Sports

Allan Simmons, then 51, competes in the final of the U.K.'s National Scrabble Championships in London in 2008, which he would go on to win.

He Wrote The Book(s) On Scrabble. But Has He Been Playing By The Letter Of The Law?

4:43pm November 14, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

The Association of British Scrabble Players doesn't think so. Suspecting cheating, the group temporarily banned Allan Simmons, who has written advice books and ranks highly worldwide.

Sports

Italy Misses World Cup Qualifier For First Time Since 1958

4:36pm November 14, 2017

After a loss to Sweden Monday night, Italy will miss the World Cup for the first time since 1958. Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who played in his last international game, was in tears and La Gazzetta Dello Sport said for "Italy, this is the Apocalypse."

Olympic hockey players Julie Chu and Caroline Ouellette are celebrating the birth of their daughter, Liv. Chu and Ouellette were captains on competing teams.

Sports

Former Captains Of U.S. And Canadian Women's Hockey Teams Celebrate Their Baby

2:01pm November 14, 2017

by Bill Chappell

"I feel truly blessed to experience this incredible adventure with my love and best friend Julie," Canada's Caroline Ouellette wrote of Julie Chu, in announcing their daughter's birth.

LiAngelo Ball, seen during an exhibition game in Los Angeles on Nov. 1, is one of three UCLA players to have been detained by Chinese authorities, along with Jalen Hill and Cody Riley. Ball is a younger brother of NBA rookie Lonzo Ball.

3 UCLA Basketball Players Headed Home After Brief Detainment In China

1:31pm November 14, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

President Trump said he spoke with China's president about the players, who were detained on suspicion of shoplifting. "The matter has been resolved," according to Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott.

Italian national team players slump in dejection at the end of their World Cup qualifying match against Sweden on Monday. The 0-0 draw killed the four-time world champions' hopes of a spot in the 2018 tournament.

Powerhouse Italy Copes With The 'Indelible Stain' Of Missing The World Cup

12:51pm November 14, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

Slide over, Americans: You've got company on the sidelines of the 2018 World Cup. A draw with Sweden denied the four-time world champs a bid, leaving Italians to grapple with "the apocalypse."

Sports

LeBron James Films New York City Subway Ride

7:18am November 14, 2017

Not all Monday morning riders shared in James enthusiasm. His next-seat neighbor pushed the phone away and said, "Can you not?" James Michael Angelo says it he didn't know it was the NBA star.

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Sports

Italy Stuns Soccer Fans, Fails To Qualify For World Cup

7:18am November 14, 2017

For the first time in 60 years, Italy won't advance to the World Cup. It lost a qualifying match to Sweden Monday night. David Greene talks to journalist Christopher Livesay, who's in Rome.

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Junior Drag Racing Rules Reconsidered In Australia After 8-Year-Old Dies

6:45pm November 13, 2017

by Amy Held

"It's an extraordinary speed for an eight-year-old to be having the sole control of a vehicle," said Acting Premier of Western Australia Roger Cook.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin fell to his knees in the end zone after scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants on Sunday. He later revealed that he and his wife had endured a personal tragedy.

Marquise Goodwin Plays In 49ers' Win; Afterward He Says, 'We Lost Our Baby Boy'

12:43pm November 13, 2017

by Bill Chappell

Goodwin thanked those who supported his family during his wife's pregnancy, adding, "Unfortunately we lost our baby boy due to some complications, and had to prematurely deliver him."

Sports

Saturday Sports: Sexual Abuse, Russian Doping

8:07am November 11, 2017

by Tom Goldman

We discuss sexual abuse in sports, new developments in state-sponsored Russian doping and the Boston Celtics' winning streak.