DYERSVILLE, Iowa — Mike Schmidt was among the first to appear.
After the modern-day Phillies and Twins had emerged from the cornfields in right field, had crossed the grass, and lined up along the baselines, they turned back to look.
A steady stream of Hall of Famers from across multiple generations had followed them out of the stalks. Ahead of Thursday’s Field of Dreams game, it was a nod to the scene in the 1989 film where ghostly versions of the 1919 White Sox materialize between rows of corn and walk on a ball field built by Kevin Costner’s Ray Kinsella. Only instead of ghosts, these were living legends.
A group of 26 Hall of Famers took part in the ceremony, including Schmidt and fellow former Phillies Steve Carlton, Jim Thome, Billy Wagner, Scott Rolen, Jim Kaat, Tony Pérez, and Ferguson Jenkins.
“I felt like I was in a movie,” Schmidt said. “I’m looking around at the guys, and I didn’t want to get too far ahead. I was behind them. You know, I really felt like I was Joe Jackson or something walking on the field.”
While they waited for the ceremony to start, ballplayers past and present had milled about together in the clearing beyond the corn.
Interim manager Don Mattingly saw many old friends. Brandon Marsh was starstruck by his childhood idol, former Brave Andruw Jones. Kyle Schwarber reunited with some former Cubs who visited spring training during his time in Chicago, and he made some new connections as well.
“It was really cool to us, a lot of the guys that I haven’t gotten to meet before, just to shake their hands and introduce who I am and say how big of fans we are of them,” Schwarber said. “These guys all laid the groundwork for us before we even thought about playing baseball, or while we were growing up.”
It was an equally special experience for the old-timers to witness the new generation, and see who might be following in their footsteps.
“It’s kind of almost like a passing of the torch,” said former Twins catcher Joe Mauer. “Those guys on the first and third baselines, maybe a few of them join this group.
“That’s why I think the game is so special. They honor the traditions, the people that have come before you and made an impact on this game, and we hope to leave an imprint on the game and make it better than when you found it.”
Thome’s 18-year-old son Landon was just selected 34th overall by the White Sox in the MLB draft last month. Jim has been spending time with him celebrating that milestone, but couldn’t pass up an opportunity to be a part of a game like Thursday’s, especially considering that his Hall of Fame career included stints in Minnesota and Philadelphia.
“The word for me is thankful,” Thome said. “Thankful for being able to be in this great fraternity with really special men.”
Thome, a Midwest native from Peoria, Ill., attended the inaugural MLB at Field of Dreams game between the White Sox and Yankees in 2021. He played catch with Landon by the cornfields, and then they watched the game together.
He never foresaw a moment like the one on Thursday when he passed through the stalks with fellow all-time greats walking next to him.
“In your career, you have moments where it kind of feels like things slow down,” Thome said. “It felt like you just kind of strolled out with these great players, and it just kind of slowed down.”
The gathering of 26 is believed to be the most Hall of Famers together at one game since the 2008 All-Star Game, which brought together 49 at Yankee Stadium. It accounted for just over one-third of all living members enshrined in Cooperstown.
“The one constant through all the years, Ray,” James Earl Jones’ character, Terence Mann, says in the movie, “has been baseball.”
Byron Buxton, addressing the crowd with a microphone alongside Schwarber during the pregame festivities, referenced that line to prompt the baseball legends to step through the corn.
“I guess to sum it all up,” Schmidt said, “is if I could see my father walk through the cornfields, I tell you what, I’d love to play catch with him.”
DYERSVILLE, Iowa — They wandered in from the corn, paused for a beat at the right field warning track, gazed around, and kept walking. Soon, 26 — 26! — Hall of Famers joined them on the field.
But that was the performative, made-for-Netflix part.
If only everybody could have seen them hours earlier, before the cameras rolled here Thursday night. A few hundred feet from a refurbished 8,000-seat stadium, the Phillies stood on the original Field of Dreams, the one that sits alongside the white farmhouse and tilted red barn and was the set of the 1989 Oscar-nominated film that brings people to this little Iowa town in the first place.
Andrew Painter and his parents walked the outfield made famous by Costner and Liotta. Bryce Harper and Bryson Stott took pictures in front of the house. Brandon Marsh maneuvered between the cornstalks. Don Mattingly had a catch with his 11-year-old son, Louie, near his older son, Preston, the Phillies’ general manager.
And for a few minutes, nobody talked about back-to-back losses this week in St. Louis. Or five losses in eight games. Or a 10-15 record since the All-Star break. Or a playoff spot that is slipping through their fingers.
For a few minutes, they all smiled. They … relaxed.
“I don’t think our guys have a problem relaxing, honestly,” Mattingly said. “But I do think guys like coming to these kind of games. They do break up the monotony. You know, this is a game you don’t really forget.”
But it was a game nonetheless. And before the end of a long day that started in St. Louis and ended on a plane to Minneapolis, Kyle Schwarber homered twice — including a leadoff shot into the corn, as if it had been ordered up by a Hollywood script — in an easy, breezy 7-1 victory over the Twins.
Schwarber played a prominent role in the pregame script. He took the microphone and joined Twins star Byron Buxton in announcing the arrival of the Hall of Famers, who also entered through the corn.
Then, Schwarber stood alongside Mattingly on the first-base line and kibitzed about the legends in their midst.
“Molly’s out there and I’m like, ‘This guy could really hit,’” Mattingly said of Paul Molitor. “And he knew Hawk [Andre Dawson] from Chicago a little bit, and I knew him from Miami. A lot of the guys, I played with. So, it was interesting to be able to talk about that.”
Schwarber went further, calling it “once in a lifetime.” And once the unscripted part of the event began, he hit Twins starter Taj Bradley’s third pitch out to right field.
While Schwarber looked authentic in the Phillies’ gray, red, and navy 1939 throwback uniforms, Aaron Nola threw it back to a time when the Phillies relied on him atop their rotation. He’s more of a supporting actor now, but the Phillies still need him down the stretch.
And in five solid innings, Nola gave up only a homer to Luke Keaschall. Don’t look now, but he has a 2.91 ERA in his last four starts and has allowed three runs or less in seven of his last eight.
Schwarber made it 5-1 in the fourth inning with a two-run shot off a leaping Keaschall’s glove in right field. Marsh homered in the seventh.
Kyle Schwarber celebrates his two-run homer — his second of the game — with Brandon Marsh in the fourth inning on Thursday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
It all came at the end of a 14-game stretch without a day off. There were times when the bullpen was fried and the lineup didn’t produce runs. The Phillies woke up Thursday in a tie with the Diamondbacks for the last National League wild-card spot.
There was a sense, then, that this Iowa excursion — a “pop-in and pop-out,” as Mattingly called it — couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Actually, it was quite the opposite.
“Maybe the boys needed a little shock like today,” Marsh said. “Really didn’t get to get our routines in. Not complaining, but it was just a quick day, a lot of stuff going on. Maybe the boys needed it.
“We haven’t been playing, like J.T. [Realmuto] said, our brand of baseball that we talk about here. Hopefully today, that’s a little spark for us to turn it on for this push.”
Indeed, sometimes the best way to break out of a rut is to change the routine of a six-month grind. So, the Phillies flew into nearby Dubuque a few hours before the game and took a bus to the Field of Dreams site. They took it all in. The entire front office met them here, too, with owner John Middleton sitting behind home plate.
Even Nola walked around the field with Zack Wheeler and pitching coach Caleb Cotham before studying the scouting report on the Twins.
“We were talking about just how the experience was from when we got here, having the opportunity to go over to the movie set, walk around, see it,” Schwarber said. “We all watched the movie as kids growing up, so it’s really cool to be able to see exactly where it was.
“It’s a unique thing to do, and it’s something that you’re going to bring up to your kids. I’m going to watch that movie together with my kids one day, and to be able to say, ‘Hey, dad got to play there,’ or, ‘Dad got to, you see that house out there in this movie,’ it’ll be really cool.”
Brandon Marsh watches his seventh-inning two-run home run on Thursday.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Wait until Schwarber tells his kids about hitting two homers in front of more than two dozen Hall of Famers.
And maybe even giving the skidding Phillies a jump-start.
“It’s kind of a little pinch, right? A little reality pinch,” Schwarber said. “Overall, just an unbelievable experience. And obviously we’re happy we walked away with a win.”
The reason Jeff Hartman drove from Reamstown, Pa., to watch the 126th U.S. Amateur Championship was pretty simple.
“Because it’s Merion,” he said.
Spectators from all over the country and of different ages lined the fairways and followed the action on Thursday at Merion Golf Club during the Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches.
The United States Golf Association expects 20,000 attendees will come to Merion throughout the week. For many fans, the main draw is to walk the iconic course and experience a championship tournament with no ropes.
Unlike professional tournaments, the U.S. Amateur gives spectators a rare opportunity to be close to the players. Fans are encouraged to walk the fairways alongside the competitors, which creates a more intimate experience for them. That was part of the main attraction for Hartman.
“You can get closer to the players, and it’s kind of neat walking along the fairways behind them,” he said.
Hartman, an avid fan of the sport, attended the 1981 U.S. Open, as well as the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion when Justin Rose won his first major championship. He also made the trip for the 2022 Curtis Cup, also held at Merion.
“It’s a beautiful place, with such deep history,” he said. “It’s almost peaceful.”
The Merion Golf Club looking out the fairway of the fifth hole at the 126th U.S. Amateur Championship.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Spectators posed for photos on the 18th fairway where the plaque of Ben Hogan’s famous 1-iron shot lies, and they even had a chance to speak with Charles Barkley, who was watching the action on the 13th green.
Lugianocontinues surprise run
The Round of 32 and Round of 16 were decided on Thursday.
In the morning matches, Jackson Township, Pa., native Michael Lugiano won 1-up against Nevill Ruiter.
A back-and-forth afternoon match in the Round of 16 had Lugiano heading into the 17th hole tied with rising BYU freshman Drake Harvey.
Lugiano parred the 186-yard par-3 on 17, while Harvey bogeyed. Lugiano secured the 1-up win on 18 to advance to the quarterfinals on Friday at 2 p.m. against Logan Reilly.
“If you’d asked me two weeks ago where I was going to be, I was thinking about withdrawing from this event,” Lugiano said. “That’s how bad of golf I was playing. After the Western, I was sick of playing bad, and I got to work, found a feel, and really worked hard on it for that week coming into this event, [and] decided to eventually play because I got confident with my game again. I can’t believe I’ve made it this far from my perspective two weeks ago.”
Jackson Township, Pa., native Michael Lugiano advanced to the quarterfinals on Friday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Liberty teammates, including medalist Joshua Ryan, who Lugiano is staying with this week, followed his match and greeted him with high-fives and hugs after the win.
“Having all the people out here, it’s great,” Lugiano said. “It’s not nerve-wracking at all. It’s just really nice to have the support.”
Reilly, a rising sophomore at Auburn who was a member of the 2026 NCAA Division I National Championship team, won his Round of 16 match on the 20th hole against Ryder Cowan, a rising senior at Oklahoma University. Cowan shared low amateur honors at the U.S. Open in June with Miles Russell.
The crowds at Merion fueled Reilly to finish strong down the stretch.
“I think it’s so cool to have all those people out there,” Reilly said. “It’s kind of what I grew up dreaming about is playing with big crowds. I love everyone getting loud and kind of rowdy out there. The more people out there and the more cameras, it means something is going well.”
Carter Loflin advanced to the quarterfinals after winning his match on the 19th hole with local caddie Jack Hopkins, who has worked at Merion for 35 years, on the bag. Loflin was 2-up heading into the 17th hole, but William Jennings parred on 17 and 18 to tie the match and take it to extra holes. Loflin birdied the 19th hole to take the win.
“Thirty-six holes on this golf course is just so draining,” he said. “It’s not like a normal test just because there’s so much you have to think about. Eighteen holes is a lot out here. Thirty-six is a different beast, and I kind of experienced that today.”
Despite entering Thursday night’s match with a small chance to qualify for the knockout rounds of the Leagues Cup, the Union were eliminated from the tournament after suffering a 2-0 loss to Liga MX’s Santos Laguna at Subaru Park.
Ramiro Sordo gave Santos Laguna the lead in the 48th minute, and Ezequiel Bullaude added a second in the 51st.
The Union were not yet mathematically eliminated before Thursday, but would have needed to run up the score against Santos Laguna and hope for favorable outcomes elsewhere.
Ryan Richter’s lineup prioritized rest for his top players over remaining in the competition. Geiner Martínez, Ben Bender, Jeremy Rafanello and Stas Korzeniowski all saw the pitch for the first time since the FIFA World Cup break, and Union II defender Rafael Uzcátegui made his first appearance with the club’s first team.
“We would have needed to win by four goals,” Richter said after the match. “That is something that we’re capable of, but not many games are going to go exactly that way. If you push for that, win 3-0, and you don’t get it, that leaves you tired on Sunday.”
Santos Laguna’s Salvador Mariscal was shown a yellow card in the 25th minute for a hard foul on Agustín Anello. Kevin Picón earned another yellow a minute later for a foul on Jesús Bueno.
The game slogged through a 20-minute stretch without a shot, as neither team challenged the net between Union misses in the 22nd and 44th.
Sordo opened the scoring with a header in the 48th minute, beating Andrew Rick to his right post.
Bullaude found the net three minutes later, getting on the end of a cross that rolled through the penalty area.
Despite playing with a rotated lineup, Richter said he was disappointed in his team’s effort against the Mexican side.
The Union’s Stas Korzeniowski (left) made a surprise start on Thursday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
“We attack these games to win, and that’s how I’m going to approach every single week,” Richter said. “No matter who’s playing, or if we’re rotating the squad, or what the situation is. This is the mentality that we have to have. That’s what I’m disappointed from tonight. I didn’t see that fire at the end of the game that I saw in the last few weeks.”
Trailing, Richter made a series of changes in the 59th minute. The Union’s interim manager brought on Alejandro Bedoya and Malik Jakupovic for Bueno and Korzeniowski.
Martínez checked out of the game in the 66th minute and was replaced by Finn Sundstrom. Martínez was checked by doctors after a collision inside the 18-yard box in the 59th, but he returned to play. However, he was escorted off the field by medical staff minutes after he returned.
“Normally, when you have to come out with a head injury, that’s not great,” Richter said after the match. “Hopefully he’s OK, and if it is something, then it’s something minor, but we’ll get the answer on that tonight or tomorrow.”
The Union’s Geiner Martínez left the game with what appeared to be a head injury.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Kellan LeBlanc made his debut for the Union’s first team, coming off the bench for Anello in the 76th minute.
Sundstrom was shown a yellow card in the 84th minute, and Franco Pardo was cautioned in the 86th minute. Japhet Sery Larsen earned the game’s final yellow card in the 90th.
Up next …
The Union will return to MLS play with a match at Yankee Stadium against New York City FC on Sunday (6 p.m., Apple TV).
DYERSVILLE, Iowa — Long before he was a major league manager, even before all the Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers and MVP awards, Don Mattingly was a kid playing baseball in Indiana.
One of the ballparks he played in with his brothers, growing up in Evansville, was down a dirt road surrounded by cornfields. And he couldn’t help but be reminded of it as the Phillies filed off their bus Thursday afternoon in Dyersville, Iowa, at the site of their Field of Dreams game.
Beyond center field of the ballpark where the Phillies took on the Twins, past rows upon rows of corn stalks is the actual set used to film the 1989 movie. The Phillies wandered around the site with their families and friends before the game, exploring the field, bleachers, and house that are all iconic parts of the film.
“Just kind of seeing the house and making sure when I crossed over the chalk line, I didn’t turn into a normal human being,” Bryce Harper said. “Seeing just all of it. Just really cool to be able to be part of it, and be here, and enjoy it.”
Bryson Stott watched the movie with his wife during the Phillies’ last homestand. He’d seen it before, but the latest viewing had a bit more significance knowing the game was on the horizon.
“I paid attention to the little stuff that’s going on, and just trying to see what I would be able to see here, knowing that we’re coming here,” Stott said.
Phillies outfielder Derek Hill, a Des Moines native, takes a photo on the Field of Dreams movie site. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The movie Field of Dreams itself is as much about fathers and sons as it is about baseball. Kevin Costner’s Ray Kinsella builds the ballpark as a way to connect with his late father’s passion for the game. Their relationship is a main thread throughout, and culminates with Kinsella playing a game of catch with a younger version of his father.
For some players, the logistics of having just one game in Iowa were too complicated to bring their families along for the experience. But not for Mattingly, who shares a workplace with his son Preston, the Phillies general manager. He was also be able to bring along his youngest son, 11-year-old Louie.
The Mattingly trio took a photo together on the field pregame. Don and Louie also played a game of catch, just like Ray and his father did in the movie.
“It’s just been a cool dynamic overall to work alongside of [Preston] and be a part of that,” Don Mattingly said. “And then just my little one just being around. Times have changed for kids and families at ballparks and things like that, during BP. And that change is for the better. Your kids get to hang out in the locker room and just be around the guys. It’s been a good experience.”
The Phillies’ Brandon Marsh walks through the cornfield separating the movie site baseball field with the one they played on Thursday night.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Despite all the fanfare, however, the Phillies are aware that the game isn’t an exhibition. Both teams are in the midst of a wild-card race, and are looking to turn things around after a substandard recent performance.
The Phillies had lost six of their last eight series out of the All-Star break and entered Thursday tied with the Diamondbacks for the final wild-card spot. Since Arizona has the tiebreaker, the Phillies have fallen out of playoff position for the first time since early June.
“We know we have to win games, especially now and coming down the stretch,” Stott said. “It breaks it up in a sense where we’re not in Minnesota for three games, but we’re still playing the Twins three times, and got to win some games. And we’re going to try to enjoy being here, but also the main thing is to win the game.”
Phillies coaches stand on the porch of the farmhouse from “Field of Dreams.” Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Extra bases
The Phillies added outfielder Kameron Misner to the roster as the additional player permitted for Thursday’s Field of Dreams game. Misner was acquired in a July trade with the Kansas City Royals in exchange for cash considerations. In 75 games at the triple-A level across both organizations, the left-handed hitter has a .272/.371/.529 slash line. … Catcher Rafael Marchán (left knee patellar tendinitis) began a rehab assignment for triple-A Lehigh Valley Thursday. … Following Friday’s off day, Jesús Luzardo (10-5, 3.32 ERA) is scheduled to start against Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp (3-5,4.79) at Target Field.
The march toward the 2026-27 season has been unlike any other in 76ers history. In one offseason, the organization hired Mike Gansey as president of basketball operations, traded for Jaylen Brown, and signed LeBron James.
That series of events has created quite a bit of excitement in Philly. Ticket prices were jacked up at Xfinity Mobile Arena. James murals went up all over town. And fans were riled up after a slimmed-down Joel Embiid arrived to informal workouts in midseason shape.
That predated Thursday’s release of the Sixers’ full-season schedule. We’d been given a look at marquee games, including opening week and Christmas Day. Now with the full schedule in front of us, here are 10 games to watch from one of the more-anticipated Sixers seasons in recent memory:
The NBA has leaned into this rivalry in recent years for several reasons. The ‘Nova Knicks have numerous Philly connections, and these franchises had failed to reach the mountaintop for decades. That finally changed for the Knicks in June after knocking off the Sixers in the Eastern Conference semifinals as part of their NBA championship run. Now the Sixers have formed a “Big Five″ and could turn the tide. A matchup on ring night and another on Oct. 30 could deliver an early postseason matchup.
Home opener against Cleveland (Oct. 22, ESPN)
Folks in Philly will get their first regular-season glimpse of the new-look Sixers as James faces one of his former teams. This meeting will have a little extra sauce after James considered the Cavaliers in free agency and did not pick home in his “final decision.” The Cavaliers have the continuity advantage after they doubled down on their roster with Donovan Mitchell signing a big extension and former Sixer James Harden expected to re-sign this summer.
Tyrese Maxey (left), new teammate Jaylen Brown, and the Sixers will first face Boston on Nov. 10 at home.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brown’s first game against Boston (Nov. 10, NBC10)
There has been no love lost between Brown and the Celtics since he was traded to the Sixers on July 1. Brown still is coming to grips with the separation after spending the first 10 years of his career in Boston. Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes issues from his tenure there have started to emerge, as he and Jayson Tatum have carried on a cold war of sorts in the media and Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens struggles to explain the deal that netted an aging Paul George. Brown, fresh off his “favorite season” as the centerpiece in Boston, will need to learn to fit into a star-studded Sixers roster. But he’ll likely take center stage in this matchup.
Embiid returns to Houston after last season’s appendicitis (Nov. 28)
This game takes on significance for several reasons, chiefly Embiid’s return to Houston for the first time since he underwent an emergency appendectomy in April. That surgery was one in a long line of ill-timed Embiid injuries. Finally on a team with tangible title hopes, Embiid’s quest to stay healthy has never been more important.
Ownership weirdness aside, the Lakers still are one of the NBA’s cornerstone franchises. It’s the reason James chose them in 2018 when he last entertained changing teams. It’s the reason he made waves this summer when he declared his intention to leave the West Coast. Before that public divorce, the Lakers already appeared to be trending in another direction with Luka Dončić on a max deal, and Austin Reaves signed to another contract extension this offseason. Even at 41 years old, James will have extra motivation on Christmas Day in LA.
Sixers’ second meeting with Miami (Jan. 8, ESPN)
The Sixers’ and Miami Heat’s first matchup this season is Nov. 25. But with new rosters on both sides, they still will be figuring things out at that stage. This Jan. 8 meeting will be the real matchup. By then, James, Brown, and new Heat star Giannis Antetokounmpo will have had time meshing with their new rosters and figuring out life in new cities. The East is a gauntlet, and these franchises are part of what has altered the conference.
The Sixers will visit Giannis Antetokounmpo (right) and the Heat in January.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Brown returns to Boston (Jan. 21, Prime)
Brown’s news conference was a sign he intends to put down real roots in Philly. He also connected with Boston and will hold a block party later this month to put a bow on his tenure there. Celtics fans had plenty of reasons to love Brown, who helped deliver a title in 2024 and was Finals MVP. But then Brown will have to flip the switch and remember that he now plays for the team he was “programmed to hate.”
Game against OKC, McCain (Feb. 13, Prime)
The Sixers’ seismic offseason started with one February transaction. Jared McCain was sent to the Thunder at the February trade deadline, which likely spelled the end of Daryl Morey’s time in town. His trade was considered the linchpin that led to Gansey being hired, the trade for Brown, and the signing of James. Still, McCain remains well-liked in Philly, and his Thunder will serve as a crucial test for the Sixers right before the All-Star break.
One of the best performances of Embiid’s career came against one of the best defenders in NBA history. Embiid scored 70 points against then-rookie Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 22, 2024. It also was one of the final times Embiid looked fully healthy. He suffered a meniscus injury about a week later and underwent left knee surgery. Embiid’s health will be critical for the Sixers’ title hopes. This should serve as a nice test for him right before the playoffs.
Playoff tuneup against Golden State (March 31, ESPN)
Speaking of tests, the Sixers by this point likely will start to wind down and load manage before the postseason. So against Golden State, another team James considered this summer, the Sixers will play a franchise with a championship pedigree even if it’s past its prime years.
The Eagles held the 11th practice of their 2026 training camp on Thursday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations from Day 11 (and links to Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10):
Fight club
My notes will start at the end of practice and what caused a scheduled 90-minute workout to finish prematurely: The Eagles’ first bona fide fight of camp. Defensive tackle Moro Ojomo and tackle Fred Johnson had themselves a good ol’ donnybrook in which fists were thrown, alleged cheap shots were taken and multiple players and coaches did their best to separate the two combatants.
As with most camp altercations, there was apparently a series of events that led to the ultimate throwdown between the linemen. Ojomo doesn’t typically line up over Johnson, but there are occasions when they will meet, particularly on run plays. In second-unit team drills, Ojomo beat Johnson inside and notched a would-be tackle for loss. He might have had another TFL a set later if Johnson didn’t tackle him to the ground.
Moro Ojomo took exception to what he felt was a late push by teammate Fred Johnson. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
It all came to a head later on when Johnson gave Ojomo an extra push to the ground. Ojomo popped up, stormed at Johnson and led with a left. Johnson responded and they scuffled until it was broken up. Normally, throwing hands would get you kicked out of the next play or even practice. Ojomo and Johnson not only remained on the field, but faced off again. And, of course, it got physical again. Johnson pancaked Ojomo to the turf, Ojomo came up swinging — this time with a right hook — and then all I could see were bodies flying around trying to stop the melee.
Punching a helmet makes little sense and Ojomo apparently realized as much. My view was obstructed, but I was later told that after breaking free from his teammates, he lunged at Johnson’s lower body. That prolonged the fracas until the two were finally pried apart. Ojomo kept yelling at Johnson, who said to no one in particular, “He tried to take out my knees! I got kids!”
Coach Nick Sirianni huddled the team together and wrapped up practice 10 minutes early. After two weeks of facing off against each other, the Eagles’ offense and defense will finally face a team in another uniform when they meet the Ravens on Saturday. And again when they head to New England for two joint practices with the Patriots next Wednesday and Thursday. It’s about that time.
Quinyon Mitchell (glute) and Cooper DeJean (groin) were the latest to miss practice. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the two All-Pro cornerbacks landed on the injury report at the same time. The Eagles have likely seen enough out of Mitchell and DeJean, and as they did with receiver DeVonta Smith, decided to shut down two key players who don’t need camp as much others do.
With Mitchell out, Jakorian Bennett and Kelee Ringo split reps at right cornerback. Michael Carter II filled in for DeJean in the slot and Marcus Epps took most, if not all, of the snaps at safety. Cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields might have gotten some looks with the first-unit defense, too, but he was also out with a heel injury.
The following remained sidelined: receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring), cornerback Jonathan Jones (shoulder), outside linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby (ankle), running back Dameon Pierce (hamstring), safety Cole Wisniewski (hamstring), and Smith (hamstring). Receiver Danny Gray (concussion) was limited.
Receiver Johnny Wilson (knee) was back in action.
When Riq Woolen (2) is off the field, Mac McWilliams (22) is often on it. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Hollywood shuffle
Cornerback Mac McWilliams got some starter’s reps whenever Riq Woolen took a breather. He made the most of his turn during seven-on-sevens when he intercepted Jalen Hurts’ toss to receiver Hollywood Brown in the end zone. McWilliams caught sight of the pass late, but he used one hand to secure the ball against his shoulder and pulled it in for the pick.
Hurts’ pass didn’t look errant. The timing between a quarterback and a receiver on out routes can be of the utmost importance. Hurts worked with Brown on the route after practice. Lemon was involved, as well. Brown hasn’t really stood out in camp. There could be a host of reasons why. Does Hurts not yet trust him? Is he not a scheme fit? Has he lost a step? Or is it simply too early to make assessments?
Brown later dropped a screen pass.
Interpreting interceptions
Brown was also the intended receiver on Mitchell’s interception from Tuesday. I chose to spotlight the corner’s improved ball skills rather than Hurts’ turnover because it appeared as if Brown wasn’t precise on his dig route. As with most plays in football, there were multiple factors. The Eagles posted the play on their social media accounts and it created a minor stir.
I understood some of the commotion. The team wouldn’t normally promote anything that would seemingly disparage their franchise quarterback. I think in this case, they simply wanted to give props to Mitchell. The interception had already been reported. It’s not like Hurts — or any player — is perfect. And, in fact, I appreciate that the Eagles didn’t feel like they had to mollycoddle the 28-year old. That hasn’t always been the case.
Nevertheless, Hurts could end up throwing more interceptions with more projected middle field throws in the new offense. I asked Sirianni if he needed to alter his conservatism when it comes to turnovers because the reward of more over-the-middle passes is worth the risk. His answer in a nutshell was no, but I think there is an alternate reality.
Nolan Smith Jr. had a strong practice Thursday. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Smith locked in
Nolan Smith was all over the field during the first team period. The outside linebacker raced into the backfield to touch up running back Saquon Barkley after getting by tight end Dallas Goedert’s block. Smith was even more impressive on the next rep when he beat left tackle Jordan Mailata with a push-pull move and strung a run play out. A few plays later, he snuffed out a swing pass to Barkley.
Smith’s instincts and versatility are strengths. He’s effective in setting the edge against the run and wily when he drops into coverage. His effort is unquestioned. A lot of his pressures and sacks come from dirty work. The one knock, as I see it, is fairly significant: He doesn’t win enough in the pass rush. At least not yet. And there are concerns about durability. He’s still wearing a large brace on his left arm. But the Eagles picked up his fifth-year option for good reason.
Dontayvion Wicks opened camp as one of Hurts’ go-to guys. He wasn’t targeted as much over the last week, for whatever reason, but Thursday’s practice further validated the notion that Wicks should get the second-most number of snaps at receiver once the season starts.
Hurts and Wicks have developed obvious rapport on certain concepts, mostly on the out route. Wicks knows how to win at the line. He caught a 10-yarder in front of McWilliams early on, and then beat Woolen for a touchdown. Woolen has been one of the best man-press covers in the NFL. But Wicks used a quick shuffle at the line to keep the corner from jamming him. Hurts hit him in stride before the pylon and pumped his fist in celebration.
Bell power
Markel Bell took the snaps at right tackle when Lane Johnson got rest. The 6-foot-9 rookie has so far answered some of the questions about his agility in the Shanahan scheme. We know he has the size traits, especially when it comes to arm length in pass protection. But would he be able to get out of a three-point stance in run blocking? Would he be able to climb to the second level and get his hands on linebackers?
I saw it before in camp, but he had two impressive instances on Thursday when he sealed off linebacker Zack Baun on inside zone runs by Barkley and Tank Bigsby. Guard Tyler Steen — his partner on the right side — had a solid day as well. He once contained defensive tackle Jalen Carter at the point of attack. He later had a false start and may have held Carter on another down, but Steen has solidified his standing this summer.
Johnny Mundt (83) was a target for Jalen Hurts (1). Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
First down
Hurts loves his tight ends during sevens-on-sevens. Goedert and Johnny Mundt were his targets on the first three drops. Hurts then tried two corner fades in the red zone — the first to Wicks and the second to Wilson — but Michael Carter and Woolen each recorded pass breakups.
Ringo took a poor angle on a Barkley run to the perimeter. A year ago, Ringo essentially took himself out of the starting cornerback competition when he missed an open field tackle in the first preseason game. Hurts later found Goedert in the back of the end zone for a touchdown in team drills. Safety Andrew Mukuba was in coverage, but Hurts had all kinds of time in the pocket.
Tanner McKee should get some run on Saturday. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Second down
Sirianni declined to say who would start at quarterback on Saturday. It’s doubtful that Hurts and Co. play. The guess here is that Andy Dalton will get the nod, but Tanner McKee will play as much. McKee was first up with the second offense on Thursday. His best moment came on a 12-yard hitch to receiver Britain Covey.
Dalton struggled in his first set. His throw to running back Will Shipley led him just out of bounds. Shipley did his best to drag his feet, and a nearby referee ruled him inbounds, but the replay suggested otherwise. Gray was wide-open in the back of the end zone a play later, but Dalton overthrew him.
Extra points
Barkley got dinged at one point and required trainer attention. He should fine, from what I understand. … It was bound to happen. Willie Lampkin missed a block. Defensive tackle Byron Young was credited with a sack when he slipped outside the guard. Lampkin’s error wasn’t physical. He just hesitated a second on his assignment. … Covey, Elijah Moore, Quez Watkins and Brandon Hayes handled punt return duties. Lemon watched from nearby. … UFC’s Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett watched practice. … The Eagles have a closed walkthrough on Friday. They’re off on Sunday and will return to practice on Monday.
The NBA released the rest of the 76ers’ regular-season schedule Thursday afternoon, rounding out a much-anticipated slate after the team added stars LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to become preseason championship contenders.
Several marquee games were announced earlier this week, including the Sixers’ season opener (Oct. 20 at New York Knicks) and home opener (Oct. 22 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers); their holiday matchups on Christmas (at Los Angeles Lakers), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 18 at Atlanta Hawks), and Presidents Day (Feb. 15 at Dallas Mavericks); and their NBA Cup group play matchups (Oct. 30 vs. New York, Nov. 6 at Cleveland, Nov. 25 vs. Miami Heat, and Nov. 27 at Indiana Pacers).
The primary mystery still lingering entering Thursday was when All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown would make his return to Boston. That day will finally arrive Jan. 21 — unless one counts the Sixers’ preseason visit to TD Garden during which Brown, like many stars in those exhibitions, may not suit up.
Brown played his first 10 NBA seasons with the Celtics, developing into a five-time All-Star, 2024 NBA champion, and Finals MVP before being shockingly traded to the Sixers last month.
The Sixers will also play in Boston on March 7, a 1 p.m. game televised by ABC. The first Sixers-Celtics meeting will be Nov. 10 at Xfinity Mobile Arena, marking Paul George’s return to Philly after he was moved to Boston in that blockbuster deal. That November game also will be the first with stakes since their wild first-round playoff series, when the Sixers rallied from down three-games-to-one to win Game 7.
Sixers Joel Embiid covers Lakers LeBron James in the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers at Philadelphia 76ers NBA game at the Wells Fargo Center in Phila., Pa. on Fri., Dec. 9, 2022.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Hello again, LeBron
The NBA had already placed James’ first game against the Lakers, for whom he had played the previous eight seasons, as a premier Christmas Day matchup. The all-time great also will return to Cleveland on Nov. 6 and March 1, and to Miami on Jan. 30 and April 8.
James won NBA titles and MVP awards with the Cavaliers and Heat, and was considering both teams during his elongated free agency. Instead, James chose to sign a two-year contract with the Sixers in what he called his final playing-destination decision.
One additional LeBron-related travel anecdote: The Sixers’ game at the Memphis Grizzlies is Feb. 3, after James said he is not the biggest fan of the hotel accommodations in that particular city. It is a single-game trip.
Heading West
Unsurprisingly, the Sixers’ two longest road trips of the season are primarily to the Western Conference.
That Lakers showdown on Christmas begins a five-game trip, which continues against the Los Angeles Clippers (Dec. 27), Sacramento Kings (Dec. 29), Phoenix Suns (Dec. 30), and Milwaukee Bucks (Jan. 1).
The Sixers also will head West four games in late March against the Utah Jazz (March 23), Golden State Warriors (March 24), Portland Trail Blazers (March 26), and Denver Nuggets (March 28). That finale in Denver is of note, considering former MVP Joel Embiid has not played in that city — and against former MVP-caliber center rival Nikola Jokic — since 2019.
Beyond those jaunts, the Sixers’ longest road trip of the season is three games coming out of the All-Star break in February. And two of those are against the New York teams (at Brooklyn Nets Feb. 25, at Knicks Feb. 27) and won’t require travel in between.
Noteworthy visits
Here is when several big names and former Sixers will visit Philly (barring health):
Oct. 25 and Feb. 5: Cade Cunningham(and Paul Reed and Isaiah Joe) with the Detroit Pistons
Nov. 12 and March 15: Kawhi Leonard (presumably) with the Toronto Raptors
Nov. 15 and Jan. 19: Kelly Oubre Jr. with the Indiana Pacers
Dec. 2: Jokic with the Nuggets
Dec. 23: Kevin Durant with the Houston Rockets
Jan. 6: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (and Jared McCain) with the Oklahoma City Thunder
Jared McCain (right) and the Thunder will visit Philly on Jan. 6.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
March 4: Luka Doncic (and Quentin Grimes) with the Lakers
March 21: Victor Wembanyama (and Tobias Harris) with the San Antonio Spurs
March 24: Stephen Curry (and, potentially, Jimmy Butler) with the Warriors
Other nuggets
The Sixers have 34 nationally televised games, a franchise record and the maximum allowed for a single team. That further embodies the immense attention on a star-studded roster. Ten of those are on Amazon Prime Video, while eight apiece are on ESPN and NBC/Peacock, five are on ABC, and three are on Peacock/NBC Sports Network.
The Sixers will play 13 back-to-backs, down from 16 last season. Managing those will be crucial to maintaining the health of James and Embiid, who previously said on the record that he may never play in both games of such a set again. The Sixers’ strangest back-to-back: Indiana to Houston over Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 27 and 28).
Nine of the Sixers’ 16 January games will be at home, the most in a month during the season. Matchups against the Washington Wizards (Jan. 12), Nets (Jan. 14), Clippers (Jan. 25), and Sacramento Kings (Jan. 27) — who are all expected to finish near the bottom of the standings — are part of that stretch.
Their final four games — vs. Atlanta, at Toronto, at Miami, vs. Charlotte — could go a long way in determining postseason seeding and exemplifies the newfound depth of the Eastern Conference.
His opponent dropped three straight birdies to end the front-nine and flip the match from 1-down to 1-up. A year ago, Michael Lugiano might have melted.
“I could have fallen apart after seven, eight, and nine,” Lugiano admitted. “I used to get pretty angry on the golf course. I’ve really worked on that.”
He was not alone. In 2024, when Lugiano left Jackson Township, which is west of Scranton, to play at Liberty University, he was not the same young man that he has become. Josh Ryan has been a big part of that.
Within weeks of Lugiano’s arrival at Liberty, which is a Christian school in Lynchburg, Va., he met Ryan, became fast friends, and accepted Christ as his savior. Ryan, then a junior, guided him through that year of change — intensely competitive golf, and intense work on controlling his emotions. They were roommates this past school year. They are housemates this week. Ryan lives in Norristown, 10 miles from Merion Golf Course.
Ryan had been the big story of the first two days at the U.S. Amateur Championship. The 312 qualifiers played 18 holes of stroke play on Monday and Tuesday at Merion or Philadelphia Country Club, alternating courses, to winnow the field to 64. Ryan’s 8-under score of 131 won him medalist honors and was one shot shy of the tournament record. His 5-under 65 at Merion on Tuesday was one shot off the course record. All of which made him the feel-good No. 1 seed as the match play began Wednesday at Merion, where it will remain through Sunday. Lugiano finished 19th in stroke play, which was magnificent … but stroke play lacks the crushing intimacy of match play.
Could Lugiano hold it together?
Lugiano never lost control Wednesday. He found peace. He tied the match on No. 12, regained the lead on No. 16, saw it disappear on No. 17, then won it with a long lag putt on No. 18 to beat Chase Hughes and advance to the Round of 32 on Thursday.
There was something slightly beatific about Lugiano when he recounted the last dozen holes. This was something he felt he would find at Liberty.
“I knew it would be a good spot where I could follow God’s path more and learn more about Him,” Lugiano said.
He’d battled five hours in 90-degree sun but his day was far from done. His older brother Bobby had caddied for him — they’re both COVID-19 converts from baseball to golf — but his spiritual brother was still on the course.
Joshua Ryan of Norristown, Pa., teeing off on the second hole during Tuesday’s stroke-play round, lost in a playoff in the round of 64 on Wednesday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Lugiano spent the next three hours following Ryan’s match.
“I don’t know if I could’ve done that,” Ryan said later.
At 7:30 p.m., when, in dying daylight, Ryan forced extra holes by winning No. 18, Lugiano was right there, his soiled golf glove still hanging from his belt, his “Liberty” score book still stuffed in his left hip pocket.
A few minutes later, on No. 1, the first playoff hole, Ryan found Merion’s fiendish, six-inch rough one time too many, and his Am was over, upset by Taishi Moto. Ryan hugged his mother on the green, hugged his brother by the cart path, then plopped into the cart waiting to take him to the locker room.
Not so fast. Lugiano lumbered over, hopped in, and gave him a quick hug, too. They were happy.
What might have been an awkward post-tournament dinner between players with a lesser bond would be a celebration Wednesday night at Ryan’s house.
“This is what we dream of, right?” Ryan said. “I want him to win this week. If I could be medalist and he wins it, that’s great. We’re both walking around with some hardware. That’d be fun. So, I’m excited to watch.”
They don’t look like brothers. Lugiano has big shoulders and big legs and big frames on his glasses. He brushes his dark hair onto his forehead like Sam the Sheepdog, the laconic Briard from Looney Tunes.
Ryan has a slighter build, curly, sandy hair, and an aura of leadership that belies his boyish looks. He qualified for the U.S. Am at the qualifier last month at Llanerch Country Club in Havertown, but won the Pennsylvania Amateur two weeks ago to boot. He had a fine four years at Liberty, and he plans to return for a fifth year if the NCAA loses its appeal of a federal court ruling handed down last month. But Ryan knew as soon as Lugiano arrived in Lynchburg that Liberty had a star in the making.
“Michael’s golf game is a lot different than mine. He’s going to go out and just hit great golf shots,” Ryan said. “He’s one of the best tee ballplayers I’ve ever seen, so he never lacks confidence. So when he’s playing good golf, it’s just easy: Fairway, green. He’s getting around the course super easy. So it was never, never really a doubt if it was going to happen.”
It happened first last June, when Lugiano won Delaware’s Amateur and qualified for the 2025 U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. There, he missed the playoff for the cut by one stroke. Fast-forward to the end of Lugiano’s sophomore season, when, in May, he won the NCAA Regional in Corvallis, Ore., which made him not only the first NCAA regional medalist in Liberty history, but the first in the history of Conference USA. He finished tied for fourth last month at Llanerch to make the field.
Michael Lugiano advanced to Thursday’s Round of 32.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Now, he’s among the last 32 players trying to secure a title won by some of the giants of the game. Arnold Palmer, Bryson DeChambeau, and Phil Mickelson each took home the Havemeyer Trophy. Jack Nicklaus won it twice, Tiger Woods won it three times, and Bobby Jones five, the last, in 1930, right here at Merion.
Even 18 months ago, taking home such a trophy would have been outrageous to Lugiano. But that was before he was saved, and before he found peace, and before he’d discovered a boundless work ethic and a well of talent he’d never known was there.
Golf used to be something he did for fun. Now?
“I want to do this as my career,” he said. “So, my goal now is to go out and win every tournament. I know I’m capable of it.”
His goal for Wednesday night was much less formidable. His goal Wednesday night was to get to bed early, because his next match was at 9:25 a.m. Thursday.
But first, dinner.
Ryan’s mom had white-bean chicken chili waiting at home in the crock pot.
East Side Little League, a 12-and-under baseball team based in West Chester, is one win away from stamping its ticket to Williamsport, Pa., for the Little League World Series. The moment is not lost on the team’s players.
“It’s every 12-year-old’s dream, and we’re living it right now,” said left fielder Paul Cooperthwaite.
East Side will play in the Little League Mid-Atlantic regional final on Friday in Bristol, Conn. (3.p.m., ESPN). They will face the team from Delaware — Naamans Little League, from Wilmington. Naamans, which beat Capitol Hill Little League (Washington, D.C.), 7-2, on Thursday, is roughly a 30-minute drive (about 15 miles) from East Side. The winner of Friday’s game will represent the Mid-Atlantic Region in the Little League World Series.
“We’re not looking ahead,” said coach Bob Hennessey, whose son, Ryan, plays on the team. “When we get into a game situation, we tell them, ‘Hey, let’s win every inning.’ That’s been our mantra for the last couple years.”
Added first baseman Dillon DiGiulio: “I knew we could make it this far. We’ve faced so many challenges, and just to make it here, it’s been great.”
The kids from East Side Little League in West Chester.Courtesy of Katherine Cowperthwait
East Side cruised through districts and sectionals before falling in their second matchup of the Pennsylvania State Little League tournament. The state tournament is double-elimination, so Hennessey’s team had to claw out of the losers’ bracket to have a chance at regionals — which they did. By winning each of its next four games, East Side secured a spot in the state title game against Blue Mountain (Schuylkill County).
In the final inning — the top of the sixth — and with the game tied, East Side third baseman Jack Cassidy hit a grand slam to power a 12-8 win and propel his team to the four-team regional stage.
“They had the mentality of, ‘Hey, we’re not ready to go home yet,’” Hennessey said. “I think it was just like, ‘Stay focused, go out there, and continue to play your game.’ We made a couple changes in our lineup [after the loss]. That’s also what helped spark the way we started playing after that, and then we started hitting the ball really well and scoring a lot of runs.”
East Side’s two Mid-Atlantic regional games came with less dramatics. The West Chester side trounced Delaware, 8-1, on Sunday before shutting out Washington, 10-0, on Tuesday. While the team is staying in Bristol, the West Chester community is cheering them on from home. Throughout their run, local restaurants have hosted watch parties.
“It’s been fun,” Cooperthwaite said. “I’ve heard all about it. Everyone’s telling me about all the watch parties.”
The team even received a video from recent Phillies Wall of Fame inductee Chase Utley, who wished the squad good luck. Although the players were in diapers when Utley played his last game as a Phillie in 2015, they were thrilled to hear from a baseball legend.
With so much noise around the team, Hennessey is looking to keep his players focused.
“Keeping them thinking about baseball,” Hennessey said. “Obviously, they have other interests and stuff, but they bought into ‘we’re here to play baseball. We have an end goal in sight, and we’re one win away.’ They’re right there at the goal.”
If East Side advances to Williamsport, they’ll join a trio of other Philly-area teams that have represented the Mid-Atlantic at the Little League World Series: Glenmoore Eagle Little League (from Upper Uwchlan Township) last year, Council Rock Newtown Little League in 2024, and Media Little League in 2023.
