Late Marlins P JOSE FERNANDEZ was laid to rest on Thursday during a funeral service that “lasted more than two hours.” Among those in attendance were MLB Commissioner ROB MANFRED, Baseball HOFers and Marlins execs TONY PEREZ and ANDRE DAWSON as well as many current and former Marlins players. The private service “drew about 300 mourners, who nearly filled the large sanctuary at St. Brendan Catholic Church in Miami” (AP, 9/29). Fernandez’ agent, SCOTT BORAS, struggled “through tears” while speaking at the service. Others in attendance included Marlins Owner JEFFREY LORIA and President DAVID SAMSON, batting coach BARRY BONDS, former Marlins manager JACK MCKEON, singer MARC ANTHONY and Nationals P GIO GONZALEZ, who was “excused from his team’s Thursday game to attend” (MIAMI HERALD, 9/30).
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| Stern said he has come to accept that gambling is protective to the health of sports |
I'D BET ON IT: Former NBA Commissioner DAVID STERN on Thursday at Las Vegas' Global Gaming Expo said that "legal betting nationwide on professional sports would help protect the integrity of American sports." Stern: "There’s a lot out there that’s being bet illegally. If we can fix this, it would be a big hit to organized crime." Like NBA Commissioner ADAM SILVER, Stern "called for federal authorization of gambling and denounced the practice of having it regulated state by state" (LASVEGASSUN.com, 9/29). Stern said, "Over time I've come to accept the notion that a properly run gambling operation ... is protective, and not deleterious, to the health of sports" (FOXSPORTS.com, 9/29).
GETTING CEREMONIAL: Hundreds of Olympians on Thursday "crammed into the White House" to meet with PRESIDENT OBAMA. Obama discussed the successes of the women's teams, including gymnast SIMONE BILES, shotputter MICHELLE CARTER, runner ALLYSON FELIX, boxer CLARESSA SHIELDS, skeet shooter KIM RHODE, swimmers KATIE LEDECKY and SIMONE MANUEL, and cyclist KRISTIN ARMSTRONG. American women out-medaled the men 61-55 and also had more Gold medals (27-18). Much of Obama's speech "touched on diversity and immigration" (WSJ.com, 9/29).
ROYAL TREATMENT: Six-year-old RHYLAN LOPATA on Thursday signed a contract with the Royals “under the watchful eye” of Senior VP/Baseball Operations & GM DAYTON MOORE. The ceremony, which was “set up through the Missouri Make-A-Wish Foundation, came roughly seven months after Rhylan was diagnosed with Stage 3B Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.” Lopata “has been in remission since August,” and he was able to visit with Royals 1B ERIC HOSMER on the field at Kauffman Stadium before Thursday’s game (K.C. STAR, 9/30)....Patriots QB TOM BRADY and actors MATT DAMON and BEN AFFLECK have “launched a charity campaign” on Omaze.com. One “lucky donor will be picked to go out on a bro date” with the trio. Proceeds from the campaign “benefit three charities: the Eastern Congo Initiative (founded by Affleck), Water.org (cofounded by Damon), and Brady’s TB12 Foundation” (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/30).
NAMES: Marquette Univ. on Thursday “canceled a classroom discussion” with Bucks President PETER FEIGIN, who “sparked controversy last week by calling Milwaukee the most racist place he'd ever experienced, out of concern that it could be disrupted by outsiders” (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 9/30)....Jaguars Owner SHAHID KHAN has purchased a 100% stake in the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto from an affiliate of Kingdom Holding Company (THE DAILY)....Triple-A Int’l League Indianapolis Indians GM RANDY LEWANDOWSKI has been named the Int’l League Executive of the Year (Indianapolis Indians)....Former NFLer PEYTON MANNING recently visited China to promote football "ahead of the inaugural season of the China Arena Football League” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/30)....Warriors G STEPHEN CURRY and F ANDRE IGUODALA will play in the PGA Tour Safeway Open Pro-Am on Oct. 12 (THE DAILY).
