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SPORTS SECTION E

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 2018

Baseball leagues reunite under one umbrella By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net ow that they are back together under one umbrella, the Bahamas Baseball Association is set to host the National Baseball Championships next weekend in Grand Bahama. And the association has confirmed that all of the affiliated leagues have confirmed their participation in the championships, scheduled for June 21-24 at the Emera Baseball Complex. It’s expected that a total of six leagues, comprising of 30 teams playing in 83 games, will make up the four-day package that is once again being sponsored by the Grand Bahama Port Authority. BBSA president Samuel Rodgers thanked all of the leagues, executives, coaches, players and

BBA TO HOST NATIONAL BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS NEXT WEEKEND

BBA executives (l-r) are the chairman of technical committee Shane Albury, president Samuel Rodgers, tournament director Terran Rodgers, BOC president Romell Knowles and umpire in chief Martin Burrows. Photo by Stanley Mitchell parents for their support in the amalgamation of the sport again. More than 380 players from teams from the Legacy Baseball

and Rising Stars Baseball from Grand Bahama, Eleuthera Baseball, North and Central Abaco Baseball and the Community,

Freedom Farm and Junior Baseball League of Nassau will be participating. Terran Rodgers, director of the national tournament committee, said they are excited about the direction the sport is taking with the amalgamation of the sport since March 2017 and now they are prepared for the staging of their first tournament. “As a vice president, who I have been in a background approach over the years, I’m excited about this opportunity for us to do what is required under one umbrella,” he pointed out. “Everybody has come on board and have been a part of the process and appreciate the process

and understand that moving forward, it’s about developing the game of baseball in the Bahamas.” This year, the BBA has restructured the age group divisions for the tournaments so that they can maximise the efforts of the players involved. They will now participate in the under-8, under10, under-12, under-14, under-16 and under-18 divisions. From the tournament, Rodgers said the BBA will be looking at selecting its national teams, including an international baseball tournament for the under-18 team in Panama in November.

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Jordin in World Cup opening FOOTBALL for Friendship has announced that 12-yearold Bahamian football player Jordin Wilson will participate in the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in Moscow, Russia, scheduled to be broadcast live to 3.2 billion persons globally at 10:30am EST on Thursday, May 14. Wilson will be carrying the Bahamian flag during the ceremony, as the youth representative of The Bahamas, alongside children from around the globe. Wilson and the Bahamian F4F delegation have been in Moscow since June 9, participating in the global Football for Friendship event. Football for Friendship promotes youth football globally and emphasizes tolerance and friendship among children from different countries. Participants have had the opportunity to discuss among their peers the key values of the programme such as friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory, tradition and honour. Wilson was selected to attend F4F by the Bahamas Football Association (BFA), the governing body for soccer in the Bahamas, as one of two young Bahamian football players to represent the island nation. He has been an active football player since he was five years of age and is currently an active member of the Western Warriors Football Club, where he is coached by Paul James. The Western Warriors Football Club, founded in 2007 by Michael Hooper and Saskia D’Aguilar, have three teams in the BFA Youth League, including a boys’ under-15 team, a boys’ under-17 team, a girls’ under-17 team and a men’s team in the BFA Senior League. He is the son of John and Simone Wilson and has one brother, Jostin.

BAHAMIAN SOCCER PLAYER TO CARRY NATIONAL FLAG AT CEREMONY

FOOTBALL for Friendship: Jordin Wilson is expected to participate in the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in Moscow, Russia, scheduled to be broadcast live at 10:30am EST on Thursday, May 14.

After surgery, Justin Roberts eager to get back on court By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net AFTER taking some time off to undergo surgery on his right wrist, Justin Roberts is eager to get back on the court and continue his quest

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to move up the ladder on the men’s international tennis circuit. Roberts, who graduated last month from the University of South Florida, still has another year of college tennis eligibility which he will spend in his final campaign with Arizona State University as of August. Over the last two months, however, Roberts has been working out intently on getting ready to return to the tennis courts. He’s home working out with his manager/ coach Ricardo Demeritte Jr from Impact Tennis Academy before he leaves town on Friday to play in three tournaments in Canada - Calgary (June 18-24), Kelowna (June 25-1) and Saskatoon (July 2-8). “I am just happy to be back on the court,” said Roberts, who helped the USF Bulls men’s team achieve some success while he was a member of their roster over the past three seasons.

“I was out for about with any ATP computer 6-7 months. It’s been a points and is ranked at long time coming to get 1,261 in singles. In his back to where I am right last tournament a year now. I did a lot of rehab, ago in Kaarina, Fina lot of fitness, stuff that land, Roberts lost in the you really don’t want to quarter-final. be doing. But now that “I feel like I’m playI am fit, I want to start ing well, so I think I playing again to see can go deep into these where I am.” tournaments,” Roberts After tearing a ligaprojected. ment in his right wrist “I haven’t played in and ending up with a about a year, so there ROBERTS bone avulsion where a are some things I will piece of the bone broke have to deal with like the off on its joint, he eventually had rust. But I’ve been training hard, to have it reattached. so I think anything could happen. “I’ve been playing regularly It’s hard to say. I don’t have much from April and it’s been getting to go off. better,” he pointed out. “I feel “So I don’t know how I will react strong right now, so I just want to to certain situations, but if I play throw my hand into some matches as hard as I’ve been practicing, I and see where I’m at right now.” think I will do very well.” At present, 21-year-old Roberts is the only Bahamian male player SEE PAGE 2

KEVIN MAJOR JR GETS WIN IN PRO DEBUT By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net EVEN though he skipped the trip to Costa Rica to participate on the men’s Davis Cup team, Kevin Major Jr said he has no regrets because he was able to get his professional career started. Major Jr, home after graduating from Seminole State College in Oklahoma last month, made his professional debut, winning the men’s singles title at the USTA National Men’s Open in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with a 6-4, 6-2 win over American Charlie Force. The following week, Force earned his first pro points, which has inspired Major Jr to get himself ready to take the next level in the sport. “I just want to get in shape and play a lot of tournaments and put my play together to make everything realistic,” Major Jr said as he worked out with Impact Tennis Academy, coached by Ricardo Demeritte Jr. “I want to treat everything like a business so I can have some realistic goals for myself, whether they be physical or mental goals, I want to reach those goals.” And just what are those goals? “My main goal is to play a lot of tournaments because in my junior career, I was semi-successful, but I still didn’t play as much tournaments as I should have,” he reflected. “Now my main goal is to play as much tournaments as I could and gain as much experience and exposure as I could. You never really ready until you go out there and play.” Having had a taste of the international competition, Major Jr said he now sees himself in an environment where he could fit right in and be a force to reckon with. “To realise it more now is kind of cool because you can see where you can be, if you work harder,” he said. “I would like to see myself at the top, but in order to get there, I know I have to put in a lot more work. “It won’t be easy, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to get there.” Hopefully at the end of the month, Major Jr intends to participate in his next

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THE TRIBUNE

Baseball leagues reunite under one umbrella FROM PAGE 1 “We have to make sure that we put the best team on the field to represent us,” Rodgers said. As for those players who would have signed professional contracts and are still eligible to play, if they were cut from their organisations, they will have to sit out one year before they will be eligible to participate. Also from the tournament, the winner of the under-12 division will get to represent the

Bahamas at the Caribbean and Latin American Zone Little League Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico in July to advance to the Williamsport Little League in South Williamsports in Pennsylvania in August. Tournament director Shane Albury said the rules have been submitted to the teams and they are looking forward to staging a very competitive tournament. “We have a full agenda, a full slate, so we are looking forward to some good baseball over the four

days in Grand Bahama,” Albury said. As they are in the infancy stage in the hosting of the tournament by the BBA, which was previously staged and organised by the now defunct Bahamas Baseball Federation, Albury said they are looking at including softball for the female players in the future. And that could come as soon as the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture completes the construction of the four fields at the site of the new baseball stadium

at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. It’s understood that plans for the construction will resume at the site as early as Monday. “We have been in contact with various international bodies that want to come to the Bahamas, but at the moment, we don’t have the fields to accommodate them,” Albury said. “But as soon as we get the fields up and running, we will be able to grow the sport much faster than it is going right now.” Martin ‘Pork’ Burrows, the umpire in chief for the second

consecutive year, said they have a good mixture of senior and young, up and coming umpires to help to officiate the games. He mentioned such persons as D’Kyle Rolle and Dereck ‘Duckie’ Christie, who both will be making their debut, but have officiated in games in New Providence. There are expected to be officials coming in from the various other islands to make up the number of staff needed to cover all of the games.

National team player Kevin Major Jr earns victory in his pro debut FROM PAGE 1 pro tournament. He’s just waiting to see what his manager Ricardo Demeritte Jr from Impact Tennis Academy has in store for him. While he was out trying to get himself established on the pro circuit, Major Jr got to watch as the Bahamas team of Baker Newman, Philip Major Jr, Jody Turnquest and player/captain Marvin Rolle advanced out of the American Zone III in Costa Rico to return to zone II for 2019. “When I saw what they did, I went crazy,” Major Jr said. “And to see them have to go right down to the doubles to clinch it was pretty amazing. To be a fan and not a player this time was pretty hard because of the emotions involved. “When you are playing, you learn how to control those emotions. But as a fan, it’s harder to deal with your emotions because you could see how difficult it is to win. Maybe that is what I needed to see. Hopefully we can stay in zone II and even move up to zone one.” Major Jr, who hopes to be back on the team next year, said he couldn’t ask for a better two-year stint at Seminole State College in Oklahoma, which has prepared him for the pro ranks. “I lost just one match in our conference. I was able to beat three top

JUSTIN ROBERTS in action. Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

After surgery, Justin Roberts eager to get back on court FROM PAGE 1

KEVIN MAJOR JR in action. players at the time,” he reflected. “I beat the guy who was ranked at number two in the nation at the time in three sets. It was just a miracle ride for me. My team didn’t do so well, but I had a pretty solid season. I had a lot of college offers, but I had to turn them down because I wanted to go pro.”

Even though he admitted that some people would have advised him against turning pro rather than remaining in college, Major Jr said he just feels as if he’s ready. “I don’t want to have any regrets,” he said about his decision. “I just think that the time is right for me to go pro.”

Having been sidelined with the injury to his wrist, Roberts said he couldn’t play in the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s annual Giorgio Baldacci Tournament in December, which served as the qualifier for the Davis Cup team, even if he wanted to. “I definitely want to play in the coming years, but I still have some difference of opinion on how the team is selected,” he said. “As the only player with any professional rankings or points,

we felt that should take precedence. “I wasn’t able to play this year, so it wasn’t an option for me, but I would like to play in the coming years. Let me congratulate the team for coming out of Group (Zone) three and moving into Group (Zone) two. That’s a big thing for the Bahamas.” In the meantime, Roberts said he wants to get back on the court to improve his rankings and will be willing and ready to represent the country whenever he gets the call.

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SPORTS NOTES BOWLING KALIK SUMMER LEAGUE COMPETITION in the Kalik Summer Bowling League started last night with a record nine teams competing for a 1st place prize of $1,200, 2nd place of $600 and 3rd place $400. Teams are composed of at least six players who sponsor themselves with some rather unusual names. The top players of the evening were Raymond Adderley of Rumrunners with a 602 three game set followed by Byron McClain of Pocket Crushers with a 590 and Lee Davis of The Advocates with a 587 three game series. The top four in the standings, after the first week of six, are: Rum Runners 3,090 pins The Advocates 3,050 pins In Your Guts 3,045 pins Brooklyn Strikers 3,002 pins

Wednesday, June 13, 2018, PAGE 3

Impact Tennis gives players smooth transition to the pros By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net A year ago, Ricardo Demeritte Jr decided to provide an avenue to help assist our young Bahamian tennis players as they make the transition from the collegiate to the professional ranks through a company called Impact Tennis Academy. Demeritte Jr, a former player turned coach who has been working behind the scenes with many of the players over the past 4-5 years, has formed a partnership with Owen Forbes and will serve as the manager/ agent for the players. “I grew up with these guys and I know their potential,” said Demeritte Jr, whose group is getting some international support from Lawrence Carpio, a coach of one of Impact Tennis Academy’s members, Kevin Major Jr.

THE BAHAMAS’ only ATP/professionally ranked tennis player Justin Roberts (far right) and former college and national team player Kevin Major Jr with coach Ricardo Demeritte (centre) as the two players worked out together at the National Tennis Centre yesterday. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff “So we have taken the liberty to help them in their training fitness, getting in touch with the right people and bringing them together as one unit. We want to do as much as we can to help their journey to be as smooth as possible.” So far, Impact Tennis has Major Jr, Danielle

Thompson, Justin Roberts, Savannah Roberts, Emma Weech, Larikah Russell and Kerrie Cartwright under its wings as members. From time to time, Demeritte said they will be working closely with the players to ensure that they get the best options available to get their careers

off on the right foot and once they do, they provide assistance in pushing them further along. “We are really reaching out to those players who are serious and know what they really want to do,” Demeritte Jr pointed out. “We know that they have had some level of success

at the junior level and in college. “But we want to be able to be there for them when they want to take it to the pro level. Our job is just to help them to make it as smooth as possible. It’s one of the things that we have been missing from tennis, a transitional or management group. “They only need to focus on tennis. So we want to be able to do everything else for them, in terms of fund raising so that they can be able to travel to the tournaments to compete. “I think it’s going to be a struggle, but I think it’s something that needs to be started, so why not do it now.” This month will mark the first year anniversary of Impact Tennis Academy. And Demeritte Jr said the academy will be able to assist the players as much as they would like for them to do.

Bahamas Professional Golf Tour all set for round two

BRIAN MOODIE, president of RMS Insurance Co, presents Riccardo Davis, BPGT founder and director, with a cheque. At right is Rashanna Thompson of RMS.

THE Bahamas Professional Golf Tour is all set for round two in its Signature Series with RMS Insurance Company as the driving sponsor of the sophomore classic. The launch of the first BPGT golf open set the pace for a very competitive series of tournaments and the second installation will deliver just as great anticipation and excitement as the first BPGT Open. RMS president Brian Moodie is pleased to be amongst the first companies to take on the lead sponsorship in the BPGT Tournament. “RMS is a proud sponsor of the Bahamas Professional Golf Tour,” Moodie said. “We support such opportunities for local golfers to showcase their talents

TIGER WOODS MISSED US OPEN, SURPRISED HE’S STILL AT 14 MAJORS SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — A year ago, while watching the U.S. Open on television as he recovered from another back surgery, Tiger Woods had no idea if he’d ever compete again in what he calls “our national championship.” On Tuesday, he spoke about playing Shinnecock Hills as an opportunity to add to his three U.S. Open titles, but also as filling a hole in his existence after skipping the last two. This is his 20th U.S. Open. “I missed playing the U.S. Open,” Woods said. “It’s our national title and it has meant so much to me in my career. The biggest event you can win when I was growing up, it was a

TIGER Woods tees off on the fourth hole during a practice round for the US Open Golf Championship yesterday in Southampton, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) USGA event. To have won nine times is pretty special.” Woods was including his three U.S. Amateur victories and three in the U.S.

Junior Amateur in the 1990s. Woods has been stuck on 14 majors for a decade, his epic victory in the 2008 U.S. Open being his last. In the interim, of course, health issues — he wondered last year if he’d get healthy enough to play with his kids again — and off-the-course problems have stymied his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ record 18 majors. So is Woods surprised he hasn’t gotten to No. 15 yet? “I’d been there on a number of occasions to win the 15th and haven’t done it,” he said. “I don’t like that feeling. I’ve certainly had a nice run and won a few, and unfortunately in the last 10 years I haven’t.”

CELTICS’ KYRIE IRVING COY ON POSSIBLE REUNION WITH LEBRON By G COOLBAUGH Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Kyrie Irving is playing coy about the possibility of reuniting with his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate LeBron James next season in Boston. The Celtics guard on Tuesday deferred when asked about the prospect of the team pursuing James this summer. The 33-yearold James has a player option to remain in Cleveland next season but could opt for free agency. “In this business, I’ve kind of experienced it all and I’ve seen a lot, so we’ll see what management decides,” Irving said when asked if he would be open to playing alongside James again. Irving was drafted No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers in 2011 and played three seasons with James, from 2014-17. The duo made three straight trips to the

NBA Finals, winning a championship in 2016. “Obviously, it’s a business at the end of the day,” Irving said. “Ownership and management, they’re going to feel what’s best for our future and I’m fully supportive of (them). We’ll see what happens.” Irving was traded to Boston last August and averaged 24.4 points and 5.1 assists over 60 games in his first season with the Celtics. The five-time All-Star missed the last 15 games of the regular season and the entirety of the playoffs after undergoing left knee surgery. “To kind of have something like that unexpected, it was hurtful, because just a lot of what I wanted to accomplish with our guys and individually as one of the leaders of the team,” Irving said. Irving also had a separate surgery in May to repair a deviated septum,

a procedure that kept him away from the sidelines for Game 7 of the Celtics’ Eastern Conference Finals series against James and the Cavaliers. “Obviously, it wasn’t going to feel the same (not being there), but I was just so proud of our guys and what they did,” Irving said. “They passed a lot of expectations, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.” Cleveland beat Boston 87-79 in Game 7 to send James to his eighth consecutive Finals series. The Cavaliers were swept by the Golden State Warriors, dropping James’ personal Finals record to 3-6. The Celtics expect Irving to be completely recovered by the start of training camp in the fall. “I’m feeling good,” Irving said. “It was going to be a process coming back, just making sure I’m healthy enough for September. Just trying not to push it too hard.”

and this tour gives them such an opportunity both locally and internationally. “We also applaud the BPGT’s commitment to giving back to the community and their involvement with REACH.” With tee-off at 2:30pm on June 29, it is anticipated that just under 60 professional and amateur golf enthusiasts from here and abroad will set their sights on attractive prize purses, including cash and other great prizes. “We look forward to seeing familiar local professionals including Greg Maycock from Grand Bahama, a senior local professional who continues to excel in golf, along with the first pro overall leader David Harris of Houston, Texas,” said

Riccardo Davis, the founder and director of the organisation. The BPGT also expressed its gratitude to Scott Farrington and SunTee for the sponsorship of their t-shirts. Davis also noted that Under Armour is the preferred brand of The Bahamas Professional Golf Tour. The BPGT invites all professional golfers and top amateurs to join us in the second round of the BPGT Professional Golf Classic, hosted at the Royal Blue Golf Course at Baha Mar. For registration details, interested persons are urged to email bahamasprofessionalgolftour@ gmail.com or visit the website at www.bpgt.org

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CRAWFORD SCORES TKO OVER HORN, WINS WBO WELTERWEIGHT TITLE

BOSTON Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts (2) slides past Baltimore Orioles catcher Chance Sisco for a run on Brock Holt’s sacrifice fly ball in the 12th inning of a baseball game Monday night in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — With a bevy of punches in the ninth round, Terence Crawford solidified his case as one of the best poundfor-pound boxers in the world. Crawford dropped Jeff Horn with 50 seconds left in the ninth and sent him into the ropes with a slew of punches, ending the fight and winning the WBO welterweight title. Referee Robert Byrd stopped the fight with 28 seconds left in the round. “Like I said before, I was the stronger guy,” said Crawford, who landed 48 percent of his power shots, according to CompuBox. Crawford (33-0, 24 knockouts) moved up to the 147-pound division and became the sixth fighter in boxing history to win titles at lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight.

Red Sox edge struggling Orioles 2-0 in 12 innings BALTIMORE (AP) — Brock Holt and Jackie Bradley Jr. each delivered a sacrifice fly in the 12th inning, and the Boston Red Sox limited the Baltimore Orioles to five hits in a 2-0 victory Monday night. A pitching duel between Dylan Bundy and Steven Wright was ultimately decided long after both starters departed. Xander Bogaerts led off the 12th with a single against Mychal Givens (0-3), and the Red Sox went on to load the bases before Holt broke the scoreless deadlock with a fly to center. Bradley followed with a fly ball to score Rafael Devers, who had doubled. Heath Hembree (3-1) struck out the side in the 11th and Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 21st save. It was the fifth straight loss for the Orioles, who have been shut out seven times this season.

CUBS 7, BREWERS 2 (11 INNINGS) MILWAUKEE (AP) — Anthony Rizzo homered down the right-field line on the first pitch of a five-run 11th inning to help Chicago beat Milwaukee and jump into first place in the NL Central. Rizzo turned on a fastball from Matt Albers (3-2) for a towering shot that snapped a 2-all tie. The Cubs scored four more runs in the inning with two outs, including a two-run double by Jason Heyward. He had three hits and three RBIs, including a tying single in the eighth off lefty reliever Josh Hader. Trailing 2-1 most of the night, the Cubs scored six times over the last four innings against the Brewers’ normally lights-out bullpen. Chicago took a half-game lead in the division and won its seventh straight over Milwaukee.

IT WAS THE 5TH STRAIGHT LOSS FOR BALTIMORE, WHO HAVE BEEN SHUT OUT 7 TIMES THIS SEASON Randy Rosario (3-0) retired all six batters he faced. MARINERS 5, ANGELS 3 SEATTLE (AP) — Nelson Cruz homered twice and surprising Seattle overcame Mike Trout’s two home runs in a win over Los Angeles. Ryon Healy hit a two-run shot for the Mariners, who chased Andrew Heaney (3-5) early and won for the ninth time in 11 games. Seattle sits atop the AL West by a half-game over the World Series champion Houston Astros. Trout tied Boston slugger J.D. Martinez for the major league lead with 21 homers. Albert Pujols also went deep for the Angels. Mariners starter Wade LeBlanc (2-0) allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. He loaded the bases in the fifth but struck out Justin Upton to escape unscathed. Cruz drove in three runs and Edwin Diaz pitched a clean ninth for his major league-best 24th save in 27 chances. INDIANS 4, WHITE SOX 0 CHICAGO (AP) — Carlos Carrasco struck out 11 while pitching two-hit ball over seven innings as Cleveland blanked Chicago. Michael Brantley hit his 11th homer, Yan Gomes had a two-run double and the AL Central leaders took advantage of another wild outing by Lucas Giolito (4-7) to win for the fifth time in six games. The Indians improved to 4-0 against the White Sox. Carrasco (8-4) gave up singles to Kevan Smith and Charlie Tilson in the second before striking out Adam Engel to end the threat. Three relievers completed the two-hitter. Giolito (4-7) threw more balls (47) than strikes (46) in giving up four runs and four hits in five-plus innings. MARLINS 7, GIANTS 5 MIAMI (AP) — Madison Bumgarner blew a sixth inning lead and was ejected on the way out of his second start this season and Miami rallied past San Francisco. J.T. Realmuto had three hits including his seventh home run of the season and drove in two and Brian Anderson homered, doubled twice, and drove in two runs for the Marlins.

Bumgarner was pulled after giving up a tying hit to Lewis Brinson with one out in the sixth. Upset over calls on a four-pitch walk earlier in the inning, Bumbarner had words for home plate umpire Jeremie Rehak on his way to the dugout and was ejected. Brandon Crawford’s sacrifice fly in the seventh gave the Giants a 5-4 lead. Anderson responded with an RBI double to tie the game at 5. Realmuto followed with a two-run home run to center field off Sam Dyson (2-1). Adam Conley (2-0) tossed a scoreless inning and Kyle Barraclough pitched a flawless ninth for his third save in five chances. RAYS 8, BLUE JAYS 4 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jake Bauers hit his first career home run to put Tampa Bay ahead in the fourth inning. Bauers’ two-run homer off Sam Gaviglia after Matt Duffy’s single erased a 4-3 Toronto lead. Tampa Bay tacked on three runs in the seventh with the help of a bases-loaded throwing error by reliever John Axford. Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough, who leads the major leagues with 44 relief innings, started and pitched six innings for the Rays. Yarbrough (5-2) gave up four runs on seven hits while striking out three in his first start since May 14. The Rays, who won for only the second time in 11 games. Gaviglia (2-2) gave up five runs on seven hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. Teoscar Hernandez hit his 11th homer for the Blue Jays, who had won four straight. CARDINALS 5, PADRES 2 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Marcell Ozuna and Jose Martinez hit two-run homers, rookie Jack Flaherty pitched into the seventh inning, and St. Louis beat San Diego for the 13th time in 18 meetings. Jedd Gyorko added a one-out home run in the eighth, helping drop the Padres to their 46th loss in their last 62 games in St. Louis. Flaherty (3-2) pitched 6 1/3 innings, his second-longest outing this season. He allowed one run and three hits with a walk and six

strikeouts. Flaherty retired 14 consecutive batters before issuing a one-walk in the seventh. John Brebbia relieved and walked the bases loaded before getting two strikeouts to end the threat. Bud Norris earned his 13th save in 15 chances. Jordan Lyles (2-3) gave up 11 hits and four runs in six innings. DIAMONDBACKS 9, PIRATES 5 PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona scored two runs on wild pitches in the eighth inning, Jake Lamb hit a tying, three-run homer in the seventh and the Diamondbacks took advantage of a hit by pitch to rally past Pittsburgh.

The Pirates led 5-0 behind Joe Musgrove until the right-hander opened the seventh by hitting Chris Owings with the first pitch — possibly as retaliation for Josh Harrison being plunked in the top half. Nick Ahmed hit a runscoring single, Daniel Descalso had another off Edgar Santana and Lamb tied it at 5 with a three-run homer to left field. Ketel Marte singled off Kyle Crick (0-1) leading off the eighth, moved to second on a walk and raced to third after a pickoff attempt at second base by catcher Elias Diaz. Marte scored when the next pitch by Crick bounded to the backstop. Descalso put Arizona up 8-5 with a two-run triple and scored on Dovydas Neverauskas’ wild pitch. Archie Bradley (2-1) worked out of a basesloaded jam in the seventh inning.

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Wednesday, June 13, 2018, PAGE 5

Lowly-ranked Russians, Saudis meet to kick off World Cup By JAMES ELLINGWORTH AP Sports Writer MOSCOW (AP) — The World Cup is set to start and finish with games at the opposite ends of the spectrum. The lowest-ranked teams at the tournament will meet in the opener Thursday when Russia hosts Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, which is also venue for the July 15 final. The No. 70-ranked Russians got an automatic spot as tournament host and the Saudis, at No. 67, have the lowest ranking of the 31 countries which secured places via qualifying. They’re the longest of long shots to reach the final. The home team will likely need to win to have a realistic hope of advancing from Group A, and is expected to have Russian President Vladimir Putin in the crowd for support as it bids to end a winless streak of seven games. Only one World Cup host nation has failed to get past the group stage — South Africa in 2010. The other two teams in the group, Egypt and Uruguay, boast star forwards in Mohamed Salah and Luis Suarez who could cause major problems for the Russia and Saudi defences. The Saudis lost their last three games but remain upbeat at their first World Cup appearance for 12 years. CLASH OF COACHES Juan Antonio Pizzi and Russia’s Stanislav Cherchesov bring very different personalities and coaching tactics to the tournament. Pizzi won the 2016 Copa America title with Chile using an all-action style with constant pressure on the opposition. He’ll struggle to replicate that with a Saudi team he took over after it had qualified for the World Cup. Cherchesov favours a more defensive approach. Cherchesov, known for his prickly demeanour in interviews, responded to questions about what he’d say to Russian fans who are nervous about their team’s poor form by saying he’s “no psychologist, to go around calming people down.” RUSSIA’S REPLACEMENTS Injuries disrupted Russia’s World Cup preparations, with forward Alexander Kokorin and

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press

SAUDI Arabia’s Salem Al-Dawsari, right, duels for the ball with Germany’s Joshua Kimmich during a friendly soccer match between Germany and Saudi Arabia at BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, in preparation for the 2018 soccer World Cup. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) defenders Georgy Dzhikiya and Viktor Vasin sustaining severe knee injuries earlier this year. That forced Cherchesov into some late shake-ups. Expect Fyodor Smolov to start up front and for more tinkering with the defence. Cherchesov abandoned his usual three-man backline with wing-backs in favour of a fourman defence against Austria last month, but Russia lost 1-0 and failed to register a shot on target. VINTAGE The average age of players in the Russia and Saudi Arabia squads is

almost 29 — among the oldest in the tournament — and each boasts a pair of players with more than 100 international appearances. For the Russians, there’s captain and goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev with 105 caps, plus the 38-year-old central defender Sergei Ignashevich (121). Osama Hawsawi has played 135 times for Saudi Arabia, and midfielder Taiseer Al-Jassim has 132 caps. DOPING SHADOW Russian football was embroiled in the country’s doping scandal,

with whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov claiming his Moscow laboratory covered up failed drug tests. Rodchenkov has said one player benefited from the cover-up, but didn’t identify him or specify whether the player made Russia’s final 23-man World Cup squad. Defender Ruslan Kambolov, who was in the preliminary squad, was investigated by FIFA over alleged doping, but lawyers said FIFA dropped the case. FIFA hasn’t confirmed that as yet.

SINCE 2014 HIGHS, A STRUGGLE FOR COLOMBIA, JAMES By JAIRO ANCHIQUE Associated Press BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia has a lot to live up to in Russia after providing one of the standout moments of the last World Cup. James Rodriguez was catapulted to stardom when he took the ball on his chest and swiveled before smashing a volley in off the underside of the bar at the Maracana against Uruguay. It helped to secure Colombia’s spot in the quarter-finals in 2014 — and ultimately, for James, a move to Real Madrid. But James has struggled to live up to the highs of Brazil, where he scored a tournament-leading six goals. He struggled to make an impact in Spain and has been trying to regain form ahead of this World Cup at Bayern Munich. It was a struggle, too, for Colombia to even qualify for a second straight World Cup with a spot only sealed in the last match. It enables Radamel Falcao to finally appear at soccer’s biggest event after missing the trip to Brazil with a left knee injury. • Here’s a closer look at the Colombia team: COACH Jose Pekerman has spent six years in charge of Colombia, following successes with his native Argentina. He guided Argentina to under20 world titles in 1995, 1997 and 2001 and then guided the senior squad to the 2006 World Cup quarterfinals, where it lost to host Germany in a penalty shootout. Pekerman has long had close ties to Colombia: He played with Independiente Medellin in the 1970s and Vanessa, his eldest daughter, was born in the capital in 1975. GOALKEEPERS David Ospina is the undisputed choice to top the team sheet, despite being restricted to playing in cup competitions for Arsenal while Petr Cech starts Premier League matches. Camilo Vargas, who plays for Deportivo Cali in Colombia, is Ospina’s understudy, just like at the 2014 World Cup. Jose Fernando Cuadrado, who also plays at

SPAIN’S LOPETEGUI TO COACH REAL MADRID AFTER WORLD CUP

COLOMBIA’s team pose before a 2018 World Cup qualifying soccer match against Peru at National Stadium in Lima. (AP) home for Once Caldas, is also set to make the cut. DEFENDERS Pekerman has been forced to reshape the defense due to the retirement of Mario Alberto Yepes and the trio of Pablo Armero, Camilo Zuniga and Carlos Valdes losing form and fitness. But quality center backs have broken through: Yerry Mina of Barcelona, Oscar Murillo of Mexican side Pachuca and Davinson Sanchez of Tottenham. Cristian Zapata is set for a second World Cup, along with right back Santiago Arias. MIDFIELDERS James, Juan Cuadrado of Juventus and Carlos Sanchez of Fiorentina are set for a second World Cup. Edwin Cardona, Mateus Uribe, Wilmar Barrios, Giovanni Moreno and Juan Fernando Quintero are other options.

The goals of the flyers were vital when the attackers spent about a year without converting. FOWARDS Falcao is the only striker who looks certain of a starting spot while Duvan Zapata, Luis Fernando Muriel, Carlos Bacca, Miguel Angel Borja, Duvan Zapata and Yimmi Chara are competing for the remaining places. Pekerman tends to go for a lone striker either in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-41-1 formation. GROUP GAMES Colombia opens Group H on Tuesday against Japan, plays the second game near its Kazan base against Poland on June 24, and concludes against Senegal on June 28. SQUAD Goalkeepers: David Ospina (Arsenal), Camilo Vargas

(Deportivo Cali), Jose Fernando Cuadrado (Once Caldas) Defenders: Cristian Zapata (AC Milan), Yerry Mina (Barcelona), Davinson Sanchez (Tottenham), Oscar Murillo (Pachuca), Santiago Arias (PSV Eindhoven), Farid Diaz (Olimpia), Johan Mojica (Girona), Jefferson Lerma (Levante) Midfielders: Carlos Sanchez (Espanyol), Abel Aguilar (Deportivo Cali), Mateus Uribe (America), Wilmar Barrios (Boca Juniors), James Rodriguez (Bayern Munich), Juan Fernando Quintero (River Plate), Juan Guillermo Cuadrado (Juventus), Jose Heriberto Izquierdo (Brighton) Forwards: Luis Fernando Muriel (Sevilla), Radamel Falcao (Monaco), Carlos Bacca (Villarreal), Miguel Angel Borja (Palmeiras)

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain coach Julen Lopetegui will take over as Real Madrid manager after the World Cup, the club said yesterday in an announcement that comes just three days before the national team’s first game at the tournament. Madrid said in a short statement that Lopetegui has agreed to coach the Champions League winners for the next three seasons once Spain’s participation in soccer’s biggest event is over. The appointment comes as Lopetegui is making his final preparations for Spain’s opening match against Portugal in Sochi on Friday. The Spanish football federation said Madrid had paid an undisclosed amount to trigger the buyout clause included in Lopetegui’s contract. “The Spanish football federation asks for the maximum respect in order to maintain a sense of normalcy around the national team as it is about to debut in the World Cup,” the federation said in a statement. Lopetegui and Luis Rubiales, who was elected federation president last month, will hold a press conference at Spain’s base camp in Krasnodar, Russia, on Wednesday. Lopetegui will take the place of Zinedine Zidane, after he surprised the club two weeks ago by saying he was leaving after winning an unprecedented three straight Champions League titles. Lopetegui was Vicente del Bosque successor for Spain following the team’s failure to successfully defend its title at the 2016 European Championship.

JOHNSON RECLAIMS NO. 1 RANKING WITH WIN IN MEMPHIS MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Dustin Johnson emphatically reclaimed the No. 1 ranking Sunday, holing out for eagle from 170 yards on the final hole for a sixstroke victory in the St. Jude Classic. Johnson shot a 4-under 66 for his second PGA Tour victory this year and 18th of his career to take back the No. 1 ranking he held for 64 straight weeks before dropping down a month ago. He won the event for the second time, finishing with the eagle, three birdies and a bogey for a 19-under 261 total. Andrew Putnam started the final round with a share of the lead for the first time in his career. He shot 72 and finished at 13 under. Preparing for the U.S. Open, Johnson took the lead to himself with a par on No. 1, while Putnam double-bogeyed, and cruised to the $1.18 million winner’s check. Johnson turned in the lowest score under par by a winner here since David Toms won at 20 under in 2003, and that was before the course was redesigned with par dropped from 71 to 70 after the 2004 tournament. Johnson, who won the U.S. Open in 2016, heads to Shinnecock Hills after stringing together four straight rounds in the 60s. He went 67, 63 and 65 before wrapping up a final round that felt almost like a practice round with the only question remaining how low Johnson would go. At least until his dramatic walk-off eagle. Johnson was in the intermediate rough to the right of the fairway, and the ball bounded twice before rolling into the cup.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, June 13, 2018, PAGE 7

AFTER LONG WAIT, AFGHANISTAN PREPARES FOR FIRST CRICKET TEST By CHETAN NARULA Associated Press BENGALURU, India (AP) — When Afghanistan plays its inaugural cricket test match against top-ranked India starting tomorrow, it’s an event that has been 17 years in the making. Afghanistan was made an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) back in 2001, at a time when it was the only sport that was approved by the oppressive Taliban regime. But after 9/11, even cricket became just an afterthought as the country spiralled into war. Yet the game survived somehow among the Afghan people, who continued living in refugee camps lining the border to cricketloving Pakistan. And it led to the rise of players like nationalteam captain Asghar Stanikzai, all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad and pacer Shapoor Zadran.

All of them learned to play in the dusty outskirts of Peshawar, the home in exile of Afghan cricket, and are now preparing to step into the limelight of a fiveday test match for the first time. Such matches can only be played between countries who have been given test status by the ICC, with Afghanistan set to become only the 12th official test nation. “It’s a great moment for us as we embark on our test journey. To be playing our first test against India is a great honour and we hope to give a good account of ourselves,” Stanikzai said. “To be competing against the best on the test rankings table is something to be proud of and we will try to do our best in whatever chances we get and exhibit the skills the players possess individually as well as collectively as a team.” In the past year or so, Afghanistan’s reputation has grown as they played at Lord’s in London against an MCC XI led by Brendon

AFGHANISTAN players show off the winning trophy of the T20 cricket match between Afghanistan and Bangladesh in Dehraduni, India, on June 8. Afghanistan won the series by 3-0. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Among their biggest stars is Rashid Khan, the 19-year-old leg-spin bowler who is one of the world’s most sought-after players in the shorter Twenty20 form of the game. Born in Nangahar in eastern Afghanistan in 1998, Khan’s family moved to Pakistan to escape the war

McCullum, drew an ODI series in West Indies, beat Ireland and Zimbabwe away, and then came back from the brink to win the ICC 2019 ODI World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. Consequentially, an increasing number of Afghan cricketers have gained prominence.

and then returned to Jalalabad a few years later. Back in his home country, Khan continued to sharpen his bowling and advanced to represent Afghanistan on the international stage in a one-day international in October 2015, a month after his 17th birthday. Nicknamed the “Afghan

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 72° F/22° C

TAMPA

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Periods of sun, a t‑storm in spots

Partly cloudy

Clouds and sun with a stray t‑storm

Some sun with a shower in places

Clouds and sun with a stray shower

Clouds and sun with a stray t‑storm

High: 86°

Low: 78°

High: 85° Low: 79°

High: 86° Low: 78°

High: 87° Low: 77°

High: 86° Low: 77°

AccuWeather RealFeel

96° F

86° F

96°-88° F

99°-89° F

99°-85° F

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

almanac

ABACO

High: 81° F/27° C Low: 78° F/26° C

6‑12 knots

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 72° F/22° C

6‑12 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE

FREEPORT

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 76° F/24° C

W S

WEST PALM BEACH

uV inDex toDay

TONIGHT

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 78° F/26° C

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 78° F/26° C

MIAMI

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 77° F/25° C

4‑8 knots

Afridi” for his wicket-taking celebration mirroring those of Pakistan’s mercurial all-rounder Shahid Afridi, Khan has taken world cricket by storm with successes in major T20 competitions. These include the Indian Premier League, the Caribbean Premier League and the Big Bash in Australia. Khan was named the 2017 ICC Associate Cricketer of the Year, and now can’t wait to move to test cricket. “There is immense happiness back home (regarding the rise of Afghan cricket). Our players are doing well in the IPL and everywhere across the world. It shows the Afghanistan cricket team is slowly rising through the ranks,” Khan told The Associated Press in an interview last year. “Ultimately, the goal is to play test cricket. Maybe, I will get to play Afghanistan’s first-ever test. Hopefully that day isn’t far away.” In fact it arrives this week.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 86° F/30° C Low .................................................... 80° F/27° C Normal high ....................................... 87° F/30° C Normal low ........................................ 74° F/23° C Last year’s high ................................. 92° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 76° F/25° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday .................................. trace Year to date ............................................... 19.67” Normal year to date ................................... 10.68”

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 78° F/26° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

KEY WEST

High: 86° F/30° C Low: 77° F/25° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

6‑12 knots

7‑14 knots

ANDROS

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

tiDes For nassau High

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

Today

7:53 a.m. 8:25 p.m.

2.7 3.6

2:03 a.m. ‑0.4 2:00 p.m. ‑0.7

Thursday

8:45 a.m. 9:17 p.m.

2.8 3.7

2:55 a.m. ‑0.5 2:52 p.m. ‑0.8

Friday

9:39 a.m. 10:09 p.m.

2.8 3.6

3:47 a.m. ‑0.6 3:45 p.m. ‑0.7

Saturday

10:34 a.m. 11:03 p.m.

2.8 3.5

4:40 a.m. ‑0.5 4:41 p.m. ‑0.6

Sunday

11:32 a.m. 11:58 p.m.

2.8 3.4

5:34 a.m. ‑0.5 5:39 p.m. ‑0.3

Monday

12:32 p.m. ‑‑‑‑‑

2.7 ‑‑‑‑‑

6:30 a.m. ‑0.3 6:40 p.m. ‑0.1

Tuesday

12:56 a.m. 1:35 p.m.

3.2 2.7

7:27 a.m. ‑0.2 7:45 p.m. 0.1

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:20 a.m. 8:00 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

6:12 a.m. 8:01 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Jun. 13

Jun. 20

Jun. 28

Jul. 6

CAT ISLAND

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 79° F/26° C

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 85° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

7‑14 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 84° F/29° C Low: 80° F/27° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CROOKED ISLAND / ACKLINS RAGGED ISLAND High: 84° F/29° C Low: 81° F/27° C

High: 84° F/29° C Low: 81° F/27° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 87° F/31° C Low: 81° F/27° C

7‑14 knots

marine Forecast ABACO ANDROS

CAT ISLAND CROOKED ISLAND ELEUTHERA FREEPORT GREAT EXUMA GREAT INAGUA LONG ISLAND MAYAGUANA NASSAU RAGGED ISLAND SAN SALVADOR

Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday: Today: Thursday:

WINDS SE at 6‑12 Knots S at 6‑12 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots ENE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots

WAVES 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 81° F 81° F 83° F 83° F 80° F 80° F 82° F 82° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 80° F 82° F 82° F 83° F 83° F 83° F 83° F 84° F 84° F 81° F 81° F 82° F 82° F 81° F 81° F

Covering The Bahamas for over 40 years. NEW PROVIDENCE | GRAND BAHAMA | ABACO | ELEUTHERA | EXUMA

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PAGE 8, Wednesday, June 13, 2018

THE TRIBUNE

FROM left, International Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2018 inductees Ronald Wright, Steve Albert, Vitali Klitschko, Jim Gray, and Erik Morales present their Hall of Fame rings to the crowd gathered in Canastota, New York on Sunday. (AP)

VITALI KLITSCHKO HONOURS BROTHER IN HIS HALL OF FAME MOMENT CANASTOTA, N.Y. (AP) — Vitali Klitschko had a difficult time grasping the moment. “It’s not reality. It’s dream,” Klitschko said Sunday during his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. “I never expected I will be in (the Hall of Fame). I didn’t expect one day I become world champion in the United States. I’m very proud to be together with boxing legends. It’s a dream to be in with Muhammad Ali.” Klitschko was elected to the Hall of Fame in December, three years after he decided to re-enter politics in his native Ukraine. Also inducted Sunday were four-division world champion Erik Morales and light middleweight champion Ronald “Winky” Wright, while Sid Terris was honoured posthumously in the old-timer category.

Honoured in the observer category were broadcasters Steve Albert and Jim Gray, while German promoter Klaus-Peter Kohl was honoured in the nonparticipant category. Ring announcer Johnny Addie and promoter Lorraine Chargin were honoured posthumously in the nonparticipant category. With a Ph.D in his portfolio, the 6-foot-7 Klitschko earned the nickname “Dr. Ironfist.” A product of the Soviet athletic system, Klitschko and his younger brother, Wladimir, dominated the heavyweight class for a decade. Vitali, now mayor of Kiev, boxed professionally from 1996-2013, his fierce jab and aggressive punching the keys to a 45-2 record with 41 knockouts. No surprise that Wladimir made sure to make the trip to witness his big brother’s crowning

INTERNATIONAL Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2018 inductee Jim Gray shares a moment with Mike Tyson during the IBHOF Induction ceremony on Sunday in Canastota, New York. (AP) moment. The bond between the two remains strong. “I am very proud to have the strongest brother in the world,” Vitali said. “We helped each other. I want to say thank you very much, brother, for everything what you did for me and your support. Younger brother, I’m more than sure you will also be here.”

Morales won titles in four weight divisions. Nicknamed “El Terrible,” the native of Mexico followed his father into the ring and won the NABF and WBC super bantamweight titles. He also beat Guty Espadas Jr. for the WBC featherweight title in 2001, captured the WBC and IBF super featherweight titles in

2004, and in 2011 defeated Pablo Cano for the WBC light welterweight title. He retired with a pro record of 52-9 (36 KOs). Wright, a native of Washington, D.C., was a 5-foot-10 southpaw who captured the NABF light middleweight title twice (1995-96, 2000) and four world 154-pound title belts. He also competed as a middleweight and scored wins over Sam Soliman and Felix Trinidad, the latter he considered his defining moment before retiring in 2012 with a pro record of 51-6-1 (25 KOs). For Gray, a veteran of over 700 championship bouts as part of the broadcast team at Showtime, it, too, was an unforgettable moment. He was introduced by former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, a good friend. “This award is way, way overdue,” Tyson said,

sobbing. “I’m very proud of you. “Well-deserved.” Gray started his career as a video tape editor and sports reporter in Denver in 1977 and was thrust into the world of boxing the next year as a teenage broadcasting novice when he was assigned to interview Ali. Also touched by the moment, Gray added his own dash of humor as he spoke. “It’s ironic. The man who threatened to kill me in public is now inducting me into the Hall of Fame,” Gray said with a smile as he glanced at Tyson. “My journey today has been an unlikely one. The Boxing Hall of Fame immortalised all of these great fighters. “So this magnificent honour comes with tremendous humility. How could this happen? I never took a punch.”