SPORTS briefs
Giants to retire Bonds’ No. 25 jersey in August
SAN FRANCISCO - Home run king Barry Bonds will have his No. 25 jersey retired this August by the San Francisco Giants when his former Pittsburgh Pirates are in town. The Giants announced Tuesday they would hold a ceremony to honour the former slugger and seven-time NL MVP on Aug. 11. He will become only the 12th player from the New York or San Francisco Giants to have his number retired. Bonds, now 53, broke Hank Aaron’s home run record with No. 756 on Aug. 7, 2007. He finished his 22-year big league career in 2007 with 762 homers.
He says, “I’m both honoured and humbled that the Giants are going to retire my number this season.”
Home of Patriots’ Gronk robbed during Super Bowl week
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Police say the home of New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was robbed while he was away at the Super Bowl. Foxborough Police Chief William Baker confirmed Tuesday that his department is investigating a burglary at Gronkowski’s home.
He said officers responded to the home just after 6 p.m. Monday. According to a Broadcastify. com recording of a call between responding officers and dispatch, a dispatcher says “multiple safes and possible guns” were taken.
Blue Jays hire former pitcher as co-ordinator of player development
TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays hired former relief pitcher David Aardsma on Tuesday as their co-ordinator of player development. Aardsma last pitched in the big leagues in 2015, appearing in 33 games with the Atlanta Braves.
He pitched 14 games with Triple A Buffalo in 2016 before joining an independent league last season.
The 36-year-old from Denver spent nine years in the majors (2004-15) with eight teams including two seasons with Seattle (2009-10).
Wickenheiser to donate brain to concussion research
BOSTON - Retired Canadian women’s hockey star Hayley Wickenheiser will donate her brain to concussion research after her death.
The Concussion Legacy Foundation says the fourtime Olympic gold medallist and seven-time world champion is one of three female Olympians to commit her brain to the Boston-based organization. American bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor and Hockey Hall of Famer Angela Ruggiero of the U.S., were also listed in Tuesday’s announcement. Wickenheiser has been involved with concussionrelated causes in the past, including helping develop video game technology to treat concussions last summer.
She co-chairs the advisory board of Highmark Interactive, a Toronto digital therapeutics company developing video games to diagnose and treat concussion and brain injuries. Wickenheiser, 39, said she suffered dizziness and nausea after taking a hit in a Swedish men’s pro league in 2008 and witnessed the deterioration of friend and former NHL player Steve Montador, who was diagnosed after his death in 2015 with chronic traumatic encephalopathy.