By GABRIEL LOPEZ Kansas City Monarchs

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Jason Rogers had a huge night for the Lincoln Saltdogs (37-42) Friday night at Legends Field. He was 2-4 with a walk from the plate with two home runs and five RBIs. Rogers belted a grand slam in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach as the Saltdogs beat the Kansas City Monarchs (47-31) 11-5.&nbsp;

The Saltdogs scored right away in the first inning. After Rayder Ascanio worked a walk, Ryan Long roped a double to left-center. CF Mallex Smith got the ball in quickly to Pete Kozma who delivered a one-hop to J.C. Escarra at the plate. However, the ball took a funny hop and bounced over Escarra’s head to allow Ascanio to score easily. Jason Rogers was walked to bring Josh Altmann to the plate. He delivered a three-run bomb over the home run patio in left field to give the Saltdogs a 4-0 lead.&nbsp;

The Monarchs responded in the bottom of the first as Jacob Robson hit a solo shot to right field, marking his first career home run as a Monarch. After one inning, Lincoln led 4-1 over Kansas City.&nbsp;

The Saltdogs extended their lead in the third inning. Ryan Long led off the inning with a double down the right field line and quickly advanced to third on a wild pitch from Matt Hartman. A few batters later, Josh Altmann notched a sacrifice fly to right field to earn his fourth RBI of the game and put Lincoln up 5-1.&nbsp;

The Monarchs responded again as Jan Hernandez notched an RBI-single up the middle to score David Thompson. The Saltdogs led 5-2 over the Monarchs after three innings of baseball.&nbsp;

Kansas City continued to claw back into the game. David Thompson led off the fifth inning with a single to left field and stole second base right away. After Matt Adams singled to right to advance Thompson to third, Escarra hit a ball to first base to score Thompson and make it a 5-3 ballgame.&nbsp;

The Monarchs threatened again in the bottom of the seventh. Adams led off the inning and hammered a solo shot to left field to bring Kansas City within one run. Next, J.C.Escarra, Ryan Grotjohn, and Pete Kozma were walked to load the bases. However, the Monarchs couldn’t cash in any more runs, as they still trailed 5-4.&nbsp;

In the top of the eighth, Jason Rogers hit a solo home run to left field to put the Saltdogs up 6-4.&nbsp;

The Monarchs answered by scoring a run of their own. Thompson led off the eighth inning with a double off the left field wall. He was able to advance to third on an error made by LF Justin Byrd. Matt Adams stepped up and drove a hard line drive up the middle to score Thompson and make it a 6-5 ballgame.&nbsp;

The Saltdogs blew the game open in the ninth inning. Rayder Ascanio notched an RBI-single to give them a 7-5 lead. With the bases loaded, Jason Rogers belted a grand slam to left field to give Lincoln an 11-5 lead.&nbsp;

The Monarchs couldn’t get anything started in the bottom of the ninth as Kansas City fell 11-5 to Lincoln.

The Monarchs face off against the Saltdogs in Game 2 Saturday at Legends Field starting at 6 p.m. The game can be heard on the&nbsp;<a href="https://mixlr.com/kansas-city-monarchs-baseball" target="_blank">Monarchs Broadcast Network</a>&nbsp;with the pre-game beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the video stream airing on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aabaseball.tv/" target="_blank">aa baseball.tv.</a>

By GABRIEL LOPEZ Kansas City MonarchsKANSAS CITY, Kan. — Jason Rogers had a huge night for the Lincoln Saltdogs (37-42) Friday night at Legends Field. He was 2-4 with a walk from the plate with two home runs and five RBIs. Rogers belted a grand slam in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach as the Saltdogs beat the Kansas City Monarchs (47-31) 11-5.&nbsp;The Saltdogs scored right away in the first inning. After Rayder Ascanio worked a walk, Ryan Long roped a double to left-center. CF Mallex Smith got the ball in quickly to Pete Kozma who delivered a one-hop to J.C. Escarra at the plate. However, the ball took a funny hop and bounced over Escarra’s head to allow Ascanio to score easily. Jason Rogers was walked to bring Josh Altmann to the plate. He delivered a three-run bomb over the home run patio in left field to give the Saltdogs a 4-0 lead.&nbsp;The Monarchs responded in the bottom of the first as Jacob Robson hit a solo shot to right field, marking his first career home run as a Monarch. After one inning, Lincoln led 4-1 over Kansas City.&nbsp;The Saltdogs extended their lead in the third inning. Ryan Long led off the inning with a double down the right field line and quickly advanced to third on a wild pitch from Matt Hartman. A few batters later, Josh Altmann notched a sacrifice fly to right field to earn his fourth RBI of the game and put Lincoln up 5-1.&nbsp;The Monarchs responded again as Jan Hernandez notched an RBI-single up the middle to score David Thompson. The Saltdogs led 5-2 over the Monarchs after three innings of baseball.&nbsp;Kansas City continued to claw back into the game. David Thompson led off the fifth inning with a single to left field and stole second base right away. After Matt Adams singled to right to advance Thompson to third, Escarra hit a ball to first base to score Thompson and make it a 5-3 ballgame.&nbsp;The Monarchs threatened again in the bottom of the seventh. Adams led off the inning and hammered a solo shot to left field to bring Kansas City within one run. Next, J.C.Escarra, Ryan Grotjohn, and Pete Kozma were walked to load the bases. However, the Monarchs couldn’t cash in any more runs, as they still trailed 5-4.&nbsp;In the top of the eighth, Jason Rogers hit a solo home run to left field to put the Saltdogs up 6-4.&nbsp;The Monarchs answered by scoring a run of their own. Thompson led off the eighth inning with a double off the left field wall. He was able to advance to third on an error made by LF Justin Byrd. Matt Adams stepped up and drove a hard line drive up the middle to score Thompson and make it a 6-5 ballgame.&nbsp;The Saltdogs blew the game open in the ninth inning. Rayder Ascanio notched an RBI-single to give them a 7-5 lead. With the bases loaded, Jason Rogers belted a grand slam to left field to give Lincoln an 11-5 lead.&nbsp;The Monarchs couldn’t get anything started in the bottom of the ninth as Kansas City fell 11-5 to Lincoln.The Monarchs face off against the Saltdogs in Game 2 Saturday at Legends Field starting at 6 p.m. The game can be heard on the&nbsp;<a href="https://mixlr.com/kansas-city-monarchs-baseball" target="_blank">Monarchs Broadcast Network</a>&nbsp;with the pre-game beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the video stream airing on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aabaseball.tv/" target="_blank">aa baseball.tv.</a>

Saltdogs take down Monarchs, 11-5

WICHITA -&nbsp;The Wind Surge defeated the Corpus Christi Hooks 7-3 on Friday night behind a strong start on the hill from Brent Headrick to give the Surge their second straight win.

Headrick got the start on the mound for Wichita and pitched five innings, allowing one run on two hits, and struck out six hitters to earn his first Double-A win as a starting pitcher.

The Surge took the lead in the bottom of the first inning as Alex Isola hit a two-run homer to give Wichita the early lead. Isola finished one for three with two RBIs and a walk in the game.

Wichita scored two runs in the second inning behind an RBI triple from Anthony Prato that allowed Will Holland to score. Leobaldo Cabrera followed with a single to center field to score another run and give the Surge a 4-0 lead.

The Surge extended the lead to 6-0 in the fourth inning as Prato hit an RBI double off the wall and Cabrera followed with another RBI single. Prato finished two for three with a walk and two RBIs on the night.

Shay Whitcomb led the way for the Hooks as he hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to shrink the Wichita lead to 6-3. Whitcomb finished three for four with three RBIs and two home runs.

Notes:&nbsp;Edouard Julien’s streak of reaching base in 28 straight games ended tonight, fourth longest in Texas League this season… The Surge improved to 2-3 in Tumba Vacas uniforms and 47-8 when scoring five or more runs.&nbsp; The Wind Surge pitchers punched out 14 Hooks hitters and now have 50 strikeouts in four games in the series.&nbsp;

Coming Up:&nbsp;The Wind Surge will resume action against the Corpus Christi Hooks Saturday. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m. and gates open at 5 p.m. Daniel Gossett will get the start on the mound for Wichita. Catch the game on&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fMiLB.com&amp;c=E,1,NDmDTLsOIhK2wDnfCnpzP9ox4D1XOyZWq9Z4DCRFlVDAIcKk0d58gHA2hl59whtDYGagCCGvk2v7VFwAtvbCbiDe_9J3Q17k4Cktj86rTxMh9mB_&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1" target="_blank">MiLB.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,L2zag1PfyAcYaGK2EU1wZ2NL3MKooWD0Kp08rRTQBv7iaWKZ3dmjq7BRyK1TpgaBrqXqQiL_VzkELmBGY4e1HQYnADpl2WzSGCjbPEh_xKzk_uIBUFzvrGPoYoQx&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1" target="_blank">Windsurge.com</a>

Wichita Wind SurgeWICHITA -&nbsp;The Wind Surge defeated the Corpus Christi Hooks 7-3 on Friday night behind a strong start on the hill from Brent Headrick to give the Surge their second straight win.Headrick got the start on the mound for Wichita and pitched five innings, allowing one run on two hits, and struck out six hitters to earn his first Double-A win as a starting pitcher.The Surge took the lead in the bottom of the first inning as Alex Isola hit a two-run homer to give Wichita the early lead. Isola finished one for three with two RBIs and a walk in the game.Wichita scored two runs in the second inning behind an RBI triple from Anthony Prato that allowed Will Holland to score. Leobaldo Cabrera followed with a single to center field to score another run and give the Surge a 4-0 lead.The Surge extended the lead to 6-0 in the fourth inning as Prato hit an RBI double off the wall and Cabrera followed with another RBI single. Prato finished two for three with a walk and two RBIs on the night.Shay Whitcomb led the way for the Hooks as he hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to shrink the Wichita lead to 6-3. Whitcomb finished three for four with three RBIs and two home runs.Notes:&nbsp;Edouard Julien’s streak of reaching base in 28 straight games ended tonight, fourth longest in Texas League this season… The Surge improved to 2-3 in Tumba Vacas uniforms and 47-8 when scoring five or more runs.&nbsp; The Wind Surge pitchers punched out 14 Hooks hitters and now have 50 strikeouts in four games in the series.&nbsp;Coming Up:&nbsp;The Wind Surge will resume action against the Corpus Christi Hooks Saturday. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m. and gates open at 5 p.m. Daniel Gossett will get the start on the mound for Wichita. Catch the game on&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fMiLB.com&amp;c=E,1,NDmDTLsOIhK2wDnfCnpzP9ox4D1XOyZWq9Z4DCRFlVDAIcKk0d58gHA2hl59whtDYGagCCGvk2v7VFwAtvbCbiDe_9J3Q17k4Cktj86rTxMh9mB_&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1" target="_blank">MiLB.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,L2zag1PfyAcYaGK2EU1wZ2NL3MKooWD0Kp08rRTQBv7iaWKZ3dmjq7BRyK1TpgaBrqXqQiL_VzkELmBGY4e1HQYnADpl2WzSGCjbPEh_xKzk_uIBUFzvrGPoYoQx&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1" target="_blank">Windsurge.com</a>

Wind Surge takes down Corpus Christi Hooks

By DAVID SMALE Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tony Gonsolin took a no-hit try into the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers won their 11th straight game, beating the Kansas City Royals 8-3 Friday night.

Gonsolin (14-1) tied Atlanta's Kyle Wright for the NL wins lead. The Dodgers, with the best record in the majors, broke open the game on Trayce Thompson's three-run homer in the eighth.

"Tony was good," manager Dave Roberts said. "I think it helped that this was a very aggressive ballclub. They were aggressive in the zone."

"I thought in the sixth or seventh inning he hit a wall. The slider started to get up there and he couldn't get the split to have the depth. I felt he had enough," he said.

Gonsolin did not allow a baserunner until issuing a one-out walk to Kyle Isbel in the sixth, when the game was still scoreless. He didn't give up a hit until Vinnie Pasquantino's one-out single in the seventh.

Overall, Gonsolin permitted two hits in 6 2/3 innings.

"It was pretty solid," Gonsolin said. "I felt like I was throwing a lot of strikes early with everything, which was nice to see. They were swinging a lot, so I kept the pitch count down. I got some soft contact and the guys made some good plays."

Josh Staumont (3-2) lost in relief, allowing five runs on four hits and a walk, without recording an out.

Royals starter Daniel Lynch gave up just two hits in five scoreless innings. A high pitch count was his undoing as he threw 105 and walked four.

Lynch escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth when he got Trea Turner to foul out, struck out Freddie Freeman and retired Will Smith on a flyball.

The Dodgers scored five times in the seventh after loading the bases with no outs on singles by pinch-hitter Gavin Lux and Thompson and a walk to Mookie Betts. Turner hit a two-run single, Freeman followed with an RBI double, and a wild pitch and Justin Turner's sacrifice fly made it 5-0.

"I just felt with those guys there was no panic. Two innings later to have that same situation with those hitters, that's an easy bet to take. Trea came through and opened up the floodgates," he said.

Trea Turner was relieved to have made amends.

"It felt good," he said. "The first one was a little frustrating because I felt like I had a pretty good at-bat (in the fifth). I just kept fouling pitches off, but I couldn't move one forward."

"It was nice to come through a couple of innings later and get the job done," he said.

Michael A. Taylor doubled home a run in the Kansas City seventh. Salvador Perez added a two-run homer in the eighth.

Dodgers C Austin Barnes was placed on the family emergency list. ... C Tony Wolters was selected from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... INF Rylan Bannon was designated for assignment.

Dodgers 3B Max Muncy and DH Justin Turner switched prior to Friday's game, because Muncy was hit in the right hand by a one-hopper that resulted in an infield single and came out of Wednesday's game. Muncy still hit seventh in the lineup but didn't play in the field. … LHP Clayton Kershaw, who has been on the 10-day injured list since Aug. 5 with lower back pain, played catch Thursday in Los Angeles and will continue to play catch each day in Kansas City. He got an epidural soon after the injury, and he said Friday that his back is feeling better. He said he doesn't have a set time to return, but "we'll definitely have enough time before October."

The teams continue the three-game series Saturday evening. The Dodgers will start LHP Andrew Heaney (1-0, 0.64 ERA), while the Royals will hand the ball to RHP Brad Keller (6-12, 4.45 ERA).

By DAVID SMALE Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tony Gonsolin took a no-hit try into the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers won their 11th straight game, beating the Kansas City Royals 8-3 Friday night.Gonsolin (14-1) tied Atlanta's Kyle Wright for the NL wins lead. The Dodgers, with the best record in the majors, broke open the game on Trayce Thompson's three-run homer in the eighth."Tony was good," manager Dave Roberts said. "I think it helped that this was a very aggressive ballclub. They were aggressive in the zone.""I thought in the sixth or seventh inning he hit a wall. The slider started to get up there and he couldn't get the split to have the depth. I felt he had enough," he said.Gonsolin did not allow a baserunner until issuing a one-out walk to Kyle Isbel in the sixth, when the game was still scoreless. He didn't give up a hit until Vinnie Pasquantino's one-out single in the seventh.Overall, Gonsolin permitted two hits in 6 2/3 innings."It was pretty solid," Gonsolin said. "I felt like I was throwing a lot of strikes early with everything, which was nice to see. They were swinging a lot, so I kept the pitch count down. I got some soft contact and the guys made some good plays."Josh Staumont (3-2) lost in relief, allowing five runs on four hits and a walk, without recording an out.Royals starter Daniel Lynch gave up just two hits in five scoreless innings. A high pitch count was his undoing as he threw 105 and walked four.Lynch escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth when he got Trea Turner to foul out, struck out Freddie Freeman and retired Will Smith on a flyball.The Dodgers scored five times in the seventh after loading the bases with no outs on singles by pinch-hitter Gavin Lux and Thompson and a walk to Mookie Betts. Turner hit a two-run single, Freeman followed with an RBI double, and a wild pitch and Justin Turner's sacrifice fly made it 5-0."I just felt with those guys there was no panic. Two innings later to have that same situation with those hitters, that's an easy bet to take. Trea came through and opened up the floodgates," he said.Trea Turner was relieved to have made amends."It felt good," he said. "The first one was a little frustrating because I felt like I had a pretty good at-bat (in the fifth). I just kept fouling pitches off, but I couldn't move one forward.""It was nice to come through a couple of innings later and get the job done," he said.Michael A. Taylor doubled home a run in the Kansas City seventh. Salvador Perez added a two-run homer in the eighth.TRANSACTIONSDodgers C Austin Barnes was placed on the family emergency list. ... C Tony Wolters was selected from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... INF Rylan Bannon was designated for assignment.TRAINER'S ROOMDodgers 3B Max Muncy and DH Justin Turner switched prior to Friday's game, because Muncy was hit in the right hand by a one-hopper that resulted in an infield single and came out of Wednesday's game. Muncy still hit seventh in the lineup but didn't play in the field. … LHP Clayton Kershaw, who has been on the 10-day injured list since Aug. 5 with lower back pain, played catch Thursday in Los Angeles and will continue to play catch each day in Kansas City. He got an epidural soon after the injury, and he said Friday that his back is feeling better. He said he doesn't have a set time to return, but "we'll definitely have enough time before October."UP NEXTThe teams continue the three-game series Saturday evening. The Dodgers will start LHP Andrew Heaney (1-0, 0.64 ERA), while the Royals will hand the ball to RHP Brad Keller (6-12, 4.45 ERA).

Gonsolin, Dodgers win 11th in a row, break away from Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Len Dawson, the 87-year-old Hall of Fame quarterback who led the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl title, has entered hospice care in Kansas City.

KMBC-TV, the Kansas City station where Dawson began his broadcasting career in 1966, confirmed Dawson is in hospice care through his wife, Linda.

The MVP of the Chiefs' 23-7 Super Bowl victory over Minnesota in January 1970, Dawson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 and received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2012.

From Alliance, Ohio, Dawson starred at Purdue and was selected fifth overall by Pittsburgh in the 1957 NFL draft. After seeing limited time in the NFL in three seasons with the Steelers and two with Cleveland, he joined the Dallas Texans in the American Football League in 1962, reuniting with former Purdue assistant coach Hank Stram.

Dawson moved with the team to Kansas City the following season and remained the Chiefs' starting quarterback until retiring in 1975.

In addition to his work at KMBC where he was the station's first sports anchor, Dawson was a game analyst for NBC and the Chiefs' radio network and hosted HBO's "Inside the NFL" show.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660354181481.jpeg" alt="Len Dawson. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Joel Pfiester/Released, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons" />
 <figcaption>Len Dawson. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Joel Pfiester/Released, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Len Dawson, the 87-year-old Hall of Fame quarterback who led the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl title, has entered hospice care in Kansas City.KMBC-TV, the Kansas City station where Dawson began his broadcasting career in 1966, confirmed Dawson is in hospice care through his wife, Linda.The MVP of the Chiefs' 23-7 Super Bowl victory over Minnesota in January 1970, Dawson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 and received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2012.From Alliance, Ohio, Dawson starred at Purdue and was selected fifth overall by Pittsburgh in the 1957 NFL draft. After seeing limited time in the NFL in three seasons with the Steelers and two with Cleveland, he joined the Dallas Texans in the American Football League in 1962, reuniting with former Purdue assistant coach Hank Stram.Dawson moved with the team to Kansas City the following season and remained the Chiefs' starting quarterback until retiring in 1975.In addition to his work at KMBC where he was the station's first sports anchor, Dawson was a game analyst for NBC and the Chiefs' radio network and hosted HBO's "Inside the NFL" show.

Len Dawson, MVP of Chiefs' first Super Bowl win, in hospice

By MARYCLAIRE DALE Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — Two years after a pair of former players sued the NFL over the treatment of Black retirees in the league's $1 billion concussion settlement, hundreds of men whose medical tests were rescored to eliminate race bias now qualify for awards.

The newly approved payouts, announced in a report Friday, are a victory for NFL families in the decade-long legal saga over concussions. The 2020 lawsuit unearthed the fact the dementia tests were being "race-normed" — adjusted due to assumptions that Black people have a lower cognitive baseline score. Changes to the settlement made last year are meant to make the tests race-blind.

The new results will add millions to the NFL's payouts for concussion-linked brain injuries. A league spokesman did not return a phone call Friday or respond to emails sent in recent weeks seeking comment on the rescoring.

Of the 646 Black men whose tests were rescored, nearly half now qualify for dementia awards. Sixty-one are classified as having early to moderate dementia, with average awards topping $600,000; nearly 250 more have milder dementia and will get up to $35,000 in enhanced medical testing and treatment, according to the claims administrator's report.

Former players, lawyers and advocates say they'll now turn to getting the word out to more players who could receive awards.

"Our work has produced some great results and has opened many eyes," said Ken Jenkins, a former Washington player who, along with his wife, petitioned the federal judge overseeing the settlement to make the changes and urged the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division to investigate. "Now we're really focused on getting as many players who deserve compensation to be compensated."

This first group of players had the best chance of success because they otherwise passed the testing protocols and would have qualified if they were white. Thousands of other Black former players can ask to be rescored or retested, but their cases might not be as strong based on earlier results on dementia, validity and impairment tests. About 70 percent of active players and 60 percent of living retirees are Black.

The fact that the testing algorithm adjusted scores by race — as a rough proxy for someone's socioeconomic background — went unnoticed for several years until lawyers for former Steelers Kevin Henry and Najeh Davenport sued the league. Factors such as age, education and race have long been used in neurology to help diagnose dementia. But experts say the formula was never meant to be used to determine payouts in a legal case.

"In 2022, how can you possibly think that another human being comes out of the womb with less cognitive ability? It's just impossible to believe that that can be true," Jenkins said. "It's unspeakable."

Advocates fear that many former players don't know they can be rescored or retested, especially if they have cognitive issues and live alone.

"Men who are homeless, men who originally signed up but their cognitive function changed, men who are divorced or isolated — we are going to go looking for them," said Amy Lewis, Jenkins' wife.

The couple, once critical of class counsel Chris Seeger for his response to the issue, now work with him to spread the word.

Seeger — lead lawyer for the nearly 20,000 retired players, who negotiated the settlement with the NFL — has apologized for initially failing to see the scope of the racial bias. He vowed in a recent interview to "make sure the NFL pays every nickel they should."

The league's tally just passed $1 billion in approved claims. However, appeals and audits mean actual payouts lag behind that number and now stand at about $916 million. Payouts include awards for four other compensable diagnoses: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease and deaths before April 2015 involving CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

As reviewers tackle the thornier dementia claims, the process has slowed and audits and appeals intensified.

"Their mantra is deny, deny, delay until you die," said James Pruitt, 58, a wide receiver who played for Indianapolis and Miami from 1986 to 1991.

After his NFL retirement, Pruitt became a teacher and middle school principal in Palm Beach County, Florida. But in 2010, in his mid-40s, the district asked him to step down. He could no longer perform his duties. Over time, he stopped calling on friends from his playing days.

"I don't get out, and I don't remember a lot of things. I've been told that I repeat things," he said. "I'm kind of embarrassed by the whole situation."

After the settlement was approved in 2015, he and his wife attended meetings with lawyers who traveled the country to sell the plan to retired players' groups.

"We were told … this was going to be a very easy process, you just need to go to the doctors, get a qualifying diagnosis from them," said Traci Pruitt, 42. "Yet here we are six years later, and we're still getting the runaround."

The couple has twice been approved by doctors only to have the decision overturned — once after their first doctor was removed from the program. Their lawyer believes they'll be successful on their third try, under the race-neutral scoring formula. They're still waiting to hear.

Traci Pruitt, an accountant who works from home, said an award would ensure she gets the help she needs to care for her husband: "While I love him, I don't necessarily have that background and skill set."

Seeger said he believes the claims process is picking up steam after a slow start.

"I know folks have said they weren't moving that well for awhile. I think we've won some appellate battles with the courts," Seeger said. "I don't think the NFL expected to pay $1 billion — and we're about to cross $1 billion."

Follow AP Legal Affairs Writer Maryclaire Dale on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/Maryclairedale">https://twitter.com/Maryclairedale</a>

By MARYCLAIRE DALE Associated PressPHILADELPHIA — Two years after a pair of former players sued the NFL over the treatment of Black retirees in the league's $1 billion concussion settlement, hundreds of men whose medical tests were rescored to eliminate race bias now qualify for awards.The newly approved payouts, announced in a report Friday, are a victory for NFL families in the decade-long legal saga over concussions. The 2020 lawsuit unearthed the fact the dementia tests were being "race-normed" — adjusted due to assumptions that Black people have a lower cognitive baseline score. Changes to the settlement made last year are meant to make the tests race-blind.The new results will add millions to the NFL's payouts for concussion-linked brain injuries. A league spokesman did not return a phone call Friday or respond to emails sent in recent weeks seeking comment on the rescoring.Of the 646 Black men whose tests were rescored, nearly half now qualify for dementia awards. Sixty-one are classified as having early to moderate dementia, with average awards topping $600,000; nearly 250 more have milder dementia and will get up to $35,000 in enhanced medical testing and treatment, according to the claims administrator's report.Former players, lawyers and advocates say they'll now turn to getting the word out to more players who could receive awards."Our work has produced some great results and has opened many eyes," said Ken Jenkins, a former Washington player who, along with his wife, petitioned the federal judge overseeing the settlement to make the changes and urged the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division to investigate. "Now we're really focused on getting as many players who deserve compensation to be compensated."This first group of players had the best chance of success because they otherwise passed the testing protocols and would have qualified if they were white. Thousands of other Black former players can ask to be rescored or retested, but their cases might not be as strong based on earlier results on dementia, validity and impairment tests. About 70 percent of active players and 60 percent of living retirees are Black.The fact that the testing algorithm adjusted scores by race — as a rough proxy for someone's socioeconomic background — went unnoticed for several years until lawyers for former Steelers Kevin Henry and Najeh Davenport sued the league. Factors such as age, education and race have long been used in neurology to help diagnose dementia. But experts say the formula was never meant to be used to determine payouts in a legal case."In 2022, how can you possibly think that another human being comes out of the womb with less cognitive ability? It's just impossible to believe that that can be true," Jenkins said. "It's unspeakable."Advocates fear that many former players don't know they can be rescored or retested, especially if they have cognitive issues and live alone."Men who are homeless, men who originally signed up but their cognitive function changed, men who are divorced or isolated — we are going to go looking for them," said Amy Lewis, Jenkins' wife.The couple, once critical of class counsel Chris Seeger for his response to the issue, now work with him to spread the word.Seeger — lead lawyer for the nearly 20,000 retired players, who negotiated the settlement with the NFL — has apologized for initially failing to see the scope of the racial bias. He vowed in a recent interview to "make sure the NFL pays every nickel they should."The league's tally just passed $1 billion in approved claims. However, appeals and audits mean actual payouts lag behind that number and now stand at about $916 million. Payouts include awards for four other compensable diagnoses: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease and deaths before April 2015 involving CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy.As reviewers tackle the thornier dementia claims, the process has slowed and audits and appeals intensified."Their mantra is deny, deny, delay until you die," said James Pruitt, 58, a wide receiver who played for Indianapolis and Miami from 1986 to 1991.After his NFL retirement, Pruitt became a teacher and middle school principal in Palm Beach County, Florida. But in 2010, in his mid-40s, the district asked him to step down. He could no longer perform his duties. Over time, he stopped calling on friends from his playing days."I don't get out, and I don't remember a lot of things. I've been told that I repeat things," he said. "I'm kind of embarrassed by the whole situation."After the settlement was approved in 2015, he and his wife attended meetings with lawyers who traveled the country to sell the plan to retired players' groups."We were told … this was going to be a very easy process, you just need to go to the doctors, get a qualifying diagnosis from them," said Traci Pruitt, 42. "Yet here we are six years later, and we're still getting the runaround."The couple has twice been approved by doctors only to have the decision overturned — once after their first doctor was removed from the program. Their lawyer believes they'll be successful on their third try, under the race-neutral scoring formula. They're still waiting to hear.Traci Pruitt, an accountant who works from home, said an award would ensure she gets the help she needs to care for her husband: "While I love him, I don't necessarily have that background and skill set."Seeger said he believes the claims process is picking up steam after a slow start."I know folks have said they weren't moving that well for awhile. I think we've won some appellate battles with the courts," Seeger said. "I don't think the NFL expected to pay $1 billion — and we're about to cross $1 billion."Follow AP Legal Affairs Writer Maryclaire Dale on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/Maryclairedale">https://twitter.com/Maryclairedale</a>

More Black NFL retirees win dementia cases in rescored tests

WICHITA&nbsp;-&nbsp;The Wind Surge defeated the Corpus Christi Hooks 8-5 on Thursday night as the Surge tallied fifteen hits to take the series lead and remain in first place.

Wichita struck first in the bottom of the second inning as Anthony Prato homered to deep left field. Leobaldo Cabrera followed with an RBI single to score another run and extend Wichita’s lead to 2-0.

The Surge scored three more runs in the bottom of the third inning behind an RBI single from newcomer Will Holland. Holland and Prato later scored on a throwing error by Hooks catcher C.J. Stubbs and extended the lead to 5-1.

Corpus Christi scored two runs in the top of the fifth courtesy of Joe Perez’s second RBI double of the night to score Shay Whitcomb. Perez later scored on a balk to cut the deficit to 6-4.

Edouard Julien hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to extend the Surge lead to 8-4. Julien finished one for four with two RBIs and a walk in the game.

Notes:&nbsp;Julien has now reached base in 28 consecutive games, fourth longest streak in the Texas League this season… The Surge improved to 7-2 on the year in Turbo Tubs uniforms and a league best 31-23 at home this season.&nbsp; Wichita promoted Chris Williams and Andrew Bechtold to Class AAA St Paul.&nbsp; The Surge added infielder Aaron Sabato and Will Holland from Cedar Rapids.

Coming Up:&nbsp;The Wind Surge will resume play against the Corpus Christi Hooks Friday. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. and gates open at 6 p.m. Brett Headrick will get the start on the mound for Wichita and Julio Robaina will take the hill for the Hooks. Catch the game on&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fMiLB.com&amp;c=E,1,NDmDTLsOIhK2wDnfCnpzP9ox4D1XOyZWq9Z4DCRFlVDAIcKk0d58gHA2hl59whtDYGagCCGvk2v7VFwAtvbCbiDe_9J3Q17k4Cktj86rTxMh9mB_&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1" target="_blank">MiLB.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,w8p6h23yTlSJ856I8ikrf8UcvCJsqUR19McGNXpFmx4gB6s9w-b8icPb7dSIe7HwdMcw0LkWha-NxQ6aFpUE0h-k27QfJsDj2ayieGDzBgihWqQ,&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1" target="_blank">Windsurge.com</a>

Wichita Wind SurgeWICHITA&nbsp;-&nbsp;The Wind Surge defeated the Corpus Christi Hooks 8-5 on Thursday night as the Surge tallied fifteen hits to take the series lead and remain in first place.Wichita struck first in the bottom of the second inning as Anthony Prato homered to deep left field. Leobaldo Cabrera followed with an RBI single to score another run and extend Wichita’s lead to 2-0.The Surge scored three more runs in the bottom of the third inning behind an RBI single from newcomer Will Holland. Holland and Prato later scored on a throwing error by Hooks catcher C.J. Stubbs and extended the lead to 5-1.Corpus Christi scored two runs in the top of the fifth courtesy of Joe Perez’s second RBI double of the night to score Shay Whitcomb. Perez later scored on a balk to cut the deficit to 6-4.Edouard Julien hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to extend the Surge lead to 8-4. Julien finished one for four with two RBIs and a walk in the game.Notes:&nbsp;Julien has now reached base in 28 consecutive games, fourth longest streak in the Texas League this season… The Surge improved to 7-2 on the year in Turbo Tubs uniforms and a league best 31-23 at home this season.&nbsp; Wichita promoted Chris Williams and Andrew Bechtold to Class AAA St Paul.&nbsp; The Surge added infielder Aaron Sabato and Will Holland from Cedar Rapids.Coming Up:&nbsp;The Wind Surge will resume play against the Corpus Christi Hooks Friday. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. and gates open at 6 p.m. Brett Headrick will get the start on the mound for Wichita and Julio Robaina will take the hill for the Hooks. Catch the game on&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fMiLB.com&amp;c=E,1,NDmDTLsOIhK2wDnfCnpzP9ox4D1XOyZWq9Z4DCRFlVDAIcKk0d58gHA2hl59whtDYGagCCGvk2v7VFwAtvbCbiDe_9J3Q17k4Cktj86rTxMh9mB_&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1" target="_blank">MiLB.com</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fWindsurge.com&amp;c=E,1,w8p6h23yTlSJ856I8ikrf8UcvCJsqUR19McGNXpFmx4gB6s9w-b8icPb7dSIe7HwdMcw0LkWha-NxQ6aFpUE0h-k27QfJsDj2ayieGDzBgihWqQ,&amp;typo=1&amp;ancr_add=1" target="_blank">Windsurge.com</a>

Pair of home runs powers Wind Surge to win; still in first

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Zack Greinke worked out of trouble to hold Chicago scoreless into the seventh inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat Dylan Cease and the White Sox 5-3 on Thursday.

Greinke allowed nine hits but didn't walk a batter, striking out five while throwing 95 pitches in 6 1/3 innings.

Vinnie Pasquantino homered and Nicky Lopez had a two-run single for the Royals, who won back-to-back four-game series for the first time since Aug. 11-18, 2014. Kansas City took three of four from visiting Boston before doing the same to Chicago.

Cease (12-5) allowed three hits and one run — on Pasquatino's homer leading off the second — in six innings as his ERA dropped to 1.96. He has not given up more than one earned run in a game since May 24, a span of 14 starts.

Scott Barlow allowed Andrew Vaughn's homer in the ninth but closed it out for his 18th save in 21 chances.

Pasquantino hit a 3-2 slider into the Royals' bullpen in right field, the 10th homer Cease has allowed this season.

The White Sox loaded the bases with no outs on three straight singles in the third, but Grienke struck out Eloy Jimenez and Jose Abreu and induced Yasmani Grandal's inning-ending grounder.

Lopez put the Royals ahead 3-0 in the seventh with his single against Jose Ruiz, who came on after Joe Kelly allowed two baserunners.

Grandal hit a two-run homer in the eighth against Jose Cuas to get the White Sox within 4-2. Michael A. Taylor had an RBI single for the Royals in the bottom half.

Chicago OF A.J. Pollock was held out of the lineup again Thursday after fouling a ball off his foot Tuesday. Manager Tony La Russa said Pollock was available if necessary, but he would prefer to wait until Friday when the White Sox host Detroit. ... RHP Kelly left with lightheadedness.

White Sox: Open a weekend series against visiting Detroit on Friday, with RHP Michael Kopech (4-8, 1.98 ERA) facing Tigers LHP Daniel Norris (0-4, 6.90).

Royals: Welcome the major league-best Los Angeles Dodgers for a three-game series starting Friday. The Dodgers will start RHP Tony Gonsolin (13-1, 2.30), while the Royals will hand the ball to LHP Daniel Lynch (4-7, 4.79).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660256080548.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals pitcher Zack Greinke delivers to a Chicago White Sox batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals pitcher Zack Greinke delivers to a Chicago White Sox batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID SMALE Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo. — Zack Greinke worked out of trouble to hold Chicago scoreless into the seventh inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat Dylan Cease and the White Sox 5-3 on Thursday.Greinke allowed nine hits but didn't walk a batter, striking out five while throwing 95 pitches in 6 1/3 innings.Vinnie Pasquantino homered and Nicky Lopez had a two-run single for the Royals, who won back-to-back four-game series for the first time since Aug. 11-18, 2014. Kansas City took three of four from visiting Boston before doing the same to Chicago.Cease (12-5) allowed three hits and one run — on Pasquatino's homer leading off the second — in six innings as his ERA dropped to 1.96. He has not given up more than one earned run in a game since May 24, a span of 14 starts.Scott Barlow allowed Andrew Vaughn's homer in the ninth but closed it out for his 18th save in 21 chances.Pasquantino hit a 3-2 slider into the Royals' bullpen in right field, the 10th homer Cease has allowed this season.The White Sox loaded the bases with no outs on three straight singles in the third, but Grienke struck out Eloy Jimenez and Jose Abreu and induced Yasmani Grandal's inning-ending grounder.Lopez put the Royals ahead 3-0 in the seventh with his single against Jose Ruiz, who came on after Joe Kelly allowed two baserunners.Grandal hit a two-run homer in the eighth against Jose Cuas to get the White Sox within 4-2. Michael A. Taylor had an RBI single for the Royals in the bottom half.TRAINER'S ROOMChicago OF A.J. Pollock was held out of the lineup again Thursday after fouling a ball off his foot Tuesday. Manager Tony La Russa said Pollock was available if necessary, but he would prefer to wait until Friday when the White Sox host Detroit. ... RHP Kelly left with lightheadedness.UP NEXTWhite Sox: Open a weekend series against visiting Detroit on Friday, with RHP Michael Kopech (4-8, 1.98 ERA) facing Tigers LHP Daniel Norris (0-4, 6.90).Royals: Welcome the major league-best Los Angeles Dodgers for a three-game series starting Friday. The Dodgers will start RHP Tony Gonsolin (13-1, 2.30), while the Royals will hand the ball to LHP Daniel Lynch (4-7, 4.79).

Greinke helps Royals beat Cease, White Sox 5-3

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes will start the Kansas City Chiefs' preseason opener in Chicago on Saturday, bucking a trend across the NFL of coaches sitting their starting quarterbacks for the first of their three exhibition games.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Thursday he would stick to his usual routine of having each of the four quarterbacks in camp play for a quarter of the preseason opener. And while he acknowledged the number of snaps could change based on the way the game is going, Reid thinks it's important for everybody — stars and backups alike — to get onto the field.

"I think it's good to get the juices going, get yourself out there, even if it's a limited amount of plays," Reid said after the Chiefs wrapped up Thursday's practice at Missouri Western State University.

"I'm not saying it's wrong what others are doing," Reid said. "That's just where I'm at."

The Raiders sat Derek Carr and the Jaguars played without Trevor Lawrence in last week's Hall of Fame Game, though that's typical given the game occurs a week earlier than the rest of the preseason openers. But plenty of teams are choosing to sit their starting quarterbacks this week, too, rather than risk an injury by subjecting them to unnecessary hits.

The Patriots planned to sit Mac Jones for their preseason opener against the Giants on Thursday night, when the Ravens were expected to have Lamar Jackson wearing a headset rather than a helmet for their game against the Titans.

Others sitting out include the Cowboys' Dak Prescott, Bills starter Josh Allen and the Buccaneers' Tom Brady, who is beginning an 11-day absence to deal with "personal things." Aaron Rodgers also is unlikely to play for the Packers given that the four-time and reigning league MVP has not played in a preseason game for Green Bay since 2018.

"I like to get in there and get hit like, on time," said Mahomes, who has played the preseason opener every season but 2020, when there wasn't any because of the pandemic. "Once you get hit one time, you see what it is. Then you're good to go."

Mahomes threw only two passes in last year's preseason opener against San Francisco before giving way to backup Chad Henne and the rest of the Kansas City quarterbacks. Mahomes had more extensive time in the second and third games.

When there was a four-game preseason schedule, he usually played the first three before sitting out the finale.

"It'll be good this time to get in there with the new group of receivers we have, all the new running backs, and show how we do it in the game," Mahomes said. "We're doing it here in practice but we want to show how we do it in the game."

Reid said his quarterbacks will be accompanied by their respective line on the depth chart, meaning Mahomes will play with the starting offense before Henne takes over with the backups. Shane Buechele and Dustin Crum will finish things out.

"It's definitely about getting into rhythm. It's getting into the game, seeing how the clock is running — everything in the game speeds up," Mahomes explained. "So the guys need to think, execute, show off their talent. It's going to be important to be in the game and see how all these guys do."

As much as Mahomes wants to see how new wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and second-round pick Skyy Moore fare on Saturday, most of the attention will be on the revamped defense.

First-round pick Trent McDuffie is expected to start at cornerback along with Justin Reid, who arrived from Houston in free agency. The Chiefs also expect to give plenty of work to another first-round pick, defensive end George Karlaftis, along with rookie defensive backs Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook.

"It's bare-bones football," Justin Reid said, when asked what to expect when the playbook is condensed and the game plan largely nonexistent. "We know what you're going to do. You know what we're going to do. Let's line up and do it. It's a test of wills. This is about giving guys a chance to show what they got."

NOTES: DE Frank Clark missed practice with an illness. DB Zayne Anderson (shoulder), WR Greg Jennings and OT Lucas Niang (knee) also remained out. WR Omar Bayless left early when his lower back tightened up. ... TE Jody Fortson returned after hurting his quad earlier in camp. The plan is to slowly get him up to speed. ... Andy Reid said he's looking forward to getting DT Danny Shelton in camp after the Chiefs agreed to a contract with him this week. The 345-pound Shelton has not been added to the official roster yet. "I think we'll get a lot out of him," Reid said. "He's a big guy. There'll be a lot of him here."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660244926033.png" alt="Patrick Mahomes. Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Patrick Mahomes. Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes will start the Kansas City Chiefs' preseason opener in Chicago on Saturday, bucking a trend across the NFL of coaches sitting their starting quarterbacks for the first of their three exhibition games.Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Thursday he would stick to his usual routine of having each of the four quarterbacks in camp play for a quarter of the preseason opener. And while he acknowledged the number of snaps could change based on the way the game is going, Reid thinks it's important for everybody — stars and backups alike — to get onto the field."I think it's good to get the juices going, get yourself out there, even if it's a limited amount of plays," Reid said after the Chiefs wrapped up Thursday's practice at Missouri Western State University."I'm not saying it's wrong what others are doing," Reid said. "That's just where I'm at."The Raiders sat Derek Carr and the Jaguars played without Trevor Lawrence in last week's Hall of Fame Game, though that's typical given the game occurs a week earlier than the rest of the preseason openers. But plenty of teams are choosing to sit their starting quarterbacks this week, too, rather than risk an injury by subjecting them to unnecessary hits.The Patriots planned to sit Mac Jones for their preseason opener against the Giants on Thursday night, when the Ravens were expected to have Lamar Jackson wearing a headset rather than a helmet for their game against the Titans.Others sitting out include the Cowboys' Dak Prescott, Bills starter Josh Allen and the Buccaneers' Tom Brady, who is beginning an 11-day absence to deal with "personal things." Aaron Rodgers also is unlikely to play for the Packers given that the four-time and reigning league MVP has not played in a preseason game for Green Bay since 2018."I like to get in there and get hit like, on time," said Mahomes, who has played the preseason opener every season but 2020, when there wasn't any because of the pandemic. "Once you get hit one time, you see what it is. Then you're good to go."Mahomes threw only two passes in last year's preseason opener against San Francisco before giving way to backup Chad Henne and the rest of the Kansas City quarterbacks. Mahomes had more extensive time in the second and third games.When there was a four-game preseason schedule, he usually played the first three before sitting out the finale."It'll be good this time to get in there with the new group of receivers we have, all the new running backs, and show how we do it in the game," Mahomes said. "We're doing it here in practice but we want to show how we do it in the game."Reid said his quarterbacks will be accompanied by their respective line on the depth chart, meaning Mahomes will play with the starting offense before Henne takes over with the backups. Shane Buechele and Dustin Crum will finish things out."It's definitely about getting into rhythm. It's getting into the game, seeing how the clock is running — everything in the game speeds up," Mahomes explained. "So the guys need to think, execute, show off their talent. It's going to be important to be in the game and see how all these guys do."As much as Mahomes wants to see how new wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and second-round pick Skyy Moore fare on Saturday, most of the attention will be on the revamped defense.First-round pick Trent McDuffie is expected to start at cornerback along with Justin Reid, who arrived from Houston in free agency. The Chiefs also expect to give plenty of work to another first-round pick, defensive end George Karlaftis, along with rookie defensive backs Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook."It's bare-bones football," Justin Reid said, when asked what to expect when the playbook is condensed and the game plan largely nonexistent. "We know what you're going to do. You know what we're going to do. Let's line up and do it. It's a test of wills. This is about giving guys a chance to show what they got."NOTES: DE Frank Clark missed practice with an illness. DB Zayne Anderson (shoulder), WR Greg Jennings and OT Lucas Niang (knee) also remained out. WR Omar Bayless left early when his lower back tightened up. ... TE Jody Fortson returned after hurting his quad earlier in camp. The plan is to slowly get him up to speed. ... Andy Reid said he's looking forward to getting DT Danny Shelton in camp after the Chiefs agreed to a contract with him this week. The 345-pound Shelton has not been added to the official roster yet. "I think we'll get a lot out of him," Reid said. "He's a big guy. There'll be a lot of him here."

Chiefs' Mahomes to buck NFL trend, play preseason opener

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — MJ Melendez hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning to send the Kansas City Royals past the Chicago White Sox 8-3.

Melendez and Salvador Perez both had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals. Kyle Isbel drove in two runs and scored twice. After leading all minor leaguers with 41 home runs last year, Melendez has 14 in 81 big league games this season. The left-handed-hitting rookie sent a pitch from lefty reliever Jake Diekman into the right-field bullpen to give Kansas City a 4-3 lead.

Isbel hit a two-run single in the eighth and scored on Melendez’s single. Perez added an RBI single to make it 8-3. Josh Staumont worked a perfect seventh for the win.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — MJ Melendez hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning to send the Kansas City Royals past the Chicago White Sox 8-3.Melendez and Salvador Perez both had three hits and two RBIs for the Royals. Kyle Isbel drove in two runs and scored twice. After leading all minor leaguers with 41 home runs last year, Melendez has 14 in 81 big league games this season. The left-handed-hitting rookie sent a pitch from lefty reliever Jake Diekman into the right-field bullpen to give Kansas City a 4-3 lead.Isbel hit a two-run single in the eighth and scored on Melendez’s single. Perez added an RBI single to make it 8-3. Josh Staumont worked a perfect seventh for the win.

Royals rookie Melendez delivers in 8-3 win over White Sox

Attention truckers: Friday is your night at Salina Speedway!

The Landstar 24th annual Trucker Appreciation Night at the Races is scheduled for Friday at Salina Speedway.

CDL drivers get into the evening of stock car racing for free from 5:30-7 p.m. Friday courtesy Landstar Ranger of Salina, according to an event flyer.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and races begin at 8 p.m.

There will be sponsored trucker prizes and race fan prizes throughout the night and during intermission. The first 100 children receive goody bags. Additionally, there will be a 50/50 ticket sale, with half of the proceeds going to the purchaser of the lucky ticket and the other half going to the Amy Mathis Family to help with ongoing medical expenses, according to information on the flyer.

<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/2c47aafe-6064-4b7c-88ca-bfdae4509967">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the weekday Salina Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Attention truckers: Friday is your night at Salina Speedway!The Landstar 24th annual Trucker Appreciation Night at the Races is scheduled for Friday at Salina Speedway.CDL drivers get into the evening of stock car racing for free from 5:30-7 p.m. Friday courtesy Landstar Ranger of Salina, according to an event flyer.Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and races begin at 8 p.m.There will be sponsored trucker prizes and race fan prizes throughout the night and during intermission. The first 100 children receive goody bags. Additionally, there will be a 50/50 ticket sale, with half of the proceeds going to the purchaser of the lucky ticket and the other half going to the Amy Mathis Family to help with ongoing medical expenses, according to information on the flyer.Tractor parking will be available.<a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/2c47aafe-6064-4b7c-88ca-bfdae4509967">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the weekday Salina Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Landstar Trucker Appreciation Night at Salina Speedway Friday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lenyn Sosa hit his first major league home run and Yoan Moncada also connected as the Chicago White Sox, minus injured All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson, beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 to split a doubleheader.

The Royals won the first game 4-2. Vinnie Pasquantino homered in both games for Kansas City.

Anderson is expected to miss six weeks with a tear in the middle finger of his left hand. He was put on the 10-day injured list between games of the twinbill. Anderson was injured on a check swing during his last at-bat on Saturday night at Texas. He will have surgery on Thursday in Chicago. The 29-year-old Anderson is hitting .301 for the playoff-contending White Sox. He missed the opener while finishing up a two-game suspension for making contact with an umpire.

The Royals take on the White Sox again Wednesday evening with first pitch at 7:10 central.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lenyn Sosa hit his first major league home run and Yoan Moncada also connected as the Chicago White Sox, minus injured All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson, beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 to split a doubleheader.The Royals won the first game 4-2. Vinnie Pasquantino homered in both games for Kansas City.Anderson is expected to miss six weeks with a tear in the middle finger of his left hand. He was put on the 10-day injured list between games of the twinbill. Anderson was injured on a check swing during his last at-bat on Saturday night at Texas. He will have surgery on Thursday in Chicago. The 29-year-old Anderson is hitting .301 for the playoff-contending White Sox. He missed the opener while finishing up a two-game suspension for making contact with an umpire.The Royals take on the White Sox again Wednesday evening with first pitch at 7:10 central.&nbsp;

Minus All-Star SS Anderson, White Sox split twinbill with KC

By TOMMY REZAC St. Joseph Post

The Kansas City Chiefs had ideal conditions for a two-hour, fully padded practice Tuesday.

The Chiefs practiced under sunny skies with temperatures right around 70 to start the day. The best news of the day for the team was the return of corner Rashad Fenton to the practice field.

Fenton received shoulder surgery in the offseason and was inactive for OTAs and mandatory minicamp, and he was on the physically unable to perform list for the first 11 camp practices.

Now that he's back on the field, Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt says Fenton will slowly be reacclimated.

"He'll get a couple of the one-on-one (drills) and after that, we'll just continue to matriculate into all of the other periods," Merritt said. "It's been great having him back and he's been great in the classroom for us."

Fenton appeared in 14 games and started eight of them last year, recording seven pass deflections and 49 total tackles. He joins a stacked room of talent, including rookie corner Trent McDuffie and third-year pro L'Jarius Sneed, who Fenton played behind last season.

With Charvarius Ward no longer on the team, Fenton will likely play a key role in the defensive backfield, but he certainly has competition. Rookies Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams are also competing for time.

Many of Andy Reid’s assistants and support staff took to the podium following Tuesday’s practice. Back on the staff this year is Matt Nagy - senior offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach.

He was formerly the offensive coordinator in Kansas City from 2013-2017 and then head coach of the Chicago Bears from 2018-2021 before getting fired in February.

Being back in KC, Nagy says it’s been great getting reacquainted, and he credited Reid, Eric Bieniemy, Patrick Mahomes and general manager Brett Veach for the success they’ve had since he’s been gone.

"We work together and we help each other out," Nagy said. "There's zero egos. It is kind of like riding a bicycle, but at the point in time, we're all in this for one reason. Zero egos and we're here to win. That's it."

Nagy was brought back to the Chiefs in February, filling the shoes of Mike Kafka, who left to be offensive coordinator for the Giants.

"The last four years of me not being here and what Coach Reid, Veach, Patrick and (Bieniemy) and the rest of this group has done is nothing short of amazing," Nagy commented. "We had a lot of good times up to that point and now I'm back. I appreciate that and it means a lot to me."

The Chiefs added 50 new players to their roster this offseason, and those newcomers are trying to find their way onto the 53-man active roster.

Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi is in his 14th year with the team. He says camp is always exciting, but he’s eager to see these new players get their first in-game experience on Saturday during the preseason game in Chicago.

"Excited about this weekend," Borgonzi said. "Another exciting opportunity for these guys to come out and showcase what they can do and compete. Great opportunity for us to kind of evaluate them in game conditions now."

The Chiefs play at the Bears this Saturday at noon central - the first of three preseason games Kansas City will play this month.

Several Chiefs rookies have had productive camps. Running back Isiah Pacheco and receiver Skyy Moore probably top the list, but the aforementioned McDuffie and Joshua Williams are certainly there.

Borgonzi also mentioned seventh-round pick and corner Jaylen Watson as someone making an impact.

"Watson is a bigger corner who can run," he said. "Even (rookie safety) Nazeeh (Johnson) is somebody who ran a (4.35-second 40-yard dash). They have these traits. When you're looking for those traits, what's the characteristics that's going to make them work? They all kind of have that. They all tried to get better every year in college."

Pacheco - confirmed kick returner. McDuffie punt returner?

Special teams coach Dave Toub mentioned about a week ago that Pacheco would be the starting kick returner for the Chiefs' first preseason game, and he reaffirmed that decision Tuesday, with that first game now just four days away.

"We're going to give him every chance to be that guy," Toub said of Pacheco. "I just think he has all of the attributes of being a good kick returner and he's gotten better and better at practice. He's doing little things better, he's catching the ball great."

At punt return, Mecole Hardman has been taking reps at that spot. He's been the go-to guy there for the past three seasons. Toub likes Moore and McDuffie back there as well.

"McDuffie is the best punt catcher we have," Toub remarked.

Justin Reid as backup kicker? Maybe one day.

Justin Reid went viral when he knocked through a 65-yard field goal after practice on Sunday.

Toward the end of a special teams session Tuesday, Toub decided to let Reid try again. This time, from about 52 yards. It was&nbsp;well&nbsp;short and shanked to the left.

"I wanted to surprise (Reid)," Toub said. "I saw him hanging out. He's always hanging out at the field goal drill. So, I wanted to surprise him and see how he would handle it. I don't think we found our backup kicker yet. But, he has a strong leg so we'll keep seeing what he can do."

The one new injury to report Tuesday is that of defensive back Zayne Anderson, who left practice around 9:30 a.m. It was later disclosed that he has a shoulder injury. No word yet on how serious.

Receiver Daurice Fountain (groin), tight end Jody Forston (quad), defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth (knee) and receiver Gary Jennings (concussion) did not practice Tuesday. Offensive lineman Lucas Niang (knee) is still on the PUP list.

The Chiefs have the day off from practice Wednesday, will be back Thursday and then travel to Chicago Friday.

The team practices Monday - Thursday of next week, with Aug. 18 being the last day of camp.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660077584222.jpeg" alt="The Chiefs warm up at the start of Tuesday's practice. Photo by Tommy Rezac" />
 <figcaption>The Chiefs warm up at the start of Tuesday's practice. Photo by Tommy Rezac</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZAC St. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs had ideal conditions for a two-hour, fully padded practice Tuesday.The Chiefs practiced under sunny skies with temperatures right around 70 to start the day. The best news of the day for the team was the return of corner Rashad Fenton to the practice field.Fenton received shoulder surgery in the offseason and was inactive for OTAs and mandatory minicamp, and he was on the physically unable to perform list for the first 11 camp practices.Now that he's back on the field, Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt says Fenton will slowly be reacclimated."He'll get a couple of the one-on-one (drills) and after that, we'll just continue to matriculate into all of the other periods," Merritt said. "It's been great having him back and he's been great in the classroom for us."Fenton appeared in 14 games and started eight of them last year, recording seven pass deflections and 49 total tackles. He joins a stacked room of talent, including rookie corner Trent McDuffie and third-year pro L'Jarius Sneed, who Fenton played behind last season.With Charvarius Ward no longer on the team, Fenton will likely play a key role in the defensive backfield, but he certainly has competition. Rookies Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams are also competing for time.Many of Andy Reid’s assistants and support staff took to the podium following Tuesday’s practice. Back on the staff this year is Matt Nagy - senior offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach.He was formerly the offensive coordinator in Kansas City from 2013-2017 and then head coach of the Chicago Bears from 2018-2021 before getting fired in February.Being back in KC, Nagy says it’s been great getting reacquainted, and he credited Reid, Eric Bieniemy, Patrick Mahomes and general manager Brett Veach for the success they’ve had since he’s been gone."We work together and we help each other out," Nagy said. "There's zero egos. It is kind of like riding a bicycle, but at the point in time, we're all in this for one reason. Zero egos and we're here to win. That's it."Nagy was brought back to the Chiefs in February, filling the shoes of Mike Kafka, who left to be offensive coordinator for the Giants."The last four years of me not being here and what Coach Reid, Veach, Patrick and (Bieniemy) and the rest of this group has done is nothing short of amazing," Nagy commented. "We had a lot of good times up to that point and now I'm back. I appreciate that and it means a lot to me."New players making an impactThe Chiefs added 50 new players to their roster this offseason, and those newcomers are trying to find their way onto the 53-man active roster.Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi is in his 14th year with the team. He says camp is always exciting, but he’s eager to see these new players get their first in-game experience on Saturday during the preseason game in Chicago."Excited about this weekend," Borgonzi said. "Another exciting opportunity for these guys to come out and showcase what they can do and compete. Great opportunity for us to kind of evaluate them in game conditions now."The Chiefs play at the Bears this Saturday at noon central - the first of three preseason games Kansas City will play this month.Several Chiefs rookies have had productive camps. Running back Isiah Pacheco and receiver Skyy Moore probably top the list, but the aforementioned McDuffie and Joshua Williams are certainly there.Borgonzi also mentioned seventh-round pick and corner Jaylen Watson as someone making an impact."Watson is a bigger corner who can run," he said. "Even (rookie safety) Nazeeh (Johnson) is somebody who ran a (4.35-second 40-yard dash). They have these traits. When you're looking for those traits, what's the characteristics that's going to make them work? They all kind of have that. They all tried to get better every year in college."Pacheco - confirmed kick returner. McDuffie punt returner?Special teams coach Dave Toub mentioned about a week ago that Pacheco would be the starting kick returner for the Chiefs' first preseason game, and he reaffirmed that decision Tuesday, with that first game now just four days away."We're going to give him every chance to be that guy," Toub said of Pacheco. "I just think he has all of the attributes of being a good kick returner and he's gotten better and better at practice. He's doing little things better, he's catching the ball great."At punt return, Mecole Hardman has been taking reps at that spot. He's been the go-to guy there for the past three seasons. Toub likes Moore and McDuffie back there as well."McDuffie is the best punt catcher we have," Toub remarked.Justin Reid as backup kicker? Maybe one day.Justin Reid went viral when he knocked through a 65-yard field goal after practice on Sunday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It’s good! 🙌🏾🎯 <a href="https://t.co/GImF4CCVND">pic.twitter.com/GImF4CCVND</a>&mdash; Justin Reid (@JustinqReid) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinqReid/status/1556331699113443328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Toward the end of a special teams session Tuesday, Toub decided to let Reid try again. This time, from about 52 yards. It was&nbsp;well&nbsp;short and shanked to the left."I wanted to surprise (Reid)," Toub said. "I saw him hanging out. He's always hanging out at the field goal drill. So, I wanted to surprise him and see how he would handle it. I don't think we found our backup kicker yet. But, he has a strong leg so we'll keep seeing what he can do."Injury updateThe one new injury to report Tuesday is that of defensive back Zayne Anderson, who left practice around 9:30 a.m. It was later disclosed that he has a shoulder injury. No word yet on how serious.Receiver Daurice Fountain (groin), tight end Jody Forston (quad), defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth (knee) and receiver Gary Jennings (concussion) did not practice Tuesday. Offensive lineman Lucas Niang (knee) is still on the PUP list.The Chiefs have the day off from practice Wednesday, will be back Thursday and then travel to Chicago Friday.The team practices Monday - Thursday of next week, with Aug. 18 being the last day of camp.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660077657188.jpeg" alt="Michael Burton (45) looks to make a catch during a one-on-one period." />
 <figcaption>Michael Burton (45) looks to make a catch during a one-on-one period.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660077683714.jpeg" alt="Blake Bell (81)." />
 <figcaption>Blake Bell (81).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660077709425.jpeg" alt="Offensive and defensive linemen partake in individual blocking drills." />
 <figcaption>Offensive and defensive linemen partake in individual blocking drills.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660077729574.jpeg" alt="Jerick McKinnon (red) hauls in a pass." />
 <figcaption>Jerick McKinnon (red) hauls in a pass.</figcaption>
 </figure>

Chiefs assistants give update on camp after Tuesday practice

By JAMES WALKER and JUDITH R. HILTNER <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-vin-scully-scored-his-dodgers-gig-at-22-years-old-188264">The Conversation</a>

Vin Scully, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/02/sports/baseball/vin-scully-dead.html">who died on Aug. 2, 2022</a>,
 is widely viewed as the greatest baseball announcer of all time. But 
for an earlier generation, his mentor, Red Barber, held that 
distinction.

In our recent biography “<a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Red_Barber/lWhgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">Red Barber: The Life and Legacy of a Broadcasting Legend</a>,”
 we uncovered moving private letters and public references documenting 
the rich personal bonds between these two great voices of the game.

In 1939, Barber brought daily radio broadcasts of Dodgers baseball to
 Brooklyn’s fans for the first time. By the time Scully arrived in 1950,
 Barber – known as “<a href="https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19921022&amp;slug=1520043">the Old Redhead</a>” – was the toast of Flatbush.

For a combined century – 33 years for Barber and 67 for Scully – the 
two blessed baseball fans with some of the sharpest word pictures ever 
painted of the grand old game. Together in the Brooklyn booth for four 
crucial years, from 1950 to 1953, they forged a relationship that proved
 to be both demanding and gratifying.

After Scully graduated with a degree in English from Fordham 
University in 1949, he papered East Coast radio stations with 
applications. <a href="https://vault.si.com/vault/1964/05/04/the-transistor-kid">He eventually scored an interview with CBS Radio</a>, where Barber was director of sports. Barber came away impressed, but there were no openings at the time.

Barber later phoned Vin Scully when, at the last minute, he needed a 
reporter to cover a college football contest at Fenway Park in Boston 
for CBS College Football Roundup. Scully’s mother answered the phone and
 took the message for Vin that <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Voices_of_the_Game/oNBwQgAACAAJ?hl=en">“Red Skelton” wanted to talk to him about a job</a> – confusing Barber with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Skelton">the popular entertainer</a>.

Fortunately, Scully figured out who was calling. He hustled to the 
park, only to learn there was no room for him in the press box. With 
only a light topcoat to defend himself against the cruel New England 
elements, he had to call the entire game from the roof, braving the 
winds on a chilly fall day with only a 60-watt light bulb to warm his 
hands. Barber, initially unaware of Scully’s plight, later wrote that 
when he learned his announcer had called the game from the roof, he was 
impressed by the young broadcaster’s stamina and even more impressed 
that Scully had never complained about the brutal conditions.

When <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ2EG3t3fEI">Ernie Harwell</a>,
 who would become the legendary voice of the Detroit Tigers, left the 
Brooklyn Dodgers’ broadcast booth for the New York Giants, Red Barber 
needed to find a replacement. He decided to go with the young 
broadcaster <a href="https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00067187/00001/downloads">who had so impressed him</a> – later describing Scully as “a pretty appealing young green pea … a boy who had something on the ball.”

So Vin Scully, just 22 years old, <a href="https://dodgers.mlblogs.com/on-this-date-70-years-ago-today-vin-scully-joins-the-booth-a66648e399e8">was given the chance of a lifetime</a>, to broadcast the games of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the National League’s most successful team.

But this golden opportunity was challenging in ways Scully did not foresee.

Red Barber, who early in life planned to be a college professor, was a
 tough grader. He demanded a lot of himself, and he held those who 
worked with him to just as high a standard. 

When Vin first entered the Dodgers broadcast booth, Barber told the 
young man that his job was to do whatever Red and his colleague Connie 
Desmond didn’t want to do. He also made it clear that any Scully errors 
would be corrected on air for all to hear. When Barber saw Scully 
drinking a beer with his pregame sandwich – a common practice at the 
time – <a href="https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00067191/00001/downloads">he told Vin he never wanted to see him do it again</a>.

Barber was no teetotaler – far from it; leisure hours drinks were 
something he treasured. But he believed a broadcaster should never have a
 drink, even a beer, on the job. Barber reasoned if Scully made an 
error, something inevitable for a broadcaster ad-libbing for hours at a 
time, anyone who saw him sipping the press room brew would conclude that
 alcohol had clouded his performance.

One of Red’s broadcasting mantras was <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Broadcasters/bpFZAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">pregame preparation</a>.
 So before one game, when Scully told his mentor that a Dodgers’ regular
 would be out of the lineup, Barber demanded to know why. Scully told 
him he had no idea. To Barber, that was unacceptable.

Scully quickly realized that he needed to know the “whys”; he had to 
get to the stadium early and spend time talking with managers and 
players, absorbing compelling facts and stories to keep listeners 
engaged during slow stretches of each contest.

The delicate bonds that develop between any mentor and mentee, though
 often fruitful, almost always involve some degree of resentment and 
frustration, likely because each member of the pair has so much vested 
in winning the respect and affection of the other. Some of Barber’s 
barbs must have stung. But throughout his career Scully always credited 
Red for instilling in him the discipline and values of a professional 
baseball announcer. <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Red_Barber/lWhgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">He claimed</a>
 that the greatest virtue of Red as a mentor “was the fact that he 
cared. I wasn’t just another kid in the booth, just another announcer. …
 He made sure that my work habits were good, and he rode me if I drifted
 away from his ideal of the right way to work.”

In 1953, Barber left the Brooklyn booth after a dispute over his pay. 

Ahead of that season’s World Series between the Dodgers and the New 
York Yankees, the Series’ sponsor, Gillette, offered Barber only $200 
per game, take it or leave it. Barber left it, and when he did not get 
the support he wanted from Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley, he decided to 
sit out the Series and sign with the Yankees for the following season.

Gillette then turned to Scully, asking him if he’d announce the 
Series. Scully called Red seeking his permission. Barber was genuinely 
moved by Scully’s request, given that his permission clearly was not 
needed.  

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659497855884.png" alt="Scully" />
 <figcaption>Scully</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES WALKER and JUDITH R. HILTNER <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-vin-scully-scored-his-dodgers-gig-at-22-years-old-188264">The Conversation</a>Vin Scully, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/02/sports/baseball/vin-scully-dead.html">who died on Aug. 2, 2022</a>,
 is widely viewed as the greatest baseball announcer of all time. But 
for an earlier generation, his mentor, Red Barber, held that 
distinction.In our recent biography “<a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Red_Barber/lWhgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">Red Barber: The Life and Legacy of a Broadcasting Legend</a>,”
 we uncovered moving private letters and public references documenting 
the rich personal bonds between these two great voices of the game. In 1939, Barber brought daily radio broadcasts of Dodgers baseball to
 Brooklyn’s fans for the first time. By the time Scully arrived in 1950,
 Barber – known as “<a href="https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19921022&amp;slug=1520043">the Old Redhead</a>” – was the toast of Flatbush. For a combined century – 33 years for Barber and 67 for Scully – the 
two blessed baseball fans with some of the sharpest word pictures ever 
painted of the grand old game. Together in the Brooklyn booth for four 
crucial years, from 1950 to 1953, they forged a relationship that proved
 to be both demanding and gratifying.<h2>The chance of a lifetime</h2>After Scully graduated with a degree in English from Fordham 
University in 1949, he papered East Coast radio stations with 
applications. <a href="https://vault.si.com/vault/1964/05/04/the-transistor-kid">He eventually scored an interview with CBS Radio</a>, where Barber was director of sports. Barber came away impressed, but there were no openings at the time.Barber later phoned Vin Scully when, at the last minute, he needed a 
reporter to cover a college football contest at Fenway Park in Boston 
for CBS College Football Roundup. Scully’s mother answered the phone and
 took the message for Vin that <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Voices_of_the_Game/oNBwQgAACAAJ?hl=en">“Red Skelton” wanted to talk to him about a job</a> – confusing Barber with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Skelton">the popular entertainer</a>.Fortunately, Scully figured out who was calling. He hustled to the 
park, only to learn there was no room for him in the press box. With 
only a light topcoat to defend himself against the cruel New England 
elements, he had to call the entire game from the roof, braving the 
winds on a chilly fall day with only a 60-watt light bulb to warm his 
hands. Barber, initially unaware of Scully’s plight, later wrote that 
when he learned his announcer had called the game from the roof, he was 
impressed by the young broadcaster’s stamina and even more impressed 
that Scully had never complained about the brutal conditions.When <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ2EG3t3fEI">Ernie Harwell</a>,
 who would become the legendary voice of the Detroit Tigers, left the 
Brooklyn Dodgers’ broadcast booth for the New York Giants, Red Barber 
needed to find a replacement. He decided to go with the young 
broadcaster <a href="https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00067187/00001/downloads">who had so impressed him</a> – later describing Scully as “a pretty appealing young green pea … a boy who had something on the ball.”So Vin Scully, just 22 years old, <a href="https://dodgers.mlblogs.com/on-this-date-70-years-ago-today-vin-scully-joins-the-booth-a66648e399e8">was given the chance of a lifetime</a>, to broadcast the games of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the National League’s most successful team. But this golden opportunity was challenging in ways Scully did not foresee.<h2>Barber takes Scully under his wing</h2>Red Barber, who early in life planned to be a college professor, was a
 tough grader. He demanded a lot of himself, and he held those who 
worked with him to just as high a standard. When Vin first entered the Dodgers broadcast booth, Barber told the 
young man that his job was to do whatever Red and his colleague Connie 
Desmond didn’t want to do. He also made it clear that any Scully errors 
would be corrected on air for all to hear. When Barber saw Scully 
drinking a beer with his pregame sandwich – a common practice at the 
time – <a href="https://ufdc.ufl.edu/AA00067191/00001/downloads">he told Vin he never wanted to see him do it again</a>.Barber was no teetotaler – far from it; leisure hours drinks were 
something he treasured. But he believed a broadcaster should never have a
 drink, even a beer, on the job. Barber reasoned if Scully made an 
error, something inevitable for a broadcaster ad-libbing for hours at a 
time, anyone who saw him sipping the press room brew would conclude that
 alcohol had clouded his performance.One of Red’s broadcasting mantras was <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Broadcasters/bpFZAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">pregame preparation</a>.
 So before one game, when Scully told his mentor that a Dodgers’ regular
 would be out of the lineup, Barber demanded to know why. Scully told 
him he had no idea. To Barber, that was unacceptable.Scully quickly realized that he needed to know the “whys”; he had to 
get to the stadium early and spend time talking with managers and 
players, absorbing compelling facts and stories to keep listeners 
engaged during slow stretches of each contest.The delicate bonds that develop between any mentor and mentee, though
 often fruitful, almost always involve some degree of resentment and 
frustration, likely because each member of the pair has so much vested 
in winning the respect and affection of the other. Some of Barber’s 
barbs must have stung. But throughout his career Scully always credited 
Red for instilling in him the discipline and values of a professional 
baseball announcer. <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Red_Barber/lWhgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">He claimed</a>
 that the greatest virtue of Red as a mentor “was the fact that he 
cared. I wasn’t just another kid in the booth, just another announcer. …
 He made sure that my work habits were good, and he rode me if I drifted
 away from his ideal of the right way to work.”<h2>Scully in the spotlight</h2>In 1953, Barber left the Brooklyn booth after a dispute over his pay. Ahead of that season’s World Series between the Dodgers and the New 
York Yankees, the Series’ sponsor, Gillette, offered Barber only $200 
per game, take it or leave it. Barber left it, and when he did not get 
the support he wanted from Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley, he decided to 
sit out the Series and sign with the Yankees for the following season.Gillette then turned to Scully, asking him if he’d announce the 
Series. Scully called Red seeking his permission. Barber was genuinely 
moved by Scully’s request, given that his permission clearly was not 
needed. All of a sudden, Scully, at the age of 25, was thrust onto the 
national stage. He remains the youngest person to ever call a World 
Series. Two years later, he announced the Brooklyn Dodgers’ only World 
Series win, and in 1958 he moved with the club to Los Angeles, where he 
would call games for the next 59 seasons.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xCS8jmV0WiE"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Barber and Scully maintained an affectionate dialogue for the remainder of Red’s life.When Barber and Mel Allen were honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the first recipients of the <a href="https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/awards/887">Ford C. Frick Award</a>, presented yearly to a broadcaster for “major contributions to baseball,” <a href="https://www.google.com/books/edition/Red_Barber/lWhgEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=0">Scully wrote his old teacher</a>,
 “I know as well as anyone alive what a true artist you were behind the 
mike. There is a great deal of you in anything I do well in 
play-by-play, and it will live in me as long as I am working.”<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/23/obituaries/red-barber-baseball-voice-of-summer-is-dead-at-84.html">When Barber died in 1992</a>, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=lWhgEAAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA421&amp;lpg=PA421&amp;dq=%22radio%27s+first+poet%22+vin+scully+reader%27s+digest&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=eKTwjzRZ9i&amp;sig=ACfU3U20PiKT9ghjq_j_phD7Wi3yq3zg8g&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwipi_j9srD5AhXvGFkFHaZ5AIQQ6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage&amp;q=%22radio's%20first%20poet%22%20vin%20scully%20reader's%20digest&amp;f=false">Scully penned a tribute</a> in Reader’s Digest, calling him “radio’s first poet … and the most honorable man I ever met.” At Barber’s funeral, Scully <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=lWhgEAAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA416&amp;lpg=PA416&amp;dq=%22Now+don%E2%80%99t+you+talk+about+me+during+the+game.+These+people+aren%E2%80%99t+tuning+in+to+hear+about+me.+Talk+about+the+game.%22&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=eKTwjyO0aa&amp;sig=ACfU3U0RPFLsb-840mAH9SYnTQ8e10yLOQ&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjBsqDXg7D5AhWthIkEHSHWAt0Q6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage&amp;q=%22Now%20don%E2%80%99t%20you%20talk%20about%20me%20during%20the%20game.%20These%20people%20aren%E2%80%99t%20tuning%20in%20to%20hear%20about%20me.%20Talk%20about%20the%20game.%22&amp;f=false">told a reporter</a>
 that he was preparing to announce the fourth game of the World Series 
when he first learned of Red’s death. After absorbing the sad news, he 
began hearing his old mentor chiding him: “Now don’t you talk about me 
during the game. These people aren’t tuning in to hear about me. Talk 
about the game.”James Walker is
 Past Executive Director of the International Association for 
Communication and Sport and Emeritus Professor of Communication at Saint 
Xavier University. Judith R. Hiltner is Emeritus Professor of English at Saint Xavier University.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188264/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1"></iframe></div>