Rec Sports
Black Friday books on sports, music for adults and children
Count your blessings around Thanksgiving, right?
Here’s another: The USA TODAY Co. stands ready to provide the perfect holiday gift for the sports fan, music lover or avid reader in your life.
Plus, in the true spirit of the Black Friday season, our items are on sale.
Over the past year, USA TODAY and news outlets across the country have published more than a dozen hardcover, premium books on topics from championship seasons (Eagles, Dodgers, Buckeyes, Gators, etc.), well-known figures (Uecker, Corso, Carter, Trump, etc.), musical icons (Grand Ole Opry’s 100th anniversary, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, Springsteen’s Jersey roots) and so much more.
Check out our lineup. Then check a gift off your to-do list!
Order now and all books will arrive in plenty of time for the holidays. Even if you procrastinate, you can send a gift certificate to say an incredible book will arrive soon.
Amazing sports books!
- “CHASING GOLD: A Kid’s Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics.” Watch your little ones’ eyes light up as they discover figure skating, skiing and other winter sports, meet Team USA’s superstars and try the book’s fun activities such as Olympic bingo and crafts. Details at Gold.KidsGuidebook.com.
Buy our Winter Olympics book for kids now!
- “LEE CORSO: Not So Fast, My Friend: A Tribute to the Soul of College Football.” Each of the 160 stunning pages celebrates what makes college football a cherished American passion. Besides insider stories about Corso’s career as a Florida Seminole (rooming with Burt Reynolds), college coach and beloved broadcaster, “Not So Fast, My Friend” includes tidbits about every major-college team and each of Corso’s 431 headgear predictions. Details at Corso.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Lee Corso tribute book now!
- “BOB UECKER: The Life and Career of the Milwaukee Brewers’ Legendary Broadcaster.” This 144-page hardcover brings to life the wit, wisdom and unparalleled storytelling of an American icon. Filled with rare photos and insider anecdotes, this book about “Mr. Baseball,” so dubbed by Johnny Carson, traces Uecker’s life from Milwaukee to a journeyman catcher to a Hall of Fame broadcaster to an actor, Miller Lite pitchman and self-deprecating funnyman. Details at Uecker.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Bob Uecker tribute book now!
- “EARNHARDT! The Intimidator’s Life, Legacy and Enduring Popularity after 75 Years.” Dale Earnhardt earned his nicknames of the Man in Black and The Intimidator by willing his black No. 3 Chevrolet past the competition and into the hearts and minds of NASCAR fans … and way beyond. With the 75th anniversary of his birth in April, The Daytona Beach News-Journal is producing a coffee-table book about the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion whose legend has only continued to grow, nearly 25 years after his tragic death on a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500. At 160 pages, the book will provide flag-to-flag coverage of Earnhardt’s long run as NASCAR’s leading man, with tons of classic photos and plenty of stories — old and new. Details at ManInBlack.PictorialBook.com. This book will not ship until April, to include Earnhardt coverage from this year’s 500, but gift vouchers are available right now.
Buy our Dale Earnhardt tribute book now!
- “COACH STEVE’S YOUTH SPORTS SURVIVAL GUIDE: How Parents and Kids Can Get the Most of the Experience.” USA TODAY Sports columnist Stephen Borelli, a national authority on the $40 billion youth sports industry, offers his perspective and expert advice from sports figures ranging from Caitlin Clark to Andre Agassi, Shannon Miller, John Wooden, Annika Sorenstam and even Ted Lasso. Details at CoachSteve.USATbook.com. This book will not ship until March, but gift certificates are available right now.
Buy Coach Steve’s survival guide for youth sports!
That championship season books!
- “DYNASTY IN BLUE: The Dodgers’ Back-to-Back Championship Reign.” This 208-page collector’s book captures the historic season that cemented the Dodgers of the 2020s among baseball’s greatest dynasties. It’s all there with dynamic photos and insider stories — from Opening Day in Tokyo to Shohei Ohtani’s MVP season, Clayton Kershaw’s last hurrah, Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s playoff dominance and the dramatic home runs by Max Muncy, Miguel Rojas and Will Smith that won Game 7 of the World Series. Details at LAD.ChampsBook.com. Also available: “BLUE BLOODS: Superstars Align for LA’s 2024 Championship Run,” the story of Ohtani joining the 50-50 Club and the Dodgers crushing the Yankees in the World Series. Details at LA.ChampsBook.com.
Buy Dodgers 2025 championship book now! Buy Dodgers 2024 championship book now!
- “FLYING HIGH: How the Eagles Soared to the Championship.” Saquon Barkley hurdled defenders backward, and Philadelphia kept the Chiefs from a three-peat. Details for this 208-page hardcover at Fly.ChampsBook.com.
Buy our Eagles championship book now!
- “SCARLET REIGN: Inside the Ohio State Buckeyes’ Fight to Claim College Football’s Crown.” The Buckeyes steamrolled the College Football Playoff field by a combined score of 145-75. Details for this 208-page hardcover at OSU.ChampsBook.com.
Buy our Buckeyes championship book now!
- “THUNDER UP! SGA’s MVP Season and OKC’s Historic Championship.” From Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP brilliance to the NBA’s best record to a thrilling seven-game NBA Finals, these 160 pages of stunning photography and behind-the-scenes stories capture the magic of a season that shook the NBA. Details at ThunderUp.ChampsBook.com.
Buy our Thunder championship book now!
- “CHOMP-IONS! The Florida Gators’ Rise to the Top of College Basketball.” This 208-page coffee-table book takes Gator Nation courtside for Walter Clayton Jr.’s All-America heroics, crushing Tennessee’s spirit with a 30-point victory and another in the SEC title game, the impossible Elite Eight comeback against Texas Tech, the epic second half to eliminate Auburn in the semifinals and the wild finish against Houston for Florida’s third national championship. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com.
Buy our Gators championship book now!
- “RUN IT BACK! The Florida Panthers Repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.” This 144-page collector’s book relives another thrilling Final against the Edmonton Oilers, plus Sergei Bobrovsky’s mastery between the pipes, Sam Bennett’s scoring prowess in the playoffs, Matthew Tkachuk’s knack for agitating opponents and Brad Marchand’s goal in double overtime to prevent a 0-2 deficit in the Final. Details at Panthers.ChampsBook.com.
Buy our Panthers championship book now!
Music to your ears books!
- “FULL CIRCLE: 100 Years of the Grand Ole Opry.” Celebrate a century of country music and its grandest stage. From Roy Acuff, Lester Flatt and Loretta Lynn to Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood and Vince Gill! Packed with rare photographs, compelling stories and exclusive insights from The Tennessean in Nashville, “Full Circle” honors the legends who built the Opry stage, the stars who shine today and the rising voices shaping its future. Details at Opry100.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Grand Ole Opry anniversary book!
- “FROM FREEHOLD TO E STREET: Six Decades of Bruce Springsteen.” Before his rise from the backstreets of the Jersey Shore to global superstardom, reporters and photographers from the Asbury Park Press chronicled the emergence of The Boss. After that, they kept right on covering New Jersey’s folk hero. This book includes rare photos, concert reviews and interviews from the early days. Details at Bruce.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Bruce Springsteen book now!
- “THIS SWIFT BEAT: Following the Record-Shattering Eras Tour Around the World with Taylor Swift’s Most Devoted Fans.” Step into the whirlwind of sequins, screams and superstardom with a front-row ticket to the Eras Tour phenomenon, this century’s Beatlemania. Details at TSBeat.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Taylor Swift tour celebration book!
Tragedy-to-triumph books!
- “KATRINA’S LEGACY: The Hurricane That Changed America.” Twenty years later, USA TODAY and news outlets across the country provide a comprehensive look at the disaster that revealed our deepest flaws and our greatest capacity for compassion. These 160 pages give voice to the survivors from New Orleans and coastal Mississippi who showed profound resoluteness in the face of overwhelming destruction, the evacuees who built new lives in new places, and the countless strangers who became family during America’s darkest hours. Details at Katrina20.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Hurricane Katrina remembrance book!
- “MOUNTAIN STRONG: Tropical Storm Helene: Perseverance amid historic flooding, destruction in Western North Carolina.” Step into the heart of Appalachia, where the unyielding spirit of a community shines brighter than the darkest of storms. “Mountain Strong” stands as a poignant tribute to the strength and resilience of those who weathered the unimaginable. Details at Strong.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Tropical Storm Helene book!
Famous people books!
- “POPE LEO XIV: The First American Pope.” For centuries, American Catholics dreamed of this moment. Now, preserve it forever. This magnificent coffee-table book captures Robert Prevost’s remarkable journey from Chicago to missionary work in Peru and ultimately to the Chair of St. Peter. These 128 pages of dynamic photography and insightful stories will be a treasured keepsake of faith, heritage and American pride at a pivotal moment in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Details at PopeLeo.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Pope Leo commemorative book now!
- “JIMMY CARTER: Peanut Farmer, 39th President, Humanitarian.” From humble peanut fields to the highest office in the land, Carter’s extraordinary journey exemplifies the American dream. This 160-page tribute captures the life of America’s longest-lived president: from a Georgia farmer to the White House and his even more impactful post-presidency years as a Nobel Peace Prize winner and tireless humanitarian. Details at Carter.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our President Carter tribute book now!
- “POPE FRANCIS: A Tribute to the First Latin American Pontiff.” Celebrate the late pope’s humble spirit, compassionate leadership, transformative papacy and historic significance as the first cleric from the Americas to lead the Roman Catholic Church. Looking for a thoughtful present for someone whose Catholic faith guides his or her life? Each of the 160 beautifully crafted pages offers a chance to reflect on his teachings and read his words that brought comfort and inspiration to millions around the world. Details at PopeFrancis.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Pope Francis tribute book now!
- “DONALD TRUMP: The Road to a Historic Second Term.” This 160-page hardcover volume captures the electrifying journey of President Trump’s unprecedented return to the White House. From the campaign trail to the debates, multiple assassination attempts and Inauguration Day, every pivotal moment of Trump’s remarkable political comeback is immortalized in vivid detail and with striking photography. Own a piece of American history — a collector’s item to save for future generations. Details at Trump.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our historical President Trump book now!
Sports legacy books!
- “ROAR OF 125: The Epic History of the Detroit Tigers.” This archival-quality, 208-page hardcover chronicles 125 seasons of Tigers baseball. Al Kaline. Miguel Cabrera. Hammerin’ Hank Greenberg. Tram & Lou. Sparky. Verlander & Scherzer. Prince Hal. Galarraga’s 28-out perfect game. Wire-to-wire and Gibby’s homer in 1984. McLain’s 30 victories, Lolich’s three in the World Series and Horton’s throw to nab Brock in ’68. The Corner. The CoPa. It’s all there, plus an all-time Tigers team picked by the Detroit Free Press. Details at Tigers125.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Tigers 125th anniversary book now!
- “FAREWELL TO THE RALPH: Remembering Where We Cheered, Froze, Cried and Bonded.” Since 1973, the Buffalo Bills’ stadium has gone by a multitude of names, topped by “The Ralph” after former owner and founder Ralph C. Wilson. The stadium has been home to countless highs and lows — from dramatic Josh Allen touchdown runs to the heyday of the early 1990s Super Bowl years. This 208-page coffee-table book from the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle commemorates The Ralph’s long and storied history as the gates close for good after the 2025 season. Details at BillsStadium.PictorialBook.com. This book will not ship until March — after a W in Super Bowl 60? — but gift certificates are available right now. Thousands already have reserved a copy of “Farewell to The Ralph.”
Buy our Bills stadium commemorative book!
- “BIG RED MACHINE: Cincinnati’s Dynasty 50 Years Later.” Until the Dodgers won the World Series in 2024 and 2025, no National League team had won back-to-back championships since the Reds in 1975-76. With this 160-page 50th anniversary book, Reds fans can step back to a legendary period in Major League Baseball history. Every page from The Enquirer immerses fans in the era’s defining moments and personalities. Every Reds fan recalls the “Great Eight:” Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, George Foster, Ken Griffey, Dave Concepcion and Cesar Geronimo. Feel the roar of Riverfront Stadium echo through these pages and reconnect with the pride and passion that made the Big Red Machine a force unlikely any other in baseball. Details at Reds.PictorialBook.com. Also available: “Pete Rose: A Tribute to a Baseball Legend,” this 160-page hardcover chronicles the career of baseball’s all-time Hit King. Details at Pete.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Big Red Machine anniversary book! Buy our Pete Rose tribute book now!
And even more sports books!
- “DAWN OF THE DUCKS: The Inside Story of Oregon’s Epic March to the Big Ten Championship in Season One.” In 2024, the Ducks finished the regular season unbeaten and ranked No. 1 after beating Penn State in the Big Ten championship game. Details at Oregon.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Ducks commemorative book now!
- “CULTURE SHOCK: The Inside Story of the Best Football Season in Indiana History.” In 2023, the Hoosiers lost nine of their 12 games. In 2024, new coach Curt Cignetti inherited a team picked for 17th in the Big Ten but finished 11-2 and reached the College Football Playoff. Details at Indiana.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Hoosiers commemorative book now!
- “GOLD RUSH! How the Indiana Pacers claimed their first Eastern Conference title in 25 years.” Boom, Baby! With a series of late-game heroics, Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers to Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Thunder only to suffer a torn Achilles tendon in the first quarter. Details at Pacers.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Pacers commemorative book now!
- “INSPIRING WOMEN OF INDIANA SPORTS: They Changed the Games We Love.” The Hoosier State has produced champions across every sport imaginable — from Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking performances to trailblazers in track and field, swimming and diving, gymnastics, soccer, cycling and beyond. Read how they have inspired generations of athletes to chase their dreams. Details at WomenIN.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our book on inspiring Indiana women now!
- “THE BIG HOUSE: Celebrating 60 years of high school basketball championships at State Fair Arena.” This 144-page keepsake from The Oklahoman celebrates the six decades high school basketball teams chased glory and fans roared with pride at an Oklahoma City arena nicknamed The Big House. The book includes coverage of all the state champions from 2025, the arena’s final season. Details at OKBigHouse.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our book celebrating OKC’s Big House now!
From our vault books!
Looking for other gift options? We have much, much more from years gone by.
- “NICK SABAN: A Career That Changed Alabama Football Forever.” With a foreword by Miss Terry. Saban won seven national championships, including six with the Crimson Tide, before retiring after the 2023 season. Details at SabanBook.com.
Buy our Nick Saban tribute book now!
- “MAIZE & GRAND: Michigan’s Epic March to the 2023 National Title.” The Wolverines also won their 1,000th game — the all-time record — and handed Saban a loss in his final game. Details at Michigan.ChampsBook.com. Also available: “HAIL, YES! 25 Years Later,” the amazing story of the 1997 Wolverines, who ended a 49-year national championship drought. Details at UM.PictorialBook.com.
By our 2023 Wolverines championship book now! Buy our 1997 Wolverines championship book now!
- “WHERE LEGENDS ROAM: The Greatest Players, Coaches and Teams to Play at Lambeau Field.” From Starr to Farve to Rodgers. From Lombardi to Holmgren. From the Ice Bowl to the Lambeau Leap. Details at LambeauBook.com.
Buy our Lambeau Field commemorative book now!
- “150 YEARS OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Through the Lens and Voice of The Courier Journal.” From Aristides to War Admiral to Citation to Secretariat to Seattle Slew to Justify to Mystic Dan. All the drama, all the glory, all the hats! Founded in 1868, The Courier Journal is only seven years older than the Kentucky Derby and has covered all the races at Churchill Downs. Details at Derby150.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Kentucky Derby anniversary book now!
- “DOMINANT DAWGS: Georgia’s Journey to the 2021 National Championship” AND “GLORIOUS: Georgia Secures its Second Consecutive National Title with a Perfect Season” AND “DAWGS RISING: How Kirby Smart Transformed Georgia into a Perennial Contender.” These books from the Athens Banner-Herald commemorate the Bulldogs’ national championship seasons of 2021 and 2022 and Kirby Smith’s accession to the top of his profession. Details at UGA.PictorialBook.com, ABHbook.com and Smart.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Georgia 2021 national championship book! Buy our Georgia 2022 national championship book! Buy our Kirk Smart commemorative book now!
- “BOB KNIGHT: On the Record: The Story of a Complex Character and Hall of Fame Coach.” With a foreword by Steve Alford. Details at Knight.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Bob Knight tribute book now!
- “UNMATCHED: Caitlin Clark’s Remarkable Journey, From Her Iowa High School Career to Breaking Collegiate Records and Captivating the Nation.” Details at Caitlin.PictorialBook.com. AND “FEVER PITCH: How Caitlin Clark Captivated the Basketball World and Won Rookie of the Year.” Details at Clark.PictorialBook.com. Experience the phenomenon that is Caitlin Clark with two hardcover books — one from The Des Moines Register and one from the IndyStar — totaling 304 pages filled with photos from her life and stories of her exploits.
Buy our book about Caitlin Clark at Iowa Buy our book about Caitlin Clark with the Fever
Deck your walls!
The USA TODAY Network also has a series of page prints for fans looking to adorn their walls with memorable moments, including the Dodgers, Eagles, Thunder, Panthers and Aces celebrating 2025 pro championships and Ohio State (football), UConn (women’s basketball), Florida (men’s basketball), Wisconsin (women’s hockey), Texas (softball) and LSU (baseball) celebrating college championships.
Other page prints commemorate the winners of the Kentucky Derby (Sovereignty), Indianapolis 500 (Alex Palou) and U.S. Open (J.J. Spaun and Maja Stark). There’s a page print of Lee Corso making his final headgear prediction: Brutus rules! And there’s a page print of Pope Leo XIV: America’s turn!
These color, full-page prints come in a variety of sizes and styles. Go to usatodaystore.com and search for the team’s name, the two-legged or four-legged athlete’s name, or the broadcaster’s or pontiff’s name.
Buy our commemorative page prints now!
Contact Gene Myers at gmyers@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @GeneMyers. After nearly a quarter-century as sports editor at the Detroit Free Press, Myers unretired to coordinate book and page print projects across the USA TODAY Network. Check out more books and page prints from the USA TODAY Network coming every month.
This story has been updated with the book announcement made on Black Friday about the Man in Black, Dale Earnhardt.
The Inter-Mountain photos by Steve Chamberlain
Players take part in a Jerry West Basketball contest this past Saturday at the Elkins-Randolph County YMCA.
Players take part in a Jerry West Basketball contest this past Saturday at the Elkins-Randolph County YMCA.
Players take part in a Jerry West Basketball contest this past Saturday at the Elkins-Randolph County YMCA.
Players take part in a Jerry West Basketball contest this past Saturday at the Elkins-Randolph County YMCA.
COLLEGE PARK, MD — Maryland jumped out to a commanding 17-0 lead and never looked back in the Terps’ (7-6) 73-58 win over Old Dominion (4-10) on Sunday night at XFINITY Center in their final non-conference game of the regular season. Maryland allowed a season-low in points while four Terps scored in double figures.
Darius Adams led the way with 18 points, hitting a pair of threes in his 11-point first half. Isaiah Watts contributed 17 points, all of which came in the first half. He shot 4-of-5 from three-point range in the opening half in his big night.
Isaiah Watts slams it down 🤩 @TerrapinHoops
📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/jPyVNJqthP
— Big Ten Men’s Basketball (@B1GMBBall) December 28, 2025
The Terps exploded out of the gate, scoring the game’s first 17 points and they’d never surrender. Maryland’s 17-0 run was its largest of the season and the program’s longest to start a game since 2003.
Solomon Washington posted a season-high 13-point, 13-rebound night to claim his first double-double of the season. He knocked down five free throws as the Terps shot 14-of-17 from the charity stripe.
SOLO WITH THE WINDMILL 😱😱
📺 @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/W1lsiNueDh
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) December 29, 2025
Maryland stayed in the gifting mood during the holiday season, tallying 14 assists on the Terps’ 24 total field goals. David Coit led the team with six and Andre Mills posted a career-high five assists as a part of his 11-point day.
Andre Mills for 3️⃣ @TerrapinHoops
📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/XMrJNd61ZM
— Big Ten Men’s Basketball (@B1GMBBall) December 28, 2025
Maryland hit 11 three-pointers on a night where head coach Buzz Williams and his squad donned “Buzz’s Bunch” shirts to raise awareness for Williams’ outreach program centered around inclusion in youth basketball.
It’s go time 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Nq9rmy9veC
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) December 28, 2025
Maryland turns its focus to conference play. 18 Big Ten games await the Terps in the new year, starting with a meeting with Oregon on Jan. 2.
How It Happened:
1st Half:
- Mills got the night’s scoring started with a three-pointer.
- Watts got on the board with an early dunk.
- Adams drained a three as Maryland opened a 17-0 lead.
- Old Dominion got its first points 5:56 minutes into the game.
- Adams’ second three of the night put the Terps up 20-2.
- Mills hit his second three midway through the half.
- A Watts three put Maryland ahead 26-12.
- Adams reached double figures with his third three.
- Mills’ third three of the half put UMD up 34-12.
- Watts and Mills reached double figures in the first half.
- Maryland used a 22-6 run over the final eight minutes to extend the lead late in the half.
- The Terps led 45-18 at the break.
2nd Half:
- Adams got the Terps on the board in the second half with a layup.
- A Washington dunk pushed Maryland past the 50-point mark early in the half.
- Elijah Saunders hit a three to put the Terps up 63-38.
- Maryland closed out the game to snatch a 73-58 win.
Double-Digit Days
- Adams (18 points) scored in double figures for the ninth time in his career.
- Watts (17 points) reached double figures for the second time this season and the 18th time in his career.
- Washington (13 points) posted a season-high 13 points as he reached double digits for the second time this season and the 19th time in his career.
- Mills (11 points) scored 10+ points for the seventh time in his career.
Mastering The Monarchs:
- Sunday’s game was the seventh all-time meeting between Maryland and Old Dominion.
- The Terps extended their winning streak over the Monarchs to three games and improved to 6-1 in the series.
- Maryland improved to 4-0 against ODU at home.
- The Terps’ biggest win in the series was an 87-67 win in 1983.
Familiar Faces:
- Maryland welcomed former Terrapin coach and current ODU head coach Mike Jones back to XFINITY Center.
- Caelum Swanton-Rodger returned to College Park after playing two seasons at Maryland.
- Former Terp and current NBS star Aaron Wiggings’ younger brother, Zacch Wiggins, scored 14 points for ODU on Sunday.
Buzz’s Breakdown:
- “I think our guys have been incredibly resilient over all that has transpired in the first semester, no matter what’s happened.”
- “This group is continuing to have a positive trajectory.”
- “Watts is really smart. He’s able to take what I say to someone else, and apply it to himself.”
Watt’s Wonderful Night:
- “What worked for us was moving the ball, sharing the ball, and playing as a unit and as a collective.”
- “We trust in each other. We trust in our coaches. Everybody from our managers to our coaches, even the athletic trainers.”
- “It was a great confidence booster.”
Adam’s Awesome Sunday:
- “It was definitely important. We had things we needed to do in order to win this game.”
- “We know it’s going to be a challenge for us coming up in Big Ten play, and we know we need to lock in even more.”
Numbers To Know:
- 6: Maryland blocked a season-high six shots.
- 7: The Terps utilized their seventh different starting lineup of the season.
- 8: Maryland only turned the ball over eight times to tie its season low.
- 11: With Watts drawing his first start as a Terp, 11 different Terps have started at least one game this season.
- 14: The Terps had 14 assists in the win.
- 17: Maryland’s 17-0 run to start the game was its longest run of the season and longest to start a game since Jan. 11, 2003, when the Terps opened on an 18-0 run in a 89-62 win over Florida State. That was just the ninth-game ever at Comcast/XFINITY Center.
- 18: ODU’s 18 points in the first half are the fewest the Terps have allowed in a half this season.
Up Next:
- Maryland hosts Oregon in the Terps’ first home conference game on Jan. 2. Tipoff is set for 7:30 PM and the game will air on Peacock.
TEXARKANA, Texas — Last January, hundreds of kids packed into Pleasant Grove’s indoor athletic facilities, trading a cold Saturday morning for a shot to run drills with professionals, high school standouts and three siblings who grew up just down the road.
The Wacha Family All-Sports Camp is coming back to Texarkana on Jan. 10, and if last year’s turnout was any indication, this event has outgrown the label of just another fundraiser.
What started as a grassroots idea — three siblings offering a few hours of sports instruction to local youth — has grown into a major community effort. It now draws support from multiple school districts, professional athletes and a long list of volunteers who carve out time each winter to give something back.
Michael, Lucas and Brette Wacha, all former athletes at the college or professional level, lead the camp. Along with coaching support from schools like Texas High, Liberty-Eylau, Arkansas High, Pleasant Grove and others, the siblings will help kids rotate through stations in baseball, basketball, football, volleyball and soccer.
Last year’s event brought in more than 200 kids, despite freezing temperatures and widespread power outages across the region. The PG gym and indoor field stayed buzzing throughout the day, with Michael’s Kansas City Royals teammate and fellow pitcher Seth Lugo and former Liberty-Eylau and Boston Red Sox standout Will Middlebrooks among the guest coaches.
While the camp focuses on skills and fun, the bigger win is what happens off the field. Proceeds from the event go directly to the Salvation Army. In 2025, the camp and its banquet raised nearly $50,000, money that funds scholarships for those who can’t afford after-school care or summer programs.
According to the Salvation Army, the need is real. Most of the kids in the program rely on some form of financial assistance, and leaders say events like this help keep doors open and services running.
The camp’s impact also extends beyond youth athletics.
Last year, Texas A&M University-Texarkana joined as a partner, offering scholarships to students or returning adults who show a strong track record of community involvement. Two recipients shared their stories during the banquet, including one who had spent part of his childhood living in the local Salvation Army shelter.
The camp started as a way for the Wacha family to give back to their hometown. It’s grown each year with help from local coaches, athletes and volunteers, and organizers expect another strong turnout this January.
Wacha recognized for philanthropy
In June, Michael Wacha was named one of the 2025 season’s Most Valuable Philanthropists by the MLB Players Trust.
The award, given to six players throughout the season, honors those who showed a strong commitment to charitable work and positive social impact beyond the field. In recognition of Wacha’s efforts, the Players Trust awarded a $10,000 grant in his name to Make-A-Wish Missouri and Kansas.
Wacha has supported a range of charities during his career, with much of his focus on helping kids and families.
——
(This article is part of a continuing series that will spotlight the Wacha Family and Friends All-Sports Camp before it returns in January.)
Rec Sports
Petaluma Police Arrest Suspect For Hate Crime Targeting Former Globetrotter and Youth Coach
After initially suspending the case due to lack of evidence, Petaluma police arrested a suspect who was allegedly caught on video surveillance tracing racial slurs and swastikas onto the dusty windows of local youth mentor and former Harlem Globetrotter William Bullard’s SUV.
As KRON4 reports, the Petaluma Police Department reviewed a week’s work of surveillance footage from early December, which was obtained from the garage where Bullard’s SUV was parked, and identified Corey Newman, 20, of Petaluma, allegedly defacing Bullard’s windows.
As SFist previously reported, the police department initially dropped the case before reviewing the footage, claiming there wasn’t sufficient evidence. The case has since been reopened, per the Chronicle, likely due to Bullard’s posts about the incident, shared to his large following — not to mention the subsequent media coverage.
“I’m doing this for awareness. I’m doing this to educate people, and I’m trying to let them know don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself if something happens like this,” he said, per KGO earlier this month. “Like, what’s the worst thing that can happen? It can be ignored by the police, OK, but at least you spoke up.”
“The Petaluma Police Department takes all hate-related incidents seriously and remains fully committed to conducting thorough and impartial investigations,” said the police department in a press release. “Crimes motivated by bias have a profound impact not only on those directly affected, but also on the sense of safety and well-being of the entire community.”
Police arrested Newman during a traffic stop on Christmas Eve. He was booked into the Sonoma County Jail for the commission of a hate crime and vandalism, per KRON4.
Image: NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 19: William ‘Bull’ Bullard of The Harlem Globetrotters Ring The NASDAQ Closing Bell at NASDAQ MarketSite on December 19, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Steve Zak Photography/FilmMagic)
Previously:Hate on the Rise: Ex-Globetrotter’s SUV Defaced in Petaluma, San Jose Teens Form Human Swastika
Jewel Annette Devall Rodgers was born on September 29,1954 to Harman and Marcy Devall in Beeville, Tx. She entered Heaven’s gates on December 26, 2025, with her mother, sisters, and children by her side. She was 71 years old.
Jewel grew up in Pettus and attended school there, graduating in 1973. She married her High School Sweetheart, Robert Rodgers, on June 8, 1974. She, like both of her sisters, was an LVN, working in home health after years of working as an ER nurse. Jewel was also a licensed beautician. She took great pride in her family and loved staying involved in everything she could to spend time with her kids and grandkids. She was a fixture for years at her kids and later her grandkids’ sporting events, whether it be a youth sports organization, or her favorite team, the Pettus Eagles. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Pettus.
She loved camping and often shared her cherished memories of times spent at the lake in Mathis or from her times on the Frio River. There were trips to Louisiana and Cancun she spoke of often. It was time she spent with her entire family, often sharing her RV or renting a cabin, enjoying time away from reality as she called it with those she loved the most in life. You could always count on a game of dominoes or Yahtzee at her campsite, clean up to the time everyone else at the table either started cheating or conspired to keep her from winning. If nothing else, she always was competitive, even after she retired.
Jewel was someone who loved and truly valued each of her many friends that she made over the years. She held each of them close to her heart. She would do anything for anyone and give anything she had to anyone in need. Whether she had it to spare or not. She spent countless hours listening to and sharing with anyone who’d listen along with her, her music from the 60’s. It was nothing to have her ask you to download a certain song because she had someone on her heart and that song reminded her of that person. Music and the joy it brought her accompanied every memory she had with every single person she encountered in life.
She was preceded in death by Maternal grandparents Ray and Francis Crepps. Paternal grandparents Harman Leavette and Jewel Devall. Her Father, Harman Devall, her husband, Robert Rodgers, a granddaughter, Victoria Lyssy, and two grandsons, Gavin Rodgers and Richard Gomez III.
Left to cherish her memory are her mother Marcella Devall of Pettus, sister Carman (Johnny) Gisler of Pettus, sister Fran (Bobby) Pargmann of Pettus, daughter Shannon (John) Hodge of Pettus, son Robert (Jena) Rodgers of Beeville, and son Michael (Misty) Rodgers of Mineral. Grandchildren John Robert Hodge, Marcella Hodge (Shonn), Chris (Kristen) Lyssy, Maddisyn Rodgers, Robert Rodgers, Darryn Rodgers, Savannah Rodgers, Stephen Perez, Brandy (Kiara) Perez, Dara Gomez, and Krystal Gomez. Great Grandchildren Patton Lyssy, Hayden Lyssy, Kinsley Gomez and Richard “Little Pops” Gomez. Many nieces, nephews, cousins and her many friends she loved like family.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 from 10am until 11am at Eckols Funeral Home in Kenedy, Tx. A service will be held at the funeral home chapel beginning at 11am, with a graveside service to follow at the San Domingo Cemetery in Normanna. Pallbearers are John Robert Hodge, Robert Rodgers, Darryn Rodgers, Stephen Perez, Chris Lyssy, and Matt Helford.
BEMIDJI — The city of
Bemidji Parks and Recreation Department
will host youth swim lessons at various times Feb. 2-April 15, at the Bemidji State University pool in the Gillett Wellness Center, 1801 Birch Lane NE.
Lessons are scheduled for the following times:
Mondays/Wednesdays Feb. 2 – March 2
Level 1 swim classes will run from 6:15 to 6:50 p.m.
Level 2 swim classes will be held from 6:55 to 7:30 p.m.
There will be no class on Feb. 16 due to President’s Day.
Registration opens at 9 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 5.
Tuesdays/Thursdays Feb. 3 – Feb. 26
Level 3 swim classes are set for 6:15 to 6:50 p.m.
Level 4 and 5 swim classes will be held from 6:55 to 7:30 p.m.
Registration opens at 9 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 5.
Mondays/Wednesdays March 23 – April 15
Level 2 swim classes are set for 6:15 to 6:50 p.m.
Level 3 swim classes will be held 6:55 to 7:30 p.m.
Registration opens at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3.
The cost is $72 for the series. Class sizes are small with two instructors. No more than 8-9 participants age 5 and up are allowed in each level.
To register and for additional detailed information regarding each level, visit
www.ci.bemidji.mn.us.
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