BASEBALL
Erskine dies at 97
Carl Erskine, who pitched two no-hitters for the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series, has died. Among the last survivors from the celebrated Brooklyn teams of the 1950s, Erskine spent his entire major league career with the Dodgers. He helped them win five National League pennants from 1948-59. The right-hander had a career record of 122-78 and an ERA of 4.00, with 981 strikeouts. Erskine had his best season in 1953, when he went 20-6 to lead the National League. He won Game 3 of the World Series, beating the Yankees 3-2 at Ebbets Field. He struck out 14, retiring the side in the ninth, for a record that stood until Dodgers ace Sandy Koufax got 15 in 1963. The Dodgers went on to lose in six games as the Yankees won their fifth consecutive championship. He appeared in five World Series, with the Dodgers beating the Yankees in 1955 for their only championship in Brooklyn. Erksine died Tuesday in his hometown of Anderson, Ind., according to a hospital official. He was 97. Erskine's death leaves the 88-year-old Koufax as the lone surviving Dodgers player from the 1955 World Series team.
Albies goes on IL
Second baseman Ozzie Albies was put on the 10-day injured list by the Atlanta Braves because of a broken right big toe. Albies was hit on his foot by a curveball from Houston rookie Spencer Arrighetti in the second inning of Atlanta's 6-1 win on Monday night. Albies remained in the game and went 1 for 3 with a walk. Atlanta said Tuesday that X-rays revealed the fracture. A 27-year-old three-time All-Star, Albies is hitting .317 with two home runs and 14 RBI. Atlanta selected the contract of infielder David Fletcher from Class AAA Gwinnett.
Leiter called up
Jack Leiter, the 23-year-old son of former major league pitcher Al Leiter, is expected to make his major league debut for the Texas Rangers against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. Texas says it intends to select the contract of Leiter from Class AAA Round Rock, where he is 1-1 with a 3.73 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance this season. Taken second overall in the 2021 amateur draft from Vanderbilt, Leiter has pitched 14 1/3 innings this season with 25 strikeouts and 3 walks.
BASKETBALL
Lob City's Griffin retires
Blake Griffin has announced his retirement after a 14-year career that included six All-Star selections, Rookie of the Year honors and a dunk contest victory. Griffin said in a social media post Tuesday that he's "thankful for every single moment" of his career. Griffin was the No. 1 overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers out of Oklahoma in 2009. He missed his first season with a knee injury. He rebounded to earn the Rookie of the Year award in 2011, when he won the All-Star Game dunk contest. Griffin also played for Detroit, Brooklyn and Boston. Alongside Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, Griffin's high-flying plays rejuvenated the Clippers franchise and earned it the nickname "Lob City." He was traded to the Pistons in 2018 as his ability to soar dwindled and injuries piled up. Griffin was able to reinvent his game in Detroit with a reliable three-point shot and was selected for his sixth All-Star Game in the 2018-19 season. He averaged 19.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in his career. He finished third in MVP voting behind Kevin Durant and LeBron James in the 2013-14 season.
Suns give Allen new deal
The Phoenix Suns and guard Grayson Allen have finalized a multi-year deal that will keep him with the franchise following the best season of his NBA career. The deal was announced on Tuesday. Allen averaged a career-high 13.5 points per game while leading the NBA with a 46.1% percentage from three-point range. He was one of the team's few consistent players, providing constant floor spacing and long-range shooting while All-Stars Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal found their footing. The sixth-seeded Suns will face the No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.
U.S. team fills roster
LeBron James plans to go back to the Olympics. Stephen Curry is planning on going for the first time. Kevin Durant will go there with his eye on history. And they're just part of a star-studded roster the Americans have assembled for the Paris Games. USA Basketball has gotten confirmations from 12 players -- James, Curry, Durant, Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards and Kawhi Leonard -- that they will accept invitations to be on the Olympic roster. That's according to three people with knowledge of the decisions who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the roster had not been released. The reported group includes seven previous gold medalists.
FOOTBALL
Wolverines hit with probation
Michigan has been given three years of probation, fined and hit with recruiting restrictions by the NCAA. The punishment stems from football coaches and staff having impermissible contact with recruits and players under Coach Jim Harbaugh during the covid-19 pandemic. The negotiated resolution was reached with five former and current coaches and staffers. The case is separate from an NCAA investigation into impermissible in-person scouting and sign stealing that roiled Michigan's national championship season in 2023. Harbaugh's attorney, Tom Mars, said the coach was not invited to participate in the settlement process or aware that an agreement had been reached between the school on the NCAA. Harbaugh is now coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.
ATHLETICS
Court: W.Va. bill violates rights
A federal appeals court has ruled that West Virginia's transgender sports ban violates the rights of a teen athlete. The 2-1 ruling Tuesday from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law cannot be applied to Becky Pepper Jackson. Jackson has been taking puberty-blocking medication and publicly identified as a girl since she was in the third grade. Judge Toby Heytens wrote that offering her a "choice" between not participating in sports and participating only on boys teams "is no real choice at all." The American Civil Liberties Union, its West Virginia chapter and LGBTQ interest group Lambda Legal filed the lawsuit in 2021.