B2
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Saturday, April 3, 2021
MLB moving All-Star Game in response to voting restrictions
By RONALD BLUM
Associated Press
NEW YORK — Atlanta
lost Major League Base-
ball’s summer All-Star Game
on Friday over the league’s
objections to sweeping
changes to Georgia voting
laws that critics — including
the CEOs of Atlanta-based
Delta Air Lines and Coca-
Cola — have condemned as
being too restrictive.
The decision to pull the
July 13 game from Atlan-
ta’s Truist Park amounts
to the first economic back-
lash against Georgia for the
voting law that Republican
Gov. Brian Kemp quickly
signed into law March 25.
Kemp has insisted the
law’s critics have mischar-
acterized what it does, yet
GOP lawmakers adopted the
changes largely in response
to false claims of fraud in
the 2020 elections by former
President Donald Trump
and his supporters. The law
includes new restrictions on
voting by mail and greater
legislative control over how
elections are run.
MLB Commissioner Rob
Manfred made the decision
to move the All-Star events
and the amateur draft from
Atlanta after discussions with
the Major League Baseball
Players Association, indi-
John Bazemore/Associated Press, File
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred speaks on his phone as he watches a
spring training baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox on March 10,
2021, in Fort Myers, Fla.
vidual players and the Play-
ers Alliance, an organization
of Black players formed after
the death of George Floyd
last year, the commissioner
said in a statement. A new
ballpark for the events wasn’t
immediately revealed.
“I have decided that the
best way to demonstrate our
values as a sport is by relocat-
ing this year’s All-Star Game
and MLB draft,” Manfred
said. “Major League Base-
ball fundamentally supports
voting rights for all Ameri-
cans and opposes restrictions
to the ballot box.”
Kemp called it a “knee-
jerk decision” that means
“cancel culture and woke
political activists are coming
for every aspect of your life,
sports included. If the left
doesn’t agree with you, facts
and the truth do not matter.”
“This attack on our state
is the direct result of repeated
lies from (President) Joe
Biden and Stacey Abrams
about a bill that expands
access to the ballot box and
ensures the integrity of our
elections,” Kemp said in a
statement. “I will not back
down. Georgians will not be
bullied.”
Georgia state House
Speaker David Ralston,
a powerful Republican
who backed the voting law
changes, said the baseball
league’s decision “robs Geor-
gians of a special celebra-
tion of our national pastime
free of politics.” Like other
Republicans in the state, he
vowed to stand behind the
new law.
The new Georgia law adds
strict identification require-
ments for voting absentee
by mail, limits the use of
ballot drop boxes and makes
it a crime to hand out food
or water to voters waiting
in line, among many other
provisions. Georgia Repub-
licans say changes were
needed to maintain voter
confidence in the election
system.
Democrats and voting
rights groups say the law
will disproportionately affect
communities of color. On
Wednesday, two of Georgia’s
most prominent business
leaders sided with the law’s
opponents.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian
labeled the law “unaccept-
able,” while Coca-Cola chief
executive James Quincey
called the legislation a “step
backward.”
After MLB pulled the
All-Star Game out of Atlanta
on Friday, the Atlanta Braves
issued a statement saying the
team was disappointed.
“This was neither our
decision, nor our recommen-
dation and we are saddened
that fans will not be able to
see this event in our city,”
the team said. “The Braves
organization will continue
to stress the importance of
equal voting opportunities
and we had hoped our city
could use this event as a plat-
form to enhance the discus-
sion.”
Meanwhile, Abrams, who
has championed voting rights
since her narrow election loss
to Kemp in 2018, blasted the
new law. The Democrat is
being closely watched to see
if she seeks a rematch against
Kemp in 2022.
“Georgia Republicans
must renounce the terrible
damage they have caused to
our voting system and the
harm they have inflicted on
our economy,” Abrams said.
“Our corporate community
must get off the sidelines as
full partners in this fight.”
Atlanta Mayor Keisha
Lance Bottoms, a Democrat,
said she supports the MLB’s
decision. Atlanta will no
doubt share in the economic
loss, though the Braves’
home stadium is now located
outside the city, in suburban
Cobb County.
“ Un for t u nately, t he
removal of the MLB All-Star
Game from Georgia is likely
the first of many dominoes
to fall until the unneces-
sary barriers put in place to
restrict access to the ballot
box are removed,” Bottoms
said in a statement.
College: ‘This bill is about fairness’
SATURDAY, APRIL 3
Umatilla at Riverside, 5 p.m.
Continued from Page B1
Prep football
Heppner vs. Toledo at Redmond, 1 p.m.
Prep baseball
Chiawana at Hermiston (2), 4 p.m.
ruling that NCAA rules
violated anti-trust laws.
A cou r t r uli ng is
expected later this year.
Prep volleyball
Hood River Valley at Pendleton, 11 a.m.
Mitchell/Spray at Echo, 1 p.m.
Umatilla at Griswold, 1 p.m.
McLoughlin at Nixyaawii, 11 a.m.
Riverside at Irrigon, 1 p.m.
Weston-McEwen at Heppner, 4 p.m.
Prep boys tennis
Hanford at Hermiston, 4 p.m.
Prep girls soccer
Crook County at Pendleton, noon
Stanfield/Echo at Riverside, 1 p.m.
A ‘patchwork’ of rules
This isn’t Courtney’s first
rodeo on the issue. SB 5 is
nearly identical to Senate
Bill 1501, which Court-
ney introduced in Febru-
ary 2020. SB 1501 rolled
through the 2020 legislative
session, passing the Senate
24 to 5 a couple weeks after
it was introduced but stum-
bling near the end of the
political race. The bill didn’t
get a final vote before the
session adjourned in early
March 2020.
During public hearings,
Oregon university offi-
cials and athletes urged the
House Committee on Rules
to delay state action until
NCAA regulations on the
subject could be adopted.
Oregon State Univer-
sity gymnast Halli Briscoe,
OSU’s Student Athlete
Advisory Committee presi-
dent and chair of the Pac-12
Student-Athlete Leadership
Team, told the committee
action by states could lead
to a “patchwork” of rules for
athletes.
“I fear unintended conse-
quences including a patch-
work of inconsistent state
laws, unfair recruiting
BMCC:
Continued from Page B1
deter Hillmick from bring-
ing Perez aboard.
“I am super excited to see
what she can do,” he said. “I
think she will be absolutely
fantastic.”
Perez wasn’t the only one
excited about her playing
college soccer.
“My mom cried,” she
said.
An honor student, Perez
plans to major in educa-
tion, with a goal of teaching
elementary or middle school
students.
A family game
Gabriela Perez coached
her daughter from the time
ON THE SLATE
Prep boys soccer
Pendleton at Crook County, noon
Walla Walla at Hermiston, noon
College women’s soccer
Blue Mountain at Walla Walla, noon
MONDAY, APRIL 5
THURSDAY, APRIL 8
Prep football
Ione/Arlington at Pilot Rock, 7 p.m.
John Locher/Associated Press, File
she first put on soccer cleats
until middle school. In
return, Brianna watched
her mom play, learning the
game from the sidelines.
“I would go watch her
play,” Perez said of her mom.
“She was really good. She’s
played her whole life.”
When Irrigon announced
there would be no girls team
this year, Gabriela had no
problem with her daughter
playing on the boy’s team.
“She thought it was an
awesome idea,” Perez said.
“She said it was a good way
to improve my game.”
While mom and daughter
have honed their skills, it’s
Perez’s little brother Ethan
who could be the best of
them all.
“He’s 11 years old and
he’s very good,” Perez said.
College baseball
Spokane at Blue Mountain (2), 1 p.m.
PREP STANDINGS
Through games played April 1
2A BLUE MOUNTAIN
CONFERENCE
5A SPECIAL DISTRICT 1
Team
Pendleton
Redmond
Hood River Valley
Ridgeview
The Dalles
LaSalle Prep
Parkrose
Putnam
League
3-1
2-1
2-2
2-2
1-0
1-1
0-1
0-3
Overall
3-1
3-1
2-2
2-2
2-1
3-1
1-3
1-3
MID-COLUMBIA CONFERENCE
Team
Chiawana
Kamiakin
Kennewick
Richland
Walla Walla
Hermiston
Pasco
Hanford
Southridge
League
6-0
5-1
5-1
3-3
2-2
1-3
1-4
0-4
0-5
Overall
6-0
5-1
5-1
3-3
2-2
1-3
2-4
1-4
0-6
2A BLUE MOUNTAIN
CONFERENCE
Team
Heppner
Weston-McEwen
Umatilla
Grant Union
Stanfield
Irrigon
Riverside
League
4-0
2-1
2-3
1-2
1-2
0-1
0-1
Overall
4-0
3-1
2-3
2-2
2-2
0-3
0-2
1A SPECIAL DISTRICT 2
Team
Dufur
Wallowa
Pilot Rock
Powder Valley
Enterprise
Imbler
Crane
Elgin
Union
Cove
Ione/Arlington
League
3-0
2-1
2-1
1-0
1-1
1-1
1-2
0-0
0-1
0-2
0-2
Overall
4-0
2-1
2-2
3-1
1-1
1-2
1-3
0-1
0-1
0-2
0-3
1A SPECIAL DISTRICT 4 (6-MAN)
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Irrigon’s Brianna Perez makes a beeline for the ball to head
off Trinidad Mendoza, of Riverside, during a home game on
Thursday, April 1, 2021.
Team
League
South Wasco County 4-0
Joseph
3-0
Sherman/Condon
2-1
Dayville/Monument 1-0
Mitchell/Spray/Wheeler 1-3
Harper Charter
0-1
Prairie City
0-2
Echo
0-4
Overall
4-0
4-0
3-1
1-2
1-3
0-1
0-2
0-4
Ducks:
Continued from Page B1
at this time last year, albeit
for just four spring prac-
tices. He didn’t play last fall
and with Ashford getting
attention while playing
baseball, Brown returning
and the hype surrounding
he was really thin and the
weight room has certainly
paid off for him. It’s impres-
sive to watch him throw
the football with such ease.
He’s a guy who can throw it
from the hash to outside the
opposite numbers, which not
many guys can do that. He’s
very smart. He’s very accu-
rate. Hard worker. Another
guy that’s tough.”
Ashford is splitting time
with UO baseball where he
is in a rotation in center field.
Cristobal said the former
four-star prospect made a
jump academically from the
fall to winter and it’s carry-
ing over on the field.
“He’s an exceptional
competitor,” Cristobal said.
“I look forward to seeing
more.”
League
8-1
7-1
5-4
3-5
2-7
1-8
Overall
11-3
10-2
8-5
3-7
2-8
2-10
3A EASTERN OREGON LEAGUE
Team
Burns
Vale
Irrigon
Riverside
Umatilla
Nyssa
League
3-0
2-2
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-3
League
5-0
3-2
1-0
0-1
0-1
0-2
0-3
Overall
7-1
4-5
8-1
7-3
2-5
5-5
2-8
1A BIG SKY LEAGUE
Team
League
Condon
7-1
Echo
7-1
Sherman
5-3
South Wasco County 4-1
Dufur
3-1
Ione/Arlington
3-5
Lyle/Wishram
2-1
Trout Lake
1-3
Mitchell/Spray
1-5
Glenwood/Klickitat 0-4
Bickleton 0-8
0-8
Overall
7-1
7-2
5-3
4-5
5-4
3-5
2-1
1-4
1-6
0-4
1A OLD OREGON LEAGUE
Team
Imbler
Joseph
Wallowa
Cove
Powder Valley
Nixyaawii
Griswold
Elgin
Pine Eagle
League
4-1
1-0
1-1
1-3
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-2
Overall
4-3
6-1
5-3
2-5
8-0
7-3
2-7
1-1
0-5
PREP GIRLS SOCCER
5A INTERMOUNTAIN
CONFERENCE
Team
Redmond
Ridgeview
The Dalles/Dufur
Hood River Valley
Crook County
Pendleton
League
3-0-2
2-1-2
2-1-1
1-0-3
0-2-0
0-4-0
Overall
6-1-2
5-5-2
4-3-1
2-4-3
0-4-0
0-8-0
3A/2A/1A SPECIAL DISTRICT 6
Team
Riverside
Nyssa
Umatilla
Stanfield/Echo
Four Rivers
League
2-0-0
2-0-0
0-1-0
0-1-0
0-2-0
Overall
6-2-0
5-1-0
1-2-3
0-4-2
0-7-0
5A INTERMOUNTAIN
CONFERENCE
5A INTERMOUNTAIN
CONFERENCE
Team
Ridgeview
Crook County
Pendleton
Hood River Valley
The Dalles
Redmond
Team
Heppner
Grant Union
Union
Weston McEwen
Enterprise
Pilot Rock
Stanfield
PREP BOYS SOCCER
PREP VOLLEYBALL
Thompson, Butterfield
has gotten lost in the shuf-
fle to some on the outside.
However, Cristobal made it
clear it’s not that way inside
the program.
“He is certainly not flying
under the radar in practice
because he’s doing a great
job,” Cristobal said. “He’s
talented. He’s a big guy.
When we recruited him,
Prep volleyball
Ione/Arlington at Mitchell/Spray, 5 p.m.
Pilot Rock at Weston-McEwen, 5 p.m.
Prep track and field
Hanford at Hermiston, noon
PREP FOOTBALL
their own name on it. It’s
time that their contributions
are recognized in a substan-
tial way.”
If it had been approved,
Courtney’s SB 1501 would
have taken effect in 2023 to
give the NCAA time to draft
national rules. His SB 5,
however, includes an emer-
gency clause, meaning that
if approved, it would go into
effect the day it’s signed.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7
College women’s soccer
Blue Mountain at Columbia Basin Col-
lege, 2 p.m.
TUESDAY, APRIL 6
Prep boys soccer
Hermiston at Richland, 7 p.m.
“This bill is about fair-
ness,” Courtney said in
late February 2020. “These
student-athletes give every-
thing to their school and
their sport. They create
revenue for their school
through sold-out stadiums
and increased enrollment.
But these athletes don’t get
a dime of that money. They
don’t even get a percentage
of the sales of jerseys with
College women’s basketball
Wenatchee Valley at Blue Mountain,
5:30 p.m.
Prep volleyball
Sherman at Echo, 5:30 p.m.
Ione/Arlington at Griswold, 5 p.m.
Heppner at Stanfield, 5 p.m.
Pilot Rock at Grant Union, 4 p.m.
Prep girls soccer
Umatilla at Riverside, 3 p.m.
and competitive advan-
tages, difficulty monitoring
compensation, inequitable
treatment of female athletes
and the exploitation of
athletes by profession and
commercial enterprises,”
Briscoe said during a Febru-
ary 2020 public hearing.
Courtney, who testified
before the House commit-
tee, said SB 1501 was “long
overdue.”
College men’s basketball
Wenatchee Valley at Blue Mountain,
7:30 p.m.
College men’s soccer
Blue Mountain at Columbia Basin Col-
lege, 4:15 p.m.
Prep golf
Hermiston at Walla Walla, noon
Oregon’s Nyara Sabally (1) shoots over Oregon State’s Taya Corosdale (5) during the first
half of an NCAA college basketball game in the second round of the Pac-12 women’s tour-
nament on March 4, 2021, in Las Vegas.
Prep girls tennis
Hanford at Hermiston, 4 p.m.
Overall
10-1
4-6
6-4
2-8
1-6
3-6
Team
Hood River Valley
Ridgeview
The Dalles/Dufur
Pendleton
Crook County
Redmond
League
5-0-1
4-1-0
3-2-1
1-3-0
0-3-0
0-4-0
Overall
5-2-1
6-3-0
4-3-1
1-4-0
0-6-0
1-7-0
3A/2A/1A SPECIAL DISTRICT 6
Team
Nyssa
Riverside
Umatilla
Irrigon
Four Rivers
League
1-0-1
0-0-0
0-0-0
0-0-0
0-1-1
Overall
2-4-1
5-2-1
3-3-0
0-7-0
0-5-2