NAMES & FACES

Wayne Rooney

The striker scored his first hat trick for Everton with a stunning goal from his own half in a 4-0 thrashing of West Ham in the English Premier League. Hammers goalkeeper Joe Hart unintentionally set up Rooney’s wonder strike in the 66th minute when his angled clearance went to Rooney, who was inside the center circle. Rooney’s shot traveled the entire West Ham half and over the heads of two defenders with Hart still stranded. Rooney told BT Sport it was one of his best “if not the best goal I’ve scored. I hit it as well as I’ve ever kicked a football. To make it my first hat trick for Everton, I’m delighted.” Rooney rejoined Everton this year after 13 years with Manchester United.

Martin Truex Jr.

The NASCAR Cup champion and his partner, Sherry Pollex (above left) won the prestigious Myers Brothers Award, the top honor in NASCAR’s season-ending awards celebration, for their charitable work. Both struggled to hold back tears as they received the honor in Las Vegas. “I didn’t see this coming,” Truex said. Pollex added, “I didn’t either, and I’m going to try not to cry.” The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation has raised funds for awareness on childhood and teenage cancer, even before Pollex was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer about three years ago. She suffered a recurrence this year during Truex’s championship season.