Weekend Hot Reads....

In Pittsburgh, Gene Collier writes diversity "veritably magnetizes" to the Pirates organization "from every direction." Over the course of their history, the Pirates established with the "first reliably impactful scouting system for Latin American talent, fielded the first all-black lineup without then-manager Danny Murtaugh even pretending to notice, signed the first players ever from India, [and] are employing at third base this weekend the first South Korean ever to jump directly from the Korean Baseball Organization to the majors."

In Miami, Sam Jacobs profiles MP & Silva Founder & President Riccardo Silva, whose company "now has annual revenues" of around $700M and 20 worldwide offices. Silva recently helped found NASL expansion club Miami FC, but despite his "new preoccupation with the soccer team, he said, 'TV rights is still 95 percent of our business, and it will stay that way.'" 

Elsewhere:

• Soccer becomes "sport by which Americans most passionately express" patriotism.
• Perceptions of Univ. of Illinois AD Mike Thomas "depend on who's talking."
• CBS News reporter Major Garrett in WaPo op-ed: "End The Home Run Derby."
• BOSTON GLOBE profiles "the man behind NHL Player Safety Department."
• A '65 Twins game put Minnesota "on the map as a major-league market."
• Nearly 20 NHLers "get relief" with convictions of two men who conned them.
• With NASCAR race next week, IndyCar race in '16, a look at N.E.'s racing history.