SPORTS DIGEST || Scrappers release 2018 schedule

Scrappers release 2018 schedule

NILES

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers have released their schedule for the 2018 season. The Scrappers will open the 2018 season at home on Friday, June 15 against the West Virginia Black Bears. Opening Night festivities will be highlighted by a post-game fireworks show.

The Scrappers, Class A Affiliate of the Cleveland Indians play a 76 game schedule in the New York-Penn League, including 38 home games at Eastwood Field.

Phantoms to host trick-or-treaters

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Phantoms announced that they will host a Safe Trick or Treat Event for their game on Friday against the Muskegon Lumberjacks. The Youngstown Phantoms Safe Trick or Treat event includes free popcorn, costume contest, on ice costume parade, safe treat route, and $10 ticket for anyone in costume.

The Phantoms “safe route” will be inside the concourse to include stops at Phantoms Team Shop, Kids Zone Slap Shot, as well as other stops.

Kaepernick might be at league meeting

NEW YORK

NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart says the league expects Colin Kaepernick to be invited to the next meeting between owners and players to discuss social justice initiatives.

Lockhart adds that the meeting probably will take place next week.

The players’ union and its members decide who attends such gatherings; the league and players met last week in New York in the wake of backlash concerning player demonstrations during the national anthem. Kaepernick, who began kneeling during the national anthem before the 2016 season and currently is out of the NFL, did not attend that meeting.

“My understanding is that Colin Kaepernick has been invited to the last two meetings,” Lockhart says Wednesday. “He has been in discussion with the players coalition. I expect that he will be invited to this meeting and we look forward to him joining the conversation ...

“I don’t have any confirmation that he is planning to attend.”

The NFL Players Association also did not have any such confirmation.

Former Louisville AD sues school

LOUISVILLE, KY.

A lawyer for Tom Jurich says the fired Louisville athletic director will sue the school for breach of contract if severance issues can’t be resolved.

Louisville trustees voted 10-3 a week ago to fire Jurich for cause amid a federal investigation of the men’s basketball program. Interim university President Greg Postel cited the corruption probe in his termination letter to Jurich that also alleged the longtime AD “engaged in willful misconduct” among other contract violations. Louisville’s Athletic Association fired Cardinals coach Rick Pitino for cause on Oct. 16.

Attorney Sheryl Snyder disputed allegations of wrongdoing and said during a news conference Wednesday that Louisville’s termination letter attempted to justify firing Jurich and damage his reputation. Snyder added that a settlement was possible, “but if you can’t settle the case, then you gear up for battle.”

Serie A reads Anne Frank before games

MILAN

A passage from Anne Frank’s diary was read before Wednesday’s Italian league matches as part of a number of initiatives to condemn the acts of anti-Semitism by Lazio fans and to keep alive memories of the Holocaust.

A minute of silence was also observed before each of the Serie A matches kicked off, while Lazio players walked out wearing white T-shirts printed with a photo of Anne Frank and the words “no to anti-Semitism” before their match at Bologna.

They also warmed up in the same shirts.

Lazio fans earlier this week littered the Stadio Olimpico in Rome with images of Frank — the young diarist who died in the Holocaust — wearing a jersey of city rival Roma.

Staff/wire report