LOS ANGELES — Hours before Albert Pujols took a warmup swing, let alone one meant to conjure magic, his longtime teammate and fellow all-time great Mike Trout grinned when asked about the veteran’s chances in the Home Run Derby.
ATLANTA — Coach Eli Drinkwitz doesn’t have to hang around the rest of the week at Southeastern Conference football media days to see what the writers and TV folks think of his Missouri Tigers. The SEC’s preseason media poll comes out Friday, and despite a roster that Drinkwitz believes is MU’s most talented in his three seasons, outside expectations figure to be modest, at best.
ATLANTA — Barrett Banister is cramming a lot of life experiences into the summer of 2022. On Monday, Missouri’s veteran wide receiver represented his team at Southeastern Conference football media days — an idea that would have seemed preposterous when he joined the program as a walkon in 2017.
Elle Smith, a fouryear letter winner and two-time state champion for the Blue Springs South High school softball team, had one final opportunity to thank her coaches and teammates after she became the first player in South softball history to earn All-American status.
Grain Valley High School graduate Jacob Misiorowski finally heard his name called in the Major League Baseball amateur draft. The Crowder College pitcher was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 63rd overall pick in the 20222 draft that began Sunday night in Los Angeles.
E.J. Merlo brings the same passion that made him a stellar two-sport athlete at Blue Springs South High School to his new job as an account manager for Aeroform Athletics, the Kansas City-based company that now supplies the batting practice platform for the All-Star Game Home Run Derby.
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Cameron Smith made eight birdies on the final day of the British Open. His 8-under 64 was the lowest closing round at St. Andrews by the champion golfer of the year. His name on the claret jug includes his score of 268, the best ever on the Old Course.
EUGENE, Ore. — Except for a single, barely perceptible flinch, this would’ve been a Perfect 10 for the U.S.
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner, the defending national champions and college football’s favorite sparring partners will make their way to Atlanta this week for Southeastern Conference football media days, the summer’s first clear signal that the season is just around the corner.
(Schedules subject to change) TUESDAY, JULY 19 AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL Zone 2 Tournament At Hidden Valley Park 5 p.m. — Game 3: Blue Springs Post 499 Fike-St.