Giants great McCovey dies
Willie McCovey, the sweet-swinging Hall of Famer nicknamed “Stretch” for his 6-foot-4 height and those long arms, has died. He was 80.
The San Francisco Giants announced his death, saying the fearsome hitter passed “peacefully” Wednesday afternoon “after losing his battle with ongoing health issues.”
He had attended games at AT&T Park as recently as the final game of the season.
Even four-plus decades later, it still stung for the left-handed slugging McCovey that he never won a World Series after coming so close. He lined out to end the Giants’ 1962 World Series loss to the Yankees.
McCovey was a career .270 hitter with 521 home runs and 1,555 RBI in 22 major league seasons, 19 of them with the Giants. He also played for the Athletics and Padres.
McCovey had been getting around in a wheelchair in recent years because he could no longer rely on his once-dependable legs, yet was still regularly seen at the ballpark in his private suite.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
DJ Durkin was been fired as Maryland’s football coach, one day after being reinstated by the school.
His dismissal comes after the decision to bring him back on Tuesday was met with ire by students, players and state politicians.
Matt Canada is expected to resume the role of interim coach. Maryland is 5-3 heading into Saturday’s game against Michigan State.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
The UW-Milwaukee Panthers survived a ragged first half in which they trailed at the break to beat Concondia, 82-71, in an exhibition game on Wednesday night at the Klotsche Center.
The Panthers, who were paced by Darius Roy’s 20 points, open their regular season slate next Tuesday at Boston College.
BASEBALL
The Chicago Cubs have exercised their $10.5 million option on pitcher Jose Quintana.
The 29-year-old left-hander was 13-11 with a 4.03 ERA in 32 starts in his first full season with the Cubs. He was acquired from the White Sox in July 2017 as part of a deal for to Cubs prospects.
Quintana’s deal had a $1 million buyout. It also includes an $11.5 million option for 2020 with a $1 million buyout.
Staying put: Boston Red Sox left-hander David Price will stay with the team he led to a World Series title.
Price will earn $127 million over the next four years under the seven-year, $217 million contract he signed with Boston before the 2016 season. He has gone 31-19 with a 3.74 ERA in three seasons with the Red Sox.
GYMNASTICS
Artur Dalaloyan of Russia won the men’s world all-around gymnastics title, edging China’s Xiao Ruoteng during a taut and tense final on Wednesday in Doha, Qatar.
Dalaloyan and Xiao, the 2017 all-around champion, both finished with a total of 87.598. Dalaloyan was awarded the gold medal after officials dropped the lowest score.