Houston-area Scrap Yard Dawgs, National Pro Fastpitch's newest expansion team, this week signed free agent MONICA ABBOTT "to a six-year contract expected to pay" her $1M. It is the "first million-dollar contract in the history of NPF, which begins its 13th season later this month with six teams and plays a 50-game regular season." Abbott: "Hopefully it just raises the bar of our sport" (ESPNW.com, 5/5). The contract is "written in a tricky way, but its structure could provide a blueprint for how female athletes in other American professional leagues can earn even more money" (HUFFINGTONPOST.com, 5/5).
HONORS & AWARDS: The Padres will posthumously induct former MLBer KEN CAMINITI and Baseball HOFer TED WILLIAMS into the team's HOF this summer. Williams' ceremony will "take place July 1 in conjunction with the grand opening" of the Padres HOF, "located behind the left-field seating area at Petco Park" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 5/6)....MLS Commissioner DON GARBER and former USWNT players BRANDI CHASTAIN and SHANNON MACMILLAN have been named to the National Soccer HOF Class of '16 (SI.com, 5/5).
COURT REPORT: A Manhattan judge on Thursday warned that former NBA Security Dir WARREN GLOVER "might have a slam dunk with at least part of his civil rights lawsuit." Glover "sued the NBA saying that he was tormented" and then fired in '11. Judge LUCY BILLINGS "warned the NBA lawyers that ultimately, 'the plaintiff will sustain some claims' and she encouraged both sides to settle the five-year-old case rather than head to trial next year." Billings also "turned up the heat on the NBA to settle by saying she didn't think that most of the depositions and other evidence collected for the case should remain sealed." NBA Exec VP/Communications MIKE BASS said, "Allegations of isolated actions from a decade ago that were referenced in court today bear no resemblance to the NBA's diverse and inclusive culture. We will continue to vigorously defend against these allegations" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 5/6).
NAMES: Nike "intends to launch" a $40.5M expansion of its Oregon-based airbag factory that "manufactures the tiny air pillows built into the soles of its athletic shoes" (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/6)....Baseball HOFer CAL RIPKEN JR.'s foundation "helped with fundraising and construction of The George and Doris Haley Field, unveiled Thursday" in Kansas City, Kan. The field will "serve more than 1,000 youth players" as the home for Kansas' "Reviving Baseball In Inner Cities" MLB program (K.C. STAR, 5/6)....Blaze Pizza, a franchise in which Cavaliers F LEBRON JAMES is an investor, opened a location in Concord, Calif., on Thursday. It also has California locations in Fremont, S.F. and San Jose (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 5/6)....Patriots QB TOM BRADY’s new cookbook, “TB12 NUTRITION MANUAL,” is described as a “limited-edition living document” which features 89 recipes. It is “available on Brady’s website for $200,” while the initial run “has already sold out” (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/5)....The National Association of Black Journalists selected NBA reporter DAVID ALDRIDGE as the recipient of the association’s '16 Legacy Award. He will be honored at the their Annual Convention in DC in August (NABJ)...Univ. of Texas baseball coach AUGIE GARRIDO is one of the 91 recipients of the Ellis Island Medals of Honor. Also among those being honored this weekend in N.Y. are former NFLer MIKE UTLEY; ALICE TORRE, wife of MLB Chief Baseball Officer JOE TORRE; and former Chiefs GM CARL PETERSON (STATESMAN.com, 5/4)....Camera startup 360fly on Thursday announced the closure of a $40M Series C financing round. The company welcomed its newest investor Hydra Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of adidas (360fly).
IN MEMORY: Sports agent ED KLEVEN "died Wednesday night at the age of 72 after a long battle with multiple sclerosis and leukemia.” He represented Basketball HOFer JOHN HAVLICEK, and former MLBers TONY CONIGLIARO, BUCKY DENT, GORMAN THOMAS and RICHIE HEBNER. While “rolling his wheelchairs around the halls of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in December, he wrapped up a new ESPN deal" for writer TIM KURKJIAN. He “was a one man shop, working out of his modest home" in Brookline, Mass. Kleven’s media client roster “was formidable.” It “started with his Brookline next-door neighbor” PETER GAMMONS, and the led to KARL RAVECH, WENDI NIX, JAYSON STARK, JACKIE MACMULLAN and more (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/5).
