SPORTS DIGEST || NFL Hall of Fame gets 10 millionth visitor

NFL Hall of Fame gets 10 millionth visitor

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A landmark stat for the Pro Football Hall of Fame — its 10 millionth visitor.

The threshold was crossed Thursday when 15-year-old Tyler Susee of Salem, Oregon, entered the doors and was greeted by the Hall’s staff. He received an assortment of gifts, including lodging and tickets to the 2017 Hall of Fame Game. The teenager called it “awesome.”

He and his parents are heading to Pittsburgh to watch the Christmas Day game between the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.

Report: Baylor’s Starr lifted player suspension

waco, texas

A court transcript shows then-Baylor University President Ken Starr circumvented other school administrators to lift the academic misconduct suspension of a football player who allegedly went on to commit three sexual assaults.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Starr granted a reprieve for Tevin Elliot in 2011 when the athlete was accused of plagiarism. The newspaper says the information is “deep” in the transcript of Elliott’s 2014 trial at which the former defensive end was convicted of sexually assault four Baylor students.

The nation’s largest Baptist university was rocked earlier this year by the assault scandal, which included claims members of the football staff knew of assault reports and ignored them.

Beckham Jr. fined for Sager-inspired cleats

New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been fined $18,000 by the NFL for wearing unapproved cleats against Detroit, two people familiar with the fine tell The Associated Press.

Beckham wore cleats honoring the late broadcaster Craig Sager, who lost his lengthy battle with cancer last week. The people spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the fine has not been announced publicly.

Beckham planned to auction off the cleats for charity.

In an Instagram post by DeSean Jackson, the Redskins receiver complained that he’d been fined. Beckham responded by saying: “I got fined 18k for Craig Sager cleats that were auction off the cleats to the highest bidder and donating the proceeds to his cancer research.”

The often-fined Beckham noted that Cowboys rookie Ezekiel Elliott was not fined for jumping into a large Salvation Army kettle after a touchdown, and called it “double standards.”

Former major leaguer Gagliano passes away

memphis, tenn.

Phil Gagliano, who played for four different teams in a 12-year major league baseball career, has died. He was 74.

Sturla Canale, an owner of Canale Funeral Directors in Memphis, Tennessee, confirmed Thursday that Gagliano died Tuesday of cardiac arrest at his home in Branson, Missouri. Canale Funeral Directors is handling Gagliano’s funeral arrangements.

Gagliano played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1963-70. He later played for the Chicago Cubs (1970), Boston Red Sox (1971-72) and Cincinnati Reds (1973-74).

Gagliano batted .238 with 14 homers and 159 RBIs in 702 career games. He played in the 1967 and 1968 World Series with the Cardinals. Gagliano was a utility player who primarily played second base and third base.

Jozy Altidore wins U.S. Player of Year

san francisco

Forward Jozy Altidore has won the U.S. Player of the Year Award for the second time.

Altidore, who plays for Toronto in Major League Soccer, received 52 first-place votes and 223 points in voting by 136 media conducted by Futbol de Primera that was announced Thursday.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Christian Pulisic, who at 17 years, 253 days, became the youngest goal-scorer in national team history, on May 28, was second with 18 firsts and 111 points. American captain Michael Bradley, last year’s winner, was third with 15 firsts and 84 points.

Altidore, who had six goals in 10 international appearances this year, also won the award in 2013.

Wire reports