usatoday--2020-07-18--Trump moves campaign-style events to the White House as pandemic sidelines big rallies

WASHINGTON – Trailing in the polls and sidelined from the big campaign rallies that he feeds on , President Donald Trump has found another venue to go after Joe Biden : the White House .
Three times this week , Trump turned the executive mansion into a stage for delivering searing campaign-style attacks on his Democratic rival .
Trump was just six minutes into what was billed as a Rose Garden news conference on Tuesday when he abruptly detoured from his tough talk on China and launched into a lengthy verbal assault against the former vice president .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ litany of grievances against Biden that touched on trade , the coronavirus pandemic , the Paris climate accord , the nation ’ s crumbling infrastructure and even the former vice president ’ s son , Hunter Biden .
“ Joe Biden 's entire career has been a gift to the Chinese Communist Party , ” Trump said , calling the former vice president out by name 30 times during his hourlong monologue .
While Trump scheduled the Rose Garden gathering ostensibly to announce new trade moves against China , “ it was so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” political analyst Stuart Rothenberg said .
“ It was shocking in that regard.
” Two days later , Trump tore into Biden on the White House South Lawn in what was billed as an official event focused on rolling back federal regulations .
The stagecraft , however , had all the flair of a campaign rally .
Directly behind the podium bearing the presidential seal were two Chevy pickup trucks – one blue , one red .
The back of the blue truck was filled with mock anvil-like weights representing the burden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the message that Trump has lifted that burden , three of the fake weights were suspended mid-air over the red truck by a giant crane bearing the banner “ Trump Administration . ''
Halfway through his remarks , Trump ripped into Biden , ominously warning that the former vice president and “ his bosses from the radical left ” are intent on restoring federal regulations that would destroy the nation ’ s suburbs , which make up a key voting bloc in the upcoming election .
`` Suburbia will be no longer as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden 's lead grows : Poll : Joe Biden leads Donald Trump by 15 points , his widest margin this year Trump ’ s attacks on Biden at those two events raised eyebrows not only because of their content but also because of the setting .
Just steps from the Oval Office , the Rose Garden is normally used as the backdrop for official receptions , bill signings and presidential pronouncements .
John F. Kennedy honored the Project Mercury astronauts there .
Richard Nixon 's daughter , Tricia , was married there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bill Clinton hosted the leaders of Israel and Jordan there to sign a historic declaration of peace .
The South Lawn is often the scene of State Dinners and formal arrival ceremonies for heads of state , decorous affairs filled with pomp and circumstance , 21-gun salutes and presidential inspections of the nation ’ s troops .
Both venues traditionally have been considered off limits to campaign-style theatrics .
Other presidents facing a tough , fast-approaching election have resorted to the so-called `` Rose Garden Strategy , '' making public pronouncements or staging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to boost their political prospects .
But none have actually used the Rose Garden to whack an opponent in the way Trump went after Biden .
Past presidents have respected the wall that has traditionally been in place to separate official government functions from campaign activities , political analysts say .
But this is one wall Trump has chosen to tear down .
`` Here , there 's no wall , '' Rothenberg said .
Trump “ will toss in comparisons to Biden , no matter where he is and whatever the event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? '
With the election just a little more than three months away , Trump has been itching to restart his campaign rallies that for the most part have been put on hold since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic .
But a much-hyped rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , on June 20 failed to draw the hoped-for crowd : Just 6,000 people showed up , putting Trump in the awkward position of addressing an arena with thousands of empty seats .
An outdoor rally scheduled for July 11 in Portsmouth , New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over concerns of bad weather – amid fears of another disappointing turnout .
What 's more , Republicans who are planning a four-day `` celebration '' in Florida where Trump is set to accept the GOP presidential nomination next month may be forced to scale back the festivities to a single day because of the coronavirus .
With uncertainty hovering over his campaign , Trump has resorted to turning official White House functions into de facto political events .
Over the past two months alone , Trump has attacked Biden during at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , according to an analysis by USA TODAY .
On Monday , the day before his anti-Biden broadsides in the Rose Garden , Trump lashed out at his Democratic rival during a White House East Room roundtable discussion featuring police officers and people whose lives have been positively impacted by them .
Trump praised the officers as heroes , but he also complained that “ far-left mayors are escalating the anti-cop crusade ” and decried murders in “ radical lib ” cities like Atlanta , Chicago and Philadelphia .
“ If that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , you probably have to vote for Sleepy Joe Biden , because he doesn ’ t know what ’ s happening , ” Trump said .
“ But you ’ re not going to have it with me.
” On June 23 , at an event with young Americans at Dream City Church in Phoenix , Trump repeatedly invoked Biden ’ s name and questioned the former vice president ’ s mental acuity .
“ Now Biden is going around like he ’ s a tough guy , ” Trump said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know where the hell he is .
Where – where are you , Joe ?
Joe ?
Where are you , Joe ?
Tell me where you are , Joe.
” The next day , June 24 , Trump slammed Biden during a Rose Garden news conference with President Andrzej Duda of Poland .
After Duda mentioned that Russia attacked Ukraine and annexed Crimea in 2014 , Trump interrupted him to note that President Barack Obama “ and Sleepy Joe Biden ” were in power at the time .
“ It hasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it won ’ t happen with us either , ” he promised .
A week earlier , at a June 15 roundtable discussion for seniors , Trump complained to those gathered in the White House Cabinet Room that Germany owed billions of dollars to NATO .
“ This isn ’ t a new phenomenon .
This has ( been ) going on for many years , where they ’ ve taken advantage of the United States , ” he said .
“ But everybody has – under Biden and under Obama.
” Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using official government functions to attack his political rival .
“ Even after six straight months of catastrophically mismanaging the worst public health crisis in over 100 years , costing almost 140,000 Americans their lives and tens of millions their jobs , Donald Trump still has no strategy to pull us out of this tailspin as the U.S. leads the world in infections , ” Bates said .
“ Instead , he 's forcing taxpayers to foot the bill for unstable rants about Joe Biden , who this self-described consummate dealmaker has apparently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s campaign brushed off such criticism .
“ Democrats and the media are desperate to muzzle President Trump , ” campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said .
“ They don ’ t want him tweeting , they don ’ t want him holding rallies , they don ’ t want him speaking at Mount Rushmore , and now they don ’ t want him holding press conferences .
Every week , Joe Biden reads speeches off the teleprompter attacking the president , and the media gleefully reports every word , and President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Should you believe the polls ?
: Polls show Trump is losing to Joe Biden .
They said the same thing 4 years ago against Hillary Clinton Legal experts said that while Trump 's use of campaign-style rhetoric during official government events might be questionable , it 's not against the law .
An eight-decade-old law known as the Hatch Act bars government employees from engaging in political activity on government time , but that law does not apply to the president , said Delaney Marsco , an attorney with the nonpartisan Campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should refrain from blending his political activity with his government activity , which is work for all of the American people , '' Marsco said .
White House spokesman Judd Deere said the president `` should be able to address the American people on any topic from any location . ''
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows also said he saw nothing wrong with Trump 's anti-Biden rhetoric in the Rose Garden on Tuesday .
`` Everything that Joe Biden does right now is certainly political in context , '' Meadows told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning from a trip to Atlanta with the president .
Trump 's Rose Garden event followed a Biden speech in which the former vice president laid out his proposal to spend $ 2 trillion over four years to spur development of more energy .
Meadows said Trump simply used his Rose Garden remarks to highlight some of his differences with the policies outlined in Biden ’ s speech .
`` Normally you would call that a legitimate debate , '' he said .
But melding politics with official activity is “ problematic if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yet , she noted , members of the president ’ s staff do the same thing .
The Office of Special Counsel , a federal watchdog agency , recommended last year that Kellyanne Conway , a senior adviser to Trump , be removed from her job after repeatedly violating the Hatch Act .
The watchdog called Conway a “ repeat offender ” of the Hatch Act for disparaging Democratic presidential candidates and for two television interviews in which she spoke for and against Alabama candidates for U.S. Senate in 2017 .
Her offenses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the watchdog 's report said .
Another watchdog group , Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington , or CREW , filed a complaint Wednesday against Meadows that said he appeared to violate the Hatch Act twice during recent television interviews .
The complaint said Meadows – in his official capacity as White House chief of staff – endorsed the Republican candidate running for his former congressional seat , advocated for Trump ’ s re-election and frequently launched into attacks on Biden during the interviews .
“ This administration has continually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of political and official activity , '' Marsco said .
While ethics laws generally don ’ t apply to the president , “ we are used to generations of presidents holding themselves to high ethical norms , ” said Jordan Libowitz , the spokesman for CREW .
“ With this president , the standard seems to be can I get away with it ? ''
For his part , Trump , a television reality star turned politician , seems to revel in bringing a bit of campaign-style panache to the formality of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is really great , '' Trump said , pausing during his South Lawn remarks on Thursday to admire the stage props behind him .
`` I don ’ t know who thought of this idea , but it ’ s actually quite , quite simple – and quite good . ''
Presidential dilemma : Attacks on Fauci reflect Trump 's problem of what to do about high-profile adviser with a penchant for straight talk

Michael Collins, David Jackson and John Fritze, USA TODAY

Trump moves campaign-style events to the White House as pandemic sidelines big rallies
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump slams Biden as a 'gift' to China At a Rose Garden event ostensibly to announce actions against China, President Donald Trump repeatedly lashed out at his rival, the presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden. (July 14) AP
WASHINGTON – Trailing in the polls and sidelined from the big campaign rallies that he feeds on, President Donald Trump has found another venue to go after Joe Biden: the White House.
Three times this week, Trump turned the executive mansion into a stage for delivering searing campaign-style attacks on his Democratic rival.
Trump was just six minutes into what was billed as a Rose Garden news conference on Tuesday when he abruptly detoured from his tough talk on China and launched into a lengthy verbal assault against the former vice president.
In the sweltering summer heat, Trump recited a litany of grievances against Biden that touched on trade, the coronavirus pandemic, the Paris climate accord, the nation’s crumbling infrastructure and even the former vice president’s son, Hunter Biden.
“Joe Biden's entire career has been a gift to the Chinese Communist Party,” Trump said, calling the former vice president out by name 30 times during his hourlong monologue.
While Trump scheduled the Rose Garden gathering ostensibly to announce new trade moves against China, “it was so apparent it was a campaign event,” political analyst Stuart Rothenberg said. “It was shocking in that regard.”
Two days later, Trump tore into Biden on the White House South Lawn in what was billed as an official event focused on rolling back federal regulations. The stagecraft, however, had all the flair of a campaign rally.
Directly behind the podium bearing the presidential seal were two Chevy pickup trucks – one blue, one red. The back of the blue truck was filled with mock anvil-like weights representing the burden of federal regulations. To hammer home the message that Trump has lifted that burden, three of the fake weights were suspended mid-air over the red truck by a giant crane bearing the banner “Trump Administration."
Halfway through his remarks, Trump ripped into Biden, ominously warning that the former vice president and “his bosses from the radical left” are intent on restoring federal regulations that would destroy the nation’s suburbs, which make up a key voting bloc in the upcoming election.
"Suburbia will be no longer as we know it," Trump said.
Biden's lead grows: Poll: Joe Biden leads Donald Trump by 15 points, his widest margin this year
Trump’s attacks on Biden at those two events raised eyebrows not only because of their content but also because of the setting.
Just steps from the Oval Office, the Rose Garden is normally used as the backdrop for official receptions, bill signings and presidential pronouncements. John F. Kennedy honored the Project Mercury astronauts there. Richard Nixon's daughter, Tricia, was married there amid the flowers and well-manicured shrubbery. Bill Clinton hosted the leaders of Israel and Jordan there to sign a historic declaration of peace.
The South Lawn is often the scene of State Dinners and formal arrival ceremonies for heads of state, decorous affairs filled with pomp and circumstance, 21-gun salutes and presidential inspections of the nation’s troops.
Both venues traditionally have been considered off limits to campaign-style theatrics.
Other presidents facing a tough, fast-approaching election have resorted to the so-called "Rose Garden Strategy," making public pronouncements or staging carefully orchestrated events at the White House to boost their political prospects. But none have actually used the Rose Garden to whack an opponent in the way Trump went after Biden.
Past presidents have respected the wall that has traditionally been in place to separate official government functions from campaign activities, political analysts say. But this is one wall Trump has chosen to tear down.
"Here, there's no wall," Rothenberg said. Trump “will toss in comparisons to Biden, no matter where he is and whatever the event."
'Where are you, Joe?'
With the election just a little more than three months away, Trump has been itching to restart his campaign rallies that for the most part have been put on hold since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
But a much-hyped rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 20 failed to draw the hoped-for crowd: Just 6,000 people showed up, putting Trump in the awkward position of addressing an arena with thousands of empty seats. An outdoor rally scheduled for July 11 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, was abruptly canceled – purportedly over concerns of bad weather – amid fears of another disappointing turnout.
What's more, Republicans who are planning a four-day "celebration" in Florida where Trump is set to accept the GOP presidential nomination next month may be forced to scale back the festivities to a single day because of the coronavirus.
With uncertainty hovering over his campaign, Trump has resorted to turning official White House functions into de facto political events.
Over the past two months alone, Trump has attacked Biden during at least 10 official events organized by the White House, according to an analysis by USA TODAY.
On Monday, the day before his anti-Biden broadsides in the Rose Garden, Trump lashed out at his Democratic rival during a White House East Room roundtable discussion featuring police officers and people whose lives have been positively impacted by them.
Trump praised the officers as heroes, but he also complained that “far-left mayors are escalating the anti-cop crusade” and decried murders in “radical lib” cities like Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia.
“If that’s what you want for a country, you probably have to vote for Sleepy Joe Biden, because he doesn’t know what’s happening,” Trump said. “But you’re not going to have it with me.”
On June 23, at an event with young Americans at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Trump repeatedly invoked Biden’s name and questioned the former vice president’s mental acuity.
“Now Biden is going around like he’s a tough guy,” Trump said. “You know, he doesn’t know where the hell he is. Where – where are you, Joe? Joe? Where are you, Joe? Tell me where you are, Joe.”
The next day, June 24, Trump slammed Biden during a Rose Garden news conference with President Andrzej Duda of Poland. After Duda mentioned that Russia attacked Ukraine and annexed Crimea in 2014, Trump interrupted him to note that President Barack Obama “and Sleepy Joe Biden” were in power at the time. “It hasn’t happened with us, and it won’t happen with us either,” he promised.
A week earlier, at a June 15 roundtable discussion for seniors, Trump complained to those gathered in the White House Cabinet Room that Germany owed billions of dollars to NATO. “This isn’t a new phenomenon. This has (been) going on for many years, where they’ve taken advantage of the United States,” he said. “But everybody has – under Biden and under Obama.”
'Entitled to fight back'
Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates slammed Trump for using official government functions to attack his political rival.
“Even after six straight months of catastrophically mismanaging the worst public health crisis in over 100 years, costing almost 140,000 Americans their lives and tens of millions their jobs, Donald Trump still has no strategy to pull us out of this tailspin as the U.S. leads the world in infections,” Bates said. “Instead, he's forcing taxpayers to foot the bill for unstable rants about Joe Biden, who this self-described consummate dealmaker has apparently given unlimited mental real estate."
Trump’s campaign brushed off such criticism.
“Democrats and the media are desperate to muzzle President Trump,” campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said. “They don’t want him tweeting, they don’t want him holding rallies, they don’t want him speaking at Mount Rushmore, and now they don’t want him holding press conferences. Every week, Joe Biden reads speeches off the teleprompter attacking the president, and the media gleefully reports every word, and President Trump is entitled to fight back.”
Should you believe the polls?: Polls show Trump is losing to Joe Biden. They said the same thing 4 years ago against Hillary Clinton
'Problematic,' but not illegal
Legal experts said that while Trump's use of campaign-style rhetoric during official government events might be questionable, it's not against the law.
An eight-decade-old law known as the Hatch Act bars government employees from engaging in political activity on government time, but that law does not apply to the president, said Delaney Marsco, an attorney with the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center.
Regardless, Trump "should refrain from blending his political activity with his government activity, which is work for all of the American people," Marsco said.
White House spokesman Judd Deere said the president "should be able to address the American people on any topic from any location."
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows also said he saw nothing wrong with Trump's anti-Biden rhetoric in the Rose Garden on Tuesday.
"Everything that Joe Biden does right now is certainly political in context," Meadows told reporters Wednesday aboard Air Force One while returning from a trip to Atlanta with the president.
Trump's Rose Garden event followed a Biden speech in which the former vice president laid out his proposal to spend $2 trillion over four years to spur development of more energy. Meadows said Trump simply used his Rose Garden remarks to highlight some of his differences with the policies outlined in Biden’s speech.
"Normally you would call that a legitimate debate," he said.
But melding politics with official activity is “problematic if not illegal,” Marsco said. Yet, she noted, members of the president’s staff do the same thing.
'Egregious, notorious and ongoing'
The Office of Special Counsel, a federal watchdog agency, recommended last year that Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to Trump, be removed from her job after repeatedly violating the Hatch Act. The watchdog called Conway a “repeat offender” of the Hatch Act for disparaging Democratic presidential candidates and for two television interviews in which she spoke for and against Alabama candidates for U.S. Senate in 2017. Her offenses are "egregious, notorious and ongoing," the watchdog's report said.
Another watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, filed a complaint Wednesday against Meadows that said he appeared to violate the Hatch Act twice during recent television interviews. The complaint said Meadows – in his official capacity as White House chief of staff – endorsed the Republican candidate running for his former congressional seat, advocated for Trump’s re-election and frequently launched into attacks on Biden during the interviews.
“This administration has continually stepped over the line with the blending of political and official activity," Marsco said.
While ethics laws generally don’t apply to the president, “we are used to generations of presidents holding themselves to high ethical norms,” said Jordan Libowitz, the spokesman for CREW. “With this president, the standard seems to be can I get away with it?"
For his part, Trump, a television reality star turned politician, seems to revel in bringing a bit of campaign-style panache to the formality of the White House.
"These trucks – this is really great," Trump said, pausing during his South Lawn remarks on Thursday to admire the stage props behind him. "I don’t know who thought of this idea, but it’s actually quite, quite simple – and quite good."
Presidential dilemma: Attacks on Fauci reflect Trump's problem of what to do about high-profile adviser with a penchant for straight talk


usatoday--2020-07-18--The ultimate ringer: Former MLB pitcher Jeremy Hellickson helps friends on slow pitch softball team

There was one out in the top of the fourth inning when Jordan Loebig stepped to the plate on Monday night .
Loebig , a slugger for The Station on Ingersoll ’ s slow pitch softball team , had already belted two home runs in the first game of that night ’ s doubleheader .
Not wanting to give him a shot at a third , the opposing pitcher opted for an intentional walk , loading the bases for the No .
9 hitter .
This wasn ’ t your typical No .
9 hitter , though .
Stepping to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , native Jeremy Hellickson , who just wrapped up a long career as one of the most successful major league players to come out of Iowa .
Hellickson , a right-handed pitcher , won the Rookie of the Year Award , a Gold Glove and is coming off a World Series championship season with the Washington Nationals .
When Hellickson enters the batter 's box , most teams don ’ t realize they 're about to face a 10-year veteran of Major League Baseball .
“ It ’ s like some 'Undercover Boss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryan King , manager and infielder for The Station 's softball team .
Hellickson , The Station 's second baseman for the first game Monday , responded by ripping a two-run single up the middle to give his team a 6-1 lead .
The Station swept Monday 's doubleheader .
It ’ s become a theme this summer for a team with a loaded lineup and one of the best secret weapons in slow pitch softball .
Hellickson , 33 , announced his retirement in February .
He 's spending his first summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high school buddies as the ultimate ringer .
“ It ’ s something that I ’ ve wanted to do when I did retire , '' Hellickson said .
`` I just didn ’ t think it was going to be this soon .
All the guys talked about it for a long time .
It 's a lot of fun .
I grew up with most of the guys on this team and went to high school with them .
So I know them pretty well .
We hang out all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to come play some softball and hang out a little bit . ''
Hellickson 's friends always wanted him to join the team .
But he was busy most summers .
Hellickson , who made his big-league debut in 2010 , spent parts of 10 seasons in the majors with Tampa Bay , Arizona , Philadelphia , Baltimore and Washington .
He appeared in 232 games , including nine games with the Nationals in 2019 , earning a World Series ring that was shipped to his Iowa house recently .
The 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hellickson needed shoulder surgery , but decided against it , opting instead to retire .
When he did , his phone started buzzing with texts .
They were from guys on the softball team , many of whom played with Hellickson in Little League and at Des Moines Hoover .
His cousin , Timmy Jaynes , is on the team .
They all kept in touch over the years , with Hellickson often hanging out with his pals when he 'd come back to Iowa in the offseason .
`` We 've kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last couple of years about whenever Jeremy retires , we should have him on our slow pitch team , '' King said .
`` We did not expect him to retire this upcoming season , but since he did it , we invited him .
He was really excited and quick to say , 'Yes . '
`` Hellickson had always been intrigued at the idea , so he jumped at the chance this summer .
The team is sponsored by the Des Moines sports bar and restaurant owned by two of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He looked at it as a way to continue to compete , hang out with friends and get out of the house .
`` It 's just nice to get out and play some softball with friends you 've known forever , '' Hellickson said .
A unique setting for the former big-leaguer As Hellickson walked around the dugout on Monday night , he passed by teammate Nick McCarty , a buddy of his growing up .
`` This is probably the best clubhouse you 've been in , '' McCarty joked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most unique setting for the former big-leaguer .
No major league team has a case of Natural Light in the dugout .
But The Station on Ingersoll does .
And Hellickson 's gameday routine is much more laid back .
Instead of spending time focusing on his start and warming up , he spends his pregame hanging out with teammates and drinking beer .
The only warming up he does is a quick sprint in the outfield and a few tosses with a teammate .
`` He loves it , '' said Hellickson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's good for him because his baseball career is over now , but he can still kind of enjoy it with his hometown friends .
He really likes it .
I love watching him out there . ''
His teammates love having him .
They even put him through some rookie hazing .
King has Hellickson hitting in the bottom of the lineup to pay his dues as the lone newcomer on the team .
Hellickson , still feeling the effects of his injured shoulder , plays the infield , spending most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often has to throw sidearm to avoid the pain of bone spurs .
When he makes a nice play , his teammates will sometimes tease him with Gold Glove references .
`` They love to give me crap when I make an out or make an error , '' Hellickson said .
`` But that 's the one good thing about playing softball ... there 's no pressure .
There 's definitely not the pressure I had on me on the big-league mound .
But it 's all fun . ''
Not for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams have caught on to the fact they 're facing a longtime pro .
There are some red flags when he turns a quick double play , smacks a hard hit to the outfield or speeds around the bases .
`` He seems like he 's pretty darn good , '' said James Steinberger , who was playing against The Station on Monday .
Hellickson recently hit his first home run .
After retrieving the ball , Hellickson had all his teammates sign it .
He stored it next to his Gold Glove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what he hopes are a lot of fun memories on the softball field .
`` Now we get to do this hopefully the next 15 , 20 years together , '' he said .

The ultimate ringer: Former MLB pitcher Jeremy Hellickson helps friends on slow-pitch softball team
There was one out in the top of the fourth inning when Jordan Loebig stepped to the plate on Monday night.
Loebig, a slugger for The Station on Ingersoll’s slow pitch softball team, had already belted two home runs in the first game of that night’s doubleheader. Not wanting to give him a shot at a third, the opposing pitcher opted for an intentional walk, loading the bases for the No. 9 hitter.
This wasn’t your typical No. 9 hitter, though. Stepping to the plate was Des Moines, Iowa, native Jeremy Hellickson, who just wrapped up a long career as one of the most successful major league players to come out of Iowa. Hellickson, a right-handed pitcher, won the Rookie of the Year Award, a Gold Glove and is coming off a World Series championship season with the Washington Nationals.
When Hellickson enters the batter's box, most teams don’t realize they're about to face a 10-year veteran of Major League Baseball.
“It’s like some 'Undercover Boss' kind of stuff,” joked Bryan King, manager and infielder for The Station's softball team.
Hellickson, The Station's second baseman for the first game Monday, responded by ripping a two-run single up the middle to give his team a 6-1 lead.
The Station swept Monday's doubleheader. It’s become a theme this summer for a team with a loaded lineup and one of the best secret weapons in slow pitch softball.
Hellickson, 33, announced his retirement in February. He's spending his first summer away from baseball helping a group of high school buddies as the ultimate ringer.
“It’s something that I’ve wanted to do when I did retire," Hellickson said. "I just didn’t think it was going to be this soon. All the guys talked about it for a long time. It's a lot of fun. I grew up with most of the guys on this team and went to high school with them. So I know them pretty well. We hang out all the time and it's just a good time to come play some softball and hang out a little bit."
His buddies made the pitch
Hellickson's friends always wanted him to join the team. But he was busy most summers.
Hellickson, who made his big-league debut in 2010, spent parts of 10 seasons in the majors with Tampa Bay, Arizona, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. He appeared in 232 games, including nine games with the Nationals in 2019, earning a World Series ring that was shipped to his Iowa house recently.
The 2019 season ended up being his last. Hellickson needed shoulder surgery, but decided against it, opting instead to retire.
When he did, his phone started buzzing with texts. They were from guys on the softball team, many of whom played with Hellickson in Little League and at Des Moines Hoover. His cousin, Timmy Jaynes, is on the team. They all kept in touch over the years, with Hellickson often hanging out with his pals when he'd come back to Iowa in the offseason.
"We've kind of been joking about it over the last couple of years about whenever Jeremy retires, we should have him on our slow pitch team," King said. "We did not expect him to retire this upcoming season, but since he did it, we invited him. He was really excited and quick to say, 'Yes.' "
Hellickson had always been intrigued at the idea, so he jumped at the chance this summer. The team is sponsored by the Des Moines sports bar and restaurant owned by two of his friends, Alex Mason and T.J. Rushing. He looked at it as a way to continue to compete, hang out with friends and get out of the house.
"It's just nice to get out and play some softball with friends you've known forever," Hellickson said.
A unique setting for the former big-leaguer
As Hellickson walked around the dugout on Monday night, he passed by teammate Nick McCarty, a buddy of his growing up.
"This is probably the best clubhouse you've been in," McCarty joked to Hellickson.
It's definitely the most unique setting for the former big-leaguer. No major league team has a case of Natural Light in the dugout. But The Station on Ingersoll does. And Hellickson's gameday routine is much more laid back. Instead of spending time focusing on his start and warming up, he spends his pregame hanging out with teammates and drinking beer. The only warming up he does is a quick sprint in the outfield and a few tosses with a teammate.
"He loves it," said Hellickson's wife, Natalie. "It's good for him because his baseball career is over now, but he can still kind of enjoy it with his hometown friends. He really likes it. I love watching him out there."
His teammates love having him. They even put him through some rookie hazing. King has Hellickson hitting in the bottom of the lineup to pay his dues as the lone newcomer on the team. Hellickson, still feeling the effects of his injured shoulder, plays the infield, spending most of his time at second base. He often has to throw sidearm to avoid the pain of bone spurs. When he makes a nice play, his teammates will sometimes tease him with Gold Glove references.
"They love to give me crap when I make an out or make an error," Hellickson said. "But that's the one good thing about playing softball ... there's no pressure. There's definitely not the pressure I had on me on the big-league mound. But it's all fun."
Not for the other team, though. Some teams have caught on to the fact they're facing a longtime pro. There are some red flags when he turns a quick double play, smacks a hard hit to the outfield or speeds around the bases.
"He seems like he's pretty darn good," said James Steinberger, who was playing against The Station on Monday.
Hellickson recently hit his first home run. After retrieving the ball, Hellickson had all his teammates sign it. He stored it next to his Gold Glove at home. It's the start of what he hopes are a lot of fun memories on the softball field.
"Now we get to do this hopefully the next 15, 20 years together," he said.


usatoday--2020-07-18--Colorado Rockies admit defeat in $106 million bullpen disaster

Coming off their first postseason appearance in eight years , the Colorado Rockies decided to spend big after the 2017 season .
The team 's 4.40 bullpen ERA had ranked 20th in the majors and solidifying that group would be key to the Rockies ' sustained success .
With closer Greg Holland ( an All-Star who had a 6.38 ERA in the second half ) on his way out , Colorado went for a full makeover , committing three-year deals to relievers Wade Davis ( $ 52 million ) , Bryan Shaw ( $ 27 million ) and Jake McGee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The aggressiveness in the bullpen , especially this offseason , fits with a grander plan about our pitching , just adding the level of talent , the level of impact , and trying to do so in waves – not just one guy here , one guy there , '' GM Jeff Bridich said at the time .
With a season still left on those deals , the Rockies cut their losses , releasing Shaw and McGee a week before the start of the 2020 campaign .
Shaw posted a 5.61 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and McGee did n't fare much better ( 5.54 ERA ) in 106 appearances .
Davis , a three-time All-Star with the Royals and Cubs , may be the most disappointing of the bunch , though .
Though Davis led the league with 43 saves and the Rockies reached the postseason in his first year with the team in 2018 , he had a 4.73 ERA in the second half .
Then came 2019 , a year that saw Davis post an 8.65 ERA in 50 games – the fifth-worst mark in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He 's penciled in as the team 's closer heading into 2020 .
In total , the Rockies committed $ 106 million to the three relievers who combined for a 5.69 ERA in 327⅓ innings in 2018 and 2019 .
Relievers may be the most volatile players when it comes to year-to-year performance and the spending was met with criticism at the time , but Bridich said Friday he was n't going to read too much into what went wrong as the club moves forward .
“ There are a lot of examples @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our recent history and deeper in your history where players have come in here on free-agent contracts and done very well , '' Bridich said .
`` There 's histories of guys , on our team and on other teams , coming in on free agent contracts and having some good seasons , having some really good seasons , and struggle times during seasons as well .
“ So I do n't think there are any huge lessons that we 're going to take and drastically move in one direction because we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On this day in 1999 , Yankees right-hander David Cone threw the 16th perfect game in baseball history .
Allegations against Washington NFL team are nothing new for this organization – it happened to me , too : USA TODAY Sports ' Christine Brennan details her experience covering the team in the 1980s .
Wondering what the NFL is doing for COVID-19 safety ?
You 're not alone – as the NFLPA is asking the league .
Tiger Woods at the Memorial : After not playing on the PGA Tour for five months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game to see if he made the cut .
Are college football players being used a as 'guinea pigs ' ?
: College football players returned to campuses for workouts months before the rest of the student body might return , potentially increasing their chances of contracting COVID-19 .
Baseball : Exhibition games get underway again , and the New York Yankees-New York Mets matchup will be shown on ESPN2 at 7 p.m .
ET Soccer : The MLS Is Back Tournament rolls on with back-to-back games on ESPN starting at 8 p.m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trafico '' matchup between the Los Angeles Galaxy and LAFC .
ESPN will also be showing Series A matches in the morning and early afternoon , starting at 11:15 a.m .
ET .
UFC : Another event from `` fight island '' will be aired , with prelims showing on ESPN starting at 5 p.m .
ET before hoping over to ESPN+ for the main card .
Golf : The Memorial hits the weekend .
Round 3 can be seen on Golf Channel from 12:30-3 p.m .
ET , then on CBS from @ @ @ @ @

Colorado Rockies admit defeat in $106 million bullpen disaster
Show Caption Hide Caption Most anticipated games of the 2020 MLB season USA TODAY Sports' Ralphie Aversa breaks down the 5 most intriguing games of the 2020 MLB regular season. USA TODAY
Coming off their first postseason appearance in eight years, the Colorado Rockies decided to spend big after the 2017 season.
The team's 4.40 bullpen ERA had ranked 20th in the majors and solidifying that group would be key to the Rockies' sustained success. With closer Greg Holland (an All-Star who had a 6.38 ERA in the second half) on his way out, Colorado went for a full makeover, committing three-year deals to relievers Wade Davis ($52 million), Bryan Shaw ($27 million) and Jake McGee (re-signed for $27 million).
"The aggressiveness in the bullpen, especially this offseason, fits with a grander plan about our pitching, just adding the level of talent, the level of impact, and trying to do so in waves – not just one guy here, one guy there," GM Jeff Bridich said at the time.
Things didn't work out as planned.
With a season still left on those deals, the Rockies cut their losses, releasing Shaw and McGee a week before the start of the 2020 campaign.
Shaw posted a 5.61 ERA in 130 games with the Rockies and McGee didn't fare much better (5.54 ERA) in 106 appearances.
Davis, a three-time All-Star with the Royals and Cubs, may be the most disappointing of the bunch, though. Though Davis led the league with 43 saves and the Rockies reached the postseason in his first year with the team in 2018, he had a 4.73 ERA in the second half.
Then came 2019, a year that saw Davis post an 8.65 ERA in 50 games – the fifth-worst mark in the majors among pitchers with 40 innings. He's penciled in as the team's closer heading into 2020.
In total, the Rockies committed $106 million to the three relievers who combined for a 5.69 ERA in 327⅓ innings in 2018 and 2019.
Relievers may be the most volatile players when it comes to year-to-year performance and the spending was met with criticism at the time, but Bridich said Friday he wasn't going to read too much into what went wrong as the club moves forward.
“There are a lot of examples, not just in the bullpen but in our recent history and deeper in your history where players have come in here on free-agent contracts and done very well," Bridich said. "There's histories of guys, on our team and on other teams, coming in on free agent contracts and having some good seasons, having some really good seasons, and struggle times during seasons as well.
“So I don't think there are any huge lessons that we're going to take and drastically move in one direction because we said goodbye to Jake and Bryan.”
Sports video of the day
On this day in 1999, Yankees right-hander David Cone threw the 16th perfect game in baseball history.
What we're reading
Allegations against Washington NFL team are nothing new for this organization – it happened to me, too: USA TODAY Sports' Christine Brennan details her experience covering the team in the 1980s.
Wondering what the NFL is doing for COVID-19 safety? You're not alone – as the NFLPA is asking the league.
Tiger Woods at the Memorial: After not playing on the PGA Tour for five months, he had to play the waiting game to see if he made the cut.
Are college football players being used a as 'guinea pigs'?: College football players returned to campuses for workouts months before the rest of the student body might return, potentially increasing their chances of contracting COVID-19.
What we're watching
Baseball: Exhibition games get underway again, and the New York Yankees-New York Mets matchup will be shown on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET
Soccer: The MLS Is Back Tournament rolls on with back-to-back games on ESPN starting at 8 p.m. ET, including the "El Trafico" matchup between the Los Angeles Galaxy and LAFC. ESPN will also be showing Series A matches in the morning and early afternoon, starting at 11:15 a.m. ET.
UFC: Another event from "fight island" will be aired, with prelims showing on ESPN starting at 5 p.m. ET before hoping over to ESPN+ for the main card.
Golf: The Memorial hits the weekend. Round 3 can be seen on Golf Channel from 12:30-3 p.m. ET, then on CBS from 3-6 p.m. ET.


usatoday--2020-07-17--Home Depot joins roster of retailers requiring mask amid coronavirus resurgence

Another retailing heavyweight is weighing in on the national mask-wearing issue : Home Depot will now require all shoppers wear them .
The home improvement retailer said Friday that customers must wear masks inside all U.S. stores beginning Wednesday , July 22 .
However , small children and those who have a valid medical condition will not have to wear them .
Customers not wearing masks because of a medical condition are asked to speak with an associate before entering the store , the company says .
Home Depot joins a slew of retailers including Walmart , Target , CVS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at stores nationwide as cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by coronavirus , continue to rise in the U.S .
The requiring of masks and facial coverings has become a hot button nationally .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends them as way to prevent the spread of the virus , but some consider mask mandates as a violation against their constitutional rights .
Pandemic payments : The next coronavirus stimulus deal will have a big change Home , sweet mobile home : This couple was fed up with expensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school bus into a home As states have begun to reopen and ease social distancing requirements , the wearing of masks in public has incited some violent confrontations in stores .
As state and cities enact differing regulations on masks , retailers have started taking the lead in mandating mask in their locations nationwide .
Home Depot is headquartered in Atlanta , which is ground zero for a national debate on mask mandates .
Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp on Thursday sued the Atlanta City Council and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for requiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The retailer says about 85 % of its stores already require customers to wear face masks due to local and state regulations .
Home Depot workers already wear masks in stores , distribution centers , and other locations , the company says .
Social Security : The coronavirus pandemic could lead to benefit cuts happening sooner than you think Within stores , social distancing is promoted with audio announcements , floor markings and signs ; plexiglass shields separate employees and shoppers .
“ We appreciate all of our associates who have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the essential products they need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic , and we want to thank our customers for their cooperation as we work to protect everyone in our stores , ” said Ann-Marie Campbell , Home Depot 's executive vice president of stores , in a statement .
Store staffers will provide masks to incoming shoppers who do not have one and , for those who prefer , the store offers home delivery and curbside pickup through its HomeDepot.com website .

Home Depot joins roster of retailers requiring mask amid coronavirus resurgence
Show Caption Hide Caption Face masks causing confrontations as businesses enforce guidelines Businesses and cities across the country are requiring people to wear masks, which some people say infringe upon their individual rights. USA TODAY
Another retailing heavyweight is weighing in on the national mask-wearing issue: Home Depot will now require all shoppers wear them.
The home improvement retailer said Friday that customers must wear masks inside all U.S. stores beginning Wednesday, July 22. However, small children and those who have a valid medical condition will not have to wear them. Customers not wearing masks because of a medical condition are asked to speak with an associate before entering the store, the company says.
Home Depot joins a slew of retailers including Walmart, Target, CVS, and Walgreens set to mandate masks at stores nationwide as cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, continue to rise in the U.S.
The requiring of masks and facial coverings has become a hot button nationally. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends them as way to prevent the spread of the virus, but some consider mask mandates as a violation against their constitutional rights.
Pandemic payments: The next coronavirus stimulus deal will have a big change
Home, sweet mobile home: This couple was fed up with expensive rent, so they turned an old school bus into a home
As states have begun to reopen and ease social distancing requirements, the wearing of masks in public has incited some violent confrontations in stores. As state and cities enact differing regulations on masks, retailers have started taking the lead in mandating mask in their locations nationwide.
Home Depot is headquartered in Atlanta, which is ground zero for a national debate on mask mandates. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday sued the Atlanta City Council and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for requiring citizens to wear face masks in public.
The retailer says about 85% of its stores already require customers to wear face masks due to local and state regulations. Home Depot workers already wear masks in stores, distribution centers, and other locations, the company says.
Masks required: Walmart, Target among retailers adding face masks requirements due to COVID-19
Social Security: The coronavirus pandemic could lead to benefit cuts happening sooner than you think
Within stores, social distancing is promoted with audio announcements, floor markings and signs; plexiglass shields separate employees and shoppers.
“We appreciate all of our associates who have been working so hard to serve our customers with the essential products they need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and we want to thank our customers for their cooperation as we work to protect everyone in our stores,” said Ann-Marie Campbell, Home Depot's executive vice president of stores, in a statement.
Store staffers will provide masks to incoming shoppers who do not have one and, for those who prefer, the store offers home delivery and curbside pickup through its HomeDepot.com website.
Contributing: Kelly Tyko, Jessica Flores, Joel Shannon
Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.


usatoday--2020-07-18--Simon Pagenaud goes from last to first to win IndyCar race at Iowa Speedway

NEWTON , Ia .
— Simon Pagenaud went from last to first at Iowa Speedway on Friday .
And fans were on hand to see it .
Pagenaud won the first race of the Iowa IndyCar 250 here at The Fastest Short Track on the Planet .
After starting 23rd , the 36-year-old claimed the lead on Lap 178 and held off Scott Dixon and Oliver Askew down the stretch for his first win of the season .
`` Wow , this place is tough , '' Pagenaud told NBC Sports afterward .
He added : `` I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rewatch the race .
How did I get there ?
I don ’ t know .
`` The last 50 laps were lots of tension .
When Dixon is chasing you , you better hit your marks . ''
Only five drivers have started farther back and managed to win in IndyCar since 1946 .
Helio Castroneves owns the largest jump to win , going from 28th to first in 2008 at Chicagoland .
After a clean first half of the race , back-to-back yellow flags slowed the race midway through thanks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the opportunity by overtaking Pato O'Ward and Askew to lead for the final 72 laps .
It marks Pagenaud 's first win since July 14 , 2019 , at the Honda Indy Toronto .
The win also pushes Pagenaud into second place in the 2020 IndyCar Series standings with 160 points .
He is the only driver within 70 points from Dixon , who leads with 213 , with nine races left .
`` I certainly did n't expect to win the race today , but I put everything I could into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now owns 15 career wins and has three top-five finishes this season .
`` We had nothing to lose .
We started from last .
We have a really good car .
Let 's go for it .
`` I kept my head down , I kept pushing , kept attacking , and we did n't have to make too many changes at the end . ''
Dixon finished second after starting 17th , followed by Askew , who took third for his first-career podium finish after starting 14th .
O'Ward and Josef @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And for the first time this season , fans were in the stands to watch .
An official attendance was not made available , but as many as 6,000 tickets were available for the first race of an IndyCar doubleheader/ARCA race weekend .
Saturday 's second race is set for 8:30 p.m. Tony Kanaan opened Friday night as the grand marshal , calling for the 23 drivers to start their engine before starting from the 19th spot .
His night ended on Lap 95 , when he brushed the wall and damaged his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bent , '' he reported to his team .
It was a sour ending for Kanaan , who previously won at Iowa in 2010 and owns five podium finishes on the 7/8th-mile track .
His IndyCar farewell tour continues Saturday night , where he 'll start eighth .
Will Power spent much of the first half of Friday night 's race near the front .
Then he lost his front left tire on Lap 144 .
After a miscue in the pits , Power 's front left tire popped clean off as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then bounced off the wall and nearly hit the cockpit .
It rolled down the track while Power spun out , spurring the race 's first yellow flag .
Add this to the list of Power 's frustrating performances at Iowa .
Pato O'Ward claimed the lead on the restart on Lap 157 , but a scary collision between Colton Herta and Rinus Veekay quickly brought out the race 's second yellow flag .
Herta bumped the back of Veekay and ultimately drove over the Chevy No .
21 , into the air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both drivers walked off the track and were later released from the infield care center .
`` It happened so fast that I was n't really sure what was going on , '' Herta told NBCSports during the race .
`` … I 'd been told 'green ' .
I was n't going to go by the lights . ''
`` It really sucks , '' Veekay said in a separate interview with NBCSports .
`` We were having an amazing race .
I felt like we could 've been on the podium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was a bummer . ''
Scott Dixon nearly made it four wins in five races .
Much like Pagenaud , Dixon emerged from the back to finish near the front , starting 17th and ending up second .
Even with the second-place finish , Dixon retains a sizable lead in the IndyCar Series standings , up to 213 points .
`` We had made some adjustments from qualifying , '' Dixon said .
`` … we got lucky from some of those cautions to move up .
`` Huge credit to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job with strategy .
They did a tremendous job tonight . ''
Daly goes from pole to fifth Conor Daly secured his first IndyCar pole ahead of Friday 's race .
Driving the No .
59 Carlin Chevy , he was quickly usurped on Lap 14 by Josef Newgarden , and ultimately finished eighth .

Simon Pagenaud goes from last to first to win IndyCar race at Iowa Speedway
Show Caption Hide Caption IndyCar driver champions blood donations The Red Cross has lost thousands of blood drives nationwide. IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe is on a mission to change that. Sportskind, USA Today
NEWTON, Ia. — Simon Pagenaud went from last to first at Iowa Speedway on Friday.
And fans were on hand to see it.
Pagenaud won the first race of the Iowa IndyCar 250 here at The Fastest Short Track on the Planet. After starting 23rd, the 36-year-old claimed the lead on Lap 178 and held off Scott Dixon and Oliver Askew down the stretch for his first win of the season.
"Wow, this place is tough," Pagenaud told NBC Sports afterward. He added: "I can’t believe it. I have to rewatch the race. How did I get there? I don’t know.
"The last 50 laps were lots of tension. When Dixon is chasing you, you better hit your marks."
Only five drivers have started farther back and managed to win in IndyCar since 1946. Helio Castroneves owns the largest jump to win, going from 28th to first in 2008 at Chicagoland.
After a clean first half of the race, back-to-back yellow flags slowed the race midway through thanks to a couple of crashes. Pagenaud seized on the opportunity by overtaking Pato O'Ward and Askew to lead for the final 72 laps.
It marks Pagenaud's first win since July 14, 2019, at the Honda Indy Toronto. The win also pushes Pagenaud into second place in the 2020 IndyCar Series standings with 160 points. He is the only driver within 70 points from Dixon, who leads with 213, with nine races left.
"I certainly didn't expect to win the race today, but I put everything I could into it," said Pagenaud, who now owns 15 career wins and has three top-five finishes this season. "We had nothing to lose. We started from last. We have a really good car. Let's go for it.
"I kept my head down, I kept pushing, kept attacking, and we didn't have to make too many changes at the end."
Dixon finished second after starting 17th, followed by Askew, who took third for his first-career podium finish after starting 14th. O'Ward and Josef Newgarden rounded out the top five.
And for the first time this season, fans were in the stands to watch. An official attendance was not made available, but as many as 6,000 tickets were available for the first race of an IndyCar doubleheader/ARCA race weekend.
Saturday's second race is set for 8:30 p.m.
Kanaan's night ends early
Tony Kanaan opened Friday night as the grand marshal, calling for the 23 drivers to start their engine before starting from the 19th spot.
His night ended on Lap 95, when he brushed the wall and damaged his right rear suspension.
"It's bent," he reported to his team.
It was a sour ending for Kanaan, who previously won at Iowa in 2010 and owns five podium finishes on the 7/8th-mile track. His IndyCar farewell tour continues Saturday night, where he'll start eighth.
Power loses wheel on Lap 144
Will Power spent much of the first half of Friday night's race near the front.
Then he lost his front left tire on Lap 144.
Seriously.
After a miscue in the pits, Power's front left tire popped clean off as he collided with the wall. The wheel then bounced off the wall and nearly hit the cockpit. It rolled down the track while Power spun out, spurring the race's first yellow flag.
"Something broke," he reported.
Add this to the list of Power's frustrating performances at Iowa.
Aerial crash on restart
Pato O'Ward claimed the lead on the restart on Lap 157, but a scary collision between Colton Herta and Rinus Veekay quickly brought out the race's second yellow flag.
Herta bumped the back of Veekay and ultimately drove over the Chevy No. 21, into the air and the top of the wall. Both drivers walked off the track and were later released from the infield care center.
"It happened so fast that I wasn't really sure what was going on," Herta told NBCSports during the race. "… I'd been told 'green'. I wasn't going to go by the lights."
"It really sucks," Veekay said in a separate interview with NBCSports. "We were having an amazing race. I felt like we could've been on the podium if it continued to go our way. It was a bummer."
Dixon finishes second
Scott Dixon nearly made it four wins in five races.
Much like Pagenaud, Dixon emerged from the back to finish near the front, starting 17th and ending up second. Even with the second-place finish, Dixon retains a sizable lead in the IndyCar Series standings, up to 213 points.
"We had made some adjustments from qualifying," Dixon said. "… we got lucky from some of those cautions to move up.
"Huge credit to the team. They did a great job with strategy. They did a tremendous job tonight."
Daly goes from pole to fifth
Conor Daly secured his first IndyCar pole ahead of Friday's race. Driving the No. 59 Carlin Chevy, he was quickly usurped on Lap 14 by Josef Newgarden, and ultimately finished eighth.


usatoday--2020-07-18--Teen hockey player was paralyzed after being thrown from SUV. Now he's walking.

The hockey game Carson Rainey never got to play was on a Saturday in Pittsburgh .
Rather than get a hotel room on Friday night , Carson and his dad , Gary , rolled out of bed at 3:30 a.m. that Saturday and loaded up the SUV to make the six-hour drive from Indianapolis .
Carson pushed the back seats down as he 'd done dozens of times before , the life of a 15-year-old elite hockey player traveling for tournaments .
He lay down and curled up to catch some extra sleep .
His dad took the wheel .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dayton on Interstate 70 , a mix of snow and rain falling , Gary Rainey hit a patch of black ice on an overpass .
The car began to fishtail .
`` I was trying to control the car , '' said Gary of that January morning .
`` But it began to spin out of control and got hit by a semi that put us into a guardrail . ''
The airbag deployed in front of Gary ; he suffered minor injuries .
When he turned and looked for Carson in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact threw Carson 40 feet from the SUV .
`` It was the worst feeling I had ever had in my life , '' Gary said .
He ran from the car and started screaming for his son .
Carson yelled back .
Gary found him under the guardrail , lying in a puddle , half of his body on the road , the other half in the snowy grass .
Gary was so relieved .
Carson was alive .
He was conscious and alert .
He was talking .
Then he heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Dayton Children 's Hospital , where doctors told Gary his son had fractured the C-7 vertebrae in his neck and damaged three vertebrae on his spine .
He had a lacerated spleen and kidney and injured and misplaced nerve bundles .
Surgeons said they did n't know what the extent of Carson 's spinal cord damage would be .
They did n't know whether he would walk again .
Carson , now 16 , said he barely remembers what was said regarding his paralysis .
`` As far as what I know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again , but it was n't going to be for awhile , '' he said .
`` It hurt a lot but , I mean , I did n't think too much about it .
I just thought about the possibilities of what could happen . ''
Yet even as Gary sat in the emergency room that Saturday , he said he had a sense of calm .
`` There was never a moment that I did n't believe he would walk again , and I do n't know why , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think , 'Wow , it actually happened . '
I always believed it would , but it 's just amazing to watch . ''
' I 'd love to see him back on the ice' Carson has one crutch and is making a lap on a sidewalk that forms a circle outside of Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health .
His physical therapist , Sarah K. Johnson , is amazed by his progress .
After spine surgery in Dayton — rods , screws and plates put in his lower back — Carson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He spent the next two months doing intense physical therapy .
Since March , he has been coming to therapy with Johnson two to three times a week .
He was still in a wheelchair when Johnson started working with him .
Now , he is able to walk on his own with a crutch .
Carson 's athletic mindset , his determination , translated from the ice to rehab , Johnson said .
Like being behind in a game but still knowing there is the possibility of a win .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance that we can win , we are going to do everything we can to do it , '' Johnson said .
`` I do n't know if he would be where he is today if he did n't work as hard as he does .
It 's like any practice with an athlete , you give them a goal and you want them to move forward . ''
Carson started playing hockey when he was 9 .
He had ADHD , so Gary and his mom , Christi , were searching for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Something he was good at that would give him reasons to do well in school and clean his room .
Carson was so good he was invited to play on a travel team .
At the time of the accident , Jan. 18 , he had reached the highest level of hockey for his age , playing on the 15U Junior Fuel AAA team with the Indianapolis Youth Hockey Association .
He was a wickedly fast skater .
He played mean defense .
But he also racked up assists .
And , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward .
`` Was he going to be in the NHL before the accident ?
No , he was n't , '' said Gary .
`` But can he be part of the community and teach kids the love of hockey and get out there and skate as well ?
Absolutely .
`` I 'd love to see him back on the ice .
And I think one day , he will be . ''
Carson is the ultimate goofball .
Inside the hospital Wednesday for physical therapy , he joked with Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercises to perform .
When he completed one , he would yell , `` Boom ! ''
Or he 'd start swinging his hips in a funny dance .
But Carson also is serious about therapy , and without any crutches to assist , he took a dozen steps .
`` You have to work hard no matter what , '' Carson said .
`` Because you do n't get better if you do n't work hard . ''
Johnson even jokes sometimes that he is `` faking '' his injury because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marks six months since Carson 's accident .
He still ca n't move below his left knee .
But there is feeling , and that gives Johnson hope that some connection is still there .
And if anyone can overcome that obstacle , she said , it will be Carson .
For Gary and Christi and Carson 's younger brother , Eli , the walking is just a bonus to having Carson with them .
`` He should n't be alive right now , '' said Gary .
`` It 's a miracle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walking is just amazing . ''
Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter : @ DanaBenbow .
Reach her via e-mail : dbenbow @ indystar.com .

Dana Hunsinger Benbow, Indianapolis Star

Teen hockey player was paralyzed after being thrown from SUV. Now he's walking.
Show Caption Hide Caption 'He was gonna walk again': This 16-year-old is showing resiliency at Riley Hospital Carson Rainey, a 16-year-old elite hockey player from Fishers, is learning to walk again six months after a paralyzing car accident in January 2020. Jenna Watson, jenna.watson@indystar.com
The hockey game Carson Rainey never got to play was on a Saturday in Pittsburgh. Rather than get a hotel room on Friday night, Carson and his dad, Gary, rolled out of bed at 3:30 a.m. that Saturday and loaded up the SUV to make the six-hour drive from Indianapolis.
Carson pushed the back seats down as he'd done dozens of times before, the life of a 15-year-old elite hockey player traveling for tournaments. He lay down and curled up to catch some extra sleep. His dad took the wheel.
About 5:45 a.m. as they went through Dayton on Interstate 70, a mix of snow and rain falling, Gary Rainey hit a patch of black ice on an overpass. The car began to fishtail.
"I was trying to control the car," said Gary of that January morning. "But it began to spin out of control and got hit by a semi that put us into a guardrail."
The airbag deployed in front of Gary; he suffered minor injuries. When he turned and looked for Carson in the backseat, it was empty.
The impact threw Carson 40 feet from the SUV.
"It was the worst feeling I had ever had in my life," Gary said.
He ran from the car and started screaming for his son. Carson yelled back. Gary found him under the guardrail, lying in a puddle, half of his body on the road, the other half in the snowy grass.
Gary was so relieved. Carson was alive. He was conscious and alert. He was talking. Then he heard the haunting words.
"Dad, I can't feel my legs."
A sense of calm
Carson was taken to Dayton Children's Hospital, where doctors told Gary his son had fractured the C-7 vertebrae in his neck and damaged three vertebrae on his spine. He had a lacerated spleen and kidney and injured and misplaced nerve bundles.
Surgeons said they didn't know what the extent of Carson's spinal cord damage would be. They didn't know whether he would walk again.
Carson, now 16, said he barely remembers what was said regarding his paralysis.
"As far as what I know, there was hope of me walking again, but it wasn't going to be for awhile," he said. "It hurt a lot but, I mean, I didn't think too much about it. I just thought about the possibilities of what could happen."
Yet even as Gary sat in the emergency room that Saturday, he said he had a sense of calm.
"There was never a moment that I didn't believe he would walk again, and I don't know why," he said. "Now, I just think, 'Wow, it actually happened.' I always believed it would, but it's just amazing to watch."
'I'd love to see him back on the ice'
Carson has one crutch and is making a lap on a sidewalk that forms a circle outside of Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. His physical therapist, Sarah K. Johnson, is amazed by his progress.
After spine surgery in Dayton — rods, screws and plates put in his lower back — Carson was transferred to Riley two weeks later. He spent the next two months doing intense physical therapy.
Since March, he has been coming to therapy with Johnson two to three times a week. He was still in a wheelchair when Johnson started working with him. Now, he is able to walk on his own with a crutch.
Carson's athletic mindset, his determination, translated from the ice to rehab, Johnson said. Like being behind in a game but still knowing there is the possibility of a win.
"With athletes, if there is a chance that we can win, we are going to do everything we can to do it," Johnson said. "I don't know if he would be where he is today if he didn't work as hard as he does. It's like any practice with an athlete, you give them a goal and you want them to move forward."
Carson started playing hockey when he was 9. He had ADHD, so Gary and his mom, Christi, were searching for something for their son to focus on. Something he was good at that would give him reasons to do well in school and clean his room.
Carson was so good he was invited to play on a travel team.
At the time of the accident, Jan. 18, he had reached the highest level of hockey for his age, playing on the 15U Junior Fuel AAA team with the Indianapolis Youth Hockey Association.
He was a wickedly fast skater. He played mean defense. But he also racked up assists. And, most recently, he had been playing forward.
"Was he going to be in the NHL before the accident? No, he wasn't," said Gary. "But can he be part of the community and teach kids the love of hockey and get out there and skate as well? Absolutely.
"I'd love to see him back on the ice. And I think one day, he will be."
'Just amazing'
Carson is the ultimate goofball. Inside the hospital Wednesday for physical therapy, he joked with Johnson and was dramatic as she gave him exercises to perform. When he completed one, he would yell, "Boom!" Or he'd start swinging his hips in a funny dance.
But Carson also is serious about therapy, and without any crutches to assist, he took a dozen steps.
"You have to work hard no matter what," Carson said. "Because you don't get better if you don't work hard."
Johnson even jokes sometimes that he is "faking" his injury because of the progress he's made.
Saturday marks six months since Carson's accident. He still can't move below his left knee. But there is feeling, and that gives Johnson hope that some connection is still there. And if anyone can overcome that obstacle, she said, it will be Carson.
For Gary and Christi and Carson's younger brother, Eli, the walking is just a bonus to having Carson with them.
"He shouldn't be alive right now," said Gary. "It's a miracle he is. And to see him walking is just amazing."
Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow. Reach her via e-mail: dbenbow@indystar.com.


usatoday--2020-07-18--'Nashville prepared me,' John Lewis said of his first sit-in arrest 60 years ago. 'We grew up very f

White men kicked them .
They spat and blew cigar smoke in their faces .
They extinguished lit cigarettes on their backs .
Still , the black students who sat at Nashville 's lunch counters did not retaliate .
They had been trained in nonviolent resistance .
They remained silent , staring ahead or reading magazines , in protest of segregation .
Just as they had during the sit-ins the week before .
And the week before that .
But this time would be different .
For the first time since hundreds of black college students began the sit-ins at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Feb. 27 , 1960 , nearly 100 young African Americans , along with a few white supporters , were arrested and jailed .
Future U.S. Rep. John Lewis was among them .
It marked the first of his many arrests to come .
On that historic day 60 years ago , tensions escalated between crowds of white instigators and the composed young black men and women who wanted integration and equality .
The students came from local universities : Fisk , Tennessee A & I and the American Baptist Theological Seminary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and McLellan 's .
Thousands of people — white and black — crammed the area downtown , and policemen armed with billy clubs lined the streets .
They were stationed there , they said , to thwart an outbreak of violence .
Two fistfights broke out that day .
The first started when a white man jerked a young white male demonstrator from his lunch counter chair at McLellan 's and hit him .
It was the protester , not the aggressor , who was arrested .
The black students , passively unmoved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , were also taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct .
Loud shouts of praise and applause erupted from the crowd as officers put the first group of students into the paddy wagons shortly after 1 p.m. that day .
An hour later , the police were summoned to Woolworth 's next door .
There , the only black student to respond to the day 's hateful acts was dragged from the store , swinging wildly .
He was charged with disorderly and offensive conduct and resisting arrest .
The young white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested .
He slipped out of sight .
More arrests took place throughout the afternoon , dozens at a time .
As soon as one group was led away , more students were there to sit in their place .
`` You have n't seen anything yet , '' sit-in leader Earl May told a Tennessean reporter that day .
`` We 're going to fill their jails .
That 's a promise . ''
Two days later , the students arrested during the weekend ’ s sit-in went on trial .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and attorney Z. Alexander Looby .
Some chose “ jail over bail.
” Fifteen students were convicted and sent to the city workhouse after refusing to pay the $ 50 fines .
The fight was just beginning .
`` Nashville prepared me , '' Lewis told The Tennessean in 2013 .
`` If it had n't been for Nashville , I would not be the person I am now .
`` We grew up sitting down or sitting in .
And we grew up very fast . ''
Reach Jessica Bliss at 615-259-8253 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jlbliss and please support local journalism .

'Nashville prepared me,' John Lewis said of his first sit-in arrest 60 years ago. 'We grew up very fast.'
Show Caption Hide Caption Remembering civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis Arrested, jailed and beaten for challenging Jim Crow laws, Lewis became a national figure in his early 20s. USA TODAY
White men kicked them. They spat and blew cigar smoke in their faces. They extinguished lit cigarettes on their backs.
Still, the Black students who sat at Nashville's lunch counters did not retaliate.
They had been trained in nonviolent resistance.
They remained silent, staring ahead or reading magazines, in protest of segregation. Just as they had during the sit-ins the week before. And the week before that.
But this time would be different.
For the first time since hundreds of Black college students began the sit-ins at Nashville's downtown drugstores, tempers flared.
On Feb. 27, 1960, nearly 100 young African Americans, along with a few white supporters, were arrested and jailed.
Future U.S. Rep. John Lewis was among them. It marked the first of his many arrests to come.
On that historic day 60 years ago, tensions escalated between crowds of white instigators and the composed young Black men and women who wanted integration and equality.
The students came from local universities: Fisk, Tennessee A&I and the American Baptist Theological Seminary. They entered Woolworth's, Walgreens and McLellan's.
Thousands of people – white and Black – crammed the area downtown, and policemen armed with billy clubs lined the streets.
They were stationed there, they said, to thwart an outbreak of violence.
Two fistfights broke out that day. The first started when a white man jerked a young white male demonstrator from his lunch counter chair at McLellan's and hit him.
It was the protester, not the aggressor, who was arrested.
The Black students, passively unmoved by the jeering and provocation surrounding them, were also taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct.
Loud shouts of praise and applause erupted from the crowd as officers put the first group of students into the paddy wagons shortly after 1 p.m. that day.
An hour later, the police were summoned to Woolworth's next door. There, the only Black student to respond to the day's hateful acts was dragged from the store, swinging wildly. He was charged with disorderly and offensive conduct and resisting arrest.
The young white man who instigated the fight was not arrested. He slipped out of sight.
More arrests took place throughout the afternoon, dozens at a time. As soon as one group was led away, more students were there to sit in their place.
"You haven't seen anything yet," sit-in leader Earl May told a Tennessean reporter that day. "We're going to fill their jails. That's a promise."
Two days later, the students arrested during the weekend’s sit-in went on trial.
Many were represented in court by Nashville councilman and attorney Z. Alexander Looby. Some chose “jail over bail.” Fifteen students were convicted and sent to the city workhouse after refusing to pay the $50 fines.
The fight was just beginning.
"Nashville prepared me," Lewis told The Tennessean in 2013. "If it hadn't been for Nashville, I would not be the person I am now.
"We grew up sitting down or sitting in. And we grew up very fast."
Reach Jessica Bliss at 615-259-8253 and jbliss@tennessean.com or on Twitter @jlbliss and please support local journalism.


usatoday--2020-07-18--Protesters clash with police in violent encounter at Chicago's Columbus statue; 12 arrested, many in

CHICAGO – Hundreds of protesters attempting to topple the city 's Christopher Columbus statue faced off with dozens of Chicago police Friday evening in an encounter that turned violent .
Twelve people were arrested and could `` potentially face charges , '' including battery to an officer , mob action or other felonies , police said , after some protesters began throwing objects at officers , who hit protesters with their batons .
About 18 officers were injured , police said .
Some were treated on the scene by paramedics while others were transported to the hospital .
Photos and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media showed protesters bleeding from the mouth .
At least one protester – 18-year-old Miracle Boyd with GoodKids MadCity , an anti-gun violence group – had her teeth knocked out when an officer punched her , according to video of the assault shared by the organization .
Boyd went to the hospital Friday night and was doing better Saturday morning , said Kofi Ademola , a Black Lives Matter organizer and spokesperson for GoodKids MadCity .
The protesters gathered in Grant Park on Friday afternoon for a `` Black , Indigenous Solidarity Rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago-based organizations .
The event called for `` the abolishment of police and the redistribution of funds to the people of Chicago , '' according to the Facebook event page .
`` We built this country as Black and Indigenous peoples .
Our knowledge and labor has been exploited for too long , '' the organizers wrote on the event page .
After the rally , some protesters moved south toward the statue , where police had gathered to protect it .
Dozens of protesters , many holding black umbrellas , attempted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statue , according to dozens of videos shared to social media .
`` Some members of the crowd turned on police and used the protest to attack officers with fireworks , rocks , frozen bottles , and other objects , '' police said in a statement early Saturday .
In their official statement , police did not say what happened after protesters began throwing objects .
“ We do not want to engage in violent clashes with protesters , but when the law is being broken , our oath demands that we act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police Superintendent wrote on Twitter Saturday afternoon .
According to dozens of videos shared to social media , police began to beat back protesters with batons and fired what appeared to be teargas .
Amika Tendaji , an organizer with Black Lives Matter Chicago , said she saw people 's heads `` gushing with blood . ''
`` With incredible rage and brutality , they pepper-sprayed until the air was thick with teargas .
They beat young people – we ’ re talking about students , '' Tendaji said in a Saturday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baring the words `` defund the police . ''
Anthony Tamez-Pochel , co-president of the Chi Nations Youth Council , said Saturday that the protest was `` a beautiful display of Black and Indigenous solidarity that was met with pepper spray and batons by gun-holding police officers . ''
Police reinforcements arrived on the scene , and protesters dispersed Friday evening .
Shootings are on the rise : Children are paying the price At least one reporter said he was assaulted by officers while covering the protest .
`` I was just assaulted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to my bicycle while holding up my press badge and he called me a 'smart ass ' for doing so , accused me of wanting to start a problem .
I yelled help , he said 'you 're gon na need help ' before throwing me , '' Block Club Chi reporter Colin Boyle wrote on Twitter , where he posted video of the encounter .
Another journalist , CBSChicago reporter Marissa Parra , said on Twitter that an officer used his baton to swat her phone out of her hand while she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he kicked it after it landed on the street .
She also posted video of the incident .
Chicago police said in a statement that the department `` strives to treat all individuals our officers encounter with respect . ''
`` We do not tolerate misconduct of any kind and if any wrongdoing is discovered , officers will be held accountable , '' police said .
Images and videos of the statue shared to social media following the encounter showed the statue covered in graffiti .
`` This is a difficult moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are frustrated and impatient for change , '' Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement Saturday afternoon .
`` It is my sincere hope that we can strike the right balance to ensure people can rightfully express themselves & their First Amendment rights , but do so in a way that does not put anyone ’ s physical safety at risk .
That would be consistent with our long history of peaceful protest . ''
Fight over monuments : Who is an American hero and who is a 'symbol of hate ' ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters and that `` the history and stories of the lives of Indigenous People here in Chicago need to be lifted up and celebrated . ''
But Lightfoot condemned the `` violent acts '' of protesters , saying that throwing objects at officers was `` unacceptable and put everyone at risk . ''
Lightfoot said the reports of excessive force by police are `` also unacceptable '' and that she had spoken to the director of the city 's civilian police oversight agency , which `` stands ready to address these complaints and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealt with and investigated . ''
`` We will not spare any resources to do so , '' Lightfoot said .
The debate around which historical figures deserve to be memorialized has intensified in recent weeks , since the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery , Breonna Taylor and George Floyd launched a national reckoning on racial inequality .
Groups of protesters in some cities have taken it upon themselves to remove the statues before states and localities intervene .
Protesters toppled a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Richmond , Virginia , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a captain in the Confederate Navy , from its base in Birmingham , Alabama .
Many groups also have turned their attention to other prominent historic figures , including Christopher Columbus .
More attention has been given in recent years to Columbus , who many say should be remembered as a violent colonizer responsible for countless deaths of indigenous Americans .
A statue of Columbus was removed from outside the city hall of Columbus , Ohio , earlier this month , after the mayor called for its removal .
In Baltimore , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July pulled down a statue of Columbus and threw it into the city 's Inner Harbor .
`` That statue is a symbol of a history that we need to acknowledge but divorce ourselves from .
That statue has nothing to ( do ) with where Chicago is going , and our future .
And the world has spoken on that , '' Tendaji said .
`` We can not have our youth being brutality beaten over a statue that shouldn ’ t be here in the first place . ''
Chicago Ald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three of his four grandparents came from Italy , said he supported the protesters ' desire to take down the statue of Columbus .
`` I would tear down that statue with my two hands if I could , '' he said Saturday morning .
`` I say to Mayor Lightfoot , on behalf of the Italian American community … tear down this statue .
In our name , tear down this statue . ''

Protesters clash with police in violent encounter at Chicago's Columbus statue; 12 arrested, many injured
Show Caption Hide Caption Protesters clash with police at Chicago's Columbus statue Protesters working to topple a statue of Christopher Columbus were met with police force in Chicago, Illinois, on July 17. Storyful
CHICAGO – Hundreds of protesters attempting to topple the city's Christopher Columbus statue faced off with dozens of Chicago police Friday evening in an encounter that turned violent.
Twelve people were arrested and could "potentially face charges," including battery to an officer, mob action or other felonies, police said, after some protesters began throwing objects at officers, who hit protesters with their batons.
About 18 officers were injured, police said. Some were treated on the scene by paramedics while others were transported to the hospital.
Photos and videos of the incident shared to social media showed protesters bleeding from the mouth. At least one protester – 18-year-old Miracle Boyd with GoodKids MadCity, an anti-gun violence group – had her teeth knocked out when an officer punched her, according to video of the assault shared by the organization.
Boyd went to the hospital Friday night and was doing better Saturday morning, said Kofi Ademola, a Black Lives Matter organizer and spokesperson for GoodKids MadCity.
'Secret police force': Feds reportedly pull Portland protesters into unmarked vehicles, stirring outrage
The protesters gathered in Grant Park on Friday afternoon for a "Black, Indigenous Solidarity Rally" organized by more than a dozen Chicago-based organizations. The event called for "the abolishment of police and the redistribution of funds to the people of Chicago," according to the Facebook event page.
Key things that propel a protest to a successful movement Do protests ever enact real change? Yes. But not all movements are created equal. Here's the ingredients of a successful movement. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
"We built this country as Black and Indigenous peoples. Our knowledge and labor has been exploited for too long," the organizers wrote on the event page.
After the rally, some protesters moved south toward the statue, where police had gathered to protect it. Dozens of protesters, many holding black umbrellas, attempted to hurdle the short stone wall encircling the statue, according to dozens of videos shared to social media.
This is not the way, a man shouts as someone throws something incendiary at the cops pic.twitter.com/AtOUAqFXAM — Alice Yin (@byaliceyin) July 18, 2020
"Some members of the crowd turned on police and used the protest to attack officers with fireworks, rocks, frozen bottles, and other objects," police said in a statement early Saturday.
In their official statement, police did not say what happened after protesters began throwing objects.
“We do not want to engage in violent clashes with protesters, but when the law is being broken, our oath demands that we act to uphold the law,” Chicago Police Superintendent wrote on Twitter Saturday afternoon.
According to dozens of videos shared to social media, police began to beat back protesters with batons and fired what appeared to be teargas. Amika Tendaji, an organizer with Black Lives Matter Chicago, said she saw people's heads "gushing with blood."
"With incredible rage and brutality, they pepper-sprayed until the air was thick with teargas. They beat young people – we’re talking about students," Tendaji said in a Saturday morning press conference, wearing a face mask baring the words "defund the police."
Anthony Tamez-Pochel, co-president of the Chi Nations Youth Council, said Saturday that the protest was "a beautiful display of Black and Indigenous solidarity that was met with pepper spray and batons by gun-holding police officers."
Police reinforcements arrived on the scene, and protesters dispersed Friday evening.
Shootings are on the rise: Children are paying the price
At least one reporter said he was assaulted by officers while covering the protest.
"I was just assaulted by an officer for crossing the road to my bicycle while holding up my press badge and he called me a 'smart ass' for doing so, accused me of wanting to start a problem. I yelled help, he said 'you're gonna need help' before throwing me," Block Club Chi reporter Colin Boyle wrote on Twitter, where he posted video of the encounter.
Woman on stretcher headed for ambulence. She was holding her bandaged head. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/iIv2jdTduc — Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) July 18, 2020
Another journalist, CBSChicago reporter Marissa Parra, said on Twitter that an officer used his baton to swat her phone out of her hand while she was doing a live hit, and that he kicked it after it landed on the street. She also posted video of the incident.
Chicago police said in a statement that the department "strives to treat all individuals our officers encounter with respect."
"We do not tolerate misconduct of any kind and if any wrongdoing is discovered, officers will be held accountable," police said.
Images and videos of the statue shared to social media following the encounter showed the statue covered in graffiti.
"This is a difficult moment in our history. I know Chicagoans are frustrated and impatient for change," Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement Saturday afternoon. "It is my sincere hope that we can strike the right balance to ensure people can rightfully express themselves & their First Amendment rights, but do so in a way that does not put anyone’s physical safety at risk. That would be consistent with our long history of peaceful protest."
Fight over monuments: Who is an American hero and who is a 'symbol of hate'?
Lightfoot said she supports the rights of protesters and that "the history and stories of the lives of Indigenous People here in Chicago need to be lifted up and celebrated."
But Lightfoot condemned the "violent acts" of protesters, saying that throwing objects at officers was "unacceptable and put everyone at risk."
Lightfoot said the reports of excessive force by police are "also unacceptable" and that she had spoken to the director of the city's civilian police oversight agency, which "stands ready to address these complaints and will ensure that each of these is dealt with and investigated."
"We will not spare any resources to do so," Lightfoot said.
The debate around which historical figures deserve to be memorialized has intensified in recent weeks, since the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd launched a national reckoning on racial inequality.
Groups of protesters in some cities have taken it upon themselves to remove the statues before states and localities intervene. Protesters toppled a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Richmond, Virginia, and ripped a brass cast of Charles Linn, a captain in the Confederate Navy, from its base in Birmingham, Alabama.
Many groups also have turned their attention to other prominent historic figures, including Christopher Columbus. More attention has been given in recent years to Columbus, who many say should be remembered as a violent colonizer responsible for countless deaths of indigenous Americans.
A statue of Columbus was removed from outside the city hall of Columbus, Ohio, earlier this month, after the mayor called for its removal. In Baltimore, Maryland, protesters on the Fourth of July pulled down a statue of Columbus and threw it into the city's Inner Harbor.
"That statue is a symbol of a history that we need to acknowledge but divorce ourselves from. That statue has nothing to (do) with where Chicago is going, and our future. And the world has spoken on that," Tendaji said. "We cannot have our youth being brutality beaten over a statue that shouldn’t be here in the first place."
Chicago Ald. Daniel La Spata, who said three of his four grandparents came from Italy, said he supported the protesters' desire to take down the statue of Columbus.
"I would tear down that statue with my two hands if I could," he said Saturday morning. "I say to Mayor Lightfoot, on behalf of the Italian American community … tear down this statue. In our name, tear down this statue."
Contributing: Ryan W. Miller, USA TODAY
Follow USA TODAY NOW reporter Grace Hauck on Twitter @grace_hauck


usatoday--2020-07-18--John Lewis once told a young Doc Rivers: 'We're just trying to get one at a time'

The world lost civil rights icon John Lewis , 80 , on Friday night .
Inside the NBA bubble , Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers recalled when he `` had the pleasure '' of meeting the congressman from Georgia several times .
`` I 'll tell you a quick story , '' he told reporters on a Zoom call Saturday .
`` I was young , I was playing for the Hawks , and I got to know ( former mayor of Atlanta Andrew ) Young really well , and Andrew was running for governor , and I went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Andy Young . ''
Rivers guessed he was around 26 or 27 at the time , although he could n't remember exactly .
`` We flew to Albany , Georgia , of all places , and Andrew Young gave a speech at an all-white church , and he was fantastic .
It was an absolutely amazing speech , '' Rivers said .
`` The crowd was going crazy .
We get on the plane , and we 're talking , and Andrew Young turns to me and said — he used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says , 'Young Doc , what did you think about the speech ? '
`` And I jokingly said , 'Well , Mr. Young , I thought the speech was great , but I do n't think you 're getting one vote from that church , and everybody started laughing .
`` John Lewis piped in and says , 'Well , we 're not trying to get all of them , we 're just trying to get one at a time , and eventually it will be all of them . '
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Rivers went on to call Lewis ' passing a `` really sad day in our country '' and noted that many of the causes Lewis fought for beginning in the early 1960s during his time as a leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee are still prevalent .
`` What 's amazing is when you think about right now , some of the stuff that John Lewis was fighting for , we 're still fighting for , '' Rivers said .
`` Voter suppression right now is at an all-time high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have a group of people who are trying to get people not to vote .
Latinos , Blacks and young people are the targets .
That 's who they 're trying to get not to vote .
It 's amazing when you think about how long ago that was , and yet we 're still fighting that fight . ''

John Lewis once told a young Doc Rivers: 'We're just trying to get one at a time'
Show Caption Hide Caption Inside the NBA bubble: How technology keeps everyone safe SportsPulse: Only two days into his time in the NBA bubble, Mark Media is realizing just how far the league is willing to go in order to ensure safety for not only the players and coaches, but the media as well. USA TODAY
The world lost civil rights icon John Lewis, 80, on Friday night. Inside the NBA bubble, Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers recalled when he "had the pleasure" of meeting the congressman from Georgia several times.
"I'll tell you a quick story," he told reporters on a Zoom call Saturday.
"I was young, I was playing for the Hawks, and I got to know (former mayor of Atlanta Andrew) Young really well, and Andrew was running for governor, and I went on a campaign trip with John Lewis and Andy Young."
Rivers guessed he was around 26 or 27 at the time, although he couldn't remember exactly.
"We flew to Albany, Georgia, of all places, and Andrew Young gave a speech at an all-white church, and he was fantastic. It was an absolutely amazing speech," Rivers said. "The crowd was going crazy. We get on the plane, and we're talking, and Andrew Young turns to me and said — he used to call me 'Young Doc' — he says, 'Young Doc, what did you think about the speech?'
"And I jokingly said, 'Well, Mr. Young, I thought the speech was great, but I don't think you're getting one vote from that church, and everybody started laughing.
"John Lewis piped in and says, 'Well, we're not trying to get all of them, we're just trying to get one at a time, and eventually it will be all of them.' I thought that was just one powerful statement."
Rivers went on to call Lewis' passing a "really sad day in our country" and noted that many of the causes Lewis fought for beginning in the early 1960s during his time as a leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee are still prevalent.
"What's amazing is when you think about right now, some of the stuff that John Lewis was fighting for, we're still fighting for," Rivers said. "Voter suppression right now is at an all-time high. It's amazing how hard — we have a group of people who are trying to get people not to vote. Latinos, Blacks and young people are the targets. That's who they're trying to get not to vote. It's amazing when you think about how long ago that was, and yet we're still fighting that fight."
Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.