Browsing: Sports

“To open at home against a Big Ten West opponent, that needs to mean something for us,” Bielema said. “The best way we can have an advantage here at Memorial Stadium is to have a packed house. I get people all the time, ‘Hey, Bret, what can we do?’ You know (what)? You can get in the stands and we can give you something when you’re sitting in the stands that you’re happy to see.”

Rizzo sprayed 10 fouls balls into the Wrigley Field stands to stay alive, working to a 2-2 count after quickly picking up two strikes. Rizzo finally bested Ponce de Leon on the 14th pitch from the right-hander — a 96-mph fastball — rocketing the ball into the right-field bleachers. Rizzo’s game-tying homer in the sixth inning set off the 35,112 fans in a rocking Wrigley.

“The three iconic Chicago players, obviously, there’s going to be a lot of competition for their services in the market, so of course in theory you’d love to have those players back and sometimes they’re hard decisions that a team has to make,” Hoyer said. “I’m not going to shut the door on anything, but I do feel like there has to be some awareness of what it would take financially and what that would mean over the next five years and what that would mean to the rest of the team.”

The Chicago Cubs opened Wrigley Field to 100% capacity for the first time since the 2019 season, taking on the rival St. Louis Cardinals on June 11, 2021. (Chris Sweda) St. Louis Cardinals baserunner Tyler O’Neill (27) slides in safely at home on a single by Matt Carpenter in the second inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 11, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) St. Louis Cardinals batter Matt Carpenter (13) applauds after driving in a run with a single in the second inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 11, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) St. Louis Cardinals starter Johan Oviedo delivers to the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Wrigley Field on June 11, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Chicago Cubs starter Kohl Stewart delivers to the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Wrigley Field on June 11, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) A large U.S. flag is unfurled as fans stand for the national anthem before a game between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field on June 11, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals fans spray water outside Wrigley Field as 100% capacity is allowed at the stadium on June 11, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Chicago Cubs fans arrive at Wrigley Field as 100% capacity is allowed at the stadium on June 11, 2021, for a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals fans pose for a photograph outside Wrigley Field as 100% capacity is allowed at the stadium on June 11, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Fans relax outside Wrigley Field as 100% capacity is allowed at the stadium for a game between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals on June 11, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Chicago Cubs fans walk through the concourse as 100% capacity is allowed at Wrigley Field for a game against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 11, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Fans go through security at Wrigley Field as 100% capacity is allowed for a game between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals on June 11, 2021. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

“I don’t think that’s a positive,” Hoyer said. “Our players, especially guys that have been here for a long time, have built up an incredible equity in the community with the fans. And making a personal choice, and one they’re probably not going to articulate to the fans, it’d be a shame if the fans decided to take all that equity and get rid of it.”

Matt Schembechler, 62, and former Wolverines players Daniel Kwiatkowski and Gilvanni Johnson told similar stories about how Dr. Robert E. Anderson, who died in 2008, molested and digitally penetrated them during physical exams decades ago. They also talked about how Bo Schembechler, a Michigan icon whose statue stands outside a university building that bears his name, refused to protect them and allowed Anderson to continue abusing players and other patients for years.

Photos from the Chicago White Sox’s matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 10, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (John J. Kim) Blue Jays right fielder Teoscar Hernández watches a ball hit by White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal go over the fence for a two-run home run in the first inning on June 10, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) White Sox first baseman José Abreu connects for an RBI double against the Blue Jays in the first inning on June 10, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) White Sox starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel delivers to the plate against the Blue Jays in the first inning on June 10, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal is congratulated on his two-run home run in the first inning against the Blue Jays on June 10, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Blue Jays left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. reaches for a ball off the bat of White Sox designated hitter Yermín Mercedes for a double in the first inning on June 10, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal is congratulated by teammates after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning against the Blue Jays on June 10, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Fans of Blue Jays starting pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu hold up a Korean flag and a sign in the first inning against the White Sox on June 10, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Blue Jays starting pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu warms up in the outfield before facing the White Sox on June 10, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Four White Sox fans have their picture taken with the field in their background before a game between against the Blue Jays on June 10, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) A young fan holds two baseballs as he and other young fans stand near the bullpen before a game between the White Sox and Blue Jays on June 10, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)