Former Japan women’s striker Karina Maruyama will retire at the end of the current season, her team Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki announced Friday. Maruyama, 33, scored the extra-time winner against host Germany in the 2011 World Cup quarterfinals before Nadeshiko Japan went on to claim the world championship. Maruyama has appeared in 14 games in […]
The post Ex-Nadeshiko striker Maruyama to retire appeared first on The Japan Times.
Former champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic overpowered fourth-seeded Simona Halep of Romania 6-1, 6-2 on Friday to advance to the final of the Wuhan Open. Kvitova hit four aces and saved all three break points she faced to set up a final with Dominika Cibulkova. Cibulkova outlasted Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Kvitova, […]
The post Kvitova whips Halep to book spot in Wuhan Open final appeared first on The Japan Times.
The Pacific League champion Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters marked their regular-season finale with a 3-1 win over the Chiba Lotte Marines on Friday. Nippon Ham, which last won the league in 2014 before it was beaten at the Japan Series by the Yomiuri Giants, was presented with the PL pennant after the game before a […]
The post PL champion Fighters prevail against Marines in final regular-season game appeared first on The Japan Times.
Former NBA center Nick Fazekas scored a game-high 31 points, including a pair of free throws with 17 seconds remaining, in the Kawasaki Brave Thunders’ 87-85 win over the visiting Yokohama B-Corsairs on Friday night. Kawasaki (1-2) lost two road games by a combined eight points last weekend to the San-en NeoPhoenix. The Brave Thunders’ […]
The post Fazekas guides Brave Thunders past B-Corsairs appeared first on The Japan Times.
Rio gold medalist Kosuke Hagino has had successful surgery on his right elbow, his coach, Norimasa Hirai, said Friday. The 22-year-old Hagino, who won his first Olympic gold medal last month in the men’s 400-meter individual medley in Rio de Janeiro, had a bone growth removed on Wednesday. The growth had resulted from a broken […]
The post Swimming star Hagino has elbow surgery appeared first on The Japan Times.
Injury-plagued Schalke defender Atsuto Uchida said Thursday he will have another checkup on his right knee. The 28-year-old said he will have an MRI examination on Tuesday. A knee injury has ruled him out of action since March 2015. Uchida’s patellar tendon was surgically repaired three months later, but his return date is still in […]
The post Schalke’s Uchida awaits knee examination appeared first on The Japan Times.
Japan forward Yoshinori Muto scored his first Europa League goal, helping Mainz beat Azerbaijan side Gabala in a 3-2, Group C thriller on Thursday. In Baku, Muto put Mainz in the lead in the 41st minute with a left-footed shot into the bottom corner that shook the net at Bakcell Arena in the first Europa […]
The post Mainz’s Muto bags first Europa League goal in win over Gabala appeared first on The Japan Times.
Former Seibu Lions star Hatsuhiko Tsuji has responded positively to a request by the Pacific League club to take over as its next manager, a team source said Friday. Tsuji, who was the infield and tactical coach for the Central League’s Chunichi Dragons this season, quickly became the prime candidate to replace skipper Norio Tanabe, […]
The post Tsuji expresses interest in becoming next Lions manager appeared first on The Japan Times.
There was no dispute the St. Louis Cardinals shouldn’t have won on Yadier Molina’s double. But they did — because by the time Cincinnati figured out what happened, it was too late. A game with playoff implications turned on a missed call Thursday night when Molina got credit for a winning double with two outs […]
The post Blown call costly for Reds appeared first on The Japan Times.
Relatives of Jesse Owens and America’s 17 other black athletes from the 1936 Olympics were welcomed to the White House on Thursday by President Barack Obama for the acknowledgement they didn’t receive along with their white counterparts 80 years ago. Along with the relatives of the 1936 African-American Olympians, gloved-fist protesters Tommie Smith and John […]
The post Obama welcomes relatives of 1936 African-American Olympians at White House appeared first on The Japan Times.
For most of the game, A.J. Green piled up more yards than the entire Miami Dolphins offense in a virtuoso performance. As an encore, he thrilled the crowd by juggling some Florida citrus. The Bengals receiver followed his disappointing game with a dominating one — 173 yards and a touchdown — and a Cincinnati defense […]
The post Green shines as Bengals smother Dolphins appeared first on The Japan Times.
Josh Gordon isn’t going back on the field until he gets a tighter grip on his life. The suspended Cleveland Browns wide receiver, whose talent has been little more than a tease for several years as he battled personal demons, said Thursday he’s entering rehab and putting his promising NFL career on hold. Gordon was […]
The post Browns’ Gordon entering rehab appeared first on The Japan Times.
A British newspaper investigation led to a second soccer coach getting fired in England on Thursday. Two days after Sam Allardyce lost his job as England manager following an undercover operation by the Daily Telegraph, second-tier club Barnsley fired assistant coach Tommy Wright. Wright was filmed apparently accepting an envelope which the Telegraph said contained […]
The post Barnsley coach Wright loses job after newspaper sting appeared first on The Japan Times.
The after-dinner drinks and conversation were in full flow. Sam Allardyce, then manager of Sunderland, was holding court and half a dozen football correspondents hung on his every word. Whatever your perception is of him as manager, Allardyce is great company, especially after-dinner company. A man’s man. Someone with a treasure chest of stories and […]
The post Allardyce’s actions unwise, but not exactly crime of the century appeared first on The Japan Times.
Wayne Rooney finally made a difference for Manchester United this season, setting up Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goal two minutes after coming off the bench to beat Ukraine’s Zorya Luhansk 1-0 in the Europa League on Thursday. Inter Milan fell 3-1 at Sparta Prague to lose its second in a row in the European competition, while Mario […]
The post Rooney back in action in Man United victory appeared first on The Japan Times.
Canada was not the best team on the ice until it mattered. Down two goals with 3 minutes left, the high-powered Canadians kicked it up a notch and Team Europe simply couldn’t stop them. Brad Marchand scored a short-handed goal with 43.1 seconds left after Patrice Bergeron tied it with 2:53 to go on a […]
The post Canada edges Team Europe to capture World Cup appeared first on The Japan Times.
As far as city leaders are concerned, Rome’s bid for the 2024 Olympics is finished. The city council voted in favor of scrapping the bid on Thursday, a week after Mayor Virginia Raggi rejected the candidacy, citing concerns over costs. “It was irresponsible to say yes to the candidacy,” Raggi wrote on Facebook. “We wanted […]
The post Rome’s city council votes to terminate 2024 Olympic bid appeared first on The Japan Times.
Daisuke Miura didn’t get a fairy tale ending. Instead, Hama no Bancho (Boss of Yokohama) went out fighting; grinding for every last out in a blaze of guts and glory as he tried to summon every last ounce of baseball left in his 43-year-old body and leave it all on the field. It wasn’t always […]
The post BayStars, fans give Miura emotional send-off in final start of 25-year career appeared first on The Japan Times.
Japan manager Vahid Halilhodzic on Thursday shot back at critics who accuse him of making excuses for his team’s poor start to its World Cup final qualifying campaign as he named a 26-strong squad for next month’s games against Iraq and Australia. Japan lost at home to the United Arab Emirates earlier this month and […]
The post Halilhodzic brushes aside criticism, names 26-man squad appeared first on The Japan Times.
Kei Nishikori has been handed a huge boost in his hunt for a third Japan Open title after holder and third-ranked Swiss Stan Wawrinka pulled out with a back problem on Thursday. World No. 5 Nishikori, who won the singles bronze medal at the Rio Olympics and reached the semifinals at the U.S. Open — […]
The post Nishikori aims for third Japan Open title appeared first on The Japan Times.
David Beckham handed out signed soccer balls Thursday to the players of an under-16 select team from Kumamoto Prefecture, which was hit by two huge earthquakes in April that took the lives of 50 people. Beckham, who captained England during the 2002 World Cup campaign in Japan, watched Kumamoto U-16’s take on a university team […]
The post Beckham provides support to quake-hit Kumamoto U-16 players appeared first on The Japan Times.
Defending champion Nao Hibino reached the semifinals of the Tashkent Open on Thursday, advancing when Lesia Tsurenko retired after losing the first set 7-6 (8-6). Tsurenko, who won last week’s Guangzhou Open, had been on a seven-match winning streak. Hibino, the fourth-seeded player, will face ninth-seeded Denisa Allertova of the Czech Republic in the semifinals. […]
The post Hibino advances to Tashkent Open semifinals appeared first on The Japan Times.
Deactivated Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks lefty Tsuyoshi Wada said Thursday he is unlikely to pitch in the Pacific League’s Climax Series first stage from Oct. 8. Wada (15-5), who leads the PL in wins, was deactivated last Friday after complaining of left elbow discomfort. The former Baltimore Oriole and Chicago Cub has been back playing catch […]
The post Hawks’ Wada doubtful for Climax Series first stage appeared first on The Japan Times.
To borrow the words of his manager, retiring star pitcher Daisuke Miura was a “professional player.” That’s how BayStars manager Alex Ramirez described the Yokohama legend. A few hours before Miura’s final start, Ramirez mused about the career of a man who was one of his rivals, then a teammate and now one of the […]
The post Ramirez praises retiring BayStars pitcher Miura’s professionalism appeared first on The Japan Times.
Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts had dinner with president of baseball operations Theo Epstein in Arizona around the start of spring training. If Epstein had any doubt about a contract extension, it ended right there. And on Wednesday, it became official. Chicago announced a five-year extension, rewarding Epstein for an overhaul that has the long-suffering franchise […]
The post Cubs give Epstein a five-year contract extension appeared first on The Japan Times.
Optimism is the common emotion shared by all teams as the new season unfolds in the early stages. Players, coaches and fans are fired up to be a part of something new, something unified after a directionless decade for Japan pro basketball. There’s also been an impressive turnout of local and national media, chronicling action […]
The post First weekend an encouraging start appeared first on The Japan Times.
The Chunichi Dragons announced Thursday their acting manager Shigekazu Mori will take on the job full-time next season. In August, the Dragons placed third-year manager Motonobu Tanishige on leave, effectively firing him and promoting Mori, who was the bench coach at the time. Chunichi is finishing last in the Central League this year for the […]
The post Mori staying put with Dragons appeared first on The Japan Times.
Novak Djokovic said he has withdrawn from the China Open because of an elbow injury. The defending champion said he is “extremely disappointed” to miss the tournament in Beijing, where he has won four consecutive titles and has 29 victories in a row. Djokovic said he “will continue with my rehabilitation and hope to be […]
The post Djokovic withdraws from China Open due to elbow ailment appeared first on The Japan Times.
Tommie Smith and John Carlos voiced their support for Colin Kaepernick and other athletes staging national anthem protests, 48 years after they raised their gloved fists on the medals stand in a symbolic protest at the Olympics. The American sprinters who were sent home from the 1968 Mexico City Olympics for what they called a […]
The post Smith, Carlos support Kaepernick appeared first on The Japan Times.
Despite the hack of personal medical information from some of the world’s leading athletes, the World Anti-Doping Agency says its overall electronic database is safe. The system, known under the acronym ADAMS, was targeted by a group of hackers known as Fancy Bears, who recently released documents listing confidential medical records for athletes including Venus […]
The post WADA claims electronic database is safe appeared first on The Japan Times.
Three Olympic boxers — including one who bet on himself to lose — received “severe reprimands” on Wednesday for betting on fights during last month’s Rio de Janeiro Games. Ireland’s Michael Conlan and Steve Donnelly and Britain’s Antony Fowler were censured by the International Olympic Committee for violating anti-betting rules. None of the three won […]
The post IOC censures three boxers for Rio bets appeared first on The Japan Times.
Pete Rose is appealing directly to baseball’s Hall of Fame to restore his eligibility, arguing the lifetime ban he agreed to in 1989 was never intended to keep him out of Cooperstown. A seven-page letter to Hall president Jeff Idelson on Tuesday made the case that the settlement agreement reached by Rose and then-commissioner Bart […]
The post Rose appeals ban to Baseball Hall of Fame appeared first on The Japan Times.
Sam Allardyce admitted an “error of judgment” on Wednesday after his one-game career as England manager came to a humiliating end following controversial comments made to undercover reporters. “Entrapment has won on this occasion and I have to accept that,” Allardyce told reporters outside his home in Bolton, northwest England. “I think that on reflection […]
The post Allardyce admits to ‘judgment’ error in England farce appeared first on The Japan Times.
Even though they let a win get away Wednesday night, the Boston Red Sox locked up something more important. And as far as they were concerned, an AL East title was certainly worth celebrating. Boston clinched the division championship despite wasting a three-run lead in the ninth inning of a 5-3 loss to the Yankees. […]
The post Red Sox wrap up AL East division crown appeared first on The Japan Times.
J.J. Watt is out until at least December and could miss the rest of the season with an injured back, leaving the Texans searching for ways to deal with the loss of the NFL’s best defensive player. Watt was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, which means he’ll be out for a minimum of eight […]
The post Texans place star DE J.J. Watt on injured reserve appeared first on The Japan Times.
Shohei Otani was sublime on Wednesday night. He was dazzling, superb, resplendent. He was all that and more, almost more than there are adjectives to describe him. Basically at Saitama Seibu Prince Dome on Wednesday night, Shohei Otani the pitcher was good enough, for a moment, to make you forget about Shohei Otani the batter. […]
The post Otani’s legend grows with PL pennant-clinching win appeared first on The Japan Times.
Somber Miami Marlins players and personnel escorted a hearse carrying the body of star pitcher Jose Fernandez from the team’s ballpark Wednesday, as the farewell for their beloved teammate marched on. As players and fans honored Fernandez’s memory, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio sought a safety probe into the rock jetty where a boat crash claimed […]
The post Marlins bid emotional farewell to Fernandez appeared first on The Japan Times.
Randy Messenger and the Hanshin Tigers are nearing a deal that will keep the right-hander with the club through 2018, his agent, Matt Sosnick, told The Japan Times on Thursday. The two sides had been having both formal and informal discussions for some time, and negotiations have, according to Sosnick, been progressing well to this […]
The post Messenger closing in on deal with Hanshin appeared first on The Japan Times.
The IOC has sanctioned three boxers — two from Ireland and one from Britain — for betting on fights at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The International Olympic Committee issued “severe reprimands” to Ireland’s Michael Conlan and Steve Donnelly and Britain’s Antony Fowler for violating the rules that prohibit betting. None of the boxers […]
The post IOC sanctions three boxers for betting on fights during Rio Olympics appeared first on The Japan Times.
Kenya’s team leader at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics stole $256,000 from government and sports authorities meant for the athletes’ and officials’ stay at the games, prosecutors alleged in court on Wednesday. Stephen Arap Soi, Kenya’s chef de mission at the Olympics last month, denied five counts of stealing money. Prosecutors said he took $234,000 […]
The post Kenya’s Olympic team leader charged, denies stealing funds appeared first on The Japan Times.
Sam Allardyce flew out of England on Wednesday after expressing regret over “silly” unguarded comments to undercover journalists that cost him the England manager’s job. While apologizing for his indiscretions, Allardyce complained about “entrapment” by the Daily Telegraph that made his England job untenable after only 67 days and one match in charge. A covert […]
The post Regretful Allardyce says entrapment led to England exit appeared first on The Japan Times.
The Miami Marlins have scheduled a public memorial service for pitcher Jose Fernandez, who was killed in a weekend boat crash along with two friends. The team said in a news release that fans can gather Wednesday along the west side of Marlins Park for the departure of a funeral motorcade at 2:16 p.m. Fernandez […]
The post Memorial service set for Marlins ace Fernandez appeared first on The Japan Times.
Former Seibu Lions second baseman Hatsuhiko Tsuji is a prime candidate to manage the Pacific League club next season, an informed source said Wednesday. Current Lions skipper Norio Tanabe will resign at the end of this season. Tanabe, a former shortstop, and Tsuji were double play partners in the Seibu infield from 1989 to 1994. […]
The post Former star Tsuji emerges as candidate to manage Lions appeared first on The Japan Times.
Ace pitcher Shohei Otani struck out 15 in a one-hitter and Brandon Laird homered as the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters clinched the Pacific League pennant on Wednesday with a 1-0 victory over the Seibu Lions Before a crowd of 28,261 at Seibu Prince Dome, the 22-year-old Otani (10-4) had superb command of his fastball and […]
The post Otani fans 15 in shutout as Fighters clinch Pacific League pennant appeared first on The Japan Times.
Kenta Maeda was tagged with his 10th loss this season after lasting only four innings in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 7-1 defeat to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. Maeda missed out on a chance to post the most wins by a Japanese pitcher in his first major-league season. He is currently tied with Yu […]
The post Maeda takes loss as Padres rookie Renfroe shows off power appeared first on The Japan Times.
Kawasaki Frontale and Urawa Reds joined Kashima Antlers in clinching a place in the J. League Championship last Sunday, but this weekend’s action will go a long way toward deciding if any more teams join them. The top three teams in the overall league table and the winners of each stage qualify for the postseason […]
The post Second-stage title hopefuls battling for playoff berth appeared first on The Japan Times.
Aaron Sanchez stayed perfect against the Orioles and kept the Toronto Blue Jays on track for a playoff berth. Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer, Sanchez struck out 10 and Toronto beat Baltimore 5-1 on Tuesday night in the opener of their AL wild-card showdown. Ezequiel Carrera also homered as the Blue Jays won for […]
The post Blue Jays stay atop wild-card perch appeared first on The Japan Times.
Star tennis player Serena Williams says she “won’t be silent” about the killing of black men by police officers. Williams wrote on Facebook on Tuesday that she was inspired to speak out after asking her black 18-year-old nephew to drive her to a meeting. Their car traveled past a police officer, and Williams “quickly checked […]
The post Serena speaks out against police killings appeared first on The Japan Times.
In the end, Andrew Fox wasn’t charged with an error. The 29-year-old had everything he needed to make one of life’s biggest decisions on Tuesday night: the engagement ring, the perfect woman and a beautiful early autumn night at Yankee Stadium, which focused a camera on the couple and broadcast the big moment on the […]
The post Man fumbles ring at Yankee Stadium appeared first on The Japan Times.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) boss Steve Tew faced calls to resign Wednesday over off-field scandals that have damaged the sport’s reputation in the rugby-mad home of the All Blacks. Pundits turned on Tew after an embarrassing U-turn over a teenage star who escaped conviction for viciously assaulting four people including two women. After initially backing […]
The post New Zealand rugby boss comes under fire appeared first on The Japan Times.
Former Australia bowler Max Walker, whose awkward and unorthodox action earned him the nickname Tangles, has died. He was 68. Cricket Australia on Wednesday said Walker died after a battle with cancer. Walker played 34 test matches between 1972 and ’77, taking 138 wickets at an average of 27.47, including six five-wicket hauls. He also […]
The post Former Australia bowler Walker dies at 68 appeared first on The Japan Times.
J.J. Watt has re-injured his back, according to a person familiar with his condition, and the Houston Texans expect the star defensive end to be sidelined until at least December, and possibly the entire season. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday night on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t confirmed the […]
The post Texans’ Watt could be done for season appeared first on The Japan Times.
Canada was not at its best. And it was still good enough. Brad Marchand and Steven Stamkos scored in the first period and the Canadians cruised to a 3-1 win over Team Europe in Game 1 of the World Cup of Hockey finals on Tuesday night. “You like things to be perfect every night, but […]
The post Canada lands first blow in World Cup finals appeared first on The Japan Times.
Leicester City’s players upturned the established order in England last season. Now, they’re doing the same in Europe. The fairy tale goes on for the once-unheralded central English club after beating double European champion Porto 1-0 on Tuesday for a second straight win in its first-ever Champions League campaign. No other team has six points […]
The post Leicester beats Porto for second win appeared first on The Japan Times.
Even by English soccer’s standards, the latest embarrassment is a new low. Sam Allardyce was forced out in disgrace after one game in charge of the national team. Having taken 25 years to reach the pinnacle of English soccer management, Allardyce was toppled after only 67 days by his hubris and indiscretions involving undercover journalists […]
The post England manager Allardyce forced out after one game appeared first on The Japan Times.
Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez was a patron at a Miami River bar and restaurant the same night he and two friends were killed in a boat crash, a spokeswoman for the establishment confirmed Tuesday. American Social Bar & Kitchen spokeswoman Dana Rhoden said in an email that Fernandez was there before the accident. The […]
The post Miami bar-restaurant says Fernandez was patron before fatal boat crash appeared first on The Japan Times.
Lions ace Takayuki Kishi prevented the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters from walking over Seibu to the Pacific League pennant in a 3-0 win on Tuesday evening. Before 27,158 at Seibu Prince Dome in Saitama Prefecture, Kishi (9-7) allowed four hits over seven innings, striking out seven, five looking, while walking one. The right-hander was given […]
The post Kishi, Lions postpone Fighters’ pennant hopes appeared first on The Japan Times.
Playing her first match as the No. 1-ranked player in women’s tennis, Angelique Kerber dropped the first set before recovering to beat Kristina Mladenovic 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 6-4 on Tuesday to reach the third round of the Wuhan Open. Kerber replaced Serena Williams atop the rankings with her run to the U.S. Open title, and […]
The post Kerber survives first test as world No. 1 appeared first on The Japan Times.
With 500 days until the Olympic cauldron is ignited in Pyeongchang, organizers of the 2018 Winter Games say 90 percent of construction on new venues is complete and the focus of preparations is on test events. Pyeongchang’s 2018 organizing committee on Tuesday said construction is on track for a series of sports competitions scheduled from […]
The post All venues nearly completed for 2018 Games appeared first on The Japan Times.
Arnold Palmer still had a parking spot outside his old office at Golf Channel, the network he co-founded more than two decades ago. On Monday, hours after the golfing great died at age 87, the space was filled with flowers, candles and pictures as rain poured down on the makeshift memorial at the Orlando, Florida, […]
The post Golf Channel presents special coverage of co-founder, legend Arnold Palmer’s life appeared first on The Japan Times.
San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Anthony Davis has once again retired from the NFL. Davis sat out last year in part because of concerns over a concussion before deciding to return to the Niners this summer. He suffered another concussion in practice on Sept. 15, and the team announced his retirement on Monday. “I just […]
The post 49ers lineman Davis retires again appeared first on The Japan Times.
Paul Pierce decided to return for his 19th and last season in the NBA, convinced the Los Angeles Clippers can make a successful run to their first league title. The 10-time All-Star first disclosed his decision Monday in a posting on The Players’ Tribune and later expanded on it at the team’s media day. He […]
The post Pierce to play final season with Clippers appeared first on The Japan Times.
LeBron James says he plans to stand during the national anthem, but he supports San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel in protest. James has always been outspoken on social issues. He said Monday he intends to stand while “The Star-Spangled Banner” is played before games because “that’s who I am, that’s what I […]
The post LeBron offers support for Kaepernick appeared first on The Japan Times.
Miami mourns pitcher’s death, pounds Mets Dee Gordon and the Miami Marlins wore their emotions on the sleeves of their No. 16 jerseys. Jose Fernandez would have loved it. Gordon homered leading off the first inning for the Marlins, who totaled 14 hits and mixed cheers with the tears of the past two days by […]
The post Marlins win one for Fernandez appeared first on The Japan Times.
Tatsuma Yoshida has been let go as manager of relegation-haunted Niigata Albirex, the J. League first-division team announced Tuesday. The 42-year-old Yoshida will be replaced by coach Koichiro Katafuchi after four straight defeats have left Niigata 15th in the overall J1 table with seven wins, 17 losses and six draws. iigata just one point clear […]
The post Struggling Albirex fire Yoshida appeared first on The Japan Times.
Former Dallas defensive end Greg Hardy, who remains unsigned after a tumultuous 2015 season revolving around his domestic violence case in North Carolina, was arrested on a cocaine possession charge in Texas. Hardy was booked early Monday and later released on $5,000 bond in the Dallas suburb of Richardson on a charge of possession of […]
The post Hardy arrested on cocaine possession charge appeared first on The Japan Times.
Rika Kihira jumped into the record books in a big way at the Junior Grand Prix in Slovenia on Saturday night. The 14-year-old from Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, opened her free skate to “Rhapsody in Blue” in Ljubljana with a triple axel and went on to hit eight triple jumps in total to move up from […]
The post Kihira makes history with triple axel at Slovenia JGP appeared first on The Japan Times.
Devonta Freeman practically wore out the Superdome turf with one long gain after another, Tevin Coleman wouldn’t be denied near the goal line and the New Orleans Saints hardly looked like the team that made an emotional homecoming nearly 10 years ago to the day. Cheers turned to boos, and many fans filed out early. […]
The post Freeman, Coleman lead Falcons in rout appeared first on The Japan Times.
Chris Bosh has almost certainly played his final game for Miami, with the All-Star forward’s latest health setback convincing the Heat that his plan to play again is no longer feasible. Just like that, the last remaining piece of Miami’s “Big Three” grouping is gone. Heat president Pat Riley delivered the news Monday, revealing that […]
The post Riley says Bosh likely finished playing for Heat appeared first on The Japan Times.
Investigators are trying to determine whether Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez was at the wheel of his sportfishing boat when it slammed into a jetty in the early-morning darkness, killing him and two others on board. The three men died when the 9.75-meter SeaVee slammed into rocks jutting off the southern tip of South Beach […]
The post Fernandez crash probed for clues appeared first on The Japan Times.
England manager Sam Allardyce has been secretly filmed giving advice on how to circumnavigate transfer rules and mocking his predecessor Roy Hodgson’s voice, the Daily Telegraph reported on Monday. Allardyce, 61, was filmed telling what he thought was a group of Far East investors it was possible to “get around” Football Association regulations preventing third […]
The post F.A. probing Allardyce after newspaper sting appeared first on The Japan Times.
Gary Player remembers the many traits of Arnold Palmer: A fiercely competitive golfer who had a “slashing, dashing” style and didn’t know when he was beaten. A man who could be “difficult and demanding” — Player said it was no secret that they had their differences. But Palmer was also a person blessed with “charisma, […]
The post Player, Nicklaus, Obama pay tribute to ‘The King’ of golf Arnold Palmer appeared first on The Japan Times.
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters moved within one win of capturing the Pacific League pennant after a 4-3 win over the Orix Buffaloes in the Pacific League on Monday night. The win was coupled with a defeat for the second-placed Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, who lost 3-2 in 10 innings to the Chiba Lotte Marines in […]
The post Fighters beat Buffaloes to close in on PL title appeared first on The Japan Times.
Ozeki Goeido on Monday admitted he was surprised at his stunning championship win at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament, saying his maiden title victory with a perfect 15-0 record was beyond his wildest dreams. “My best record had been 12 wins. Not even in my dreams did I ever think I would win all (15) […]
The post Goeido still in shock after first career title appeared first on The Japan Times.
Japanese baseball is in the season of goodbyes. There are only a handful of games left for each of the 12 NPB clubs, and this is the time of year when teams and fans begin to bid farewell to some familiar faces. No one plays the game forever. As the Hiroshima Carp’s Kris Johnson put […]
The post Japanese teams, fans bid fond farewell to retiring players appeared first on The Japan Times.
Rory McIlroy holed two shots on the 16th hole at East Lake that made him a most unlikely FedEx Cup champion on Sunday. The first one he didn’t even see go in. Three shots behind with three holes to play at the Tour Championship, McIlroy holed a pitching wedge from 137 yards for an eagle […]
The post McIlroy walks away with two prizes appeared first on The Japan Times.
Tomas Tatar stuffed in a shot that triggered quite a celebration. Tatar scored his second goal 3:43 into overtime to give Team Europe a 3-2 victory over Sweden on Sunday in the World Cup of Hockey semifinals. As Swedish goaltender Henrik Lundqvist lay on the ice with his head down, the Europeans huddled up in […]
The post Team Europe bounces Sweden from tourney appeared first on The Japan Times.
Japan striker Yuya Osako bagged his second goal of the season on Sunday but FC Cologne had to be content with a point in a 1-1 draw at home to Bundesliga newcomer RB Leipzig. Leipzig took the lead early on when summer signing Oliver Burke netted his first-ever Bundesliga goal, but Cologne hit back midway […]
The post Osako scores in Cologne draw appeared first on The Japan Times.
Sprayed champagne and beer flooded the blue carpet in the Dodgers clubhouse. The stench of alcohol hung in the damp air. Wives, kids and a puppy were in on the party with music blaring. The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated clinching their fourth straight NL West title with the kind of storybook ending this city was […]
The post Dodgers clinch division on walk-off homer appeared first on The Japan Times.
Four touchdown passes, more than 300 yards passing, two clutch touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. Trevor Siemian played every bit like Peyton Manning in his first road start. In some ways, even better. Siemian was nearly perfect as he rallied the Denver Broncos to a 29-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, leading […]
The post Seimian’s big day sends Broncos past Bengals appeared first on The Japan Times.
Arnold Palmer brought a country-club sport to the masses with a hard-charging style, charisma and a commoner’s touch. At ease with both presidents and the golfing public, and on a first-name basis with both, “The King,” died Sunday in Pittsburgh. He was 87. Alastair Johnson, CEO of Arnold Palmer Enterprises, confirmed that Palmer died Sunday […]
The post Legendary golfer Palmer dies at 87 appeared first on The Japan Times.
Jose Fernandez, the ace right-hander for the Miami Marlins who escaped Cuba to become one of baseball’s brightest stars, was killed in a boating accident early Sunday morning. Fernandez was 24. Authorities said Fernandez was one of three people killed in a crash off Miami Beach. Chief Petty Officer Nyxolyno Cangemi told The Associated Press […]
The post Boat crash claims Marlins ace Jose Fernandez, 24, stunning MLB, Cuban community appeared first on The Japan Times.
Like the rest of the B. League, the Sunrockers Shibuya are far from a finished product at this stage of the season, and coach BT Toews’ team is working to improve in all aspects of the game. He admitted, of course, that he was pleased with his unbeaten team’s closing effort in both weekend games […]
The post Sunrockers finish strong to sink B-Corsairs appeared first on The Japan Times.
Yu Kobayashi struck in the 105th minute as Kawasaki Frontale qualified for their first J. League Championship Playoff with a dramatic 3-2 win over Yokohama F. Marinos on Sunday. Kenta Kano and Koji Miyoshi had given Kawasaki a two-goal lead going into injury time but with nine minutes added on because of Frontale goalkeeper Shota […]
The post Late Kobayashi winner sends Frontale into playoffs appeared first on The Japan Times.
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters’ magic number is down to three after they beat the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles 2-1 in 11 innings and the second-place Fukuoka Softbank Hawks lost 7-5 to the Seibu Lions on Sunday. The Fighters won their record 84th game of the season with their eighth walk-off victory of the year […]
The post Fighters take PL pennant magic number down to three appeared first on The Japan Times.
Retiring Chiba Lotte Marines star Saburo Omura had only one season in which he hit above .300 and just one 20-homer campaign, with both marks coming in 2009. Overall, he was a career .265 hitter with 1,363 hits and 127 homers with just a couple of trips to the All-Star Series, which makes him unlikely […]
The post Marines icon Omura bows out in final game appeared first on The Japan Times.
Ryo Takagi rushed 37 yards for the decisive score and defensive back Go Sano made a touchdown-saving pass defense on the final play as the IBM BigBlue improved to 2-1 with a 34-27 win over the Asahi Beer Silver Star on Sunday at Fujitsu Stadium Kawasaki. The Silver Star fell to 1-2. Rookie BigBlue quarterback […]
The post BigBlue hold off Silver Star in thriller appeared first on The Japan Times.
Rio Games gold medalists Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo lost in a rematch of last month’s Olympic final on Sunday as Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl of Denmark got their revenge in a 19-21, 21-18, 21-12 win to claim the Yonex Open Japan. The second-seeded Danes, ranked sixth in the world, were a game […]
The post Takahashi, Matsutomo fall to Danish pair in Olympic rematch appeared first on The Japan Times.
Yokohama BayStars manager Alex Ramirez is wearing two hats as the regular season winds down. One one hand, Ramirez is trying to guide the BayStars to wins in their final two games of the season to keep alive their hopes of overtaking the Yomiuri Giants for second place in the Central League. On the other, […]
The post Ramirez working to get BayStars ready for Climax Series appeared first on The Japan Times.
Goeido became the first kadoban ozeki in sumo history to win the Emperor’s Cup with a perfect record after outclassing Kotoshogiku on the final day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday. Goeido came into the fall tourney with his rank on the line, needing a winning record to maintain his ozeki status at […]
The post Victorious Goeido ends basho with 15-0 record appeared first on The Japan Times.
Arsenal overpowered London rival Chelsea 3-0 at Emirates Stadium on Saturday to mark Arsene Wenger’s 20th anniversary as Gunners boss in style. Earlier, Manchester United thrashed defending Premier League champion Leicester City 4-1 to vindicate manager Jose Mourinho’s decision to drop Wayne Rooney while Manchester City maintained its perfect start with a 3-1 win at […]
The post Wenger celebrates anniversary with win over Chelsea appeared first on The Japan Times.
Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki denied teenage sensation Naomi Osaka her first title on the WTA Tour with a 7-5, 6-3 win in the Pan Pacific Open final on Sunday. Eighteen-year-old Osaka was aiming to become the tournament’s first Japanese champion since Kimiko Date-Krumm in 1995 after ripping through the opposition this week at […]
The post Wozniacki halts Osaka’s run in Pan Pacific Open final appeared first on The Japan Times.
Sidney Crosby was at his best on one of hockey’s biggest stages. Again. Crosby scored once and assisted on both of Brad Marchand’s goals, including the winner early in the third period, to help Canada beat Russia 5-3 on Saturday night in the World Cup of Hockey semifinals. “He always comes up big in the […]
The post Canada beats Russia to reach final round appeared first on The Japan Times.
By the time Alex Hornibrook’s first start was over, there wasn’t much question about whether he could handle one of the toughest road tests in the Big Ten. Hornibrook threw for 195 yards and a touchdown, and 11th-ranked Wisconsin turned its early-season showdown with No. 8 Michigan State into a rout, beating the Spartans 30-6 […]
The post No. 11 Wisconsin demolishes No. 8 Michigan St. appeared first on The Japan Times.
Dustin Johnson had a reasonable lie in the rough and only a few pine tree branches blocking his path to the 17th green. Neither seemed like a problem until he played the wrong shot, clipped the tree and wound up with a double bogey Saturday in the Tour Championship. It was an example of how […]
The post Johnson tied for lead in Tour Championship appeared first on The Japan Times.
Elvis Andrus had been dealing with flu symptoms and kept his celebration rather subdued after the Texas Rangers clinched the AL West, so he asked manager Jeff Banister afterward to please put him in the lineup again Saturday. He promised to be ready to play. The lone veteran in the lineup a day after Texas […]
The post Darvish, Andrus lead Rangers to victory appeared first on The Japan Times.
Rio Olympic gold medalists Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo reached the final at the Yonex Open Japan on Saturday, setting up a rematch of last month’s final against Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl of Denmark. The top-seeded Japanese duo downed compatriots Koharu Yonemoto and Shiho Tanaka 21-14, 21-19. Both Takahashi and Matsutomo plowed their […]
The post Partners Takahashi, Matsutomo secure spot in Yonex Open Japan doubles final appeared first on The Japan Times.
The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters reduced their magic number to five and tied a franchise record with 83 victories in a 4-1 win against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on Saturday. The Fighters improved to 83-52 to stay in first in the Pacific League, one game ahead of the second-place Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. Hirotoshi Masui […]
The post Fighters trim magic number to five, match franchise mark with 83rd victory appeared first on The Japan Times.
Former bj-league MVP Justin Burrell had a game-best 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists to lead the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins to an 81-74 victory over the visiting Kyoto Hannaryz in the teams’ season-opening game. Burrell, a St. John’s University alum who helped the Yokohama B-Corsairs reach the bj-league Final Four as a first-year franchise […]
The post Burrell sparks Diamond Dolphins in season-opening victory over Hannaryz appeared first on The Japan Times.
After an electrifying start to the B. League’s inaugural season with a two-game series between the Alvark Tokyo and Ryukyu Golden Kings earlier the week, other clubs made their league debut across the nation on Saturday. At Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium, the Sunrockers Shibuya came through in the final quarter, outscoring the hosts 29-10 en route […]
The post Sunrockers storm past B-Corsairs in pivotal fourth quarter appeared first on The Japan Times.
Honey Hireme led Waikato to victory in the Sapporo Sevens on Saturday, as the New Zealand side beat the Hokkaido Barbarians 31-7 at the Barbarians’ picturesque ground in Jozankei. Kiwi legend Hireme — who is often dubbed “Honey Bill” in reference to her male counterpart Sonny Bill Williams — guided a young development squad past […]
The post Waikato routs Hokkaido Barbarians to secure Sapporo Sevens title appeared first on The Japan Times.
Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has been dropped for the English Premier League game against champion Leicester on Saturday. Rooney was put on the bench by United manager Jose Mourinho, who said Friday that the striker had not been the same player since he was criticized for his display for England’s national team in early […]
The post Manchester United manager Mourinho benches Rooney appeared first on The Japan Times.
Former champion Caroline Wozniacki continued her late-season resurgence by beating second-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland on Saturday afternoon to advance to the final of the Pan Pacific Open. Radwanska was close to victory, leading 5-3 in the second set, but Wozniacki seized momentum when she broke her opponent twice to win the last four games […]
The post Osaka rallies to make Pan Pacific Open final appeared first on The Japan Times.
Ozeki Goeido captured his first Emperor’s Cup title after downing sixth-ranked maegashira Tamawashi at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday. Goeido maintained his perfect record on the penultimate day of the 15-day meet, comfortably beating Tamawashi (9-5) by yorikiri. At 30 years and 5 months, the Osaka native is the fifth oldest to win […]
The post Goeido locks up first title with 14th victory appeared first on The Japan Times.
Ryan Getzlaf doesn’t remember a single thing from Canada’s last matchup with Russia in a tournament featuring the best hockey players in the world. “I couldn’t even tell you what the score was or when we played them or what happened,” Getzlaf said. Canada coach Mike Babcock, however, remembers the nerves of his players that […]
The post Canada-Russia battle set appeared first on The Japan Times.
Reserve catcher Steve Clevenger was suspended for the rest of the season without pay Friday by the Seattle Mariners in the wake of his tweets regarding a recent police shooting in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Black Lives Matter movement. “As soon as we became aware of the tweets posted by Steve yesterday we began […]
The post Mariners catcher Clevenger suspended over tweets appeared first on The Japan Times.
Adrian Beltre and the Texas Rangers were subdued as they began the celebration, exchanging hugs near the pitcher’s mound at Oakland Coliseum. Things got more raucous in the clubhouse, with cigar smoke and champagne everywhere. The Rangers are getting pretty good at this division title thing. Now it’s time to chase some more important hardware. […]
The post Rangers clinch AL West title appeared first on The Japan Times.
The rematch between Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko for the world heavyweight title has been called off for a second time. Fury’s management company, Hennessy Sports, said Friday that the British boxer has “been declared medically unfit to fight” and the Oct. 29 bout in Manchester “will not be going ahead.” A statement read “medical […]
The post Fury-Klitschko rematch called off appeared first on The Japan Times.
FIFA appointed Netherlands and AC Milan great Marco van Basten as a technical director on Friday to help raise coaching standards. FIFA confirmed Van Basten’s new job after he resigned last month as an assistant coach with the Dutch national team. Van Basten was at FIFA headquarters for the first time, and will have the […]
The post Van Basten named FIFA technical boss appeared first on The Japan Times.
Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully thanked Los Angeles Dodgers fans for making him feel like an 8-year-old again every time they cheer. The crowd, in turn, saluted Scully with a loud roar and multiple standing ovations on his appreciation night Friday. Holding hands with wife Sandi, he walked slowly from the dugout along a […]
The post Dodgers honor Scully for his 67 years of storytelling appeared first on The Japan Times.
The intai jiai (retirement game) is a significant event in Japanese pro baseball for long-time star players about to hang up their spikes and call it a career. It usually occurs at the end of a season after it has been announced the player is leaving the game and after league standings have been decided. […]
The post Making a toast to retiring beer girl Misato appeared first on The Japan Times.
No fire burned hotter, no mouth was fouler, no opponent was in for a longer night than Kevin Garnett’s. In more than two decades in the NBA, Garnett opened the door for a new wave of young talent to enter the league, was partly responsible for a rewriting of the collective bargaining agreement and nearly […]
The post Garnett retires after 21 seasons appeared first on The Japan Times.
Chris Bosh’s plan to resume playing is now in jeopardy, after medical examinations performed in recent days convinced the Miami Heat that he is not healthy enough to return to the court. And Bosh may have provided a clue why. The Heat announced Friday that they still cannot clear Bosh for a resumption of basketball […]
The post Bosh’s career in jeopardy again appeared first on The Japan Times.
Troy Williams threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score in No. 24 Utah’s 31-27 comeback victory over Southern California on Friday night. The Utes roared back in spectacular fashion with Tim Patrick catching an 18-yard touchdown pass at the pylon with 16 seconds remaining to cap a 15-play, 93-yard drive. […]
The post Utes erase 10-point deficit to beat struggling Trojans appeared first on The Japan Times.
The Yokohama BayStars are happy, not satisfied, to have secured an A-Class finish in the Central League. They gave the Yomiuri Giants a lesson in the distinction between the two in what they hope is their last trip to Tokyo Dome this year. The BayStars hit six home runs, including a pair of two-run shots […]
The post BayStars demolish Giants with six-homer attack appeared first on The Japan Times.
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks’ bid for a third straight Pacific League pennant took a hit on Friday, when the club deactivated PL wins leader Tsuyoshi Wada due to elbow issues. Wada (15-5), who underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in 2012, is in his first season back in Japan after four seasons in […]
The post Hawks deactivate ailing ace Wada appeared first on The Japan Times.
The Alvark Tokyo jumped out to a big lead in the first quarter and held on for a 74-53 victory over the Ryukyu Golden Kings on Friday night in the B. League. Tokyo improved to 2-0, winning for the second time in as many days in the first-ever series in the new league at Yoyogi […]
The post Alvark rout Golden Kings, complete two-game series sweep appeared first on The Japan Times.
Akane Yamaguchi finally got her first win over Nozomi Okuhara in their seventh meeting and reached the semifinals at the Yonex Open Japan on Friday, claiming a 21-11, 23-21 victory in the women’s singles. In a rematch of last year’s final and the quarterfinals at the Rio Games last month, sixth seed Yamaguchi fell behind […]
The post Yamaguchi defeats Okuhara in seventh try, moves on to Yonex Open Japan semifinals appeared first on The Japan Times.
Rising teenage star Naomi Osaka reached her first-ever semifinal on the WTA Tour after conquering her demons in a 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) win over Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich at the Pan Pacific Open on Friday. Eighteen-year-old Osaka, who toppled world No. 12 Dominika Cibulkova in the previous round, broke world No. 107 Sasnovich three times […]
The post Osaka bests Sasnovich, advances to semifinals appeared first on The Japan Times.
Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters veteran right-hander Masaru Takeda announced his retirement on Friday. Takeda, 38, had not pitched for the Fighters this season. A ceremony will be held Sept. 30 at Sapporo Dome, Nippon Ham’s last game of the regular season against the Chiba Lotte Marines. “I never thought I could come as far as […]
The post Fighters pitcher Takeda announces retirement appeared first on The Japan Times.
Hiroki Kokubo didn’t drop any hints about who would be on the Samurai Japan team for the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He did, however, help reveal what they would be wearing. Samurai Japan unveiled the national team uniforms for the tournament during a news conference at the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame on Friday afternoon. […]
The post Samurai Japan skipper Kokubo promotes team’s new uniforms for WBC, stays mum about roster appeared first on The Japan Times.
Garrett Jones might have felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders over the past two nights at Tokyo Dome. In two games against the Chunichi Dragons this week, on Wednesday and Thursday, the Yomiuri Giants outfielder was 4-for-8 with a home run and eight RBIs. It’s only a small sample size, but for Jones, […]
The post After earlier struggles at home, hot-hitting Jones gaining confidence at Tokyo Dome appeared first on The Japan Times.
Ozeki Goeido put one hand on his first Emperor’s Cup after defeating yokozuna Harumafuji to maintain his perfect record with two days remaining at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday. Goeido (13-0) can win the championship Saturday if he beats sixth-ranked maegashira Tamawashi (9-4). Only No. 14 Endo at 11-2, who faces sekiwake Takayasu […]
The post Unbeaten Goeido closes in on first title appeared first on The Japan Times.
Ed Temple, the former Tennessee State track and field coach whose Tigerbelles won 13 Olympic gold medals and helped break down racial and gender barriers in the sport, died Thursday night. He was 89. Temple’s daughter, Edwina, told Tennessee State officials that her father died after an illness. He celebrated his birthday Tuesday. “Words cannot […]
The post Longtime track coach Temple passes away appeared first on The Japan Times.
A man took a coconut cream pie from a grocery bag, grabbed Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson from behind and smacked him in the face with it at a charity event, leading the former NBA star to start swinging and then tackle the man who was left battered and facing assault charges. The pie wielder and […]
The post Sacramento mayor punches pie thrower appeared first on The Japan Times.
Vladimir Tarasenko and Ivan Telegin scored 1:19 apart in the second period and Russia beat Finland 3-0 on Thursday to set up a World Cup of Hockey semifinal against Canada — and knock out Team North America. Evgeni Malkin scored in the third period for Russia (2-1-0), and Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves. Also Thursday, […]
The post Russia whips Finland to reach World Cup semifinals appeared first on The Japan Times.
The first Jesse Owens Olympic Spirit Award will recognize the late Muhammad Ali. The Owens Award was started this year, the 80th anniversary of Owens’ four-gold-medal performance at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and is to be presented annually to recognize people who have served as an inspiration in society. Owens’ granddaughter, Marlene Dortch, will […]
The post Owens Award to honor legend Ali appeared first on The Japan Times.
The Shimane Susanoo Magic added veteran point guard Cohey Aoki to their roster for the inaugural B. League season, the second-division club announced on Thursday. The 167-cm Aoki was named to a record nine bj-league All-Star teams. He spent the last three seasons with the Rizing Fukuoka, who are now in the B. League’s third […]
The post Shimane signs veteran guard Aoki appeared first on The Japan Times.
ISU announcer Ted Barton has seen it all during his long career in the sport. From his days as the Canadian junior champion, to skating against legends like John Curry and Robin Cousins in the 1976 world championships, to helping craft a new judging system following the Salt Lake City scandal, the New Zealand native […]
The post Barton cites early instruction as key to Japan’s success appeared first on The Japan Times.
Jose Reyes had played 1,613 major league games without ever tying a game in the ninth inning with a home run. The Mets third baseman picked a good time to try it out. Reyes connected off Philadelphia Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez, tying it 6-6 and forcing extra innings. Asdrubal Cabrera then hit a three-run drive […]
The post Cabrera belts 11th-inning blast to lift Mets appeared first on The Japan Times.
We have seen the best of Wayne Rooney. He will be 31 next month and the Manchester United captain will not improve as a footballer. He has lost that explosive yard of pace and now relies more on his ability to pass rather than passing defenders effortlessly. The sands of time have caught up with […]
The post Rooney’s decline presents a problem for Man United appeared first on The Japan Times.
Maybe the Texans thought Jacoby Brissett would run out of bounds at the 5 in the first quarter of his first NFL start. After all, with Tom Brady suspended and Jimmy Garoppolo injured, the Patriots didn’t have any other quarterbacks on the roster to call upon if the 23-year-old rookie got hurt. But when Brissett […]
The post Third-string QB Brissett pilots Patriots to victory appeared first on The Japan Times.
The rising popularity of rugby in Japan is having spinoff effects for the nation’s relationship with New Zealand as students increasingly choose to study in the rugby stronghold. After the Brave Blossoms’ historic victory against South Africa in the 2015 Rugby World Cup in the U.K. and ahead of Japan’s turn as World Cup host […]
The post Rugby fever draws Japan youth to New Zealand appeared first on The Japan Times.
Yoyogi National Gymnasium holds a special place in Japan basketball history, including its role in hosting tournament games during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. So it was only appropriate that the B. League ushered in a new era of men’s pro basketball by staging its inaugural season opener at the historic arena in the heart of […]
The post Alvark hold off Golden Kings as B. League opens inaugural season appeared first on The Japan Times.
Rio Olympic gold medal-winning pair Ayaka Takahashi and Misaki Matsutomo eased into the women’s doubles quarterfinals of the Yonex Open Japan badminton tournament on Thursday. The top-seeded pair, ranked No. 1 in the world, needed only 31 minutes for a 21-7, 21-15 win over Taiwan’s Chiang Kai-hsin and Hung Shih-hah as Takahashi and Matsutomo returned […]
The post Rio gold medalists Takahashi, Matsutomo advance to quarterfinals at Yonex Open Japan appeared first on The Japan Times.
Japan’s former world No. 4 Kimiko Date-Krumm, who is rehabilitating after undergoing a second surgical procedure on her left knee in April, said Thursday she is targeting a return to action next year. Speaking during an event at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, Date, who turns 46 next week, said, “I have been told […]
The post Date-Krumm hoping to make comeback from knee operation appeared first on The Japan Times.
Kashima Antlers needed a late own goal to edge past Fagiano Okayama and reach the fourth round of the Emperor’s Cup on Thursday as they claimed a hard-fought 2-1 win against the J2 outfit. Okayama, sitting fifth in the second tier and in a playoff position, pressed its J1 host early on and had a […]
The post Kashima scores gritty win over J2 side Okayama in Emperor’s Cup appeared first on The Japan Times.
Four-time NBA champion Horace Grant, who now serves as an NBA goodwill ambassador, enjoyed the excitement of the B. League’s inaugural game at a jam-packed Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo on Thursday night. “The grand opening (was) very exciting, lots of lights and as for the game I absolutely loved it,” said Grant, who was […]
The post Former Bulls great Grant in house for B. League opener appeared first on The Japan Times.
Aliaksandra Sasnovich fired Japan’s Naomi Osaka a warning shot with a stunning straight-sets win over U.S. Open finalist and world No. 6 Karolina Pliskova on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. The Belarusian qualifier, ranked 107th in the world, meets Osaka in the last eight on Friday after […]
The post Sasnovich stuns Pliskova to reach Pan Pacific quarterfinals appeared first on The Japan Times.
Goeido moved within reach of his first-ever championship as the ozeki remained unbeaten after 12 days at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament after defeating lackluster yokozuna Kakuryu on Thursday. Yokozuna Harumafuji, sekiwake Takayasu and rank-and-file grappler Endo are two wins behind with three days to go in the 15-day tourney, while ozeki Kisenosato and No. […]
The post Goeido moves closer to first championship appeared first on The Japan Times.
Sho Nakata hit a two-run homer and Haruki Nishikawa drove in two runs to help Hokkaido Nippon Ham beat Fukuoka SoftBank 5-2 on Thursday to remain in first place in the Pacific League. The Fighters, who defeated the Hawks on Wednesday to overtake them in the league standings, saw their magic number to win the […]
The post Fighters beat Hawks to set magic number at six appeared first on The Japan Times.
Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi rejected the city’s bid for the 2024 Olympics on Wednesday, effectively dooming the capital’s candidacy for the second time in four years. If approved by the city assembly, Raggi’s rejection would leave only Los Angeles, Paris and Budapest in the running for the 2024 Games. The International Olympic Committee will decide […]
The post Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi rejects 2024 Olympic bid appeared first on The Japan Times.
Steve Kerr fully expects NBA players to take up their own version of 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s stand against racial oppression. Whether his own Golden State players show some kind of support or opt to protest during the national anthem once the season begins, he isn’t sure. That will be a topic of discussion as […]
The post Kerr speaks out on police shootings appeared first on The Japan Times.
A person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press that the Minnesota Timberwolves are working on a buyout with Kevin Garnett. The two sides have been engaged in talks for some time. When completed it will assure that Garnett will not return to the Wolves’ roster next season. The person spoke Wednesday on […]
The post Timberwolves working on Garnett buyout appeared first on The Japan Times.
Rio Olympic gold medalist Kosuke Hagino indicated Wednesday he plans to undergo surgery on his right elbow next week and expects to sit out all swimming competitions for the rest of this year, including December’s world short course swimming championships in Canada. Hagino, who won the men’s 400-meter individual medley last month in Rio de […]
The post Hagino to have surgery on elbow appeared first on The Japan Times.
Adrian Peterson will have surgery on his right knee to repair a torn meniscus, putting his season and perhaps his 10-year run with Minnesota in question. The Vikings have held off for now on placing the franchise’s all-time leading rusher on injured reserve, though, waiting for the medical report that will influence that decision. Peterson […]
The post Surgery puts Peterson’s season in doubt appeared first on The Japan Times.
A plan to build an NFL stadium that could attract the Raiders to Las Vegas hit another milestone on Wednesday, with Gov. Brian Sandoval signaling support for the project and saying he intends to call Nevada lawmakers into a special session early next month to consider a public financing plan. The Republican governor said he […]
The post Nevada Gov. Sandoval signals support for Las Vegas stadium appeared first on The Japan Times.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman said Wednesday the public isn’t listening to the message NFL players are trying to send with their actions during the national anthem. While some fans are obsessing about whether players take a knee, raise a fist or lock arms during the national anthem before games, Sherman said they should be […]
The post Sherman says message of anthem protests being lost appeared first on The Japan Times.
Yasiel Puig is making his mark against left-handed pitching while helping the Dodgers in a major way. The Cuban outfielder’s three-run homer highlighted a five-run first inning in a 9-3 rout of the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night, extending the Dodgers’ NL West lead to six games with 10 remaining. “It’s nice to have […]
The post Maeda, Puig power Dodgers appeared first on The Japan Times.
When Nathan MacKinnon deked Henrik Lundqvist out for a highlight-reel overtime goal and got mobbed by teammates, he couldn’t be happier. Minutes later, MacKinnon found out that the 4-3 victory over Sweden on Wednesday wasn’t enough to get Team North America into the semifinals at the World Cup of Hockey. The most exciting show on […]
The post North America beats Sweden in OT, needs help to advance appeared first on The Japan Times.
Yokohama BayStars first-year manager Alex Ramirez will continue on with the Central League ballclub next season, team owner Tomoko Namba said Thursday. Namba said she formally asked Ramirez to remain in the post for the next year of his two-year contract with the team and the 41-year-old Venezuelan accepted. This season, Ramirez has helped the […]
The post BayStars manager Ramirez to remain at helm appeared first on The Japan Times.
Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi rejected the city’s bid for the 2024 Olympics on Wednesday, effectively dooming the capital’s candidacy for the second time in four years. If approved by Rome’s city assembly, Raggi’s motion to withdraw the bid would leave only Los Angeles, Paris and Budapest in the running for the 2024 Games. The International […]
The post Mayor Raggi rejects Rome’s 2024 Olympics bid, draws flak appeared first on The Japan Times.
Rio Olympic bronze medalist Nozomi Okuhara eased into the second round of the Yonex Open Japan on Wednesday by defeating Line Kjaersfeldt 21-13, 21-6 in her opening match. Okuhara won seven straight points at the start en route to sending the Dane packing in half an hour. She dealt well with shots from her 174-cm-tall […]
The post Okuhara triumphs over Kjaersfeldt in Yonex Open opener appeared first on The Japan Times.
Shohei Otani tossed eight solid innings and Brandon Laird hit a two-run home run Wednesday to help the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters edge Fukuoka SoftBank 2-1 and overtake the Hawks again at the top of the Pacific League standings. Otani (9-4) gave up one unearned run on four hits and three walks over eight innings […]
The post Fighters star Otani earns first win since July 3 appeared first on The Japan Times.
One day before the opening game of the B. League’s first season between the Alvark Tokyo and Ryukyu Golden Kings at Yoyogi National Gymnasium, the players and coaches were ecstatic, saying they are ready to put on a show the next day to usher in a new era of Japanese basketball. “We, Ryukyu, have been […]
The post Alvark, Golden Kings eager to deliver entertainment, quality competition in B. League opener appeared first on The Japan Times.
Orix Buffaloes right-hander Satoshi Komatsu, a former Pacific League Rookie of the Year, will retire at the end of this season, the team announced Wednesday. The 34-year-old pitcher, who joined Orix from a corporate team in 2007 under a short-lived draft system that allowed notable amateur players to designate professional teams they want to play […]
The post Orix pitcher Komatsu to retire after season appeared first on The Japan Times.
The Japanese Olympic Committee said Wednesday it has received a report from the Aichi prefectural and Nagoya municipal governments confirming their agreement to seek to co-host the 2026 Asian Games. With the submission of the document under the names of Aichi Gov. Hideaki Omura and Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura, the two local governments have formally […]
The post Aichi-Nagoya bid for 2026 Asian Games finalized appeared first on The Japan Times.
Goeido continued his winning ways at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday as he defeated fellow ozeki Kisenosato and all but shattered the latter’s chance for promotion to yokozuna. Goeido now has an 11-0 record, extending his lead to two wins after yokozuna Harumafuji and No. 14 maegashira Endo, who are chasing the ozeki, […]
The post Goeido still unbeaten appeared first on The Japan Times.
Colin Kaepernick says he has received death threats through social media and other avenues since he began to protest during the national anthem last month. Kaepernick said Tuesday he has not alerted San Francisco 49ers team security about the threats and understood that could happen once he began his protest over racial oppression and police […]
The post 49ers quarterback Kaepernick reveals death threats appeared first on The Japan Times.
Teenage sensation Naomi Osaka claimed her biggest scalp to date after beating world No. 12 Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-1 on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Pan Pacific Open. Eighteen-year-old Osaka, whose appearance and playing style have drawn comparisons to her idol Serena Williams, dropped the first two games at Ariake Colosseum but woke […]
The post Overpowering Osaka eliminates Cibulkova appeared first on The Japan Times.
England and Saracens winger Chris Ashton has been suspended for 13 weeks for biting an opponent after a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel upheld one of two charges on Tuesday. The 29-year-old, capped 39 times by England, was alleged to have bitten Northampton prop Alex Waller during Saturday’s Aviva Premiership game. The two incidents occurred […]
The post Saracens’ Ashton banned 13 weeks for biting opponent appeared first on The Japan Times.
Commissioner Rob Manfred is confident Major League Baseball teams fully disclose medical records, but said his office has demonstrated that it will use discipline as a way to discourage rules violations. Manfred’s comments during an appearance in Texas on Tuesday came less than a week after MLB suspended Padres general manager A.J. Preller for 30 […]
The post Manfred defends Padres GM Preller’s suspension appeared first on The Japan Times.
Striker Shinji Okazaki opened his season’s account with a brace during Leicester City’s 4-2 extra-time defeat to Chelsea on Tuesday in the English Football League Cup. Okazaki flicked in a header from the tightest of angles in the 17th minute after a cross from the right was bounced twice by Chelsea defense in the box. […]
The post Okazaki bags brace in Leicester City’s extra-time loss to Chelsea appeared first on The Japan Times.
It’s been a year since Japan shocked the world with its stunning victory over South Africa at the Rugby World Cup in England. And ever since the Brave Blossoms’ breakthrough performance, rugby has been in a far brighter spotlight. As the host nation for the 2019 World Cup, that is certainly a plus. Organizing committee […]
The post Japan marks three years until Rugby World Cup appeared first on The Japan Times.
