WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan bill top lawmakers and athletic leaders have described as the best chance to stabilize college sports is facing a key test in the Senate. The Senate Commerce Committee will consider it Thursday. The Protect College Sports Act would regulate athlete payments, limit players to one unrestricted transfer and restrict coaches from changing jobs during a season. The bill has support from several athletic conferences and the NFL, the NFL Players Association and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. But the SEC and the Big Ten have not endorsed it. And several lawmakers from both major political parties remain undecided.
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — The USGA is preparing for what could be a rugged week at the U.S. Open. With wind expected to blow at 30 mph and above, organizers plan to water the greens during first and second rounds and do their best to keep them from running too fast. It's part of what they think they have to do to keep Shinnecock Hills fair and playable for the 156 players who tee off Thursday. Shinnecock has long been one of the toughest layouts in America, made more difficult when it's windy. The winning score at the last U.S. Open here was 1-over par by Brooks Koepka back in 2018.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Harry Kane scored twice to equal the English record for World Cup goals, Jude Bellingham added another two minutes into the second half and England beat Croatia 4-2. Martin Baturina and Petar Musa answered each of Kane’s first-half goals in a rematch of the 2018 semifinal game won by Croatia. Musa’s goal came on the final play before the whistle ending the first half. After Bellingham's goal, Marcus Rashford padded the lead in the 85th minute. Kane is up to 10 World Cup goals. That ties Gary Lineker's mark from the 1986 and 1990 tournaments.
HOUSTON (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by Congo in their opening match of the World Cup. Congo became the second African nation to make a strong start in the tournament against European competition following Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw with Spain on Monday. João Neves gave Portugal the lead in the sixth minute. Yoane Wissa equalized for Congo with a header in stoppage time at the end of the first half. It was Congo’s first World Cup goal in the country’s history. Ronaldo missed shots wide right in the 68th and 73rd minutes. He shook his head in disgust after both.
ATLANTA (AP) — At age 38 and playing in his sixth World Cup, Lionel Messi has his first hat trick in soccer’s biggest tournament and Argentina’s defense of the trophy is off to a flying start. Messi’s three goals in the 3-0 win against Algeria on Tuesday saw him become the joint highest scorer in men's World Cup history alongside Germany’s Miroslav Klose with 16 in total. It was also the first hat trick of this year’s tournament and the 55th in World Cup history. Here's what to know about hat tricks.
Major League Baseball is facing challenges with LGBTQ+ inclusivity as some players resist participating in Pride events. During the San Francisco Giants' Pride Night, several players added Bible verses to their caps or chose not to wear the themed caps. MLB issued a warning, stating that writing on caps violates league policy, saying the issue wasn't with the messages themselves. This has sparked reactions from Republican politicians like Vice President JD Vance and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley. Similar incidents have occurred on other teams, and MLB is unique in having regular-season games during Pride Month. Other leagues have also faced issues with Pride events.
A person with knowledge of the plan says Brendan Sorsby is tentatively planning to work out for NFL teams before the supplemental draft. That follows the quarterback's decision to end an unprecedented legal fight to retain his eligibility after he acknowledged impermissible bets while playing college football. The person told The Associated Press that Sorsby plans to have his pro day July 10 at a Dallas-area high school. The deadline for entering the draft is Monday. That rarely used supplemental draft would be completed before the start of training camps in late July.
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks’ victory tour following their first NBA championship since 1973 made another stop Wednesday night when Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart threw out ceremonial first pitches at Yankee Stadium. Before the Yankees played the Chicago White Sox, Brunson and Hart were met with a standing ovation and loud cheers from fans as they took the field to a montage of highlights from the title run. Standing in front of the mound, Brunson made his toss to backup catcher J.C. Escarra while Hart threw to utilityman Max Schuemann.
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA is expanding its schedule to 50 games per team next season — the most in the league’s 30-year history. The new collective bargaining agreement that was ratified earlier this year allows the league to play up to 50 games for the next two seasons. There can be up to 52 regular-season games in 2029 and for the rest of the CBA. The league is playing 44 games again this season. Over the next few seasons the WNBA is adding three new teams through expansion. Cleveland is joining in 2028, Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030. Connecticut is moving to Houston next year.
Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha has become a star at this World Cup. He played a big role in holding Spain to a 0-0 draw. The tournament features some of the oldest and youngest players as it enters its second week. Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match. Luka Modric, 40, had a rough start against England. On the younger side, Senegal's Ibrahim Mbaye, 18, scored in his debut against France. Mexico's Gilberto Mora, 17, got a big cheer from home fans. Spain's Lamine Yamal, 18, recently returned from injury.
Finals
INTERLEAGUE
Final Kansas City 6 Washington 2
Final L.A. Dodgers 5 Tampa Bay 4
Final Arizona 8 L.A. Angels 1
Final Milwaukee 9 Cleveland 4
Final Pittsburgh 12 Athletics 4
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Houston 4 Detroit 2
Final Toronto 3 Boston 0
Final N.Y. Yankees 10 Chicago White Sox 5
Final Baltimore 5 Seattle 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final N.Y. Mets 9 Cincinnati 1
Final Miami 12 Philadelphia 4
Final San Francisco 7 Atlanta 2
Final San Diego 6 St. Louis 1
Final Chicago Cubs 8 Colorado 6