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There have been many families in sports in which the talent extends beyond one generation. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., for instance, has been absolutely demolishing minor league pitching, hitting .331 and slugging .531 across four seasons and reminding pretty much everyone of his Hall of Fame dad. With Vlad Jr. getting called up to the major leagues, it's a good time to take a look at some of the most successful father-son duos in sports history.

We also take a glimpse into the future with some up-and-comers to keep an eye on in the next generation.


MLB

Ken Griffey Sr./Ken Griffey Jr.

Father's accomplishments: Ken Griffey Sr. played 19 seasons in the major leagues, mostly with the Cincinnati Reds. He was part of the Big Red Machine that won World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. Griffey Sr. was a three-time All-Star and finished his career with a .296 batting average, 152 home runs and 859 RBIs. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1980 All-Star Game and has been inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame.

How his son followed: Ken Griffey Jr. also had a long career, playing 22 seasons in the big leagues, including 13 with the Seattle Mariners and nine with Cincinnati. Griffey Jr. was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016 after a stellar career. He is seventh all-time with 630 career home runs and was a 13-time All-Star along with winning 10 Gold Gloves for his play in center field. He was the American League MVP in 1997 and led the AL in home runs four times during his career. In 1990, Griffey Sr. and Griffey Jr., both playing for the Mariners, made history when they became the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs in a game.

Bobby Bonds/Barry Bonds

Father's accomplishments: Bobby Bonds played the majority of his 14 seasons with the San Francisco Giants and became just the second player to hit 300 career home runs and steal 300 bases, joining Willie Mays. He set records for most times leading off a game with a home run in a season (11) and in a career (35) -- both of which have since been broken. Bonds was a three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner.

How his son followed: Barry Bonds played 22 seasons, mostly with the Giants, and was a seven-time National League MVP. Bonds holds the record for most career home runs, with 762, and for most home runs in a single season, with 73. He was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time Silver Slugger Award winner and eight-time Gold Glove Award winner. Bonds tied his father for the most seasons with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases with five. He also holds the MLB records for most walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688) during his career.

Sandy Alomar/Roberto Alomar/Sandy Alomar Jr.

Father's accomplishments: Sandy Alomar Sr. played 15 seasons and could play all infield and outfield positions. He was an All-Star in 1970 and played a full 162-game season that year and in 1971. Alomar Sr. was a talented bunter and aggressive on the basepaths, totaling 227 stolen bases during his career, including 39 in 1971.

How his sons followed: Twelve-time All-Star Roberto Alomar was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. He won World Series championships with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993. Roberto Alomar won more Gold Gloves (10) than any other second baseman and finished his 17-year career with a .300 batting average, 2,724 hits and 210 home runs. Sandy Alomar Jr. was the first rookie catcher to start an All-Star Game, winning Rookie of the Year and a Gold Glove Award in 1990. Alomar Jr. was named an All-Star six times during his 20-year career and had a 30-game hitting streak in 1997.

Cecil Fielder/Prince Fielder

Father's accomplishments: Cecil Fielder was a three-time All-Star and won a World Series title with the New York Yankees in 1996. In 1990, Fielder was the first player to hit at least 50 home runs in a season since George Foster did in 1977. Fielder led the American League in home runs in 1990 and 1991 and in RBIs from 1990 to '92. Fielder hit 319 career home runs with 1,008 RBIs and was a two-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award.

How his son followed: Prince Fielder is the youngest player to hit 50 home runs in a season (his age-23 season), and Cecil and Prince Fielder are the only father-son duo to each hit 50 home runs in a season. Prince Fielder was a six-time All-Star and won the Home Run Derby twice -- once as an NL All-Star and once as an AL All-Star. Fielder totaled 319 home runs for his career, the same number as his father, and drove in 1,028 runs. Fielder was a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner and the AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.


NBA

Dell Curry/Stephen Curry/Seth Curry

Father's accomplishments: Dell Curry retired as the Charlotte Hornets' career scoring leader (9,839 points) and ranked first in 3-pointers made (929). Curry was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1994 and averaged 11.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game during his 16-year career.

How his sons followed: Stephen Curry has led the Golden State Warriors to three NBA championships and been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player twice. Curry is a five-time All-Star and was the NBA scoring champion in 2016. He holds the NBA record for most made 3-pointers during a regular season, with 402, and most regular-season consecutive games with a made 3-pointer, with 157. Seth Curry was a two-time NBA D-League All-Star and has spent time with several NBA teams, including averaging 12.8 points over 70 games in 2016-17 with the Dallas Mavericks. He signed recently with the Portland Trail Blazers during free agency.

Doc Rivers/Austin Rivers

Father's accomplishments: As a player, Doc Rivers was known for his defense, but he did average a double-double during the 1986-87 season with 12.8 points and 10.0 assists per game. He was an NBA All-Star in 1988 and played with four teams during his 13-year career. Rivers was named Coach of the Year in 2000 with the Orlando Magic and led the Boston Celtics to an NBA title as their coach in 2008. He has been head coach of the LA Clippers since 2013.

How his son followed: In 2015, Austin Rivers was traded to the Clippers and became the first NBA player to play for his father. Rivers has averaged 9.4 points per game during his six-year career, including 15.1 PPG in 2017-18 with the Clippers. In June 2018, he was traded to the Washington Wizards for Marcin Gortat.

Mychal Thompson/Klay Thompson

Father's accomplishments: Mychal Thompson, the No. 1 pick in the 1978 NBA draft, won back-to-back NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1987 and 1988. Thompson was on the All-Rookie team in 1979 and went on to average 13.7 points and 7.4 rebounds a game during his career. He averaged a double-double in 1981-82 with 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.

How his son followed: Klay Thompson has won three NBA championships with the Warriors. Mychal and Klay Thompson became just the fourth father-son duo to have each won an NBA title as a player and the first to have both won back-to-back championships. Klay Thompson, a four-time All-Star, was named to the All-Rookie team in 2012 and won the 3-Point Contest in 2016. He holds the NBA playoff record for most 3-pointers made in a game with 11.

Joe "Jellybean" Bryant/Kobe Bryant

Father's accomplishments: Joe "Jellybean" Bryant played eight seasons in the NBA before heading to Europe and playing seven seasons with teams in Italy. He scored 53 points in a game twice during the 1987-88 season with Pistoia. Bryant played into his 50s, suiting up in the American Basketball Association.

How his son followed: Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant is third in career scoring with 33,643 points. He played 20 seasons for the Lakers and was named an All-Star 18 times. Bryant was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player in 2008 and the Finals MVP in 2009 and 2010. He was the NBA scoring champion in 2006 and 2007 and was named to the All-NBA first team 11 times and the All-Defensive first team nine times. Kobe has had both his No. 8 and his No. 24 retired by the Lakers.


NFL

Archie Manning/Peyton Manning/Eli Manning

Father's accomplishments: Archie Manning was a quarterback in the NFL for 13 seasons, mostly with the New Orleans Saints. Despite never leading a team to a winning record, Manning made the Pro Bowl in 1978 and 1979. He threw for 125 touchdowns and rushed for 18 more during his career. Manning has been inducted into the Saints Ring of Honor and Saints Hall of Fame.

How his sons followed: Peyton Manning was the first pick in the 1998 NFL draft and holds the NFL records for career passing yards (71,940) and passing touchdowns (539). He is the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl for two franchises. A 14-time Pro Bowler, Peyton Manning was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player five times and a first-team All-Pro seven times. Eli Manning was the first pick in the 2004 NFL draft and has led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl titles, earning Super Bowl MVP honors both times. He is a four-time Pro Bowler and ranks sixth in passing yards in NFL history, and he started 210 consecutive games from 2004 to 2017, the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history.

Howie Long/Chris Long/Kyle Long

Father's accomplishments: Eight-time Pro Bowl selection Howie Long played his entire 13-year career with the Raiders organization. The defensive end helped the Raiders win the Super Bowl in 1984 and he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985. Long finished his career with 84 sacks and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He also made 10 fumble recoveries and two interceptions during his time in the NFL.

How his sons followed: Chris Long was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NFL draft and has won back-to-back Super Bowls -- with the New England Patriots in 2017 and with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. The defensive end has recorded 63.5 sacks during his 10-year career and was named to the All-Rookie team in 2008. Kyle Long, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, is a guard for the Chicago Bears. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2014 and made the All-Rookie team in 2013.

Clay Matthews Jr./Clay Matthews III/Casey Matthews

Father's accomplishments: Clay Matthews Jr. played 19 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Cleveland Browns. He appeared in 278 games, the most by a linebacker, and recorded 1,561 tackles, 69.5 sacks and 16 interceptions during his career. Matthews was a four-time Pro Bowler and was first-team All-Pro in 1984, recording 12 sacks that season.

How his sons followed: Clay Matthews III, a six-time Pro Bowler, helped the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl title after the 2010 season. The linebacker was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and has totaled 80 sacks, 14 forced fumbles and six interceptions during his nine-year career. Linebacker Casey Matthews played 2011-14 for the Philadelphia Eagles and recorded 2.5 sacks.


NHL

Bobby Hull/Brett Hull

Father's accomplishments: Bobby Hull received the Hart Memorial Trophy twice as the NHL's most valuable player and also earned the Art Ross Trophy three times as the NHL's leading points scorer. The left wing won the Stanley Cup in 1961 with the Chicago Blackhawks and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. Hull led the NHL in goals seven times and was the second-leading goal scorer in NHL history with 610 when he retired (now 17th). Hull won back-to-back All-Star Game MVP awards in 1970 and 1971.

How his son followed: Brett Hull scored 741 goals during his career, the fourth-highest total in NHL history. The right wing won Stanley Cups in 1999 with the Dallas Stars (including scoring the championship-winning goal) and in 2002 with the Detroit Red Wings. Hull scored at least 50 goals in five consecutive seasons, and his 86 goals in 1990-91 are the third most in NHL history for a single season. He was named the NHL's MVP that season and received the Hart Memorial Trophy. Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, joining his father to become the first father-son duo in the Hall.


Auto racing

Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Father's accomplishments: Dale Earnhardt won 76 Winston Cup races, including the 1998 Daytona 500. Earnhardt also claimed seven NASCAR Winston Cup championships, tying Richard Petty for the most all time. It was 22 years before Jimmie Johnson matched the accomplishment again in 2016. Earnhardt died as a result of a collision in the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 and was posthumously inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame inaugural class in 2010.

How his son followed: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won 26 Cup series races, including the Daytona 500 twice (2004, 2014). He also had 260 top-10 finishes in Cup races during his career. Junior was a fan favorite, winning the Most Popular Driver award 15 times. He was the Busch Series champion in 1998 and 1999 before being named NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 2000. He is retired and a broadcaster now.


Honorable mention: Ray Boone/Bob Boone/Bret Boone/Aaron Boone; Felipe Alou/Moises Alou; Tom Gordon/Dee Gordon/Nick Gordon; Rick Barry/Brent Barry/Jon Barry; Bill Walton/Luke Walton; Larry Nance/Larry Nance Jr.; Tim Hardaway/Tim Hardaway Jr.; Bruce Matthews/Jake Matthews/Kevin Matthews; Jackie Slater/Matthew Slater; Gordie Howe/Mark Howe; J.P. Parise/Zach Parise; Peter Stastny/Paul Stastny; Lee Petty/Richard Petty/Kyle Petty; Mario Andretti/Michael Andretti/Jeff Andretti/Marco Andretti; Ken Norton Sr./Ken Norton Jr.; Calvin Hill/Grant Hill; Peter Schmeichel/Kasper Schmeichel.


Next generation

Vladimir Guerrero/Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a top prospect in the Blue Jays organization and showing flashes of the same power that made his father a nine-time All-Star.

Fernando Tatis/Fernando Tatis Jr.: Infielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is a top prospect in the Padres organization but underwent thumb surgery in July that ended his 2018 season. ESPN's Keith Law rated Tatis as the No. 1 prospect in baseball at the season's midpoint. His father, Fernando Tatis, once hit two grand slams in the same inning.

Bobby Witt/Bobby Witt Jr.: Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., the son of former pitcher and World Series champion Bobby Witt, is the early favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2019 MLB draft.

Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez/Dereck Rodriguez: Pitcher Dereck Rodriguez made his MLB debut in 2018 for the Giants and went 6-4 with a 2.81 ERA on the other end of the battery from where his Hall of Fame father played for 21 seasons.

Craig Biggio/Cavan Biggio: Cavan Biggio is a highly ranked prospect in the Blue Jays organization, following his Hall of Fame father's lead and playing at second base.

Roger Clemens/Kody Clemens: Second baseman Kody Clemens, the 2018 Big 12 Player of the Year, is in the Detroit Tigers organization and showing his power at the plate; his father, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, brought the heat from the mound.

Dante Bichette/Bo Bichette: Shortstop Bo Bichette is a highly touted prospect in the Blue Jays organization, playing in the infield; his father was an outfielder.

Andre Rison/Hunter Rison: Sophomore Hunter Rison has transferred from Michigan State to Kansas State and is looking to have the same kind of success as a wide receiver that his father, a Super Bowl champion with the Packers and five-time Pro Bowler, did during his 12-year NFL career.

Randy Moss/Thaddeus Moss: LSU sophomore Thaddeus Moss transferred from NC State and is a pass-catcher like his soon-to-be Hall of Fame father, but he plays tight end instead of wide receiver for the Tigers.

Michael Irvin/Michael Irvin II: Michael Irvin II is a junior tight end for the Miami Hurricanes. Will he find success like his Hall of Fame and three-time Super Bowl champion father, who also played for the Canes?

Larry Allen/Larry Allen Jr.: Larry Allen Jr. is a senior offensive lineman at Harvard and plays guard, like his Hall of Fame and 11-time Pro Bowl father did during his 14-year NFL career.

Marion Barber Jr./Thomas Barber: Thomas Barber is a junior linebacker for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and was first on the team in tackles in 2017. His father also played at Minnesota, as a running back, and went on to play in the NFL. Thomas' brothers, Marion III and Dominique, also played in the NFL.

John Bosa/Joey Bosa/Nick Bosa: Nick Bosa is a junior defensive end for Ohio State and was named the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2017. His older brother, Joey, is starting his third season in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers and was named to his first Pro Bowl last season. Their father was also a defensive end in the NFL.

Shaquille O'Neal/Shareef O'Neal: Shareef O'Neal, a four-star recruit at UCLA, will miss the entire 2018-19 season after doctors discovered a heart ailment that required surgery. The power forward expects to return after a medical redshirt season in 2018-19. His Hall of Fame and four-time NBA champion father played center.

Greg Anthony/Cole Anthony: Cole Anthony is No. 3 in the ESPN 100 basketball recruits for 2019. The point guard is undeclared; his father, also a point guard, played in the NBA for several different teams from 1991 to 2002.

Keith Tkachuk/Matthew Tkachuk/Brady Tkachuk: Left wing Matthew Tkachuk was drafted at No. 6 in 2016 by the Calgary Flames, and his brother, Brady, was selected at No. 4 in the 2018 draft by the Ottawa Senators. Their father, a left wing like his sons, is one of only five American-born NHL players to score at least 500 goals.

Michael Nylander/William Nylander/Alexander Nylander: William Nylander was selected at No. 8 in the 2014 NHL draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs and named Rookie of the Month in October 2016 and March 2017. His brother, Alexander, was drafted at No. 8 in 2016 by the Buffalo Sabres; both sons look to have long NHL careers like their father did.

John Harkes/Ian Harkes: Ian Harkes received the Hermann Trophy as the top college soccer player in the country in 2016 and is playing for D.C. United like his father -- who won two MLS Cup titles with the club and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Defending London Marathon champion says a women-only world record could be on the cards for Sunday

Vivian Cheruiyot appears in a confident mood ahead of Sunday’s Virgin Money London Marathon, and with good reason.

The defending champion returns to the UK capital as a 66:34 half-marathoner, having improved her PB to claim victory in Lisbon last month. That run, she says, paired with her performances in training, proves she’s in even better shape than last year, when she defeated a field including her fellow Kenyan Mary Keitany after a superbly-judged race which resulted in a 2:18:31 PB.

“I am in better shape because last year I changed things and the programme of last year and this year has been the same,” says the 2016 Olympic 5000m champion, who made her marathon debut in London in 2017.

“We normally compare (the training of) last year and this year and I did better than last year which means I am in better shape than last year so I am happy about that.

“I also did a personal best at the half-marathon in Lisbon so I think I am going to run good on Sunday.”

Twelve months ago, in challenging hot conditions, Keitany and Tirunesh Dibaba had been accompanied by male pacemakers as they set their sights on Paula Radcliffe’s world record of 2:15:25. Keitany stormed through half way in 67:16 before fading in the final miles, with Cheruiyot coming through for victory after having sat back off the lead pack initially.

This time the race will feature female pacemakers, as it did in 2017 when Keitany ran her women-only world record of 2:17:01 to secure her third London Marathon title.

While Dibaba won’t be racing on Sunday as she is expecting her second child, Keitany does return and the pair will also be joined by two other sub-2:19 runners – Chicago champion Brigid Kosgei and Berlin winner Gladys Cherono.

Cheruiyot believes a women-only world record could be on the cards.

“The male pacemakers, they were quicker (last year) because the ladies wanted to run 2:15. I think now people are trying to run 2:17,” she says. “It’s possible (for the women-only world record to be broken) on Sunday if the weather is good because I know the athletes are very strong.

“I’m going to try my best (to break the record herself). It will depend on how my body responds. If it is going to respond very well, I am in good shape and I’ll try to do my best.

“If it’s going to be 68 (minutes) at half way, that is okay for me, I can stay with them all the way through. Last year 67 was too fast.

“Running a PB in Lisbon really gives me confidence because mostly I did it alone. We have people pacing us here so my chances of running 2:17 are very high.”

Since making her debut two years ago, Cheruiyot has raced three more marathons – in Frankfurt (first in 2:23:35), London and New York (second behind Keitany in 2:26:02) – and, despite missing the track, she insists she won’t be returning to in-stadium action.

“I miss it a lot because I really liked running on the track, especially the 5000m – it was really enjoyable for me,” says the 35-year-old four-time world track gold medallist.

“We used to go for 40 minutes, one hour training (for the track), but now you have to do 40km for training – it’s very hard.

“When I started training for the marathon I was like ‘I’m going to finish the training, I’m going to be tired forever!’ But now I am catching up, I am used to it and I love it now.”

Ulster and Leinster have both named entirely changed starting teams from their most recent outings for Saturday's Pro14 dead rubber.

Wing David Busby will make his first Ulster appearance in nearly a year as Darren Cave captains the side.

Johnny McPhillips and Dave Shanahan are named in Ulster's half-back roles.

Ulster-bound Jack McGrath is selected in the Leinster front row as fly-half Ross Byrne captains Leo Cullen's side for the first time.

Ballynahinch player Busby last featured in Ulster's European Champions Cup play-off win over Ospreys last May as he has been out of action since then because of a serious knee injury.

In their last outing, Ulster secured their Pro14 home quarter-final against Connacht by impressively beating Edinburgh 29-7 two weeks ago while Leinster's starting XV is totally altered from last weekend's European Champions Cup semi-final win over Toulouse.

Academy back row Marcus Rea is in line to make his Ulster senior debut after being named on the bench. Rea's brother Matty will start in Ulster's back row.

Tommy O'Hagan and Jack Owens will make only their second Ulster appearances if they come on as replacements.

Skipper Cave will be partnered by Peter Nelson at centre while the Ulster pack includes Andy Warwick, John Andrew and Ross Kane plus Ian Nagle, who is on a season-long loan from Leinster.

Such is the strength in Leinster's squad, their line-up includes Ireland internationals Fergus McFadden, Noel Reid, Dave Kearney.

Skipper Byrne is partnered at half-back by Nick McCarthy while the back row includes emerging talents Max Deegan and Caelan Doris.

Ireland Under-20 player Ryan Baird is in line for his Leinster debut after being included in the replacements.

Busby comeback 'ahead of schedule'

Ulster coach Dan McFarland said Busby's return comes ahead of schedule in the contest between the sides who contested a thrilling European Champions Cup quarter-final won narrowly by Leinster four weeks ago.

"Dave's planned comeback date was not even now and he has worked so hard to come back," added the Ulster coach.

"He has played for Ballynahinch and I watched that game and he had a fantastic game for them and it will be really special for him to be able to play against Leinster at Kingspan Stadium.

"For guys like Marcus Rea this is going to be the biggest day of his rugby career. Marcus was not playing in the [Champions Cup] quarter-final so this will be his day and everyone has to respect that."

Ulster: Lowry; Busby, Cave (capt), Nelson, Kernohan; McPhillips, Shanahan; Warwick, Andrew, Kane, Nagle, O'Connor, Matty Rea, Ross, Reidy.

Replacements: McBurney, O'Hagan, O'Toole, Timoney, Marcus Rea, Stewart, Owens, Lyttle.

Leinster: O'Brien; McFadden, Tomane, Reid, D Kearney; Byrne, McCarthy; McGrath, B Byrne, Bent, Murphy, Dowling, Deegan, Connors, Doris.

Replacements: Kelleher, Dooley, Abdaladze, Baird, Penny, Patterson, Frawley, Daly.

Jones starts for Ospreys against Blues

Published in Rugby
Friday, 26 April 2019 04:21

Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones will return from a knee injury for Ospreys' crucial Pro14 derby with Cardiff Blues at Judgement Day.

There were fears the 33-year-old would not play again this season after injuring himself in Wales' Grand Slam-clinching win over Ireland in March.

Gareth Anscombe, who joins Ospreys next season, switches to full-back in what could be his final game for the Blues.

Jarrod Evans replaces the Wales fly-half at 10 in one of four changes.

The others see number eight Nick Williams return as captain with Seb Davies reverting to the second row, Lloyd Williams restored at scrum-half and Aled Summerhill replace Jason Harries on the wing.

Fourth place in Conference A is on the line in this encounter - a regular season finish that offers a place in next season's European Champions Cup via a play-off against the team finishing in the same slot in Conference B.

However, there is still a danger of no Welsh region qualifying for the premier European tournament in 2019-20.

Anscombe's involvement is of particular interest, having signed with Ospreys for next season.

"I have no doubts over Gareth's commitment," said Blues head coach John Mulvihill.

"He is the consummate professional and is hugely competitive. He has had a great season here at Cardiff Blues and will want to go out on a high."

On Saturday's game at the Principality Stadium, Ospreys head coach Allen Clarke said: "Our goal for the season has been to achieve Champions Cup qualification.

"We're under no illusions to the challenge and level of performance required against Cardiff on Saturday."

Cardiff Blues: Gareth Anscombe; Owen Lane, Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo, Aled Summerhill; Jarrod Evans, Lloyd Williams; Rhys Gill, Ethan Lewis, Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies, Rory Thornton, Josh Turnbull, Olly Robinson, Nick Williams (capt).

Replacements: Kirby Myhill, Rhys Carre, Dmitri Arhip, George Earle, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Tomos Williams, Garyn Smith, Jason Harries.

Ospreys: Dan Evans; George North, Cory Allen, Owen Watkin, Hanno Dirksen; Sam Davies, Aled Davies; Nicky Smith, Scott Baldwin, Tom Botha, Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Olly Cracknell, Justin Tipuric (capt), James King.

Replacements: Sam Parry, Rhodri Jones, Ma'afu Fia, Bradley Davies, Dan Lydiate, Matthew Aubrey, Luke Price, Keelan Giles.

Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU)

Assistant referees: Craig Evans (WRU), Gwyn Morris (WRU)

TMO: Ian Davies (WRU)

Lucas Oil Late Model Double Falls To Rain

Published in Racing
Thursday, 25 April 2019 14:34

BATAVIA, Ohio – Ongoing rain in the days leading up to the events at Tri-City Speedway and Macon Speedway in Southern Illinois has forced the cancellation of this weekend’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events.

The Hoker Trucking Best in the Business 50 at Tri-City Speedway will now take place on Thursday, July 11 in conjunction with the NAPA Know How 50 on Friday, July 12.

The action at Macon Speedway will shift to Tuesday, July 23, capping off a busy Midwest swing for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

VanderBeek Breaks Through At 81 Speedway

Published in Racing
Friday, 26 April 2019 04:01

PARK CITY, Kan. — After several near misses in the early going this season, Zack VanderBeek found the road to victory lane and garnered his 48th career USMTS win at 81 Speedway Thursday night.

The 34-year-old from New Sharon, Iowa, hasn’t employed any drastic measures to get faster, just plugging away.

“We made some little changes, but we’re just working hard and not giving up,” he said. “It’s a heck of a lot easier when you can start in front of these guys.”

Local favorite and Wichita native Cody Schniepp snagged the Sybesma Pole Award, but VanderBeek muscled his familiar No. 33z Casey’s General Stores VanderBuilt Race Cars USMTS Modified into the top spot to lead the first lap.

About 20 minutes and 40 laps later, ‘The Z-Man’ finally had a checkered flag to take home from C. Ray Hall’s historic facility-a place where VanderBeek had piled up several near-misses over the last decade.

“King of America was tough, and then going down south there’s a lot of good cars,” VanderBeek added. “We’ve been kind of right there but you just have to get in the right position. I think we’ll have some more wins this year.”

Conversely, Rodney Sanders has a series-best four triumphs at the 81 Speedway and two wins under his belt this season already. This time, however, “The Sandman” had to follow his long-time nemesis to the finish line.

Sanders chased Schniepp for the first half of the main event before eventually working his way into second, but he was never able to mount a serious challenge on the leader despite two caution flags late in the race.

“Once I got to second, I knew Zack was probably not going to make a mistake,” said the 2013 and 2014 USMTS National Champion. “At that point, I was just trying to save my right rear tire and just kind of hang on.”

For his part, Schniepp kept pace with the lead duo until the end, coming home with a career-best third-place USMTS finish, holding off Ryan Gustin over the final laps.

Jake O’Neil returned to USMTS action after nearly a month off to recover from an apparent staff infection in his legs, and snatched a top-five finish.

The finish:

Zack VanderBeek, Rodney Sanders, Cody Schniepp, Ryan Gustin, Jake O’Neil, R.C. Whitwell, Dereck Ramirez, Hunter Marriott, Joe Duvall, Chad Wheeler, Tanner Mullens, Bryce Schniepp, Tyler Wolff, Austin Siebert, Dustin Hodges, Scott Green, Mike Striegel, Cole Traugott, Nathan Hagar, Terry Phillips, Adam Kates, Jake Nightingale, Dan Powers, Josh Lanterman, Tyler Davis, Darron Fuqua.

Last-Lap Pass Lifts Thomas Kennedy

Published in Racing
Friday, 26 April 2019 04:11

EAGLE, Neb. — Leading the only lap that pays, Canadian Thomas Kennedy made a stunning last-lap pass of Matt Covington to win with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by the MAVTV Motorsports Network Thursday night at Eagle Raceway.

“I knew I had the fastest car; it was just a matter of time and I was either going to make it or break it,” said Kennedy. “Luckily traffic held him [Matt Covington] up a bit and I was able to get underneath him, but this is awesome. Especially starting 13th and wheeling my ass all the way to the front.”

The Buffalo Wild Wings No. 21k rolled to the white flag with a nearly half straightaway disadvantage to the A-Rock Materials No. 95 of Covington. Finding his lane blocked by slower cars through the first and second turns, the brief slowdown by Covington was just enough for Kennedy to pounce. Rushing the bottom of the high-banked oval, Kennedy made the pass off the second turn.

Racing into the final two turns, Covington tried to retake the top spot but would have to settle for second.

“Last week it was lapped traffic that won me the race, and tonight I lost it. I just took it too easy on them. These guys out here are fast, and you have to go every lap and I just got conservative and gave it away,” explained Covington.

Wayne Johnson finished third with Cody Ledger and Josh Baughman rounding out the top five.

A field of 35 was on hand for the Track Enterprises promoted event.

The finish:

Feature (30 Laps): 1. 21K-Thomas Kennedy, [13]; 2. 95-Matt Covington, [4]; 3. 2C-Wayne Johnson, [11]; 4. 35L-Cody Ledger, [9]; 5. 17-Josh Baughman, [3]; 6. 28-Scott Bogucki, [14]; 7. 81-Jack Dover, [17]; 8. 11-Roger Crockett, [6]; 9. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, [22]; 10. J2-John Carney II, [8]; 11. 23-Seth Bergman, [18]; 12. 47X-Dylan Westbrook, [19]; 13. 5J-Jamie Ball, [1]; 14. 9X-Jake Bubak, [10]; 15. 17W-Harli White, [20]; 16. 23S-Stuart Snyder, [21]; 17. 82-Jason Martin, [15]; 18. 44-Chris Martin, [23]; 19. 92-Jordan Weaver, [5]; 20. (DNF) 21P-Robbie Price, [2]; 21. (DNF) 84-Brandon Hanks, [7]; 22. (DNF) 1-Travis Rilat, [16]; 23. (DNF) 52-Blake Hahn, [12]; 24. (DNF) 77X-Alex Hill, [24]

High Bank Holdup Weekend Washed Out

Published in Racing
Friday, 26 April 2019 05:16

FULTON, N.Y. – A poor forecast with temperatures in the 30s and 40s has forced Fulton Speedway and Super DIRTcar Series officials to cancel the High Bank Holdup Weekend scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

No rescheduled dates for either event have been scheduled at this time.

The Super DIRTcar Series returns to action on Tuesday, May 7 for the Ultimate Outlaw 100 at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, N.Y.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily: Bruins, Blues strike first

Published in Hockey
Friday, 26 April 2019 05:25

After a shocking first round, who is ready for more? The second round is officially underway and looks to bring just as much excitement despite both higher seeds winning on Thursday night (for a change).

Here's a recap of last night's action (check out replays of every playoff game on ESPN+) and what to watch for tonight, in today's edition of ESPN Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily:

Jump ahead: Last night's games | Three Stars
Play of the night | Today's games | Social post of the day


About last night ...

Game 1: Boston Bruins 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 2 (OT) (Bruins lead the series, 1-0). The Bruins came out hot. The Blue Jackets looked like a team settling in after a week off. But then, Columbus scored two goals in 13 seconds (by Brandon Dubinsky and Pierre Luc-Dubois, after the scoresheet was corrected) and we had a game. In the end, it was third-line center Charlie Coyle who played hero to the home crowd at TD Garden and all the hometown fans back in Weymouth, Mass.

Game 1: St. Louis Blues 3, Dallas Stars 2 (Blues leads the series, 1-0). Vladimir Tarasenko's first of two goals came on the power play (for a penalty he drew), and his second proved to be the game-winner. It's the first power-play goal the Stars have allowed this postseason. It wasn't the best night for Dallas goalie Ben Bishop, who allowed a goal to Robby Fabbri on the opening shot, then heard his hometown St. Louis crowd chant his name derisively for most of the night.

play
0:47

Tarasenko nets 2 goals in Game 1 win vs. Stars

Vladimir Tarasenko helps the Blues take a 1-0 series lead against the Stars by scoring two goals to secure the 3-2 Game 1 win.

Three Stars

1. Charlie Coyle, C, Boston Bruins

Hometown boy comes home, does good. Coyle, who fell out of favor in Minnesota, has been everything you'd want in a trade deadline acquisition; at times, he was the Bruins' best forward in the first round series. Now he scores the game-tying and overtime goals to open Round 2.

2. Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, St. Louis Blues

Tarasenko started the season slowly as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. He's as hot as ever, with two goals on Thursday. Only two Blues players in history have more playoff goals than Tarasenko: Brett Hull and Bernie Federko.

3. Jordan Binnington, G, St. Louis Blues

The kid continues to impress. He stopped 16 of 17 shots in the third period alone (including a few wild ones). Binnington's five postseason wins are now the most by a St. Louis rookie goaltender.

Play of the night

That's how you drive to the net.

Dud of the night

Uhh... not cool, Brad.

On the schedule

Carolina Hurricanes at New York Islanders, Game 1, 7 p.m. ET

These are two plucky underdogs battling it out, but there's one storyline you'll hear more than any other one heading into Game 1: the Canes are likely exhausted -- physically and emotionally -- after grinding out their series against the defending champion Washington Capitals two days ago. The Isles have been resting up for a week. Our take? That might make for a sloppy first period, but things should settle after that.

Colorado Avalanche at San Jose Sharks, Game 1, 10 p.m. ET

The Sharks are a bit banged up, and will be without captain Joe Pavelski for at least one game. The Avs, meanwhile, are getting healthier. Defenseman Samuel Girard, who missed the last three games of the Calgary series, is healthy and ready to go. Could we see both Girard and Cale Makar on a power-play unit together (as suggested in practice on Thursday)? Derick Brassard (illness) is available too.

Social post of the day

View this post on Instagram

It's been a crazy past two weeks but here are my wife's words! (she says it perfectly) #AGTG -Hey everyone..we have a DAUGHTER! ?? -Man oh man. Adoption is, by far, the most amazing, difficult, beautiful, exhausting, emotional, exciting, incredible journey that we have ever embarked on. But it all led us to THIS. It all led us to HER. God's plans were SO MUCH BETTER than anything that we could have dreamt of. -There really aren't words to describe the feelings that are felt when the absolute strongest woman that you have ever met chooses to trust you to raise her child. E's birthmom is easily the bravest person we know. She chose life for this precious baby girl. She selflessly chose to carry E for 9 months, knowing that she would not be the one to take her home. I'm crying as I type this because my feelings and connection with her run just as deep as they do with our daughter. She is our hero and she is our family. -And oh, baby E. This girl. This beautiful, perfect, snuggly baby girl. Being chosen to be her parents is an honor that we will never grow numb to. She is the absolute best thing in our world. Our bond with her was instantaneous. She is the greatest gift of our lives. WE are the lucky ones in this story. ??? -And finally, God. Our loving Father. My goodness, how much I feel His love for me as I love on her. To know that He adopted me into His family is something that hits me so much harder than it did 2 weeks ago. He sought after me and took me as His own child. He gives me (and all of the other saints) the same inheritance as His own Son. We were brought into His family by no doings of our own, but by His love and mercy. And that, too, is something that pray will never grow old to us. ✝️ -We ask that everyone be respectful to the privacy of E and her birthmother, as we cannot and will not disclose their stories to the world... because they are THEIR stories. We also cannot post pictures of E's face or her name until the finalization of the adoption, which could be many months. (Which sucks because the world deserves to see this precious face!!!?) Please keep us all in your prayers as we go through this journey and transition!

A post shared by Jaccob Slavin (@jslavin74) on

A sweet moment for Canes defenseman Jaccob Slavin and his family.

Quotable

You never want to be caught carrying a big suitcase full of yesterdays.

Ben Foakes is set to make his England white-ball debut in Dublin next week, after being called up for the one-off Ireland ODI as a replacement for Sam Billings, who suffered a dislocated left shoulder while fielding for Kent against Glamorgan on Thursday.

Foakes, whose 71 from 80 balls for Surrey against Middlesex on Thursday was his third half-century in consecutive Royal London Cup games, is also set to keep wicket in the T20I against Pakistan in Cardiff on May 5, in the absence of England's first-choice keepers, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow, who are being rested after their stints in the IPL.

His inclusion comes after a cruelly timed injury for Billings, one that would appear to have ruined his own chances of playing any part in England's World Cup campaign.

Although Billings had not been named in England's provisional 15-man squad for the World Cup, which gets underway in just over a month's time, he had seemingly put himself at the head of the queue of batting reserves, should anything befall the men ahead of him in the pecking order between now and the climax of the tournament on July 14.

Instead, having played just once for Chennai Super Kings in this year's IPL (and scored a duck in that solitary outing), Billings' start to the English season lasted just a matter of minutes.

Fielding at mid-off in Harry Podmore's opening over in Cardiff, he dived to intercept a drive from Glamorgan's Australia allrounder, Marnus Labuschagne, and landed awkwardly on his left shoulder.

In obvious pain, Billings was left prone on the outfield for several minutes, and treated with oxygen before being helped from the field.

He was taken to hospital, where the shoulder was relocated, and though he is scheduled to undergo scans when he sees a specialist on Friday, Billings was under no illusions about the extent of his injury when he returned to Sophia Gardens after the incident.

"Without a doubt, it's the most painful thing I've experienced," he told BBC Radio Kent. "An hour and 20 minutes with your shoulder not back in its right place isn't a great time for anyone."

ALSO READ: Back spasms and personal issues: England World Cup watch

Opportunity knocks, however, for Foakes, who was Man of the Series on his maiden Test tour of Sri Lanka last year after being called up - again as an injury replacement - after Bairstow turned his ankle playing football.

Speaking ahead of the announcement, Surrey's coach, Michael di Venuto, admitted that Foakes' calm, accumulative approach meant that he didn't stand out in the way of some of his rivals in white-ball cricket, but said that his one-day county performances over the past three years would fully merit an England call-up.

"I think he averaged 91 here [at the Kia Oval], he averaged 60 last year, he's doing the same this year," said di Venuto. "In white-ball cricket he's probably one of the form players in the country, it's just unfortunate that England are blessed with batsman-wicketkeepers who do it more explosively than he does."

Billings' injury is one of a number of concerns for England, particularly among their batsmen, as they build towards the World Cup opener against South Africa at The Oval on May 30.

Jason Roy has missed Surrey's last two London Cup games, after suffering a back spasm earlier this week, while Eoin Morgan sat out Middlesex's match at The Oval after complaining of sore shins.

Kent's other England selection, Joe Denly, was not included for the trip to Glamorgan after himself suffering a back spasm while batting against Gloucestershire on Tuesday.

Alex Hales, meanwhile, has been put on indefinite leave by Nottinghamshire for personal reasons, but is expected to link up with the England squad for a pre-season training camp in Cardiff this weekend.

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