Australian teenager Arisa Trew has become the first female to land a 720 – a skateboarding trick involving two full rotations while in the air – as she competed in the Tony Hawk Vert Alert event on Saturday.

In 1985, legendary skateboarder Hawk became the first to complete the trick but since then no female has joined him in achieving the feat – until now.

Hawk was present at the competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, and said on Instagram that the 13-year-old Trew, “brought the house down.”

“I can’t believe I landed my first 720!!! And to be the first girl in the world to land a 7 in competition,” an ecstatic Trew said on Instagram, before thanking those who helped her achieve this accomplishment.

Her coach Trevor Ward also took to Instagram to talk about the process of the teen making history and the battle between 16-year-old Lilly Stoephasius and Trew to land the trick.

“What an amazing scenario. The 2 best vert skaters going head-to-head to land the 720 in front of the inventor of the trick. Tony was giving both girls tips on how to do the trick.

“We knew it was coming soon. We just didn’t expect it to be in the world stage rather than on our vert ramp back home in Australia.

“Arisa has an amazing mindset and will power to succeed. Congrats Arisa you are amazing.,” Ward concluded.

Vert skateboarding involves riding a skateboard on a near vertical ramp.

Trew will be hoping to take this form into the Olympic Games, if selected, next year where she could compete for Australia on the biggest stage of all at Paris 2024.

An independent report into the culture of cricket in England and Wales has found racism, class-based discrimination, elitism and sexism to be “widespread” and “deep rooted” in the sport.

The “Holding a Mirror Up to Cricket” report was written by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) and received more than 4,400 responses to its call for evidence between oral and written submissions.

The ICEC was established in March 2021, after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the governing body for the sport in the country, announced its intention to investigate inequality and discrimination in cricket following “broad reactive introspection generated by the public outcry following the tragic murder of George Floyd,” according to ICEC chair Cindy Butts in a foreword to the report.

According to the report, 50% of those who responded experienced discrimination in the past five years playing cricket, with that number “substantially higher for people from ethnically diverse communities: 87% of people with Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage, 82% of people with Indian heritage and 75% of all Black respondents.”

One unnamed former Asian cricketer details the discrimination he suffered in the findings, revealing teammates threw alcohol and bacon at him in acts of “abuse” and “hatred” – similar to those described by whistleblower Azeem Rafiq when giving evidence to the UK government’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee in November 2021.

Rafiq’s testimony “significantly increased” public interest in the commission’s work, according to Butts.

Rafiq contributed evidence to the commission, as did current and former England men’s Test captains Ben Stokes and Joe Root respectively. Current women’s captain Heather Knight also submitted evidence.

“Cricket has failed Black communities. … The decline in Black cricket in England and Wales has been well documented and subject to much public debate for many years. … We found it deeply concerning and surprising that we could identify no evidence of direct ECB-led activity to understand, halt or reverse this decline since the ECB’s formation in 1997,” said the report.

Regarding sexism, the report said: “Women are still seen as an ‘add on’ to the men’s game. Our evidence shows that women continue to be treated as subordinate to men,”

In addition, evidence heard by the ICEC points to “a widespread culture of sexism and misogyny, and unacceptable behavior towards women in both the recreational and professional game.”

The report said there was also “predatory behavior” from men towards women which is “often fuelled by alcohol.”

“I have experienced predatory behaviour [from] some men in cricket,” the report quotes one anonymous contributor,  noting the men included “players, coaches, media, corporate executives, which may be when they drink or not although it feels more prevalent with alcohol.”

In the professional game, the inequity in pay between men and women is highlighted in the report.

“Women receive an embarrassingly small amount compared to men,” the report says. “The average salary for England Women is 20.6% of the average salary for England Men.”

Education and class are addressed in the report’s findings, which note that 58% of male players in England and Wales in 2021 were privately educated – far outstripping the 7% of the general population. The report describes a “prevalence of elitism and class-based discrimination in cricket” which is “structural and institutional in nature.”

The ECB should issue an “unqualified public apology,” according to the first of 44 recommendations from the report. “The apology should acknowledge that racism, sexism, elitism and class-based discrimination have existed, and still exist, in the game, and recognise the impact on victims of discrimination.

“It should include, in particular, a direct apology for the ECB’s and the wider game’s historic failures in relation to women’s and girls’ cricket and its failure to adequately support Black cricket in England and Wales.”

In response, the ECB chairman Richard Thompson said in a statement on the organization’s website: “On behalf of the ECB and wider leadership of the game, I apologise unreservedly to anyone who has ever been excluded from cricket or made to feel like they don’t belong.

“This report makes clear that historic structures and systems have failed to prevent discrimination, and highlights the pain and exclusion this has caused. I am determined that this wake-up call for cricket in England and Wales should not be wasted.”

Other ICEC recommendations include the creation of a triannual “State of Equity in Cricket” report to assess progress on the findings, and a stringent commitment to being “an anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti-classist organization.”

In response to the findings, Rafiq posted a statement saying: “I welcome the report’s findings and acknowledge the extraordinary work that has been put into this inquiry.

“There is no doubt now that the game we all love has suffered from institutional discrimination, including racism. The report is an opportunity to fully reflect on what happened and for the sport’s governing structures to work out a way forward to ensure that cricket is a game for everyone and that they feel supported, no matter their background.”

As she took to the start line of the 100-meter hurdles, Jolien Boumkwo was at first met with confusion, then amusement, then raucous support.

The Belgian shot putter emerged as an unlikely hero from the European Athletics Team Championships in Poland on Saturday after injuries to her teammates compelled her to step into the hurdles event at the last minute.

The race itself went as you’d imagine: while her competitors streaked away in front of her, Boumkwo jogged cautiously up to each hurdle and climbed gingerly over the barriers.

Boumkwo, who had placed seventh in the shot put the day before, eventually finished in 32.18 seconds – 19 seconds behind the next slowest athlete.

Still, she could at least celebrate a season’s best.

“I was really excited to see how many seconds or minutes I did during the race,” Boumkwo joked after glancing at the clock to see her finish time. “It was less than [one minute] so I’m proud of myself!”

With athletes awarded two points just for taking part in an event, the 29-year-old ran in the hurdles in an attempt to help Belgium avoid relegation from the first division.

“I was like: it would be a pity if just we would lose by one point so I will just take this on my account and just go for it and enjoy every moment,” said Boumkwo. “For me, that’s important as well when you’re doing sports at a high level.

“I checked with my coach if there were any risks for me doing it and he gave me a green light.”

Despite being a 12-time national champion in Belgium, Boumkwo has never previously received this much adulation after competing at an event. The crowd screamed their support as she ran towards the finish line, her teammates applauded her can-do spirit, and online she was inundated with positive messages.

“I’m really happy that this race symbolized something – the team spirit, the team playership – and that people from different situations – professionals, non-professionals, people who are not into sports – really see it and it really connects people,” she said.

“I have never been this famous before … It’s really crazy.”

It might yet turn out to be one of the most memorable occasions of her career in track and field.

“All the nice messages – it’s unbelievable,” Boumkwo said. “I’m really surprised … I hope that I can still enjoy this moment for a long time.”

More than 55 million people from southern Arizona to the Florida coast are sweltering under a worsening heat wave that is expected to expand its reach this week, bringing more dangerous triple-digit temperatures.

Excessive heat warnings, the highest criteria of heat alerts, include Dallas, New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where the heat index will approach 120 degrees.

The scorching temperatures in the South are being brought on by a “heat dome,” which is created when a ridge of high pressure builds over an area, trapping air inside as temperatures warm – often to uncomfortable or even dangerous levels.

Temperatures from southeastern Arizona through southern New Mexico and into Texas will remain in the 100s Tuesday and spread northward into the Central Plains and Missouri Valley Wednesday, the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center said.

“There may be more danger than a typical heat event, due to the longevity of near-record or record high nighttime lows and elevated heat index readings,” the prediction center said.

Compounding the dangerous effects of the heat wave will be abnormally warm overnight temperatures that will provide little to no relief from the heat, the prediction center said. Temperatures won’t fall below 80 degrees at night in many areas like Dallas, New Orleans and Shreveport.

The heat wave is expected to get worse before it gets better, with no relief in sight before early next week.

And the heat domes that drive record-setting temperatures are expected to become more frequent – and hotter – due to the climate crisis.

In the meantime, more than 90 record high temperatures could be broken this week from Texas to Missouri to Florida.

“Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities,” the National Weather Service warned Monday.

Already, extreme heat in Texas has contributed to at least two deaths at the remote Big Bend National Park on Friday, where temperatures reached 119 degrees. The state has been experiencing the heat wave for more than two weeks.

The heat in Austin, Texas, has already put a strain on emergency services, city officials said in a Monday news conference. Austin EMS reported an uptick in heat-related emergencies with 118 calls for service in the last two weeks alone, said Assistant Chief Wesley Hopkins.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has been warning residents to take precautions to protect themselves from heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

“Stay cool, drink plenty of fluids, wear cool clothing and limit strenuous outdoor activities,” the health department said, adding that elderly residents, small children, people with chronic diseases and those without access to air conditioning are most at risk.

Dallas is expected to reach 104 degrees Tuesday, while New Orleans is forecast to hit 98 degrees. But extremely high humidity levels mean it’ll feel like 110 to 115 degrees across much of central, eastern and southern Texas as well as most of Louisiana and southern Mississippi.

The city of New Orleans has also warned residents that the high temperatures can be “life-threatening.”

“The combination of afternoon heat index readings above 110 degrees and morning lows remaining well above normal will provide little if any relief for the body to cool for those without access to air conditioning or cooling centers,” New Orleans officials said in a press release.

In New Mexico, critical fire weather conditions were expected Monday and Tuesday as warm temperatures mix with strong winds and low humidity, according to the National Weather Service in Albuquerque.

Warning that it takes “only one spark to start a wildfire,” the weather service asked residents to avoid activities with open flames, throwing cigarettes out of windows or parking on dry brush.

Temperature records already broken

The intensifying heat wave has already brought record-breaking temperatures to Texas.

San Angelo saw a record-high daily temperature of 112 degrees on Monday, while Del Rio set a daily record with 111 degrees.

Monday marked the ninth consecutive day Del Rio set a record high daily temperature, according to the National Weather Service.

Both areas have also seen all-time record high temperatures during this heat wave, with Del Rio hitting 115 degrees on June 21 and San Angelo recording a temperature of 114 degrees on June 20 and 21.

Even as the heat spreads into nearby states, the dangerous heat is forecast continue across south-central Texas this week.

“Many areas outside south and south-central Texas (will) experience their most significant heat of the season thus far,” the prediction center said.

Scorching heat helping to fuel storms

Along the northern side of the oppressive heat, strong to severe storms are expected to develop. Hot temperatures across the Central and Southern Plains, in conjunction with an approaching cold front, will set the stage for damaging winds, very large hail and isolated tornadoes.

The United Nations human rights chief and the European Union have expressed alarm over ongoing violence in the occupied West Bank, and over attacks by settlers on Palestinian villagers. But a prominent member of the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for illegal settlers’ outposts to be expanded and turned into full settlements.

Hundreds of Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Turmusayya in the West Bank on Wednesday, the day after the killing of four Jewish settlers nearby, according to the mayor of the village. Those killings had been in response to an Israeli military operation in the Jenin area.

The EU representative to the Palestinians, joined by more than 20 diplomatic missions from the EU and beyond, has visited Turmusayya “to express condolences to the victims of the settler attacks on 21 June and see the houses and property impacted,” the mission said on Twitter.

The chief spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also condemned the settler attacks in Turmusayya and Urif. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari described the incident as “very grave.”

“This is an incident that creates terror and escalation, and takes the population that isn’t involved in terror and pushes it [toward extremism], while preventing the IDF from fighting terror in operational activities,” he told Army Radio.

UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk said the violence this week risks “spiraling out of control, fueled by strident political rhetoric and an escalation in the use of advanced military weaponry by Israel.”

The Israeli military operation in the Jenin refugee camp on Monday, which included airstrikes from helicopters, left at least seven Palestinians dead. At least 91 Palestinians and seven Israeli soldiers were injured.

Türk said the operation represented a major intensification of the use of weaponry more generally associated with the conduct of armed hostilities rather than a law enforcement operation.

“Israel must urgently reset its policies and actions in the Occupied West Bank in line with international human rights standards, including protecting and respecting the right to life,” he said.

Türk also said he was appalled that the killings of the Israeli settlers were celebrated by some Palestinians.

Amongst other international reaction to this week’s violence, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said it was “deeply concerned about the increasing tension,” and condemned the reported desecration of the Quran in one West Bank mosque.

“We also condemn the attacks by settler groups in various parts of the West Bank and the killing of a Palestinian civilian by Israeli forces,” Turkey said Friday.

Earlier this week, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry announced the postponement of the meeting next month of the Negev Forum, which brings together Morocco and three other Arab states with Israel and the US, citing a negative political environment.

The United Arab Emirates Friday called on the Israeli authorities “to reduce escalation and avoid steps that exacerbate tension and violence in the Palestinian territories.”

In Israel, the organization Peace Now has condemned the “promotion of settlements, legalization of outposts, settler violence, and more urgent developments in the West Bank.”

The Israeli government has announced that 1,000 housing units will be built in the settlement of Eli in the West Bank. Peace Now said that the government had decided to legalize one outpost (Evyatar) created by settlers, while several more such outposts had been established.

Peace Now said it seemed “there are no barriers or constraints in disregarding Palestinian lives and promoting settlements in the occupied territories.”

It said that the “Netanyahu’s government’s complicity in allowing and supporting settler outposts fuels an already volatile situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, intensifying violence against innocent Palestinians by extremist settlers.”

But government ministers seem unmoved. Visiting the Evyatar outpost Friday, National Security Minister Ben Gvir said: “We need to have a whole and full settlement here. Not only here but in all the hills around us.”

“We should settle the Land of Israel, and at the same time, launch a military operation, take down buildings and eliminate terrorists. Not just one or two, but dozens and hundreds and if needed, thousands,” Ben Gvir said.

A vessel that’s set to be the world’s biggest cruise ship has completed construction at a shipyard in Finland and has made its first foray into open water for sea trials ahead of likely delivery in October this year.

Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas is a mammoth 365 meters long (nearly 1,200 feet) and will weigh a projected 250,800 tonnes. For comparison, that’s like trying to keep two CN Towers afloat.

When it sets sail on Caribbean waters in January 2024, it will comfortably hold some 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew. The boat’s piece de resistance will be the world’s largest waterpark at sea. Named Category 6, it’ll feature six record-breaking water slides, but guests who want a more leisurely experience can also relax in the boat’s seven pools and nine whirlpools.

‘Mind-blowing’

It’s being built at Meyer Turku shipyard, one of Europe’s leading shipbuilders, in Turku, Finland. At an on-site press panel earlier this year, Royal Caribbean International president and chief executive Michael Bayley told media that the vessel was on track to join the Royal Caribbean fleet on October 26, ahead of its 2024 debut.

The current title holder of world’s largest cruise ship is another vessel in the Royal Caribbean fleet, Wonder of the Seas, which made its inaugural voyage just last year and is a slightly teensier 1,188 feet in length, with a mere 18 decks to explore.

Royal Caribbean International is pitching Icon of the Seas as the cruise line’s evolutionary peak, using the latest technology and building on 50 years of learnings through the company’s history.

“We are positioning it as the ultimate family vacation and when you step back and look at all the energy and time that has gone into creating this ship it is mind-blowing,” Bayley said.

The Icon completed its first set of sea trials on June 22, according to a Royal Caribbean statement.

“During her first set of sea trials, Icon of the Seas traveled hundreds of miles, during which the main engines, hull, brake systems, steering, noise, and vibration levels were all tested,” the statement said. “Everything was done on time as outlined in the schedule, despite her departure being delayed due to wind conditions.”

‘The perfect home base’

The ship promises more than 40 ways to dine, drink and be entertained, many of which are included in the cruise fare. With 20 decks and eight neighborhoods to explore, the idea is to cater to every type of vacationer, with everything from areas dedicated to young families, to adults-only spaces such as Royal Caribbean International’s first dueling pianos bar.

There are 28 different types of accommodations, with more categories for families, more layouts with ocean views and more space for group travelers. The cruise line says it’s the longest timeframe it’s ever dedicated to “designing the perfect home base.”

Icon of the Seas is also Royal Caribbean International’s first ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fuel cell technology, as part of the company’s move to a clean-energy future.

2,600 workers per day

Some 2,600 workers have been grafting on Icon of the Seas each day. For the sea trials, hundreds of specialists were on board to assess performance over four days.

Royal Caribbean says a second set of sea trials is scheduled for later in 2023.

Record-breaking sales

Buzz about the ship is such that advance sales have been record-breaking. Michael Bayley is reported to have described Icon of the Seas during the company’s quarterly financial results as “literally the best-performing new product launch we’ve ever had.”

Icon of the Seas will sail seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean vacations from Miami all year round. Every sailing will include a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s award-winning private island destination, as well as its new expansion, Hideaway Beach.

The hull of the fishing trawler lifted out of the water as it sank, catapulting people from the top deck into the black sea below. In the darkness, they grabbed onto whatever they could to stay afloat, pushing each other underwater in a frantic fight for survival. Some were screaming, many began to recite their final prayers.

With hundreds of people still missing after the overloaded vessel capsized in the Mediterranean on June 14, the testimonies of those who were onboard paint a picture of chaos and desperation. They also call into question the Greek coast guard’s version of events, suggesting more lives could have been saved, and may even point to fault on the part of Greek authorities.

Rights groups allege the tragedy is both further evidence and a result of a new pattern in illegal pushbacks of migrant boats to other nations’ waters, with deadly consequences.

This boat was carrying up to 750 Pakistani, Syrian, Egyptian and Palestinian refugees and migrants. Only 104 people have been rescued alive.

“The third time they towed us, the boat swayed to the right and everyone was screaming, people began falling into the sea, and the boat capsized and no one saw anyone anymore,” he said. “Brothers were separated, cousins were separated.”

Another Syrian man, identified as Mostafa, also believes it was the maneuver by the coast guard that caused the disaster. “The Greek captain pulled us too fast, it was extremely fast, this caused our boat to sink,” he said.

The Hellenic Coast Guard has repeatedly denied attempting to tow the vessel. An official investigation into the cause of the tragedy is still ongoing.

The Syrian men said the conditions on board the migrant boat deteriorated fast in the more than five days after it set off from Tobruk, Libya, in route to Italy. They had run out of water and had resorted to drinking from storage bottles that people had urinated in.

“People were dying. People were fainting. We used a rope to dip clothes into the sea and use that to squeeze water on people who had lost consciousness,” Rami said.

The Greek coast guard has maintained that people onboard the trawler had refused rescue and insisted they wanted to continue their journey to Italy. But survivors, relatives and activists say they had asked for help multiple times.

Earlier in the day, other ships tried to help the trawler. Directed by the Greek coast guard, two merchant vessels – Lucky Sailor and Faithful Warrior – approached the boat between 6 and 9 p.m. on June 13 to offer supplies, according to marine traffic data and the logs of those ships. But according to survivors this only caused more havoc onboard.

“Fights broke out over food and water, people were screaming and shouting,” Mostafa said. “If it wasn’t for people trying to calm the situation down, the boat was on the verge of sinking several times.”

The haunting final words sent from the migrant boat came just minutes before it capsized. According to a timeline published by NGO Alarm Phone they received a call, at around 1:45 a.m., with the words “Hello my friend… The ship you send is…” Then the call cuts out.

The coast guard says the vessel began to sink at around 2 a.m.

The next known activity in the area, according to marine traffic data, was the arrival of a cluster of vessels starting around 3 a.m. The Mayan Queen superyacht was the first on the scene for what soon became a mass rescue operation.

A responsibility to rescue

Human rights groups say the authorities had a duty to act to save lives, regardless of what people on board were saying to the coast guard before the migrant boat capsized.

Cochetel also pointed to a growing trend by countries, including Greece, to assist migrant boats in leaving their waters. “That’s a practice we’ve seen in recent months. Some coastal states provide food, provide water, sometimes life jackets, sometimes even fuel to allow such boats to continue to only one destination: Italy. And that’s not fair, Italy cannot cope with that responsibility alone.”

Survivors who say the coast guard tried to tow their boat say they don’t know what the aim was.

Pushbacks are state measures aimed at forcing refugees and migrants out of their territory, while impeding access to legal and procedural frameworks, according to the Berlin-based European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR). They are a violation of international law, as well as European regulations.

And such measures do not appear to have deterred human traffickers whose businesses prey on vulnerable and desperate migrants.

A series of Greek governments have been criticized for their handling of migration policy, including conditions in migrant camps, particularly following the 2015-16 refugee crisis, when more than 1 million people entered Europe through the country.

For those who lived through last week’s sinking, the harrowing experience will never be forgotten.

Mostafa and Rami both say they wish they had never made the journey, despite the fact they are now in Europe and are able to claim asylum.

Most of all, Mostafa says, he wishes the Greek coast guard had never approached their boat: “If they had left us be, we wouldn’t have drowned.”

Sometimes it really is the taking part that counts.

Just ask Belgian shot put thrower Jolien Boumkwo, who competed in the 100-meter hurdles at the European Athletics Team Championships on Saturday after her teammates had to withdraw through injury.

After placing seventh in the shot put on Friday, Boumkwo turned her attention to the hurdles at the last minute and duly finished in a time of 32.81 seconds – 19 seconds behind the seventh-placed athlete.

Footage of Boumkwo carefully stepping over each hurdle while the other athletes race away ahead of her has since gone viral on social media. She smiled and laughed throughout before being congratulated by other competitors at the finish line.

Just having an athlete take part in the event earned Belgium two points and saved the team from disqualification, Boumkwo’s efforts weren’t enough to save her country from being relegated to the second division at the meet in Poland, finishing 14th out of 16 countries with 250 points.

“Take me out to the ball game, Take me out with the crowd;
“Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don’t care if I never get back.
“Let me root, root, root for the home team, If they don’t win, it’s a shame.
“For it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out, At the old ball game.”

Hollywood stars performing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” could only mean one thing – Major League Baseball (MLB) made its long-awaited return to London.

Fans travelled far and wide to witness two games played out between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals as London put on a British-themed show for its guests – with some American twists.

The weekend’s two games took place at a transformed London Stadium. The ground was originally built for the 2012 Olympic Games and has since become home of Premier League soccer club West Ham United. As baseball became its latest inhabitant, the stadium was almost unrecognizable.

The Cubs dominated the London Series opener storming home to a 9-1 victory. The weekend’s second game looked like following the same script as the Cubs raced to a 4-0 lead, but in the sweltering sunshine, the Cardinals pulled themselves back into the match, eventually taking home a 7-5 win.

A UK twist

Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, Karen is a longtime Cardinals fan and she has long been trying to get her British husband into the sport. Karen also enjoyed the added bonus of running into old friends she didn’t know would be in London.

“I think it’s awesome [the London Series], I love baseball and I’m slowly converting him,” said Karen. However, Paul’s attempts to persuade Karen to fall in love with a British sporting pastime – also played with a bat and ball – have proved less fruitful.

“I tried to push her towards cricket, but it wasn’t too successful,” quipped Paul.

However, cricket did feature during the weekend, as stars of the sport, England’s Jimmy Anderson and Nathan Lyon of Australia, threw the first pitches on Saturday.

Those in attendance at the London Stadium were also treated to various forms of live entertainment – including a quintessentially British take on a mascot race.

Giant inflatable heads of former UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, King Henry VIII, Freddie Mercury and a King’s Guard raced around the home plate. Churchill won a photo finish during Saturday’s race before a kerfuffle between the competitors on Sunday allowed the King’s Guard to secure victory.

The crowd was also treated to a singalong of “Sweet Caroline” during both games. The Neil Diamond classic has been lovingly adopted during a number UK sporting events.

Growing the game

John DeCap and Scot Crain, cousin-in-laws from the US, were on opposite sides of the weekend matchup between the Cardinals and the Cubs.

DeCap, a Cardinals fan, and Crain, a Cubs fan, flew over to the UK for a vacation that incorporated watching the game.

“We’ve waited three years because it got cancelled for Covid,” explained Crain.

Since the last London Series event, the MLB has introduced a pitch clock designed to make matches shorter – a far cry from the mammoth four hour and 42-minute game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox during the 2019 London Series.

“The time never used to bother me, but I think this is going to appeal to a much larger number of people,” outlined DeCap.

“The pitch clock does speed things up – sometimes a little too fast – but a two-and-a-half-hour game is better than a four-hour game,” Crain concurred.

DeCap and Crain were also happy that bringing the game overseas meant more fans were being introduced to the sport.

“I think we got a lot of strange looks from the average Londoner that didn’t know what was going on right now, but that’s fine, it’s a wonderful city.

“We’ve built in a nice vacation and we’re topping it off with the games.”

With each team winning a game apiece, the cousin-in-laws will return home with neither enjoying bragging rights and their “very friendly” baseball rivalry set to continue.

Hector Echevarria and his family, who are Cubs supporters, have spent their summer travelling through eight countries and, upon hearing news of the London Series, they made the UK their final stop.

The Echevarrias were delighted with the result from the first game which made the trip to London all the more worthwhile.

“It was different, but it was exciting,” said Echevarria, whose daughter was a big fan of the live music performed by Soul Symphony during the game.

While the Echevarria family – who are from the US – are big baseball fans, they liked that some people around them were able to watch their first ever ballgame as a result of the London Series.

“Obviously it’s to build the fanbase and spread baseball across the world, I think it’s a good thing,” said Echevarria.

St. Louis fan favorite Lars Nootbaar also touched on this, per MLB.com, adding: “Hopefully [the fans] leave today and we inspired some kids to go out and buy a glove, buy a bat and go in the backyard and play a little bit.”

‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’

While London added some unique touches to the weekend event, there are some baseball traditions that aren’t to be meddled with, notably the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch.

Actor and Cubs fan Nick Offerman performed the song on Saturday whilst donning a Dansby Swanson jersey. Offerman played the iconic role of Ron Swanson in the television series “Parks and Recreation.”

During Sunday’s game, Cardinals fan John Goodman, star of “The Big Lebowski” and “Monsters Inc.,” was given the honor of performing the famous song to the 55,565 in attendance at the London Stadium.

Kate Long moved to the UK from Toronto, Canada, 10 months ago but, with the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and the food on offer, she said it was as if she had been teleported back home.

“There was a couple of times I forgot that I was in London,” said Long. “I love the atmosphere of baseball games so it’s something I’ve definitely missed the most and was excited to have back.”

While Long didn’t have skin in either of the weekend’s games, it didn’t impact her overall experience and she was impressed with how the atmosphere at the London Series compared to matches across the Atlantic Ocean.

“There’s something about the energy of the crowd and the way everyone comes together to enjoy the game that’s just not the same in other sports.

“I wish baseball in London was a regular occurrence because I feel like there’s a lot more fans than I realized.”

Given over 110,000 fans attended the two games, it isn’t just Long who is hoping the baseball is here to stay.

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, tweeted: “An amazing weekend of baseball as we welcome MLB and Commissioner Rob Manfred back to our capital – now the major hub for American sport outside the US.”

The London Series will be back next year with the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets penciled in to make the trip across the pond.

If you’ve ever wondered who is currently the NFL’s most talented chess player then the weekend delivered the answer to that question, all in the name of charity.

Eight players, including Arizona Cardinals star quarterback Kyler Murray and future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald, took part in the ‘BlitzChamps II’ to crown the NFL’s best chess player.

The tournament, a series of ‘Blitz’ chess games in a single-elimination bracket, also had a $100,000 charitable prize fund.

Blitz chess is one of the sport’s fastest format of games, with players permitted no more than 10 minutes during games. It requires players to think fast and move at lightning speed.

After defeating New York Jets duo Wes Schweitzer and Chazz Surratt in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill locked horns with Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie in a dramatic final.

Despite having a rating 100 points higher than Awuzie, Tranquill – who signed for the Chiefs in the offseason – faced a stiff test with the Bengals star the reigning ‘BlitzChamps’ champion having won the inaugural tournament last year.

Tranquill won the opening game of the final with a bold queen sacrifice to deliver a back-rank mate. He called the tactive “probably the move of the day” afterwards. A back-rank mate is when a player delivers checkmate by attacking their opponent’s back rank, per Chess.com.

Needing to just avoid defeat in the final game to win the title, the 27-year-old Tranquill was able to hold out for a draw and earn himself the accolade of the best chess player in his sport and $25,000 for charity.

“I’m so excited just to be a part of this. I got brought on, I think a couple of days ago,” he said afterwards.

“I’ve never really played in a chess tournament at all. I have just enjoyed playing chess throughout my time at the NFL, playing teammates so this was so cool to get out here and raise some money for charity.”

When asked if he thinks he is akin to the Patrick Mahomes of chess now, Tranquill quipped he would need to have two ‘BlitzChamps’ titles to his name before he can put himself on the same level as the Chiefs quarterback.

And like the Chiefs and Bengals in the NFL, we could see Tranquill and Awuzie begin a high-level chess rivalry between the two franchises.