Sister Jean pays visit to Wrigley
Sister Jean did just fine on the diamond, too.
The popular 98-year-old chaplain of the Loyola-chicago basketball team that reached the Final Four switched sports Tuesday, throwing out a first ball before the Cubs’ home opener.
Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt drew a big cheer at Wrigley Field when she made an underhand toss from her wheelchair. She laughed as the ball bounced toward home plate.
The nun wore a Cubs jacket and had a No. 18 Cubs jersey with Sister Jean written on it. She also talked with manager
Joe Maddon before the Cubs’ 8-5 loss to Pittsburgh.
“She was awesome,” Maddon said. “Really, really sharp. Lucid lady. It was really fun to have that conversation with her, looking forward to that. I was hoping to have that conversation.”
Loyola coach Porter Moser and some of his players were recognized on the field before the game. Senior guard Ben Richardson also threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
Moser and a couple of the Ramblers led the crowd in the singing of “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch.
Dodger Stadium will host the 2020 All-star Game, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
A news conference with Commissioner Rob Manfred is set for the ballpark on Wednesday.
Dodger Stadium last held the All-star Game in 1980. Four players from the Los Angeles Dodgers — Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Reggie Smith — were in the starting lineup for the National League in a 4-2 win.
UNLV product Efren Navarro was promoted from Triple-a Iowa to replace Anthony Rizzo, who was placed on the disabled list with back tightness.
The infielder/outfielder pinch-hit in the fifth against Pittsburgh and reached on an infield single.
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo both were suspended one game for their dustup over the weekend.
Molina, who bumped plate umpire
Tim Timmons during the bench-clearing dispute, appealed and can continue to play until the process is complete.
Lovullo, who also was fined, will miss Tuesday’s game at San Francisco.
The percentage of black players from the United States and Canada on opening-day active rosters rose to 8.4 percent, its highest level since at least 2012.
Major League Baseball attributed the increase at least partly to its efforts to increase baseball youth participation with programs that include Urban Youth Academies and Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI).
“It’s been a huge investment for us,” Renee Tirado, MLB’S chief diversity and inclusion officer, said Monday. “Obviously growing the game amongst our players is a priority, so that uptick has definitely been from a concerted effort.”
Texas placed second baseman Rougned Odor and right-hander Doug Fister on the 10-day DL after both aggravated injuries in the series opener against the Los Angeles Angels.
Odor is expected to be out three weeks with a left hamstring strain. Fister will be out two to three weeks because of a right hip strain.
Kansas City placed Alex Gordon on the DL with a torn hip labrum.
Gordon woke up with pain on Monday and was examined in greater detail Tuesday, and the results showed that an old tear he’d been playing through had worsened. Royals manager Ned Yost was hopeful the recovery time will be 10 days to two weeks, and surgery is not being considered at this point.
Toronto placed first baseman Kendrys Morales on the 10-day DL with a strained right hamstring.
The injury occurred while Morales was running out a single in the second inning of Monday night’s game against the Orioles. Toronto manager John Gibbons expects Morales to return after the minimum stay on the DL.
All-star Game: Cubs: Suspensions: Participation: Rangers: Royals: Blue Jays: