SPORTS digest

Blue Jackets’ Davidson takes job with Rangers

NEW YORK

John Davidson is going back to the New York Rangers organization he has been synonymous with for much of his hockey career.

Davidson was hired as team president Friday hours after leaving his post with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He returns to New York where he spent parts of eight seasons as a Rangers goaltender and was a TV analyst for almost a decade.

The man known affectionately as “JD” succeeds Glen Sather after the Hall of Fame executive shifted to an advisory role under owner James Dolan. He’ll oversee the hockey operations department while Jeff Gorton remains general manager.

Davidson had been with the Blue Jackets the past seven seasons, helping turn an NHL also-ran into a regular playoff contender. Columbus won its first playoff series in this spring.

The Blue Jackets made the playoffs in four of Davidson’s seven seasons.

Bob Schloredt, former Rose Bowl MVP, dies

SEATTLE

A College Football Hall of Fame member and the first two-time MVP of the Rose Bowl has died. Bob Schloredt was 79.

The University of Washington issued a statement announcing the death on Thursday night on behalf of Schloredt’s family.

Schloredt led Washington to consecutive Rose Bowl victories following the 1959 and 1960 seasons. Schloredt shared MVP honors with George Fleming in first Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin. A year later, the Huskies beat No. 1 Minnesota 17-7 and Schloredt had one touchdown rushing and one passing to earn MVP honors again.

Schloredt was a first-team AP all-American in 1959 as a two-way player. He led Washington with six interceptions that season.

Schloredt was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

2020 MLB opener March 26, earliest ever

NEW YORK

The 2020 Major League Baseball season will open March 26, the earliest big league opening day.

The Texas Rangers announced Friday they will play the St. Louis Cardinals in an exhibition on March 23 as the first game involving major league teams at Globe Life Field, their new ballpark with a retractable roof.

A person familiar with the schedule then said the season will open on March 26. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement was authorized.

This season’s opening day for most teams was March 28, two days ahead of 2003, 2008 and 2014, which had been tied for the earliest. Seattle and Oakland started with a two-game series at Tokyo on March 20-21, MLB’s fifth opener in Japan.

By starting March 26 instead of a week later on April 2, the 2020 regular season will be set to end on Sept. 27 rather than Oct. 4

Construction on Globe Life Field, just south of the Rangers current Globe Life Park, started in October 2017.

Evans out for violating NBA’s anti-drug policy

INDIANAPOLIS

The NBA has banned Indiana Pacers guard Tyreke Evans at least two years for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.

The league announced that Evans had been dismissed and disqualified on Friday. He can apply for reinstatement in 2021.

Pacers general manager Kevin Pritchard declined comment at the NBA draft combine in Chicago. The team said it in a statement it would reach out to Evans to offer our support.

A 10-year veteran who will be a free agent after the season, Evans averaged 10.2 points in 69 games after signing with the Pacers in July. He scored 19.4 points per game for Memphis in 2017-18 and previously played for Sacramento and New Orleans.

Evans sat out one game early in the season for violating team rules and issued an apology then for being late to practice. He also missed three games late in the year due to personal reasons and a respiratory infection.

Associated Press