Sports briefs
Tour de France postponed
After weeks of holding out hope the Tour de France would be able to go ahead as planned despite the coronavirus pandemic, the world’s most famous cycling race was finally added to the list of sporting events called off.
It may still happen this year, but it’s clear the three-week race won’t be starting on June 27 in the Riviera city of Nice as scheduled.
French President Emmanuel Macron effectively made that decision in his speech to the nation on Monday when he announced that all public events with large crowds have been canceled until at least mid-July.
While cycling’s biggest event could be scrapped altogether, organizers are discussing potential later dates.
Former MLB manager Frey dead at 88Jim Frey, who managed the Kansas City Royals to the 1980 AL pennant and the Chicago Cubs within one win of the 1984 World Series, has died. He was 88.
Frey died Sunday at his home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, according to the Atlantic League’s Somerset Patriots, the minor league team he had been affiliated with since its launch in 1998. The Patriots did not announce a cause of death.
An outfielder, Frey spent 14 seasons in the minor league organizations of the Boston and Milwaukee Braves, and the St. Louis Cardinals without reaching the majors.
He scouted and managed in the minor leagues for Baltimore and coached for the Orioles under manager Earl Weaver from 1970-79. Frey replaced Whitey Herzog as the Royals’ manager after the 1979 season. They won the AL West with a 97-65 record in 1980, finishing 14 games ahead of Oakland.
Kentucky’s Richards to enter NBA draft
Kentucky forward Nick Richards will enter the NBA draft and forego his final season of collegiate eligibility by signing with an agency.
The 6-11 junior is the fourth Wildcats starter to turn pro. He’s coming off a breakout season in which he was named a first team All-Southeastern Conference selection by the Associated Press and league coaches. His per-game scoring average increased 10 points from his sophomore season to 14.0 while starting 30 of 31 contests to help the Wildcats (25-6) earn the SEC regular season title before the postseason was cancelled because of coronavirus concerns.
Richards also ranked fourth nationally in shooting at 64% and made the SEC all-defensive squad with averages of 7.8 rebounds and 2.13 blocks per game.
Wake Forest coach takes pay cut
Wake Forest football coach Dave Clawson joined athletic director John Currie, university president Nathan Hatch and the president’s cabinet members in taking a 10% pay cut to help the school address revenue shortfalls caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Clawson signed an eight-year extension with Wake Forest last April. According to USA Today’s coaches’ salary database, Clawson was paid almost $2.2 million last season by the private school.
World Series MVP Pearce retires
Steve Pearce, the career journeyman who broke loose to become the unlikely MVP of the 2018 World Series, says he’s done playing after an injury-plagued season for the Boston Red Sox.
“You know what? It has been a good run. I have 10 years in there. Right now I am officially retired,” Pearce said.
Pearce made the announcement Monday night on WEEI while the Boston radio station aired a replay of the 2018 World Series opener between the Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. He homered and hit a three-run double in Game 4, then homered twice the next day as the Red Sox took title.