Sports

DETROIT – Miles Russell’s pants didn’t quite fit during the first round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on Thursday. A recent growth spurt has left the 15-year-old, now 5 feet 7 inches, in pants designed for someone shorter. Russell, who weighs 120 pounds and has a 28-inch waist, showed off his ankles as he strolled around Detroit Golf Club. Russell made his PGA Tour debut, shooting a 2-over 74. Born in 2009, he signed autographs for kids and adults while being followed by a PGA Tour Live camera. He teed off for 7,370 yards and played alongside the top-ranked players.…

Orlando Cepeda, the second Puerto Rican-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, died Friday at the age of 86. The San Francisco Giants announced his death but did not disclose a location. Cepeda played 17 MLB seasons, mostly as a first baseman, hitting 379 home runs, hitting 2,351 hits and driving in 1,365 runs with a .297 batting average. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1958 and the MVP in 1967, helping the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series that year. He batted over .300 in nine seasons and appeared in…

Lifelong friends Martin Schwartz and Matthew Mandel enjoy a rare sports moment as the Miami teams compete for championships. Martin Schwartz and Matthew Mandel are living a dream come true. The longtime friends and South Florida residents hit it big with the Miami Heat and Florida Panthers both making it to the finals, competing for NBA and NHL titles simultaneously. Schwartz and Mandel, who have shared season tickets with both teams for years, have seen their fair share of ups and downs. They’ve endured tough seasons, like the Heat’s 15-win campaign in 2007-08, and watched away fans dominate the stands.…

Imagine a baseball season without the iconic crack of an ash bat. This could become a reality thanks to the emerald ash borer, a tiny beetle that causes massive destruction of ash trees across North America. For decades, ash reigned supreme in baseball bats. From legendary players like Babe Ruth to modern hitters like Mark McGwire, ash has been the material of choice for its feel and performance. Companies like Hillerich & Bradsby, makers of the Louisville Slugger, churned out hundreds of thousands of ash bats every year. However, agrilus planipennis has changed the game. This invasive insect, the size…

Mike Duggan and his hockey buddies were strapping on their gear one recent morning when their banter turned, as it often does, to the topic of joint replacement surgeries. Duggan, 74, the proud owner of an artificial hip, marveled at the large number of titanium body parts in the locker room. He nodded toward Mitch Boriskin, who was putting on a pair of skates along the opposite wall. “I don't think there's an original part to you,” Duggan said. Boriskin, 70, smiled. “Two fake knees, a spinal cord stimulator, 25 surgeries,” he began, as if he were reciting a sheet…

INDIANAPOLIS — Athletes often speak in general terms as a defense mechanism. Rather than delve into a potentially controversial topic, or even address the issue, they provide non-answers, using clichés and pre-planned talking points to stay at a safe distance. Part of me would like to believe that this is what Caitlin Clark did Thursday morning when I asked her if she was bothered by fans using her name as a weapon in the culture wars dividing the country. The Indiana Fever's star guard hasn't closed the door on the topic; she refused to even open it. “No,” he declared.…