BASEBALL
Strikeout milestone for C.C.
New York Yankees hurler C.C. Sabathia on Tuesday reached another MLB milestone, becoming the 17th pitcher to record 3,000 career strikeouts. Sabathia, 38, reached the landmark with a second-inning strikeout of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ John Ryan Murphy in Phoenix, Arizona. He joined Randy Johnson (4,875) and Steve Carlton (4,136) as the only left-handed pitchers to reach the 3,000 mark, and the first pitcher since John Smoltz in 2008 to reach it. Sabathia came into the contest three strikeouts away from 3,000. He struck out David Peralta looking at a sinker to start the second inning, then struck out Christian Walker swinging at a fastball. After surrendering a home run to Wilmer Flores, Sabathia induced Murphy to swing and miss at a changeup to end the inning. “It’s one of those awesome numbers,” teammate Aaron Boone said before the game. “I saw Rod Carew get 3,000 [hits], Reggie [Jackson] get 500 [home runs]. Those are magical numbers in our sport.” The Diamondbacks went on to win 3-1.
BASEBALL
YouTube to stream games
YouTube is to exclusively livestream 13 MLB games in the second part of this season, the firm said on Tuesday. Fans can subscribe to the MLB channel for free access to the games, including pre and post-game content. They are to be available in most countries, including the US, except places where existing broadcasters have deals with the MLB that exclude YouTube access. “With Major League Baseball’s expanding international fanbase, we are confident YouTube’s global audience will bring fans around the world together in one place to watch the games and teams they love,” YouTube head of sports and news partnerships Timothy Katz said.
DOPING
Moscow samples obtained
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Tuesday said that it had retrieved 2,262 samples from Moscow’s former drug-testing laboratory that are to be further analyzed. “These samples will be used to strengthen cases against those who may have cheated and may exonerate athletes who have not committed an anti-doping rule violation,” investigations director Gunter Younger said. The removal of the samples comes after WADA investigators retrieved a trove of analytical data from the lab in January. An update on the investigation would be presented to WADA’s Executive Committee and Foundation Board meeting on May 15 and 16. WADA wants to complete the review by June 30 as part of a reinstatement deal.
E-SPORTS
Fnatic plans expansion
Fnatic, a London-based team owner, has raised US$19 million in new funding and restructured its leadership as it plans a major expansion, the company said yesterday. It plans to further expand in Asia and North America, and grow from 150 to 1,000 people in the next five years, founder Sam Mathews said. It is to use the investments to strengthen its teams with new nutrition and psychology programs, and physical training coaches for players — lessons Mathews said he took from the British cycling team. Fnatic, one of the oldest and largest teams in global e-sports, has won major titles in several games, including League of Legends and Counter-Strike, and fields teams in 10 different games.
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
‘SOURCE OF PRIDE’: Newspapers rushed out special editions and the government sent their congratulations as Shohei Ohtani became the first player to enter the 50-50 club Japan reacted with incredulity and pride yesterday after Shohei Ohtani became the first player in Major League Baseball to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. The Los Angeles Dodgers star from Japan made history with a seventh-inning homer in a 20-4 victory over the Marlins in Miami. “We would like to congratulate him from the bottom of our heart,” top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters in Tokyo. “We sincerely hope Mr Ohtani, who has already accomplished feat after feat and carved out a new era, will thrive further,” he added. The landmark achievement dominated Japanese morning news
Roger Federer on Wednesday said that staying involved with tennis in retirement helped him avoid feeling “like an alien” ahead of this week’s Laver Cup in Berlin. Federer, who helped create the tournament, retired at the Laver Cup in London two years ago and has since stayed involved with the competition as an ambassador. “I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters. “I feel I ripped the Band-Aid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there,” he said. “I don’t feel like an alien, which is a
Lewis Hamilton on Thursday said there was a “racial element” to International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Mohammed ben Sulayem’s recent comments regarding drivers swearing during Formula 1 races. In an interview with motorsport.com, Ben Sulayem said: “We have to differentiate between our sport — motorsport — and rap music” when referring to drivers having a responsibility to stop swearing on the radio. “We’re not rappers, you know,” Ben Sulayem said. Responding to those remarks ahead of tomorrow’s Singapore Grand Prix, seven-time champion Hamilton said: “With what he said, I don’t like how he has expressed it. Saying ‘rappers’ is very stereotypical.” “If you