UNDATED (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox would have had one of their rare regular-season series this week. They have met in four different World Series. They would have played a three-game series at Fenway Park this week if not for the coronavirus pandemic. There also would have been a College World Series title won in Omaha, Nebraska. It would have been the best-of-three championship series for the NCAA baseball title. The NBA and NHL drafts also had been scheduled this week.
UNDATED (AP) — American universities have begun the process of playing sports through a pandemic. SMU is having its athletes put a signature on a waiver, acknowledging the risks for COVID-19. Ohio State and Missouri have pledges they are requiring athletes or their parents to sign before the players can take part in voluntary workouts. Legal experts say athletes may be signing away some of their rights.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — This was a different version of The ESPYS. No red carpet, no nattily dressed athletes, no house band or monologue poking fun at the past year’s top athletes and moments. The focus was on honors, the pandemic and racial justice. Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage for sparking a national conversation about mental health. Nelson Cruz of the Minnesota Twins was honored as the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian of the Year for helping his hometown in the Dominican Republic acquire public service needs. Sunday night's show was hosted remotely by NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, soccer star Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird of the WNBA.
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — The NASCAR Cup Series races today at Talladega Superspeedway after thunderstorms washed out the race on Sunday. The race is now scheduled for 2 p.m. CDT today. It's the first amid the coronavirus pandemic in which NASCAR opened the gates for up to 5,000 fans.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Players will consider their next move today in the drawn-out talks to start the pandemic-delayed baseball season. The executive committee of the players’ association was set to vote and reject Major League Baseball’s latest offer for a 60-game season on Sunday. Players want 70 games and $275 million more than teams are offering.