www.dailypostathenian.com B8 | DAILY POST-ATHENIAN SPORTS | WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2021 AL: Major League makes special rules tweak for Ohtani in All-Star game FROM B1 last 23 All-Star Games with one played Teoscar Hernández’s tie thrown in. grounder for an error. “This has been the best experi- While everything is measured Toronto’s Marcus Semien had ence, most memorable,” he said with precision these days, Guer- put the AL ahead with an RBI through translator Ippei Mizu- rero’s third-inning drive against single in the second off Burnes, hara. Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes was who took the loss. “Obviously, I’ve never played jaw-dropping even before Stat- Realmuto homered in the fifth in the playoffs or World Series, cast revealed it went 468 feet, off Soto, a more pedestrian 430- so once I do that, that’s probably the longest since All-Star Games foot drive that was the first by a going to surpass it. But this has were wired in 2015. Philadelphia All-Star since Mike been the most memorable.” As the ball landed at the top Schmidt in 1981. Ohtani was a - of the left-field seats under the Zunino cracked a 433-foot shot digit threat in , hitting huge video board, NL in the sixth against Taijuan Walk- a 513-foot drive during Monday Fernando Tatis Jr., another of er and allowed a -scoring night’s Derby and “juniors” among a record 42 first- passed ball in the bottom half. throwing a 100.2 mph pitch to time All-Stars, turned slowly and A crowd of 49,184 filled Coors Nolan Arenado. put both hands over his head. Field, a stark contrast to the 2020 “He was as good as advertised,” Guerrero’s homer was the regular season played in empty Arenado said. 200th in All-Star history and ballparks because of the pandem- Following a full day, Ohtani he followed in the bat path of ic and many games with limited slept until 10:30 a.m. his father, Vladimir Guerrero, fans in the first half of this sea- “It was a lot more tiring com- who homered off Brad Penny son while vaccinations became pared to the regular season, but if in the 2006 game at Pittsburgh. more prevalent. everyone had fun I’m good with JACK DEMPSEY | THE They joined Bobby Bonds (1973) Ohtani became the second it,” he said. ’s starting Shohei Ohtani, of the , and (1998 at Coors) straight Japanese pitcher to even throws during the first inning of the MLB All-Star game Tuesday in Denver. and Ken Griffey Sr. (1980) and win the All-Star Game after the made a special rules tweak Ken Griffey Jr. (1992) as the only Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka two for Ohtani, allowing him to be zer starting the night. what would’ve been a wild pitch father-son duos with All-Star years ago. Last year’s game was replaced as a pitcher and to Ohtani combined with Lance into an out at second. homers. canceled when the season’s start remain in the game as the DH Lynn, Kyle Gibson, Nathan Despite another season of Guerrero added an RBI ground- was delayed by the pandemic to after he was done pitching. He Eovaldi, Gregory Soto, Chris that have alarmed er in the fifth against ’s late July. grounded out twice — Pitts- Bassitt, Andrew Kittredge, Matt baseball’s leadership, NL bat- Trevor Rogers, and Boston’s Xan- He retired Tatis, Max Muncy burgh second baseman Adam Barnes and Liam Hendriks on an ters whiffed 12 times while AL der Bogaerts followed with an and Arenado, a Colorado fan Frazier ranged to make a nice eight-hitter. hitters had just three strikeouts. RBI single for a 4-0 lead. Both favorite, in order in the bottom backhanded pickup that pre- Hendriks got the save, helped Still, the result had a familiar runs were unearned after short- half, throwing 10 of 14 pitches vented a against Max Scher- by a lucky bounce that turned ring. The AL has won 20 of the stop mis- for strikes. Worn out their welcome

SPECIAL TO THE DAILY POST-ATHENIAN Sixteen four-man teams competed in the Fourth Annual McMinn Performance Center Golf Tournament last week at Mouse Creek Golf Course. FUNDRAISING: All donations to be matched until $450,000 FROM B1 all student-athletes, male and female, at the school. Lockmiller said on a Face- Features include 20 lift- book announcement. “It ing stations, level floor- was a beautiful day for ing with 10 inlaid lifting golf.” platforms, garage doors on Further donations to the each end, windows, sky- Cherokee Performance lights, large commercial Center funds can be ceiling fans, high-efficien- made at mcsdonate.com, cy LED lights and male DAVID ZALUBOWSKI | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS and more information is and female bathrooms. ’s Fernando Tatis Jr., of the Padres, reacts after flying out during the third inning of the MLB All-Star available on the McMinn The new facility would game Tuesday in Denver. Performance Center page allow up to 70 athletes to on Facebook. All donations work out simultaneous- are tax deductible. In addi- ly in partners of two — MLB All-Star Game uniforms not drawing All-Star reviews tion, Larry Pratt is match- enough to accommodate ing all donations until the a typical McMinn varsi- BY PAT GRAHAM $450,000 goal is reached. ty football team entirely AP Sports Writer The Cherokee Per- in one session and leave formance Center was plenty of time left in the DENVER — Fashion for- approved in Decem- day for all other athletic ward? Maybe more like ber 2015 by the McMinn programs at McMinn to fashion faux pas. The fans County School Board. All get in their workouts. on social media weren’t that has been left after McMinn’s current exactly raving about the the approval is to raise weight room, located in new All-Star jerseys that the $450,000 necessary the football fieldhouse, were on display Tuesday to begin its construction. measures roughly 40 feet night. The facility would be per side and allows a max- No classic birds-on-a-bat built on the grassy patch imum of only 32 athletes design for the Cardinals at beside the home stands of to work out per session. , no sweet script Cherokee Stadium, and its for the Dodgers. No brown 6,000 square feet of multi- EMAIL: gabriel.garcia@ pinstripes on the shirts for ple-use space would serve dailypostathenian.com the Padres, no recognizable “NY” logo prominently on the hat for the Yankees. Nowhere close. SOFTBALL: Rogers gives girls Bring back the rainbow of colors, many said, with players wearing their own credit for successful season team’s uniforms. That was JACK DEMPSEY | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS a big part of the game’s American League’s Aaron Judge, of the (left), greets Salvador Perez, of the FROM B1 it never has been about me. charm, they said. Kansas City Royals, after scoring on a base hit by Marcus Semien, of the , during “It’s about them. It’s Brett Anderson, a pitcher the MLB All-Star game Tuesday in Denver. as freshman standouts about what they can do for the , Lexi Cooley and Cami working together as a posted on Twitter: “MLB MLB ALL-STAR NOTEBOOK Wade, will return for 2022. team. It’s about what they should just let the players “This year will be a foun- can do when they come in wear their own uniforms designated hitter, ground- ond round by the Braves in picking up a bat at Vander- dation of future success for with the right attitude and instead of these slow pitch ing out to second. 2007. “My elbow was hurt- bilt — and being told to set this program,” Rogers said. the maximum effort. So I softball ones.” It’s a rare double dip. Not ing in high school.” it right back down. “And I feel like the success couldn’t be more proud The AL is wearing blue even Babe Ruth stayed with At the plate, Ohtani leads “I didn’t swing a bat for that we had this year has of them.” uniforms that remind some doing both for much more the majors with 33 homers, about five years,” Buehler built a very strong founda- Awards and superlatives of jumpsuits. The NL has than two seasons before which is the most in fran- said. “But I get to Double- tion for the future of the announced at the banquet an all-white ensemble that phasing out pitching. chise history at the All-Star A and they’re like, ‘Hey, go program.” were: has many commenting they The time may be now to break. On the mound, he’s get ‘em.’ This past spring was the • ACE ADAMS AWARD: Ken- look, well, bland. update the model, although been just as dazzling with a “I’m very glad I don’t have first full softball season dall Coffey Rather than familiar logos most players concede 4-1 record and 87 strikeouts to try to (do both). I just try with Rogers as the head • ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Cami and names, there were they can’t envision hav- courtesy of a fastball that to get a hit every once in a coach, after his debut sea- Wade three-letter abbreviations ing enough time to prac- can touch 100 mph. while and feel good about son in 2020 was cut short • BEST OFFENSE: Aaliyah on the jerseys for what tice both. “Ohtani’s a freak. But that. I could never imagine by the COVID-19 pan- Cagle, Lexi Cooley team they represented. “It always takes one to there’s no reason some- doing what he’s doing.” demic. • BEST DEFENSE: Reagan Major League Baseball hopefully have a trend,” body else can’t do it,” said Same with But Rogers emphasized Wade, Taylor Hancock has a billion-dollar contract said Freddie Freeman, a St. Louis right-hander , that this spring’s success • MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS: with Nike, whose swoosh is five-time All-Star for the Nolan Arenado, who was the reigning AL Cy Young and any future accomplish- Sadie Brazzell, Sammie displayed prominently on Atlanta Braves. “I just don’t a in high school. “It’s Award winner who won’t ments will be all about the Greeson the right side of the uni- know if anyone will do it an incredible talent. You’re pitch in the All-Star Game girls in the McMinn uni- • ALL-DISTRICT 5-AAA HON- form just below the collar. like Shohei. That’s one of so valuable to a team if you due to a shoulder ailment. forms. ORABLE MENTION: Taylor DOUBLE DUTY: There’s no a kind.” help on both sides.” Bieber knows all too well “I know a lot of times, and Hancock, Sammie Greeson two ways about it: Shohei Freeman was once a dual The one obstacle: Finding what it’s like facing Ohtani I hear it all the time, I’ll be • ALL-DISTRICT 5-AAA FIRST Ohtani could be ushering in threat — he said he was time to practice both at a the hitter. walking down the hall- TEAM: Lexi Cooley Sadie an era of two-way players. drafted by one of two teams major-league level. “Tough,” explained Bieber, way and people will say, Brazzell Hurler or hitter — why who viewed him as a hitter. “It seems like a lot of who’s limited Ohtani to ‘Oh, good win last night, • TENNESSEE SPORTS WRIT- pick? He didn’t. The rest thought his future work and dangerous in a two hits in 10 at-bats. “I’ve Coach,’” Rogers said. “But ERS ASSOCIATION ALL-STATE The Los Angeles pitcher/ might be on the mound. way, too — health-wise,” never stepped in the box really when it comes down NOMINEES: Sammie Gree- hitter phenom pitched a He could’ve been like Arenado said. “It’s hard to against him when he’s on to it, I don’t have anything to son, Lexi Cooley, Sadie perfect first inning in the Ohtani. do. ... He’s a special player. the mound. I don’t really do with it. It’s not about me, Brazzell All-Star Game on Tuesday. “My elbow would’ve He’s unique.” plan to. and that’s something I’ve That was after he led off for blown,” cracked Freeman, Dodgers right-hander “What he’s doing is noth- told the girls over and over EMAIL: gabriel.garcia@ the American League as the who was taken in the sec- Walker Buehler remembers ing short of spectacular.” again. This is not about me, dailypostathenian.com