National Basketball Association
Toronto Raptors 115 Orlando Magic 102
Pascal Siakam had 30 points and 10 rebounds as the Raptors snapped a 3 game losing streak
Kyle Lowry had 12 points & 14 assists as Toronto improved to 8 & 12
Tomorrow night, the Raptors are at Orlando for a rematch against the Magic
Philadelphia 76ers 119 Indiana Pacers 110
Tobias Harris had 27 points for Philadelphia who lead the Eastern Conference at 15 & 6
Washington Wizards 149 Brooklyn Nets 146
The loss drops the Nets to 13 & 9, leaving them 2nd in the Eastern Conference
Los Angeles Clippers 129 New York Knicks 115
Kawhi Leonard had 28 points for L.A.
The Clippers lead the West with a record of 16 & 5
Denver Nuggets 128 Utah Jazz 117
The Nuggets are 4th in the West at 12 & 8 while Utah falls to 15 & 5 and sits 2nd to the Clippers
Minnesota Timberwolves 109 Cleveland Cavaliers 104
Tonight
Los Angeles Lakers at Atlanta Hawks 7:30 pm
Charlotte Hornets at Miami Heat 7:30 pm
New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls 8 pm
Minnesota Timberwolves at Cleveland Cavaliers 8 pm
Portland Trail Blazers at Milwaukee Bucks 8 pm
Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans 8 pm
Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder 8 pm
Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks 8:30 pm
Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs 8:30 pm
Detroit Pistons at Denver Nuggets 9 pm
National Hockey League
Edmonton Oilers 8 Ottawa Senators 5
Connor McDavid scored a goal & had 5 points for the Oilers
Leon Draisaitl added 6 assists in the Edmonton victory
Ottawa has lost 6 in a row
Florida Panthers 3 Detroit Red Wings 2
The Panthers are tied with Columbus for 1st in the Central Division
Chicago Blackhawks 3 Columbus Blue Jackets 1
St. Louis Blues 4 Anaheim Ducks 1
The Blues and Colorado share 1st place in the West
Minnesota Wild 4 Colorado Avalanche 3 (OT)
Philadelphia Flyers 4 New York Islanders 3 (OT)
The Flyers are tied with Washington for 1st in the East
New Jersey Devils 5 Buffalo Sabres 3
Carolina Hurricanes 4 Dallas Stars 3 (SO)
Tonight
Vancouver Canucks at Montreal Canadiens 7 pm
Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers 7 pm
Nashville Predators at Tampa Bay Lightning 7 pm
Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals 7 pm
Calgary Flames at Winnipeg Jets 8 pm
Vegas Golden Knights at San Jose Sharks 9 pm
Bill Brown Passes
Former Owen Sound Grey, and Greys coach Bill Brown has passed away.
Brown, who also worked in sales at various points for Bayshore Broadcasting, died of cancer at age 66.
Among his hockey credentials, Brown was a scout for the Ottawa 67’s and later for the Windsor Spitfires during their back to back Memorial Cup Championships in 2009 & 2010.
Along with the Junior B Greys, Bill Brown also coached in the Western Junior C League for the Wingham Ironmen, Walkerton Hawks and Kincardine Bulldogs.
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PGA Farmers Insurance Open
at Torrey Pines, San Diego
Patrick Reed won in spite of controversy on Saturday on the 10th hole
His shot out of the bunker on 10 bounced once before settling into the rough.
Without waiting for an official, Reed picked up the ball to see if it was embedded. Reed told the official that no one in his group, as well as a nearby volunteer, saw it bounce. He was awarded a free drop and saved par in a round of 70.
Adam Hadwin was the low Canadian, he finished tied for 18th
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ontario tied for 37th, shooting a 70 on the final day to finish the tournament at 2 under par.
O’Brien Awards
The 2020 O’Brien Awards in harness racing were announced yesterday.
Bob McClure, who learned his craft at Hanover Raceway, won his first O’Brien trophy as Canada’s Driver of the Year.
McClure was the country’s leading money winning driver and eclipsed the $7 million mark in earnings.
Meanwhile, a horse with local ownership connections, Pemberton was voted Canada’s Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year.
Pemberton was bred by owners Brenda and Christine Walker, is trained by Paul Walker, and his regular driver was
Trevor Henry.
And Austin Sorrie who competes at Hanover Raceway won the Future Star Award.
from Standardbred Canada
Standardbred Canada announced the winners of 2020 O’Brien Awards, which honour Canada’s best in harness racing over the past season, during a Virtual Gala videostreamed on standardbredcanada.ca on Sunday, January 31.
Held virtually due to the provincial lockdown in Ontario, this year marked the 32nd edition of the O’Brien Awards, named in honour of the late Joe O’Brien, an outstanding horseman and member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.
Richard Moreau added a record eighth O’Brien trophy to his mantle in the Trainer of the Year Category after a season which saw him top the earnings and win charts for Canadian trainers. Based in Puslinch, Ont., Moreau is one of the country’s busiest trainers, sending postward 1,604 starters that made 237 trips to the winner’s circle and earned more than $3.6 million in purses.
Bob McClure of Rockwood, Ont., won his first O’Brien trophy as Canada’s Driver of the Year following a career-best season for earnings. McClure was the country’s leading money winning driver and he also reached several major milestones last year — eclipsing the $7 million mark in earnings, winning his first Breeders Crown Championship and capturing the Lampman Cup as the Ontario Sires Stakes’ leading driver. Some of the horses he regularly drove who contributed to his earnings milestone and 233 trips to the winner’s circle included divisional champions Donna Soprano, Lauras Love, Lawless Shadow and Tattoo Artist while sharing the driving duties aboard On A Streak.
Kelly Hoerdt of Beaumont, Alta., won his second O’Brien Award of Horsemanship following a year that saw the Alberta-based trainer-driver condition 157 winners and horses to more than $877,000 in earnings, while driving 163 winners and horses to purse earnings in excess of $895,000.
Scarlett Hanover was crowned champion in the Two-Year-Old Pacing Filly division following a stellar season which saw her post 11 top-three finishes from 14 starts and bank more than $449,000 in earnings. She won two Ontario Sires Stakes events including the OSS Super Final and also competed against Grand Circuit company, scoring a season’s best 1:51.3 victory in the Champlain Stakes while also winning an elimination of the Shes A Great Lady.
Lawless Shadow was voted Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year after an ultra-consistent season that saw him hit the board in eight of nine races, including four victories, while earning more than $307,000. He scored two victories in Ontario Sires Stakes events, a win in the Nassagaweya, runner-up finishes in his Metro elimination and OSS Super Final and a third-place finish in the Metro Final.
In the Three-Year-Old Pacing Filly division, Lauras Love took O’Brien honours. The Betterthancheddar filly was a model of consistency in 2020, scoring 16 top-three finishes, including eight victories from 20 races, and earning $331,000 for her connections. In addition to a victory in an Ontario Sires Stakes event, she scored multiple victories in overnight competition and also won a division of the Simcoe Stakes against Grand Circuit company.
Tattoo Artist was voted Canada’s Three-Year-Old Pacing Colt of the Year. The son of Hes Watching was a winner of eight of 17 starts and more than $666,000 last season with victories in five Ontario Sires Stakes events and a division of the Simcoe Stakes. One of his biggest efforts was a runner-up finish in the $1 million Pepsi North America Cup.
So Much More, a dominant competitor in the Fillies & Mares Preferred Ranks at Woodbine Mohawk Park, took Older Pacing Mare honours. She won 12 of 30 starts and eclipsed $300,000 in earnings last year while winning in a career best 1:49.3 at Mohawk.
Century Farroh took home two O’Brien Awards; one as Older Pacing Horse of the Year and the other as the Somebeachsomewhere Horse of The Year. Competing as a four-year-old, the son of Mach Three scored 12 top-three finishes in 16 starts and accrued more than $637,000 in earnings in 2020. His stakes victories included the Breeders Crown and the Dan Patch, both at Hoosier Park.
Donna Soprano was voted Two-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the year. The Donato Hanover filly won five of seven races and more than $575,000 for her connections in a season that included sweeps of the Pure Ivory and Peaceful Way Stakes, a win in a Champlain division and an impressive runner-up finish in the inaugural edition of the Mohawk Million.
In the Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt division, On A Streak beat out stablemate Macho Martini. On A Streak had only two wins in 10 starts, but they were both very lucrative ones. His maiden-breaking effort came in the $525,000 William Wellwood Stakes, which was worth $267,500 and a coveted spot in the inaugural Mohawk Million where he finished a solid third. His second victory came in the Breeders Crown, and was worth $300,000. In total the Cantab Hall colt earned in excess of $850,000 for his season which also included a runner-up finish in the Valley Victory.
Sorella took divisional honours as Canada’s Three-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year for a season which saw her win eight of 15 races and $737,000. The Muscle Hill filly posted victories in multiple stakes events including the Hambletonian Oaks, the Reynolds, the Casual Breeze, the Bluegrass and the Matron.
Pemberton, a son of Wheeling N Dealin, was voted Canada’s Three-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year. A winner of eight of 10 races, he earned more than $363,000 during his sophomore season. Four of his victories came in Ontario Sires Stakes events including the season-ending Super Final.
In the Older Trotting Mare category, Hey Livvy won O’Brien honours for her season which included nine wins and more than $283,000 in 23 trips postward, highlighted by her richest payday, an impressive victory in the Armbro Flight.
Perfetto was voted Older Trotting Horse of the Year after winning seven of 25 races and more than $151,000 while making all but one start at Woodbine Mohawk Park. The son of Majestic Son posted a career best effort of 1:52.3 on December 14 at Mohawk.
Austin Sorrie of Freelton, Ont., was recognized with the Future Star Award. The Prince Edward Island native was in demand on the Ontario B Track circuit in 2020, driving in more than 1,200 races, scoring 151 wins and driving horses to more than $923,000 in purse earnings.
In the Armstrong Breeder of the Year category, Seelster Farms added a fourth O’Brien bronze to their trophy case. In 2020, horses bred by Seelster won 260 races and earned more than $3.5 million. Top performers included O’Brien divisional winner Lawless Shadow, O’Brien finalist Karma Seelster along with Tokyo Seelster.
MLB Proposal
Major League Baseball has proposed a one-month delay in starting spring training due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The proposed delay would push back Opening Day to April 28.
Under the plan, the regular season would be cut from 162 games to 154.
It’s believed the Players’ Association will reject the league’s proposal.
Kitchener Fastpitch Passes On Host Duties
The Kitchener host committee and the ISC have agreed to find another host for the 2021 ISC World Tournament.
With travel restrictions plus sponsorships and volunteer opportunities in the Kitchener area a question mark, the host committee suggested finding another host for the tournament,
Visit Quad Cities is partnering with the city of Eldridge, IA, to use their 3-diamond complex as the site for the 2021 World Tournament.
Kitchener will have the opportunity to host the 2023 event.
from the International Softball Congress
Due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic and future unknowns associated with it, the Kitchener host committee and the ISC have agreed to find another host for the 2021 ISC World Tournament.
“With the potential travel restrictions and the impacts on sponsorships and volunteers in the Kitchener area, the host committee suggested to us that we should consider finding another host for the tournament,” said ISC Executive Director Larry Fisher. “Once again, our friends at Visit Quad Cities stepped up on short notice to help us out and are willing to host the 2021 World Tournament.”
Due to the current Covid-19 restrictions in Illinois, Visit Quad Cities is partnering with the city of Eldridge, IA, to use their three-diamond complex, Sheridan Meadows, as the site for the 2021 World Tournament. Eldridge is located about 15 minutes north of Moline and the host hotel at The Isle Casino.
ISC executives, along with the Visit Quad Cities staff, visited the Eldridge Sheridan Meadows complex on January 20 and also met with the Mayor, City Administrator and members of the parks department, parks board, city council and school system.
“They all were extremely excited at having an opportunity to host our World Tournament and assured us that they would make the necessary updates to the three fields at Sheridan Meadows as well as make the commitment, along with their many community member volunteers, to provide us with a viable location for our 2021 World Tournament,” said Fisher.
“We recognize that there may still be border restrictions and other travel limitations and we will be willing to work with teams on creative solutions,” Fisher continued.
The awarding of the 2021 ISC World Tournament to Visit Quad Cities will have no impact on 2022 ISC World Tournament, which is slated to be held in Moline, IL.
Kitchener will have the opportunity to host the 2023 event, should the host committee be interested.