DENVER — Shohei Ohtani will be the American League’s starting pitcher in Tuesday’s night’s All-Star Game and will bat leadoff, too, as the designated hitter in another landmark for the two-way Japanese sensation.

A 27-year-old in his fourth major league season with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani is the first two-way starter in the history of the All-Star Game, which began in 1933.

“I was actually not expecting to be chosen as a pitcher at all,” Ohtani said Monday through a translator. “It’s a huge honor and I’m going to try my best.”

Ohtani has generated huge buzz across baseball for his exploits at the plate and on the mound. He leads the majors with 33 home runs and is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 starts.

“This is what the fans want to see. It’s personally what I wanted to see,” said AL manager Kevin Cash of Tampa Bay.

Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals will be the starting pitcher for the National League in the game at Coors Field.

Ohtani was elected to start at DH by fans and was voted to the AL pitching staff by fellow players. He’s hitting .279 with 70 RBIs, trailing only Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (73) and Boston’s Rafael Devers (72).

On the mound, Ohtani has struck out 87 and walked 35 in 67 innings. His fastball averages 93.8 mph, essentially the same as the 93.7 mph exit velocity of balls off his bat, tops among qualified major league batters.

Ohtani is the most accomplished two-way player since Babe Ruth, who last pitched regularly in 1919. Fans were to see him in action starting Monday night in the Home Run Derby.

Ohtani will become the second Japanese pitcher to start an All-Star game after Hideo Nomo in 1995 and the third Asian. Hyun Jin Ryu of South Korea started in 2019.

A rules change this year for the All-Star Game will allow Ohtani, listed as a DH, to be treated as two individual players and remain as a hitter when he is removed as a pitcher.

“I begged Major League Baseball to tweak the rule,” Cash said.

Guerrero will bat second and play first base for the AL, followed by Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts, New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge, Devers at third, Toronto second baseman Marcus Semien, Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez, Blue Jays left fielder Teoscar Hernandez and Baltimore center fielder Cedric Mullins.

NL manager Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers has San Diego shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. leading off, followed by the Dodgers’ Max Muncy at designated hitter, St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado, Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman, Cincinnati right fielder Nick Castellanos, Reds left fielder Jesse Winker, Philadelphia catcher J.T. Realmuto and Pittsburgh second baseman Adam Frazier.

Traded by Colorado during the offseason, Arenado is likely to remain a fan favorite at Coors Field.

Scherzer will make his fourth All-Star start, matching Jim Palmer and Randy Johnson for second-most behind five each by Robin Roberts, Lefty Gomez and Don Drysdale.

Scherzer started the 2013 All-Star Game for the AL while with Detroit, and the 2017 and 2018 All-Star Games while with Washington. An eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner, he is 7-4 with a 2.66 ERA this season with 134 strikeouts and 22 walks in 98 innings.

The All-Star Game returns this year after the cancellation of the 2020 event at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles due to the coronavirus pandemic, which delayed opening day until July 23.

This year’s game was scheduled for Atlanta’s Truist Park, but baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred Manfred announced April 2 that the event would be moved because of Georgia’s new election law, which critics say will negatively affect communities of color.

Four days later, Manfred said this year’s game would be played at Coors Field, which held its only previous All-Star Game in 1998.

Because of last year’s cancellation, Dodger Stadium will host the All-Stars in 2022.

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House For All; Chicago’s NISA Club Announces Ticket Pricing For Groups Of 10 Or More

Chicago House AC Group Tickets for parties of 10 or more for individual matches during the 2021 Chicago House AC Fall NISA Season are now available for purchase starting at the group pricing of $12 per seat, per match.

The House’s inaugural 2021 NISA Fall Season includes nine home matchups at SeatGeek Stadium starting with the team’s home opener versus New Amsterdam FC on August 21st, followed by matchups against Detroit City FC (8/29), LA Force (9/17), Michigan Stars (9/24), San Diego 1904 FC (10/9), Chattanooga FC (10/13), Maryland Bobcats FC (10/23), Stumptown AC (11/13) and Cal United (11/20).

Fans can book their group tickets by visiting the website or by contacting Chicago House AC Ticket Sales Representative, Roberto Diaz via email at [email protected] or by phone at (773) 818-1009.

Additional group pricing is available for qualified groups such as youth soccer teams, non-profit organizations, first responders, military members, corporate outings and more.

Parking for individual matches is also now available with the purchase of group tickets for $20 per vehicle.

For more information on all Chicago House AC ticket packages, parking and the 1790 Founders Club, please visit www.chicagohouseac.com, contact Roberto Diaz or email [email protected].

Chicago House AC

Founded in 2020, Chicago House Athletic Club is a community-based professional soccer team which will begin play in Fall 2021 at the 20,000 capacity SeatGeek Stadium at 71st and Harlem in Bridgeview, Illinois. The team will compete in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA,) a U.S. Soccer sanctioned third division league. Led by Managing Partner, President & CEO Peter Wilt, Chicago House AC is a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) committed to transparency and working with its constituents to use its platform for social justice, diversity, equality, inclusion and community improvement. For more information, contact us at [email protected], visit www.chicagohouseac.com and follow on social media @ChicagoHouse_AC. “Our City, Our House.”

The National Independent Soccer Association (NISA)

The National Independent Soccer Association was founded in 2017 with a mission to bring professional soccer to every city in the United States. A pro league member of U.S. Soccer, NISA focuses on a model based on meritocracy, independent clubs controlling their own league, clubs owning their intellectual property, all without the barrier of territorial rights. Sanctioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation, NISA also runs the mid-summer pro-am Independent Cup tournament, the year-long amateur league NISA Nation, and NISA Media. For more information about NISA visit NISAOfficial.com or contact at [email protected]. Follow NISA on Twitter @NISALeague and on Instagram @nisasoccer.

Feature Image Credit: Chicago House AC on Facebook

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The same neighborhoods continue to bear the brunt of gun violence in Chicago, with most of those shot over the weekend attacked in areas that have been much more violent this year than last.

Of the 10 police districts where shootings occurred between Friday evening and Sunday night, only one has been doing better this year, Harrison, traditionally one of the city’s worst areas, according to data kept by the Sun-Times.

Five of the 46 people hit by gunfire were attacked in the Harrison police district, which covers East and West Garfield Park. None of the 11 fatal shootings occurred there.

Shootings in Harrison have been down 5% from this time last year. The other nine districts have seen shootings increase anywhere from 4% to 144%.

Overall, the number of people shot in Chicago is up 12.6% through July 10, compared to the same period in 2020, and 59 percent over the same time in 2019, according to police department statistics.

Over the weekend, the most people were shot in the Gresham police district on the South Side (7) and the Ogden district on the West Side. (7) Next was Englewood with six.

Following are some of the attacks:

• A man was killed and another wounded Friday evening in a home in West Pullman on the Far South Side. The shooting occurred around 5:20 p.m. in the 11800 block of South State Street, Chicago police said. Shawn Young, 47, was shot in the head, buttocks and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The other man, 34, was struck in the hand and shoulder. He was in critical condition at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
• An hour later, a man was killed in Roseland on the South Side. He was on the sidewalk in the 11000 block of South Vernon Avenue when a light-colored vehicle pulled up and someone inside fired about 6:20 p.m., police said. The 39-year-old was struck in the chest and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His name hasn’t been released.
• Two people were shot and killed Saturday afternoon in a drive-by in Englewood on the South Side. The men, 20 and 33, were in the parking lot of a gas station in the 6100 block of South Ashland Avenue when a dark-colored car pulled up and someone inside opened fire, police said. The 33-year-old was struck in the chest and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The younger man was struck throughout his body and pronounced dead at the scene.
• A man was killed and two women were wounded Saturday night outside Cook County Jail. Londre Sylvester, 31, and a woman were walking in the 2700 South of West California Avenue when two people got out of a car and began firing about 8:50 p.m., Chicago police said. Sylvester was struck in the face and chest and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The woman, 60, was struck in the knee and taken to Stroger Hospital, where she was listed in good condition. Another woman, 35, standing nearby was grazed by a bullet to her face, police said. She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and was also listed in good condition.
• On Sunday, a man was killed and another critically wounded in a shooting in the Lower West Side. They were walking in the 2100 block of South Oakley Avenuewhen someone opened fire about 3:45 a.m., police said. The gunman may have fired shots from a black car. A 22-year old was shot in the chest and was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. He hasn’t been identified. The other, 25, was shot in the head and was taken to the same hospital in critical condition, police said.
• A man was wounded Friday in West Englewood on the South Side. He was in a parked car in the 5600 block of South Wolcott Avenue when someone opened fire about 6:10 p.m., police said. The 26-year-old was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized.
• A 59-year-old man was wounded late Friday in the University Village neighborhood. He was walking in the 1300 block of South Blue Island Avenue when he shot about 10:15 p.m. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was in fair condition..
• On Saturday, two men were seriously hurt in a shooting in West Garfield Park. They were standing with a group of people about 1 a.m. in the 4100 block of West Adams Street when someone opened fire, police said. A 32-year-old was shot twice in the chest and went to Stroger Hospital, where he was in serious condition, police said. The other man, 48, was struck in the back, chest and arm and went to Mount Sinai hospital, also in serious condition.

At least 32 other people were wounded in shootings between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday.

Last weekend in Chicago, 104 people were shot, 19 fatally, making it the deadliest and most violent this year.

Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.

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Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will be mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms and a high near 75 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 66. Tomorrow will be partly sunny with a chance of showers and a high near 83.

Top story

Photographer takes stunning images of nebulas and galaxies — all from light-polluted downtown Chicago

Downtown Chicago’s light pollution makes it nearly impossible to see stars in the night sky, yet Gian Lorenzo Ferretti can see nebulas thousands of light years away while standing right on his balcony in the heart of the city.

Since November, Ferretti has been posting his astrophotography on his Instagram (@gianlorenzo_photography), capturing vibrant images of nebulas and galaxies with his telescope from his home in University Village.

“A lot of the people that follow me thought I was photoshopping the photos or creating them on my own,” He said. “I’m not making anything up.”

While he works as an architectural photographer, he has always been passionate about astrophotography even before he knew much about it.

Ferretti captures the pictures using narrow-band filters on his telescopes, the same kind of filters NASA uses on the Hubble Space Telescope, he said. The filters allow narrow light wavelengths to pass through, cutting out all light pollution. They then isolate the gas emissions of the nebula he targets, allowing him to capture these photos.

“A few years ago it would’ve been unthinkable to shoot astrophotography here,” he said. “You can still do something really cool, even if you’re in one of the most light-polluted cities in the U.S.”

Learn more about how Feretti takes the pictures and his plans for the future.

More news you need

1. An 18-year-old woman was pronounced dead after her body was pulled from the Chicago River early yesterday near Goose Island on the North Side. The woman, who has been identified by the Cook County medical examiner’s office, was unresponsive when she was pulled from the river, police said.
2. An FBI agent’s successful legal battle could result in additional benefits for almost two million other long-serving veterans who want to further their education. The man, who lives in Virginia, had sued the government, arguing that the federal VA shortchanged him on tuition benefits provided under the GI Bill.
3. Chicago business groups are nervous as Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi, citing evidence of longstanding inequities, reviews assessments citywide. The reform-minded Kaegi faces a big test in reassessing property values after we reported the county’s “senior freeze” tax program was riddled with errors and weak oversight.
4. The Berghoff is back slinging fresh beers and delicious German food in the Loop. The venerable downtown restaurant and its Adams Street Brewery fully reopened today for the first time amid the pandemic.
5. A 15-year-old from Aurora and a Naperville gym manager are among Chicago-area athletes competing on tonight’s episode of “American Ninja Warrior.” The new episode airs at 7 p.m. on NBC.

A bright one

Lincoln Park Zoo welcomes baby piping plover

An endangered piping plover chick has hatched at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Chicago’s most famous bird parents, Monty and Rose, welcomed three new chicks into the world earlier this month at Montrose Beach Dunes Natural Area. But when Monty and Rose decided to dote on the fluffy new arrivals, they abandoned a fourth, unhatched egg.

So the folks at Lincoln Park Zoo moved in.

“After spending a day closely monitored at the zoo in a hatcher, the chick hatched July 10 and appeared strong, healthy and vocal,” according to a statement from the zoo.

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times file

“We are honored to play a part in the recovery and conservation efforts of these incredible plovers,” said Sunny Nelson, the Hope B. McCormick Curator of Birds and Wildlife Policy. “We are cautiously optimistic but remain hopeful the chick will thrive alongside its parents.”

Read Stefano Esposito’s full story here.

From the press box

Your daily question ?

Where’s the best place near Chicago to go see the stars in the night sky?

Email us (please include your first name and where you live) and we might include your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Reply to this email (please include your first name and where you live) and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

On Friday, we asked you: How would you describe deep dish pizza to someone who’s never had it before?

“It’s like if you take a regular pizza and mate it with a casserole, and slather it with awesome.” — Mike Irving

“It’s like diving into a pool of yummy cheese and tomato sauce with a savory flakey bottom.” — Philip Garofalo

“Above ground swimming pool made of bread filled with molten hot lava covered in a cheese tarp.” — Jeff Riemersma

“The pizza only tourists eat.” — Mary Puckett Shaughnessy

“The Pizza we give to tourists. Then I’d take them for some real Chicago pizza.” — Kenny Perales

“The first thing I say is that most Chicagoans eat thin crust pizza. Deep dish is a tourist thing. Real Chicago pizza is thin crust, tavern style.” — Mary E. Sullivan Bauer

“What can we say about deep dish? We can say that most of us love our beloved deep dish but truthfully we are most likely to order a thin crust tavern style pizza. (We make terrific thin too!) Occasionally, when the mood strikes us we will choose a deep dish.” — Melissa Bernardin

“Deep dish can be described as having all of the flavor you associate with pizza and a heavy consistency that can be compared to lasagna. The sauce tends to be a little bit spicy and typically is baked for around 40 minutes which gives the crust more of an oven baked bread flavor. It tastes familiar and like nothing else in the world all at once.” — Rich Williamson

Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

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The definition of Pandora’s Box, according to Merriam-Webster’s, is “a prolific source of troubles; something that will lead to many problems.”

By adopting a new policy for student-athletes that allows them to accept compensation — called “NIL” for “Name, Image and Likeness” — the NCAA, as well as the rest of the grown-ups in the room (state and federal legislators) just created a big new source of troubles.

This is sure to lead to many, many problems for student-athletes.

As a former student-athlete, former college athletic administrator and kid who grew up far below the poverty line, I’m actually torn by the NCAA’s decision, adopted on July 1, to allow student-athletes to benefit financially from their name, image and likeness. My mom and I sure could have used an extra $10, $100 or $1,000 back when I was a student-athlete. But that opportunity didn’t exist in 1987, the year I received a football scholarship to the University of Notre Dame.

So I generally favor allowing student-athletes to be compensated in big-time college sports, but it should be done properly, in a safe environment, not in the “Wild West” manner of the NCAA’s new policy. The NCAA just told 18-to-21-year-olds to go out and get endorsement deals, do appearances and market themselves — and, hey, don’t forget to pay your taxes on all that.

Let’s be real. Only a handful of players — quarterbacks, running backs and a few others — will make the “big bucks.” Most other student-athletes won’t.

Don’t worry, that won’t cause any drama in the locker room.

At face value, this opportunity looks pretty good. A student-athlete can sign autographs at the local supermarket, while another student-athlete signs a shoe/apparel contract and yet a third says, “If you send me $10, I’ll send you an autographed photo.”

But who is going to administer all of this? Who is going to police all the possible ways student-athletes could be exploited?

Some colleges and universities have said they’ll hire someone to manage al this; others say they’ll outsource the job. But will they? These are the same schools still trying to recover from the unexpected costs and layoffs created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

What about the school that simply can’t afford to hire more staff? Will responsibility for managing all these instant small business decisions now fall solely on the student-athlete?

At 12:01 a.m. on July 1, several student-athletes announced they had formed their own businesses to handle their marketing and endorsements. Really? When I played for the Chicago Bears, I hired a professional marketing firm to handle this stuff. Not a bunch of pals. Not a parent.

Do student-athletes even have time for this?

The NCAA has been arguing for years that student-athletes don’t have enough time even to be students. To go to classes. To hit the books. But now they’re supposed to handle marketing, endorsements and a schedule of personal experiences?

What will be their office hours? What will happen to their grades? If there’s an opportunity to make some money during class time, what will be their priority?

It all threatens to become a huge distraction from education — and from sports — for student-athletes. And we all know how much coaches love distractions.

Is there a solution? Is there a more workable balance? There is, and I’ve been preaching it for years.

Rather than be completely freed to market themselves individually, with all the pitfalls that presents, student-athletes should receive a straight-up percentage of the revenue from their respective sport. Colleges and universities pull in billions from sports — from broadcast rights, merchandising rights, sponsorships and the like — and there’s no reason in the world student-athletes should not share in that.

And that money then should be put into a trust that the student-athletes can’t touch until they are 28 to 30 years old. When they are in a better and more mature place in life to handle the money responsibly.

Any alternative, to be honest, looks better than what the NCAA has just done: Told student-athletes they finally can do something, but given them no guidance or assistance in how to do it.

The grown-ups in the room should have spent more time thinking this through — how to responsibly roll out a new era of financial compensation for student-athletes — rather than just throw open Pandora’s Box.

But, instead, the NCAA has left it to the student-athletes to figure this mess out, while dodging a bullet itself. Because, with this new NIL policy, they won’t have to share one dollar of their own billions in revenue.

Isn’t that ironic?

Christopher Zorich, who played defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears from 1991 to 1996, is a partner at the executive search firm Randall Partners.

Send letters to [email protected].

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An attorney who represents a former Blackhawks player who alleges he was sexually assaulted by a then-assistant coach in 2010 is open to the possibility of her client participating in the team’s review of the accusations under the right conditions.

A former federal prosecutor has been hired by the Blackhawks to conduct what the team says is an independent investigative review of the allegations in a pair of lawsuits filed against the team. In an internal memo sent on June 28, CEO Danny Wirtz said Reid Schar and Jenner & Block LLP “have been directed to follow the facts wherever they lead.”

The first suit alleges sexual assault by former assistant coach Bradley Aldrich during the team’s run to the 2010 Stanley Cup title, and the second was filed by a former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting in Michigan.

Susan Loggans, an attorney who represents the former player and student, said Monday that her clients were open to participating in the review by Jenner & Block. But she said they want to know more about the parameters of the investigation, and they want the opportunity to conduct their own interviews of key former and current team executives.

“We’ve never been told what the investigation includes,” Loggans said. “For example, are they just investigating whether or not sexual misconduct occurred, which seems to be very evident that it did, or are they going to investigate whether the Blackhawks knowingly allowed it to exist without doing anything? They’ve never said what they’re investigating.”

Loggans also said the Blackhawks haven’t said anything about what if any part of the review would be made available after it was completed, or what they plan to do with the results.

Loggans said an attorney from Jenner & Block asked if he could interview her clients, and she asked for more information and the chance to interview one or more team executives under the same terms for interviewing her clients.

“They responded, saying they really couldn’t do that,” Loggans said.

A message was left Monday seeking comment from the Blackhawks. In his June 28 memo, Wirtz said the team would refrain from further comment until the independent review and legal proceedings had concluded.

In his lawsuit, filed on May 7 in Cook County Circuit Court, the former player says Aldrich assaulted him, and that the team did nothing after he informed an employee. The suit also alleges Aldrich assaulted another unidentified Blackhawks player. The former player who sued and is seeking more than $150,000 in damages is referred in the document as “John Doe.”

The eight-page lawsuit says Aldrich, then a video coach for the Blackhawks, “turned on porn and began to masturbate in front of” the player without his consent. It says Aldrich also threatened to “physically, financially and emotionally” hurt the player if he “did not engage in sexual activity” with him.

According to TSN, two Blackhawks players told then-skills coach Paul Vincent in May 2010 of inappropriate behavior by Aldrich. Vincent said he asked mental skills coach James Gary to follow up with the players and management.

Vincent was called into a meeting with then-team President John McDonough, general manager Stan Bowman, hockey executive Al MacIsaac and Gary the next day. He said he asked the team to report the allegations to Chicago police, and the request was denied.

Vincent said Monday in an email to the AP that he had not been contacted by Jenner & Block.

An attorney for Aldrich told Chicago public radio station WBEZ that his client denies the allegations in the lawsuit. In a May statement to the radio station, the Blackhawks said the allegations directed at it were groundless.

After leaving the Blackhawks, Aldrich was convicted in 2013 in Michigan of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a student and is now on that state’s registry of sex offenders.

The former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting filed a separate lawsuit against the Blackhawks on May 26, saying the Blackhawks provided positive references to future employers of Aldrich despite allegations from at least one player and took no action to report the matter.

That suit says the student was a hockey player at Houghton High School near Hancock in 2013 when Aldrich sexually assaulted him at an end-of-season gathering.

Houghton police records say an investigator reached out to the Blackhawks about Aldrich, but human resources executive Marie Sutera would confirm only that he was once an employee. She requested a search warrant or subpoena for any further information regarding Aldrich.

Miami University in Ohio also has opened an investigation. Aldrich was employed by the school from June 2012 to November 2012. He resigned “under suspicion of unwanted touching of a male adult,” the university’s attorney told police.

A spokeswoman for the school said Monday it was aware of two accusations of sexual assault involving Aldrich.

“In November 2012, Miami University was made aware of allegations of an off-campus sexual assault involving a non-student adult and Brad Aldrich,” Jessica Rivinius said in an email to the AP. “When the Miami University Police Department reached out to the alleged victim, they offered to assist the individual in filing a police report with the Oxford Police Department. The individual declined to make a report.

“A second adult alleged victim came forward in 2018 and filed a police report with Miami University Police about an assault that occurred off-campus in 2012. That report was forwarded to the Oxford Police Department.”

Rivinius said the review of Aldrich’s employment at Miami is being conducted by Barnes & Thornburg LLP, and the school plans to release a report at the conclusion of the investigation.

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A tremendous first half has transformed Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels into a superstar.

Between leading the majors in home runs (33) and posting a 3.49 ERA on the mound, Ohtani is baseball’s most successful two-way player in decades, perhaps a century. And he will be a heavy presence in Tuesday’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game after being voted the American League’s starting designated hitter and, on Monday, announced as the AL’s starting pitcher.

But he can’t be the face of baseball, says ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. Not because of any shortcomings on the field but because he prefers to normally speak to the media through an interpreter, translating his native Japanese to English. While not fluent, Ohtani can speak English, and he also knows Spanish.

“The fact that you got a foreign player that doesn’t speak English, believe it or not, I think contributes to harming the game to some degree, when that’s your box office appeal,” Smith said during Monday’s “First Take.” “It needs to be somebody like Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, those guys. And unfortunately at this point in time, that’s not the case.”

Smith reiterated the point about Ohtani, who is 27 and moved to the United States after signing with the Angels in December 2017, a few minutes later.

“When you talk about an audience gravitating to the tube, or to the ballpark, to actually watch you, I don’t think it helps that the No. 1 face is a dude that needs an interpreter so you can understand what the hell he’s saying, in this country,” he said. “And that’s what I’m trying to say.”

After mentioning former NBA stars Manu Ginobili and Dirk Nowitzki, Smith said:

“For some reason, in Major League Baseball, you got these guys who need those interpreters, and I think that compromises the ability for them to ingratiate themselves with the American public, which is what we’re really talking about.”

Smith’s on-air sparring partner, Max Kellerman, attempted some pushback while trying to frame Smith’s words.

“It’s not about ‘Ohtani’s not from here, that’s the issue.’ If your point is, ‘He’s got to learn English,’ I agree with that. I think the language barrier in every sport, not just baseball, it’s useful to learn the native tongue of the vast majority of most Americans.”

Smith said: “That’s what I’m talking about.”

To close the segment, moderator Molly Qerim Rose attempted to diffuse Smith’s comments.

“Those home runs are doing plenty of talking for me,” Qerim Rose said. “It is very difficult to learn a second language. I’m sure he’s trying.”

Smith then grilled Qerim Rose about how many Angels games she watches — quite a few, actually — before the program went to break.

USA TODAY Sports has reached out to ESPN for comment. Smith posted a video on Twitter later Monday to attempt to further explain his thoughts.

“In the United States, all I was saying is that, when you’re a superstar, if you could speak the English language, guess what, that’s going to make it that much easier (and) less challenging to promote the sport,” Smith said. “That’s all I was saying.”

On an episode of his daily ESPN+ show “Stephen A.’s World” last week, Smith marveled over Ohtani’s historic season and compared him to Babe Ruth while criticizing the league for not capitalizing on his prowess at the plate and on the mound.

“Baseball has a modern day Babe Ruth on their hands, and what are they doing about it? How many Shohei Ohtani commercials have you seen?” Smith said. “How many people are wearing Ohtani jerseys outside of Angel Stadium in Anaheim?

“You better get your act together baseball. You have to fix your game. Market it better.”

Ohtani, the 2018 American League Rookie of the Year, also leads the league in slugging percentage (.698). He’s struck out 87 batters in 67 innings, and made his first All-Star team this year. He will be participating in the MLB Home Run Derby on Monday.

Read more at usatoday.com

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CLEVELAND — Drake Bell, the former star of the popular Nickelodeon show “Drake & Josh,” was sentenced in Cleveland on Monday to two years’ probation on charges relating to a girl who met him online and attended a number of his concerts when she was 15.

Jared “Drake” Bell, 35, of West Hollywood, California, pleaded guilty last month via Zoom to felony attempted child endangerment and a misdemeanor charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.

Cuyahoga County Judge Timothy McCormick is allowing Bell to serve probation and 200 hours of community service in California.

Bell, via Zoom, spoke briefly before sentencing.

“I accept this plea because my conduct was wrong,” Bell said. “I’m sorry the victim was harmed. It was not my intention.”

The victim, who is 19, spoke at length about the damage Bell has done to her life, saying he began grooming her when she was 12. She said she initially felt loved and protected by him during online chats and that his messages became “blatantly sexual” after she turned 15. She said his remarks made her feel uncomfortable, but she felt trapped because she “idolized” Bell.

“I was definitely one of his biggest fans,” said the woman, who allowed her face to appear on Zoom. “I would have done anything for him.”

The Associated Press does not identify people who say they suffered sexual abuse unless they choose to come forward publicly.

The woman said she and Bell exchanged explicit photos online and that he engaged in sexual conduct with her on several occasions, including at the concert venue in Cleveland and at a hotel. She also called Bell a “pedophile” and a “coward.”

Bell’s attorney, Ian Friedman, disputed those claims on Monday. He said there were no explicit photos or sexual contact between Bell and the victim and the inappropriate conduct that did occur was reflected in the charges Bell pleaded to last month. Friedman did not detail the inappropriate conduct Bell was acknowledging.

Friedman said the victim attended nine of Bell’s concerts after the one in Cleveland. The woman responded by holding up three fingers.

“There is already a greater penalty paid by Mr. Bell that others would not face because of his position,” Friedman said.

Authorities have said the victim contacted Toronto police in October 2018. Toronto authorities then forwarded its findings to Cleveland police, prompting an investigation.

The attempted endangering children charge relates to the concert where Bell “violated his duty of care” and created a risk of harm to the victim, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Tyler Sinclair said previously.

Bell and the girl had “developed a relationship” online several years prior to the concert, Sinclair said. The disseminating harmful material charge concerns Bell having sent the girl “inappropriate social media messages,” Sinclair said.

McCormick, before delivering Bell’s sentence, said he heard “a lot of serious and disturbing allegations” during Monday’s hearing, but added that he “can’t lose focus on what was pled to.”

“The fact of the matter is your position and celebrity status let you nurture this relationship,” McCormick said. “You were able to gain access to this child.”

Bell, also a singer, began acting as a child, but was catapulted to stardom as a teen with Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show” and later “Drake & Josh,” which debuted on the channel in January 2004. The final episode aired in September 2007. Bell and co-star Josh Peck also starred in two “Drake & Josh” movies.

Mark Gillispie, AP

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Chicago Cubs: 1 pitch is key for their first-round draft pick by Vincent Parise

When the Chicago Blackhawks selected Duncan Keith in the second round of the 2002 NHL Draft, they made a franchise-altering decision. He literally went on to be one of the best defensemen of his era. He was the number one defenseman on a team that won the Stanley Cup three times. Individually, he won multiple Olympic Gold Medals, the Norris Trophy twice, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs once.

Duncan Keith has been an amazing player for the Chicago Blackhawks in his tenure.

You can argue that he was actually the most important player of the dynasty that they had from 2009-2017. It was a brilliant career for him and he still has another year or two left in the tank. However, it won’t be played with the Chicago Blackhawks.

A few weeks ago, there was a report that Duncan Keith and the Blackhawks were working on a trade that would send Keith to the Pacific Northwest of the United States or Western Canada. Well, that team is going to be the Edmonton Oilers. The Hawks sent Keith there in exchange for Caleb Jones and a third-round pick. They are also not retaining any of Duncan Keith’s salary against the cap. It is a very good trade for the Hawks.

No salary retained in Keith trade to Oilers. Jones and a 3rd back to Chicago.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) July 12, 2021

The third-round pick is going to be very nice but adding Caleb Jones could be a really nice piece. He is a young defenseman that has a really nice ceiling. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and has been pretty good in his development. He isn’t a superstar or anything but he can give you good minutes on the blue line. In exchange for a 38-year-old Duncan Keith, it is a great trade for Chicago.

Duncan Keith will always be known as one of the greatest #Blackhawks in franchise history.

o 3 #StanleyCup
o 2 Norris Trophies
o Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP
o Olympic Gold Medals
o number will be retired
o first ballot Hall of Famer

— DaWindyCityFS (@DaWindyCityFS) July 12, 2021

Jones is also the younger brother of Seth Jones who is an NHL superstar. The Hawks have been linked to him in trade rumors so maybe this is step one towards making that happen. If it does, the Chicago Blackhawks will all of the sudden have a good-looking top-four on defense. They would still have a long way to go before they contend but this would be a good start. If they aren’t going to accept rebuilding, fleecing the Oilers is a good alternative.

Related Story: Patrick Kane wins an ESPY award

A lot has gone wrong with this organization over the last few months and even years but this isn’t one of them. Duncan Keith will be missed because of all he accomplished for the team but this was a great trade in the year 2021. Keith will eventually come back and have his number retired on his way to a Hall of Fame entrance so this isn’t the last we’ve seen on him. For the current state of the team, this was a great deal.

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Marching to a Different Drummer

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Why am I so loud and frowny? An Asperger’s lament

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By K.Yvonne,
today at 1:56 pm

In previous posts, I described some of the most common characteristics of Asperger’s and explained that people with the condition might experience some of them to a greater degree than others. But no matter how Asperger’s manifests itself in an individual, the common thread is a fundamental lack of self-awareness of how one comes across to the rest of the world.

This can seem trivial and even amusing on the surface, but it can have devastating consequences to the person. Especially in a world where first impressions are everything.

It is not only the actual things we say and don’t say to people, but the way we say them and the way we look when we do.

For me, there are two primary ways that this manifested itself: The volume of my voice and my facial expression.

Say it a little louder, they didn’t hear you across the street

I’ve been told all my life I have a loud voice. I always thought it was because I was raised by loud people. My grandmother, who worked over forty years in a textile mill and had to raise her voice to be heard over the machinery, practically shouted everything she said to everyone all the time. Her “inside” voice was a typical person’s outside voice.

So naturally, I concluded that it had to be that. There’s times I’ve caught myself speaking unnecessarily loud for the situation and modulated my voice accordingly. But generally, it’s something I haven’t been able to get a handle on because it’s second-nature, like breathing.

Then I learned that inability to adjust one’s volume or tone to one’s circumstances is a trait of Asperger’s. We’re a transistor radio stuck at the same volume all the time, so embarrassing things tend to get overheard by other people and, well, social cluelessness and failure often ensues.

I’ve also been told I talk too fast and excitably and been asked to slow down, although less often now than when I was younger. I always thought it was because I was from the Northeast.

In The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome (2007), author and Asperger’s expert Tony Attwood writes:

“The…vocal tone of speech can be unusual, with some children and adults with Asperger’s Syndrome having a ‘flat’ vocal tone that is perceived as monotonous. The speech characteristics can include problems with volume, being too loud or too quiet for the context. Speech that is too loud can be extremely irritating for family members and especially difficult for teachers who are trying to encourage less noise in the classroom. The person’s speech may also be unusually high-pitched or have a ‘nasal’ quality that is quite distinct and distracting for the listener. The fluency or delivery of speech can sometimes be too rapid, particularly when the person is excited or talking about a special interest.”

Resting Bitch-Face

I’ve spent the better part of my life walking around in the world wearing a facial expression I had no clue I was wearing.

To put it as succinctly as possible, what I imagined was a neutral expression was really what comedian Wanda Sykes in one of her standup routines dubbed “Resting Bitch Face.”

Never has this been driven home to me with more clarity than when I have suddenly glimpsed my own image in a security monitor or such thing. I’d be like: Who is that cranky-ass woman in the customer service line?

Oh, that’s me.

This realization led me to pity every professor in every classroom and every performer in any play who has ever had to face my miserable visage. I apologize profusely to all of you, here and now.

I began to understand why people who encountered me on campus or somewhere else often asked me if “everything was okay” or told me to smile or cheer up. This always puzzled me.

I can only imagine how I appeared at office meetings. Furrowed brows, intense expression. Like most people with Asperger’s and even many without it, boredom and other states of mind are written all over my face without my realizing it. But with me that was dialed up a few notches more.

Needless to say, many people with Asperger’s aren’t the most popular or successful in the workplace.

I’ve tried to become more conscious of this habit and correct it when I realize I’m doing it. But like with the speech volume and other idiosyncrasies, subconscious and developed over a lifetime, it will take a long time to unlearn.

Filed under:
Aspergers syndrome, Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Uncategorized

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  I’m Kate Yvonne, a mature adult with several different previous lives and careers, living with a mid-life diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. This blog is a work in progress. I’m both scared and excited to embark on this journey. Hopefully there will be much more to come in these pages. Stay tuned!

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• Why am I so loud and frowny? An Asperger’s lament »

  K.Yvonne on Marching to a Different Drummer
  Posted today at 1:56 pm

• How Asperger’s makes you different and how it got categorized as autism »

  K.Yvonne on Marching to a Different Drummer
  Posted June 21, 2021 at 10:52 am

• Realizing you have a mental health issue is the first step toward wellness »

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  Posted June 2, 2021 at 11:35 am

• Well done Michael Collins, the “other guy” on the Apollo 11 moon mission »

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