Off the wire
Former A’s pitcher Keough dies
Matt Keough, a former Oakland Athletics pitcher and special assistant, has died. He was
64. The Athletics announced the death Saturday night without providing details. Keough was an American League All-Star as a rookie in 1978 and was selected AL Comeback Player of the Year in 1980. He was 58-84 with a 4.17 ERA with Oakland (1977-83), the New York Yankees (1983), St. Louis (1985), Chicago Cubs (1986) and Houston (1986), then went 45-44 with a 3.73 ERA in Japan with the Hanshin Tigers (1987-90).
Chiefs add QB Patterson
Former Michigan quarterback Shea
Patterson has agreed to terms with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. Agent
Bryan Ehrlich confirmed the deal Sunday. Patterson started all 26 games for the Wolverines over the past two seasons after transferring from Mississippi. Patterson threw for 3,061 yards with 23 touchdowns and 8 interceptions last season. He threw 45 touchdown passes in his two years at Michigan. Patterson passed for 131 yards in the Senior Bowl. Patterson started 10 games at Ole Miss but transferred after the school was hit by NCAA sanctions. He was granted eligibility at Michigan in 2018 without sitting out a year.
Byron scores iRacing victory
William Byron showed he’s the sharpest gamer in NASCAR’s iRacing Series with his third victory in four events. Byron passed Timmy Hill with seven laps remaining at virtual Dover International Speedway, where NASCAR was scheduled to actually race Sunday, to win yet again on the iRacing platform. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has consistently been the best of the NASCAR professionals in simulated racing. Alex Bowman won last week at virtual Talladega Super- speedway, so Hendrick drivers have now won four consecutive iRacing events. “I’ve enjoyed this iRacing Series, but I’m definitely ready to get going in my real car,” Byron said. “Racing anything, whether it’s a box car or anything with an engine, is going to give you confidence if you are winning.” He said that in all his years using iRacing, he’s never been in such competitive events since NASCAR launched the invitational esports series after the stock car series was suspended March 13.
Denny Hamlin earned the pole in qualifying, but NASCAR successfully applied an invert — a glitch last week prevented the top 10 from flipping before the race began — so Ross
Chastain cycled into the top starting spot. Hamlin had his race ruined last week when his daughter accidentally turned his simulator screen off with a remote control she was holding as he was competing. He made sure to hide all remotes before Sunday’s race, but after an incident with John Hunter
Nemechek, he seemed to be deliberately wrecked by Nemechek later in retaliation. It brought out a late caution and a restart with nine laps remaining and Hill leading Byron at the green flag. Byron didn’t need to use a bump-and-run — the move Hill used on Byron to win the virtual race at Texas Motor Speedway — and easily passed him on the inside with seven laps remaining. Hill finished second and was shown at times racing with his cat on his steering wheel.
This date in baseball
1869 Henry Chadwick published his first annual baseball handbook. The book eventually evolved into Spalding’s Official Baseball Guide.
1871 The Fort Wayne Kekiongas beat the Cleveland Forest Citys, 2-0, in the first game played in the National Association. In the 127 games during the 1871 season, there were a total of four shutouts.
1910 The Browns and Cardinals played home games in St. Louis, and President Taft, not wanting to offend either club, saw parts of each game at Robinson Field and Sportsman’s Park.