


Mo’ne Davis is not done playing baseball.
The former Little League phenom who at 13 became the first girl to pitch a victory — and a shutout — in the Little League World Series, will be one of more than 600 players to try out for the Women’s Professional Baseball League set to launch next year, the league said.
Davis will join other women’s baseball stars like Kelsie Whitmore, the first woman to sign a professional contract with an MLB-partnered league, at the tryouts, which will be held in Washington, D.C., from Aug. 22-25.
Davis will try out as a pitcher, as well as at second base, shortstop and center field, per the league.
The WPBL is aiming to launch in the summer of 2026 with six teams and would be the first U.S. pro league for women since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League — depicted in the classic film “A League of Their Own” — dissolved in 1954.
Motor sports
NASCAR’s oldest champ dies >> Rex White, who was NASCAR’s oldest living champion and a 2015 inductee into the Hall of Fame, has died. He was 95.
NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame confirmed White’s death on Friday. No additional details were provided.White won the 1960 Cup Series title and 28 Cup races in a career that spanned 233 starts across nine seasons. He led the final five laps of the 1958 season opener at Champion Speedway in Fayetteville, North Carolina, to earn his first career victory and scored 13 top-five finishes in 22 starts.
No Chicago Street Race next year >> NASCAR is pressing pause on its Chicago Street Race, answering at least one major question about its schedule for next season.
NASCAR raced on a street course in downtown Chicago on the first weekend in July each of the last three years. But it had a three-year contract with the city, leaving the future of the event in question.
Writing to Mayor Brandon Johnson on Friday, race president Julie Giese said the plan is to explore the potential of a new event weekend with his office and other community leaders while also working on a more efficient course build and breakdown.
NASCAR is replacing its Chicago stop with a street race in San Diego.
NBA
Clippers sign Beal >> The Los Angeles Clippers have signed guard Bradley Beal after the final two years of his contract were bought out by the Phoenix Suns earlier this week.
He averaged 17 points, 3.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 32.1 minutes while starting 38 of 53 games for the Suns last season. Beal shot 50% from the floor, 39% from 3-point range and 80% from the foul line.
The 32-year-old Beal is a three-time All-Star and 13-year NBA veteran.
MLB
pitcher Ortiz’s leave extended >> Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz will remain on non-disciplinary leave through Aug. 31 while he is the subject of a Major League Baseball gambling investigation.
Ortiz’s paid leave began on July 3 and was supposed to end on Friday before MLB and the MLB Players Association agreed to extend it.
The team can continue to have contact with Ortiz, but he can’t enter any of the Guardians’ facilities.
Marlins’ Norby to miss 6-to-8 weeks >> Miami Marlins third baseman Connor Norby will be sidelined for several weeks after having surgery on his wrist.
The procedure on Wednesday was to repair a broke hamate bone in his left wrist and was done by hand specialist Dr. Don Sheridan in Phoenix, the team said Friday. The recovery timeline is six to eight weeks.
NFL
Wilkins on PUP list >> The Las Vegas Raiders placed defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who experienced a significant setback earlier this year in his recovery from a broken foot, on the physically unable to perform list.
That means Wilkins will miss at least the beginning of training camp, which opens Wednesday. Because he was placed on the PUP list before practices began, the Raiders can activate Wilkins at any time during camp once medically cleared.