A fan taking part in Mormon Community Night at Dodger Stadium in California before last night’s Dodgers game vs. the Padres collapsed on the field during batting practice and later died.

Don Hawkins collapsed near the third-base coach’s box after falling ill. His wife and grandson were in attendance along with about 4,000 other Mormons.

Medical staff performed CPR on him on the field before he was placed in an ambulance at 6:35 p.m. PDT.  He was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital.

The Dodgers announced later that Hawkins had died in the E.R.  The official cause of death has not been released.

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On Saturday, Huerta, 27, went after the man for knocking a woman down to the ground by punching her in the head.  He then leaves the man bloodied, lying in the middle of the street.

Several on-lookers try help the man on the ground, who does eventually get to his feet, as Huerta walks away seemingly unscathed.  A few of the people in the video below seem to recognize him as a former UFC fighter.

UFC Prez Dana White says he thinks the “victim” asked for the beating when he hit the woman in the first place.

Dana was quoted as saying, “In no way do I condone street fighting, but when a guy puts his hands on a woman he deserves to be knocked the f–k out. Good for Roger.”

You can check out the video below.

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Roger Huerta Street Fight (VIDEO) is a post from: Wild Pitch Sports

LeBron James has taken an indirect swipe at his former city once again.

The ex-Cavaliers player has taken out a full-page ad in the Akron Beacon Journal, his hometown newspaper, where he thanks the people there for supporting him.

Nowhere in the ad does LeBron mention the city of Cleveland, where he played for the last seven years with the Cavs.

James left the Cavs for the Miami Heat in July, joining his Olympic teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

The move was met with outrage, both from fans and from team owner Dan Gilbert, who wrote an angry letter to James following his decision to leave the team. Gilbert’s letter was, in turn, met with criticism from the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who claimed that the Cavs’ owner saw LeBron as a “runaway slave” and that the comments the owner made in the letter put the NBA superstar in danger.

In James’ advertisement, he thanks the people of Akron for their love and support. He states that the city is him home and that he will always come back.

“It was here where I first learned how to play basketball, and where I met the people who would become my lifelong friends and mentors. Their guidance, encouragement and support will always be with me,” the ad states.

“Akron is my home, and the central focus of my life. It’s where I started, and it’s where I will always come back to. You can be sure that I will continue to do everything I can for this city, which is so important to my family and me. Thank you for your love and support. You mean everything to me.”

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LeBron James Ad Thanks Akron, Ignores Cleveland is a post from: Wild Pitch Sports

Jack Roush, a NASCAR team owner, is in serious but stable condition after walking away from a plane crash in Wisconsin on Tuesday.

Roush Fenway Racing president Geoff Smith says Roush may need surgery, but he and his passenger were able to walk out of the plane.

Roush had bee flying his own plane and was attending the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual AirVenture in  Wisconsin this week.

Officials state that Beechcraft Premier business jet registered to Roush Fenway Racing, LLC was involved in a landing incident at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh in which the plane was “destroyed.”

The accident happened at around 6:15 p.m. CDT, according to the official statement.

Roush and his friend, Brenda Strickland, were on board the plane when it crashed.

“Each exited the aircraft following the accident,” the statement said. “Both were transported to local hospitals, with Roush in serious but stable condition and Strickland with non-life threatening injuries. The NTSB is leading the investigation into the accident.”

Roush was landing his plane when the accident occurred.

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Jack Roush Plane Crash Not Fatal is a post from: Wild Pitch Sports

Watch out!  There’s another nude athlete on the loose.

Naked photos of Dallas Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett have hit the internet, just days he injured his ankle.

The racy pics have been posted over at MediaTakeout.

The scoop goes like this…Bennett apparently cheated on his girlfriend so she thought she would get a little revenge by leaking the pictures online.  Ouch!

Bennett has apologized for the leak, stating the following in a prepared statement:

“These pictures were taken four years ago and placed on the Internet recently without my knowledge or consent. I understand that they are totally inappropriate. And for that I am sorry. I regret the embarrassment that it has caused the organization.”

Stephen Jones, team executive vice president, said he is aware of the photos but hasn’t seen them and declined comment about them specifically.

“We discussed this matter today with Martellus and will address it further on an internal basis,” said Cowboys VP of communications Rich Dalrymple.

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Erin Andrews is still pretty upset over that whole peephole video incident, and so the ESPN reporter has filed a lawsuit against seven hotels along with Michael David Barrett, the man who admitted to filming leaked footage.

Andrews filed the suit against the hotels for negligence and invasion of privacy just seven months after Barrett pleaded guilty to interstate stalking in Los Angeles.

The suit alleges that the hotels confirmed where Andrews was staying without her permission.

Andrews wants over $1.2 million in damages from the hotels and Barrett for “severe and permanent emotional distress.”

Barrett was sentenced to 2 & 1/2 years in jail back in March.

Andrews says she wants her actions to ensure that hotels be more careful when they check-in their guests.

“Although I’ll never be able to fully erase the impact that this invasion of privacy has had upon me and my family, I do hope that my experience will cause the hospitality industry to be more vigilant in protecting its guests from the time they reserve a hotel room until they check out,” she said in a written statement.

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The Red Bulls have made it official.

In one of the worst kept secrets in soccer history, the New York Red Bulls announced today that they have signed French international forward Thierry Henry to a multi-year deal as their second designated player.

Henry, who recently competed on the French team in the World Cup in South Africa, will team with Red Bulls captain Juan Pablo Angel, whose is second in the league with nine goals.

Angel is the team’s first designated player.

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New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has died.  “The Boss” reportedly suffered a massive heart attack Tuesday morning at 80 years of age.

Steinbrenner suffered the heart attack at his Tampa home and was immediately hospitalized. He was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital.

The Yankees owner turned 80 on July 4th and has been in poor health for many years.

Steinbrenner has owned the Yankees since 1973, though his declining health forced him to hand over day-to-day operations of the team to his sons in 2006.

The family has issued the following statement:

“It is with profound sadness that the family of George M. Steinbrenner III announces his passing. He was an incredible and charitable man. First and foremost he was devoted to his entire family – his beloved wife, Joan; his sisters, Susan Norpell and Judy Kamm, his children, Hank, Jennifer, Jessica and Hal; and all of his grandchildren. He was a visionary and a giant in the world of sports. He took a great but struggling franchise and turned it into a champion again.”

George Steinbrenner Dead after Massive Heart Attack is a post from: Wild Pitch Sports

Cleveland Cavaliers’ owner Dan Gilbert is in hot water over that LeBron James‘ letter he fired off to fans last week.  He’s facing some pretty harsh word from Jesse Jackson.

Jackson criticized Gilbert on Sunday, saying that the Cavs’ owner sees LeBron as a “runaway slave” and that the comments the owner made in the letter put him in danger.

In that letter, Gilbert ripped James, 25, and promised to win a world title before LeBron wins one with the Heat. He also referred to James’ decision as “cowardly” and later admitted that he thought James “quit” during several of the Cavaliers’ playoff games last season.

“He has gotten a free pass,” Gilbert said on Thursday night. “People have covered up for [James] for way too long. Tonight we saw who he really is.”

Jackson called the owner’s remarks “mean, arrogant and presumptuous.”

“He speaks as an owner of LeBron and not the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers,” the reverend said in a formal statement from his Rainbow PUSH Coalition. “His feelings of betrayal personify a slave master mentality. He sees LeBron as a runaway slave. This is an owner employee relationship — between business partners — and LeBron honored his contract.”

Jackson said he also believes that Dan Gilbert’s comments are an attack on all players in the league and believes that the owner should face a “challenge” from the league and also from the players’ association.

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Spain has done it!

After defeating the Netherlands 1-0 today, Spain has won the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Was it a clean game?  Hell no.  A finals-record 13 yellow cards were doled out. The Dutch even finished out the match with just 10 players.

The game-winning goal happened when Andres Iniesta broke free in the penalty area, taking a pass from Cesc Fabregas and putting a shot from 8 yards just beyond the reach of Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.

The Dutch, by the way, have now failed in the final for the third time.

Video below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd1gny9LBUU

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It’s a sad day for Yankee fans.

Bob Sheppard, the team’s longtime PA man, is dead at 99 years of age.

Sheppard, whose authoritative voice earned him the nickname “The Voice of God”, worked at Yankee Stadium from 1951 to 2007. Over the course of his career, he announced more than 4,500 baseball games.  He even lived to see the Yankees nab 13 World Series championships.

Sheppard fell ill with a bronchial infection back in 2007.   He was also the PA announcer for the New York Giants from 1956-2006.

Before working for the New York Yankees, Sheppard served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, taught speech classes, and was even a PA announcer at his alma mater, St. John’s.

Sheppard often felt that his work as a speech teacher was more important than his work as a PA announcer.

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Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has written a scathing “open letter” to the team’s fans, addressing LeBron James‘ decision to leave the team and sign with the Miami Heat.

In the letter, Gilbert rips James a new one, calling him “narcissistic” and calling the move a “cowardly betrayal.”

Read the full text below:

Dear Cleveland,

All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don’t deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our “motivation” to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that’s simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown “chosen one” sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And “who” we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called “curse” on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former “King” will be taking the “curse” with him down south. And until he does “right” by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day….

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue….

Dan Gilbert
Majority Owner
Cleveland Cavaliers

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Dan Gilbert Letter Slams LeBron James (FULL TEXT) is a post from: Wild Pitch Sports

Here is his tweet:

Let’s just say that if Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James do all end up playing for the Heat, it will be a super-team unlike any we’ve seen in the past twenty year.

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Watch in horror as a Texas Rangers fan falls from the second deck onto the people below.

There doesn’t seem to be a shot of the actual fall, although you can check out the reaction of the umpire and other players.

Apparently, this guy is OK and responsive, although he is in the hospital.

Video below.

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Rangers Fan Falls from Upper Deck (VIDEO) is a post from: Wild Pitch Sports

Former Oakland Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell has been arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance in Alabama.  He was arrested on Monday for having codeine syrup in his possession.

Russell, 24, was arrested as part of an undercover sting operation, says Mobile County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Lori Myles. She wouldn’t say what led to his actual arrest. It seems apparent that Russell did not have a prescription for the codeine.

Myles told reporters that several people were in Russell’s home at the time of his arrest but Russell was the only person taken into custody.

Russell has a bond hearing scheduled for Wednesday and is due back in court on July 20.

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Looks like Jessica Simpson is finally ready to move on.  Her new fling would appear to be former San Francisco 49ers tight end Eric Johnson.

Johnson last played for the New Orleans Saints in 2008 and split up with his wife earlier this year.  The couple filed for divorce back in February.

Simpson and Johnson started seeing one another in May and they are said to be very happy.

Jessica’s show The Price of Beauty will return to VH1 in 2011.

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Former 49ers TE Eric Johnson Dating Jessica Simpson is a post from: Wild Pitch Sports

Damon Evans

Just prior to midnight on Wednesday, a Georgia state trooper pulled Evans over as he was driving his 2009 BMW. Evans was arrested and charged with DUI and failure to maintain his lane.

He was taken to Atlanta’s city jail.

It is being reported that Evans refused to take a breath test, which was probably a good idea if his mugshot (above) is any indication as to his state of mind at the time of his arrest.

For an added ironic twist, be sure to check out Damon Evans’ DUI prevention Public Service Announcement below.

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Georgia AD Damon Evans Arrested for DUI (VIDEO) is a post from: Wild Pitch Sports

The Pittsburgh Penguins couldn’t hang on to Sergei Gonchar, nor could they offer Paul Martin the money he wanted.

What they did manage to do, however, was sign one of the most underrated defense players available today as they signed Zbynek Michalek to a 5-year, $20 million deal.

It’s a great deal for both Michalek and the Pittsburgh Penguinsteam, who acquire an awesome defenseman with great potential, for much less than would have spent on either Martin or Gonchar.

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The 2-year-old son of former Eagles QB Randall Cunningham is dead after drowning in an apparent hot tub accident.

A woman at the home with several other children found the boy’s body at around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon and attempted unsuccessfully to revive him.

The boy was pronounced dead at St. Rose Dominican Hospital Siena campus in Henderson.

Cunningham played in the NFL for 16 years, mostly for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 47-year-old Cunningham is currently an ordained minister and serves as the pastor of a church in Las Vegas. He was not home when the boy was found.

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Former Miss California Carrie Prejean is set to marry Oakland Raiders quarterback and former Baltimore Ravens backup QB Kyle Boller on Friday. The wedding will take place at the Grand Del Mar Hotel in San Diego.

If you’re a football betting man, I wouldn’t count on this one lasting very long.

Prejean made headlines last year after answering a question asked by Miss USA pageant judge Perez Hilton, who asked what the beauty queen thought about the issue of same-sex marriage in the United States. She responded saying “I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman.”

Prejean was later stripped of her Miss California title by Miss USA owner Donald Trump, who claimed she had breached her contract with the organization.

Prejean was furious, claiming that she was being punished for her remarks during the Miss USA pageant and sued officials for religious discrimination.

That lawsuit was later dropped after a sex tape of Prejean surfaced and circulated around the internet, in fact it was almost circulated by Vivid Entertainment.

Prejean and Boller have been dating for almost two years and got engaged this past February.

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Kyle Boller, Carrie Prejean to Get Married on Friday is a post from: Wild Pitch Sports