Latest news with #BoysinBlue
IOL News
03-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Western Province embrace chilly Cape Town winter to set pre-season in full swing
FILE - All-Round Mihlali Mpongwana has been one of the new generation that have helped Western Province reach two consecutive One-Day Cup finals. Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix On the bowling front, the squad has been boosted by the pace and experience of fast bowler Tshepo Moreki. With many of their star players, including Kyle Verreynne, David Bedingham and Tony de Zorzi playing various formats for the Proteas, Province have added left-handed opening batter Jiveshan Pillay into their squad from the Warriors and right-handed opening batter Joshua van Heerden from the Titans. Having gone through the season without the trophy, where the Boys in Blue finished fifth in the Four-Day competition, eighth in the One Day Cup and fourth in the T20 Challenge, the Cape Town-based unit has had an early start to their pre-season preparations. THE Western Province Men's team has embraced the chilly Cape Town winter as pre-season preparations are in full swing. Pillay is already with the squad in their pre-season training, while Moreki and Mihlali Mpongwana are expected to join the pre-season preparations this week, having just returned from the Caribbean with the South Africa 'A' squad. Van Heerden is expected to join the squad at the beginning of August. Perhaps the most important addition at Newlands this season is the newly appointed coach, Rory Kleinveldt. Kleinveldt makes his return to Newlands following a successful tenure in the UK, where he served as Lead Bowling Coach for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club. The 42-year-old's appointment follows the departure of former head coach, Salieg Nackerdien, who concluded his tenure at the end of the 2024/25 season. The Boys in Blue got their winter programme underway with a challenging hike up the demanding Constantia Nek trail under the supervision of Strength and Conditioning coach Dieter Swanepoel. 'We are four weeks into our pre-season program thus far, and I'm very happy with the progress that the guys have made,' said Swanepoel. 'We started our winter training off with a couple of hikes up Constantia Nek and Table Mountain, balancing the training objectives with a bit of team cohesion and good banter. The players also underwent their baseline fitness profiling before commencing with the formal strength and conditioning program. 'The wet weather hasn't been ideal for our cardiovascular sessions, but it just meant more time indoors on the machines. Every winter it is pretty much the same weather, wet and cold, so it's just a matter of being adaptable and at times creative. 'The guys' attitudes and energies have been awesome thus far. There has been a good focus and determination from the guys on how they are going about their business, which is exciting.' Swanepoel concluded. WSB Western Province Men 2025/26 squad Beuran Hendricks, Bongile Mfunelwa, Dane Paterson, Daniel Smith, Eddie Moore, George Linde, Jiveshan Pillay, Jono Bird, Joshua van Heerden, Juan James, Kyle Simmonds, Mihlali Mpongwana, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Oliver Whitehead, Raeeq Daniels, Tshepo Moreki, Valentine Kitime. National Contracts: David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi.
Los Angeles Times
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Welcome to the deportation resistance, Dodgers. What's next?
For Dodgers fan, it's all about the moments on the field. Kirk Gibson's Game 1-winning World Series home run in 1988. Freddie Freeman doing the same last year. Koufax's four no-hitters. Fernandomania. Shohei Ohtani anytime he's at the plate or on the mound. It's outside the baseball diamond where the team has usually stumbled. And right now, the team finds itself in the middle of an unforced error that they're trying to recover from. That's the best way to describe how the Boys in Blue have acted as the city emblazoned on their hats and road jerseys battles Donald Trump's toxic alphabet soup of federal agencies that have conducted immigration sweeps across Los Angeles over the past two weeks. They stayed quiet as rumors circulated that la migra was using the Dodger Stadium parking lot as a staging and processing area for their raids. They ignored calls for days by some fans and community leaders to issue a statement, any statement, in defense of immigrants. After offering my my fellow Times columnist Dylan Hernández a 'no comment,' the team finally told our colleague Jack Harris on Wednesday that they planned to assist 'immigrant communities impacted by the recent events in Los Angeles' without offering details. Then they paused in light of Thursday's dramatic events, which saw the Dodgers dragged into a fight with the Trump administration over what actually happened when federal agents were spotted near the stadium that morning. The team posted on social media that they denied a request by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to 'access the parking lots.' 'False,' ICE blared on social media. The Department of Homeland Security chimed in to claim Customs and Border Protection agents just happened to be near the stadium gates 'unrelated to any operation or enforcement' — this, even as local television news footage showed a U.S. citizen caught earlier that morning at a Home Depot just up the 101 freeway being transferred from one unmarked vehicle to another. 'We'll get back to you soon with the timing' about how the Dodgers will help immigrants, president Stan Kasten told Harris Thursday. No, Stan. The moment is now. For decades, the Dodgers have gotten away with being the Flamin' Hot Cheetos of Major League Baseball – a corporate entity with an undue, even unhealthy following by too many Latinos. Each brand does little more than offer quick thrills to fans while taking their money, yet both have turned into markers of latinidad in Southern California à la lowriders and guayaberas. The Dodgers have pulled this off even as they're the same franchise that refuses to put up any marker acknowledging that their home stands on the site where L.A. officials razed three barrios in the 1950s for a housing project that never materialized, then sold the land to the Dodgers for basically nothing. That didn't retire Fernando Valenzuela's number until the last years of his life. That will sell bland, overpriced tacos and micheladas at the stadium and not blink — hey, at least Flamin' Hot Cheetos are still cheap. They've put one arm around Latino fans while picking their pockets with the other for so long because they have been able to get away with it. Talks of boycotts over the years never worried executives because they knew other fans would quickly fill in any new seats. Fans booed while stadium security recently booted out attendees who brought signs to games decrying ICE, but Kasten and his crew knew no one would walk out in solidarity. All the Dodgers have to do is keep winning, stage an occasional giveaway night — wow, look! Another Valenzuela bobblehead on July 19! — or have organist Dieter Ruehle play a few bars of 'La Chona' and all is forgiven by too many too often. Sports teams have no obligation to take stances on the issues of the day and probably shouldn't. They're capitalist endeavors, not charity cases, whose stated mission is to provide bread and circuses to the masses while making as much profit as possible in the process. Social justice-minded followers too often willfully forget this. But they and the rest of us deserve to hold the Dodgers to a higher standard because that's how they have always marketed themselves. They're the organization that broke baseball's color barrier with Jackie Robinson. That expanded the game's international reach with Valenzuela, Hideo Nomo and Chan Ho Park. That established baseball academies across Latin America and fostered a Latino fan base unlike any other in U.S. professional sports. Besides, the Dodgers have waded into political morasses before. They played Robinson as Jim Crow still ruled the United States. They rightfully proclaimed 'Black Lives Matter' in the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020. The team in 2023 bestowed a Community Hero award to a drag troupe in the face of protests from conservative Catholics, although the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were relegated a ceremony held hours before the start of a game when the stands were nearly empty. Other immediate members of the Dodgers family heard the call to stand with L.A. early on. Valenzuela's daughter, Maria Valenzuela, told Fox 11 that her father 'would be really disappointed' with what's going on, adding, 'He pitched for every immigrant who believed they belonged.' Broadcasting Hall of Famer Jaime Jarrín decried on his Instagram account the 'injustices and heartbreak we've witnessed' and blessed all the peaceful protests that have sprung up in response, telling those who are taking to the streets: 'Do not be afraid. Stay strong. Keep showing up. Let your voice be heard.' But the only current player who has said anything about Trump's raids — this, in a squad whose roster is chockablock with visa holders — is Kiké Hernández. The Puerto Rican-born journeyman posted on Instagram that he 'cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart.' Guess his teammates are still too thrilled to have met Trump at the White House earlier this year to muster up the energy to say anything? On Friday afternoon, the Dodgers finally announced something: They would coordinate with the city of Los Angeles to commit $1 million in financial assistance to families impacted by Trump's raids, and promised aid to trusted L.A. institutions like the California Community Foundation to help in the matter. 'We have heard the calls for us to take a leading role on behalf of those affected,' Kasten said in a statement. That's a good start — but I hope the team sees it as just a start. Trump has already promised that the same rage he's inflicting on L.A. will soon come to Chicago and New York, cities with large immigrant populations and their own historic baseball teams. That's why the Dodgers need to summon the moral courage of their past even more and once again set an example others want to follow. The moment is now.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chester May Festival 2025: Lambourn wins the Chester Vase to book Derby ticket
-Credit:Lambourn (11-8 favourite) gave Aidan O'Brien another victory in the Boodles Chester Vase Stakes on day one of the 2025 Boodles Chester May Festival. And with success in the Group Three feature on the opening day on the Roodee the three-year-old looks to have booked his ticket to next month's Betfred Derby at Epsom. Lambourn is a best-priced 25-1 with Ladbrokes and William Hill for the Colts' Classic behind stable-mate The Lion In Winter – who is likely to run in next week's Dante Stakes at York – and Godolphin's Betfred 2,000 Guineas hero Ruling Court, who are both at the head of betting at around 7-2. The Ballydoyle handler had already won this race a record 10 times and several of his previous winners have gone on to contest the Derby, with Ruleroftheworld winning both races in 2013 and Treasure Beach finishing second at Epsom before taking the Irish Derby following his Vase victory two years earlier. 2017 Derby hero Wings of Eagles was also runner-up on the Roodee before his success in Flat racing's blue riband. READ MORE: Two horses dead after Scottish Grand National as jockey suffers injury in horror fall READ MORE: Chester May Festival 2025 day one: Lambourn can win the Chester Vase Lambourn has given himself the chance of following some of those to Epsom on June 7 with victory in the extended 1m4f Group Three contest at Chester. The three-year-old son of O'Brien's 2014 Derby hero Australia won two of his three starts as a juvenile and was second to stable-mate and another who is likely to head for the Derby, Delacroix, on his seasonal return in the Group Three Beresford Stakes over 1m2f at the end of March. Stepped up in trip again to 1m4f he made Moore work to keep in touch with the frontrunning Convergent (9-2) and Lazy Griff (25-1). But he came through to lead inside the final two furlongs and battled on well to eventually beat Lazy Griff by a length-and-a-half with Convergent another two lengths back in third The weekend was all about Godolphin with the 'Boys in Blue' landing the first two Classics – the Betfred 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas with Ruling Court and Desert Flower respectively – but their great rivals Coolmore hit back in the trials for the Derby and Oaks with Minnie Hauk and now Lambourn. Coolmore representative Paul Smith said: "I'm very happy with this colt, a lovely colt by Australia. As you can see, he's lazy in the way he runs and he's first off the bridle often and a little bit green. He will learn a lot from today, he's got a big engine and Ryan likes him, he's a big, honest horse. I think he's a good horse who will stay the trip, will do anything for you and he has to be in the Derby mix. I think the key is to get the trials out of the way (before we know what type of horse he is). It's an old cliche but we won't know until they are all over and we have a better picture then, then we can make an assessment." On the runner-up Lazy Griff, trainer Charlie Johnston said. "It was a fantastic run, particularly given he missed a bit of work three weeks ago and it was touch and go whether we'd get here for a short while. I'm sure we can have him fitter than he was today, he was only about 80 per cent fit, so that bodes well going forwards. Joe (Fanning) said he appreciated the juice in the ground. Any other week, I'd have been on the phone having a go about watering, but he needed it! "We'd be a little bit hesitant about very fast ground going forwards, which might dictate where we go. He's in the English, Irish and German Derbies and you'll certainly see him in one. He'd been overlooked in the betting because he'd been beaten three times in his life but on ratings he should have finished second. I'm sure as he's owned by a syndicate they are all thinking of one Derby, while I'm probably thinking he can win a different one!" Moore, who had ridden Minnie Hauk to victory in the Cheshire Oaks earlier in the day, said: "He came forward today and was suited by the mile-and-a-half. It's the first time I've ridden him a race and he's still learning a little about the job but is a relaxed horse who stays well and finds plenty off the bridle.' Hammer The Hammer (9-2) ran out a wide-margin winner of the Love Federal Capital Handicap (3.40pm). Tom Eaves got the Kevin Ryan-trained three-year-old over to lead early on in the six-furlong sprint despite his wide draw in stall 10 a course. And he dictated from the front and blitzed his rivals to score by an impressive four-and-a-quarter lengths from Diligently (10-1) with Cyclonite (14-1) a nose back in third with 6-5 favourite three-and-a-quarter lengths further adrift in fourth.
Daily Mail
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Ruling Court rules the roost at Newmarket as he storms to victory in the 2000 Guineas ahead of next month's Epsom Derby
The vibes were right. All week the whispers from Newmarket revolved around Ruling Court being primed to run for his life — and how he delivered. It takes a special kind of horse to win the Betfred 2,000 Guineas but Ruling Court, whose sleek, bay coat glistened and muscles rippled as he limbered up, might just be of the highest calibre. His next start is likely to be the Epsom Derby, the race which cements legends. To see the reaction of Charlie Appleby, the colt's trainer, and William Buick was to appreciate the joy of a plan coming together and their judgement being vindicated. Buick, after all, had a fiendish choice whether to ride Ruling Court or his high-class stablemate Shadow Of Light. Every jockey's worst nightmare is seeing the horse they could have ridden loom up alongside the one they are on but, thankfully for Buick, Ruling Court was strong as he thundered up the Rowley Mile's final furlong. He is good over this trip — he might be brilliant over a mile-and-a-half. 'We'll let the dust settle and enjoy the moment,' said Appleby, who was winning the 2,000 Guineas for the third year in quick succession after Coroebus (2022) and Notable Speech 12 months ago. 'Then we can map out the rest of the season. It's special to win this. You have to enjoy these days.' Whether John Gosden enjoyed it, however, is a point that can be debated at length. He and his son, Thady, saddled the 7-4 favourite Field Of Gold but despite travelling with power and purpose, he was momentarily caught flat-footed and so Team Gosden's wait to win this Classic will go into a 36th year. 'William took a length-and-a-half out of us,' Gosden said, a statement that will only strengthen the resolve of some that jockey Kieran Shoemark should have set Field Of Gold alight sooner. 'He has run a superb race and I loved how he finished. But it's not easy to peg back a horse of that quality.' Appleby, a man who is widely respected for how he always treats the twin impostors of triumph and disaster with grace, was eager to stress how this success reflected well on his team at Moulton Paddocks as a whole and put others front and centre of the celebrations. He operates under a high level of pressure, with the expectation on him to produce big-race winners for owners Godolphin, and having first and third in the 2,000 Guineas is a fine start to the summer; the 'Boys in Blue', as they are known, also had fourth-placed Tornado Alert. It might get even better this afternoon. Appleby and Buick will combine again in the Betfred 1,000 Guineas with Desert Flower, who did a piece of work here two weeks ago that needed to be seen to be believed. She is odds-on favourite for a reason and, in all likelihood, will take some stopping. 'This is what it is all about,' said Buick. 'She is in great nick and we will see what she can do. It is amazing to win these races and this horse (Ruling Court) is a joy to ride. I work for great people and when you get a result like this, it makes it all the more special. 'Shadow Of Light gave me something to think about but I was riding an exceptional horse. I let him do his thing and he had good momentum when he came down into The Dip (the trickiest part of the straight mile). He has got a huge engine.'
CBS News
27-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Going to the Dodgers game? Here's how to get there
The city of Los Angeles is getting ready for the Boys in Blue to take the field at Dodger Stadium for their home opener of the 2025 MLB season. The Dodgers will be hosting the Detroit Tigers for the first game of a three-game series. This will be the first time the team will be playing in front of a home crowd since beating the New York Yankees for the 2024 World Series Championship. The Dodgers are coming off a two-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs in the Tokyo Series. With thousands of fans expected to travel to Elysian Park, there are several ways of getting there. The first pitch is scheduled to be thrown at 4:10 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN. Here are different ways to get to the Dodgers game: Dodger Stadium can be reached by several freeways , it just depends on which direction you're coming from. Drivers can take both directions on the 101 Freeway, the northbound 5 Freeway, the southbound 110 Freeway and the eastbound 10 Freeway. Traffic getting to Dodger Stadium tends to be heavy, so drivers are urged to account for traffic delays. The stadium can also be reached by taking surface streets. Once fans get to the stadium, they are instructed by parking staff to find an open space in the general parking lots or the preferred parking, the MLB website says. Parking passes can be purchased ahead of time. "In order to maintain a safe and convenient environment, the Dodgers ask that all fans follow the directives of the Dodger Stadium parking staff who are there to assist you," the MLB website says. All Dodgers game ticket holders are able to ride the Dodger Stadium Express for free. The express can be reached at Union Station and the South Bay. There are six Metro rail lines across LA County that connect to the express. Service to the stadium from Union Station begins 2.5 hours before game time and runs through the end of the 2nd inning for all home games, the Metro website says. Buses drop off fans behind center field and at the top deck. Service after the game back to Union Station, pick up at the same spots. Return service ends 45 minutes after the final out or 20 minutes post-game events. Parking at Union Station starts at $8, the Metro website says. If you are traveling from the South Bay area, service runs every 30 minutes starting 2.5 hours before game time. The last bus leaves Harbor Gateway Transit Center at game time. Fans can board the express at the Slauson, Manchester, Harbor Freeway, Rosecrans, or Harbor Gateway Transit Center Metro stations. Buses coming from the South Bay drop off fans behind right field. Return service pick up at the same stop after the game. Service back to the South Bay begins after the end of the 7th inning and the last bus departs 45 minutes after the final out or 20 minutes post-game events. "Free parking is available at Harbor Gateway, Rosecrans, Harbor Freeway, Manchester and Slauson stations on a first-come, first-served basis," the Metro website says. "Note, Harbor Gateway Transit Center is subject to a $3 rate for Sunday games during the NFL season." Ticket holders can also take the Metro Rail or other buses to Dodger Stadium from various directions. The Blue A Line can be taken to the Chinatown Station at the intersection of Alameda Street and College Street. Dodger Stadium is only a .25-mile walk from there. Riders can also walk .50 miles to the Broadway stop and hop on the Dodger Stadium Express at Union Station. Several rideshare options are also available to take to Dodger Stadium.
