Scrappers’ Taylor receives NYPL award

Scrappers’ Taylor receives NYPL award

NILES

Jordan Taylor, Mahoning Valley Scrappers general manager, has been named the recipient of the New York-Penn League’s Robert Julian Community and Baseball Service Award.

The award is given annually to the individual that has made outstanding service contributions to their community and to baseball.

“I am honored to be this year’s recipient,” Taylor said. I take great pride in the work our organization does annually that has a positive effect on the community.”

Taylor serves as the President of Trumbull 100, the top economic development organization in the community. In addition, Jordan is the President of the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau, serves on the Board of Directors of the Niles Kiwanis Club and is involved with the Fund for Our Economic Future.

How to report high school results

Coaches and statisticians are encouraged to report results by email (sports@vindy.com) or fax (330-747-6712).

Phone calls (330-747-1478) are also acceptable but emails and faxes are strongly preferred.

Deadline is 10:30 p.m. Late results will be published in the following day’s newspaper.

Cubs-Pirates game gets top ratings

The Chicago Cubs’ return to the playoffs has drawn the largest television audience in the short history of baseball’s wild-card game.

The Cubs’ 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night in the NL wild-card game on TBS averaged 8.3 million viewers, topping the previous high of 7.6 million set a night earlier for the Astros’ win over the Yankees in the AL game on ESPN.

The viewership is up 48 percent from the 5.6 million for last year’s NL game between the Giants and Pirates on ESPN and 60 percent from the 5.2 million for the AL game on TBS between small-market Kansas City and Oakland.

It’s the most for a Major League Baseball game on cable since the 2011 NL Division Series between the Cardinals and Phillies.

Baseball added the wild-card round in 2012. Including Canadian coverage on Sportsnet, the average audience of 8.67 million was up 47 percent over last year.

Major League Baseball said there also were 1.9 million unique digital sessions.

49ers’ Brooks to miss Sunday’s game

SANTA CLARA, Calif.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks left the team this week after his sister, Krsunthia Brooks, died of lupus, according to the player’s agent Greg Williams.

Ahmad Brooks will not be available when his team plays the New York Giants on Sunday.

“We’ll keep him in our prayers, his family,” 49ers coach Jim Tomsula said.

Brooks flew to Louisiana to attend a memorial service. Those arrangements are still pending. Krsunthia Brooks was 40 years old.

Ahmad Brooks, an AP second-team All-Pro in 2012 and 2013, has 12 tackles and a sack through four games.

Lindy Infante, 75; was NFL head coach

MIAMI

Lindy Infante, the hard-luck former coach of the Green Bay Packers and the Indianapolis Colts, died Thursday. He was 75.

Infante’s wife, Stephanie, told The Associated Press that he died in St. Augustine after a lengthy illness.

Infante was a head coach for six years in the NFL, compiling a 36-60 record. He was the NFL Coach of the Year in 1989 with Green Bay, but his only postseason appearance came in 1996 when his Colts lost a wild card game to Pittsburgh, 42-14.

The next year, the Colts finished 3-13 and Infante was out of a job after two seasons with a 12-20 record. Indianapolis drafted quarterback Peyton Manning the following offseason.

Staff/wire report