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June 22 -- June 28, 2026
Issue No. 647
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Mario Andretti -- from the
Autograph Collection of Rich Yee
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Here is another autograph of racing legend Mario Andretti. I’ve had the chance to meet Mario several times at various racing events. Mario would always make himself available to fans who wanted to meet him by setting up meet-and-greets before races and just walking thru the tracks.
Rich Yee, Sports Today photographer
| | Note: Most photos in each issue are linked to Facebook albums produced by our talented photographers. To enjoy additional photos, simply click on a photograph or on the link provided at the end of each report. New albums, contributor essays and Sports Today issues are continually posted to: www.ultimatesportsguide.net | | |
Contents
Features & Commentary
Mario Andretti, from the Autograph Collection of Rich Yee
Newsletter, Image, Likeness, by Darren Heiter, Esq.
Out With Crackerjacks!, by Steve Chain
San Francisco Unicorns Media Day
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San Francisco Unicorns
Media Day
Adrian Wilcox High School, Santa Clara, CA
Sunday, June 21, 2026
| Trophies align a table prior to the start of the awards ceremony on Sunday, June 21 at the Fourth Annual San Francisco Unicorns Family Day presented by Northern California Toyota at Adrian Wilcox High School in Santa Clara. For more information about the Cricket Impact Lunch, including sponsorship details, visit: https://www.cricketimpact.com/lunch | Cricket fans and staff stop by one of the numerous booths for cricket-related materials, such as Cricbaby. My First Cricket Set. | |
Celebrating Father's Day, an impromptu dance contest among visiting families broke out on the stage. Click San Francisco Unicorns for more information, a schedule, and a
calendar of events.
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Web designer Medhavee Upadhyaya recently received an award for her design of the Ultimate Sports Guide's new website: www.ultimatesportsguide.net.
Fresh off her newly-minted Masters Degree in Computer Science, Mehdavee now seeks full-time employment with a compatible, energetic company. She has been invaluable to the USG/Sports Today and is the ultimate team player and a joy to work with. If you may have an opportunity by which she can expand her horizons and share her experience, please contact her directly at upadhyayamedhavee@gmail.com. Mention USG/Sports Today to introduce yourself but before you do, visit www.medhaveeupadhyaya.com
You will be glad you did.
-- Christopher Weills, Publisher
Awards:
Awarded Best Use of Claude – Cal Hacks 12.0 (Anthropic Claude AI) for ELDA.AI mobile Voice Assistant
President's List Honors – San Francisco Bay University 2024 for achieving 4.0 GPA
Photo by Ann Cooke
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Don't Miss Out!
As of Monday, June 22, 2026
over 13,775 guests have visited our remarkable new site for sports updates and outstanding photography.
Don't be left out!
Click:
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Basketball Hall of Fame coach Adolph Rupp once
amused fans attending an Induction Ceremony
with these words, “I grew up in a small town
in Kansas that was so tough, if a cat walking
down the street had a tail, it was a tourist.”
-- Submitted by Nick Curran
Director of Public Relations, National Basketball Association, New York City, 1969-76
Have a Memorable Sports Quote to submit? Send to: theultimatesportsguide@gmail.com
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Our Mission:
Weavery's mission is to provide data and ai strategy advice, training, and innovative solutions to high impact humanitarian organizations. Weavery leverages artificial intelligence to enhance operations and amplify impact to serve a world in need.
| | Jhonny Level's 11th home run of the year | |
Giants' No. 3 prospect Level continues rise with 1st High-A homer
View here!
By Max Ralph
Jhonny Level has been one of the fastest-rising prospects in the Minor Leagues this season, and a bump to High-A at just 19 years old hasn’t slowed him yet.
The Giants’ No. 3 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 60 overall, Level crushed his first home run with Eugene on Thursday in an 11-4 loss to Tri-City at Gesa Stadium. It was the 11th of the season for Level, who earned his promotion to High-A earlier this month.
Level struck out in each of his first two plate appearances against Tri-City starter Lucas Knowles, but he earned his revenge in a big way the third time around. The switch-hitting Level, batting right against the lefty Knowles, turned on a 2-0 pitch and deposited it over the fence in left field.
COMPLETE GIANTS PROSPECT COVERAGE
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"Join us for Great Food,
Great Beer and a Great Time."
We are located one block from the Moscone Convention Center, only a short walk from many of downtown San Francisco's familiar hotels, attractions, and diverse businesses. Open Monday through Thursday 4pm. Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12pm. Come by and raise a glass with us. Sláinte!
www.thechieftain.com
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Heim’s pinch-hit HR in 9th helps A’s complete huge comeback
for 12-11 win over Angels in 10 innings
Athletics notch first comeback victory after trailing by 7+ runs
since July 24, 2018
Heim, A's prove 'no deficit is safe' with
AL-best 21st comeback win
View here!
By Martín Gallegos
WEST SACRAMENTO -- Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Jonah Heim came off the bench with the Athletics down to their final out and slugged a game-tying two-run home run to right field.
No, this isn’t a recap of their wild extra-inning game against the Brewers last week at Las Vegas Ballpark, when Heim pinch-hit for Lawrence Butler and launched a dramatic homer to tie it. Thrust into nearly the exact same scenario Friday night at Sutter Health Park, Heim did it again.
With the A’s trailing by two with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Heim was summoned as a pinch-hitter for Colby Thomas and crushed a 99.2 mph sinker from Angels reliever Sam Bachman for a game-tying two-run blast over the right-field wall, sending the A’s dugout and everyone inside the ballpark into a frenzy.
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Mac N Cheese Variations
With $2 hot dogs and hearty oxtail platters, the stadium is doing all they can to keep hungry fans from rising up. The sandwich called the Cubano, as good as the hot dog sounds at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, comes very close to how you’d find it in the Cuban shop in Miami, is stuffed with slow-roasted pork, ham, melted Swiss cheese, mustard, pickles, and Papi’s tangy special sauce and is worth the difference.
It comes close to their Mac’n Cheese Buffalo Chicken which
has a good portion of shredded chicken on top, plus plenty of melted cheese that gets a tangy kick from a healthy drizzle of hot sauce. Blue cheese crumbles and scallions on top made it
look a little fancy for stadium food.
-- Steve Chain / Innovative Food Fanatic
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Keena Turner to Be Inducted Into the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr.
San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame
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The San Francisco 49ers and the York family today announced that LB Keena Turner will become the 34th inductee into the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame.
Turner's induction ceremony will take place in San Francisco's Week 6 matchup against the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football.
"I am deeply humbled to be inducted into the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame," said Turner. "I wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for the extraordinary teammates and coaches who helped me attain success on and off the field as well as the dedicated ownership that has helped shape this franchise's legacy. To have served this organization since 1980, one of the most iconic in all of sports, has been the honor of a lifetime. Being recognized as a piece of that history, alongside so many legends who have worn the red and gold, is a profound privilege."
A four-time Super Bowl Champion (XVI, XIX, XXIII & XXIV) and 1985 Pro Bowl selection, Turner was an instrumental piece of the 49ers dynasty in the 1980s. Known for his versatility, he was the first player in franchise history to record at least 10.0 sacks and 10 interceptions in a career. In the 1984 season, Turner recorded a career-high four interceptions, tied for the most interceptions by a non-defensive back in a single season in franchise history. He is also a member of San Francisco's 10-year club, which acknowledges all 49ers players whose tenures reached the 10-year mark with the team, and was honored by his teammates and coaches with the Len Eshmont Award (1984) and Ed Block Courage Award (1985).
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Mock Draft Roundup: Draft Experts Give Final Projections for Warriors' 2026 Draft Pick
by Kalyb Champion
The Warriors are a week away from the first round of the 2026 Draft, presented by Carta, on June 23, in which they are slated to pick 11th. A through line among many of the projections is that the Dubs might add a front court player from the reigning NCAA champion Michigan Wolverines — three Wolverines have been linked to Golden State by media outlets such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, The Athletic and NBC Sports Bay Area. Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. are all viewed as potential lottery picks that may fall within the Warriors' range. In the final batch of mock drafts, learn more about these three Michigan prospects and University of Tennessee guard Nate Ament, who draft experts predict the Warriors may select.
Aday Mara
Position: Center
Combine measurements: Height without shoes: 7-3, Weight: 260, Standing reach: 9-9, Wingspan: 7-6
School/Team: University of Michigan
Key Previous Season Stats: 12.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 65.9 TS%
Logic Behind the Pick: “Mara is expected to be the first center off the board and appears slated for the 8-to-12 range. Mara has been a steady riser with an outlier-level mix of size, coordination and skill as a true 7-footer that is extremely difficult to find. With NBA teams tilting back toward fielding size up front -- and as the league prepares to counter Victor Wembanyama for the next decade -- Mara's sheer size and ability to manipulate defenses with the pass make him fascinating to many teams.” - ESPN
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(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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Sharks acquire Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall selection
from Buffalo
June 17, 2026 -- San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Mike Grier announced today that the club has acquired defenseman Michael Kesselring and the 2026 27th overall selection from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for the 20th overall selection (Edmonton’s selection).
“Michael has a big frame with solid two-way ability,” said Grier. “He is a responsible player in the defensive zone with a well rounded offensive game, and will be a good upgrade for us patrolling the blueline. We’re happy to have him a part of the organization.”
Kesselring, 26, recorded two assists in 34 games last season for Buffalo, making his debut for the team on Oct. 28 vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets. Despite being limited by injuries during the season, he ranked third among team skaters in blocked shots per 60 (5.00). He also appeared in one game for the Sabres in the postseason.
Over the course of his NHL career, Kesselring has appeared in 190 NHL games for the Arizona Coyotes, Utah Mammoth, and Sabres, scoring 55 points (12 goals, 43 assists). In his second full season in the NHL with Utah, he appeared in all 82 games, scoring 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists).
Internationally, he has represented Team USA at the 2024 and 2025 World Championship, recording seven total points (three goals, four assists) in 17 games between the two tournaments. In 2025, under Sharks Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky, he helped Team USA win a gold medal for the first time in 92 years at the tournament.
The six-foot-five, 215-pound native of Florence, SC was originally selected by Edmonton in the 2018 NHL Draft (6th round, 164th overall).
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Hack the Diamond 2026: Democratizing Baseball for All
Meet the Oxide x Ballers hackathon teams building baseball tech for everyone
Baseball belongs to everyone.
Not just the clubs with the biggest budgets. Not just the kids whose families can afford premium training apps, private coaching, or expensive gear. Baseball belongs to every kid who wants to play and every family looking for a way into the game.
That belief is what brought software developers, hardware engineers, students, and baseball minds together in Emeryville on June 13 for Hack the Diamond, a youth baseball-centered hackathon hosted by the Oakland Ballers and Oxide Computer Company.
The challenge was simple: use technology to make baseball more accessible and affordable for everyone.
Baseball and Technology Builders, Unite
Hack the Diamond was not just a hackathon. We wanted it to make a statement.
Teams worked with sensors, cameras, Raspberry Pis, and a lot of strong ideas. By the end of the day, those ideas had turned into working prototypes aimed at solving real problems in the youth baseball ecosystem.
The projects covered everything from player development and coaching to scouting and resource gaps. Each one looked at a different part of the game, but they all came back to the same question: how can technology help make baseball more accessible instead of creating more barriers?
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Earthquakes Sign Bruce Arena
to New Contract
Monday, Jun 15, 2026 -- SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Earthquakes announced today they have signed Sporting Director Bruce Arena to a new contract through the 2028-29 Major League Soccer season.
In Year 2 of his tenure in San Jose, Arena has engineered a turnaround that has the Earthquakes tied on points for first place in the Western Conference for the first time in 14 years after setting multiple league and club records heading into the league’s summer break for the FIFA World Cup. Following the announcement, the Earthquakes will host a hybrid media availability Tuesday after practice at the PayPal Park Training Facility, with more details below.
“We are proud to have Bruce leading our club,” said Earthquakes Managing Partner John Fisher. “He has done an outstanding job rebuilding this team and getting us positioned amongst the top teams in MLS this season. Not only has he assembled a great, young team that is already competing for the playoffs this year, but he has built a team that is set up for sustainable, long-term success. We are excited to keep Bruce in San Jose for the foreseeable future.”
This season, the Earthquakes have soared to heights unseen for over a decade, becoming the first team in MLS history to win nine of their first 10 games in the post-shootout era. They entered the World Cup break with a record of 10-3-2 after 15 matches, eclipsing the club’s best start achieved in 2012 when San Jose captured the Supporters’ Shield. In addition to being tied atop the West on points, the Quakes are currently third in this season’s overall Supporters’ Shield table behind Nashville SC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and ahead of Inter Miami CF. The team also tied two more MLS records by starting 5-0-1 on the road and opening the campaign with six consecutive shutouts. With just one more victory in 2026, the Quakes will match last season’s regular-season total.
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Roots Score Four in Second Half, Defeat Phoenix Rising FC 4-3 in Instant Classic
Watch Highlights
Oakland got the get-back game they were looking for on a blistering near-100 degree evening in Arizona, defeating Phoenix Rising FC 4-3 on Saturday, with all seven goals in the match coming in the second half of what will go down as an instant classic in Roots’ history book.
As has been the case for Roots’ last few games, Oakland played the first forty-five minutes looking like the more dangerous side, but failing to reap the rewards as the match headed to halftime still deadlocked at 0-0.
But just minutes into the second half, Roots were awarded a penalty kick when a lob into the Phoenix box found Peter Wilson drawing contact before the ball arrived. Wilson lined up at the spot and banged it inside the right post past the keeper’s mitts to make it 1-0 Oakland, opening the floodgates for what would become an offensive heavyweight bout for the remainder of the match.
Oakland doubled their lead in the 56th minute courtesy of Danny Trejo bagging his first goal of 2026 after a perfect cross from Peter Wilson found him on the end of a run all alone with an easy tap in from the top of the 6-yard box to make it 2-0.
But Phoenix began a comeback just moments later in the 62nd after drawing a penalty of their own when Roots’ keeper Kendall McIntosh made a leaping punch on the ball to clear it from danger, but made too much additional contact in the eyes of the referee. Ihsan Sacko replicated Peter Wilson’s conversion almost exactly to make it 1-2.
Phoenix leveled the match at 2-2 in the 72nd minute when a through ball from midfield found Sacko on a run up the right wing. Sacko played a cross into the box to find Diego Gomez near the penalty spot, taking no time to put a strike low left and draw the game even.
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Midfielder Kennedy Fuller is joining the squad for the rest of the season! She comes to Bay FC following two-plus seasons with Angel City FC, where she’s recorded two goals and tallied two assists in 2026 while appearing in all 11 of her club’s contests prior to the NWSL’s June break. In 2025, she ranked in the top 10 league-wide for scoring chances created.
The Southlake, Texas native made her professional debut at 16 years old in March 2024 after becoming the eighth player signed to a contract under the NWSL’s Under-18 Entry Mechanism. She'll join the squad after spending June with the U-20 National Team alongside Bay FC forward Onyeka Gamero.
| | "Kennedy is an exciting player and a fantastic addition" said head coach Emma Coates. "She is a superb young talent who possesses lots of NWSL experience. Her creativity and quality on the ball make here a joy to watch and will add to or attack. What is most exciting is the room she has to continue developing, and I believe she has a very bright future ahead of here at Bay FC." | | Join us in welcoming the newest member to our Bay FC family. | | |
Gabby Williams and Cecilia Zandalasini speak to the media following Friday's loss to the
Minnesota Lynx,
75-81
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SAN FRANCISCO UNICORNS CHASED DOWN BY LA KNIGHT RIDERS | |
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (JUNE 19 2026) — The San Francisco Unicorns fell to a narrow defeat with two balls remaining against the LA Knight Riders in their opening fixture of 2026 Major League Cricket, despite an impressive half-century on debut for Lhuan-dre Pretorius.
Following a rain delay that limited the second match of the season to 14 overs-a-side, the match got underway with the Unicorns put into bat by the Knight Riders under a gloomy, but clearing sky.
The new opening partnership for 2026 of debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius and fan favourite Finn Allen got off to a steady start, trading singles in the first over, before the floodgates opened with the young South Africa’s first six off Sunil Narine in the second over.
Boundaries followed in quick succession against Andre Russell in the next, before Pretorius plundered two more maximums against Shadley van Schalkwyk to leave the Unicorns well placed on 47-0 after four overs.
Carmi Le Roux, now in Knight Riders colours after a stint in the Bay Area orange, restricted the flow of runs in the fifth over, but the momentum quickly returned with Allen smashing back-to-back sixes, followed by a four against Narine in the next, before the West Indies spinner got his first wicket, drawing a leading edge off Allen (24).
Captain Matt Short came to the crease to watch his new teammate Pretorius pass his half-century on debut from 25 balls, but the South African returned to the dugout soon after, edging Russell behind (58) to bring Sanjay Krishnamurthi to the wicket, with the Unicorns still on top at 92-2 with five overs remaining.
The Knight Riders then took back the initiative after a lucrative ninth, with Krishnamurthi edging to Unmukt Chand for 14. Hassan Khan then skied for three off Carmi Le Roux. The Australian talent and new signing Ollie Peake then fell for four on debut, and with captain Short run out for 30 and Haris Rauf bowled first ball, the Unicorns finished on 150-7 after Brody Couch cleared the rope late on.
Chasing 151, recent call-up Ghulam Mudassar took the new ball against Colin Munro and Andre Fletcher, with the experienced pair moving the score on early with 16 off the first over.
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Newsletter, Image, Likeness Vol. 189: Incoming Division 1 Athletes Have Until August 11 To Challenge A Decade of NCAA Control
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by Darren Heitner, Esq.
Founder of Heitnerlegal -- Sports, Entertainment, Trademarks, Copyrights, Business, Litigation, Arbitration
The Weekly Longer NIL Thought
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While the college sports legal world has been consumed with Ili and Mirer v. NCAA (see Vol. 188), the Protect College Sports Act (see Vol. 187 and below), and the ongoing drama surrounding House v. NCAA implementation, a deadline has been approaching in plain sight that has received almost no attention. The date to mark is August 11, 2026. That is the date by which incoming members of the Injunctive Relief Settlement Class (athletes transitioning from junior college, Division II, or Division III programs who will compete in Division I for the first time in the 2026-27 academic year) must file written objections to the House settlement's Injunctive Relief Settlement, or permanently surrender their right to challenge it.
Those athletes are receiving notice through the NCAA Eligibility Center under the title "College Athlete NIL (House) Litigation Information." Many of them will not read it carefully. Their parents may not understand what it means. Their high school or junior college coaches almost certainly cannot explain it. And their compliance departments at the Division I schools they are joining have every structural incentive to ensure smooth onboarding rather than to flag a legal deadline that could generate institutional complications. The people positioned to actually inform these athletes about what they are signing away are sports attorneys and agents, and that assumes the athlete has retained counsel, which most incoming freshmen have not.
The Injunctive Relief Settlement (sometimes referred to as the IRS ... not to be confused with our favorite federal governmental agency) is the structural framework that governs how Division I athletics operates for the next decade (through June 2035). It went into effect on June 6, 2025, when Judge Wilken approved the Fourth Amended Stipulation and Settlement Agreement. The IRS permits participating schools to share athletic department revenues with athletes up to a cap currently pegged at 22% of average athletically-related revenues of Defendant Conference institutions, which is a figure translating to a little north of $20 million per school annually. It authorizes the College Sports Commission, designated as the "Designated Reporting Entity" under the settlement, to oversee third-party NIL transactions and review them for fair market value compliance. It imposes roster limits by sport. It restricts school-funded NIL agreements to the duration of an athlete's eligibility. And it forecloses any challenge to the rights of the defendants, schools, and their license holders to telecast, broadcast, or otherwise distribute collegiate athletic events, or to use athletes' NIL in connection with promoting those events.
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WeatherTech Raceway
Laguna Seca
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EXPERIENCE THE
NTT INDYCAR SERIES SEASON FINALE
After a season of epic racing, it all comes down to this. Witness the championship battle reach its culmination at one of the world’s most iconic race tracks, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The fastest racers on earth will take on the iconic Corkscrew as Championship Week unfolds. Don’t miss your chance to see it unfold in person. It will be history in the racing.
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Former Giants manager Dusty Baker shares a moment with Jordyn Gant of Vacaville at the San Francisco Giants Fanfest at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, Jan. 31. Jose Luis Villegas. Courtesy: Daily Republic
Sonoma Raceway Welcomes World Series Champion Manager Dusty Baker as Honorary Grand Marshal for Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR
Cup Series Race
SONOMA, Calif. (June 17, 2026) – Sonoma Raceway announced today that MLB World Series Champion manager and baseball icon Dusty Baker will serve as the Honorary Grand Marshal for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, June 28.
As Honorary Grand Marshal, Baker will deliver the most famous words in motorsports — "Drivers, start your engines!" — signaling the start of Northern California's premier NASCAR Cup Series event.
One of the most respected figures in professional sports, Baker enjoyed a distinguished 19-year Major League Baseball playing career before becoming one of the winningest managers in MLB history. He captured a World Series championship as manager of the Houston Astros in 2022 and remains one of only a handful of managers to lead five different franchises to postseason appearances.
Baker also shares a deep connection with Northern California through his successful tenure as manager of the San Francisco Giants from 1993 to 2002. During his decade in San Francisco, he led the Giants to three National League West division titles, earned National League Manager of the Year honors three times, and helped guide the franchise through one of its most memorable eras, making him a beloved figure among Bay Area sports fans.
"Having Dusty Baker join us as Honorary Grand Marshal is a tremendous honor," said Executive Vice President & General Manager Brian Flynn. "Dusty's championship legacy, leadership, and longstanding ties to Northern California make him the perfect choice to help kick off the Toyota/Save Mart 350. His impact on the Bay Area sports community continues to resonate, and we're excited to welcome him to Sonoma Raceway."
Baker said he is looking forward to experiencing the excitement of NASCAR's annual visit to Wine Country.
"Northern California has always held a special place in my heart," Baker said. "The fans here have been incredible to me throughout my career, and it's an honor to be part of such a special event at Sonoma Raceway. I'm looking forward to delivering those famous words and experiencing the excitement of NASCAR firsthand."
The Toyota/Save Mart 350 will feature the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series battling on Sonoma Raceway's challenging 10-turn, 1.99-mile road course, a fan-favorite stop on the NASCAR schedule.
For tickets and event information, visit SonomaRaceway.com or call (800) 870-RACE [7223].
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Send It from One San Francisco Bridge to the Other
Registration Opens for Ronstan Bridge to Bridge
at St. Francis Yacht Club
SAN FRANCISCO, CA—How fast can you get from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge, racing across San Francisco Bay in your watercraft of choice in full-send downwind conditions?
This is the premise of Ronstan Bridge to Bridge, an annual race hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club and scheduled for August 22, 2026. First run in 1998, the event was conceived to settle a friendly bet between windsurfers and skiff sailors over which watercraft could get from one bridge to the other the fastest. The inaugural race was won by Olympic sailors Jonathan and Charlie McKee on a 49er skiff with a time of 27 minutes and 18 seconds.
Since then, it’s been contested in everything from a Formula 40 catamaran to a Mod 70 trimaran, early generation kiteboards and foiling windsurfers, and even a hydropter.
“It’s ‘bring what you got’," says Mike Martin, StFYC’s chair of the event and a frequent competitor who won it in 2008 racing an 18ft skiff with Howard Hamlin and Paul Allen. Over the years, the feat has been tackled by sailors using the latest in board sports technology, with several wins clocked by world champion Johnny Heineken on kiteboards and hydrofoil kites as the sport evolved. The current race record is nine minutes, set by Markus Edegran in 2024, who was fresh off his Olympic campaign in the Formula Foil Kite.
This year's race will be held on Saturday, August 22, allowing for weekend travel and with an earlier start than in the past, during peak wind and during a flood tide.
“Conditions are prime for the record to be broken,” adds Martin.
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Jack Smith Returns To Cal As Assistant Coach
Former Cal Rower, Volunteer Assistant Coach To
Rejoin Bears’ Staff
Former California men's rower and volunteer assistant coach Jack Smith will rejoin the Golden Bears' coaching staff as an assistant coach, head coach Scott Frandsen announced this week. Smith, who rowed at Cal from 2016-20 and was a volunteer assistant coach from 2021-23, returns to Berkeley after spending the last three years at Dartmouth with its men's heavyweight rowing program.
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Stanford Announces 2026 Slate
The 2026 season features 10 regular-season home matches
STANFORD, Calif. – Having reached the College Cup in each of the last three seasons, including finishing as the national runner-up in two of those campaigns, Stanford has announced its 2026 women's soccer schedule – a slate that includes 10 regular-season home matches from Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.
The Cardinal will host a single preseason exhibition match on Saturday, August 8 against Pacific before traveling to Cal Poly on Sunday, August 16 for the regular-season opener. The Cardinal and Mustangs met in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
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SJSU Women's Tennis Welcomes Fatima Gutierrez to Coaching Staff
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San José State women’s tennis team has added Fatima Gutierrez as a graduate assistant coach, announced by Head Coach Chad Skorupka.
"I am very excited Fatima is joining our team to continue her athletic and education journey," Coach Skorupka said. "Fatima's positive energy and playing experience will benefit the team for the upcoming season."
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| | Saint Mary's College Gaels | |
WWP | Transfer Goalkeeper Keira Bozek Joins Gaels Ahead of Inaugural Season
MORAGA, Calif. — The future of the Saint Mary's women's water polo team continues to take shape as the Gaels welcome the newest addition, transfer goalkeeper Keira Bozek.
Bozek joins the Gaels' roster following a successful career serving as the primary goalkeeper at Mt. San Antonio College. During her sophomore year, Bozek appeared in 20 games and started in 16 of those, while recording 83 saves throughout the season to rank ninth overall in the South Coast Conference.
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Dons Welcome Dynamic
Guard Yoav Vitlem
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Head coach Chris Gerlufsen and the University of San Francisco (USF) men's basketball program announced today the signing of guard Yoav Vitlem (Modi'in, Israel).
"USF is delighted to welcome Yoav Vitlem to our basketball program," said Gerlufsen.
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Allen Graves Earns NBA Draft Green Room Invitation
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara men's basketball standout Allen Graves is officially headed to Brooklyn for the 2026 NBA Draft. The big man is one of 24 players that has received an invitation from the NBA to be in the green room for next week's event, which will be held June 23-24 at the Barclays Center.
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| | University of Pacific Tigers | |
Tschuor named among top
ADs in the country
University of the Pacific Director of Athletics Adam Tschuor has been named one of the top athletic directors in the country by Silver Waves Media in recognition of his exceptional leadership and visionary approach to athletics.
Since joining Pacific in 2023, Pacific has added five new varsity programs, revitalized men’s basketball and found new success in conference and post-season tournaments.
The annual list from Silver Waves Media is based on input from other athletic directors, sports agents and industry executives.
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Rocak Earns Switzerland National Team Call-Up for FIBA
World Cup Qualifiers
Recent Aggie forward named to the Swiss 14-man roster for the final European qualifying window, headlined by a July 2
home date with Serbia
DAVIS, Calif. — Recent UC Davis men's basketball graduate Niko Rocak has been named to Switzerland's 14-man roster for the third and final window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers, the Swiss Basketball Federation announced.
Head coach Ilias Papatheodorou's group opens the window at home against Serbia on Wednesday, July 2 at the BCF Arena in Fribourg, Switzerland. Rocak and Switzerland then closes its qualifying run on the road at Turkey in Istanbul on July 6.
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Cal State University East
Bay Pioneers
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Quintero Earns CSC
Academic All-America
Second Team Honors
AUSTIN, Texas – Cal State East Bay softball standout Marissa Quintero was recognized for her success both in the classroom and on the field this week, earning 2026 CSC Academic All-America Second Team honors.
Quintero was one of just two pitchers selected to the Division II Academic All-America Second Team and was recognized alongside some of the nation's top student-athletes for her achievements as a kinesiology major and one of the premier pitchers in NCAA Division II softball.
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Watch any program on CCE's YouTube channel, or, for attorneys, earn MCLE credits online, economically, with "The Best in Topics and Talent."
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Weekly Bay Area
Sports Calendar
Monday, June 22, through
Sunday, June 28, 2026
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Monday, June 22
Tuesday, June 23
San Francisco Giants vs. Athletics, 6:45 p.m.
Oakland Ballers @ Modesto Roasters, 7:11 p.m.
Wednesday, June 24
San Francisco Giants vs. Athletics, 6:45 p.m.
Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream, 7 p.m.
Oakland Ballers @ Modesto Roasters, 7:11 p.m.
Thursday, June 25
San Francisco Giants vs. Athletics, 12:45 p.m.
Oakland Ballers @ Modesto Roasters, 7:11 p.m.
Friday, June 26
San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves, 7:15 p.m.
Athletics @ Los Angeles Angels, 6:38 p.m.
Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream, 7 p.m.
Oakland Ballers vs. Yuba-Sutter Freebirds, 6:35 p.m.
Saturday, June 27
San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves, 6:05 p.m.
Athletics @ Los Angeles Angels, 6:38 p.m.
Oakland Ballers vs. Yuba-Sutter Freebirds, 4:35 p.m.
Sunday, June 28
San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves, 1:05 p.m.
Athletics @ Los Angeles Angels, 12:15 p.m.
Golden State Valkyries vs. New York Liberty, 4 p.m.
Oakland Ballers vs. Yuba-Sutter Freebirds, 1:05 p.m.
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Publisher: Christopher Weills
Associate Publisher: Ann Cooke
Marketing Director: Robert Moselle
Sales: Ayiko Konopaski
Contributors: Lydia Chain, Steve Chain, Harvey Cohen, Andy Dolich, Pete Elman, Rob Flammia, Bruce Macgowan, Robert Moselle, Howard Pearlstein, Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, T. Buff, Shelia Young. Dave Newhouse (dec.)
Software Engineer / Sports Today! Editor: Medhavee Upadhyaya
Technology Advisor: Silas Everett
Staff Photographers: Jeff Bayer, Alex Ho, Ed Jay, Ron Sellers, Darren Yamashita, Rich Yee, Kenny Karst (retired)
Advisor: Arif Khatib
Artist: Carl Macki
Website: www.UltimateSportsGuide.net
Contact us at: theultimatesportsguide@gmail.com
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FIELD OF PLAY
For the past 60 years, Michael Zagaris has taken his camera behind the scenes of the NFL, capturing the moments that define America’s game.
To order: https://www.zagarisbook.com/
| | LOL, Loss of Logo: What’s Your Next Move? was written for sports professionals by Andy Dolich and Jack Hirschman and offers valuable takeaways for everyone chasing the fancy logo and corner office. | | The Emerald Mile: The epic and award-winning story of the fastest ride in history through the heart of the Grand Canyon, by Kevin Fedarko. A thrilling true tale during the legendary flood of 1983. | | |
The Ultimate Sports Guide is very appreciative to the ongoing contributions made by former staff photographer Kenny Karst and Robert Moselle. Mr. Karst, now retired, continues to contribute helpful ideas and his archives.
Mr. Moselle, Esq., is now lending his extensive editorial experience and marketing savvy to the publication.
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