A Grip on Sports: A teary tribute, a longtime rivalry and a world record highlight a eclectic day in sports

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Let’s see, what’s going on? How about a incredibly emotional no-hitter? And a couple of other interesting thoughts, from salaries to a fast runner.

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• The Angels honored the recently deceased Tyler Skaggs yesterday on the day before what would have been his 28th birthday. Then his team went out and honored him on the field – in more than one way.

The best way was with the game pitched on the mound he took so many times before. Two Angels, Taylor Cole and Felix Pena, combined to no-hit the visiting M’s. The offense combined to put up 13 runs. And then the players combined to lay their No. 45 jerseys, which they all wore, in a semicircle around the mound.

It’s been a couple weeks since Skaggs died in a Texas hotel while the Angels were on a road trip. Friday was their first game in Anaheim since then.

The fans put together an impromptu tribute outside the stadium and then his teammates did the same inside.

It was an emotional tribute broadcast around the country by ESPN.

• The other side of the coin concerns the Mariners, who returned from the All-Star break and continued their lackluster play. Not only were the no-hit, not only was Mike Leake and the bullpen battered, but they also committed three errors, adding to their league-leading total.

They may not have the worst record in baseball. They may not lose 100 games. But there is little doubt this a tough-to-watch, bad Mariner ballclub.

• If you had a chance to watch a couple of events from around the world yesterday, you were one lucky person.

The first was Roger Federer’s semifinal win over Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon. These two all-time greats have battled so often before as to be nearly uncountable (it’s actually 40 times, with Nadal holding a 24-16 edge, though Federer has taken six of the last seven matches). But this may have been the last one. At least at Wimbledon.

Federer, who reached his 12th Wimbledon final, is 37 years old. His career is winding down. And Nadal, 33, is no youngster. His career, derailed a few times by injury, has probably already peaked, even though Friday’s tennis belies that a bit.

In the women’s final this morning, Simona Halep smoked Serena Williams, 6-2, 6-2, to win her first Wimbledon title.

How long Williams continues (she’s the same age as Federer, so the same questions need to be asked) to play after winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles is anyone’s guess.

The other international event of significance yesterday occurred in Monaco, where Sifan Hassan ran the fastest mile in women’s track history. The Portland-based runner – she’s from the Netherlands but was born in Somalia – finished in 4 minutes, 12.33 seconds, breaking a record that has stood since 1996.

• The women’s World Cup team is still basking in the glow of the recently won title, all the while the debate rages about their pay.

It’s not as simple as it seems, at least worldwide. But here in the United States, where the women players are more well-known by the public than their male counterparts, the debate takes on a different hue. It will be interesting to see how it turns out over the next few years.

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WSU: It is no longer a surprise when the State of Washington releases its annual salary list and Mike Leach and Chris Petersen are atop it. By a lot. What is a surprise is how much outrage it will engender. Maybe that shouldn’t a surprise either. Jim Camden has a story on the entire list. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, summer is slowly winding down and preseason football practice will begin early next month everywhere. Colorado’s roster includes an outstanding defensive lineman. … UC Davis will become a historical footnote, as the Aggies are scheduled to be USC’s first FCS opponent ever in 2021. … In basketball news, Oregon has added a highly sought graduate transfer. … Arizona will open the Wooden Classic against Pepperdine and former assistant Lorenzo Romar.

Gonzaga: Even after going from a relatively unknown transfer to an NBA first-round draft pick, Brandon Clarke still feels he has a lot to prove. And a lot to work on. … Justin Reed joined Larry Weir yesterday to talk about the Zags (and other things) for the Press Box pod.

EWU: Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Northern Arizona gathered to mourn and remember football player Malik Noshi, who died on Sunday.

Indians: Before we get to the game scores, we want to recommend Dave Nichols’ story today on Chris Ackerman, the U-Hi graduate who went from being an Indians bat boy to heading up the Rangers’ minor league equipment crew. … Spokane lost 7-0 to Tri-City last night as the bats went nearly silent. … Elsewhere in the Northwest League, Everett and Eugene lost. The Mariners’ second-round draft pick made his professional debut and looked a bit rusty.

Golf: Longtime Esmerelda pro Bill Warner died a couple months, but as Jim Meehan writes in his weekly column, his influence lives on around the Hillyard course – and Spokane-area golf.

Preps: Chuck Stewart has the results of the Wood Bat Classic as well as other information in the Youth Sports Notebook.

Mariners: The 13-0 loss would seem even worse, probably, if we had higher expectations for the M’s. Sadly, we do not. … Dylan Moore didn’t let a three-error game define him. … Daniel Vogelbach is back from the All-Star Game with a new outlook. … Gene Warnick is back with the Out of Right Field recap. If his outlook is new, I have no idea.

Sounders: Seattle is as close to full strength as it can get. The Sounders will face defending MLS champion Atlanta in CenturyLink tomorrow.

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• Remember when NBC used to make a big deal about Breakfast at Wimbledon? It never seemed to resonate on the West Coast. After all, 6 a.m. on a weekend was awful early to rise for tea, crumpets and a tennis match. Until later …