Ohtani makes Major League Baseball history with first 50-homer, 50-steal season

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two-run home run, his 50th of the season, becoming the first player with a 50/50 season in MLB history, during the seventh inning against Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on Sept. 19, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 20 September 2024
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Ohtani makes Major League Baseball history with first 50-homer, 50-steal season

  • Ohtani officially established MLB’s 50-50 club with a seventh-inning homer in the Dodgers’ 20-4 victory over the Marlins in Miami
  • To cap a monster offensive performance, Ohtani added a third home run in the ninth inning, finishing the game with 51 homers and 51 steals so far this season

MIAMI: Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani made Major League Baseball history on Thursday, becoming the first player ever to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.

Ohtani officially established MLB’s 50-50 club with a seventh-inning homer in the Dodgers’ 20-4 victory over the Marlins in Miami.

The win clinched the Dodgers’ post-season berth — a first for Ohtani, who never made the playoffs even as he earned two American League Most Valuable Player awards while with the Los Angles Angels.

The Dodgers had runners on the corners when Ohtani came to the plate with two outs in the seventh. He launched a curveball from Mike Baumann over the left centerfield wall.

His second home run of the contest gave him 50 for the season, after two stolen bases earlier in the game pushed his tally of steals to 51.

The Japanese standout had smashed his 49th home run of 2024 in the sixth, a 438-foot blast that tied Shawn Green’s record for most by a Dodger in a single season, set in 2001.

And to cap a monster offensive performance, Ohtani added a third home run in the ninth inning, finishing the game with 51 homers and 51 steals so far this season.

He had six hits in six at-bats, including two doubles for a total of five extra-base hits.

He drove in 10 runs and scored four and could only laugh as he returned to the dugout after his final blast, the cheers of fans at LoanDepot Park ringing in his ears.

“To be honest, I’m the one probably most surprised,” Ohtani said through a translator of the spectacular show. “I have no idea where this came from, but I’m glad I performed well today.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, addressing his players in the clubhouse as they celebrated the victory, noted the achievement.

“This is a game that has been played for over 200 years,” Roberts said. “And this is something that has never been done.”

But Ohtani himself tried to keep the focus on the team.

“I’m glad that the team won,” he said, admitting that with so much attention focused on his 50-50 pursuit, it “was something I wanted to get over as quickly as possible.

“It’s something that I’m going to cherish for a very long time.”

Already the fastest player to reach 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a season, Ohtani had nabbed his 50th steal in the first inning when he belted a leadoff double and stole third, his well-timed slide allowing him to evade a tag by Marlins third baseman Connor Norby.

Ohtani scored on a sacrifice fly and one inning later he notched his 51st steal, swiping second after a single.

With his 50th stolen base, Ohtani surpassed Roberts for the second most by a Japanese-born player in MLB history, a list led by Ichiro Suzuki, who stole 56 in 2001.

Ohtani had earlier this season become MLB’s all-time leader in home runs among Japanese-born players when he surpassed the 175 of Hideki Matsui.

The 30-year-old, who signed a record $700 million free agent deal with the Dodgers in the off-season, now has 222 career home runs.

Meanwhile, Ohtani is ramping up his rehabilitation from surgery on his throwing elbow. Unable to showcase his pitching prowess this year, he has been throwing bullpen sessions and could face hitters soon.


After ODI series win, Rizwan to lead Pakistan in first T20I against Australia today

Updated 38 min 58 sec ago
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After ODI series win, Rizwan to lead Pakistan in first T20I against Australia today

  • Pakistan to play three-match series against Australia on Nov. 14, 16 and 18 in Brisbane, Sydney and Hobart
  • Rizwan’s side defeated Australia 2-1 in three-match series last week to win first series in Australia since 2002

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan will lead his side for the first time against Australia in a T20I format at Brisbane today, Thursday, after steering the green shirts to their first ever ODI series victory against the 2023 world champions since 2022. 

Rizwan will become the 12th person to assume Pakistan’s T20 captaincy when he takes the field in Brisbane for the first T20I. Pakistan’s cricket team, encouraged by stellar performances from fast bowlers Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, beat Australia 2-1 in the three-match series that concluded last week. 

After Thursday’s match, Pakistan will play against Australia in Sydney and Hobart on Nov. 16 and 18 respectively. Pakistani cricketers Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufiyan Moqim and Usman Khan joined the T20I squad in Brisbane on Nov. 11 after undergoing a five-day training camp in the southern port city of Karachi. 

“We are confident after beating Australia in the ODI series but international cricket is always challenging so we aim to do things as better as we can going into this T20I series against Australia,” Rizwan said a day before the match. 

“We have determined the roles of various players in the team and look forward to executing our best plans not just in this series but also in the upcoming white-ball fixtures against Zimbabwe and South Africa.”

The Pakistan captain said he wanted to keep all the players involved in the series motivated. 

“Of course, the conditions have helped the bowlers on this tour so far but we also want to prove our mettle as a batting unit and I look forward to an exciting contest in the three matches,” he said. 

Pakistan last faced Australia in a T20 contest in March 2022 when the two teams played a one-off T20I in Lahore, which Australia won. In Pakistan’s last T20I series in Australia in November 2019, the hosts won 2-0 after the opening match ended in a no result. 

Josh Inglis will lead Australia in the T20I series while Tim David and Nathan Ellis have joined Australia’s T20I squad. Josh Philippe, meanwhile, has replaced the injured Cooper Connolly.

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (captain – wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan
 


It’s a quiet Mike Tyson as 58-year-old nears fight with Jake Paul, 31 years his junior

Updated 14 November 2024
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It’s a quiet Mike Tyson as 58-year-old nears fight with Jake Paul, 31 years his junior

  • The issue of Tyson’s health didn’t come up in a small concert venue about 20 miles from AT&T Stadium
  • Tyson had terse answers for all the questions Wednesday night, two nights before the fight against Paul
  • The fight is the first combat sports event to be streamed on Netflix

IRVING: Mike Tyson wasn’t in the mood for talking in the final news conference before the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion faces YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.

Tyson had terse answers for all the questions Wednesday night, two nights before the fight against Paul, who is 31 years younger, at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.

The issue of Tyson’s health didn’t come up in a small concert venue about 20 miles from AT&T Stadium. A bout originally scheduled for July 20 was postponed to Friday night after Tyson had to be treated for a stomach ulcer when he fell ill on a flight.

Tyson said in a documentary promoting the fight that he lost 26 pounds while recovering, but Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder with Paul of Most Valuable Promotions, said Tyson had been cleared medically for weeks.

Bidarian also said Tyson was going through the same regular medical checkups of any sanctioned pro fight in Texas.

Several states wouldn’t sanction the bout. Texas agreed to a fight that was eight rounds instead of 10 or 12, with two-minute rounds instead of three, and heavier gloves designed to lessen the power of punches.

“I’ve said everything I had to say,” Tyson said in one of several attempts to get him to say more. “I’m just looking forward to fighting.”

“It’s cute,” Paul said of the terse Tyson. “I fear no man, so I want him to be that old savage Mike.”

Paul couldn’t even get Tyson to respond by wearing what the 27-year-old said was a “diamond-spiked ear cover.” It was Paul’s jab at Tyson over the Hall of Famer infamously biting the ear of Evander Holyfield in a 1997 fight.

Tyson did get briefly riled up when somebody asked twice what he would do if he lost. His last sanctioned bout was in 2005. Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition four years ago.

“I am not going to lose,” Tyson said, his voice rising the second time it was asked. “Did you hear what I said?”

Tyson was 50-6 with 44 knockouts before retiring 19 years ago. Paul is 10-1 with seven knockouts in less than five years as a pro, facing mostly mixed martial artists and journeymen boxers.

The fight is the first combat sports event to be streamed on Netflix. It will be available at no additional cost to the more than 280 million Netflix subscribers globally.

Paul is a minus-200 betting favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. That means the payout for a Paul victory would be about half the amount of any bet.

The co-main event is a rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano for the undisputed super welterweight title.

Taylor won a split decision that many questioned in a slugfest at sold-out Madison Square Garden in 2022 in the first women’s fight to headline at the famous venue.

Taylor and Serrano sat behind Tyson and Paul on the stage, with the 10 fighters from the undercards on either side of Tyson and Paul.


It’s a quiet Mike Tyson as 58-year-old nears fight with Jake Paul, 31 years his junior

Updated 14 November 2024
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It’s a quiet Mike Tyson as 58-year-old nears fight with Jake Paul, 31 years his junior

  • Tyson had terse answers for all the questions Wednesday night, two nights before the fight against Paul, who is 31 years younger, at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys

IRVING, Texas: Mike Tyson wasn’t in the mood for talking in the final news conference before the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion faces YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
Tyson had terse answers for all the questions Wednesday night, two nights before the fight against Paul, who is 31 years younger, at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
The issue of Tyson’s health didn’t come up in a small concert venue about 20 miles from AT&T Stadium. A bout originally scheduled for July 20 was postponed to Friday night after Tyson had to be treated for a stomach ulcer when he fell ill on a flight.
Tyson said in a documentary promoting the fight that he lost 26 pounds while recovering, but Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder with Paul of Most Valuable Promotions, said Tyson had been cleared medically for weeks.
Bidarian also said Tyson was going through the same regular medical checkups of any sanctioned pro fight in Texas.
Several states wouldn’t sanction the bout. Texas agreed to a fight that was eight rounds instead of 10 or 12, with two-minute rounds instead of three, and heavier gloves designed to lessen the power of punches.
“I’ve said everything I had to say,” Tyson said in one of several attempts to get him to say more. “I’m just looking forward to fighting.”
“It’s cute,” Paul said of the terse Tyson. “I fear no man, so I want him to be that old savage Mike.”
Paul couldn’t even get Tyson to respond by wearing what the 27-year-old said was a “diamond-spiked ear cover.” It was Paul’s jab at Tyson over the Hall of Famer infamously biting the ear of Evander Holyfield in a 1997 fight.
Tyson did get briefly riled up when somebody asked twice what he would do if he lost. His last sanctioned bout was in 2005. Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition four years ago.
“I am not going to lose,” Tyson said, his voice rising the second time it was asked. “Did you hear what I said?”
Tyson was 50-6 with 44 knockouts before retiring 19 years ago. Paul is 10-1 with seven knockouts in less than five years as a pro, facing mostly mixed martial artists and journeymen boxers.
The fight is the first combat sports event to be streamed on Netflix. It will be available at no additional cost to the more than 280 million Netflix subscribers globally.
Paul is a minus-200 betting favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. That means the payout for a Paul victory would be about half the amount of any bet.
The co-main event is a rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano for the undisputed super welterweight title.
Taylor won a split decision that many questioned in a slugfest at sold-out Madison Square Garden in 2022 in the first women’s fight to headline at the famous venue.
Taylor and Serrano sat behind Tyson and Paul on the stage, with the 10 fighters from the undercards on either side of Tyson and Paul.


Football ‘world order’ is changing, says Brazil coach

Updated 14 November 2024
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Football ‘world order’ is changing, says Brazil coach

  • Dorival Junior: The top teams haven’t had as much room to grow, while the teams at the bottom are starting to make interesting and big strides
  • After losing half of their initial eight games in South America, Brazil swung back to beat Chile and Peru and are fourth in the table with 16 points after 10 matches

SAO PAOLO: The “world order” of football is shifting, Brazil’s coach Dorival Junior said ahead of a World Cup qualifier Thursday against Venezuela.

“I don’t think we’ll have an easy game. Forget Venezuela, Bolivia recently. Right now the world order is changing a lot,” Dorival said on Wednesday in the Brazilian city of Belem where the team were training.

While pressure has been alleviated by Brazil beating Chile (2-1) and Peru (4-0) in the October doubleheader, the 62-year-old coach warned they, like Argentina, had to recognize they earlier lost ground to previously easier opponents.

“South American football has grown a lot overall. If you look at the majority of the national lineups, you see players playing in teams all over the world, which wasn’t the case until recently,” he said.

“The top teams haven’t had as much room to grow, while the teams at the bottom are starting to make interesting and big strides. This is levelling things a lot and making the matches tighter contests.”

Brazil are still being forged under his watch, meaning their performance will “fluctuate” while that is being worked out, he said.

But Dorival said they were heading toward becoming a “safe,” “strong” and balanced team.

After a bad start in the qualifiers, losing half of their initial eight games in South America, Brazil swung back to beat Chile and Peru and are fourth in the table with 16 points after 10 matches. The top six South American teams directly qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Brazil sit six points behind current leaders Argentina.

Venezuela rank eighth in the table.

“We’re not in a totally favorable situation, we’re coming from behind... (but) we’re gaining a greater sense of greater structure in the team,” Dorival said.

After Friday’s game against Venezuela, Brazil are to play Uruguay next Tuesday.


Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery

Updated 14 November 2024
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Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery

  • Popovich had the stroke on Nov. 2 at the arena where the Spurs play, the team said Wednesday
  • The team released no other details, including what aftereffects of the stroke — if any — that he is dealing with

SAN ANTONIO: Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich is recovering from what the San Antonio Spurs described as a mild stroke, though there is no timetable for the NBA’s longest-tenured coach to return to the sideline.

Popovich had the stroke on Nov. 2 at the arena where the Spurs play, the team said Wednesday, and has already started a rehabilitation program with belief that he will make a full recovery. The team released no other details, including what aftereffects of the stroke — if any — that he is dealing with.

“It’s a difficult time for everyone,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said. “Coach Pop has been the leader of this organization for the last three decades. We all have come across or know people that just have a different aura, a difference presence about them. Clearly, he’s one of those people. When we walk into the building each and every day, we feel that leadership, we feel that presence and so not having him there’s clearly a void. And we miss him.”

The 75-year-old Popovich is the NBA’s all-time win leader who has led the Spurs to five championships, plus guided USA Basketball to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He is in his 29th season as coach of the Spurs.

“He’s doing well. He’s doing well. ... He’s tough, he’s a fighter and he’s going to work,” Wright said. “We’re all here for him, but he’s doing OK.”

Assistant coach Mitch Johnson has been the acting head coach in Popovich’s absence. The Spurs play at home Wednesday against Washington, and that will be the seventh straight game in which Johnson will be filling in for Popovich.

“Mitch has been great,” Spurs rookie Stephon Castle said Wednesday, before the team announced the details about Popovich’s health. “Even when Pop was here, he’s always had a voice in our huddles and in our locker room. Our philosophies haven’t been changed.”

A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or if a blood vessel in the brain bursts. That deprives the brain of oxygen which can cause brain damage that can lead to difficulty thinking, talking and walking, or even death. Strokes may lead to difficulty speaking, paralysis or loss of movement in certain muscles, memory loss and more.

It is unknown if Popovich is dealing with any aftereffects of the stroke.

Stroke was the fourth leading cause of death in the US in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than half a million Americans have a stroke every year.

The Spurs were playing the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Nov. 2, and Popovich’s medical episode occurred there in the hours before that game. Johnson took over for that night’s contest, which the Spurs won, after the team said Popovich was not feeling well.

Johnson and Popovich spoke on Nov. 3, and on Nov. 4 Johnson said Popovich is “in good spirits ... he’ll be OK. He is OK.” The Spurs had not released much in the way of details since, prior to Wednesday’s announcement about the stroke.

Wright raved about the way Johnson and the Spurs have bonded and dealt with the absence of the team’s leader.

“It’s exactly what Coach Pop would want us to do,” Wright said. “And so, it’s on all of us to play our part, to play our role, to continue to lean on each other, support one another and be there for one another.”

Popovich is one of only three coaches to win the NBA coach of the year award three times, Don Nelson and Pat Riley being the others. He’s one of five coaches with at least five NBA titles; Phil Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (9), John Kundla (5) and Riley (5) are the others.

Popovich has been part of the Spurs for nearly 35 years. He was an assistant coach from 1988 through 1992, then returned to the club on May 31, 1994, as its executive vice president for basketball operations and general manager. He made the decision to fire coach Bob Hill and appoint himself coach on Dec. 10, 1996.

He’s been the Spurs’ sideline boss ever since.

“We look forward to the day that we can welcome him back,” Wright said.

Popovich’s 29-year run with the Spurs is a span the likes of which has been nearly unmatched in US major pro sports history.

Connie Mack managed the Philadelphia Athletics for 50 years, George Halas coached the Chicago Bears for 40 years and John McGraw managed the New York Giants for 31 years. Those three tenures — all wrapping up well over a half-century ago — are the only ones exceeding Popovich’s run with the Spurs; his 29-year era in San Antonio to this point matches the tenures that Dallas Cowboys’ Tom Landry and the Green Bay Packers’ Curly Lambeau had in those jobs.