MLB:
In baseball, in interleague play, the Yankees beat the Mets 9-5 in a chippy Subway Series game.
In the American League, Seattle beat Boston 3-1, the Angels topped Oakland 8-6, Toronto defeated Houston 3-1, Minnesota won against Cleveland 13-5, Detroit edged the White Sox 2-1, Tampa Bay shut out Kansas City 12-0, and it was Baltimore over Texas 3-2.
In the National League, the Cubs edged Miami 5-4, Washington won against Arizona 8-3, San Diego bested Milwaukee 12-3, Philadelphia beat San Francisco 5-4 in 12 innings, St. Louis edged Cincinnati 5-4, Atlanta doubled up Pittsburgh 8-4, and it was Colorado over the Dodgers 12-2.
Fantasy Sports:
Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a new law to allow the resumption of daily fantasy sports in New York. The measure calls the popular online contests a "game of skill." That legal definition resolves the central argument in a lawsuit brought against the country's two top fantasy sports companies by the state attorney general. He had likened the online matches to illegal gambling operations based on chance.
In March, New York-based FanDuel and Boston-based DraftKings agreed to stop operations in New York pending the passage of a law that would resolve the ambiguity. But under the stipulation with Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, they couldn't start operating again until Cuomo signed the bill into law.
Olympics:
The most decorated athlete in Olympic history will lead the U.S. delegation into the Olympic stadium. Swimming star Michael Phelps has been selected in a vote by fellow members to carry the American flag Friday for the opening ceremony. Phelps has won 18 golds and 22 medals overall, far more than any other athlete. He skipped the opening ceremony at the last three Olympics to rest up for the 400-meter individual medley, but he's not taking part in the event this year.
Former major leaguer Warren Cromartie has welcomed the return of baseball to the Olympics but says he doesn't see players from Major League Baseball taking part in the 2020 Tokyo Games. One of the most popular foreigners to play in Japan, Cromartie spent seven seasons with the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants from 1984-90 after nine seasons in Major League Baseball with the Montreal Expos.
The IOC approved the return of baseball and softball to the Olympics in 2020 on Wednesday along with four other sports. Baseball and softball have been off the Olympic program since the 2008 Beijing Games. While the pro leagues in Japan and some other countries have agreed to suspend their seasons to allow their players to go to the Olympics, MLB has not.
In other news from the Rio Olympics:
— The U.S. women's soccer team has opened its Olympic schedule by getting goals from Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan in a 2-0 win over New Zealand. The three-time defending Olympic champs are trying to become the first team to win the Summer Games after succeeding at the World Cup.
— All of Russia's weightlifters and 17 of its rowers will miss the Rio Games after the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected their appeals against doping-related suspensions. The IOC had said it would not allow Russians to compete in Rio if they had previously been banned for doping, were implicated in the alleged cover-up or had not been tested often enough internationally.
— The IOC has announced that baseball and softball will return to the Olympics at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Baseball became a medal sport for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics but was dropped for the 2012 London Games and won't be played this year in Rio de Janeiro. Other sports approved for Tokyo by the IOC include skateboarding, surfing, karate and sport climbing.
— Brazilian soccer great Pele says he was invited to light the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, but sponsorship deals could prevent it. The 75-year old Pele says he has a commitment to a sponsor that would make him travel on Friday, the day of the Opening Ceremony. A spokesman for the Rio 2016 organizing committee did not confirm the information.
— Serena Williams is the top seed in women's singles and the No. 1 seed along with sister Venus in women's doubles. Serena is the defending champ in singles and in doubles with Venus. Novak Djokovic is No. 1 on the men's side, followed by defending champ Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal.
— IOC President Thomas Bach led a mourning ceremony for the Israeli athletes and coaches slain at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Bach's voice cracked at times as he read out the names of each of the 11 Israelis and the German policeman who died after a raid by Palestinian gunmen in the athletes' village in Munich.
NASCAR:
Tony Stewart says his car's paint scheme for the Sept. 4 Southern 500 will mirror that of Bobby Allison's when he won at Darlington Raceway in 1971 and 1972. Stewart is a three-time NASCAR premiere series champion who has won 49 races, but none at Darlington. It's one of only two venues where Stewart is winless in NASCAR's top division.
NFL:
It has been business as usual for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady at the team's training camp, although yesterday's work was interrupted by repeated choruses of "Happy Birthday" by fans. Brady turned 39 on Wednesday. He'll be suspended the season's first four games but is allowed to practice with the team for now.
Rookie Patriots cornerback/punt returner Cyrus Jones has so far made a good impression with coaches at training camp. Jones was the 60th pick in the NFL draft and New England's top pick after losing its first rounder in its league "Deflategate" punishment.
The New York Jets have signed undrafted rookie free agent running back Terry Williams and waived/injured defensive back Kendall James. Williams starred at Kutztown University, where he scored 14 touchdowns as a senior, including 13 rushing, and ran for 817 yards. Last season, the West Orange native set the school record for the longest run from scrimmage with a 98-yard touchdown against East Stroudsburg. He ran for 1,501 career yards and scored 22 TDs at Kutztown. James had been on the Jets' active/physically unable to perform list and hadn't participated in a training camp practice. He signed with the Jets in January, and has also been with Minnesota, Houston, San Diego, Cleveland and Detroit.
The San Francisco 49ers have signed linebacker NaVorro Bowman to a four-year contract extension through the 2022 season Wednesday. Bowman led the NFL with 154 total tackles after missing all of 2014 due to a knee injury suffered in the NFC championship game.
The Tennessee Titans have signed Tim Shaw to a one-day contract as the former NFL linebacker battles Lou Gehrig's disease, also known as ALS. The former Titans special-teams captain was diagnosed with the progressive disease in April 2014. Although Shaw also played for the Bears, Panthers and Jaguars, the team called him a "Titan for life" in announcing the signing.
NHL:
The New York Rangers have hired Keith McCambridge to be an assistant coach of the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack. General manager Jeff Gorton announced the hiring Wednesday.
MLS:
The New York Red Bulls have completed a transfer for Austrian midfielder Daniel Royer. The Major League Soccer team said Wednesday it made the deal with FC Midtjylland of the Danish Superliga. Royer has spent the bulk of his career in the Austrian Bundesliga, collecting 15 goals and 20 assists in 104 games. Red Bulls Sporting Director Ali Curtis says the 26-year-old Royer is intelligent and has the ability to play different positions in the midfield.
NBA:
Glens Falls native and free agent, Jimmer Fredette will play with the Shanghi Sharks, a basketball team in China.
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