Granderson receives Clemente Award
CHICAGO — Curtis Granderson of the New York Mets on Friday was named the recipient of the 2016 Roberto Clemente Award for his community involvement and philanthropy.
Granderson’s selection was announced by Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred at a press conference prior to Game 3 of the 112th World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians.
“Curtis Granderson is an outstanding ambassador for our game and a positive role Granderson, a native of Lynwood, Illinois, has been a significant contributor within every community in which he has played and lived.
In 2007, he created the Grand Kids Foundation to improve educational experiences for young people nationwide and to establish additional baseball opportunities for inner-city youth in his hometown of Chicago.
Granderson donated $5 million toward a state-of-the-art indoor/outdoor youth baseball academy at his alma mater, the University of Illinois at Chicago, which provides some 10,000 youth with a chance to play in a safe environment year-round.
The outfielder also holds multiple baseball clinics throughout the year in Chicago, his baseball home in New York and his spring training home in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Bulls’ Wade fined for throat-slash gesture, issues apology
Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade was fined $25,000 by the NBA for making a throat-slash gesture at the end of Thursday night’s season-opening win over the Boston Celtics.
Wade made the gesture with his right hand after making a game-clinching 3-pointer with 26.3 seconds left that gave the Bulls the lead.
“I wanna apologize to my young fans on my gesture at the end of last nights game. I was caught up in the emotions of my first game at home,” Wade wrote on Twitter.
Wade scored 22 points with six rebounds and five assists in his Chicago debut as the Bulls won their opener, beating the Celtics 105-99.
After hitting the 3-pointer to put Chicago up by five points, Wade celebrated by jumping around as the crowd roared.
“To be able to make a shot like that and helps us get this win, it’s like the perfect storm,” Wade said after the game.
“When I released it, I’m not going to say I knew it was going in, because anything could happen, but I felt very good about the shot, and there was just a lot of emotion running through me. I had an out-of-body experience after that.”
The 34-year-old Wade did not talk to reporters after Friday’s practice.
Bruins’ Pastrnak suspended
Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak has been suspended two games for an illegal check to the head of New York Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced on Friday.
The incident occurred at 10:55 of the second period in Wednesday night’s game and Pastrnak was assessed a minor penalty for an illegal check to the head.
After the Rangers’ 5-2 win, Girardi said he was in a vulnerable position when hit by Pastrnak.
“I don’t see the guy coming … lucky it wasn’t the forehead. I feel good now, that’s the only thing that matters,” Girardi said.
Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement and based on his average annual salary, Pastrnak will forfeit $10,277.78. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Winnipeg’s Little sidelined
The Winnipeg Jets placed forward Bryan Little on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury.
Little, 28, was injured in Winnipeg’s season opener and has not played since. The move is retroactive to Oct. 13.
Little could be back by the end of November, Jets coach Paul Maurice said. Little recorded 42 points (17 goals, 25 assists) in 57 games last season.