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President Donald Trump supported President Vladimir Putin’s idea to organize hockey games between the U.S. and Russia during their phone call on Tuesday, according to a summary released by the Kremlin.

According to the Russian government, Trump and Putin discussed “hockey matches in the USA and Russia between Russian and American players playing in the NHL and KHL,” which is Russia’s professional hockey league.

“We have just become aware of the conversation between President Trump and President Putin,” the NHL said in a statement to ESPN. “Obviously, we were not a party to those discussions and it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time.”

The NHL and KHL have played exhibition games in the past. In 2008, the New York Rangers faced Metallurg Magnitogorsk in Switzerland as part of the short-lived Victoria Cup in Europe. In 2010, the NHL had two games against KHL teams as part of its “Premiere Challenge” series, as the Carolina Hurricanes faced SKA Saint Petersburg in Russia and the Phoenix Coyotes took on Dinamo Riga in Latvia.

The NHL’s relationship with Russia changed dramatically after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The league suspended its dealings with the KHL in March 2022, instructing teams to cease contact with KHL teams and with agents based in Russia. It also terminated its broadcast agreement with Russian television.

Russia has been frozen out of the hockey world since its invasion of Ukraine. It was banned, along with Belarus, from international hockey tournaments by the International Ice Hockey Federation since 2022. That ban was extended last month through the 2025-26 season, citing security concerns.

“As the current security conditions do not allow the necessary requirements for the organization of tournaments guaranteeing the safety of all, the IIHF must maintain the current status quo until further notice,” the IIHF said in a statement.

That ban would carry through the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, which is scheduled to have NHL players’ participation for the first time since 2014. Despite the IIHF’s ruling, the International Olympic Committee will have the final decision on Russia and Belarus participating in the Games and under what conditions.

Trump recently made hockey headlines by calling Team USA on the morning of their NHL 4 Nations Face-Off championship game in Boston to wish them luck. The U.S. lost in overtime to rival Canada 3-2.

That tournament became politically charged thanks in part to Trump’s tariff plans impacting the Canadian economy and his statements about making Canada “the 51st state,” leading to the countries’ respective national anthems being booed during games.

“Canada needed a win, and the players beared that on their shoulders. They took it seriously,” Team Canada coach Jon Cooper said. “This one was different. This wasn’t a win for themselves. This was a win for 40-plus million people. The guys knew it and they delivered.”

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1939 baseball HOF program nets record $315K

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1939 baseball HOF program nets record 5K

A program from the first National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 1939 signed by all 11 living inductees at the time has sold via Lelands Auctions for just over $315,000. It’s the most ever paid for a program, beating out the $241,500 paid for a 1903 World Series program in 2011.

The Baseball Hall of Fame program is believed to be the only ever signed by all the living inductees present at the event: Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb (who signed the program twice), Walter Johnson, Honus Wager, Cy Young, Tris Speaker, Grover Alexander, Nap Lajoie, George Sisler, Eddie Collins and Connie Mack. The program is also signed by Hall of Famers Mel Ott, Lefty Grove and Johnny Vander Meer, among others.

The consignor’s parents, who were engaged at the time, attended the ceremony on June 12, 1939. They both purchased a program and tried to obtain as many signatures as they could, and the consignor’s mother obtained the autographs of all the living inductees.

“My mother and her fiancé wanted to collect all the autographs of the living HOF players while at the opening of the HOF,” wrote the consignor, whose name wasn’t disclosed. “She got autographs from all except for Ty Cobb who was late. In fact he missed the famous photograph with all the other inductees.”

The consignor went on to write that his mother waited for Cobb, who agreed to give his autograph only if he could have a kiss.

“She gave him a kiss on the cheek, but as she pulled away, he kissed her,” the consignor wrote. “When signing, he said ‘Well, since I got two kisses, I’ll sign it twice.’ Thus the ‘Double Ty’ signature.”

The program includes a letter of authenticity, verifying the veracity of the signatures, by grader and authenticator Professional Sports Authenticator.

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Cubs to give struggling Tucker days off to reset

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Cubs to give struggling Tucker days off to reset

CHICAGO — Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker is likely to get multiple days off after going 0-for-4 in Game 1 of a doubleheader Monday, manager Craig Counsell announced after his team’s 7-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Tucker, 28, has struggled mightily this month, hitting .160 with zero extra-base hits. He was booed after each of his final three at-bats in Game 1, including two weak groundouts and a popup to left field. He also grounded out in his first at-bat.

“The fans are frustrated, and Kyle is frustrated,” Counsell said after the game. “When you make outs, it doesn’t look good. He’s trying. It’s just not clicking. We’re going to have to take a step back here, just give him some days off to reset him, hopefully.”

Players aren’t available to speak between doubleheaders, so Tucker couldn’t comment on the decision. He hasn’t homered since July 19 and has just four extra-base hits since July 1.

“He’s frustrated, and we’re not coming up with solutions for him and he’s not coming up with solutions,” Counsell said. “Sometimes, you have to take some steps back to go forward again.”

Overall, Tucker is hitting .261 with an .821 OPS, but his ground ball rate has skyrocketed in August. It’s 53.7%, 17th highest among qualified hitters, according to ESPN Research. Entering the month, he ranked ninth lowest in ground ball rate.

“It’s not for lack of effort on the coaching side or Kyle’s side,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said before the game. “He hasn’t slugged in quite a while. The ball is not in the air. The exit velos aren’t high. A lot of it is mechanical. If you look at his swing early in the year, as opposed to now, it’s less connected, therefore less powerful.”

Tucker jammed his right ring finger in early June, an injury that could have impacted the grip on his swing and subsequently his mechanics, but he insists that’s not an issue. The eight-year veteran will be a free agent after this season.

“He’s too good a player for it not to click,” Hoyer said. “He’s going to get hot again. Hopefully, it’s a torrid-hot streak like it was in April.”

That streak won’t begin at least for a few games as Tucker will continue to work behind the scenes to find solutions while getting a mental reset. Meanwhile, Cubs starter Cade Horton left Game 1 in the third inning because of a blister issue, but he said he thinks he’ll make his next start.

“It’s nothing crazy,” Horton said.

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Phils’ Wheeler undergoes surgery; timeline unclear

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Phils' Wheeler undergoes surgery; timeline unclear

PHILADELPHIA — Phillies ace Zack Wheeler had surgery Monday to remove a blood clot in his upper right arm, and the team says a timeline for his recovery remains unknown.

Manager Rob Thomson acknowledged the uncertainty, saying, “We don’t know,” when asked whether Wheeler would pitch again this season, or if the situation was career-threatening.

The Phillies said Wheeler underwent a thrombolysis procedure by Dr. Paul DiMuzio at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

Wheeler, 35, a three-time All-Star who leads the majors with 195 strikeouts, was placed on the injured list Saturday after experiencing worsening shoulder “heaviness” following his start in Washington the previous night.

His condition fell under the realm of thoracic outlet syndrome, a known risk for overhead-throwing athletes, where compressed blood vessels or nerves near the neck can lead to clot formation.

Treatment options vary depending on the root cause. In addition to clot-dissolving procedures, athletes often undergo extended blood thinner therapy — spanning months — or even rib resection surgery to prevent recurrence, with high return-to-play rates in cases where such interventions are successful.

Meanwhile, the Phillies are left without the anchor of their rotation with six weeks to go in the regular season. The National League East leaders are leaning on a group of pitchers, including Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, Taijuan Walker and Jesús Luzardo, to fill the void. Aaron Nola, who missed three months because of ankle and rib injuries, returned to the rotation on Sunday.

“You could always rely on [Wheeler] every fifth day, but at the same time, I have confidence in our entire rotation,” Thomson said. “As tough as it is to lose Zack, I feel really good about our staff. I really do.”

In 24 starts this season, Wheeler is 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA. He has thrown at least 192 innings in three of the previous four seasons.

Beyond the immediate baseball implications, teammates have rallied around Wheeler.

“He’s the heart of this team, the heart of the staff … you never want to see it,” reliever Matt Strahm said, emphasizing that Wheeler’s health is everyone’s priority.

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