Former Phantom Anas signs NHL contract

Former Phantom Anas signs NHL contract

Sam Anas, a Youngstown Phantom from 2011-13, signed a two-year entry level contract with the Minnesota Wild on Friday.

At Quinnipiac, Anas scored 24 goals and 26 assists in his junior season as his team advanced to the NCAA title game. The Bobcats lost to North Dakota, 5-1, in the NCAA championship.

Anas, a center scored 54 goals and 43 assists in his Phantoms’ career.

Howland’s Bell to play for John Carroll

Howland lineman Nick Bell will continue playing football next fall at John Carroll University, in University Heights. The 6-foot-2, 270-pound lineman started 30 games for the Tigers playing every position on the offensive line and defensive line. Bell was a three-year starter and letterwinner for the Tigers.

In 2015, Bell was selected to first team All-Trumbull County and first team All-American Conference. He was voted team captain. Bell will graduate with a 3.63 GPA and will study business. He is the son of Mike and Kelly Bell.

Niles softball to host charity game

NILES

The Niles High School softball team will stage a “Bark in the Park” benefit on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. against Struthers at Waddell Park.

The game will benefit two animal-rescue facilities — Legacy Dog Rescue and New Leash on Life.

The game will honor people who have given dogs a forever home. Before the game, owners and their dogs will be honored in the outfield. A $2 donation will be collected to be divided between the two rescues.

Philadelphia apologizes for Robinson treatment

PHILADELPHIA

As cities across the country honored Jackie Robinson’s pioneering baseball career, one also apologized for its racist treatment of Major League Baseball’s first black player nearly 70 years ago.

When Robinson’s Brooklyn Dodgers played the Philadelphia Phillies in 1947, he was told to “go back to the cotton fields” by the Phillies’ manager, refused service at a local hotel and taunted by players with racial slurs when he came to bat.

On Friday, Philadelphia’s city council publicly acknowledged the incident as a dark chapter in the city’s history.

“He faced tremendous racism in our city,” Councilwoman Helen Gym said. “It was something he never forgot ... but neither should we.”

April 15 is recognized nationally as Jackie Robinson Day, and ballparks around the country celebrated the 69th anniversary of the day he broke the league’s color barrier in 1947.

NBA commish calls NC law ‘problematic’

NEW YORK

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Friday a North Carolina law that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people remains “problematic” for the league, but he said there is no decision on moving next year’s All-Star Game out of Charlotte.

Owners discussed the law during their two-day meetings and Silver said the league wants to be involved in helping protect those the law discriminates against. He believes that is better done with dialogue than by making threats.

“Let me be clear. The current state of the law is problematic for the NBA in North Carolina,” Silver said. “I think for the league office and our owners, I think the discussion was how can we be most constructive in being part of a process that results in the kind of change that we think is necessary.”

The North Carolina law directs transgender people to use public toilets corresponding to the sex listed on their birth certificate. The law also excludes LGBT people from state anti-discrimination protections.

Staff/wire report