Major League Distances from Big Ten Cities

These schools are listed from East to West. Distances are listed in miles.

* Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Yankees, Giants, Nets, Devils, Red Bulls.

MLB, 46 to New York Yankees, 50 to New York Mets, 68 to Philadelphia Phillies.

NFL, 35 to New York Giants and New York Jets, 68 to Philadelphia Eagles.

NBA, 37 to Brooklyn Nets, 38 to New York Rangers, 68 to Philadelphia 76ers.

NHL, 28 to New Jersey Devils, 38 to New York Rangers, 57 to New York Islanders, 68 to Philadelphia Flyers.

MLS, 31 to New York Red Bulls, 46 to New York City FC, 84 to Philadelphia Union. 

* University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland. Nationals, Commanders, Wizards, Capitals, United.

MLB, 11 to Washington Nationals, 30 to Baltimore Orioles.

NFL, 10 to Washington Commanders, 29 to Baltimore Ravens.

NBA, 9 to Washington Wizards.

NHL, 9 to Washington Capitals.

MLS, 11 to D.C. United.

* Pennsylvania State University, a.k.a. Penn State, State College, Pennsylvania. Pirates, Steelers, 76ers, Penguins, Union.

MLB, 138 to Pittsburgh Pirates, 197 to Philadelphia Phillies.

NFL, 138 to Pittsburgh Steelers, 197 to Philadelphia Eagles.

NBA, 197 to Philadelphia 76ers, 239 to Cleveland Cavaliers, 297 to Toronto Raptors.

NHL, 137 to Pittsburgh Penguins, 197 to Philadelphia Flyers.

MLS, 186 to Philadelphia Union, 226 to New York Red Bulls, 239 to New York City FC, 295 to Toronto FC, 326 to Columbus Crew.

* Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Reds, Bengals, Cavaliers, Blue Jackets, Crew.

MLB, 110 to Cincinnati Reds, 142 to Cleveland Indians.

NFL, 110 to Cincinnati Bengals, 145 to Cleveland Browns.

NBA, 142 to Cleveland Cavaliers, 177 to Indiana Pacers, 197 to Detroit Pistons.

NHL, 4 to Columbus Blue Jackets.

MLS, 4 to Columbus Crew.

* University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Tigers, Lions, Pistons, Red Wings, Crew.

MLB, 45 to Detroit Tigers.

NFL, 45 to Detroit Lions.

NBA, 44 to Detroit Pistons.

NHL, 44 to Detroit Red Wings.

MLS, 189 to Columbus Crew, 242 to Chicago Fire, 272 to Toronto FC.

* Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. Tigers, Lions, Pistons, Red Wings, Fire.

MLB, 89 to Detroit Tigers, 217 to Chicago White Sox, 228 to Chicago Cubs.

NFL, 89 to Detroit Lions, 220 to Chicago Bears.

NBA, 86 to Detroit Pistons, 223 to Chicago Bulls.

NHL, 86 to Detroit Red Wings, 223 to Chicago Blackhawks.

MLS, 220 to Chicago Fire, 250 to Columbus Crew, 295 to Toronto FC.

* Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Reds, Bengals, Bulls, Blackhawks, Fire.

MLB, 130 to Cincinnati Reds, 217 to Chicago White Sox, 224 to St. Louis Cardinals, 228 to Chicago Cubs.

NFL, 130 to Cincinnati Bengals, 220 to Chicago Bears.

NBA, 222 to Chicago Bulls.

NHL, 222 to Chicago Blackhawks, 224 to St. Louis Blues, 224 to Columbus Blue Jackets.

MLS, 220 to Chicago Fire, 223 to Columbus Crew, 225 to St. Louis City.

* Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. White Sox, Colts, Pacers, Blackhawks, Fire.

MLB, 116 to Chicago White Sox, 127 to Chicago Cubs, 182 to Cincinnati Reds, 270 to St. Louis Cardinals.

NFL, 69 to Indianapolis Colts, 119 to Chicago Bears.

NBA, 71 to Indiana Pacers, 122 to Chicago Bulls.

NHL, 122 to Chicago Bulls, 270 to St. Louis Blues.

MLS, 119 to Chicago Fire, 271 to St. Louis City.

* University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois. White Sox, Colts, Pacers, Blackhawks, Fire.

MLB, 132 to Chicago White Sox, 143 to Chicago Cubs, 174 to St. Louis Cardinals.

NFL, 125 to Indianapolis Colts, 135 to Chicago Bears.

NBA, 126 to Indiana Pacers, 138 to Chicago Bulls.

NHL, 138 to Chicago Blackhawks, 174 to St. Louis Blues.

MLS, 135 to Chicago Fire, 175 to St. Louis City.

* Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Fire.

MLB, Chicago Cubs 9, Chicago White Sox 19.

NFL, Chicago Bears 15.

NBA, Chicago Bulls 17.

NHL, Chicago Blackhawks 17.

MLS, Chicago Fire 15.

* University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. Brewers, Packers, Bucks, Blackhawks, Fire.

MLB, Milwaukee Brewers 76, Chicago Cubs 143, Chicago White Sox 150, Minnesota Twins 271.

NFL, Green Bay Packers 142, Chicago Bears 151, Minnesota Vikings 269.

NBA, Milwaukee Bucks 80, Chicago Bulls 149, Minnesota Timberwolves 271.

NHL, Chicago Blackhawks 149, Minnesota Wild 262.

MLS, Chicago Fire 151, Minnesota United 264.

* University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild, United.

MLB, Minnesota Twins 3.

NFL, Minnesota Vikings 2.

NBA, Minnesota Timberwolves 3.

NHL, Minnesota Wild 7.

MLS, Minnesota United 3.

* University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. White Sox, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Fire.

MLB, Chicago White Sox 227, Chicago Cubs 230, St. Louis Cardinals 260, Milwaukee Brewers 261, Minnesota Twins 281, Kansas City Royals 308.

NFL, Chicago Bears 228, Minnesota Vikings 279, Kansas City Chiefs 308, Green Bay Packers 317.

NBA, Chicago Bulls 222, Milwaukee Bucks 258, Minnesota Timberwolves 281.

NHL, Chicago Blackhawks 222, St. Louis Blues 260, Minnesota Wild 270.

MLS, Chicago Fire 228, St. Louis City 259, Minnesota United 274, Sporting Kansas City 320.

* University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska. Royals, Chiefs, Thunder, Blues, Sporting.

MLB, Kansas City Royals 203, St. Louis Cardinals 444.

NFL, Kansas City Chiefs 204.

NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder 436, Denver Nuggets 485.

NHL, St. Louis Blues 443.

MLS, Sporting Kansas City 192, St. Louis City 442.

* University of Southern California, a.k.a. USC, Los Angeles, California. Dodgers, Rams, Lakers, Kings, LAFC.

MLB, Los Angeles Dodgers 6, Los Angeles Angels 34.

NFL, Los Angeles Rams 7, Los Angeles Chargers, 7.

NBA, Los Angeles Lakers 2, Los Angeles Clippers, 2.

NHL, Los Angeles Kings 2, Anaheim Ducks 36.

MLS, Los Angeles FC 6, Los Angeles Galaxy 11.

* University of California at Los Angeles, a.k.a. UCLA, Los Angeles, California. Dodgers, Rams, Lakers, Kings, LAFC.

MLB, Los Angeles Dodgers 12, Los Angeles Angels 43.

NFL, Los Angeles Rams 12, Los Angeles Chargers 12.

NBA, Los Angeles Lakers 11, Los Angeles Clippers 11.

NHL, Los Angeles Kings 11, Anaheim Ducks 43.

MLS, Los Angeles FC 11, Los Angeles Galaxy 21.

* University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon. Mariners, Seahawks, Trail Blazers, Kraken, Sounders.

MLB, Seattle Mariners 282.

NFL, Seattle Seahawks 282.

NBA, Portland Trail Blazers 111.

NHL, Seattle Kraken 284.

MLS, Portland Timbers 110.

* University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. Mariners, Seahawks, Trail Blazers, Kraken, Sounders.

MLB, Seattle Mariners 5.

NFL, Seattle Seahawks 5.

NBA, Portland Trail Blazers 175.

NHL, Seattle Kraken 4.

MLS, Seattle Sounders 5.

Major League Distances to Big 12 Conference Cities

These schools are listed from East to West. Distances are listed in miles.

* University of Central Florida, a.k.a. UCF, Orlando, Florida. Lightning, Buccaneers, Magic, Lightning, Orlando City.

MLB, 121 to Tampa Bay Lightning, 229 to Miami Marlins.

NFL, 103 to Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 141 to Jacksonville Jaguars, 216 to Miami Dolphins.

NBA, 16 to Orlando Magic, 229 to Miami Heat.

NHL, 99 to Tampa Bay Lightning, 209 to Florida Panthers.

MLS, 17 to Orlando City, 199 to Inter Miami.

* West Virginia University, a.k.a. WVU, Morgantown, West Virginia. Pirates, Steelers, Cavaliers, Penguins, Crew.

MLB, 74 to Pittsburgh Pirates, 200 to Cleveland Guardians, 211 to Baltimore Orioles, 213 to Washington Nationals, 308 to Philadelphia Phillies, 309 to Cincinnati Reds.

NFL, 74 to Pittsburgh Steelers, 203 to Cleveland Browns, 210 to Baltimore Ravens, 215 to Washington Commanders, 308 to Philadelphia Eagles, 309 to Cincinnati Bengals.

NBA, 200 to Cleveland Cavaliers, 213 to Washington Wizards, 308 to Philadelphia 76ers.

NHL, 75 to Pittsburgh Penguins, 207 to Columbus Crew, 213 to Washington Wizards, 308 to Philadelphia Flyers.

MLS, 207 to Columbus Crew, 212 to DC United, 296 to Philadelphia Union, 309 to FC Cincinnati.

* University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio. Reds, Bengals, Pacers, Blue Jackets, FC Cincinnati.

MLB, 2 to Cincinnati Reds, 248 to Cleveland Guardians.

NFL, 2 to Cincinnati Bengals, 111 to Indianapolis Colts, 251 to Cleveland Browns.

NBA, 111 to Indiana Pacers, 248 to Cleveland Cavaliers.

NHL, 106 to Columbus Blue Jackets.

MLS, 2 to FC Cincinnati, 106 to Columbus Crew.

* Iowa State University, a.k.a. ISU, Ames, Iowa.

MLB, 218 to Minnesota Twins, 229 to Kansas City Royals, 349 to Chicago White Sox, 349 to Milwaukee Brewers, 354 to Chicago Cubs, 379 to St. Louis Cardinals.

NFL, 219 to Minnesota Vikings, 229 to Kansas City Chiefs, 350 to Chicago Bears, 412 to Green Bay Packers.

NBA, 218 to Minnesota Timberwolves, 345 to Chicago Bulls, 353 to Milwaukee Bucks.

NHL, 219 to Minnesota Wild, 345 to Chicago Blackhawks, 379 to St. Louis Blues.

MLS, 219 to Minnesota United, 242 to Sporting Kansas City, 350 to Chicago Fire, 378 to St. Louis City.

* University of Kansas, a.k.a. KU, Lawrence, Kansas. Royals, Chiefs, Thunder, Blues, Sporting KC.

MLB, 50 to Kansas City Royals, 289 to St. Louis Cardinals, 552 to Texas Rangers. 

NFL, 50 to Kansas City Chiefs, 522 to Dallas Cowboys.

NBA, 316 to Oklahoma City Thunder, 516 to Dallas Mavericks, 552 to Chicago Bulls.

NHL, 289 to St. Louis Blues, 516 to Dallas Stars, 552 to Chicago Blackhawks. 

MLS, 29 to Sporting Kansas City, 288 to St. Louis City, 502 to FC Dallas.

* Kansas State University, a.k.a. KSU, Manhattan, Kansas. Royals, Chiefs, Thunder, Blues, Sporting KC.

MLB, 131 to Kansas City Royals, 370 to St. Louis Cardinals, 498 to Texas Rangers.

NFL, 131 to Kansas City Chiefs, 498 to Dallas Cowboys.

NBA, 292 to Oklahoma City Thunder, 493 to Dallas Mavericks, 634 to Chicago Bulls.

NHL, 370 to St. Louis Blues, 493 to Dallas Stars, 634 to Chicago Blackhawks. 

MLS, 111 to Sporting Kansas City, 269 to St. Louis City,  478 to FC Dallas.

* Oklahoma State University, a.k.a. OSU, Stillwater, Oklahoma. Rangers, Cowboys, Thunder, Stars, FC Dallas.

MLB, 273 to Texas Rangers, 319 to Kansas City Royals.

NFL, 273 to Dallas Cowboys, 319 to Kansas City Chiefs.

NBA, 66 to Oklahoma City Thunder, 267 to Dallas Mavericks, 

NHL, 267 to Dallas Stars, 463 to St. Louis Blues.

MLS, 252 to FC Dallas, 303 to Sporting KC.

* University of Houston, a.k.a. UH, Houston, Texas. Astros, Texans, Rockets, Stars, Dynamo.

MLB, 3 to Houston Astros.

NFL, 5 to Houston Texans.

NBA, 2 to Houston Rockets.

NHL, 244 to Dallas Stars.

MLS, 3 to Houston Dynamo.

* Baylor University, a.k.a. BU, Waco, Texas. Rangers, Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars, FC Dallas.

MLB, 103 to Texas Rangers.

NFL, 102 to Dallas Cowboys.

NBA, 96 to Dallas Mavericks.

NHL, 96 to Dallas Stars.

MLS, 122 to FC Dallas.

* Texas Christian University, a.k.a. TCU, Fort Worth, Texas. Rangers, Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars, FC Dallas.

MLB, 18 to Texas Rangers.

NFL, 19 to Dallas Cowboys.

NBA, 36 to Dallas Mavericks.

NHL, 36 to Dallas Stars.

MLS, 52 to FC Dallas.

* Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas. Rangers, Cowboys, Thunder, Stars, FC Dallas.

MLB, 332 to Texas Rangers, 521 to Houston Astros, 545 to Colorado Rockies.

NFL, 331 to Dallas Cowboys, 523 to Houston Texans, 542 to Denver Broncos.

NBA, 348 to Oklahoma City Thunder, 349 to Dallas Mavericks, 392 to San Antonio Spurs, 522 to Houston Rockets, 542 to Denver Nuggets.

NHL, 349 to Dallas Stars, 542 to Colorado Avalanche.

MLS, 317 to FC Dallas, 367 to Austin FC, 521 to Houston Dynamo, 537 to Colorado Rapids.

* University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado. Rockies, Broncos, Nuggets, Avalanche, Rapids.

MLB, 26 to Colorado Rockies.

NFL, 27 to Denver Broncos.

NBA, 26 to Denver Nuggets.

NHL, 26 to Colorado Avalanche.

MLS, 27 to Colorado Rapids.

* University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Suns, Golden Knights, LAFC.

MLB, 114 to Arizona Diamondbacks.

NFL, 131 to Arizona Cardinals.

NBA, 114 to Phoenix Suns.

NHL, 417 to Vegas Golden Knights, 480 to Honda Center, 498 to Los Angeles Kings.

MLS, 501 to Los Angeles FC, 514 to Los Angeles Galaxy.

* Arizona State University, a.k.a. ASU, Tempe, Arizona. Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Suns, Golden Knights, Galaxy. 

MLB, 9 to Arizona Diamondbacks.

NFL, 26 to Arizona Cardinals.

NBA, 9 to Phoenix Suns.

NHL, 312 to Vegas Golden Knights, 375 to Anaheim Ducks, 393 to Los Angeles Kings.

MLS, 395 to Los Angeles Galaxy, 395 to Los Angeles FC.

* University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. Rockies, Broncos, Jazz, UHC, RSL.

MLB, 514 to Colorado Rockies.

NFL,  515 to Denver Broncos.

NBA, 4 to Utah Jazz.

NHL, 44 to Utah Hockey Club.

MLS, 14 to Real Salt Lake.

* Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. Rockies, Broncos, Jazz, UHC, RSL.

MLB, 486 to Colorado Rockies.

NFL,  482 to Denver Broncos.

NBA, 44 to Utah Jazz.

NHL, 44 to Utah Hockey Club.

MLS, 31 to Real Salt Lake.

Major League Distances from Ivy League Cities

* Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire. Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox, Revolution.

MLB: 127 to Boston Red Sox.

NFL: 151 to New England Patriots.

NBA: 125 to Boston Celtics.

NHL: 125 to Boston Bruins.

MLS: 151 to New England Revolution.

* Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox, Revolution.

MLB: 3 to Boston Red Sox.

NFL: 22 to New England Patriots.

NBA: 3 to Boston Celtics.

NHL: 3 to Boston Bruins.

MLS: 22 to New England Revolution.

* Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Red Sox, Revolution.

MLB: 41 to Boston Red Sox.

NFL: 21 to New England Patriots.

NBA: 41 to Boston Celtics.

NHL: 41 to Boston Bruins.

MLS: 21 to New England Revolution.

* Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Mets, Giants, Knicks, Islanders, NYCFC.

MLB: 70 to New York Mets, 73 to New York Yankees, 135 to Boston Red Sox.

NFL: 83 to New York Giants, 83 to New York Jets, 126 to New England Patriots.

NBA: 80 to New York Knicks, 83 to Brooklyn Nets, 138 to Boston Celtics.

NHL: 77 to New York Islanders, 80 to New York Rangers, 90 to New Jersey Devils, 138 to Boston Bruins.

MLS: 73 to New York City FC, 89 to New York Red Bulls, 126 to New England Revolution.

* Columbia University, New York, New York. Yankees, Giants, Knicks, Rangers, NYCFC.

MLB: 3 to New York Yankees, 9 to New York Mets.

NFL: 14 to New York Giants, 14 to New York Jets.

NBA: 5 to New York Knicks, 10 to Brooklyn Nets.

NHL: 5 to New York Rangers, 18 to New Jersey Devils, 19 to New York Islanders.

MLS: 3 to New York City FC, 17 to New York Red Bulls.

* Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey. Phillies, Eagles, 76ers, Devils, Red Bulls.

MLB: 45 to Philadelphia Phillies, 59 to New York Yankees, 62 to New York Mets.

NFL: 45 to Philadelphia Eagles, 48 to New York Giants, 48 to New York Jets.

NBA: 45 to Philadelphia 76ers, 51 to Brooklyn Nets, 52 to New York Knicks.

NHL: 42 to New Jersey Devils, 45 to Philadelphia Flyers, 52 to New York Rangers, 69 to New York Islanders.

MLS: 44 to New York Red Bulls, 58 to Philadelphia Union, 59 to New York City FC.

* University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Phillies, Eagles, 76ers, Flyers, Union.

MLB: 5 to Philadelphia Phillies.

NFL: 5 to Philadelphia Eagles.

NBA: 5 to Philadelphia 76ers

NHL: 5 to Philadelphia Flyers.

MLS: 16 to Philadelphia Union.

* Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Yankees, Giants, Knicks, Devils, Red Bulls.

MLB: 225 to New York Yankees, 233 to New York Mets.

NFL: 217 to New York Giants, 217 to New York Jets.

NBA: 224 to New York Knicks, 224 to Brooklyn Nets.

NHL: 213 to New Jersey Devils, 224 to New York Rangers, 240 to New York Islanders.

MLS: 213 to New York Red Bulls, 225 to New York City FC.

Major League Distances From SEC Cities

* University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina. Braves, Panthers, Bobcats, Hurricanes, Charlotte FC.

MLB: Atlanta Braves 230.

NFL: Carolina Panthers 99, Atlanta Falcons 218.

NBA: Charlotte Bobcats 99, Atlanta Hawks 218.

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes 238.

MLS: Charlotte FC 99, Atlanta United 218.  

* University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Predators, United.

MLB: Atlanta Braves 71.

NFL: Atlanta Falcons 71.

NBA: Atlanta Hawks 71.

NHL: Nashville Predators 307, Carolina Hurricanes 349.

MLS: Atlanta United 71.

* University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida. Rays, Jaguars, Magic, Lightning, Orlando City.

MLB: Tampa Bay Rays 152, Miami Marlins 336, Atlanta Braves 343.

NFL: Jacksonville Jaguars 74, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 134, Miami Dolphins 323, Atlanta Falcons 331.

NBA: Orlando Magic 113, Atlanta Hawks 331, Miami Heat 336.

NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning 131, Florida Panthers 317.

MLS: Orlando City 111, Inter Miami 309, Atlanta United 331.

* University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky. Reds, Bengals, Pacers, Blue Jackets, FC Cincinnati.

MLB: Cincinnati Reds 82.

NFL: Cincinnati Bengals 82, Indianapolis Colts 188, Tennessee Titans 212.

NBA: Indiana Pacers 188.

NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets 189, Nashville Predators 214.

MLS: FC Cincinnati 82, Nashville SC 215.

* University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee. Braves, Titans, Hawks, Predators, Nashville SC.

MLB: Atlanta Braves 202, Cincinnati Reds 251.

NFL: Tennessee Titans 180, Carolina Panthers 229.

NBA: Atlanta Hawks 213, Charlotte Hornets 229, Indiana Pacers 358, Memphis Grizzlies 393.

NHL: Nashville Predators 181.

MLS: Nashville SC 180, Atlanta United 213, Charlotte FC 229.

* Vanderbilt University, a.k.a. Vandy, Nashville, Tennessee. Braves, Titans, Grizzlies, Predators, Nashville SC.

MLB: Atlanta Braves 237, Cincinnati Reds 275, St. Louis Cardinals 310.

NFL: Tennessee Titans 3.

NBA: Memphis Grizzlies 212, Atlanta Hawks 248, Indiana Pacers 291.

NHL: Nashville Predators 2.

MLS: Nashville SC 3.

* University of Alabama, a.k.a. 'Bama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Predators, Atlanta United.

MLB: Atlanta Braves 206.

NFL: Atlanta Falcons 203, Tennessee Titans 249, New Orleans Saints 292.

NBA: Atlanta Hawks 203, Memphis Grizzlies 239, New Orleans Pelicans 292.

NHL: Nashville Predators 248.

MLS: Atlanta United 203, Nashville SC 246.

* Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Predators, Atlanta United.

MLB: Atlanta Braves 117.

NFL: Atlanta Falcons 110, Tennessee Titans 304, Jacksonville Jaguars 328, New Orleans Saints 362.

NBA: Atlanta Hawks 110, Memphis Grizzlies 348, New Orleans Pelicans 362.

NHL: Nashville Predators 302.

MLS: Atlanta United 110, Nashville SC 301.

* University of Mississippi, a.k.a. Ole Miss, Oxford, Mississippi. Braves, Titans, Grizzlies, Predators, Nashville SC.

MLB: Atlanta Braves 335.

NFL: Tennessee Titans 266, Atlanta Falcons 332, New Orleans Saints 347.

NBA: Memphis Grizzlies 83, Atlanta Hawks 332, New Orleans Pelicans 347.

NHL: Nashville Predators 264.
MLS: Nashville SC 246, Atlanta United 332.

* Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi. Braves, Titans, Grizzlies, Predators, Nashville SC.

MLB: Atlanta Braves 287.

NFL: Tennessee Titans 265, Atlanta Falcons 284, New Orleans Saints 295.

NBA: Memphis Grizzlies 179, Atlanta Hawks 284, New Orleans Pelicans 295.

NHL: Nashville Predators 264.
MLS: Nashville SC 263, Atlanta United 284.

* University of Missouri, a.k.a. Mizzou, Columbia, Missouri. Royals, Chiefs, Bulls, Blues, St. Louis City.

MLB: Kansas City Royals 120, St. Louis Cardinals 126, Chicago White Sox 384, Chicago Cubs 394.

NFL: Kansas City Chiefs 120, Chicago Bears 385.

NBA: Chicago Bulls 387, Memphis Grizzlies 396.

NHL: St. Louis Blues 125. Chicago Blackhawks 387.

MLS: St. Louis City 125, Sporting Kansas City 141.

* University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Rangers, Cowboys, Thunder, Stars, FC Dallas.

MLB: Texas Rangers 348, St. Louis Cardinals 362.

NFL: Dallas Cowboys 349, Tennessee Titans 530.

NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder 236, Memphis Grizzlies 318, Dallas Mavericks 332.

NHL: Dallas Stars 332, St. Louis Blues 361, Nashville Predators 528.
MLS: FC Dallas 310, St. Louis City 361, Nashville SC 531.

* Louisiana State University, a.k.a. LSU, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Astros, Saints, Pelicans, Stars, Dynamo.

MLB: Houston Astros 268, Texas Rangers 444, Atlanta Braves 533.

NFL: New Orleans Saints 80, Houston Texans 277, Dallas Cowboys 445, Tennessee Titans 590.

NBA: New Orleans Pelicans 80, Houston Rockets 269, Memphis Grizzlies 383, Dallas Mavericks 430.

NHL: Dallas Stars 430, Nashville Predators 588.

MLS: Houston Dynamo 269, FC Dallas 449, Nashville SC 587.

* University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma. Rangers, Cowboys, Thunder, Stars, FC Dallas.

MLB: Texas Rangers 191, Kansas City Royals 373.

NFL: Dallas Cowboys 192, Kansas City Chiefs 373.

NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder 21, Dallas Mavericks 186.

NHL: Dallas Stars 186.

MLS: FC Dallas 172, Sporting Kansas City 358.

* University of Texas, Austin, Texas. Astros, Texans, Spurs, Stars, Dynamo.

MLB: Houston Astros 168, Texas Rangers 201.

NFL: Houston Texans 170, Dallas Cowboys 201.

NBA: San Antonio Spurs 77, Houston Rockets 167, Dallas Mavericks 195.

NHL: Dallas Stars 195.
MLS: Austin FC 8, Houston Dynamo 168, FC Dallas 220.

* Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. Astros, Texans, Rockets, Stars, Dynamo.

MLB: Houston Astros 94, Texas Rangers 188.

NFL: Houston Texans 99, Dallas Cowboys 187.

NBA: Houston Rockets 94, San Antonio Spurs 168, Dallas Mavericks 180.

NHL: Dallas Stars 180.
MLS: Houston Dynamo 95, Austin FC 105, FC Dallas 205.

Major League Distances from ACC Cities

* Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, Revolution.

MLB: Boston Red Sox 4.

NFL: New England Patriots 18.

NBA: Boston Celtics 6.

NHL: Boston Bruins 6.

MLS: New England Revolution 18.

* Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. Blue Jays, Bills, Raptors, Sabres, Red Bulls.

MLB: Toronto Blue Jays 244, New York Yankees 252, New York Mets 260.

NFL: Buffalo Bills 155, Toronto Argonauts 242, New York Giants 242, New York Jets 242.

NBA: Toronto Raptors 244, New York Knicks 249, Brooklyn Nets 249.

NHL: Buffalo Sabres 152, New Jersey Devils 238, Toronto Maple Leafs 244, New York Rangers 249, New York Islanders 267.

MLS: New York Red Bulls 238, Toronto FC 242, New York City FC 252.

* University of Pittsburgh, a.k.a. Pitt, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pirates, Steelers, Cavaliers, Penguins, Crew.

MLB: Pittsburgh Pirates 4.

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers 4.

NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers 135, Philadelphia 76ers 307, Toronto Raptors 319.

NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins 2.

MLS: Columbus Crew 190, Philadelphia Union 296, Toronto FC 317.

* University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia. Nationals, Commanders, Wizards, Capitals, United.

MLB: Washington Nationals 119, Baltimore Orioles 151.

NFL: Washington Commanders 134, Baltimore Ravens 151, Carolina Panthers 270.

NBA: Washington Wizards 115, Charlotte Hornets 270.

NHL: Washington Capitals 115, Carolina Hurricanes 170.

MLS: D.C. United 119, Charlotte FC 270.

* Virginia Polytechnic Institute, a.k.a. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia. Nationals, Panthers, Hornets, Hurricanes, Charlotte FC.

MLB: Washington Nationals 273, Baltimore Orioles 303, Cincinnati Reds 336.

NFL: Carolina Panthers 174, Washington Commanders 288, Baltimore Ravens 303, Cincinnati Bengals 336.

NBA: Charlotte Hornets 174, Washington Wizards 270.

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes 184, Washington Capitals 270.

MLS: Charlotte FC 174, D.C. United 273, Columbus Crew 304.

* Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. Nationals, Panthers, Hornets, Hurricanes, Charlotte FC.

MLB: Washington Nationals 265, Atlanta Braves 381.

NFL: Carolina Panthers 143.

NBA: Charlotte Hornets 143.

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes 21.

MLS: Charlotte FC 143.

* University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Nationals, Panthers, Hornets, Hurricanes, Charlotte FC.

MLB: Washington Nationals 272, Atlanta Braves 381.

NFL: Carolina Panthers 142.

NBA: Charlotte Hornets 142.

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes 21.

MLS: Charlotte FC 142.

* North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina. Nationals, Panthers, Hornets, Hurricanes, Charlotte FC.

MLB: Washington Nationals 281, Atlanta Braves 406.

NFL: Carolina Panthers 167.

NBA: Charlotte Hornets 167.

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes 5.

MLS: Charlotte FC 167.

* Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Braves, Panthers, Hornets, Hurricanes, Charlotte FC.

MLB: Atlanta Braves 321, Washington Nationals 340.

NFL: Carolina Panthers 82.

NBA: Charlotte Hornets 82.

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes 101.

MLS: Charlotte FC 82.

* Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina. Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Hurricanes, United.

MLB: Atlanta Braves 123.

NFL: Atlanta Falcons 123, Carolina Panthers 137.

NBA: Atlanta Hawks 123, Charlotte Hornets 137.

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes 294, Nashville Predators 315.

MLS: Atlanta United 123, Charlotte FC 137.

* Georgia Institute of Technology, a.k.a. Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia. Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Predators, United.

MLB: Atlanta Braves 123.

NFL: Atlanta Falcons 2.

NBA: Atlanta Hawks 2.

NHL: Nashville Predators 248, Carolina Hurricanes 398.

MLS: Atlanta United 2.

* Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida. Rays, Jaguars, Magic, Lightning, Orlando City.

MLB: Tampa Bay Rays 259, Atlanta Braves 276.

NFL: Jacksonville Jaguars 166, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 242, Atlanta Falcons 264.

NBA: Orlando Magic 257, Atlanta Hawks 264.

NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning 276, Nashville Predators 489.

MLS: Orlando City 245, Atlanta United 264.

* University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. Marlins, Dolphins, Heat, Panthers, Inter Miami.

MLB: Miami Marlins 7.

NFL: Miami Dolphins 20.

NBA: Miami Heat 8.

NHL: Florida Panthers 36.

MLS: Inter Miami 39.

* University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky. Reds, Bengals, Pacers, Predators, FC Cincinnati.

MLB: Cincinnati Reds 102, St. Louis Cardinals 264.

NFL: Cincinnati Bengals 102, Indianapolis Colts 117, Tennessee Titans 171.

NBA: Indiana Pacers 117, Memphis Grizzlies 392.

NHL: Nashville Predators 173, Columbus Blue Jackets 209, St. Louis Blues 265.

MLS: FC Cincinnati 103, Nashville SC 175, Columbus Crew 209, St. Louis City 266.

* University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana. White Sox, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Fire.

MLB, Chicago White Sox 91, Chicago Cubs 104, Detroit Tigers 205.

NFL, Chicago Bears 94, Indianapolis Colts 151, Detroit Lions 205.

NBA, Chicago Bulls 97, Indiana Pacers 150, Detroit Pistons 216.

NHL, Chicago Blackhawks 97, Detroit Pistons 216.

MLS, Chicago Fire 94, Columbus Crew 256.

* Southern Methodist University, a.k.a. SMU, Dallas, Texas. Rangers, Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars, FC Dallas.

MLB: Texas Rangers 23.

NFL: Dallas Cowboys 23.

NBA: Dallas Mavericks 4.

NHL: Dallas Stars 4.

MLS: FC Dallas 24.

* University of California, a.k.a. Cal, a.k.a. Berkeley, Berkeley, California. A's, 49ers, Warriors, Sharks, Earthquakes.

MLB: Oakland Athletics 10, San Francisco Giants 13.

NFL: San Francisco 49ers 43.

NBA: Golden State Warriors 14, Sacramento Kings 77.

NHL: San Jose Sharks 46.

MLS: San Jose Earthquakes 32.

* Stanford University, a.k.a. The Farm, Palo Alto, California. A's, 49ers, Warriors, Sharks, Earthquakes.

MLB: Oakland Athletics 32, San Francisco Giants 37.

NFL: San Francisco 49ers 13.

NBA: Golden State Warriors 32, Sacramento Kings 122.

NHL: San Jose Sharks 17.

MLS: San Jose Earthquakes 21.

August 29, 1949: The Red Bomb

August 29, 1949, 75 years ago: The Soviet Union successfully test a device they call RDS-1, at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan. The United States of American is no longer alone in possessing the atomic bomb. The "Reds" have it now, too.

It was similar to the "Fat Man" bomb that the U.S. dropped on Nagasaki, Japan: A plutonium-based implosion type weapon with an explosive yield equivalent to 22 kilotons of TNT. They had received intelligence on Fat Man thanks to Julius Rosenberg, who had been a U.S. Army engineer. He and his wife Ethel had been couriers for the Communist Party, and would be convicted of treason in 1951 and executed for it in 1953.

The Soviets called it "Reaktivnyi Dvigatel Spetsialnyi," or "Special Jet Engine." "RDS" also worked as "Reaktivnyi Dvigatel Stalina," meaning "Stalin's Jet Engine"; or "Rossiya Delayet Sama," meaning "Russia does it herself." (In contrast with Germany and many other countries calling themselves a "Fatherland," Russia has always been known as a "Motherland," or as "Mother Russia.")

Now, the Soviet Union had not just the world's 2nd-biggest military force, it had the bomb. If the Cold War was not yet well and truly on, it was now.

There are those who say that the Soviet Union was a more evil regime than Nazi Germany. The Soviets had the bomb for 42 years before their regime collapsed, and they never used it. If Hitler had the bomb, would he have hesitated to use it on Moscow? On London? If he could have loaded one onto a plane aboard their only aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin, and sent a bomb to New York or Washington, would he have ordered it? It was Hitler. Of course he would have.

But he never got close. Partly because the Allies took action, and partly because Hitler chased his own best scientists into the arms of the Allies. 

August 28, 1964: Bob Dylan Meets The Beatles

A simulation. There were no photographers at the meeting.

August 28, 1964, 60 years ago: The 1st of the 2 great summits of rock and roll occurs: Bob Dylan meets The Beatles.

Dylan released his 3rd album, The Times They Are a-Changin', on February 10, 1964, the day after The Beatles made their 1st American TV appearance, on The Ed Sullivan Show. Among the songs they played was "I Want to Hold Your Hand," then the Number 1 song in America. The bridge goes as follows:

And when I touch you

I feel happy inside.

It's such a feeling that

my love, I can't hide, I can't hide, I can't hide!

But between the music and their Liverpudlian accents, Dylan thought they were singing, "I get high, I get high, I get high!" Dylan, a marijuana smoker, assumed that The Beatles were potheads, too.

In fact, the Fab Four did get high, many times -- but on amphetamines, pep pills. They used them to stay up all night when they were cutting their teeth in the clubs of the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, Germany before they made it big in their homeland. They had never smoked weed yet. It wasn't popular in Britain yet.

When The Beatles returned to America for their Summer 1964 tour, a meeting was set up between them and the leader of American music's protest movement. The band was staying in a 6th floor suite at the Hotel Delmonico, at 502 Park Avenue at 59th Street. Al Aronowitz, covering the tour for The Saturday Evening Post, was friendly with both the band and Dylan, and brought Dylan in.

Dylan brought joints in with him. He first offered one to Ringo Starr. According to one account, the drummer, "ignorant of dope etiquette, chugged through that first joint like a stevedore attacking his first Woodbine of the morning and collapsed in a giggling mess." Next was their manager, Brian Epstein, who was affected very quickly, saying, "I'm so high, I'm up on the ceiling."

Paul McCartney believed he'd attained true mental clarity for the first time in his life, and instructed Beatles roadie and major-domo Mal Evans to write down everything he said henceforth. Whatever John Lennon and George Harrison said or felt, it appears not to have been recorded.

At one point, the phone rang, and Dylan answered, "This is Beatlemania here!" They drank some wine, and got along great.

The 2nd great summit happened exactly 365 days later, on August 27, 1965: Elvis Presley met The Beatles. It didn't go nearly as well.

The effect that marijuana had on the music of Dylan, and on that of The Beatles, is debatable. The effect that the meeting had on each is undeniable. Dylan "went electric," and, within 2 years, produced 3 albums that are regarded as absolute classics: Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited (including "Like a Rolling Stone"), and Blonde On Blonde.

As for The Beatles, most of the effects of the meeting with Dylan were, by his own admission, on John. Without Dylan, he almost certainly would not have written "I'm a Loser," "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party," "Help!", "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," "Nowhere Man," "Norwegian Wood," "She Said She Said" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" -- to say nothing of what he did from Sgt. Pepper onward.

In 1988, each in their 1st year of eligibility, Dylan and The Beatles were elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That same year, George invited Bob to be in his "supergroup," The Traveling Wilburys, along with Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra. In 1992, at the Dylan tribute concert at Madison Square Garden, George sang "If Not For You," not one of Bob's better songs; and "Absolutely Sweet Marie," a good one that he probably wouldn't have written without The Beatles' influence.

Al Aronowitz lived until 2005. Built in 1929, the Delmonico was converted into apartments in 1974. In 2018, it was bought by the Trump Organization, and renamed Trump Park Avenue. Disgusting.

August 28, 1964: The North Philadelphia Riot

August 28, 1964, 60 years ago: A race riot breaks out in North Philadelphia, lasting 3 days, and revealing to the nation a latent racism that had infected "The City of Brotherly Love," and the birthplace of the nation and its Constitution.

At the time, the population of Philadelphia was a shade over 2 million, making it the 4th-largest city in the country behind New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. The city was about 65 percent white, 33 percent black, and almost no Hispanics or Asians lived there. About 2/3rds of the city's black population lived in North Philadelphia, with most of the rest in West Philadelphia.

But being "the Birthplace of Liberty" didn't help much. When Jackie Robinson integrated Major League Baseball in 1947, it was the city's baseball team, the Philadelphia Phillies, that offered the loudest and most noxious resistance. In 1950, the Phillies, with a young team known as the "Whiz Kids," became the last all-white team to win the National League Pennant. They didn't integrate until 1957, the last NL team to do so.

By 1964, the Philadelphia Police Department had made a conscious effort to hire black cops, and sending integrated patrol car units in black neighborhoods: One white uniformed officer, one black uniformed officer. And a civilian review board had been established to handle cases of police brutality. And with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 having just been passed, hopes were high.

But New York's Harlem had broken out in a race riot a few days before, following a case of police brutality. And it would be one of those that would spark the riot in North Philadelphia -- and another in Watts in Los Angeles the next year, and another on the East Side of Cleveland and another on the West Side of Chicago the year after that, and others in Newark and Detroit and other cities the year after that.

Still, this had been a good Summer for Philadelphia. There hadn't been much rain, the Jersey and Delaware beaches were clean in those days, and the Phillies were in first place. But things had already begun to go wrong on many fronts, and this riot was a convenient historical landmark.

On August 28, 1964, Odessa Bradford was driving her husband Rush Bradford, both of them black, and they started arguing. She pulled over at the corner of 22nd Street and Columbia Avenue. A police car pulled up to Ms. Bradford's car. Inside were black officer Robert Wells and white officer John Hoff. Ms. Bradford, still angry, began taking her anger out on the officers. They tried to remove her from her car. A man came to her aid by attacking the officers, and he and Ms. Bradford were both arrested.

As would later happen with Watts in 1965 and Newark in 1967, a rumor spread that a black person taken into custody by the police had been killed by them. In this case, the rumor was that it was a pregnant black woman, beaten to death. As with those two later cases, the rumor wasn't true, but by the time anyone found out, it was too late. Ms. Bradford was neither pregnant nor beaten, but she did say, "If that policeman had only treated me like a human being, none of this (rioting) would have happened."

Indeed, once she was released, Cecil B. Moore, President of the city's chapter of the NAACP, drove her around the neighborhood on a truck with a loudspeaker, allowing her to say, "I'm alive! I'm alive!" But it did no good.

I have looked for a reference as to whether Ms. Bradford is still alive, but I haven't found it. I have found 50th Anniversary articles on the riot from 2014, and none had an interview with her, so I suspect she was already dead by that point. Moore was elected to the City Council in 1976, and died in office in 1979. In 1987, Columbia Avenue was renamed Cecil B. Moore Avenue in his memory.

Cecil B. Moore

Moore's efforts were in vain. As with Harlem, many of the businesses in the mostly-black neighborhood were mostly-white-owned. (This led black business owners in later riots to paint "SOUL BROTHER" on their windows, in the hopes of their stores being spared.)

Depending on whose story you believe, nobody died in the rioting, or one person did. (If there was one, it was not Odessa Bradford.) There were 341 injuries, 774 arrests, and 225 stores damaged.

The epicenter, 22nd and Columbia, was about a mile south of Connie Mack Stadium, home of the Phillies since 1938, and home of the now-departed Philadelphia Athletics from 1909 to 1954. It had been named Shibe Park until 1953. The epicenter was also 7 blocks east of the site of the 1st home of the A's, Columbia Park, where they played from 1901 to 1908.

The Phillies were in Pittsburgh at the time of the riot, so it didn't result in any games being postponed. But it scared white fans, who may already have been wary of getting mugged coming down Lehigh Avenue out of the subway, or of their cars getting vandalized if they drove in.

The Phils had 15 home games left, not counting 2 rainout makeups, and the average attendance was 21,265. They really didn't have a home-field advantage the rest of the way, and this may have contributed to the 10-game losing streak that took them from being 6 1/2 games in 1st place with 12 games to go, to finishing 1 game out.

Philadelphia has had racial tension since. In 1971, Police Commissioner Frank Rizzo was elected Mayor on an openly racist platform. In 1975, despite having been caught in corruption, he ran for re-election on white backlash, and won again. He knew he couldn't run for a 3rd term, partly due to his 1977 overreaction to the black nationalist group MOVE. But the city's 1st black Mayor, Wilson Goode, had an even worse overreaction to them in 1985.

Today, the population of Philadelphia is about 1.6 million, ranking 6th behind New York, L.A., Chicago, Houston and Phoenix. It's about 40 percent black (mostly living west of Broad Street in North, West, and Southwest Philly), 37 percent white, 15 percent Hispanic, and 8 percent Asian. It is more diverse than ever before. But that underlying tension remains.

The Fun Is Back, But I Remain Unconvinced

Another week, another set of games that make Yankee Fans think that their team may have turned the corner, but fail to fully convince them that the goal of Title 28 is within reach.

On Tuesday night, we had, if not the worst loss of the season, then, certainly, the most frustrating game. Luis Gil allowed 3 runs in 3 innings, and had to go on the Injured List. Juan Soto and Aaron Judge hit back-to-back home runs in the 1st inning, and Anthony Volpe doubled home a run in the 4th. That made the score 3-3, and it held as such into the 12th inning.

I hate extra innings, and I hate the "ghost runner." Relievers Tim Mayza and Michael Tonkin allowed 5 runs in the top of the 12th, and the Yankees could only pull 2 back, on a Judge double. Guardians 9, Yankees 5. Had the Yankees hit better -- or, had they known Gil was hurt, and started somebody else -- it might never have gone to extra innings.

That game made me think: America is a country where you can spend $200 and one hour talking to your therapist about the baseball team on whom you spent $100 and four hours just to watch them lose a game they should have won.

The Wednesday night game was a nice bounce-back. Nestor Cortés pitched beautifully, 7 innings of 3-hit shutout ball. Mayza was trusted the rest of the way, and blew the shutout. But Judge hit 2 more homers, and Soto hit another. Between them, they had all the RBIs: Judge 5, Soto 3. Yankees 8, Guardians 1.

The Thursday game was a "getaway day" matinee, which turned out to be appropriate, because Gerrit Cole was lights out: 6 innings, no runs, 1 hit -- albeit 5 walks. But he had thrown 95 pitches, so, under orders from Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone went to the bullpen. Between them, Tim Hill, Luke Weaver and Tonkin allowed just 1 baserunner, a walk. How many Yankees does it take to pitch a one-hit shutout? Apparently, 4.

But that's okay, because Judge hit yet another homer, and Giancarlo Stanton added one. Yankees 6, Guardians 0. We took 2 out of 3 -- but the 1 we lost was awful.

*

On Friday night, the Colorado Rockies, the team with the worst pitching in baseball (statistically speaking), came in for some Interleague action. Carlos Rodón provided the 3rd straight brilliant Yankee start, pitching 6 innings of 4-hit-1-walk shutout ball. Between them, Weaver, Jake Cousins and Clay Holmes allowed just 2 walks, no hits, no runs. Judge slaughtered another ball, and Stanton also homered again. Yankees 3, Rockies 0.

Saturday was Old-Timers Day. Times have changed. Players from the 2009 World Championship team, like Alex Rodriguez and CC Sabathia, were making their 1st OTD appearances. And with the 1960s guys now being dead or truly elderly -- Bobby Richardson is 91, and Tony Kubek is about to be and never comes, anyway -- the oldest of the Old-Timers are now my guys, from the 1970s: Roy White (the earliest, debuting in 1965), Lou Piniella, Willie Randolph and Bucky Dent. Reggie Jackson (now working with the Houston Astros, and thus unavailable), Chris Chambliss, Graig Nettles, Mickey Rivers, Ron Guidry and Goose Gossage did not show up.

The focus is now on the 1996-2001 dynasty, and some of those guys -- men of my generation -- are now starting to look old as hell. The last man introduced, always reserved for Joe DiMaggio and then, after he died, for Yogi Berra, was Derek Jeter. And there was no Old-Timers Game.

And then, as they so often do, the current Yankees embarrassed their forebears. With Clarke Schmidt (and Cody Poteet, originally intended as Schmidt's replacement) still injured, his slot in the rotation was given to Will Warren, and he does not belong in the major leagues. He went 3 innings and allowed 6 runs.

Online, fans have asked, "Who would you have started in his place?" The answer is obvious: Anybody else. Call somebody up from Class AAA Scranton, which is where Warren belongs. Functionally, results-wise, he couldn't be any worse.

Alex Verdugo snapped out of his long slump just long enough to hit a home run, but it was too little, too late: With Tonkin and Mark Leiter Jr. also pitching poorly, the Yankees lost, 9-2.

The Yankees needed a breakout game yesterday. They got it. Marcus Stroman allowed 3 runs in 5 innings. The bullpen was brilliant: Tommy Kahnle, Cousins, Weaver and Mayza went 4 innings, allowing just 2 walks and a hit.

Judge hit a home run in the 1st inning. In the 7th, Soto hit one out, then Judge, then Stanto: 3 straight home runs. Gleyber Torres added a homer in the 8th. The game ended with the Yankees beating the Rockies, 10-3; and with these home run totals for the season: Judge, 51; Soto, 37; Stanton, 23; Torres, 11. Again, we took 2 out of 3 -- but the 1 we lost was awful.

*

So here's where we stand, going into a new week: The Yankees are 77-54, the Baltimore Orioles are a game and a half back in the American League Eastern Division, the Boston Red Sox 9, the Tampa Bay Rays 11 1/2, and the Toronto Blue Jays 14. In the all-important loss column, the O's trail by 2, the BoSox 8, the Rays 11, and the Jays 14.

Judge is hitting like we have rarely seen in baseball history -- without steroids, that is. He could well hit 62 home runs, like he did in 2022. The team's attack is, for the moment, not an issue.

The pitching is. There is still a hole in the rotation. And that's above and beyond the inconsistency of Cortés, Rodón and Stroman. The bullpen remains a massive question mark. Former Met Phil Bickford has been called up from Scranton. Tonkin, rightly, has been designated for assignment. Warren, Mayza and Leiter remain on the active roster.

Here's the key injuries, in the (apparent) order of when they might be available for the major league roster:

* Anthony Rizzo: He has begun a rehab assignment with Class AA Somerset. He could be back when rosters expand on September 1.

* Clarke Schmidt: He is also rehabbing at Somerset. He is expected to have 1 more start there, and could be called up in early September. If he pitches as well as he did before the injury, it could be a huge help.

* Cody Poteet: He is also rehabbing at Somerset, and could be back in early September, though, with Schmidt and then Gil returning, Poteet could be headed for the bullpen.

* Ian Hamilton: He is also rehabbing at Somerset. He could be back in early September, and would certainly be a better option from the right side than Tonkin or Leiter.

* Jon Berti: He is also rehabbing at Somerset, and could be back in early September. However, he is not nearly as needed as pitchers.

* Luis Gil: A lower back strain put him on the 15-Day IL. It doesn't sound that serious. He could be back in early, maybe mid-September.

* Lou Trivino: He is also rehabbing at Somerset. In his case, he is in the final stages of return from Tommy John surgery. He could be back in September, to help the bullpen.

* Jonathan Loáisiga: Recovering from Tommy John surgery. Appeared in just 1 game this season. He could have been a better option for closer than Clay Holmes, who has blown 10 saves, with the Yankees going on to lose 7 of those games. Even if the Yankees had gone 4-3 in those games, it would have made a big difference in how they look now. Loáisiga is expected to be ready by Opening Day of next season.

Overall, I'd rather be in the Yankees' position than that of anybody else in the AL East. But their recent Playoff record is not encouraging. And, with the Houston Astros surging to run away with the AL West, and looming as a possible Playoff opponent, the fact the Yankees have had good regular-season success against them the last 2 seasons is irrelevant: The Chicken Fried Cheats are still in the Yankees' heads.

The fun is back. But, regardless of how many home runs are hit, it is easy to remain unconvinced by the 2024 Yankees.

August 25, 1944: The Liberation of Paris

August 25, 1944: The Allies liberate Paris, the capital of France, ending the Nazi occupation after 4 years and 2 months. The City of Light sees its darkness come to an end.

The city had fallen on June 14, 1940. For 4 years, the French Resistance did whatever they could to disrupt the occupiers, giving the lie to the later idea that the French "easily surrendered." They had been overwhelmed, so they changed tactics. They lost a lot of people, but they took a lot of Nazi bastards with them.

From D-Day on June 6, Allied troops made their way from the English Channel coast eastward and southward, and arrived on the outskirts of Paris on August 19. Street fighting was fierce, but the Nazis were dealing with guys who fought on the streets of New York, Philadelphia, Chicago -- London, Montreal, Toronto, Sydney, Bombay (Mumbai), Johannesburg -- and so on. And now, those street fighters had jeeps, tanks and machine guns. The Nazis retreated, and surrendered on August 25. It had been 82 days since D-Day.

The people of Paris were in no condition to party on November 11, 1918. On August 25, 1944, they were more than ready. The wine flowed, and so did the kisses and more of French women to the Allied men.

It was no longer a question of if the Nazis would lose World War II, but when.

August 20, 1964: The Harmonica Incident

Phil Linz (left) and Yogi Berra. Winning solves everything.

At least for a while.

August 20, 1964, 60 years ago: An incident on the New York Yankees' team bus wakes the team up, and leads to a Pennant.

In 1959, catcher Yogi Berra and left fielder Elston Howard had their positions switched by manager Casey Stengel. Talking about how the Sun combined with the old Stadium's roof, making it difficult to see a fly ball from left field, Yogi said, "It gets late early out there."

He was still a key figure on Pennant-winning teams. But after the 1963 season, Yogi was 38 and clearly slowing down. And, with Ralph Houk, his former backup catcher, being moved up from field manager to general manager, Yogi was offered the job of managing the Yankees for the 1964 season.

There were those who thought that Yogi was too much of a softie to manage, especially players he'd played with. On August 20, the Yankees lost to the Chicago White Sox, 5-0 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. John Buzhardt went the distance for the ChiSox, while Whitey Ford got knocked out of the box in the 4th inning.

Former Yankee Bill "Moose" Skowron went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the ChiSox. The Yankees only got 7 hits, all singles: 3 by shortstop Tony Kubek, 2 by right fielder Roger Maris, 1 by Howard, and 1 by backup catcher Johnny Blanchard, who started in left field on this day. Usual center fielder Mickey Mantle was once again battling an injury, and did not play.

The loss completed a 4-game sweep by the Pale Hose over the Bronx Bombers, and left them 4 1/2 games behind Chicago with 23 to go. The Baltimore Orioles were just half a game behind the White Sox.

The tension on the team bus to O'Hare International Airport was so thick, it could have been cut with a knife. Reserve infielder Phil Linz pulled out a harmonica he'd begun learning how to play, and began to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb," the traditional song for anyone learning how to play an instrument to start with.

Yogi, sitting at the head of the bus, heard it, and yelled back, "Whoever's playing that thing, shove it up your ass!" (Yogi was old-school even by the standards of the Sixties, but he was no prude when it came to language.) Linz didn't hear what he said, and asked Mantle what it was. Being a wisenheimer, Mickey said, "He said, 'Play it louder.'" So Linz did.

Yogi wasn't having it. He got up, walked down the aisle of the bus, saw Linz, and said, "I thought I told you to shove that thing up your ass." Linz said, "If you want it shoved up my ass, why don't you shove it there?" He flipped the instrument to Yogi... who slapped it down.

There are 2 versions of what happened next. One is that everyone saw that Yogi could mean business, and that the respect for him as a manager suddenly grew by leaps and bounds. That's the version that Yankee management, in the years since, would have fans believe.

The other version, which is more believable, is included in Peter Golenbock's book Dynasty, and has been backed up by the surviving '64 Yanks, all of whom said that respect for Yogi was never an issue. This version says that the slapped-down harmonica bounced off 1st baseman Joe Pepitone's leg. Pepi then fell into the aisle in mock agony, rolling around on the floor of the bus like a Spanish soccer player (with the bad hair to match). Everyone cracked up -- and loosened up.

With respect for Yogi restored, or the tension shattered, whichever is true, the Yankees went on a tear. They flew to Boston and lost 2 more, then won 28 of their last 39, including an 11-game winning streak from September 16 to 26, and won the Pennant, winning 99 games, beating the White Sox by 1 game and the O's by 2. Yogi had won his 1st Pennant as a manager, and he wasn't even 40.

But they lost the World Series -- ironically, to Yogi's boyhood team, the St. Louis Cardinals. This was in spite of Linz, substituting for an injured Kubek, playing in all 7 games, and hitting home runs in Games 2 and 7, both off Bob Gibson. Yankee management fired Yogi, anyway, which they were determined to do even if he won the Series. If he was upset, he never let on: When people would ask him about it, he'd just say, "That's baseball."

At least they told him to his face. That would not be the case the 2nd time he was fired as Yankee manager.

With Stengel now managing the Mets, he hired Yogi was one of his coaches, and Yogi even played a few more games. In 1966, with Stengel having retired and Wes Westrum having been hired as Mets manager, the Yankees traded Linz to the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1967, the Phils traded Linz to the Mets, reuniting him with Berra.

Linz's playing career ended after the 1968 season, and he ran a restaurant in Manhattan, before retiring to Leesburg, Virginia. He died in 2020. (Not from COVID.)

Berra was on the coaching staff of Gil Hodges as the Mets won the 1969 World Series. In 1972, Hodges died at the end of Spring Training, and Yogi was named manager, winning the National League Pennant in 1973. He was fired in 1975, and brought back to the Yankees as a coach.

He was named manager for the 1984 season, but was fired early in 1985. Team owner George Steinbrenner, instead of telling Yogi face-to-face, sent a team official to do it. Furious over this lack of courtesy, not over the firing itself, Yogi said he would never set foot in Yankee Stadium again as long as Steinbrenner owned the team. He kept that promise for 14 years, until peace between them was negotiated, including a face-to-face apology from George to Yogi. Yogi was brought back into the Yankee fold, and remained there until his death in 2015.

Who Wants to Win?

Who's going to win the American League Eastern Division? With 77 percent of the regular season played, it's down to 2 teams: The Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles. It looks like neither of them wants to win.

The Yankees began the week by playing away to the Chicago White Sox, who are having one of the worst seasons in Major League Baseball history. They were on a pace to surpass the 1962 Mets' 1900-onward record of 120 losses in a season.

And what happened on Monday night? Luis Gil allowed 4 runs in the 1st 4 innings. At the 7th inning stretch, it was 5-2 South Siders. And then Aaron Boone brought Enyel de los Santos in to pitch -- after Tim Hill already got the 1st out in the inning. Why would you replace a pitcher who just got an out, unless he's actually hurt?

de los Santos. The name means "of the saints," and he was born on Christmas Day, 1995. But the Dominican righthander, acquired from the San Diego Padres on July 30, left coal in every Yankee Fan's stocking: He allowed double, double, single, single, single, home run, before finally getting the last 2 outs of the inning. He allowed 6 runs, without his defense hurting him with any errors.

And Boone left him in for the rest of the game! He must have figured, "This game's already lost, why tire out any of my other relievers?" The Yankees lost, 12-2, to the worst baseball team since at least the 119-loss 2003 Detroit Tigers. The season had bottomed out... for the moment.

de los Santos made 5 appearances for the Yankees, with an ERA of 14.21, and a WHIP of 2.526. He was placed on waivers.. and picked up by the White Sox, the very team that torched him!

Fortunately, on Tuesday night, Nestor Cortés pitched his best game of the season, going 7 shutout innings, allowing 3 hits, and no walks, striking out 9. He threw 104 pitches, so Boone took him out, and Mark Leither Jr. blew the shutout. But not the game, because Juan Soto hit not 1, not 2, but 3 home runs, driving in all the Yankees' runs in a 4-1 victory.

Then, on Wednesday night, the Yankees did to the White Sox what the White Sox did to them on Monday night. Will Warren had easily his best game as a Yankee, allowing 2 runs over 5 innings, and then the bullpen was trusted. It was 2-1 Pale Hose after 6 innings, the Yankee run coming on another homer by Soto.

Then the Yankees scored 3 runs in the 7th, and 6 in the 8th, including the 300th career home run for Aaron Judge, and another homer by Austin Wells. Yankees 10, White Sox 2. Hill was the winning pitcher.

*

On to the Motor City, to face the Detroit Tigers. How many Yankees does it take to pitch a 5-hit shutout? If they're managed by Brian Cashman, with Aaron Boone carrying out his orders, apparently, the answer is 4: Gerrit Cole, 4 hits over 6 innings; Luke Weaver, 1 hit in the 7th; Tommy Kahnle, a perfect 8th; and Clay Holmes, a perfect 9th. Pitches thrown: Cole, 95; Weaver, 5; Kahnle and Holmes, 3 each; total, 143. Remember when 1 pitcher throwing 143 pitches in 1 game was no big deal? I do.

But you need runs, too. Judge hit his 44th home run of the season, and Oswald Peraza hit his 1st. Yankees 3, Tigers 0.

That result was reversed on Saturday afternoon. Carlos Rodón didn't get out of the 4th inning, and the Tigers coasted from there. Oswaldo Cabrera got 2 hits, Judge and Anthony Volpe 1 each, and that was it. Tigers 4, Yankees 0.

Then it was off to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, home of the Little League World Series, which is in progress. Since 2017, MLB has run the MLB Little League Classic at tiny Bowman Field -- home of the town's minor-league team, with major-league dimensions, not Howard J. Lamade Stadium, home of the actual LLWS. Next year, the Mets will play the Seattle Mariners there.

In front of 2,352 people -- the participants in the Little League World Series and their coaches and support staff -- but before a national audience on ESPN, the Yankees got 8 innings of shutout ball, the 1st 6 by Marcus Stroman, a nice bounce-back performance from him. But they only got 1 run, in the 6th, when Gleyber Torres scored on a wild pitch by Tarik Skubal. Still, they led 1-0 going into the bottom of the 9th.

Holmes got a strikeout. Then he allowed a double. Then he got a strikeout. Then he allowed a game-tying single. Extra innings. I hate extra innings: If you're gonna lose, do it in 9, and don't waste my time.

The Yankees did score in the top of the 10th, with DJ LeMahieu singling Volpe home. But in the bottom of the 10th, Leiter allowed a game-tying single, a stolen base, and a game-winning single. Tigers 3, Yankees 2.

The Yankees only got 5 hits in the 1st 9 innings, and the stupid "ghost runner" rule didn't help. But Clay Holmes is not a closer. He became the 1st Yankee to blow 10 save opportunities in a season in 37 years, and we're still in mid-August.

*

There are 37 games left. The Yankees and the Orioles are tied for 1st in the AL East. The Boston Red Sox are 7 games behind, the Tampa Bay Rays 10, and the Toronto Blue Jays 14 1/2.

The Yankees are getting healthier: Last night marked the return of Jasson Domínguez. But the hitting is still inconsistent, the rotation even more so, and there is no closer.

The Orioles have not made a run, either. The other potential Playoff teams in the American League -- the Houston Astros, the Seattle Mariners, the Cleveland Guardians, the Minnesota Twins and the Kansas City Royals -- do not appear to be afraid of either team.

The Yankees have today off. Then the Guardians come into Yankee Stadium for 3 days. I don't see this potential Playoff matchup inspiring much confidence in the Bronx Bombers. Then, the Colorado Rockies, including Old-Timers Day on Saturday. Maybe seeing actual winners will inspire the current team, but that usually doesn't happen, either.

It's a long season. And it hasn't ended well in 15 years. I see no sign that it will end well this time.

August 16, 1954: "Sports Illustrated" Debuts

August 16, 1954, 70 years ago: Sports Illustrated debuts, produced by Time, Inc. The 1st cover of the weekly magazine shows a scene from a baseball game at Milwaukee County Stadium: Eddie Matthews of the host Milwaukee Braves is swinging his bat, in front of New York Giants catcher Wes Westrum. Behind Westrum is umpire Augie Donatelli.

It wasn't the 1st magazine with the name. In 1936, Stuart Scheffel created Sports Illustrated as a monthly magazine, with golf, tennis and skiing as its main focus. It failed after 2 years, and Scheffel sold the rights to the name to Dell Publications. (Aside from the name, that company has no connection to electronics company Dell Technologies.) 

In 1949, Dell released a monthly magazine with the name, and that lasted just 6 issues, despite expanding its coverage to boxing and the major team sports. But it couldn't compete against Sport, the monthly that was the biggest sports magazine since its founding in 1946.

At the time, there were 2 problems with producing a sports magazine. It would cost too much to do so more regularly than monthly. This led to the 2nd problem: Timeliness. For example: Suppose you were running a publishing house in the Summer of 1951, and you wanted to launch a sports magazine. You decide that your 1st issue will be a preview of that year's World Series. You see the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers leading their respective Leagues. So you conclude that the Series will be between those 2 teams.

And your premiere issue comes out at the end of September. By that point, the Dodgers have blown their big lead, to the New York Giants. On October 3, "The Giants win the Pennant!" And you look like a fool. No one wants to buy your magazine. And you're out of business before you can publish an issue previewing the 1951 NFL Championship Game and the New Year's Day 1952 college football bowl games.

For this reason, the biggest sports-themed magazines of the era were the baseball preview issues published by Baseball Digest and Street & Smith. They would make predictions for the season to come, but it was a lot easier to overcome ridicule for making a bad prediction for October in March than it would be in September.

By this time, the post-World War II economic boom was in full swing, so more people were in a position to buy magazines. And to buy the television sets on which to watch sporting events. And to buy tickets to watch the events live. The market for a weekly sports magazine, which could keep up with events as they were happening, was there -- for a publishing house that could afford to produce it.

Henry Robinson Luce could afford it: He ran Time, Inc., and had already succeeded with the newsmagazine Time (a weekly founded in 1923), the photo-based newsmagazine Life (a weekly founded in 1936), and the business-themed magazine Fortune (a monthly founded in 1929). And in 1953, he thought the time was right to try a weekly that would be, essentially, Time, but focused on sports. When the owners of Sport weren't willing to sell their magazine, or the rights to their magazine's name, at any price, Luce bought the rights to the name Sports Illustrated.

But Luce's background worked against the magazine: A graduate of Yale University, his friends were mainly the very rich, like himself. Their pastimes included golf, tennis, sailing, hunting, fishing, and the card game of contract bridge. Now, I am of the firm belief that golf is not a sport. Tennis is. Competitive sailing, I suppose, qualifies. But fishing is not a sport. Nor is hunting: As has been pointed out many times, including by Rick Reilly in SI in the 1980s, it's not a "sport" if "the other team" doesn't even know there's a competition.

Bridge? That's not a sport. It's a game -- one I have never played, and I don't know the rules -- and not athletic in the slightest. And yet, Luce published articles about the game in Sports Illustrated. Twice, he put Charles Goren, both the leading bridge player and the leading writer about the game in his generation, on the SI cover, and frequently printed Goren's articles. I have frequently lamented ESPN's televising of competitive poker, because it's a card game and not a sport. Well, Luce publishing Goren's bridge articles was the 1950s' equivalent.

(For those of you who do enjoy playing bridge: I'm not saying it's a bad game, or that it's not worth your time. And I'm certainly not casting aspersions on Goren. I'm saying that the game shouldn't be discussed in a magazine about sports, except maybe as an aside in an article about a real athlete. For example: If Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano enjoyed playing bridge -- and I don't know if he enjoyed any card games -- that might be worth mentioning in an SI article about him, along with his preferences in food, music and TV shows.)

Just as Time had been producing a Man of the Year issue since 1927, SI issued an end-of-the-year Sportsman of the Year issue. The 1st honoree was Roger Bannister, the British medical student who, a few weeks before the 1st issue, had become the 1st person to run a mile race in less than 4 minutes; then, a few weeks later, having his record beaten by the Australian runner John Landy, beat Landy in a much-publicized race at the British Empire Games in Vancouver.

Now known as "Sportsperson of the Year," the title has occasionally been awarded to multiple individuals, and sometimes even to entire teams. It's gone to performers in the various sports this many times: Baseball 18, basketball 18, football 17, track and field 8, golf 7, tennis 5, hockey 4, boxing 3; 2 each in soccer, cycling and speed skating; and 1 each in auto racing, horse racing (to a jockey, not a horse), gymnastics and swimming.

The 1st black recipient was decathlete Rafer Johnson in 1958, while Kip Keino, awarded in 1987 for his charitable efforts even though his Olympic running achievements were in 1968 and 1972, was the 1st African native to receive the award. The 1st Hispanic recipient was golfer Lee Trevino in 1971, while Sammy Sosa receiving a co-award with Mark McGwire in 1998 made him the 1st Latin American native to get it.

The 1st female recipient was Billie Jean King in 1972, sharing it (the first time it was split) with UCLA basketball coach John Wooden. The 1st female sole recipient was also a tennis player, Chris Evert in 1976. Billie Jean was still in the closet at the time, so the 1st openly gay recipient was Megan Rapinoe in 2019. Tiger Woods, whose mother was from Thailand, was the 1st recipient of Asian descent, in 1996. South Korean native Byun-Hyun Kim, as part of the collective award to the 2004 Boston Red Sox, was the 1st recipient from an Asian country.

It's been awarded to 5 Canadians (hockey players Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky and Bob Bourne; football player Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, and basketball player Chris Boucher as part of the collective award to the 2018 Golden State Warriors), an Englishman (Bannister), a Scotsman (auto racer Jackie Stewart), a Swede (boxer Ingemar Johansson), a Kenyan (Keino), a Norwegian (speed skater Johan Olav Koss), a Dominican (baseball players Sosa, and 2004 Red Sox David Ortiz, Manny Ramírez, Pedro Martínez, Sandy Martínez, Anastacio Martínez and Pedro Astacio -- none of those Martínezes is related to any of the others), a Puerto Rican (César Crespo with the 2004 Red Sox), a Colombian (Orlando Cabrera with the 2004 Red Sox), a Panamanian (Ramiro Mendoza with the 2004 Red Sox), a Korean (Kim), a Venezuelan (baseball player José Altuve), a Georgian (Zaza Pachulia of the 2018 Warriors) and a Japanese (tennis player Naomi Osaka).

Until Woods in 2000, no one had received the award more than once. Basketball player LeBron James has gotten it 3 times, while Woods and football player Tom Brady have gotten it twice. Of course, Brady, Sosa, Altuve, and, collectively, the 2004 Red Sox have since been exposed as blatant and unrepentant cheaters.

It's been given to field bosses (managers in baseball, head coaches in other sports): Bill Russell (player-coach) in 1968, John Wooden in 1972, Joe Paterno in 1986, Don Shula in 1993, Dean Smith in 1997, Mike Krzyzewski and Pat Summitt in 2011; and Deion Sanders in 2023.

And it's been given to 1 Commissioner: The NFL's Pete Rozelle in 1963. Oddly, in 1984, when Time gave Olympic Games organizer and newly-hired MLB Commissioner Peter Ueberroth its Man of the Year, SI didn't give him Sportsperson of the Year: They split it between Olympians Edwin Moses and Mary Lou Retton.

Sometimes, the award is controversial, and more of a "lifetime achievement award" than an award for that specific year. Such examples include baseball player Stan Musial in 1957, basketball coaches John Wooden in 1972 and Dean Smith in 1997, golfer Jack Nicklaus in 1978, football coaches Joe Paterno in 1986 and Don Shula in 1993, tennis player Arthur Ashe in 1992, and football player Brett Favre in 2007. While Ashe was dying of AIDS after a lifetime of activism, each of these honorees could legitimately have been said to have had better years than the ones in which they were honored (although Wooden did win a National Championship in the year in question, and Paterno was about to finish off such a season).

In 1960, André Laguerre became managing editor of SI. The magazine had never turned a profit, but Luce could afford to not care about that. Laguerre made it turn a profit by 1964, with the maxim, "It doesn't matter what you write about. All that matters is how well you write."

It was under Laugerre that SI began to resemble the magazine we know today. He phased out the rich man's "sportsman" articles, and focused on the sports that middle-class Americans were interested in: Boxing, horse racing, and the major team sports. The magazine became known for its season preview issues and its Olympic coverage.

And, starting in 1964, for Laugerre's creation, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. It usually comes out in February, possibly a reference to Paul Gallico, who, when asked in 1937 why he gave up sportswriting, said, "February." In other words, when it was too cold in most of the country for outdoor sports like baseball, football, track and field, golf, tennis and horse racing. Indoor sports like basketball and hockey had yet to become big business; while Americans couldn't have cared less about soccer, played around the world in the Winter, no matter how cold it got.

Aside from the Swimsuit Issue, if there's one thing people know about the magazine, it's "The Dreaded SI Cover Jinx." It began almost immediately: Matthews soon suffered a broken hand, although he only missed 7 games. But on January 30, 1955, skier Jill Kinmont suffered a crash that left her paralyzed. The SI issue with her on the cover, already in stores and mailed to subscribers, was dated the very next day. 

On February 13, 1961, 16-year-old Laurence Owen was on the cover, for a preview of the World Figure Skating Championships. Two days later, along with the entire U.S. team, she was killed in a plane crash on the way to the event. Other cover subjects included skiers and auto racers who ended up killed in competitions; and race horse breeder Prince Aly Khan, and golfer Tony Lema, all by 1966.

The most memorable non-fatal example came in the issue dated November 18, 1957. It featured the University of Oklahoma football team, riding a 47-game winning streak, still a college football record. The cover headline was, "Why Oklahoma is Unbeatable." The 2-time defending National Champions were upset by Notre Dame on November 16.

For the 1987 Baseball Preview Issue, SI put Cleveland Indians sluggers Joe Carter and Cory Snyder on the cover, under the headline "INDIAN UPRISING," adding, "Believe it! Cleveland is the best team in the American League." This soon turned out to be, spectacularly, not the case, and manager Pat Corrales answered a question about the Jinx, saying, "Sports Illustrated isn't getting my hitters out. Sports Illustrated isn't hitting my pitchers." He was soon fired.

But the jinx doesn't affect most honorees. For many years, boxer Muhammad Ali held the record for most appearances on the cover, and he is generally regarded as what he called himself: "The Greatest of All Time!" He has now appeared 40 times. But Michael Jordan, usually (if inaccurately) called the greatest basketball player ever, now holds the record, with 50 SI covers. Among active athletes, LeBron leads with 25. Most appearances by team? The Los Angeles Lakers have had 67, just ahead of the New York Yankees with 65.

In 2018, Time Inc. sold SI to Authentic Brands Group. The Arena Group (formerly theMaven, Inc.) was subsequently awarded a 10-year license to operate the SI–branded editorial operations, while ABG licenses the brand for other non-editorial ventures and products.

On January 19, 2024, The Arena Group missed a quarterly licensing payment, leading ABG to terminate the company's license. Arena, in turn, laid off the publication's editorial staff. Some longtime fans of the magazine called this "The Death of Sports Illustrated."

In March 2024, ABG licensed the publishing rights to Minute Media in a 10-year deal, jointly announcing that the print and digital editions would be revived by rehiring some of the editorial staff. In May, Sports Illustrated failed to deliver a print copy of the publication for the month to its subscribers for the first time in the magazine's 70-year history. Apparently, SI is not out of the woods yet.