Lakers great Abdul-Jabbar, 76, fractures hip in fall
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was undergoing surgery for a broken hip Saturday after falling at a concert in Los Angeles.
The NBA Hall of Famer was attending a show Friday night when he was injured. Paramedics at the undisclosed venue responded and the 76-year-old was taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
His business partner, Deborah Morales, declined to provide a further update Saturday and referred only to a statement posted on AbdulJabbar's social media.
“We are all deeply appreciative of all the support for Kareem,” it said.
Abdul-Jabbar was a key player on the Lakers' teams during their “Showtime” era in the 1980s, leading them to five NBA championships. He was a six-time NBA MVP.
The 7-foot-2 center was the NBA's career-scoring leader until being passed by current Laker LeBron James in February. Abdul-Jabbar owned the mark for 39 years.
He starred at UCLA, when he was known as Lew Alcindor and was a three-time national player of the year under coach John Wooden.
Abdul-Jabbar disclosed in 2020 that he had prostate cancer. In 2009, he said he had been diagnosed the previous year with chronic myeloid leukemia, a blood cancer.
Kuchar, son lead by 3 in PNC Championship
Tiger Woods has never had a family outing quite like the PNC Championship on Saturday, even in the rain. He was competing with his 14-year-old son, Charlie, and his 16-year-old daughter, Sam, on the bag as caddie for the first time.
The only thing missing were enough birdies.
“It couldn't have been any more special for us,” Woods said after the first of two rounds at The Ritz-Carlton Club in Orlando, where they beat the worst of the rain and fell behind 10 other teams.
Matt Kuchar and his son Cameron led the way with a 15-under 57, building a three-shot lead over the teams of Bernhard Langer, Vijay Singh, David Duval and Retief Goosen.
Woods and his son were at 8-under 64, leaning on Charlie's booming drives even while having to move back a set of tees, with Woods delivering most of the approach shots and neither converting enough birdie chances.
“I drove the ball really good today,” Charlie said. “Didn't miss a fairway and still managed to shoot 8 under. We just (stink) at putting.”
That caused Woods to close his eyes and grin. “That sums it up right there,” he said.
So much attention is on their similarities in their swings and other mannerism, but the needle and the trash talking is not to be overlooked.
The PNC is restricted to 20 teams of major champions from any tour, or The Players Championship winners, and a family member. That's what got Steve Stricker (three senior major victories this year) into the field for the first time. He played with his youngest daughter, Izzi, because Bobbi Maria had Epson Tour status this year.
They also had a 64 while Izzi played with her favorite tour players — Nelly Korda — and now gets Woods and son in the final round.
Kuchar, a Players Championship winner, has played with both his sons. Carson is leaning more toward tennis and Cameron is all about golf. He recently took a trip to Europe with the family, caddying for his father in the Dunhill Links Championship and the Andalucia Masters.
“It's been a fun deal and his progression has just kind of been everywhere,” Kuchar said. “You watch the whole game get better, whether it's off the tee, he has an advantage with length and irons are great. I think anybody that sees him with a wedge in his hand comes away impressed. He's got a great short game.”
Singh and Duval are trying to win the PNC Championship for the second time. John Daly and his son, who plays at Arkansas, won it two years ago. They were four shots behind.
Woods is playing for only the second time since having ankle fusion surgery in April.
• Louis Oosthuizen moved into position to win on the European tour for the second straight week after making three eagles in a 7-under 65 to take the thirdround lead at the Mauritius Open in Bel-ombre.
Oosthuizen was on 14-under par for the tournament and one shot clear of fellow South African Jacques De Villiers (68), with Laurie Canter (65) a further two strokes back in third.
Canadian women beat U.S. in Rivalry Series
Marie-Philip Poulin scored the lone shootout goal, Ann-Renée Desbiens made 22 saves and Canada beat the United States 3-2 in Sarnia, Ontario, to cut the Americans' Rivalry Series lead to 3-1.
Canada overcame a twogoal deficit in the third period, with Danielle Serdachny scoring with 9:54 left and Ella Shelton tying it with 7:21 remaining.
“The game was such a back-and-forth contest,” U.S. coach John Wroblewski said. “It was a physical contest and a classic U.S.-Canada game.”
Ohtani, Acuña capture Hank Aaron awards
Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuña Jr. won the 2023 Hank Aaron Awards, presented by Major League Baseball to the most outstanding offensive performer in each league.
The MLB award is picked by fan balloting combined with votes from a panel of Hall of Famers and former winners.
Ohtani became a free agent after the season and left the Angels for a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers. He led the AL with 44 homers and hit .304 with 96 RBIs, eight triples and 20 stolen bases in a season at the plate that ended Sept. 3 because of an oblique injury.
Acuña was a unanimous winner of his first NL MVP after becoming the first big leaguer with 40 homers and 70 stolen bases in a season. Acuña was second in the NL with a .336 batting average for the Atlanta Braves and led the major leagues with 149 runs, 217 hits, 386 total bases and 73 stolen bases while hitting 41 home runs with 106 RBIs.
Paris, Flury earn World Cup downhill titles
Dominik Paris is back. The Italian skier dominated a World Cup downhill in Val Gardena, Italy, to claim his first win in more than a year.
Paris, 34, crossed the line almost half a second faster than two-time defending downhill standings leader Aleksander Aamodt Kilde.
Paris moved level with Stephan Eberharter in third place on the all-time win list. Only Franz Klammer (25) and Peter Müller (19) have more downhill wins.
• Jasmine Flury claimed only her second World Cup win as the Swiss skier triumphed in a downhill race in Val D'isere, France. Sofia Goggia moved to the top of the discipline standings in the absence of Mikaela Shiffrin.