The Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences won't play football this fall because of concerns about COVID-19. The decisions take two of college football’s five power conferences out of a crumbling season amid the pandemic. 

The announcement by the Big Ten comes six day after the conference that includes programs such as Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska and Penn State released a revised league-only schedule that it hoped would help it navigate a fall season with potential coronavirus disruptions. Instead, all fall sports in the Big Ten have been called off and a spring season will be explored. The Pac-12 decided its football season also would be postponed until the spring, along with all fall sports.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences won't play football this fall because of concerns about COVID-19. The decisions take two of college football’s five power conferences out of a crumbling season amid the pandemic. The announcement by the Big Ten comes six day after the conference that includes programs such as Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska and Penn State released a revised league-only schedule that it hoped would help it navigate a fall season with potential coronavirus disruptions. Instead, all fall sports in the Big Ten have been called off and a spring season will be explored. The Pac-12 decided its football season also would be postponed until the spring, along with all fall sports.

Big Ten and Pac 12 pull the plug on fall football due to the pandemic

UNDATED (AP) — The Mountain West has become the second FBS conference to postpone its football season, punting on the fall with an eye toward playing in the spring. The 12-team Mountain West joins the Mid-American Conference as leagues from the highest tier of NCAA Division I football to bail on the fall season and hope to make a go of it in the spring.

 The Mountain West features Boise State, Air Force and San Diego State, each of which were ranked at some point last year.

UNDATED (AP) — The Mountain West has become the second FBS conference to postpone its football season, punting on the fall with an eye toward playing in the spring. The 12-team Mountain West joins the Mid-American Conference as leagues from the highest tier of NCAA Division I football to bail on the fall season and hope to make a go of it in the spring. The Mountain West features Boise State, Air Force and San Diego State, each of which were ranked at some point last year.

Mountain West postpones their fall football season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hunter Dozier hit a two-run single in his first at-bat since testing positive for COVID-19, prized prospect Brady Singer earned his first major league win and the Kansas City Royals swept the Minnesota Twins 4-2.

 The Royals won their fourth in a row overall. The Twins lost all three at Kauffman Stadium and have dropped four straight. Dozier, who hit 26 home runs last year and tied for the big league lead with 10 triples, hadn’t played this season while recovering from the virus. He quickly delivered, putting the Royals ahead 2-0 in the first inning.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hunter Dozier hit a two-run single in his first at-bat since testing positive for COVID-19, prized prospect Brady Singer earned his first major league win and the Kansas City Royals swept the Minnesota Twins 4-2. The Royals won their fourth in a row overall. The Twins lost all three at Kauffman Stadium and have dropped four straight. Dozier, who hit 26 home runs last year and tied for the big league lead with 10 triples, hadn’t played this season while recovering from the virus. He quickly delivered, putting the Royals ahead 2-0 in the first inning.

Royals complete sweep of Minnesota

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Gene Wilson, who became the first black men’s basketball player in the Big Seven Conference when he played at Kansas State in 1950, recently passed away at the age of 89 in his hometown of Anderson, Indiana.

During his two stints as a two-sport athlete for the Wildcats from 1950-52 and 1954-56, Wilson not only became the first black basketball player in the Big Seven Conference (forerunner of the Big 12), but was also one of five to break the color barrier in track and field. His time at K-State was broken up due to being drafted into the Army in 1952, where he served 13 months in the Korean War before returning to campus in 1954.

“The coaches had to approve first, then the athletic directors and finally the university president,” Wilson said to&nbsp;Larry Weigel&nbsp;in 2013 about becoming the first black basketball player in the Big Seven Conference. “(K-State) President&nbsp;Milton Eisenhower&nbsp;took the lead and I’m grateful to him to make it happen. The approval finally came in August but if it wasn’t for Milton Eisenhower, the Big Seven would not have integrated for another few years. Eisenhower was determined it was going to happen and he suffered a little because of it.”

Wilson was one of the rare athletes to be mentored by two Naismith Hall of Fame head coaches in&nbsp;Jack Gardner&nbsp;and&nbsp;Fred “Tex” Winter, helping the Wildcats win 47 games in his two stints, including a Big Seven Championship and an NCAA West Regional Semifinal appearance as a senior in 1955-56. He also ran track for legendary Wildcat track coach&nbsp;Ward Haylett, who was later inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Wilson also broke barriers in his professional life, becoming the first black Director of the State of Kansas Youth Center in Topeka and just the second director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). He was also the first black umpire for the American Legion in Topeka, where he participated in 12 regional games, four World Series Tournaments and two international series tournaments.

Wilson was inducted into the inaugural class of the Shawnee County Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013 due his outstanding umpiring services to the youth of Topeka for over 50 years.

Born on February 21, 1931 in Anderson, Wilson was a standout basketball player and track and field athlete at Anderson High School in his hometown. He helped the school to the final four of the state basketball tournament in 1948 and led them to a No. 1 ranking as a senior before winning the state long jump championship in 1950.

Wilson was coached in high school by&nbsp;Dobbie Lambert, who provided the pipeline to K-State for him and three of his high school teammates –&nbsp;Bob Rousy,&nbsp;Dick Peck&nbsp;and&nbsp;Danny Schuyler&nbsp;– after playing for&nbsp;Jack Gardner&nbsp;at Modesto Junior College in California. The quartet arrived on campus in the fall of 1950, where they became a part of a freshman team that held their own against a varsity squad that would go on to the NCAA Championship Game in 1951.

Wilson joined the varsity in 1951-52, playing 24 games as a sophomore and ranking sixth on the team in scoring at 5.8 points per game on 43.9 percent shooting for a Wildcat team that posted a 19-5 overall record and finished second in the Big Seven behind eventual NCAA champion Kansas. The team handed the Jayhawks their lone loss of the conference season with an 81-64 win at Ahearn Field House on January 26, 1952

After returning from the Korean War, Wilson played in 20 games for Winter and K-State in 1954-55 and 1955-56. An injury sidelined for much of his senior season in 1955-56, in which, the Wildcats posted a 17-8 overall record and won the Big Seven Championship before a trip to the NCAA West Regional Semifinals.&nbsp;

Upon leaving K-State, Wilson moved to Topeka in 1959 where he began working for the State of Kansas Youth Center. He started as a service worker for the Center, supervising youth and teaching them life skills, before becoming Unit Director, Youth Care Director, Assistant Superintendent and finally Superintendent. He later worked for the Kansas Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) until retirement.

Wilson is survived by his wife,&nbsp;Mae Wilson, and daughter&nbsp;Jeannette West&nbsp;of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, sons&nbsp;Jon Wilson&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jeffry Wilson, both of Topeka, Kansas and several stepchildren, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death his parents (Randolph&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hazel Wilson) and siblings, including brother,&nbsp;Johnny, who played four seasons for the Harlem Globetrotters.

Online condolences can be left for the family on the Bowser-Johnson Funeral Chapel website&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bowserjohnsonfuneralchapel.com/obituaries/Gene-Paul-Wilson?obId=14896873." target="_blank">here</a>.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Wilson, please visit the Tribute Store&nbsp;<a href="https://tree.tributecenterstore.com/memorial-tree?oId=14896873&amp;source=tco_description" target="_blank">here</a>.

–www.k-statesports.com –

TOM GILBERT Director for Men’s Basketball Communications | K-State Athletics

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597018653964.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Gene Wilson, who became the first black men’s basketball player in the Big Seven Conference when he played at Kansas State in 1950, recently passed away at the age of 89 in his hometown of Anderson, Indiana.During his two stints as a two-sport athlete for the Wildcats from 1950-52 and 1954-56, Wilson not only became the first black basketball player in the Big Seven Conference (forerunner of the Big 12), but was also one of five to break the color barrier in track and field. His time at K-State was broken up due to being drafted into the Army in 1952, where he served 13 months in the Korean War before returning to campus in 1954.“The coaches had to approve first, then the athletic directors and finally the university president,” Wilson said to&nbsp;Larry Weigel&nbsp;in 2013 about becoming the first black basketball player in the Big Seven Conference. “(K-State) President&nbsp;Milton Eisenhower&nbsp;took the lead and I’m grateful to him to make it happen. The approval finally came in August but if it wasn’t for Milton Eisenhower, the Big Seven would not have integrated for another few years. Eisenhower was determined it was going to happen and he suffered a little because of it.”Wilson was one of the rare athletes to be mentored by two Naismith Hall of Fame head coaches in&nbsp;Jack Gardner&nbsp;and&nbsp;Fred “Tex” Winter, helping the Wildcats win 47 games in his two stints, including a Big Seven Championship and an NCAA West Regional Semifinal appearance as a senior in 1955-56. He also ran track for legendary Wildcat track coach&nbsp;Ward Haylett, who was later inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.Wilson also broke barriers in his professional life, becoming the first black Director of the State of Kansas Youth Center in Topeka and just the second director of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). He was also the first black umpire for the American Legion in Topeka, where he participated in 12 regional games, four World Series Tournaments and two international series tournaments.Wilson was inducted into the inaugural class of the Shawnee County Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013 due his outstanding umpiring services to the youth of Topeka for over 50 years.Born on February 21, 1931 in Anderson, Wilson was a standout basketball player and track and field athlete at Anderson High School in his hometown. He helped the school to the final four of the state basketball tournament in 1948 and led them to a No. 1 ranking as a senior before winning the state long jump championship in 1950.Wilson was coached in high school by&nbsp;Dobbie Lambert, who provided the pipeline to K-State for him and three of his high school teammates –&nbsp;Bob Rousy,&nbsp;Dick Peck&nbsp;and&nbsp;Danny Schuyler&nbsp;– after playing for&nbsp;Jack Gardner&nbsp;at Modesto Junior College in California. The quartet arrived on campus in the fall of 1950, where they became a part of a freshman team that held their own against a varsity squad that would go on to the NCAA Championship Game in 1951.Wilson joined the varsity in 1951-52, playing 24 games as a sophomore and ranking sixth on the team in scoring at 5.8 points per game on 43.9 percent shooting for a Wildcat team that posted a 19-5 overall record and finished second in the Big Seven behind eventual NCAA champion Kansas. The team handed the Jayhawks their lone loss of the conference season with an 81-64 win at Ahearn Field House on January 26, 1952After returning from the Korean War, Wilson played in 20 games for Winter and K-State in 1954-55 and 1955-56. An injury sidelined for much of his senior season in 1955-56, in which, the Wildcats posted a 17-8 overall record and won the Big Seven Championship before a trip to the NCAA West Regional Semifinals.&nbsp;Upon leaving K-State, Wilson moved to Topeka in 1959 where he began working for the State of Kansas Youth Center. He started as a service worker for the Center, supervising youth and teaching them life skills, before becoming Unit Director, Youth Care Director, Assistant Superintendent and finally Superintendent. He later worked for the Kansas Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) until retirement.Wilson is survived by his wife,&nbsp;Mae Wilson, and daughter&nbsp;Jeannette West&nbsp;of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, sons&nbsp;Jon Wilson&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jeffry Wilson, both of Topeka, Kansas and several stepchildren, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death his parents (Randolph&nbsp;and&nbsp;Hazel Wilson) and siblings, including brother,&nbsp;Johnny, who played four seasons for the Harlem Globetrotters.Online condolences can be left for the family on the Bowser-Johnson Funeral Chapel website&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bowserjohnsonfuneralchapel.com/obituaries/Gene-Paul-Wilson?obId=14896873." target="_blank">here</a>.To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Wilson, please visit the Tribute Store&nbsp;<a href="https://tree.tributecenterstore.com/memorial-tree?oId=14896873&amp;source=tco_description" target="_blank">here</a>.–www.k-statesports.com –TOM GILBERT Director for Men’s Basketball Communications | K-State Athletics

K-state mourns the passing of Trailblazer Gene Wilson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ryan McBroom hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning to lift the Royals to a 3-2 victory over the Twins on Friday night. Nick Heath and Nicky Lopez also drove in runs for the Royals, who have won two straight after a six-game slide. 

Greg Holland earned the win in relief of starter Jakob Junis while Trevor Rosenthal earned his second save with a perfect ninth. Matt Wisler took the loss after serving up McBroom's homer.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ryan McBroom hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning to lift the Royals to a 3-2 victory over the Twins on Friday night. Nick Heath and Nicky Lopez also drove in runs for the Royals, who have won two straight after a six-game slide. Greg Holland earned the win in relief of starter Jakob Junis while Trevor Rosenthal earned his second save with a perfect ninth. Matt Wisler took the loss after serving up McBroom's homer.

McBroom's homer lifts Royals to win

Nick Heath started in center field for the Kansas City Royals in their 13-2 win over the Chicago Cubs Thursday evening at Kauffman Stadium.

During the game Heath doubled and knocked in a run, drew a walk, scored a run and made the final put-out with a catch on the warning track in the ninth inning. Heath is a 2012 graduate of Junction City High School.

Whit Merrifield, Maikel Franco and Jorge Soler homered in the win. Soler and Salvador Pérez each had three hits and two RBIs, helping Brad Keller to the win in his first major league appearance in nearly a year. Keller, who opened the season on the injured list after testing positive for the coronavirus, struck out seven in five scoreless innings. Kansas City finished with a season-high 18 hits.&nbsp;

Nick Heath started in center field for the Kansas City Royals in their 13-2 win over the Chicago Cubs Thursday evening at Kauffman Stadium.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It is physically impossible to watch <a href="https://twitter.com/inheathwetrust?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@inheathwetrust</a>&#39;s celebration on his first big-league hit without smiling. Seriously, you can&#39;t do it.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AlwaysRoyal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AlwaysRoyal</a> <a href="https://t.co/TpO3dSwa7L">pic.twitter.com/TpO3dSwa7L</a>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1291531730734776321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>During the game Heath doubled and knocked in a run, drew a walk, scored a run and made the final put-out with a catch on the warning track in the ninth inning. Heath is a 2012 graduate of Junction City High School.Whit Merrifield, Maikel Franco and Jorge Soler homered in the win. Soler and Salvador Pérez each had three hits and two RBIs, helping Brad Keller to the win in his first major league appearance in nearly a year. Keller, who opened the season on the injured list after testing positive for the coronavirus, struck out seven in five scoreless innings. Kansas City finished with a season-high 18 hits.&nbsp;

🎥  Former Blue Jay Nick Heath gets his first start and major league hit

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-08-05/what-a-pending-football-game-says-about-covid-19-the-fate-small-colleges-and-college-towns">Kansas News Service</a>

STERLING —&nbsp;There’s a lot riding on a kickoff set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12.

The
 Sterling College Warriors are scheduled to take on the McPherson 
College Bulldogs at home. If that familiar thud of shoe against football
 and cheer from the stands doesn’t happen, the college that keeps the 
central Kansas town’s economy humming, that gives it cultural vitality, 
and that separates Sterling from the hollowing out that defines so many 
other small Midwestern towns, might not survive.

The school, after
 133 years, could die and doom the town that takes such pride in the 
football squad and embraces the student body like family.

“If 
COVID defeats the athletic season this year, it will probably defeat a 
lot of small colleges,” said Jeb Miller, a non-traditional senior at 
Sterling College. “And, as a result, harm a lot of small towns. Badly.”

Hundreds
 of small colleges dotting the country rely on students paying tens of 
thousands of dollars a year in exchange for a distinctive, personal, 
high-touch college experience.

Many of those colleges hung on 
year-to-year even before the pandemic. Now COVID-19 threatens to cut off
 the oxygen sustaining these schools, and the sports programs that drive
 enrollment.

But the very thing small colleges need to stay afloat
 — students coming in, spending money, playing sports — also poses a 
major risk to relatively isolated little towns that, so far, have dodged
 major coronavirus outbreaks.

Only about 2,200 people live in 
Sterling out on the flat, flat plains of south-central Kansas. But this 
small city boasts an almost idyllic downtown. New office buildings. Two 
good coffee shops. A nice grocery store, a bowling alley, you name it.

Sterling
 has good schools, competitive sports teams. Locals say school plays, 
games and concerts draw big crowds. Without the college, the money, 
diversity and energy that defines life in Sterling could evaporate 
quickly.

“There is just so much overlap,” said Kyler Comley, a 
Sterling College senior who’s lived in the town all his life. “The 
community supports the college. The college supports the community. You 
know, you just see how everything’s intertwined and how people are just 
so overly giving and involved.”

Every student attending Sterling 
College gets paired with a family in town. Those families speak 
endearingly about their adopted scholars.

The students left in 
March. Most haven’t come back. Like many people here, Sterling criminal 
justice professor Mark Tremaine said that starting classes up again in 
person this month is make or break for Sterling College.

“The 
bottom line is, we’ve got to get students back to campus. If we’re going
 to survive,” he said.“We have to accept whatever the risks are and do 
it.”

And that’s the plan. Sterling doesn’t have much of a choice.

“We
 have committed to open up in the fall,” Sterling College President 
Scott Rich said. “With face to face classes, face-to-face coursework, 
dorms and activities and full swing. But we’re committed to doing it 
safely.”

Rich said the school will quarantine students coming back to the 
dorms, test them liberally, and isolate those who come down sick in 
local hotels.

Rich said the freshman class looks strong, with 
about 200 new students. But he is desperately trying to woo 50 or so 
upperclassmen who haven’t signed on this year. The school needs them 
because, like many other small institutions, Sterling College scrapes by
 from year to year.

“We’re always dependent upon enrollment, 
always dependent upon that next year, always dependent upon persistence 
or retention,” Rich said. “We have to get students to come back.”

Other small-town schools across the country, and the communities tied to their fate, face the same existential crisis.

“Some
 of the people I know are looking at hundreds of colleges going out of 
business within the next several years, if this pandemic continues and 
if the economic devastation associated with it continues,” said Scott 
Carlson with the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Small liberal arts
 colleges have been shaky for years. Enrollments have slumped, 
endowments have been drained. Many schools have piled on debt in a 
building boom fueled by competition for students.

Most offer 
courses online, but online classes don’t pay the bills. Small schools 
survive only by providing an expensive, in-person college experience. 
And Carlson said the pandemic shreds that business model, and threatens 
to trigger the higher education equivalent of a mass extinction.

“It’s
 kind of sad," he said. "These colleges are unique, little entities all 
on their own, and each one of them provides a unique spin on higher 
education.”

Sterling College, 
for instance, leans heavily on a particular interpretation of 
Christianity. Guarding the front door of the classic, old limestone 
building that anchors campus is a statue of Christ — not being tortured 
on the cross, but humbly washing the feet of a disciple. “Servant 
leadership,” as anyone here will tell you, guides the campus ethic.

But Jesus doesn’t keep the lights on here. Football does.

“We
 do have a good football team,” said Sterling’s athletic director, Scott
 Downing. “They’ve been fairly successful the last dozen years and been 
to the national playoffs, won the conference championship.”

The team helps bring the students together, but more importantly, it drives enrollment.

“With
 a football team number of about 125 to 135 student-athletes, quite a 
bit of our student body is involved in that sport,” Downing said.

That’s
 an understatement. There are only about 500 students on campus in a 
given year, one in four is on the football team. And there are 20 other 
sports.

The chance to play college sports is a major selling point
 for schools like Sterling. It drives enrollment. But in a pandemic, 
sports can be vectors for disease. And Jed Miller, who’s finishing his 
degree at Sterling online next year, says that’s another vulnerability.

“If
 COVID defeats the athletic season this year, it will probably defeat a 
lot of small colleges,” he said. “And as a result, hurt a lot of small 
towns ... badly.”

So, the same colleges that keep some small towns vibrant now pose a particular threat to public health.

“The
 college probably is the most dangerous element for us in terms of 
COVID,” said Kristina Darnauer, a family practice doctor in Sterling. 
“It potentially brings back students from all over the US who have 
variable levels of exposure.”

Darnauer is torn. She loves 
Sterling, loves the college, and fully appreciates how important it is 
to the school and the town that college ramp almost as normal this fall.

But
 she’s got patients to care for. And she said this county, with only one
 hospital and no intensive care unit is not ready for a cluster of 
coronavirus cases.

“If we have a huge outbreak,” Darnauer said, “we’re going to be out of resources very quickly.”

Small colleges and college towns across much of the country face the same worries.

But
 some analysts say that a pruning of universities may prove inevitable, 
and that the coronavirus has only sped up the thinning of the higher 
education herd.

“I actually see the future of higher education, 
broadly speaking, as entering a new golden age,” said Richard Price, a 
research fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute. It’s a think tank 
that presses for dramatic change in institutions.

Price said the 
pandemic may hasten the evolution to better online classes, and a public
 education system that’s much more accessible and equitable.

“The 
traditional model, it was originally for the landed elite and it wasn’t 
for all genders,” Price said. “It wasn’t for all races. And that is 
slowly getting phased out along with some older business models that 
aren’t pivoting well.”

And Price thinks many little colleges will 
adapt. Lots of them have cheated death before. But he said there’s 
little doubt that this time next year the United States will have many 
fewer colleges. Folks in Sterling, Kansas, hope and, yes, pray, that 
Sterling College is among the survivors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596722865321.png" alt="A local gospel quintet entertains Sterling residents on a recent Tuesday evening. Frank Morris photo" />
 <figcaption>A local gospel quintet entertains Sterling residents on a recent Tuesday evening. Frank Morris photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-08-05/what-a-pending-football-game-says-about-covid-19-the-fate-small-colleges-and-college-towns">Kansas News Service</a>STERLING —&nbsp;There’s a lot riding on a kickoff set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12.The
 Sterling College Warriors are scheduled to take on the McPherson 
College Bulldogs at home. If that familiar thud of shoe against football
 and cheer from the stands doesn’t happen, the college that keeps the 
central Kansas town’s economy humming, that gives it cultural vitality, 
and that separates Sterling from the hollowing out that defines so many 
other small Midwestern towns, might not survive.The school, after
 133 years, could die and doom the town that takes such pride in the 
football squad and embraces the student body like family.“If 
COVID defeats the athletic season this year, it will probably defeat a 
lot of small colleges,” said Jeb Miller, a non-traditional senior at 
Sterling College. “And, as a result, harm a lot of small towns. Badly.”<h2>Small town institutions</h2>Hundreds
 of small colleges dotting the country rely on students paying tens of 
thousands of dollars a year in exchange for a distinctive, personal, 
high-touch college experience.Many of those colleges hung on 
year-to-year even before the pandemic. Now COVID-19 threatens to cut off
 the oxygen sustaining these schools, and the sports programs that drive
 enrollment.But the very thing small colleges need to stay afloat
 — students coming in, spending money, playing sports — also poses a 
major risk to relatively isolated little towns that, so far, have dodged
 major coronavirus outbreaks.Only about 2,200 people live in 
Sterling out on the flat, flat plains of south-central Kansas. But this 
small city boasts an almost idyllic downtown. New office buildings. Two 
good coffee shops. A nice grocery store, a bowling alley, you name it.Sterling
 has good schools, competitive sports teams. Locals say school plays, 
games and concerts draw big crowds. Without the college, the money, 
diversity and energy that defines life in Sterling could evaporate 
quickly.“There is just so much overlap,” said Kyler Comley, a 
Sterling College senior who’s lived in the town all his life. “The 
community supports the college. The college supports the community. You 
know, you just see how everything’s intertwined and how people are just 
so overly giving and involved.”Every student attending Sterling 
College gets paired with a family in town. Those families speak 
endearingly about their adopted scholars.The students left in 
March. Most haven’t come back. Like many people here, Sterling criminal 
justice professor Mark Tremaine said that starting classes up again in 
person this month is make or break for Sterling College.“The 
bottom line is, we’ve got to get students back to campus. If we’re going
 to survive,” he said.“We have to accept whatever the risks are and do 
it.”And that’s the plan. Sterling doesn’t have much of a choice.<h2>Staying alive</h2>“We
 have committed to open up in the fall,” Sterling College President 
Scott Rich said. “With face to face classes, face-to-face coursework, 
dorms and activities and full swing. But we’re committed to doing it 
safely.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596722974216.png" alt="Sterling College President Scot Rich. Frank Morris photo" />
 <figcaption>Sterling College President Scot Rich. Frank Morris photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Rich said the school will quarantine students coming back to the 
dorms, test them liberally, and isolate those who come down sick in 
local hotels.Rich said the freshman class looks strong, with 
about 200 new students. But he is desperately trying to woo 50 or so 
upperclassmen who haven’t signed on this year. The school needs them 
because, like many other small institutions, Sterling College scrapes by
 from year to year.“We’re always dependent upon enrollment, 
always dependent upon that next year, always dependent upon persistence 
or retention,” Rich said. “We have to get students to come back.”Other small-town schools across the country, and the communities tied to their fate, face the same existential crisis.“Some
 of the people I know are looking at hundreds of colleges going out of 
business within the next several years, if this pandemic continues and 
if the economic devastation associated with it continues,” said Scott 
Carlson with the Chronicle of Higher Education.Small liberal arts
 colleges have been shaky for years. Enrollments have slumped, 
endowments have been drained. Many schools have piled on debt in a 
building boom fueled by competition for students.Most offer 
courses online, but online classes don’t pay the bills. Small schools 
survive only by providing an expensive, in-person college experience. 
And Carlson said the pandemic shreds that business model, and threatens 
to trigger the higher education equivalent of a mass extinction.“It’s
 kind of sad," he said. "These colleges are unique, little entities all 
on their own, and each one of them provides a unique spin on higher 
education.”<h2>‘Servant leadership’</h2>Sterling College, 
for instance, leans heavily on a particular interpretation of 
Christianity. Guarding the front door of the classic, old limestone 
building that anchors campus is a statue of Christ — not being tortured 
on the cross, but humbly washing the feet of a disciple. “Servant 
leadership,” as anyone here will tell you, guides the campus ethic.But Jesus doesn’t keep the lights on here. Football does.“We
 do have a good football team,” said Sterling’s athletic director, Scott
 Downing. “They’ve been fairly successful the last dozen years and been 
to the national playoffs, won the conference championship.”The team helps bring the students together, but more importantly, it drives enrollment.“With
 a football team number of about 125 to 135 student-athletes, quite a 
bit of our student body is involved in that sport,” Downing said.That’s
 an understatement. There are only about 500 students on campus in a 
given year, one in four is on the football team. And there are 20 other 
sports.The chance to play college sports is a major selling point
 for schools like Sterling. It drives enrollment. But in a pandemic, 
sports can be vectors for disease. And Jed Miller, who’s finishing his 
degree at Sterling online next year, says that’s another vulnerability.“If
 COVID defeats the athletic season this year, it will probably defeat a 
lot of small colleges,” he said. “And as a result, hurt a lot of small 
towns ... badly.”So, the same colleges that keep some small towns vibrant now pose a particular threat to public health.“The
 college probably is the most dangerous element for us in terms of 
COVID,” said Kristina Darnauer, a family practice doctor in Sterling. 
“It potentially brings back students from all over the US who have 
variable levels of exposure.”Darnauer is torn. She loves 
Sterling, loves the college, and fully appreciates how important it is 
to the school and the town that college ramp almost as normal this fall.But
 she’s got patients to care for. And she said this county, with only one
 hospital and no intensive care unit is not ready for a cluster of 
coronavirus cases.“If we have a huge outbreak,” Darnauer said, “we’re going to be out of resources very quickly.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596723019769.png" alt="An aging note on a door at the University of Missouri Kansas City promises a speedy reopening. Frank Morris photo" />
 <figcaption>An aging note on a door at the University of Missouri Kansas City promises a speedy reopening. Frank Morris photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A new era</h2>Small colleges and college towns across much of the country face the same worries.But
 some analysts say that a pruning of universities may prove inevitable, 
and that the coronavirus has only sped up the thinning of the higher 
education herd.“I actually see the future of higher education, 
broadly speaking, as entering a new golden age,” said Richard Price, a 
research fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute. It’s a think tank 
that presses for dramatic change in institutions.Price said the 
pandemic may hasten the evolution to better online classes, and a public
 education system that’s much more accessible and equitable.“The 
traditional model, it was originally for the landed elite and it wasn’t 
for all genders,” Price said. “It wasn’t for all races. And that is 
slowly getting phased out along with some older business models that 
aren’t pivoting well.”And Price thinks many little colleges will 
adapt. Lots of them have cheated death before. But he said there’s 
little doubt that this time next year the United States will have many 
fewer colleges. Folks in Sterling, Kansas, hope and, yes, pray, that 
Sterling College is among the survivors.

What a football game says about COVID-19, fate of small colleges

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yu Darvish pitched seven sharp innings and the Chicago Cubs beat the skidding Kansas City Royals 6-1 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight victory. 

Javier Báez drove in two runs for the Cubs, who handed Kansas City its sixth consecutive defeat. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo each had two hits and scored twice. Darvish was in midseason form for the second straight outing. He gave up five hits, struck out four and walked one.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yu Darvish pitched seven sharp innings and the Chicago Cubs beat the skidding Kansas City Royals 6-1 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight victory. Javier Báez drove in two runs for the Cubs, who handed Kansas City its sixth consecutive defeat. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo each had two hits and scored twice. Darvish was in midseason form for the second straight outing. He gave up five hits, struck out four and walked one.&nbsp;

Royals drop sixth straight game

CHICAGO (AP) — The Cubs overcame another shaky outing by closer Craig Kimbrel to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Tuesday night for their fifth straight win.Kimbrel took over to begin the ninth inning with a 5-2 lead, but struggled and allowed two runs and two hits while getting only one out. Kyle Ryan closed it out for his first save, getting Bubba Starling to ground out with a runner on third to end it. 

In the ninth inning former Junction City Blue Jay, Nick Heath, playing for the Royals stole two bases and was left on third base at the end of the game.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Cubs overcame another shaky outing by closer Craig Kimbrel to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Tuesday night for their fifth straight win.Kimbrel took over to begin the ninth inning with a 5-2 lead, but struggled and allowed two runs and two hits while getting only one out. Kyle Ryan closed it out for his first save, getting Bubba Starling to ground out with a runner on third to end it. In the ninth inning former Junction City Blue Jay, Nick Heath, playing for the Royals stole two bases and was left on third base at the end of the game.

Royals fall to the Cubs by one run

CHICAGO (AP) — Kris Bryant homered in his return to the lineup and Alec Mills pitched seven effective innings, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the Kansas City Royals 2-0 for their fourth consecutive win. 

Javier Báez had a sacrifice fly and a nice play in the field as NL Central-leading Chicago improved to 8-2 for the first time since 2016. Bryant also doubled in the first after missing two games with a stomach ailment. Kansas City wasted a solid performance by Danny Duffy, who pitched six innings of one-run ball.&nbsp;

CHICAGO (AP) — Kris Bryant homered in his return to the lineup and Alec Mills pitched seven effective innings, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the Kansas City Royals 2-0 for their fourth consecutive win. Javier Báez had a sacrifice fly and a nice play in the field as NL Central-leading Chicago improved to 8-2 for the first time since 2016. Bryant also doubled in the first after missing two games with a stomach ailment. Kansas City wasted a solid performance by Danny Duffy, who pitched six innings of one-run ball.&nbsp;

Royals lose fourth straight game

UNDATED (AP) — Big 12 schools have agreed to play one nonconference football game this year to go along with their nine league contests as plans for the pandemic-altered season continued to fall into place. 

The Big 12′s university presidents signed off on a 10-game schedule, adjusted to deal with potential disruptions from COVID-19 that gives schools the ability to play one nonconference opponent at home. The 10-team Big 12 already plays a nine-game, round-robin conference schedule. 

The conference said league play is tentatively set to begin in mid-to-late September and all nonconference games are expected to be completed before league play starts.

UNDATED (AP) — Big 12 schools have agreed to play one nonconference football game this year to go along with their nine league contests as plans for the pandemic-altered season continued to fall into place. The Big 12′s university presidents signed off on a 10-game schedule, adjusted to deal with potential disruptions from COVID-19 that gives schools the ability to play one nonconference opponent at home. The 10-team Big 12 already plays a nine-game, round-robin conference schedule. The conference said league play is tentatively set to begin in mid-to-late September and all nonconference games are expected to be completed before league play starts.

Big 12 schools will play 10 games this season

NEW YORK (AP) — The four-game series between the Detroit Tigers and visiting St. Louis Cardinals has been postponed with 13 members of the Redbirds' traveling party testing positive for the coronavirus. The series was scheduled to begin Tuesday night after the Cardinals had their series in Milwaukee postponed due to the pandemic. Major League Baseball says the Cards remain quarantined in Milwaukee and continue to be tested daily.

NEW YORK (AP) — The four-game series between the Detroit Tigers and visiting St. Louis Cardinals has been postponed with 13 members of the Redbirds' traveling party testing positive for the coronavirus. The series was scheduled to begin Tuesday night after the Cardinals had their series in Milwaukee postponed due to the pandemic. Major League Baseball says the Cards remain quarantined in Milwaukee and continue to be tested daily.

Cards - Tigers series postponed

White Sox prospect Nick Madrigal had the first four hits of his big league career to help Chicago beat the Kansas City Royals 9-2 and finish a three-game sweep. Two of Madrigal's hits came during a seven-run seventh inning in which he scored the go-ahead run. 

Yasmani Grandal added three RBIs and Nicky Delmonico two in support of Dylan Cease, who went six innings to earn the win. Scott Barlow took the loss for Kansas City on a rough day for its entire bullpen.&nbsp;

White Sox prospect Nick Madrigal had the first four hits of his big league career to help Chicago beat the Kansas City Royals 9-2 and finish a three-game sweep. Two of Madrigal's hits came during a seven-run seventh inning in which he scored the go-ahead run. Yasmani Grandal added three RBIs and Nicky Delmonico two in support of Dylan Cease, who went six innings to earn the win. Scott Barlow took the loss for Kansas City on a rough day for its entire bullpen.&nbsp;

Madrigal's four hits help White Sox defeat the Royals

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Lorenzo Cain has become the latest player to opt out of the 2020 season. The Brewers announced the two-time All-Star’s decision Saturday hours after news broke that their scheduled home opener would be postponed for a second straight day because members of the St. Louis Cardinals had tested positive for COVID-19. 

 The whole series at Miller Park was later called off. Cain’s announcement comes on the same day that Miami Marlins second baseman Isan Diaz announced he was opting out. At least 21 members of the Marlins’ traveling party have tested positive for the disease.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Lorenzo Cain has become the latest player to opt out of the 2020 season. The Brewers announced the two-time All-Star’s decision Saturday hours after news broke that their scheduled home opener would be postponed for a second straight day because members of the St. Louis Cardinals had tested positive for COVID-19. The whole series at Miller Park was later called off. Cain’s announcement comes on the same day that Miami Marlins second baseman Isan Diaz announced he was opting out. At least 21 members of the Marlins’ traveling party have tested positive for the disease.

Brewers Cain opts out for rest of 2020 season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Adam Engel hit a three-run homer in the second inning, and that was all the offense the Chicago White Sox needed in a 3-2 win over Kansas City that spoiled the Royals’ home opener. 

Dallas Keuchel picked up the win for the White Sox. Alex Colome converted his first save opportunity. Kris Bubic settled down after struggling early in his big league debut for Kansas City. He allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Adam Engel hit a three-run homer in the second inning, and that was all the offense the Chicago White Sox needed in a 3-2 win over Kansas City that spoiled the Royals’ home opener. Dallas Keuchel picked up the win for the White Sox. Alex Colome converted his first save opportunity. Kris Bubic settled down after struggling early in his big league debut for Kansas City. He allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits.&nbsp;

Royals lose a close game in home opener

NEW YORK (AP) — The coronavirus has forced another change in Major League Baseball’s schedule. That brings the league’s total to eight teams affected in the first nine days of the 60-game season. 

Friday’s game between St. Louis and Milwaukee was postponed after two Cardinals employees tested positive for the coronavirus. The league says the postponement in Milwaukee is “consistent with protocols to allow enough time for additional testing and contact tracing to be conducted.” The teams plan to resume their schedule tomorrow night at Miller Park, pending test results. 

Two other games scheduled for today involving the Marlins, Nationals, Blue Jays and Phillies had already been postponed because of an outbreak among Miami players and two positive tests on Philadelphia’s coaching staff.

NEW YORK (AP) — The coronavirus has forced another change in Major League Baseball’s schedule. That brings the league’s total to eight teams affected in the first nine days of the 60-game season. Friday’s game between St. Louis and Milwaukee was postponed after two Cardinals employees tested positive for the coronavirus. The league says the postponement in Milwaukee is “consistent with protocols to allow enough time for additional testing and contact tracing to be conducted.” The teams plan to resume their schedule tomorrow night at Miller Park, pending test results. Two other games scheduled for today involving the Marlins, Nationals, Blue Jays and Phillies had already been postponed because of an outbreak among Miami players and two positive tests on Philadelphia’s coaching staff.

Cards - Brewers postponed after two positive tests

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;With fall camp right around the corner, Kansas State senior quarterback&nbsp;Skylar Thompson&nbsp;earned his third appearance on a watch list as he is one of 30 quarterbacks nationally to be named a preseason candidate for the Manning Award, the Allstate Sugar Bowl announced.

It is the third preseason watch list honor for Thompson, who is a candidate for the Wuerffel Trophy – which honors community service – and the Maxwell Award – which goes to the college football player of the year.

Thompson is one of four Big 12 signal callers on the Manning Award watch list, joining Baylor’s Charlie Brewer, Texas’ Sam Ehlinger and Iowa State’s Brock Purdy. It is the third time a K-State quarterback is up for the award, as current Wildcat quarterbacks coach Collin Klein was one of 10 finalists in 2012 and Jake Waters was a preseason candidate in 2014.

Thompson begins his final campaign in Manhattan ranked in the top 10 in K-State history in 10 career categories. He is looking to become the first player in school history to throw for 6,000 career yards and rush for 1,000 career yards, needing 1,605 yards through the air this season to accomplish the feat. He is one of only four in school history to reach the 4,000/1,000 yard mark, but he was the first to do so prior to the end of his junior season.

A product of Independence, Missouri, Thompson produced a career season in 2019, setting career highs in passing yards (2,315), passing touchdowns (12), rushing yards (405) and rushing touchdowns (11) en route to Honorable Mention All-Big 12 accolades, the first Wildcat signal caller to earn postseason accolades from the league’s coaches since Waters in 2014.

The Manning Award is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ bowl performances in its balloting. Ten finalists will be selected prior to the postseason and the winner will be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Assistant Athletics Director for Communications

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1596125265964.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;With fall camp right around the corner, Kansas State senior quarterback&nbsp;Skylar Thompson&nbsp;earned his third appearance on a watch list as he is one of 30 quarterbacks nationally to be named a preseason candidate for the Manning Award, the Allstate Sugar Bowl announced.It is the third preseason watch list honor for Thompson, who is a candidate for the Wuerffel Trophy – which honors community service – and the Maxwell Award – which goes to the college football player of the year.Thompson is one of four Big 12 signal callers on the Manning Award watch list, joining Baylor’s Charlie Brewer, Texas’ Sam Ehlinger and Iowa State’s Brock Purdy. It is the third time a K-State quarterback is up for the award, as current Wildcat quarterbacks coach Collin Klein was one of 10 finalists in 2012 and Jake Waters was a preseason candidate in 2014.Thompson begins his final campaign in Manhattan ranked in the top 10 in K-State history in 10 career categories. He is looking to become the first player in school history to throw for 6,000 career yards and rush for 1,000 career yards, needing 1,605 yards through the air this season to accomplish the feat. He is one of only four in school history to reach the 4,000/1,000 yard mark, but he was the first to do so prior to the end of his junior season.A product of Independence, Missouri, Thompson produced a career season in 2019, setting career highs in passing yards (2,315), passing touchdowns (12), rushing yards (405) and rushing touchdowns (11) en route to Honorable Mention All-Big 12 accolades, the first Wildcat signal caller to earn postseason accolades from the league’s coaches since Waters in 2014.The Manning Award is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ bowl performances in its balloting. Ten finalists will be selected prior to the postseason and the winner will be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.– k-statesports.com –RYAN LACKEYAssistant Athletics Director for Communications

K-State's Thompson earns nod on Manning Award watch list

&nbsp;K-State Athletics announced today that the 2020 Powercat Auction, slated for August 29, will remain as scheduled but will move to a virtual format. “We know K-Staters look forward to this event each and every year and wanted to be able to provide an opportunity for them to bid on unique items all while getting together virtually to celebrate the beginning of the 2020-21 year,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. “As much as we wanted to host the annual event in person, it was in the best interest and safety of our fans and donors to shift this year’s event to the virtual format. The Powercat Auction annually is a major fundraising event for K-State Athletics and the Ahearn Fund that traditionally brings hundreds of our terrific donors together for one special evening, and we look forward to reuniting in person for the Auction next spring.” The virtual program will be held at 6 p.m. CDT, Saturday, August 29, and fans can participate by visiting k-statesports.com. More information surrounding the auction, including a list of all items available, as well as bidding&nbsp;<a href="https://one.bidpal.net/powercat2020/welcome" target="_blank">details can be found here</a>. Bidding will go live at 8 a.m. CDT, Monday, August 24, and close at 8 p.m. CDT, Saturday, August 29. For any inquiries or questions, please contact Casey Taylor at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ctaylor@kstatesports.com" target="_blank">ctaylor@kstatesports.com</a>. Both the ticket office (1.800.221.CATS) and Ahearn Fund office (1.888.232.9074) have staff available to take calls 8:30 a.m. CDT, to 5 p.m. CDT, Monday through Friday. Fans can also log into their on-line account or purchase new tickets at kstatesports.com.

KENNY LANNOU Executive Associate A.D. for Communications and Public Relations | K-State Athletics

&nbsp;K-State Athletics announced today that the 2020 Powercat Auction, slated for August 29, will remain as scheduled but will move to a virtual format. “We know K-Staters look forward to this event each and every year and wanted to be able to provide an opportunity for them to bid on unique items all while getting together virtually to celebrate the beginning of the 2020-21 year,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. “As much as we wanted to host the annual event in person, it was in the best interest and safety of our fans and donors to shift this year’s event to the virtual format. The Powercat Auction annually is a major fundraising event for K-State Athletics and the Ahearn Fund that traditionally brings hundreds of our terrific donors together for one special evening, and we look forward to reuniting in person for the Auction next spring.” The virtual program will be held at 6 p.m. CDT, Saturday, August 29, and fans can participate by visiting k-statesports.com. More information surrounding the auction, including a list of all items available, as well as bidding&nbsp;<a href="https://one.bidpal.net/powercat2020/welcome" target="_blank">details can be found here</a>. Bidding will go live at 8 a.m. CDT, Monday, August 24, and close at 8 p.m. CDT, Saturday, August 29. For any inquiries or questions, please contact Casey Taylor at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ctaylor@kstatesports.com" target="_blank">ctaylor@kstatesports.com</a>. Both the ticket office (1.800.221.CATS) and Ahearn Fund office (1.888.232.9074) have staff available to take calls 8:30 a.m. CDT, to 5 p.m. CDT, Monday through Friday. Fans can also log into their on-line account or purchase new tickets at kstatesports.com.– k-statesports.com –KENNY LANNOU Executive Associate A.D. for Communications and Public Relations | K-State Athletics

2020 Powercat Auction moved to virtual format

DETROIT (AP) — Jonathan Schoop and Christin Stewart each hit a two-run homer in the third inning to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Whit Merrifield hit a three-run shot in the top of the third for Kansas City, but the Tigers answered quickly and held on from there. 

Tyler Alexander and four other relievers held the Royals scoreless for the final six innings. Rony Garcia worked the first three innings for Detroit in his major league debut. He allowed the homer by Merrifield.

DETROIT (AP) — Jonathan Schoop and Christin Stewart each hit a two-run homer in the third inning to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Whit Merrifield hit a three-run shot in the top of the third for Kansas City, but the Tigers answered quickly and held on from there. Tyler Alexander and four other relievers held the Royals scoreless for the final six innings. Rony Garcia worked the first three innings for Detroit in his major league debut. He allowed the homer by Merrifield.

Royals lose in Detroit

Former Junction City Blue Jay&nbsp; Nick Heath has been called up by the Kansas City Royals. The 2012 graduate of Junction City High School has been working his way up through the Royals' minor league system in recent seasons as an outfielder.

The Royals were in Detroit for a game Tuesday night. During his pregame interview Kansas City Manager Mike Matheny was asked about Heath. "He's got a gift, he's got the knack, he's got that first step quickness and then the overall speed to come in and be a huge threat."&nbsp;

Matheny pointed out that making it to the big leagues and the first day for a player is a big deal. "Overcoming odds. The day you decide to be a professional player, whether it's in the first round or you're a free agent it doesn't matter. It's hard to get here. Great to have Nick and he brings a very unique skill set to this team that I believe is going to help us win games."

Nick's mother Kim Milleson got the telephone call from her son that he was being called up to the majors on Monday night. "We are beyond excited and it's still kind of surreal. It's kind of one of those things that you've been waiting for forever, and forever and forever&nbsp; and then it just happens just like that. He was extremely excited and I think he kind of had some tears there, just kind of like when they drafted him.

There was one frustration for Kim and Mike Milleson. They had always planned to attend Nick's first game in the big leagues but could not because of COVID-19. Fans cannot attend the games.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595979172970.jpeg" alt="Nick Heath - ( Photo Kim Milleson )" />
 <figcaption>Nick Heath - ( Photo Kim Milleson )</figcaption>
 </figure>Former Junction City Blue Jay&nbsp; Nick Heath has been called up by the Kansas City Royals. The 2012 graduate of Junction City High School has been working his way up through the Royals' minor league system in recent seasons as an outfielder.The Royals were in Detroit for a game Tuesday night. During his pregame interview Kansas City Manager Mike Matheny was asked about Heath. "He's got a gift, he's got the knack, he's got that first step quickness and then the overall speed to come in and be a huge threat."&nbsp;Matheny pointed out that making it to the big leagues and the first day for a player is a big deal. "Overcoming odds. The day you decide to be a professional player, whether it's in the first round or you're a free agent it doesn't matter. It's hard to get here. Great to have Nick and he brings a very unique skill set to this team that I believe is going to help us win games."Nick's mother Kim Milleson got the telephone call from her son that he was being called up to the majors on Monday night. "We are beyond excited and it's still kind of surreal. It's kind of one of those things that you've been waiting for forever, and forever and forever&nbsp; and then it just happens just like that. He was extremely excited and I think he kind of had some tears there, just kind of like when they drafted him.There was one frustration for Kim and Mike Milleson. They had always planned to attend Nick's first game in the big leagues but could not because of COVID-19. Fans cannot attend the games.

Former Blue Jay Nick Heath moves up to the Kansas City Royals

The Kansas State High School Activities Association Executive Board has decided to allow all fall activities to begin as scheduled for the upcoming school year. That includes practice and competition. For example fall sports teams can begin practice Aug. 17.

Local school districts will retain the right to modify the starting dates for practice or competition based on their local and county health recommendations.&nbsp;

The Kansas State High School Activities Association Executive Board has decided to allow all fall activities to begin as scheduled for the upcoming school year. That includes practice and competition. For example fall sports teams can begin practice Aug. 17.Local school districts will retain the right to modify the starting dates for practice or competition based on their local and county health recommendations.&nbsp;

KSHSAA Fall activities will be permitted to begin as scheduled

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes is joining the ownership group of the Kansas City Royals. The Royals announced the addition of Mahomes, the star quarterback who led the Kansas City Chiefs to a Super Bowl title last season, on Tuesday.

 Mahomes was once a baseball prospect and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2014. He says he loves the people of Kansas City and is excited to deepen his roots in the community. 

Mahomes’ decision to focus on football certainly worked out for him, but his baseball ties run deep. His father Pat pitched in more than 300 big league games, mostly as a reliever.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes is joining the ownership group of the Kansas City Royals. The Royals announced the addition of Mahomes, the star quarterback who led the Kansas City Chiefs to a Super Bowl title last season, on Tuesday. Mahomes was once a baseball prospect and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2014. He says he loves the people of Kansas City and is excited to deepen his roots in the community. Mahomes’ decision to focus on football certainly worked out for him, but his baseball ties run deep. His father Pat pitched in more than 300 big league games, mostly as a reliever.

Mahomes joins Royals ownership group

DETROIT (AP) — Maikel Franco hit two of Kansas City’s six home runs, and the Royals pounded the Tigers 14-6, spoiling Detroit’s fan-free home opener. Whit Merrifield had three hits and three RBIs, finishing a triple shy of the cycle on a night when the Royals rallied from an early 5-1 deficit. 

Foster Griffin won in relief, but he also had to leave his major league debut with a left forearm strain. Detroit's Michael Fulmer allowed three homers in his first start back from Tommy John surgery.

DETROIT (AP) — Maikel Franco hit two of Kansas City’s six home runs, and the Royals pounded the Tigers 14-6, spoiling Detroit’s fan-free home opener. Whit Merrifield had three hits and three RBIs, finishing a triple shy of the cycle on a night when the Royals rallied from an early 5-1 deficit. Foster Griffin won in relief, but he also had to leave his major league debut with a left forearm strain. Detroit's Michael Fulmer allowed three homers in his first start back from Tommy John surgery.

Royals hit their way to a victory over the Tigers

MIAMI (AP) — Two major league games scheduled for Monday night have been postponed after more than a dozen Miami Marlins players and staff members tested positive for the coronavirus in an outbreak that stranded the team in Philadelphia. 

The Marlins’ home opener against Baltimore was called off, as was the New York Yankees’ game at Philadelphia. The Yankees would have been in the same clubhouse the Marlins used last weekend.

 A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that nine Marlins players on the 30-man roster, two taxi squad players and two staff members tested positive.

MIAMI (AP) — Two major league games scheduled for Monday night have been postponed after more than a dozen Miami Marlins players and staff members tested positive for the coronavirus in an outbreak that stranded the team in Philadelphia. The Marlins’ home opener against Baltimore was called off, as was the New York Yankees’ game at Philadelphia. The Yankees would have been in the same clubhouse the Marlins used last weekend. A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that nine Marlins players on the 30-man roster, two taxi squad players and two staff members tested positive.

Two MLB games postponed as Marlins deal with outbreak

CLEVELAND (AP) — Carlos Carrasco struck out 10 and won his first start since being stricken with leukemia last year, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 9-2 win over the Kansas City Royals. Carrasco hadn't started since May 30, 2019, only days before he was diagnosed with cancer. 

The right-hander allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. José Ramírez homered twice, drove in four runs and scored four as Cleveland won two of three in the series. Kansas City manager Mike Matheny used his bullpen because he's missing two starters who tested positive for coronavirus.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

CLEVELAND (AP) — Carlos Carrasco struck out 10 and won his first start since being stricken with leukemia last year, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 9-2 win over the Kansas City Royals. Carrasco hadn't started since May 30, 2019, only days before he was diagnosed with cancer. The right-hander allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. José Ramírez homered twice, drove in four runs and scored four as Cleveland won two of three in the series. Kansas City manager Mike Matheny used his bullpen because he's missing two starters who tested positive for coronavirus.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Sports