Sports

After Serving Suspension, Is Alex Rodriguez Making A Comeback?

6:33pm August 19, 2015

After going hitless in 18 at bats, Rodriguez hit a homerun Tuesday night. NPR's Robert Siegel speaks to MLB Network Insider and New York Post sportswriter Joel Sherman about A-Rod's comeback season.

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A Texas-size obstacle at the Peter Pan minigolf course in Austin, Texas — created in 1948.

4 Creative Takes On Golf In America

2:06pm August 19, 2015

by Linton Weeks

Leave it to resourceful Americans to tinker and toy with the royal and ancient game of golf.

Air Jordan VIIs like these were originally released in 1992. In the years since, they've inspired retro releases from Nike — and unsanctioned imitators, like this pair of Qiaodan Sports' women's basketball shoes.

Sports

The Trademark Woes Of Michael Jordan (And Many Others) In China

12:09pm August 19, 2015

by Becky Sullivan

The NBA superstar's brand is one of many mired in copyright trouble in China. An unrelated shoe company with an Air Jordan-esque name and logo is making millions — and under Chinese law, it's legal.

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They are the champions of Africa (and Europe, too): Uganda's 2015 team will take on the best of the planet in the Little League Baseball World Series that starts Thursday in Williamsport, Pa.

Baseball And Uganda — Two Words That Don't Usually Go Together

5:03pm August 18, 2015

by David Lagesse

Until now: The Ugandan team is the only African nine in this year's Little League Baseball World Championships. And they got there by clobbering European teams with scores like 16-0.

Northwestern Football Players Lose Bid To Form First Union For Athletes

2:38pm August 18, 2015

by Cheryl Corley

The National Labor Relations Board announced Monday it dismissed a previous ruling by a Chicago regional office in favor of the Northwestern University athletes.

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Northwestern football players are reflected in a helmet during drills at a practice. On Monday, the National Labor Relations Board dismissed a petition that players be allowed to form a union.

NLRB Denies Northwestern University Football Players' Bid To Unionize

3:43pm August 17, 2015

by Sam Sanders

Last year, a regional National Labor Relations Board director ruled that football players at the school could form the nation's first student-athlete union. That ruling was overturned Monday.

Jason Day (right) walks with Jordan Spieth up the 16th fairway during the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits on Sunday. Day won the championship; Spieth came in second, securing the world No. 1 spot.

Sports

Jason Day Wins PGA Championship, Sets Major Record

1:08pm August 17, 2015

by Camila Domonoske

Day beat Jordan Spieth by three shots, winning his first major title and becoming the first player to finish at 20 under par in a major. The previous record, 19 under, was set by Tiger Woods in 2000.

The genial world of amateur softball has a dark secret: hot bats. They look just like ordinary softball bats, but they've been altered to send balls faster and farther.

Sports

Pro Baseball Has Doping. Amateur Softball Has ... Hot Bats

1:07pm August 17, 2015

by NPR Staff

Recreational slow-pitch softball doesn't bring home big rewards — just a plastic trophy, a T-shirt or postgame beers. But some players engage in an underworld trade: bats modified to help hitters.

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Brett Favre serves as a sturdy metaphor for, well, a lot of things.

Sports
Arts

The Giant Foam Finger: What We Talk About When We Talk About Brett Favre

10:49am August 17, 2015

by Stephen Thompson

In Pop Culture Happy Hour's sports spinoff, Stephen Thompson and Gene Demby tackle the many metaphors at the heart of the retired quarterback's public persona.

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Sports

Blue Jays Make The Most Of Trade Deadline

9:34am August 16, 2015

NPR's Rachel Martin talks baseball and underdog odds with Mike Pesca of Slate's The Gist podcast.

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