Yankees or Dodgers). So there isn't even much future upside to dream on.
"They Used To Be Good" Bad Offense: San Francisco Giants (2.76 runs per game)
The Giants have been next-to-last in the NL in runs scored each of the past two seasons, and while some of that is playing in a tough hitters' park, bringing back essentially the same group of players means a turnaround is unlikely. They were hitting .199 entering Tuesday's game, with Buster Posey, Evan Longoria, Brandon Crawford and Gerardo Parra combining for a .207 average and one home run in 213 at-bats. Ouch. (Longoria did hit his second home run Tuesday.)
Least Scary Lineup So Far: Detroit Tigers (2.67 runs per game)
Through 15 games they're hitting .201/.283/.312 with seven home runs. Somehow they still went 8-7. Miguel Cabrera and Nicholas Castellanos are both seeking their first home runs and, shockingly, signing the 2018 Pirates middle-infield combo has not provided a jolt to the lineup.
Honorable Mention Least Scary Lineup So Far: Colorado Rockies (3.00 runs per game)
OK, they've played only five of their 17 games at home, but three runs per game isn't going to work at Yellowstone. They've scored 51 runs, which isn't the worst 17-game performance in Rockies history -- they scored 41 runs in a stretch during July of 2013 -- but given the preseason expectations and the hole they've dug, it qualifies as maybe the most disheartening start to the season west of Boston.
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After, at the quarter-final stage having accounted for Germany’s Franziska Schreiner, the no.4 seed (11-3, 11-9, 12-10, 11-4), Zang Xiaotong beat colleague and likewise qualifier, Huang Yingqi (11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4), before continuing her good form. She overcame Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Yu-Chin, the no.5 seed (12-10, 11-9, 11-13, 11-9, 11-6) to seal the title.
Notably, Huang Yingqi was very much a player in form; in the quarter-final round she had beaten compatriot Leng Yutong (11-13, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6), the player who one round earlier had ousted Poland’s Anna Wegrzyn, the top seed (10-12, 11-7, 11-4, 8-11, 11-3, 11-9).
Somewhat similarly, in the lower half of the draw Tsai Yu-Chin had impressed. Following success against China’s Li Yuqi (10-12, 11-7, 12-10, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7), the second round winner in opposition to Russia’s Kristina Kazantseva, the no.2 seed (11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9), she caused Poland more heartaches by overcoming Katarzyna Wegrzyn, the no.3 seed (11-7, 12-10, 10-12, 11-7, 8-11, 5-11, 11-7) to reserve her place at the final table.
Gold for Zang Xiaotong; in the junior girls’ doubles when partnering Li Yuqi, the outcome was silver. After overcoming Russia’s Kristina Kasantseva and Olga Vishniakova, the no.2 seeds, they beat Germany’s Franziska Schreiner and Yuki Tsutsui, the no.8 seeds (11-3, 12-10, 8-11, 9-11, 11-4), prior ousting the combination of Croatia’s Marta Vukelic and Russia’s Ekaterina Zironova, the no.5 seeds (10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5).
A place in the final booked but there was no gold, a four games defeat was the outcome at the hands of Leng Yutong and Liang Jayi (3-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-5). Earlier in the quarter-final round, Leng Yutong and Liang Jiayi had ousted Anna Wegrzyn and Katarzyna Wegrzyn, the top seeds (11-3, 7-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6), before overcoming colleagues Huang Yingqi and Xu Yi to reach the final.
Success for China, in the hopes girls’ singles event, it was success for Chinese Taipei; Yeh Yi-Tian emerged the winner, at the final hurdle she accounted for Russia’s Iulia Prohorova (12-10, 11-4, 11-8).
The junior girls’ singles and hopes girls’ singles events concluded, attention now turns to the team competitions.
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In the title deciding contest he beat colleague Cao Yantao, the no.13 seed (7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9, 13-11) to reserve the top step of the podium; in 2018, Cao Yantao having been a quarter-finalist in Poland, semi-finalist in China and the runner up in Hungary.
Unexpected finalists according to seeding; both en route to the decisive contest had caused notable upsets. In particular, after ousting Chinese Taipei’s Feng Yi-Hsin, the no.4 seed (11-8, 11-4, 11-4, 12-10), Cao Yantao had recorded a semi-final success in opposition Russia’s Lev Katsman, the top seed, the winner the previous week in France and earlier in the year in February in Bahrain. Impressively, Cao Yantao prevailed in six games (11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9).
Similarly, in the adjacent half of the draw, Quan Kaiyuan had ended the hopes of prominent names. Most notably in the third round he beat Maksim Grebnev, the no.2 seed and like Lev Katsman from Russia (11-6, 11-4, 11-3, 11-4), prior to overcoming Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Jen (11-4, 11-5, 11-7, 12-14, 5-11, 11-9) and colleague Zeng Beixun, the no.16 seed (9-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9) to reserve his place in the final.
Notably, Zeng Beixun had also impressed; in round four he accounted for Denmark’s Daniel Simonsen (11-7, 11-3, 8-11, 11-4, 11-3), the third round winner in opposition to Iran’s Amin Ahmadian, the no.3 seed (11-7, 11-8, 4-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9), prior to ousting Chinese Taipei’s Tai Ming-Wei, the no.3 seed, to reserve his last eight place (11-4, 11-5, 11-7, 12-14, 5-11, 11-9).
A surprise junior boys’ singles winner, it was the same in the junior boys’ doubles event, Japan’s Hiroto Shinosuka and Jo Yokotani, the no.25 seeds, emerged the winners. In the second round they caused a major upset by beating Iran’s Amin Ahmadian and Radim Khayyam, the no.2 seeds (11-4, 11-7, 11-8), before later in the day, securing the title at the final expense of the host nation’s Olav Kosolosky and Adrien Rassenfosse, the no.4 seeds, an engagement determined by the very narrowest of margins (13-11, 11-4, 8-11, 8-11, 13-11).
Most impressively, one round earlier at the semi-final stage, Olav Kosolosky and Adrien Rassenfosse had had recovered from a two games to nil deficit to beat Maksim Grebnev and Lev Katsman (10-12, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9), the top seeds and runners up at the 2018 World Junior Championships in Bendigo.
Disappointment for Russia but there was success; in the hopes boys’ singles event, they provided all four semi-finalists.
Aleksei Samokhin emerged the winner accounting for Serafim Orlov in the final (11-9, 11-7, 12-10); in the penultimate round Aleksei Samokhin had beaten Roman Vinogradov (11-8, 12-10, 8-11, 4-11, 11-7), Serafim Orlov had overcome Nikita Ryabakov had (11-8, 11-6, 11-6).
The junior boys’ singles and hopes boys’ singles events concluded, attention now turns to the team competitions.
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Medallists known, colour to be decided, final day arrives in Santo Domingo
Published in
Table Tennis
Tuesday, 16 April 2019 18:59
In the junior boys’ singles event Pedro Cabrera, Abit Tejada and Mariano Lockward all emerged successful in their quarter-final encounters.
Pedro Cabrera beat Marcus Smith of Barbados (11-3, 3-11, 11-8, 11-5); Abit Tejada accounted for Puerto Rico’s José Navedo (11-8, 11-7, 11-8), Mariano Lockward ended the hopes of Haiti’s Donika St. Fleur (11-9, 11-8, 11-7).
The one interloper is Puerto Rico’s Gabriel Perez, in the round of the last eight, he prevented a Dominican Republic clean sweep; he beat Osvaldo Almonte (12-10, 11-2, 7-11, 11-5). At the semi-final stage Pedro Cabrera meets Gabriel Perez, Abit Tejada opposes Mariano Lockward.
Three host nation representatives through to the last four and one from Puerto Rico; it is the same in the junior girls’ singles event, an event dominated by the two countries. They provided all eight quarter-finalists.
Representing the hosts, Esmerlyn Castro beat Puerto Rico’s Daymar Castro (11-7, 11-7, 11-2), Estefany Rodriguez overcame colleague Rosa Torres (11-6, 11-8, 6-11, 7-11, 11-5); likewise Dahyana Rojas accounted for Sorangel Rosario (11-4, 11-9, 11-7). The one name from Puerto Rico is that of Edmarie Leon; at the quarter-final stage, she beat colleague Sonelis Gonzalez (11-6, 11-2, 11-9). In the last four, she meets Esmerlyn Castro, Estefany Rodriguez opposes Dahyana Castro.
Meanwhile, in the cadet boys’ singles competition it is equal representation. At the semi-final stage Puerto Rico’s Pablo Figueroa plays Derek Valentin; in the opposite half of the draw, an all Dominican Republic affair sees Ramon Vila confront Eduardo Darley.
Slightly differently in the cadet girls’ singles semi-finals, Puerto Rico provides three protagonists. Zulnany Soto opposes the host nation’s Shary Muñoz, in the adjacent half, colleagues Alondra Rodriguez and Kristal Melendez meet.
Play is scheduled to conclude on Wednesday 17th April at 4.30 pm (local time).
Entries
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Entries (Friday 12th April)
Junior Boys’ Team & Junior Girls’ Team
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Boys’ Team – Complete Results (Saturday 13th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Girls’ Team – Complete Results (Saturday 13th April)
Cadet Boys’ Team & Cadet Girls’ Team
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Boys’ Team – Complete Results (Saturday 13th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Girls’ Team – Complete Results (Saturday 13th April)
Junior Boys’ Singles & Junior Girls’ Singles
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Boys’ Singles – Results – Stage One (Tuesday 16th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Boys’ Singles – Results – Main Draw (Tuesday 16th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Girls’ Singles – Results – Stage One (Tuesday 16th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Girls’ Singles – Results – Main Draw (Tuesday 16th April)
Junior Boys’ Doubles, Junior Girls’ Doubles & Junior Mixed Doubles
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Boys’ Doubles – Results (Sunday 14th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Girls’ Doubles – Results (Sunday 14th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Junior Mixed Doubles – Results (Sunday 14th April)
Cadet Boys’ Singles & Cadet Girls’ Singles
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Boys’ Singles – Results – Stage One (Tuesday 16th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Boys’ Singles – Results – Main Draw (Tuesday 16th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Girls’ Singles – Results – Stage One (Tuesday 16th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Girls’ Singles – Results – Main Draw (Tuesday 16th April)
Cadet Boys’ Doubles, Cadet Girls’ Doubles & Cadet Mixed Doubles
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Boys’ Doubles – Results (Sunday 14th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Girls’ Doubles – Results (Sunday 14th April)
2019 Caribbean Junior and Cadet Championships: Cadet Mixed Doubles – Results (Sunday 14th April)
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Nobody on duty in Budapest has tried more to win the men’s singles title at a World Championships than Vladimir Samsonov.
In the modern era when proceedings have been held on a biennial basis, China’s Ma Lin made the effort nine times between 1997 in Manchester and 2013 in Paris and never succeeded to secure the precious title. Likewise, Belgium’s Jean-Michel Saive couldn’t cross the finishing line. He made the attempt on no less than 17 occasions, starting in Gothenburg in 1983 and ending in Suzhou in 2015.
They are all members of the same club, all three reached the final and stumbled; Jean-Michel Saive in the year Vladimir Samsonov made his debut, Vladimir Samsonov himself in 1997 in Manchester, Ma Lin on three occasions in 1999 in Eindhoven followed by 2005 in Shanghai and 2007 in Zagreb.
Furthermore, there is one other factor that binds them together; all at some point in their illustrious career ascended to the top spot of the world rankings. In addition to Vladimir Samsonov; competing this year in Budapest, there are four further names on duty in the men’s singles event who have occupied the no.1 spot on the world rankings but have never been crowned world champion.
Germany’s Timo Boll and Dimitrij Ovtcharov have both ascended to the top spot on the world rankings, as have China’s Xu Xin and Fan Zhendong but none as yet has been crowned men’s singles world champion.
However, have they not proved they are the best in the world on at least one occasion?
They all have one further factor in common, one in which they also share with Ma Lin. All have won the Men’s World Cup. Vladimir Samsonov in 1999 in Xiaolan, in 2001 in Courmayeur and in 2009 in Moscow; likewise Timo Boll succeeded in 2002 in Jinan and 2005 in Liège, Fan Zhendong in 2016 in Saarbrücken and last year in Paris. Meanwhile, Xu Xin prevailed in Verviers in 2013, Dimitrij Ovtcharov in 2018 in Liège.
In many sports, win the World Cup and you are the World Champion; it is not the situation in table tennis but does it not mean on that day you were the best in the world?
World no.1 in terms of success and in terms of ranking but never world champion. Can that for one member of the club change in Budapest?
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Early in 1992, Steve Earwood went from promotional guru to track owner when the veteran NHRA pitchman utilized some creative financing to purchase North Carolina’s Rockingham Dragway.
“I had made an inquiry a few years before that about Rockingham Dragway because I had heard it could be bought. I was just a working stiff, I didn’t have any money, but just for fun I called to see if in fact the track was for sale, and it wasn’t at the time,” Earwood explained. “Then Mr. L.G. DeWitt, the owner of the drag strip and the speedway, passed away in 1991. The DeWitt family sent word to me – I was working at the Texas Motorplex at the time – that they wanted to talk to me about buying Rockingham Dragway.
“They didn’t want the drag strip. They were concentrating on the speedway because they had the two NASCAR Cup Series races and, at the time, those races were like winning the lottery,” Earwood continued. “They were offering a price for it that I thought was reasonable, but not for me. I was just a working stiff and I couldn’t raise that kind of money.”
But a friend and eventual partner convinced him otherwise.
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Earwood had enough business sense to inquire about a contract.
“I was assured in the Carolinas a man’s word is his bond, you don’t need a contract,” he explained. “So I kind of went along with that, quit my job and moved here. Friday before we were supposed to close on Monday morning, Cliff Stewart decided he didn’t want to do this and pulled out. That left us with no financing, so we contacted every bank in the state and everybody we knew, trying to raise the money.
“Finally, we met a banker is Sophia, N.C., and she could OK loans up to $10,000 and anything above that she had to get approval for, and she knew they wouldn’t approve financing a drag strip,” Earwood recalled. “But she told me ‘bring as many guys to me as you can and I’ll loan each one of them $10,000, and you’ll get your down payment.’ We drug every drag racer we knew in the state of North Carolina in there. I would fill out the paperwork in the lobby, they would go in and see her and she would cut them a check for 10 grand.
“We get the down payment and I walk into the track office 38 days before the Winston Invitational (a marquee NHRA special event), which was in April — no power, no equipment, no help, no secretary, no nothing, just me,” Earwood said. “I went to work, literally 20 hours a day, seven days a week. We had the Winston Invitational and we were blessed with three days of great weather. We had terrific crowds and ignorance really is bliss because I didn’t know what I was doing, but we were able to pay back those loans.”
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LINDENHURST, N.Y. – David Porcelli will return to Group-A Racing to contest the Formula 4 United States Championship powered by Honda season.
After being out of a race car for three years, Porcelli joined Group-A last September for a one-off drive at New Jersey Motorsports Park event. Despite being out of a car for so long, Porcelli showed progress each session during the event.
Constantly working with team lead engineer Alain Clarinval and driver coach Jonathan Scarallo, the New Jersey native soaked everything in to improve. When the checkered flag waved at the end of the weekend Porcelli earned an eighth-place result.
“Since my stellar rookie performance in 2018 at NJMP with Group-A-Racing I have been working nonstop to get back into the car for round one at Road Atlanta,” said Porcelli. “I have raced on Road Atlanta more than any other track and I have multiple podiums and wins under my belt. Now that I have had some experience in the F4 U.S. car powered by Honda and working with Group-A-Racing I am very excited to see what we can do when we join the pace race from the start of the season. We have placed ourselves in a position to contend for the Formula 4 United States championship. I truly believe that Group-A-Racing is the optimal fit for myself as a driver. All my hard work to get back on track over the past two years is finally paying off and I can’t wait to see what we can do together as a team.”
Porcelli continued to work hard with Group-A Racing team in the offseason, obtaining funding from new and returning sponsors to return to the team. Porcelli will drive the No. 93 Group-A Racing/Brain Forest Enhancement Training/New Life Independent Distributor/RaceCraft1/Turnkey/Stuffed Burger Ligier JS F4 car.
“Having David back with us puts a big smile on my face” said Group-A Racing manager Jonathan Scarallo. “Whenever a driver returns to your program it’s a big compliment to show the type of program we run. On top of that, I have known David and been working with him for years. It was already great to have a good result in a one-off last year, now to having him back for more events is incredibly rewarding. It’s come together a bit late with no pre-season testing for him, but we will all be working very hard together to catch up quickly.”
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NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. -- Former NHL star Ray Bourque has apologized for crossing a picket line to shop at a Massachusetts supermarket where workers are on strike.
Bourque, who played for the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche, was caught on video exiting a North Andover Stop & Shop on Monday as a worker said "Shame on you."
Thousands of Stop & Shop workers at 240 stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island went on strike last week over what they say is an unfair contract proposal.
Bourque, a 22-year member of the NHL players' union, apologized on Twitter.
I support the employees of Stop & Shop and once my medical condition is resolved I plan on returning to stand in solidarity and will walk the picket line alongside the members of the union.
— Ray Bourque (@RayBourque77) April 15, 2019
Bourque, 58, retired from professional hockey in 2001. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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LAS VEGAS -- The NHL will hold its annual awards ceremony June 19 at Mandalay Bay Events Center.
The league announced the date and venue Tuesday before Game 4 of the first-round playoff series between the San Jose Sharks and the Vegas Golden Knights.
It marks the 11th year of a partnership between the NHL and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which was extended for three years last April, and the 10th time the league will honor the best players and the top performances of the season in Las Vegas.
Last year, the event was held at The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's 4,000-seat concert and entertainment venue. Mandalay Bay Events Center, a 12,000-seat arena at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, is the home arena for the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces.
"We're opening up the show to a bigger venue, more people, bigger set, bigger stage, and we're really looking forward to this year's show," NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer said. "The show has become, and grown over the years, more than just handing out awards. We're really interested in showing our fans how the NHL and our sport is so meaningful in all communities."
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