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Tom Higgins, a journalist who covered NASCAR for 33 years at the Charlotte Observer and was inducted into the auto racing series’ Hall of Fame, has died. He was 80.
The Observer said Higgins died Tuesday . He suffered a stroke last August.
Higgins covered NASCAR at the Observer from 1964, the early days of the stock car series, until 1997, when the sport began to expand beyond the South. Higgins was prolific, often writing four or five byline stories per day; his personal record was 12.
NASCAR Chairman Brian France called Higgins “a media giant” and said Higgins’ was “a must-read journalist whose reporting was rightly taken as gospel.” He also covered outdoors for the Observer.
The NBA has struck a deal with MGM Resorts to become the official “gaming partner” of the league and WNBA.
Terms were not disclosed, other than it will last several years.
MGM will pay the NBA for official data to use in determining outcomes of various bets. The league has said in the past it wants a 1 percent “integrity fee” of wagers, and that conversation that has ramped up in recent months since that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to allow sports betting to be implemented on a state-by-state basis.
MGM owns the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces and is a partner in the NBA Summer League.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired hard-throwing closer Keone Kela from the Texas Rangers for minor league starter Taylor Hearn and a player to be named.
The deal was announced late Monday night after the Rangers’ 9-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The surging Pirates are 3 ½ games behind Arizona for the final NL wild-card spot, with Atlanta and Colorado also ahead of them in the standings. The Pirates entered Monday with a 4.23 bullpen ERA, 10th best in the NL.
The 25-year-old Kela has 24 saves and a 3.44 ERA this season. He will be arbitration eligible beginning next season and will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2021 season.