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Column: Willson Contreras has a lot to learn about being a true villain at Wrigley Field

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:56 GMT

It’s not hard to become a villain at Wrigley Field, especially when you’re wearing a St. Louis Cardinals uniform.The formula is pretty simple.Be a star player. Have some big moments against the Cubs in Chicago. Rub it in their faces. Bonus points if you’ve ever been suspected of cheating.Former Cubs catcher Willson Contreras happily accepted the challenge this week in his return to his old home, waving his arms in the air after getting on base Monday to coax Cubs fans into booing him louder.It was entertaining to watch, unless perhaps you were the Cubs manager.“Every team has a different celebration — that could be to his teammates,” a grumpy David Ross said after the game. “I don’t know who that’s for, so that’d be stupid to comment on.”Baseball is entertainment, so kudos to Contreras for playing along and trying to breathe some life into a rivalry that has seen better days. Since Ryan Braun retired from the Milwauke...

How did the Chicago White Sox home run jacket come to be? Elvis Andrus on the inspiration behind the fashion.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:56 GMT

Elvis Andrus came up with two on and one out in the fifth inning Friday against the Cincinnati Reds. The Chicago White Sox trailed by three runs at Great American Ball Park.That changed with one swing as Andrus homered to left on a 2-2 pitch to tie the game.Not only was it Andrus’ first home run of the season, it was also his first time getting to wear the team’s home run jacket that he was instrumental in bringing to the Sox dugout.“It was awesome,” Andrus told the Tribune on Saturday of slipping on the jacket. “It was my idea. I was one of the few guys without a homer. I was like, ‘OK, I like putting it on (a teammate), but I want to put it on myself too.’“Very happy I was able to get the feeling with the jacket on.”Team home run celebrations are all the rage. The Toronto Blue Jays had a jacket, which reportedly was retired recently. The Minnesota Twins have a version that serves as a nod to fishing.Teammates are liking the Sox...

Chasing Horse asks Nevada high court to toss sex abuse case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:56 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A “Dances With Wolves” actor charged with sexually abusing Indigenous women and girls for more than a decade has asked Nevada’s high court to toss his sweeping indictment in state court.Nathan Chasing Horse and his lawyers have argued that his accusers wanted to have sex with him.The 46-year-old’s appeal to the state Supreme Court, filed Tuesday, marks his latest attempt to get his case dismissed as he remains jailed in Las Vegas on charges that could send him to prison for decades — or life — if convicted.“Nathan is pursuing this extraordinary writ because the trial court refused to dismiss the charges contained within the indictment in this case,” Deputy Clark County Public Defender Kristiy S. Holston wrote in an affidavit attached to the formal appeal to the high court.The presiding judge in the state’s case, Carli Kierny, upheld Chasing Horse’s indictment last month, writing in an order that prosecutors in Clark County presented enough ev...

Grief book author’s murder charge tangled in estate dispute

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:56 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A children’s book author who prosecutors say killed her husband has been battling with his relatives over the family estate since his death last year, court documents show. Kouri Richins, 33, is accused of poisoning her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl at their home in a small mountain town near Park City, according to charging documents.The murder charges filed this week come months after Richins self-published “Are you with me?” — an illustrated storybook chronicling a young boy who wonders how his deceased father remains a presence in his life.Prosecutors allege Richins called authorities in the middle of the night in March 2022 to report that her husband, Eric Richins, was “cold to the touch.” She told officers she had made her husband a mixed drink to celebrate him selling a multimillion-dollar home. She then went to soothe one of their children to sleep in the next bedroom. When she returned, she found her husband unresponsive, and she called ...

CBC resumes activity on some of its Twitter accounts after hitting pause over labels

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:56 GMT

The CBC and Radio-Canada are returning to Twitter after pausing activity last month over their designation as “government-funded media” by the social media platform.CBC News editor-in-chief Brodie Fenlon says in a blog post that it is resuming activity on a handful of umbrella accounts but will “significantly reduce” its overall Twitter footprint.In April, Twitter CEO Elon Musk applied tags to accounts belonging to the CBC and other outlets, including the BBC and National Public Radio, labelling them as “government-funded media.” The tags had their wording changed multiple times without warning or explanation, before ultimately disappearing.The CBC has said it does not meet Twitter’s definition of “government-funded media” and that its editorial independence is enshrined in the Broadcasting Act.Fenlon says the CBC will continue to assess Twitter against its social media strategy.This report by The Canadian Press was first publish...

Dog co-owned by country's Tim McGraw wins new breed at show

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:56 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A Bracco Italiano named Lepshi won his breed's debut at the United States' most prestigious dog show. And dog lovers just might not be the only audience that won't forget something like that.Lepshi (pronounced LEEP'-she) happens to be co-owned by country music and “1883” series star Tim McGraw. But that distinction was just playing in the background of a chorus of cheers as Lepshi and eight other examples of his handsome Italian hunting breed took their turns in the ring Tuesday at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.“He's a wonderful ambassador for the breed,” handler Ryan Wolfe said after the 6-year-old's win. Lepshi aces the breed's trademark ground-covering trot, Wolfe explained, and “he loves everybody." Popular US breeds that have never won the Westminster Dog Show McGraw, known for hits including “Something Like That,” and his wife, country luminary and “1883” co-star Faith Hill, have had a number of Bracchi at home and featured them in social media posts. ...

Texas softball falls out of top-5 after being swept by Baylor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:56 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns softball didn't fall much in the latest national rankings release, but voters in most polls dropped them outside the top five after they were swept by Baylor to end the regular season.Texas fell two spots from No. 5 to No. 7 in both the ESPN/USA Softball and D1Softball.com polls while tumbling five spots from No. 5 to No. 10 in the NFCA/USA Today Coaches poll. Voters in the SoftballAmerica poll dropped them four spots from No. 6 to No. 10.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersIt was a less-than-ideal way to end the regular season for the Longhorns (40-12-1), but they are still the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 tournament and have a chance to get back on track before the NCAA tournament begins. Texas is expected to be a top-16 seed and should host a regional if current projections hold. In its latest projections, D1Softball.com has Texas as the ...

Gophers football adds coveted Illinois prep tight end Julian Johnson

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:56 GMT

The Gophers football program picked up a commitment Tuesday from Illinois prep tight end Julian Johnson.The 6-foot-5, 210-pound 3-star prospect from Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, Ill., had offers from Iowa, Missouri, Purdue, Texas A&M, Indiana, Rutgers and more.Johnson, who has also played defensive end, is the 12th pledge in Minnesota’s 2024 class. Johnson thanked head coach P.J.Fleck and two new assistant coaches Nic McKissic-Luke and Andrew Sowder.Johnson’s older bother, Jalen Johnson, is a redshirt freshman receiver at Northern Illinois, where McKissic-Luke was the Huskies running back coach before coming to the U this offseason.Related ArticlesCollege Sports | Gophers add commitment from Auburn safety transfer Craig McDonald College Sports | NFL draft: Gophers defensive backs Jordan Howden, Terell Smith go in fifth round College Sports | Gophers football addresses roster need with Elon cornerback Tre’Von Jones ...

Bill introduced to increase penalties for sexual offenses against correctional officers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:56 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Correctional officers in New York State are taking a stand against sexual assault in state prisons. Members of New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) said there has been an increase in sexual harassment for female correctional officers since the HALT Act was passed.The HALT Act limits the use of solitary confinement. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "Because of HALT, the incarcerated community knows that there are no consequences for their actions," NYSCOPBA Pres. Mike Powers said. "A disturbing trend the women of NYSCOPBA are experiencing in the workplace is not specifically being tracked, and that's a problem."The group is pushing for a bill that would increase criminal penalties for certain sexual offenses committed against corrections officers. It is currently in committee.

Rockies beat Pirates with solid start from Connor Seabold, two homers from Jurickson Profar

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:56 GMT

PITTSBURGH — Dire forecasts by multiple “baseballologist” about a Rockies rotation meltdown have been way off the mark.At least so far.Right-hander Connor Seabold was recently inserted into the rotation because of injuries to German Marquez and Noah Davis, and the dumping of the struggling Jose Urena. Thrown into the breach, Seabold has held his own in his two starts.In the Rockies’ 10-1 rout of the Pirates Tuesday night at PCN Park, Seabold pitched five innings, giving up one run on three hits. Yes, he walked three and hit a batter, but he managed to work his way out of multiple traffic jams. And over the last 14 games, Colorado starters have a combined ERA of 3.71 and the club is 9-5.Tuesday was a step forward for Seabold, who allowed three solo homers over five innings in a no-decision against the Brewers last Thursday at Coors Field. It was also Seabold’s first career win.Rockies hitters, dominated by Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller in a 2-0 loss ...