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Business

Willis Tower's $500 million makeover

ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 17Catalog, a newly renovated multi-level retail and amenity space inside Willis Tower on May 19, 2022 (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) The 5-year,…

Sports

NHL and St. Louis police are investigating racist threats on social media against Colorado Avalanche’s Nazem Kadri

The NHL said Monday that St. Louis police are investigating threats made toward Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri, who has been the subject of racist social media posts since he was involved in a collision that knocked Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington out for the rest of the series.Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press by email that the league and police looking into the situation.Advertisement“We take threats made to any of our players or other club personnel seriously,” Daly said. “We are in touch with St. Louis Police Department and they are employing enhanced security procedures both at the arena and in the hotel.”The team said Sunday night it was aware of threats against Kadri and was working with local law enforcement to investigate. Kadri collided with Binnington during Game 3 of their second-round playoff series Saturday night; Kadri said a Blues player threw a water bottle at him during a postgame interview.AdvertisementThe AP verified the existence of Twitter posts sent to the official Avalanche team account and to Kadri’s calling him “Arab scum” and referencing terrorism. Other posts, some of which have since been deleted, included death threats. One was still up hours before Game 4 in St. Louis, with Colorado leading the best-of-seven series 2-1.Avalanche center Nazem Kadri plays against the Predators during the first period in Game 4 of a first-round playoff series on May 9, 2022. (Mark Humphrey/AP)It was not clear if the social media posts were the subject of league, team or police investigation or if there were other threats made toward Kadri, who is of Lebanese descent.After Colorado’s morning skate in St. Louis, coach Jared Bednar called the threats “unnecessary.” Captain Gabriel Landeskog added that they were sad and a function of being in the public eye.“Unfortunately people think they have the freedom to say and do whatever they want,” Landeskog said. “But we always have security and this is no different.”Blues winger David Perron called it unfortunate.“We don’t want that to happen, obviously,” Perron said. “Hopefully it’s been taken care of. I’ll just leave it at that. You don’t want to see that happen to anybody for any reason.”Former NHL player Akim Aliu told The AP by text message he has been in constant communication with Kadri and added, “All we can really do is support him morally.”“Naz has been subject to so many racist attacks and threats since last night that police had to be brought in,” tweeted Aliu, who is Nigerian-Canadian. “Racist attacks like this have no place in hockey and should be investigated and reported on.”AdvertisementTalked to @43_kadri About his inadvertent collision w Binnington. Naz has been subject to so many racist attacks and threats since last night that police had to be brought in. Racist attacks like this have no place in hockey and should be investigated and reported on.— Akim Aliu (@Dreamer_Aliu78) May 22, 2022

Aliu and Kadri are members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, which works toward eradicating systemic racism and intolerance in hockey, and help in making the sport more accessible to minorities and underprivileged youth.The NHL has several layers of security in place, including club personnel and additional services provided by the home team that are in constant communication with the league’s security department. That department activates in situations such as this one and can work with federal and local law enforcement, when necessary.The league, with input from the NHL Players’ Association established a confidential hotline to which players can report harassment, discrimination or other serious misconduct. It’s operated by a third party, with the ability to make reports by phone, email or online anonymously or with attribution.

Sports

Column: All eyes are on MLB’s investigation into — and ruling on — the Josh Donaldson-Tim Anderson incident

Modern baseball is boring.That was Tim Anderson’s feeling in the spring of 2019 when the Chicago White Sox shortstop spoke to Sports Illustrated for a lengthy profile.AdvertisementAnderson told SI writer Stephanie Apstein he felt like “today’s Jackie Robinson” in crossing what he called the “have-fun barrier,” hoping to make the game interesting to today’s fans.“That’s huge to say,” he said of the Robinson reference. “But it’s cool, man, because he changed the game and I feel like I’m getting to a point where I need to change the game.”AdvertisementThe quote was a small part of a long-form article on Anderson’s emergence as a star. It came out on May 6, 2019, when the Sox still were rebuilding and the 25-year-old was beginning to make a name for himself in a season he later would win the American League batting title.Three years later, MLB is investigating an incident from Saturday’s game at Yankee Stadium in which New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson called Anderson “Jackie” multiple times, precipitating a clearing of both teams’ benches and a war of words after the game.[ [Don’t miss] 3 takeaways from the Chicago White Sox-New York Yankees series, including Tim Anderson silencing the crowd and Michael Kopech’s ‘dad strength’ ]On paper, it appears to be a cut-and-dried case, with only the punishment to be determined.Donaldson surely is guilty. But of what, exactly? And what’s the penalty for instigating during a major-league game?Donaldson admitted to calling Anderson “Jackie,” explaining it was in reference to the 2019 SI interview. Donaldson’s defense was that he called Anderson “Jackie” during a previous series when he was with the Atlanta Braves, calling it an “inside joke.”Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson and White Sox baserunner Tim Anderson share words at third base in the first inning of a game at Guaranteed Rate Field on May 13, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)That series took place Aug. 30-Sept. 1, 2019 — about four months after the SI article appeared. The Braves swept the Sox, who already were out of contention. There were no reported flare-ups and Donaldson signed with the Minnesota Twins after the season.Anderson didn’t speak to the media Sunday in New York and hasn’t been asked whether he recalled the “inside joke” Donaldson said they share. Anderson is expected to address the media before Tuesday’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.Donaldson also did not speak to the media Sunday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone gently suggested the remark was inappropriate, saying that mentioning Robinson’s name to Anderson “is just somewhere, in my opinion, he should not be going.” Boone said it was a “sensitive” issue and “you’ve got to read the room.”AdvertisementAfter hearing Donaldson’s explanation, Boone said: “I sit here, as a white guy, that did change the context for me. But I also understand how it can be offensive or upsetting.”[ [Don’t miss] Column: A teachable moment — and the true meaning of Jackie Robinson’s legacy to Black baseball players ]Sox closer Liam Hendriks, who admittedly dislikes Donaldson from their days as Toronto Blue Jays teammates, called the inside joke defense “utter bull(bleep),” saying you don’t joke around with someone with whom you “don’t get along at all.”Was it a “racist” comment, as Sox manager Tony La Russa alleged? Or just a poor choice of words that had no “malicious intent,” as Boone believed?That’s what MLB must determine.MLB has dealt with racial and ethnic slurs in the past. Former Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott was suspended one year and fined $25,000 in 1993 for “racially and ethnically offensive language” for making anti-Black and anti-Jewish slurs.MLB’s decision on Donaldson, however, could have an effect on what is acceptable language in the game, even if it’s not an overt slur. If Donaldson gets off lightly, it would suggest MLB believed his intent was not malicious. If Donaldson is suspended, it would send the message MLB won’t tolerate language that others can interpret as racist.AdvertisementTim Anderson reacts towards the crowd while running the bases after hitting a three-run home run off Yankees relief pitcher Miguel Castro in the eighth inning on May 22, 2022. (John Minchillo / AP)Anderson was involved in a similar incident in 2019 over a remark he made during a brawl to a Kansas City Royals pitcher. Anderson received a one-game suspension from MLB for “conduct” stemming from the undisclosed remark to Mitch Keller, who received a five-game suspension for throwing at Anderson in apparent retaliation for an epic bat flip following a home run.In the 2019 SI article, Anderson admitted he called Keller a “weak-ass (bleeping N-word).” He said he did not regret calling Keller, who is white, the N-word.“That’s a word in my vocabulary,” Anderson said. “When’s the last time (then-MLB disciplinarian Joe Torre) heard that word?”Michael Hill, a former Miami Marlins executive, currently holds the job of MLB disciplinarian. Anderson received a one-game suspension and fine from MLB on April 22 for making an obscene gesture toward fans during a game in Cleveland. But he appealed and won, receiving only an undisclosed fine. Now Donaldson faces the music for allegedly disrespecting Anderson.Anderson is the face of the Sox organization and the undisputed leader of the clubhouse. He leads the AL again with a .359 average and finally is getting his due from the national media.What’s more, Anderson seems to thrive on being in the spotlight, as evidenced by his walk-off home run in last season’s Field of Dreams game and his three-run blast Sunday night after being booed all night and called “Jackie” by Yankees fans.AdvertisementModern baseball may be boring.But you can’t say the same about the White Sox.

Sports

3 takeaways from the Chicago White Sox-New York Yankees series, including Tim Anderson silencing the crowd and Michael Kopech’s ‘dad strength’

NEW YORK — Here are three takeaways from the series at Yankee Stadium, where Chicago White Sox won two of the three games against the New York Yankees.Tim Anderson heard boos when he stepped to the plate during the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader.AdvertisementThe Sox shortstop silenced the crowd in a memorable fashion in the eighth inning, connecting for a three-run home run. It served as an exclamation point in a 5-0 victory.“That speaks huge to the character of Tim and what we’re trying to be in this clubhouse, and that’s a family,” Sox pitcher Michael Kopech said. “That was one of the cooler things I’ve seen, watching an entire crowd that’s showing low class toward him, booing him, calling him ‘Jackie’ and all that stuff, and then hitting a homer and putting us right back in a good position to win.Advertisement“Got nothing but respect for him.”As he headed for home plate, Anderson did a signature move, giving the “shh” signal.Tim Anderson rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the eighth inning of Game 2 a doubleheader against the Yankees on May 22, 2022. (Sarah Stier / Getty Images)Anderson had three hits a day after words were exchanged with New York Yankees third baseman/designated hitter Josh Donaldson during the third inning of Saturday’s game.“Basically tried to call me Jackie Robinson: ‘What’s up, Jackie?’” Anderson said. “He made the comment and it was disrespectful and I don’t think it was called for. It was unnecessary.”The benches cleared before Donaldson’s fifth-inning at-bat after he and Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal had a conversation.Donaldson admitted after the game, “I called him Jackie,” later adding: “I thought that was a joke between him and I because we have talked about it before. … He’s called himself Jackie Robinson (referencing a 2019 Sports Illustrated story). That’s why I thought it was funny between us.”It was an explanation that rubbed Sox closer Liam Hendriks the wrong way.[ [Don’t miss] Column: A teachable moment — and the true meaning of Jackie Robinson’s legacy to Black baseball players ]“Usually you have inside jokes with people you get along with, not people that don’t get along at all,” Hendriks said before Sunday’s doubleheader.AdvertisementSox manager Tony La Russa was surprised by the boos Sunday night, but definitely not the results from Anderson, who is slashing .359/.400/.517 with five home runs and 18 RBIs.“Think about the game he had under those circumstances,” La Russa said. “That made it special. But he’s had that kind of game a lot this year.”The Sox placed Kopech on the paternity list Tuesday. He returned after the birth of his second son, Vander, on Friday.“My mind hasn’t been on baseball until (Saturday),” Kopech said.He added with a laugh, “That probably helped me quite a bit.”White Sox starting pitcher Michael Kopech throws in the sixth inning of Game 2 of the doubleheader against the Yankees on May 22, 2022. (John Minchillo/AP)Kopech had an incredible outing in Game 2 of the doubleheader, allowing one hit with six strikeouts and two walks in seven innings. He retired the first 17 batters before Rob Brantly broke up his perfect game with a two-out double in the sixth.Advertisement“I was still doing everything that I needed to do back in Chicago, throwing and working out,” Kopech said of his week. “But I was definitely more focused on the baby I had on the way, and he came and he was healthy. And then I got a call that I needed to come back, and I showed up and tried to get refocused.”Kopech retired the final 13 batters in his May 15 start against the Yankees at Guaranteed Rate Field. Combine that with Sunday, and that’s 30 straight hitters.“I felt like I got into a rhythm the last time I faced them and I started off in a rhythm today and tried not to lose that,” Kopech said. “I like to face a good team and they’re a great team.”He lowered his ERA to 1.29 in earning his first win of the season.“My man just had a baby the other day and I was telling him dad strength got him 10 extra pitches in that game,” Sox outfielder/first baseman Andrew Vaughn said with a laugh. “It was awesome to see that. He’s been throwing the ball so well and we finally got him some runs.”[ [Don’t miss] Chicago White Sox — with Lucas Giolito back and Lance Lynn 3 weeks away — could soon have 7 starters: ‘We hope we have that problem’ ]Kopech capped a tremendous day of pitching for the Sox.AdvertisementJohnny Cueto started it off in Game 1, allowing six hits in six-plus scoreless innings. Joe Kelly entered with two runners on and no outs in the seventh, working out of the jam without allowing a run. Kendall Graveman bounced back after surrendering a solo homer to Aaron Judge, giving the Sox a chance to win before Hendriks closed out the Game 1 win with two strikeouts in a perfect ninth.The Sox loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth inning in the second game of the doubleheader.Two force plays at the plate and a strikeout later, they came up empty.But they finally broke loose in the eighth.“I was looking at the scoreboard, I said ‘We’ve got eight hits, let’s do something right here,’” Vaughn said. “And then some good things happened.”The Sox scored five runs on five hits. The runs, RBI singles by Vaughn and Reese McGuire, and Anderson’s three-run homer, all came with two outs.AdvertisementThe Sox also had clutch hits late in first game of the doubleheader, with AJ Pollock breaking the tie in the ninth with a solo shot and Adam Engel driving in Vaughn with a double.The Sox know they have work to do with runners in scoring position. They are 11th in the American League with a .227 average in that category (73-for-322).They went 3-for-13 in that department Saturday and 2-for-8 in Game 1 of Sunday’s doubleheader. They were 4-for-15 in Game 2, with the eighth-inning breakthrough leading the way, helping the Sox finish 5-3 on their two-city road trip.“It’s one of those things you can laugh about later, all the opportunities that we had,” La Russa said. “We’re going to work on that man on third (situation). We’ll get better. And then to explode like that (in the eighth), this game you can never figure it.”