Bobby Hull, the Hall of Fame forward and two-time NHL MVP who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 1961, had chronic traumatic encephalopathy when he died two years ago, his widow said in a statement released on Wednesday.

Researchers at Boston University’s CTE Center found that Hull had stage 2 CTE when he died in 2023. He was 84.

Hull struggled with short-term memory loss and impaired judgment over his final decade. He chose to donate his brain after seeing former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Stan Mikita decline late in his life.

“Seeing the pain and heartache suffered by his lifetime friend Stan Mikita’s family, Bobby felt strongly no other family should have to endure CTE,” Deborah Hull, his wife of 39 years, said in a statement. “He insisted on donating his brain, feeling as though it was his duty to help advance research on this agonizing disease.”

Nicknamed “The Golden Jet” for his speed and blond hair, Hull was one of the most prolific forwards in NHL history, scoring 610 times over 16 seasons with Chicago, Hartford and Winnipeg. He dazzled generations of Blackhawks fans with his shooting and skating skills and remains the franchise’s career leader with 604 goals. Hull also had 303 goals while playing for the Jets in the World Hockey Association for seven seasons.

The National Hockey League Players’ Association announced in November it was forming an advisory committee to help hockey players better understand CTE and the damage that concussions can do to the brain. In December, researchers at Boston University published a study of deceased male hockey players that showed 18 of the 19 NHL players examined had CTE. It also found the odds of developing CTE increased by 34% for each year of hockey played.

Motorsports

Daytona 500 pole winner gets huge penalty >> Daytona 500 pole-winner Chase Briscoe was dealt a major penalty when NASCAR said Joe Gibbs Racing had a modified spoiler on the No. 19 Toyota in time trials.

Joe Gibbs Racing was docked 100 driver/owner points and 10 playoff points. The spoiler base is a single-source part that cannot be modified and was discovered in NASCAR’s inspection process.

JGR also was fined $100,000 and crew chief James Small was suspended for four races. Briscoe now goes to Atlanta Motor Speedway with negative 67 points in the standings. He dropped from 10th in the standings to 39th.

College sports

SEC, Big Ten hope for CFP seeding changes >> The Big Ten and Southeastern Conference will push for changes in the way College Football Playoff teams are seeded next season to coincide more with how teams are ranked by the CFP selection committee, commissioners for both leagues said.

“I’m prepared to vote for seeding change,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. “But it has to be unanimous.”

Last college football season was the first under the expanded 12-team CFP format.

While it was largely viewed as a success that might even be expanded to more teams, a provision that gave byes to the four highest-ranked major conference champions drew scrutiny after all four of those teams — Arizona State, Boise State, Georgia and Oregon — lost their CFP openers in the quarterfinals.

Ohio State and Notre Dame each won three playoff games before the Buckeyes knocked off the Fighting Irish in the title game.

Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said both conference are in favor of going to “straight seeding,” so that “there’s no difference between rankings and seedings.”

Golf

Tiger suffers a ‘most embarrassing moment’ >> Tiger Woods had 199 yards to the hole. His Jupiter Links teammates realized too late that something was dreadfully wrong Tuesday night in a TGL indoor match in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Woods asked to confirm the yardage and heard 99 — caddies often drop the first number when it’s obvious. But it apparently wasn’t obvious to Woods.

He hit wedge, a perfectly good shot that traveled 100 yards.

“I heard 99 yards, so I went out there and hit it,” the 15-time major champion said after losing the 13th hole against Cameron Young of New York Golf Club.

“One of the most embarrassing moment in my golfing career just happened,” Woods said on the ESPN telecast, laughing among the disbelief. “I just screwed up. That was embarrassing.”

His Jupiter Links teammates, Kevin Kisner and Tom Kim, dropped to the floor laughing.

New York never trailed in a 10-3 victory.

Tennis

Venus gets wild card for Indian Wells >> Venus Williams received a wild-card entry for the BNP Paribas Open, which would make next month’s tournament in Indian Wells, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion’s first event in nearly a full year.

The 44-year-old Williams hasn’t competed anywhere on tour since a first-round loss at the Miami Open on March 19, 2024. That was less than two weeks after she lost her opening match at Indian Wells.

Williams has won five titles at Wimbledon and two at the U.S. Open.

Top-seed Sabalenka upset in Dubai >> Clara Tauson didn’t get much sleep but still beat No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals of the Dubai Championships.

The 22-year-old Dane got to bed at 3:30 a.m. after outlasting Elina Svitolina in a three-set victory.

Second-seeded Iga Swiatek beat Dayana Yastremska 7-5, 6-0 and next faces Mirra Andreeva, who overcame Peyton Sterns 6-1, 6-1.

Defending champion Jasmine Paolini was ousted by Sofia Kenin 6-4, 6-0.